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CORRUPTION UPDATES 34 January 25th to February 1st, 2007 The CORRUPTION UPDATES reviews corruption in the news. News Stories from California, the Nation and the World are abstracted below, and followed by commentary and references. |
CORRUPTION UPDATES 34
Previous Corruption Updates: Page 33
Next Corruption Updates: Page 35
1) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED BY AP, 1-25-07:
Ohio poll workers convicted
From the Associated Press
January 25, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-ohio25jan25,1,684159.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
“CLEVELAND — Two
election workers were convicted Wednesday of rigging a recount of
the 2004 presidential election to avoid a more thorough review in
Ohio's most populous county.”
“Jacqueline
Maiden, elections coordinator of the Cuyahoga County Elections
Board, and ballot manager Kathleen Dreamer each were convicted of a
felony count of negligent misconduct by an elections employee. They
also were convicted of one misdemeanor count each of failure to
perform their duty as elections employees.”
“Prosecutors
accused Maiden and Dreamer of secretly reviewing preselected ballots
before a public recount on Dec. 16, 2004. They worked behind closed
doors for three days to pick ballots they knew would not cause
discrepancies when checked by hand, prosecutors said.”
“Ohio
gave President Bush the electoral votes he needed to defeat
Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry in the close election and hold on to
the White House in 2004.”
“Maiden and Dreamer
will be sentenced Feb. 26.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WAS FIXED IN OHIO
I have participated in a lot of elections that felt rigged. Not by fraud or manipulating the vote counts, but by rigging the district, so it's a “safe” district for one or the other parties.
Your vote really doesn't count: the parties have divided your democracy into personal fiefdoms. In the larger general elections I know that both the candidates represent Big Money Special Interests, and neither represents anyone I know.
I have voted in many elections where neither candidate was significantly different from the other. In many races, such as last November, most of the candidates were bribed by the same special interests.
In recent elections an even more disturbing trend has emerged, indicated by the cheating in Ohio reported by the article above, and the massive fraud in Florida that brought us Bush.
The inescapable conclusion is that our political system is based on bribery and cheating. The Bribery and Cheating are held together by the lies of our Corporate Media. We have been deluded as to the source of political power, both in elections, and inside the political parties.
The politicians who collect the most special interest bribes determine who has power inside the parties, while the elections are won by which party that collects the most bribery money. Unless the other party “steals” the election.
It's ironic that the parties are trying to steal from each other the very same political power they stole from us. It makes me laugh when they complain about getting screwed out of what they stole from us.
For
elections to have any value, two things must be done. First, all
elections officials, for all elections, must be nonpartisan. Second,
the candidates must represent their constituents, and the
representatives elected must represent their district, not the
special interests who bribed them.
We've a long way to go.
Note:
Ohio is also where Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell oversaw his own election, and used his office to advance his candidacy as the Republican candidate for governor. A disgusting behavior by a disgusting man.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 16, 6th article on page, “Ohio: Court Rejects Campaign Case” (About Blackwell)
Search the Corruption Database under
Ohio
2) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY LA Times, 1-25-07:
Appointment called unconstitutional
A lawyer alleges recent U.S. attorney selection violates appointments clause.
By Henry Weinstein, Times Staff Writer
January 25, 2007
“A
veteran Little Rock, Ark., attorney has lodged the first
constitutional challenge to the Bush administration's attempt to
appoint a U.S. attorney without
seeking Senate approval.”
“John Wesley Hall
alleged in a brief filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Little
Rock that Atty. Gen. Alberto R.
Gonzales' Dec. 20 appointment of Tim Griffin as U.S. attorney
for the Eastern District of Arkansas violated the presidential
appointments clause of the Constitution.”
“Griffin,
who used to work for Bush political advisor Karl Rove, replaced Bud
Cummins, a Bush appointee and one of seven U.S. attorneys
around the country whom the administration has ousted since late
December. The top federal prosecutors in San Diego and
San Francisco were among those
dismissed.”
“ "Under the Constitution, only the president can appoint a U.S. attorney, not the attorney general, so this appointment is void," Hall asserted.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
SCARY NEO-CON POLITICAL OPERATIVE REPLACES US ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS
The complaint by Hall, above, delaying Griffin's appointment is irrelevant. It will only force the President to personally authorize the replacement of Cummins by Griffin. But Hall's suit may have other effects.
Hall's case may delay Griffin from taking office. This may allow time for other events to transpire. Time to expose a plot by Senior White House Officials to fire Federal Attorneys who interfered with the web of corruption binding Congressional Crooks, Lobbyists, and the White House into a criminal money machine, and replace them with POLITICAL OPERATEVES who will defer investigating Republicans, while targeting Democrats.
As both parties are corrupted, making prosecutors partisan would assure that Federal Prosecutors would never really target or address the structure of corruption, only the other party's corruptions.
Bush's firings assure that US Attorneys will become powerful weapons of institutionalized corruptions. They are becoming a powerful weapon of the party in power against their enemies.
Congress
is already so politicized-corrupted-that it is incapable of, and
unwilling to, expose, or stop, its most corrupted and perverted
members from molesting our democracy, and our children. Congress is
already shamefully corrupt, and completely politicized.
The President's radical politicization of our Federal Government was done for the usual reasons: profit and power. These base acts have enriched our Corporate Elite beyond their wildest dreams, but this Administration offers more. Their hallmark is a deep disregard for our most fundamental Constitutional rights and the rule of law that protects them.
The President's legal Council, Gonzales, tell the President that he has the right to ignore The Law. Gonzales told Bush he can kidnap and torture anyone he pleases. He can search Americans without a warrant. The President exercised these clearly unconstitutional powers. The FBI and NSA are breaking the law under the illegitimate authority of Presidential power.
Gonzales was rewarded for betraying our Constitution, his treachery, by making him the highest law enforcement officer in the land.
Gonzales is the prefect Attorney General for a President who ignores the law. We can expect no criminal investigations of the President's crimes, because the Attorney General believes the President can commit no crimes.
And
now the President is trying to control which of his henchmen and
which of his enemies shall be indited by US Attorneys and their
Federal Grand Juries.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 25, 8th article on page, “FBI CHIEF DEFYS CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT REFUSAL TO DISCLOSE ILLEGAL PROGRAM...”
