For Dems only.

[Balta1701]

Senator Menendez of NJ is facing a new round of subpoenas in a possible corruption case.

 

Federal investigators have resumed their inquiry into a rental deal between U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and a nonprofit agency, issuing new subpoenas in the days after he was elected to a full six-year term, according to a government source.

 

The subpoenas sought documents related to the more than $300,000 in rent Menendez collected from the North Hudson Community Action Corp. between 1994 and 2003, the source said. It was unclear what records were sought or who was subpoenaed.

 

"More are coming," said the source, who declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the investigation.

 

Matt Miller, a spokesman for Menendez, said neither the senator nor his campaign or congressional office has been contacted by federal authorities. He said Menendez is unaware of any new subpoenas and maintains he did nothing wrong.

 

"We're confident that when the U.S. Attorney's Office completes its review it will come to the same conclusion as the House Ethics Committee, that the transaction was completely appropriate," Miller said.

Supposedly the prosecutor running this case is actually one of the Bush pioneers, but presumably he wouldn't be a federal prosecutor potentially going after a Senator if he didn't believe there was something there.

[EvilMonkey]

Senator Menendez of NJ is facing a new round of subpoenas in a possible corruption case.

 

Supposedly the prosecutor running this case is actually one of the Bush pioneers, but presumably he wouldn't be a federal prosecutor potentially going after a Senator if he didn't believe there was something there.

I wonder why this didn't come out before he was elected?

[kapkomet]

I wonder why this didn't come out before he was elected?

It was, sort of. People in NJ thought that we needed corrupt Democrats in power instead of corrupt Republicans.

[Rex Kickass]

It came out months ago. The investigation started in June or July I think. A lot of people said that there was a campaign commercial related to this that may have turned the tide in Menendez' favor - oddly enough. Sort of a Sopranos knockoff. Problem is that there are a lot of Italians in NJ that resent the Sopranos thing. Too many people thought it was below the belt.

 

I am not gonna defend the guy - but from what little I know of this matter is that the reason nothing came out on this controversy is because there isn't much to come out. It was investigated while he was in Congress (before the Ethics comittee was basically destroyed) and he was cleared of any wrong doing then. Apparently.

 

But I don't know. He could be a crook. Although how many crooks do you know live in a studio apartment?

[Balta1701]

Russ Feingold will not run for the Democratic nomination in 2008, electing to remain a Senator.

[Balta1701]

Tex, Kap, here's one for you.

 

A couple years ago, Governor Perry thought it would be a good idea to get in nice with the Republican majority, probably because he was convinced of that by Delay, so he went and had the state of Texas sign a $15,000 a month deal with a Republican lobbying firm that was very very close to Delay.

 

So, congrats...the state of Texas is now paying $15,000 a month to lobby the minority.

[Texsox]

I forgot about that. Not to worry, we still have the Oval Office

[Balta1701]

I'm shocked, you hear me...shocked!!!

 

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut said yesterday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats in the new Congress, but he would not rule out switching to the Republican caucus if he starts to feel uncomfortable among Democrats.

[Texsox]

I'm shocked, you hear me...shocked!!!

 

Talk about wanting some attention, some plumb assingments . . .

[kapkomet]

I doubt it will happen, because the Democrats know they need him.

[Rex Kickass]

Some gentle condescension from Michael Moore. The sentiment is kinda sweet actually.

 

A Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives

 

November 14th, 2006

 

To My Conservative Brothers and Sisters,

 

I know you are dismayed and disheartened at the results of last week's election. You're worried that the country is heading toward a very bad place you don't want it to go. Your 12-year Republican Revolution has ended with so much yet to do, so many promises left unfulfilled. You are in a funk, and I understand.

 

Well, cheer up, my friends! Do not despair. I have good news for you. I, and the millions of others who are now in charge with our Democratic Congress, have a pledge we would like to make to you, a list of promises that we offer you because we value you as our fellow Americans. You deserve to know what we plan to do with our newfound power -- and, to be specific, what we will do to you and for you.

 

Thus, here is our Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives:

 

Dear Conservatives and Republicans,

 

I, and my fellow signatories, hereby make these promises to you:

 

1. We will always respect you for your conservative beliefs. We will never, ever, call you "unpatriotic" simply because you disagree with us. In fact, we encourage you to dissent and disagree with us.

