Lobbyist Al LaPierre today has agreed to plead guilty and testify in the federal criminal case against Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford. In a deal struck this morning, LaPierre will plead guilty to conspiracy and one count of filing a false tax return, said his lawyer Tommy Spina. The deal requires LaPierre to testify in the Aug. 31 case against Langford and Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount. "He felt this was the right thing to do. He know he has to pay a consequence. He accepts that and will hold his head up," Spina said.
LaPierre has agreed to forfeit $371,932 and pay all taxes due from 2003 to 2006. LaPierre is expected to formally enter the plea Thursday before U.S. District Judge Scott Coogler.
Langford, Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre are charged in a 101-count indictment accusing them of mail fraud, bribery, money laundering and conspiracy in relation to complicated county bond swaps during Langford's tenure as Jefferson County Commission president.
One hundred and one counts? Isn't that rather a lot?
Prosecutors contend that Blount gave Langford -- with LaPierre as intermediary -- $236,000 in cash, jewelry and clothes
It would have been soooo embarassing had he got the size -- or the gentleman's taste -- wrong.
in exchange for millions of dollars in county business. The conspiracy counts are punishable by up to five years in prison, Spina said, while the tax count could net LaPierre up to three years.
Why, yes. He is a Democrat. Why do you ask?
Another ten paragraphs and I'm sure they would have told us ...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/30/2009 00:00 ||
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07/30/2009 07:02 ||
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Ms. King, a career senior executive service official, had been named by President Obama in January to temporarily fill the vacant political position of assistant attorney general for civil rights while a permanent choice could be made.
She and other career supervisors ultimately recommended dropping the case against two of the men and the party and seeking a restraining order against the one man who wielded a nightstick at the Philadelphia polling place. Mr. Perrelli approved that plan, officials said.
In other Obama Administration news, more adhoc Zahrs "Temporary" SES jobs to be filled by Eskimos. Career GG-15 employees and other qualified US Citizens need not apply.
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who pushed hard for a citywide term-limits extension because he claimed it gives voters "more choices," is now petitioning to kick his only Democratic primary opponent off the September ballot.
Markowitz, who is seeking a third four-year term, recently joined three of his political allies in filing legal papers asking the courts to bounce East New York activist Eugene Myrick from the race, alleging the political novice didn't obtain enough valid petition signatures to run. "He's scared. It really says a lot that he'd try to get a virtually unknown opponent off the ballot when he campaigned about term limits giving the public more options," said Myrick, adding he believes he collected enough signatures.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/30/2009 00:00 ||
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Associated Press reports that Mass. Rep. Barney Frank has threatened banks that if they don't "volunteer" to save more homeowners from foreclosure Congress will do it for them. Frank said Congress will revive legislation that would let bankruptcy judges lower a person's monthly mortgage payment.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/30/2009 00:00 ||
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This is HUGE, banks are used to making money first by riiculous interest sand fees (Especially fees) and then making even more by forclosing, reselling the home and doing it all over again.
It's NOT in the bank's best interest to allow homeowners to keep their homes.
This will make Lawyers very rich, as the banks Stuck Piggy Squealing will be heard on nearby planets.
It also accounts for the bank's ignoring laws and forclosing anyway, often while stringing the owners along as long as possible and lying abiut "Helping them".
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
07/30/2009 0:44 Comments ||
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Shit I need to go to bed, and remember SPELL CHECK, dammit.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
07/30/2009 0:46 Comments ||
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Such court-ordered cramdowns will be only a very short-term solution. If those become common, look for mortgages to become even more expensive & harder to get. Barney's next step will be to offer free McMansions for everyone!
#4
Karl Denninger on his blog Market Ticker has a more extreme view on this: he desperately wants you think he cares about you.
He does not.
Here's the math:
There are about ~13-15 million homes that are underwater in this country - that is, the mortgage outstanding exceeds the current market value.
The average home that is underwater is at helium depth to the tune of about $75,000. Some much more ($300,000) and some significantly less (e.g. $20,000.)
Now let's modify them all so they're no longer underwater! That is, simply forgive principal down to current market value.
Ok: That's 975 billion dollars, or damn close to a trillion.
Guess who eats it? The banks. What happens if the banks are forced to recognize a trillion dollars in losses that they have (so far successfully) managed to shove under the carpet and pretend that they do not exist?
Any questions?
The banks are not modifying these loans in that fashion not because they want to be "mean", but rather because on a market value basis for these loans they are all insolvent right now and have been for over a year...
This sort of "book-cooking" is outrageous and it is in fact exactly what Japan did when their banks got in trouble doing the very same thing - blowing an asset bubble by lending into it at Warp 9 with no prayer of being able to recover anything close to the lent value on a foreclosure.
The banks' only hope is to keep "extending and pretending", falsifying the claimed "value" of these loans, praying that they can get away with it for literally a decade or more (much as they did in Japan) while they charge you 30% interest on your credit card to "earn their way out" of the hole, thereby avoiding self-immolation.
Any action that forces them to recognize the market value of these properties causes all of them to blow up instantly as it reveals that the value of their assets are vastly less than liabilities.
That is the definition of insolvency.