Corruption
Updates 34, 2nd article on page, “SCARY
NEO-CON POLITICAL OPERATIVE REPLACES US ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS”
Corruption Update 34, Jan., 31, 2006, 7th article on page, "ALBERTO
FIGHTS FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRESIDENTIAL POWERS"
Corruption Updates 35, 12th article on page, “DOMENICI FINALLY ADMITS TO UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, CONTACT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTOR”
Corruption Updates 38, 1st article on page, “Fired U.S. attorney's testimony raises broader concerns”
Corruption Updates 38, 5th article on page, “LA TIMES OFFERS BUSH POLITICAL COVER FOR FIRING PROSECUTOR OF DUKE CUNNINGHAM”
Corruption Updates 39, 3rd article on page, “Rove's role in firings is focus”
Corruption Updates 39, 4th article on page, “Fed Attny Firing Report:TRIBUNE CO HAS MADE LATIMES A TOOL”
Corruption Updates 39, 5th article on page, “GOP official urged Rove to fire prosecutor”
Corruption Updates 39, 6th article on page, “House panel expands inquiry into prosecutor firings”
Corruption Updates 39, 7th article on page, “Gonzales is urged to quit 'for the nation'
Corruption Update 43 2nd article on the page, "GONALES
CAUGHT IN OPEN LIES TO CONGRESS
Search the Corruption Database under
US Attorney
Judicial Corruption
Misuse of Office
Gonzales
3) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES, 1-26-07:
State prisons in 'tailspin,' panel says
“In a blistering report, the nonpartisan Little Hoover Commission links problems plaguing the correctional system to a lack of political will.”
By Jenifer Warren, Times Staff Writer
January 26, 2007
“SACRAMENTO — Three decades of tough-on-crime
lawmaking has sent California's prison system into a "tailspin,"
creating the most pressing crisis facing the state, the government's
own watchdog panel declared Thursday.”
“"For
decades, governors and lawmakers fearful of appearing soft on crime
have failed to muster the political will to address the looming
crisis," the commission said.”
“The state's 33 prisons are packed to twice their intended capacity, with more than 16,000 inmates bunking in hallways, classrooms and other areas not designed as housing. Prison leaders say they will be out of room for new inmates by summer, and concern about riots is extremely high.”
“The governor has a short-term program to ease crowding — transferring inmates to other states — but it is faltering because few convicts are volunteering to go.”
“The Little Hoover report is available at http://www.lhc.ca.gov/lhc.html“
LONG TERM PRISON CRISIS RECOGNIZED?
SEEING IT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM-PAYING IS THE PROBLEM
California has depreciated its prison system the same way British Petroleum depreciated its pipelines and refineries. We're both running every penny out of an already underfunded system, until it explodes.
But our prisons are not pipelines and refineries. Prisons do not blow up once, like pipelines and refineries. Our prisons are in a state of constant chaos, constantly burning California, as well as those inside the walls. The conditions in our prisons are inhumane. They are cruel and inhumane punishment.
Prison Conditions are indicative of the degraded condition of our whole State Infrastructure. Our schools are in the same condition as our prisons, and their abysmal conditions and poor performance are also a long standing open secret. An open wound, just like the prisons.
Our levies are shot. The 5 Billion in bonds we approved to fix the levies in California is a just drop in the bucket full of money we are going to need to make them safe. Estimates for flood control needs in our state were at $12 billion to $13 billion. However, pending further study, those numbers could climb to the $16 billion to $18 billion range.
California's drinking water and electrical systems are running at capacity. Our roads, bridges, hospitals, cops and social services suck.
Our whole infrastructure is tottering under the weight of our present population, and that population is swelling rapidly.
We have not paid the social costs of doing business for the last 30 years. The costs of the prisons, schools, and roads that this swelling population required has not been paid. And we have watched them get crushed under the weight of our expanding population.
Our prisons, schools, and our social infrastructure have produced pain and ignorance for the majority of the Americans who pass through them. Our social institutions have been looted of their value to subsidize the profits of the employers. Cheap labor is not as cheap as their low wages appear, if our schools, prisons, and the rise of poverty are indicators.
During this period of unprecedented irresponsible growth, vast profits have enriched a few while vast slums and poverty have swallowed our middle class.
While all this money and poverty were being manufactured, we have stood silent while we watched our prisons slide into chaos, and our schools into ignorance.
The next wave of massive population growth is moving towards maturity, and imprisonment or poverty. We can afford neither.
Corruption Updates 1, 8th article on page, “Lagging prison reform”
CU Upcoming: not posted yet:3-16-07 “Study: Schools need billions”
Corruption Updates 8: 9th article down: Hagar Bashed in Hatchet Job. Bee, 7-16-06.
Corruption Updates 8, 5th article down: Prison union buys Angelides, “Mr. Clean Candidate”. Bee, 9-6-06.
Corruption Updates 16, 5th article on page, “CALIFORNIA PRISONS INHUMANE”
Corruption Updates 34, 3rd article on the page, "State Prisons in "tailspin"
Search the Corruption Database under
Prisons
Top
of Page
4) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE BBC, 1-31-07:
Germany issues CIA arrest orders
Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 17:35 GMT BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/europe/6316369.stm
“Germany has ordered the arrest of 13 suspected CIA agents over the alleged kidnapping of one of its citizens.”
“Munich prosecutors confirmed that the warrants were linked to the case of Khaled al-Masri, a German national of Lebanese descent.”
“Mr Masri says his case is an example of the US policy of "extraordinary rendition" - a practice whereby the US government flies foreign terror suspects to third countries without judicial process for interrogation or detention.”
“The information on which the warrants were based came from Mr Masri's lawyers and a journalist and officials in Spain, where the flight carrying Mr Masri is thought to have originated.”
“The names and nationalities concerned were not released but prosecutors said the names identified were thought to be the code names of CIA agents.”
"The investigation will now focus on learning the actual names of the suspects," they said.”
“German arrest warrants are not valid in the US but if the suspects were to travel to the European Union they could be arrested.”
“He is seeking to sue the US government over his detention, but in May a judge dismissed a lawsuit he filed against the CIA, citing national security considerations.”
“The US government is not assisting the German authorities with the case.”