 

2. We will let you marry whomever you want, even when some of us consider your behavior to be "different" or "immoral." Who you marry is none of our business. Love and be in love -- it's a wonderful gift.

 

3. We will not spend your grandchildren's money on our personal whims or to enrich our friends. It's your checkbook, too, and we will balance it for you.

 

4. When we soon bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq, we will bring your sons and daughters home, too. They deserve to live. We promise never to send your kids off to war based on either a mistake or a lie.

 

5. When we make America the last Western democracy to have universal health coverage, and all Americans are able to get help when they fall ill, we promise that you, too, will be able to see a doctor, regardless of your ability to pay. And when stem cell research delivers treatments and cures for diseases that affect you and your loved ones, we'll make sure those advances are available to you and your family, too.

 

6. Even though you have opposed environmental regulation, when we clean up our air and water, we, the Democratic majority, will let you, too, breathe the cleaner air and drink the purer water.

 

7. Should a mass murderer ever kill 3,000 people on our soil, we will devote every single resource to tracking him down and bringing him to justice. Immediately. We will protect you.

 

8. We will never stick our nose in your bedroom or your womb. What you do there as consenting adults is your business. We will continue to count your age from the moment you were born, not the moment you were conceived.

 

9. We will not take away your hunting guns. If you need an automatic weapon or a handgun to kill a bird or a deer, then you really aren't much of a hunter and you should, perhaps, pick up another sport. We will make our streets and schools as free as we can from these weapons and we will protect your children just as we would protect ours.

 

10. When we raise the minimum wage, we will pay you -- and your employees -- that new wage, too. When women are finally paid what men make, we will pay conservative women that wage, too.

 

11. We will respect your religious beliefs, even when you don't put those beliefs into practice. In fact, we will actively seek to promote your most radical religious beliefs ("Blessed are the poor," "Blessed are the peacemakers," "Love your enemies," "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God," and "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."). We will let people in other countries know that God doesn't just bless America, he blesses everyone. We will discourage religious intolerance and fanaticism -- starting with the fanaticism here at home, thus setting a good example for the rest of the world.

 

12. We will not tolerate politicians who are corrupt and who are bought and paid for by the rich. We will go after any elected leader who puts him or herself ahead of the people. And we promise you we will go after the corrupt politicians on our side FIRST. If we fail to do this, we need you to call us on it. Simply because we are in power does not give

us the right to turn our heads the other way when our party goes astray. Please perform this important duty as the loyal opposition.

 

I promise all of the above to you because this is your country, too. You are every bit as American as we are. We are all in this together. We sink or swim as one. Thank you for your years of service to this country and for giving us the opportunity to see if we can make things a bit better for our 300 million fellow Americans -- and for the rest

of the world.

 

Signed,

 

Michael Moore

mmflint@aol.com

[Texsox]

I like the sentiment, even though I dislike some of the planks in his list.

 

I especially pray for this one

 

1. We will always respect you for your conservative beliefs. We will never, ever, call you "unpatriotic" simply because you disagree with us. In fact, we encourage you to dissent and disagree with us.

[Balta1701]

Since we're all focusing on corruption now with the Murtha/Hoyer debate, let's hit on another note: the new chair of the RNC, Mel Martinez.

 

A former top executive of giant Miami engineering firm PBS&J was charged Monday in a $36 million embezzlement scheme and in the contribution of $11,000 to the campaign of Florida U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez through ``strawmen.''

 

The charges came out of a federal grand jury investigation into the embezzlement and whether PBS&J illegally reimbursed employees for thousands of dollars in political contributions to disguise their source. Ex-Chief Financial Officer W. Scott DeLoach and two former underlings also cited in the investigation, Maria Garcia and Rosario Licata, waived indictment Monday in federal court. Their lawyers said they will plead guilty, possibly by the end of the week.

 

The charges are a first step in an unfolding scandal at one of South Florida's biggest companies, with almost 4,000 employees. The case also carries national implications because PBS&J does business with and contributes to politicians across the country. Fort Lauderdale attorney Benson Weintraub, one of Garcia's lawyers, said he expects other company officials and possibly the company itself to be indicted as the investigation continues.