As such unless Barney Frank is prepared to send in the FDIC to close Citibank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and dozens of other large and midsize banks right here and now this is just more hot air out of the well-used pie-hole of a guy who has never met a banking interest he didn't serve and protect.
#5
unless Barney Frank is prepared to send in the FDIC to close Citibank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and dozens of other large and midsize banks
And THERE you find the true motivation of Barney the Socialist! Force the rest of the banking industry into open insolvency and government takeover! End Capitalism!
#8
Frank remains one of the most dangerous men in Washington today.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
07/30/2009 11:24 Comments ||
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Bawney Fwanks. Public Enemy No. 1. Far more dangerous than Osama bin Laden ever dreamed of being. Only question is: Does he really have his head up his butt or is he doing it on purpose to bring about the final destruction of the United States of America?
On August 14, some of the nation's most prominent conservatives will be gathering in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but former Republican Senator Arlen Specter (D-Penn.) won't be there.
Instead, he's decided to attend the Netroots Nation gathering (formerly known as YearlyKos) right down the street.
I'm sure they'll give him the traditional welcome ...
Posted by: Fred ||
07/30/2009 00:00 ||
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I was going to make a gag about Specter cross dressing and coming out of the closet, but the mental image makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
President Obama's top science adviser, John P. Holdren, advocated the "de-development" of the United States in books he published in the 1970s. Gotcha. We should become more like Nambibia...
"A massive campaign must be launched to restore a high-quality environment in North America and to de-develop the United States," Holdren wrote in a 1973 book he co-authored with Paul R. Ehrlch and Anne H. Ehrlich. "De-development means bringing our economic system (especially patterns of consumption) into line with the realities of ecology and the global resource situation." Ah, the Erlichs. And doesn't everybody remember what "visionaries" they were?
Redistribution of wealth both within and among nations is absolutely essential, if a decent life is to be provided to every human being.
In the vision expressed by Holdren and his co-authors, the Ehrlichs, the need for "de-development" of the United States demanded a redistribtuion of wealth. "The need for de-development presents our economists with a major challenge," they wrote. "They must design a stable, low-consumption economy in which there is a much more equitable distribution of wealth than in the present one. Redistribution of wealth both within and among nations is absolutely essential, if a decent life is to be provided to every human being."
Holdren, who is director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, made these comments in the 1973 book "Human Ecology," which he co-authored with the Ehrlichs, long-time advocates of curtailing population growth.
Posted by: Fred ||
07/30/2009 00:00 ||
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HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR: 2029
Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California .
White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.
Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.
Baby conceived naturally! Scientists stumped.
Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.
Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.
France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.
No other country comes forward to help the beleaguered nation!
Castro finally dies at age 112.
Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking..
George Z.Bush says he will run for President in 2036.
Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.
85-year $75.8 billion study: Diet and exercise is the key to weight loss.
Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.
Global cooling blamed for citrus crop failure for third consecutive year in Mexifornia and Floruba.
Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut.
Abortion clinics now available in every High School in United States.
Senate still blocking drilling in ANWR even though gas is selling for 4532 Pesos per liter
and gas stations are only open on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.
Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates their civil rights.
Average height of NBA players is now nine feet, seven inches.
New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled- up newspapers
must be registered by January 2030.
IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.
Floruba voters still having trouble with voting machines.
Now, send this to whomever you want and as many as you want, then, guess what....NOTHING will happen. No miracles, no money, absolutely nothing, except you might make someone smile or very scared.
#3
Holdren, who is director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, made these comments in the 1973 book "Human Ecology," which he co-authored with the Ehrlichs, long-time advocates of curtailing population growth.
Yes indeed, this would be a lovely place to live if it were not for the.... other people.
#5
Well our Ivy League betters have been going one hell of a job plundering and de-developing the USA for the past 40 years.
Posted by: ed ||
07/30/2009 8:38 Comments ||
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co-authored with Paul R. Ehrlch and Anne H. Ehrlich. Ah, the usual suspects. And as Far as an equitable distribution of wealth goes. They most likely figured it works best if everybody is dirt poor.
#8
Dr. Holdren and the Ehrlichs have had many years to remove themselves from the strain on Gaia. Apparently they're too important to take the lead
Posted by: Frank G ||
07/30/2009 19:44 Comments ||
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Holdren, you first. Here is a gun with one round - drop the population by one yourself - and remember I am armed with a pistol and several bullets, so do not get any ideas about anyone other than yourself.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Lobbyist Al LaPierre today has agreed to plead guilty and testify in the federal criminal case against Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford. In a deal struck this morning, LaPierre will plead guilty to conspiracy and one count of filing a false tax return, said his lawyer Tommy Spina. The deal requires LaPierre to testify in the Aug. 31 case against Langford and Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount. "He felt this was the right thing to do. He know he has to pay a consequence. He accepts that and will hold his head up," Spina said.
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who pushed hard for a citywide term-limits extension because he claimed it gives voters "more choices," is now petitioning to kick his only Democratic primary opponent off the September ballot.
On August 14, some of the nation's most prominent conservatives will be gathering in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but former Republican Senator Arlen Specter (D-Penn.) won't be there.
President Obama's top science adviser, John P. Holdren, advocated the "de-development" of the United States in books he published in the 1970s.