“Meanwhile in the Italian city of Milan, court hearings to decide whether to indict 25 alleged CIA agents and several Italians accused of kidnapping a Muslim cleric in 2003 are under way.”
“Osama Mustafa Hassan, or Abu Omar, says he was abducted from the streets of Milan and then tortured in Egypt.”
“If the case proceeds to trial, it would be the first criminal prosecution over America's rendition policy.”
“,,,last week a European Parliament committee approved a report saying EU states knew about secret CIA flights over Europe, the abduction of terror suspects by US agents and the existence of clandestine detention camps.”
BUSH KIDNAPPING ON TRIAL IN GERMANY WHY IS GERMANY HOLDING US TO THE RULE OF LAW?
The BBC is using the wrong term. “Suspects” have rights under American Law. “Detainee” is a made-up term describing a state of having no rights.
A suspect is arrested, under a warrant, and charged with a crime. A detainee is kidnapped, and held in secret outside of judicial authority or review. The terms of detainee incarceration are established outside of law, arbitrarily, by the President. This is politically unprecedented, and Unconstitutional. It is also a crime.
Gonzales and John Hsu, and others, wrote a series of legal opinions while working for the President, which claim the President has the power to do anything he wants in the “war on terror.”
These decisions, and the actions that followed, are high crimes against our Constitution, as well as serious felonies against the individual victims. Our Congress, Justice department, and our Judiciary have failed in their duty to uphold the Constitution and defend our laws.
The President's crimes are being confronted in Germany and Italy, when they should have been stopped in Congress, by the courts, and in the glare of public exposure. Our failure to control our President exposes how far our political reality has strayed from our stated Rules and Values.
The German and Italian cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Bush used his Presidential power to institutionalize kidnapping and torture. The German and Italian cases are like the first raindrops of a great storm of kidnapping, torture, war crimes, and crimes against humanity charges that will be following our President and his henchmen (and henchwomen) for the rest of their lives.
These
crimes will dishonor our country's history for as long as it is
read.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 25, 7th article on page, “ITALY CHIEF OF INTELLIGENCE, 25 CIA OPERATIVES INDICTED FOR KIDNAPPING”
Read more Articles about Unconstitutional Presidential Power
Search the Corruption Database under
Kidnapping
Unconstitutional Presidential Power
Failure of Congressional Oversight
5) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES, 1-31-07:
Jaramillo was pressured into no-contest plea, prosecutors say
“Officials say allegedly forged papers were used as leverage, but the former O.C. assistant sheriff's attorney denies it.”
By H.G. Reza and Christine
Hanley, Times Staff Writers
January 31, 2007
“Two
documents used by George Jaramillo to defend himself from corruption
charges appear to be forgeries, said prosecutors, who say they used
them as leverage to get the former Orange County assistant sheriff to agree to spend a
year in jail as part of a plea bargain.”
“Jaramillo,
once seen as the likely heir to the county sheriff's post, pleaded
no contest Monday to single charges of perjury and misuse of public
funds, bringing an abrupt end to a case that has shaped political
battles and fractured friendships.”
“Charles Gabbard, the owner of CHG Safety Technologies Inc., allegedly paid Jaramillo to promote the apparatus to law enforcement officials around the county. Jaramillo was paid $15,000, which he has said was a consulting fee.”
“The documents were important because Jaramillo told the grand jury that his wife worked for Gabbard and received $10,000 in salary. The prosecution advanced the theory that she performed no work for Gabbard and the money was meant to be funneled to Jaramillo.”
“The alleged forged documents "put additional pressure on him, because it raised a couple of problems," Rackauckas said. "His attempt to use [them] as a defense wouldn't work, and it raised the prospect of additional charges against both [George and Lisa Jaramillo] because it was her signature." ”
“The
case stems from Jaramillo's work as a consultant to Gabbard, a
crusty entrepreneur who tried marketing the electronic device that
could disable cars pursued by police. Jaramillo went to work for
Gabbard while he was still Orange County assistant sheriff.”
“CHG,
Gabbard's company, paid him a total of $15,000 over 2000 and 2001.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
OC
ASSIST SHERIFF JAILED FOR YEAR
This messy case just kept getting worse. The Scorecard: Sheriff Carona assistant Sheriff Jaramillo, and Scumbag Charles Gabbard trading money for favors and influence.
The good news: A year in jail for Jaramillo. We hope Carona follows shortly, and we really hope that Gabbard, who received immunity for testifying against Jaramillo, gets some real jail time for his outrageous corruption.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 20, 7th article on page, “OC Repubs Cannot Stop Embarrassing themselves”
Corruption Updates 23, 5th article on page, “IS EVERYBODY IN OC CORRUPT? CORRUPTION CASE MAKING WHOLE OC SHERIFFS DEPT LOOK...”
Read more on OC Corrutpions
Search the Corruption Database under
Orange County
Jobs
Family
6) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES, 1-30-07:
FBI looking into U.S. Rep. Miller's land deals
By William Heisel, Times Staff Writer
4:13 PM PST, January 30,
2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-ex-miller30jan31,1,5740863.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
“The FBI is investigating U.S. Rep. Gary Miller (R-Diamond Bar) for a series of land transactions in which he avoided paying capital gains taxes after claiming he had been threatened with eminent domain in Monrovia and Fontana, officials said today.”
“After
a land sale in Monrovia in 2002
and two subsequent sales in Fontana in
2005 and 2006, Miller claimed an exemption under Internal Revenue
Code Section 1033, which grants those forced to sell property
through eminent domain two years or more to reinvest the proceeds
without paying capital gains taxes.”
“Miller's
repeated use of the forced-sale exemption has enabled deferment of
capital gains taxes through at least 2009.”
“Citizens
for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, a nonpartisan
government watchdog group, filed a complaint in August after the
Times story was published asking the IRS to investigate and alleging
that Miller had violated federal law by invoking the eminent domain
provision to avoid capital gains taxes.”
“ "It
looks like this is not casual; it seems like quite a concerted
effort," said Melanie Sloan, the group's executive director.