 

''This is just the tip of the iceberg,'' Weintraub said.

 

Mark Schnapp, a Miami lawyer for PBS&J, acknowledged that company money apparently was used in the 1990s to make illegal reimbursements but said they ``were not of any significant magnitude.''

 

''Charges shouldn't be on the table, and as far as I know they aren't,'' Schnapp said.

 

Schnapp said DeLoach carried out the reimbursement scheme described by the government in court papers alone to put ''himself into a highly visible position in the Mel Martinez campaign.'' He did not elaborate.

 

PBS&J has made more than $500,000 in political contributions since 2003. The alleged scheme to repay contributions emerged during a probe into the embezzlement led by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI, which has gone on for a year.

 

In court documents, prosecutors allege DeLoach made six contributions totaling $11,000 to Martinez's 2004 Senate campaign through straw donors. The donors are identified only by their initials and apparently are cooperating with authorities.

 

It's unclear why DeLoach wasn't charged in connection with contributions he made to Martinez and other candidates under his own name. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan Silverstein declined to comment.

 

The case comes on top of another campaign flap that ensnared Martinez earlier this year, when he shed a $2,500 contribution from Ohio U.S. Rep. Bob Ney tied to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Last week, Ney agreed to plead guilty to corruption charges.

(Martinez is also the guy who's office shed one of its advisors after it produced a memo saying that the Republicans should use the Terri Schaivo case for big political advantages and the memo was handed to Pat Leahy on the Senate floor IIRC) Edited November 14, 2006 by Balta1701

[kapkomet]

They put Mel Martinez up for the Chair of the RNC? What a joke.

 

Our whole politcal ssystem SUCKS right now.

[Balta1701]

They put Mel Martinez up for the Chair of the RNC? What a joke.

 

Our whole politcal ssystem SUCKS right now.

Link, just in case you missed it. Supposedly it was one of those Rove-type surprises, where he just dropped the name of the White House's choice on a bunch of folks who totally didn't expect it.

 

President Bush tapped Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, a prominent Hispanic who served in the Cabinet, to assume the high-profile post of Republican National Committee general chairman.

 

One week after heavy midterm losses, Martinez said Tuesday he would strive to foster "a tone of civility" for the party as it faces the challenge of a wide-open presidential race in 2008 and a push to recapture control of Congress.

The reaction from the right wing blogosphere has thus far been quite negative. Edited November 15, 2006 by Balta1701

[Rex Kickass]

He also is just the "general chair." He won't actually run the RNC, just be the face of it.

[Balta1701]

He also is just the "general chair." He won't actually run the RNC, just be the face of it.

Hmph, how very odd. Seems you're right. No idea what that actually means.

 

Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, a prominent Hispanic who previously served in President Bush's Cabinet, will assume the high-profile post of Republican National Committee general chairman, GOP officials said Monday.

 

Martinez, 60, will remain in the Senate when he takes the reins of the RNC in January, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting a formal announcement. The first-term senator will be the face of the party, focusing on fundraising, outreach and travel to promote the GOP agenda.

 

At the same time, Mike Duncan, the RNC's current general counsel and a former party treasurer, will be named chairman and will be put in charge of running the everyday operations at the party's Capitol Hill headquarters, the officials said.

 

The current party chairman, Ken Mehlman, is leaving his post in January at the end of his two-year term.

 

As a team, Martinez and Duncan will be responsible for leading the RNC during Bush's final two years in office and throughout the 2008 presidential election cycle.

 

Splitting the chairmanship in two is not new.

 

President Reagan once chose Sen. Paul Laxalt of Nevada to be general chairman while Frank Fahrenkopf was chairman, and President Clinton initially had Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Don Fowler share the Democratic Party role in the same fashion.

[Balta1701]

So, if you happen to be unfortunate enough to serve for 10 years as the Governor of a state which doesn't allow donors to give you gifts upon your departure...take heart, young candidate, all is not lost.

 

All you have to do is set up a wedding registry. Yes that's right, a wedding registry.

 

Even if you've been married since 1974.

[Balta1701]

Today's quote of the day:

 

I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either.

 

Moving on...