"Miller has clearly acted illegally. The idea of running
into eminent domain three times is absolutely ludicrous." ”
“Miller had asked the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to review the land deals and determine whether he had committed any infractions. A review by the committee would be unrelated to the FBI investigation.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Miller Close to End of Trail
FBI MAY FORCE MILLER TO TRADE HIS STATE SERVANTS FOR STATE JUMPSUIT
Miller's time in office, hell, his time as a free man, should be coming to a close. The real question is, how can we bring this type of politics, and politicians, this era of political corruption, to an end?
The political Reform Initiative of 2008 is the answer. We cannot promise the end of corruption, but the initiative will end politics by open bribery. This initiative will tie candidates and politicians to the people of their district, not the special interests.
People like Miller will always exist. Our initiative will make people like Miller the exception, rather than the rule.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 27, 3rd article on page, “MILLER, R-CA, USING OFFICE FOR SELF ENRICHMENT”
Link to biographical Article on Miller
Search the Corruption Database under
Miller
State, California
7) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE BEE, 1-31-07:
Justice expands on spy program details
By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer
Last Updated 7:56 pm PST Wednesday, January 31, 2007
http://dwb.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3541386p-12745841c.html
“WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales expanded Congress' access Wednesday to classified documents detailing the government's domestic spying program but still didn't satisfy several lawmakers demanding information about surveillance.”
“Investigators' applications, legal briefs and orders issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court are now open to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House and Senate intelligence committees, Gonzales said.”
“Two weeks ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee - led by Democratic Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Republican Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania - criticized the attorney general for refusing to answer specific questions about the secret court's new oversight of the controversial program.”
"We obviously would be concerned about the public disclosure that may jeopardize the national security of our country," Gonzales told reporters Wednesday. "But we're working with the Congress to provide the information that it needs." ”
“The documents would not be released publicly, the attorney general said. "We're talking about highly classified documents about highly classified activities of the United States government." ”
“...several lawmakers accused the Justice Department of still holding back crucial classified documents about the surveillance, including the original presidential order that created it in October 2001.”
“The continued demands for more information underscores Congress' suspicions of the spying program, which President Bush secretly authorized after the 2001 terror attacks without court review. It was not revealed until December 2005, and has been a sore point for many lawmakers from both parties, as well as civil libertarians who fear people's privacy rights are being violated.”
“A federal judge in Detroit last August declared the program unconstitutional, and government lawyers were back in court Wednesday asking a Cincinnati-based appeals panel to drop a civil lawsuit against it.”
“The Justice Department argued that the American Civil Liberties Union's lawsuit is moot since the surveillance now is monitored by the FISA court. But the ACLU is asking the appeals court to uphold the earlier decision in August, since Bush retains authority to continue warrantless surveillance.”
ALBERTO FIGHTS FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
CONTINUES TO DEFY CONSTITUTION-CONGRESS DEFENDING ILLEGAL POWER
AP characterizes the illegal activities by the President and his men as violations of “people's privacy rights.”
This description is insufficient. These are not merely “violations to privacy rights.” This Administration is directly violating the law, as well as the specific written words of our Constitution, in every area of Presidential power.
The President is manufacturing powers prohibited by the Constitution.
The Attorney General is not concerned with the Constitution. Gonzales, and the whole Administration, are trying to sweep their crimes under a cloak of national security and patriotism, the camouflage of traitors.
The attorney general said. "We're talking about highly classified documents about highly classified activities of the United States government.” No, we are talking about crime and corruption polluting the highest office in the land. We're talking about using secrecy to hide high crimes and misdemeanors.
Gonzales' logic is obviously flawed. You can not “protect” a country by destroying its rights and Constitution, nor by hiding official crimes behind official secrecy.
But, according to our Attorney General, the President is above the law, so when he hides his crimes behind “highly classified documents about highly classified activities activities,” it is doubly important that these crimes be fully exposed and vigorously prosecuted.
As the Democrats took real oversight off the table when Pelosi, Murtha, and Reed took Impeachment off the table. Since then, the Bush Administration has redoubled their efforts to break the Constitution's limits on the President.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 16, 1st article on page, October 5, 2006, “BUSH TRAINING CONGRESS TO OBEDIENCE PROBLEM TEACHING THEM TO ROLL OVER WHEN THEY ARE ASLEEP”
Corruption Updates 21, 7th article on page, “Ex-judges: Detainee law unconstitutional”
Corruption Updates 22, 7th article on page, “Reid Threatens Bush with Oversight”
Corruption Updates 23, 4th article on page, “Bush Claims to Unlimited Power Contested”
Corruption Updates 23, 8th article on page, “Harmon Calls Wiretapping Illegal”
Corruption Updates 23, 9th article on page, NYTIMES, 12-3-06: “TIMES SOFTPEDALS PRESIDENTIAL WAR CRIMES AND DOMESTIC CRIMES. LEAVE IT TO THE TIMES TO PUT LIPSTICK ON PIGS”
Corruption Updates 25, 2nd article on page, December 8, 2006, “GOP senator says war may be 'criminal'”
Corruption Updates 25, 7th article on page, 12-6-06, “Italy Seeks Indictments of C.I.A. Operatives in Egyptian’s Abduction”
Corruption Updates 25, 8th article on page, 12-6-06, “Senators rap FBI over domestic spying”
Corruption Updates 31, 1st article on page, 1-17-07, “AG criticizes judges for terror rulings”
Corruption Updates 31, 2nd and 3rd articles on page, “Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Indefensible,” and “A Bush appointee's crude gambit on detainees' legal rights”
Corruption Updates 31, 6th article on page, 1-17-07, “Secret Court to Govern Warrantless Taps”
Corruption Updates 31, 7th article on page, 1-19-07, “Pentagon Revises Its Rules on Prosecution of Terrorists”
Corruption Updates 31, 8th article on page, 1-19-07, “Pentagon sets rules for detainee trials”
Corruption Updates 32, 3rd article on page, “PRESIDENT TRIES END RUN AROUND CONSTITUTION: CLAIMS ACTIONS ARE SECRET, AND ABOVE OVERSIGHT”
Corruption Updates 34, 4th article on page, “BUSH KIDNAPPING ON TRIAL IN GERMANY: WHY IS GERMANY HOLDING US TO THE RULE OF LAW?”
Read more Articles about Unconstitutional Presidential Power
Search the Corruption Database under
Illegal Searches
Unconstitutional Presidential Power
8) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE AP, 1-31-07:
Judge shelves Gitmo detainee cases
The Associated Press
Last Updated 7:56 pm PST Wednesday, January 31, 2007
http://dwb.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3541729p-12746963c.html
“WASHINGTON (AP) - Sixteen lawsuits by Guantanamo Bay detainees were put on hold Wednesday by a federal judge who said he may no longer have jurisdiction to hear their cases.”
“U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton in Washington said the Military Commissions Act, signed into law in October, has left him unable to consider whether the detainees can challenge being held at the Navy facility in Cuba.”
“An appeals court in Washington is considering whether civilian jurists can rule on those cases.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
HABIUS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW CURBED JUDICIAL REVIEW DENIED TO “DETAINEES:” KIDNAPP VICTIMS HAVE NO RECOURSE
Let's cut through the political bullshit the President and Congress have been snowing us with.
Let's go to the Constitution!
The Constitution clearly states that Congress has the power to,
Article I, section 8, “War”
11.
To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules
concerning captures on land and water:
14.
To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and
naval forces;
18. To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers,...
The Constitution make it clear that the President has, and had, no right to make rules concerning captures. Congress has sole authority in this area. Bush had no right to create the designation “detainee,” nor to authorize secret detentions, kidnapping, and torture. These acts are crimes, not Presidential Powers.
The above article, which describers Judge Reggie B. Walton's inability to consider “detainee” pleas, refers to the deal that Spector and Graham cut deals with the Administration to get Congress to ABANDON its duty to enforce previous law concerning prisoners of war The President broke the law, so they changed the law as an expression of their direspect for both the Constitution, and their duty as Congressmen.
The Senate has also failed to enforce its own laws, or do its Constitutional duty. The Senate rolled over and allowed the President to set the rules of captures, kill habius corpus, and continue to kidnap and torture “detainees.” The Senate has lost its legitimacy.
As an American, I am angry that Congress has failed to uphold the Constitution, enforce the law, and curb the President's appetitie for illegal unlimited power. This would require impeaching the President. Congress' failure to protect us, or our Constitution, requires that Congress be impeached. This job falls onto the voters, through elections, to turn these CRIMINALS out.
But throwing the Bums out is not possible: The parties and their special interest backers have stolen our democracy, and are no longer responsive to, or dependent upon the Voters for political success. The parties control the electoral districts, and the special interests control the parties. They will change the faces of their politicians, while maintaining their political ascendancy.
Our Congress, President, Press, Parties and our Elections are under sufficient control of the special interests to prevent the people from interfering with their power.
The special interests and their Democrat and Republican henchmen, have no intention of letting the Constitution limit their power.
Corruption Updates 21, 7th article on page, “Ex-judges: Detainee law unconstitutional “
Corruption Updates 23, 9th article on page, "TIMES SOFTPEDALS PRESIDENTIAL WAR CRIMES AND DOMESTIC CRIMES"
Corruption Updates 25, 7th article on page, 12-6-06, “Italy Seeks Indictments of C.I.A. Operatives in Egyptian’s Abduction”
Corruption Updates 31, 1st article on page, 1-17-07, “AG criticizes judges for terror rulings”
Corruption Updates 31, 2nd and 3rd articles on page, “Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Indefensible,” and “A Bush appointee's crude gambit on detainees' legal rights”
Corruption Updates 31, 7th article on page, ““DETANIEE” TORTURE, HEARSAY, AND NO HABIUS CORPUS:CRIMINALS ARE RUNNING THE COURTS”
Corruption Updates 31, 8th article on page, 1-19-07, “Pentagon sets rules for detainee trials”
Corruption Updates 34, 4th article on page, “BUSH KIDNAPPING ON TRIAL IN GERMANY: WHY IS GERMANY HOLDING US TO THE RULE OF LAW?”
Corruption Updates 34, 8th article on the page, "HABIUS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW CURBED, JUDICIAL REVIEW DENIED TO “DETAINEES:” KIDNAPP VICTIMS HAVE NO RECOURSE
Corruption Updates 38, 2nd article on page, “Legal experts rap media ban at Gitmo"
Search the Corruption Database under
Kidnapping
Unconstitutional Presidential Authority
Failure of Congressional Oversight
9) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE AP, 1-31-07:
Former R.I. lawmaker gets 2 1/2 years
BY ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press Writer
Last Updated 8:49 pm PST Wednesday, January 31, 2007
http://dwb.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3541464p-12745836c.html
“PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A once-powerful lawmaker at the center of a corruption scandal was sentenced Wednesday to 2 1/2 years in federal prison for taking payoffs, and prosecutors said their investigation now includes 14 politicians and companies.”
“John Celona admitted he abused his position as chairman of a key legislative committee to benefit the drugstore chain CVS Corp., Roger Williams Medical Center and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island.”
“Prosecutors said the former state senator was paid nearly $320,000 for the favorable treatment.”
“Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard Sullivan told the judge that Celona's extensive cooperation has led the investigation to seven politicians and seven corporations. Sullivan did not identify anyone being investigated but said FBI agents from other cities have been transferred to Rhode Island to help with the probe.”
“Robert Urciuoli, former president and chief executive of Roger Williams, was sentenced Wednesday to three years for his conviction on one count of conspiracy and 35 counts of fraud for paying Celona to advance the hospital's interests in the Legislature.”
“Frances Driscoll, 67, a former hospital vice president, sobbed after she was sentenced to eight months in prison followed by eight months of home confinement for her conviction on a single fraud count.”
“Two former executives at CVS Corp. pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal charges they paid Celona to kill legislation the chain opposed or sponsor bills that favored the company.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
R.I. LEGISLATOR GETS 2.5 YEARS FOR SELLING DEMOCRACY TO CORPORATE BRIBERS
Multiply this corrupt fool, John Celona, by the 50 states of the union. Then multiply this by the number of corrupted politicians in each state. Then multiply that number by the number of Special Interests who are Bribing them for favors. The final number is astronomical.
The structure and culture of corruption is so woven into our parties that it will be impossible to remove them without redefining the basis of our democracy.
We can no longer pretend to be a democracy when our political practices are based on bribery. It is time to redefine our democracy to criminalize, rather than reward, bribery.