 

Quote of the day #2:

 

"Be On The Lookout For Any Statements From The Iraqi Insurgents, Who Must Be Thrilled At The Prospect Of A Dem Controlled Congress"

[Balta1701]

So let's see, Mr. Bush's first middle finger to the new majority was the renomination of John Bolten, despite the vehement opposition of the majority and the fact that it was going no where.

 

Bush's middle finger is certainly getting some work today. Even the Wall Street Journal seems surprised how Brazen he's being. Link 1.

After calling for bipartisanship, President Bush surprised Senate Democrats with plans to renominate a controversial list of judges – some of whom may be unacceptable even to a few Republican senators. “It’s an unfortunate signal,” said one senior Democratic Senate aide.

 

The Senate Judiciary Committee has not received the nominations yet. As word spread about the nominations, however, the committee’s Republican Chairman Arlen Specter told reporters: “It is obvious they cannot move during the lame-duck session.” After January, he added, questions about the fate of the nominees should be “directed to someone else.”

 

The White House action is viewed largely as an effort to appease the party’s conservative base. An administration official says there will be a formal White House announcement on the renominations later today. The president is in Moscow, having left Washington last night.

 

Lawmakers and others had been waiting to see whether Bush would renominate four particularly controversial appeals court candidates whose nominations had expired without Senate action. He did. The four include two nominees to the Fourth Circuit in Richmond: Terrence Boyle, a district court judge in North Carolina and a former aide to Sen. Jesse Helms, and Defense Department General Counsel William Haynes, who became a symbol of the Bush administration’s policies on terrorism, interrogations and other wartime powers. In addition, William Myers, a lobbyist and critic of environmental rules, was renominated for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco, and Michael Wallace of Mississippi, rated unqualified for the appeals court by an American Bar Association panel, was renominated for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans.

 

And just in case that wasn't enough, Bush also renominated Kenneth Tomlinson, the disgraced, corrupt, former head of NPR who has been directing U.S. overseas broadcasting.

President Bush on Tuesday renominated the chairman of the agency that directs U.S. overseas broadcasts even though the nomination has been stalled in the Senate amid allegations of misconduct.

 

Kenneth Y. Tomlinson was nominated again as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors and for a term on the board expiring Aug. 13, 2007. The board oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio and TV Marti, broadcasting initiatives in the Middle East and other nonmilitary U.S. broadcasting overseas.

 

In September, a spokeswoman for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said senators did not plan to act on Bush's nomination of Tomlinson in January 2005 while a government investigation of his activities was under way. The law that created the board in 1994 allowed Tomlinson to remain as chairman until a successor was confirmed.

 

A report by the State Department's inspector general, released Aug. 29, said Tomlinson misused government funds for two years as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Tomlinson disputed the allegations in the report.

How long you want to bet it is before the whole media apparatus comes down on the Democrats for not being willing to work with the President?

[Texsox]

He is the President and it is IMHO, his right to nominate whomever he feels is the best candidate for the positions. The American voter is smart enough to know if it really is a viable candidate or not. If the Dems block good people because of political ideology, they lose. If Bush nominates inadequate people because of political ideology, he loses.

[Balta1701]

So today, Clear Channel Entertainment, #3 on my list of world's most evil monopolies, was purchased out by a consortium of Thomas H. Lee Partners LP and Bain Capital Partners LLC for about $19 billion. Link.

 

Why is this in the Dems only thread? Because the interesting part of this story is that "Bain Capital Partners LLC" was founded by 3 men in 1984, one of whom, and I believe the key one, happens to be Mitt Romney, current Governor of Massachusetts and presumptive 2008 Candidate for the Republican Presidential Nomination.

 

I guess that's one way to make sure you get good press coverage...buy Clearchannel.

[southsider2k5]

Just a history lesson... Thomas H Lee was the group that couldn't figure out the CEO of Refco had been hiding almost $500 million in losses for a long, long time.

[Texsox]

Once he owns a media company he will become a liberal, they always do

[Balta1701]

Once he owns a media company he will become a liberal, they always do

As I'm fairly fond of pointing out...Mitt Romney is also the only potential frontrunner for the Repub. nomination who hasn't cheated on his wife. Gingrich, McCain, Giuliani, etc.