Either we redefine democracy as local voters selecting and electing their own representative, or we will have to rename our country the United Corporations of America.
Search the Corruption Database under
State
Big Money Politics
(this search term, “state,” will reveal all corruption articles pertaining to State Level Corruption across the country)
10) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES, 2-1-07:
Governor's campaign reports debt
“Despite showing more than $2million owed, Schwarzenegger paid hefty bonuses to senior aides who moonlighted on his reelection bid.”
By Peter Nicholas and Nancy Vogel, Times Staff Writers
February
1, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-money1feb01,1,7879368.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
“SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger racked up more than $2 million in campaign debt as he strode to victory in last year's election, yet still paid large bonuses to senior aides who moonlighted for his campaign while on the state payroll, records show.”
“After his victory on Nov. 7, and with his campaign facing a debt, the governor paid $273,000 in bonuses to four of his most trusted government aides who doubled as campaign workers. The staff members said they performed the political work on their own time, as state law requires.”
“A total of $3.6 million went to a battery of campaign consultants. Steve Schmidt, the governor's campaign manager, took in $375,000 over a 10-month span last year.”
“...the governor's campaign paid $20,000 to an influential African American clergyman, Amos Brown of the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco.”
“Schwarzenegger also paid $75,000 to a firm owned by Arnoldo Torres, a Democrat, who helped him make inroads with Latino voters — a preoccupation of his campaign team.”
“Schwarzenegger's
payment of bonuses to state aides is rare among large-state
governors. At the federal level, executive branch employees are
barred from receiving such money.”
“Under
federal conflict of interest law, executive branch employees face
criminal penalties for taking money apart from their government
salaries.”
“"At the federal level, it's clear that the statutory prohibition on supplementing an executive branch employee's income is a safeguard to ensure that their primary and sole responsibility is to those who pay them," said Meredith McGehee, policy director at the Campaign Legal Center in Washington, D.C. "When you allow special interests, through their campaign contributions, to supplement the executive branch employees' salary, you are opening the door to divided loyalties.”
“The four aides to get campaign bonuses were chief of staff Susan Kennedy ($100,000); communications director Adam Mendelsohn ($75,000); First Lady Maria Shriver's chief of staff Daniel Zingale ($50,000); and gubernatorial personal assistant Clay Russell ($48,000).”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
SPECIAL INTEREST BRIBES DISTRIBUTED TO ARNIE STAFF
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS OR BRIBES? ARNIES STAFF STUFFS ITS POCKETS FULL OF SPECIAL INTEREST CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
Who does the Governor and his staff work for? The People who gave them money. And wow, big chunks of the Bribery Money has fallen into their pockets. Surprise.
Now we get to watch while he pays the bribers off with our health, our general welfare, and our tax dollars.
I really wish these people worked for us, but making them responsible to the citizens of this country will require more than wishes. It is going to take a big-assed fight. If you aren't ready for the fight, be ready to take the consequences.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 6, 4th article on page, “Arnie's Turn to Bleed Special Interests: Assembly done selling itself, Now it's Arnie's Turn.
Corruption Updates 12, 4th article on page, “How to Corrupt Democracy: The Insurance Industry and the Governor”
Ccrruption Updates 12, 5th article on page “INSURANCE INDUSTRY BATTLE PLAN: COMBINED BUSINESS ASSUALT ON DEMOCRACY” LATimes. Plot to corrupt democratic process and institutions successful. Plot uncovered, and yet it goes on. 9-24-06
Corruption Updates 13, 6th article on page, “Governor, PGE, Set Up Political Slush Fund”
Corruption Updates 17, 5th article on page, “VAST SUMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY COLLECTED BY GOV CANDIDATES IN CA”
Corruption Updates 17, 6th article on page “Total Campaign Outlays Approach $400 Million”
Corruption Updates 24, 2nd article on page, “Arnie has Huge Special Interest Slush Fund” ("officeholder" account: Southern California Edison, PG&E, Chevron and AT&T
Corruption Updates 29, 1st article on page, “ASSEMBLY STEALS LIKE CORPORATIONS:CITIZENS TOLD GOVERNMENT MUST PAY SALARIES IN Line with Corporations”
Read more articles about Arnie
Search the Corruption Database under
Arnie
11) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES, 2-1-07:
In cash race, Clinton context is lacking
“Year-end money totals by '08 aspirants are likely dwarfed by $14 million or more believed raised by the N.Y. senator.”
By Dan Morain, Times Staff Writer
February 1, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-warchest1feb01,1,6422735.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
“WASHINGTON
— Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani opened what is
sure to be a year of frenzied presidential campaign fundraising by
disclosing Wednesday he had $1 million on hand in his quest to
become the Republican nominee, while presumed front-runner Sen. John
McCain of Arizona had $472,000.”
“But they and
the rest of the field probably lag far behind Sen. Hillary Rodham
Clinton of New York. The Democrat is believed to have amassed in
excess of $14 million, although her report had not become
public as of late Wednesday.”
“Among GOP
candidates, McCain raised $660,000 for his presidential bid.
That was boosted by $1.05 million more from his Senate account.
After expenses, he had $472,000 banked.”
“Giuliani raised $1.3 million in the closing weeks of 2006, most of it in New York. He also received $2,100 checks from Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens Jr. and his wife, and Andrew J. Littlefair of Clean Energy Inc., a Pickens holding in San Diego.”
“Former
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, another Republican candidate, won't
be required to file a campaign finance disclosure until April 15.
Romney is a multimillionaire who gained his wealth as co-founder of
Bain Capital, a $40-billion investment and venture capital
fund.”
“To win the governor's office in 2002,
Romney spent $6.3 million of his money, almost twice what he raised
from other donors. He also dipped into his personal wealth when he
ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 1994 against Sen. Edward M.
Kennedy (D-Mass.). Romney still lists a debt of $3.1 million from
that campaign, though he owes the money to himself.”
“A
handful of others filed reports earlier. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.)
reported transferring $575,000 from his Senate campaign account to
his presidential account. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) had $141,000 in
his Senate campaign account as of Dec. 31.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
BIG MONEY WINS, AND HILLARY HAS SOLD HESELF TO THE HIGEST BIDDERS IN THE LAND:
SECRET TATOO ON HER ASS: PROPERTY OF “CORPORATE AMERICAN ANGELES”
Also See:
Corruption Updates 19, 3rd article on page, “PARTIES AND THEIR BRIBERS WORK TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE CAMPAIGN FINANCE RESTRICTION”
Corruption Updates 28, 1st article on page, “LOBBYISTS HIRING-BRIBING DEMS SHIFTING FUNDS AND PERSONELL TO DEMS ASSURES NO REAL CHANGE”
Corruption Updates 33, 2nd article on page,“Corporate Democrats of the Democratic Leadership Council Laughs at democracy”
Also See Right Web for an interesting profile of the DLC and its backers
Read Articles describing how the Democrats represent Corporations
Search the Corruption Database under
Clinton
Public Financing
Democrats
Big Money Politics
12) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES, 2-1-07:
Rove revealed agent's name, reporter says
“At Libby's trial, Bush's top political advisor is said to be the original source for the disclosure of a CIA operative.”
By Richard B. Schmitt, Times
Staff Writer
February 1, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-libby1feb01,1,85160.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
(ONE PARAGRAPH EXERPT)
“WASHINGTON — A former Time magazine reporter said Wednesday that it was President Bush's political advisor, Karl Rove, who first revealed to him that the wife of an administration critic worked for the CIA.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
ROVE TRAITOR TO AMERICA:
ROVE SNITCHED OFF SECRET AGENT FOR POLITICAL GAIN AT PRESIDENT'S BEHEST
The President was fully aware of this treachery from the very start. The President incited this whole scandal by authorizing the declassification of an American Spy to further his effort to push a fraudulent war down our throats.
This explains why Fitzgerald could not prosecute Bush, Cheny, and Rove. Bush declassified, then Cheney and Rove outed Plame, in a brutal partisan political move.
They misused their offices, the trust of the American people, and sacrificed their honor to further their goal of waging a “preemptive war.”
Bush specifically DECLASSIFIED Palme's identity so she could be outed and exposed. This declassification had to be the first event in the whole chain of events, or Fitzgerald would have charged them all with revealing a classified agent's identity. Libby's perjury and obstructions were attempts to prevent the prosecutor from uncovering that fact.
Bush's politically motivated “declassification” of Palme's identity assured Cheny and Rove's crimes would be protected, but it left their foot soldiers, Libby and his Corporate Press henchmen, out to dry.
The evidence indicates Bush is a liar. When Bush publicly stated that he would punish the traitors who leaked Palmer's identity, he had already declassified her identity to protect his henchmen from charges of outing an American Secret Agent. He knew what was happening from the start.
So, Fitzgerald's only option was to pursue the liars, rather than the liars and traitors. The only liars Fitzgerald could pursue were the people that lied to him under oath. Bush, Rove, and Cheny had to tell Fitzgerald the truth, when he interviewed them. They repeatedly lied to the people, but that is not a crime.
The transcripts of Fitzgerald's interviews with Bush, Cheney and Rove would be interesting reading. They had to tell the truth to Fitzgerald. Even in secret, it must have been hard for these men to tell the truth. Telling the truth, once, in secret, saved them. The result is that we still have a White House full of Liars and Traitors.
This is the fault of the “free press.” The problem is that the “Free Press” has failed to bring the declassification of Palme, and what the timing of this declassification means, to the attention of the public. Not to mention their publishing a parade of lies, misstatements, and propaganda leading up to the war in Iraq.
If they did their jobs, we would be aware that the President treats our government like it is his own personal slave. He ignores the law, the Constitution, and his Duty, to do whatever he wants with our government and citizens.
These whole Bush tenure in office indicates that Bush is not just an incompetent liar, but an extension and expression of our system of political corruption. Bush is “American Democracy.”
Bush, our Congress and Senate, our Governors and state Legislators, are all bought and paid for by the same special interests, independent of party or perspective.
And our Congress, Judiciary, Press, and most of our citizens are asleep.
TIMELINE OF PLAME EVENTS
The section below has been shamelessly taken from Answers.Com. The original entry is from Wikipedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors.
29 September 2003: White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan says about Karl Rove: "He wasn't involved,... The president knows he wasn't involved. . . . It's simply not true." "The President has set high standards, the highest of standards for people in his administration. He's made it very clear to people in his administration that he expects them to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration."[74] McClellan went on to say: "The president believes leaking classified information is a very serious matter and it should be pursued to the fullest extent by the appropriate agency and the appropriate agency is the Department of Justice." (From Answers.Com.)
29 September 2003: ABC reporter asks "Did you have any knowledge or did you leak the name of the CIA agent to the press?" Rove answers "No." (From Answers.Com.)
7 October 2003: President Bush voices doubt if the leaker would ever be found. (From Answers.Com.)
McClellan - October 7 2003: "Let me answer what the President has said. I speak for the President and I'll talk to you about what he wants." and "If someone leaked classified information, the President wants to know. If someone in this administration leaked classified information, they will no longer be a part of this administration, because that's not the way this White House operates, that's not the way this President expects people in his administration to conduct their business." (From Answers.Com.)
10 October 2003: White House press secretary Scott McClellan was asked directly if Rove and two other White House aides had ever discussed Valerie Plame with any reporters. McClellan said he had spoken with all three, and "those individuals assured me they were not involved in this."
(From Answers.Com.)
11 February 2004: George W. Bush insists, "If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. . . . If the person has violated law, that person will be taken care of. I welcome the investigation. I am absolutely confident the Justice Department will do a good job. I want to know the truth. . . . Leaks of classified information are bad things."(From Answers.Com.)
10 June 2004: A questioner at the press conference following the G8 summit asks President Bush "do you stand by your pledge to fire anyone found to have done so", referring to a prior question regarding whether the President stands by his suggestion that it might be difficult to identify anybody who leaked the agent's name. President Bush answers "yes", however nowhere in the public record has the President actually made the specific pledge alluded to by the questioner. (From Answers.Com.)
31 July 2004:Rove says on CNN "Well, I’ll repeat what I said to ABC News when this whole thing broke some number of months ago. I didn’t know her name and didn’t leak her name." On ABC, he had actually denied having any knowledge of the Plame leak. (From Answers.Com.)
Bush - July 18 2005: "I would like this to end as quickly as possible so we know the facts. And if someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration." (From Answers.Com.)
7 April 2006: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that court documents in the federal grand jury investigation include Libby testimony that Vice President Cheney specifically directed him to release classified and bias-selected contested conclusions on Iraq WMD's from war-favoring sources cited in the National Intelligence Estimate, with the explicit goal to discredit Joseph Wilson as critic of the buildup to war.[109] Although not a specific order to expose Plame, Libby's testimony alleges both Bush and Cheney desired him to compromise state secrets for the purpose of discrediting criticism of the Bush administration. (From Answers.Com.)
President George W. Bush, who has repeatedly denied knowing the identity of the leaker, called the leak a "criminal action" for the first time on 6 October 2003, stating "[i]f anybody has got any information inside our government or outside our government who leaked, you ought to take it to the Justice Department so we can find the leaker." (From Answers.Com.)
2
October 2003: "Investigating Leaks," Op-Ed New
York Times: "Attorney General John Ashcroft has put
himself and the president in a very dangerous position with his
handling of the Justice Department's investigation into how Robert
Novak got the name of a C.I.A. operative for publication in his
syndicated column. After career lawyers conducted a preliminary
investigation into the leaking of the officer's name, Mr. Ashcroft
chose to proceed with a full investigation within the Justice
Department. He did so despite department guidelines that would
have permitted him to appoint an outsider, who would serve at Mr.
Ashcroft's discretion but could make independent decisions. Instead,
Mr. Ashcroft has decided to leave the investigation under the
authority of the department's counterespionage office. That office employs career lawyers who routinely investigate
this sort of leak and have the security clearances to do so with
dispatch." (From Answers.Com.)
October 2004: Rove testifies before a grand jury investigating the leak of Plame's identity. Rove spent more than two hours testifying before the panel... Before testifying, Rove was interviewed at least once by investigators probing the leak. Bush, Cheney, Colin Powell were also interviewed, though none appeared before the grand jury...) (From Answers.Com.)
14 October 2005: Karl Rove appears in front of the federal grand jury investigating the CIA leak. This is his fourth appearance. (From Answers.Com.)
On 6 April 2006: it was widely reported that George W. Bush authorized Libby to disclose the prior-to-then classified October 2002 NIE on Iraq's weapons program to Judith Miller to rebut charges by Joe Wilson, according to documents filed in federal court detailing Libby's grand jury testimony.[199][200] White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan confirmed that the president authorized the declassification to rebut charges by war critics, but declined to specifically address Libby's testimony. (From Answers.Com.)
(This entry above is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors,)
Search the Corruption Database under
Plame
Bush
Unconstitutional Presidential Authority
Failure of Congressional Oversight
13) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE LA TIMES, 2-1-07:
Libby trial shows an insular, backbiting Washington
By Greg Miller, Times Staff Writer
February 1, 2007
Excerpts:
“As they talked by phone, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby scribbled down a series of Machiavellian suggestions from Cheney's then-communications guru, Mary Matalin: What to do about MSNBC talk show host Chris Matthews and his steady barrage of Iraq war criticism? "Call Tim," Libby wrote, referring to Tim Russert of NBC News. "He hates Chris." ”
“What to make of
former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, who had emerged that summer
to challenge the veracity of one of the administration's most
alarming claims about Saddam Hussein's regime? "Wilson is a
snake," Libby transcribed.”
“And how best to use the power of the White House to beat back the attacks? The president "should wave his wand," Matalin
advised, and quickly declassify portions of intelligence reports that backed up the White House case for war.”
“The trial has also reinforced stereotypes that reporters in Washington and the officials they cover are part of an elite crowd that has little in common with average readers.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
CORPORATE PRESS A TOOL OF CORPORATIONS-SPECIAL INTERESTS
Also See:
The commentary and links provided in article above, #12, deals fully with the issues raised by #13.
Do note in the article above that Matalin advised that the President should “wave his wand,” and declassify the elements necessary to attack Wilson.
The attack began with Presidential Declassification of Plame.
Also See:
Timeline of Traitor Scandal in Answers.com
(The Timeline is excerpted above, article #12)
Search the Corruption Database under
Media
Plame
14) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE AP, 2-1-07:
Maine weighs lobbyist text message rules
By GLENN ADAMS, Associated Press Writer
Last Updated 12:13 am PST Thursday, February 1, 2007
http://dwb.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3542146p-12748142c.html
“AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Wary of lobbyists calling signals from the sidelines, Maine is taking steps to ban text messages and e-mails to lawmakers in session as it becomes the latest state to address the ever-expanding use of electronic communications in statehouses.”
“Maine's proposed House of Representatives rule seeks to prevent abuse of "secret, instant communications" by lobbyists who closely monitor actions by legislators in session, said the sponsor, state Rep. Herbert Adams. Maine's proposed rule is one of farthest-reaching in the country, he said.”
“ "It's an effort to deal with a serious problem that will only get worse if it's not dealt with now," said Adams, a Democrat. "Being a practical Yankee state, this was a good place to think it through first." ”
“More than 30 states have in some fashion restricted the use of electronic devices, such as pagers, cell phones and desktop printers in legislatures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some states are concerned about possible ethical implications of such private, instant communication, while others are more concerned about decorum, Adams said.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
MAINE TRIES TO CREATE CONE OF SILENCE AROUND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
THIRD MONKEY HEARS NO EVIL WHILE THE FIRST TWO STUFF BRIBES IN HIS POCKETS
Ridiculous law. The lobbyists are writing the majority of our laws and legislation because of bribery, not because of text messaging.
It is the tool of bribery that must be taken out of the hands of lobbyists and legislators, not the tools of technology.
Until we stop the bribery, our efforts to stop the means of bribery will be doomed.
Pretending that corruption and bribery don't exist, if they can't be heard, is almost funny, considering that our monkey politicians can't speak to fix corruptions they already can't see.
I suggest that Maine expand this law a bit. To the “Hear no evil” provision I would add “Speak not about corruption,” and “See no evil corruption.”
Then we could all pretend that bribery and corruption do not run our government.
Search the Corruption Database under
State
Reform
Fake Reform
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