Excerpt:If only the corruption trial of the former governor of Illinois had been a movie. We'd have enjoyed character development, a tidy resolution and that big courtroom confession.
Some pundits and one holdout on the Blagojevich jury apparently wanted the movie. They wanted the " smoking gun," and maybe even Jack Nicholson shrieking, "You can't handle the truth!"
But jury foreman James Matsumoto thought there was ample evidence to find Dead Meat guilty. So did 10 other jurors, making it 11-1 against Blago on the main racketeering counts that he tried to sell President Barack Obama's old Senate seat to the highest bidder.
"The lack of a smoking gun was one of the major flaws we had addressed," Matsumoto told reporters. "The most damning evidence to me were the recordings. I believe they proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt. But to others, they didn't."
#1
Duh...they have him on tape demanding a $100,000 campaign contribution in exchange for favorable Race Track legislation. The mere "idle talk" defense would be a impossible sell for someone with a sense of right and wrong. Corrupt governments are non-governments.
Posted by: Thusolet Prince of the French2994 ||
08/19/2010 17:55 Comments ||
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#2
Follow the money. Either this juror's family has been threatened, or they are being paid off handsomely. Given that this is Chicago, either is a distinct possibility.
Posted by: A Very Reasonable man ||
08/19/2010 18:39 Comments ||
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The city of Bell gave nearly $900,000 in loans to former City Administrator Robert Rizzo, city employees and at least two council members in the last several years, according to records reviewed by The Times. I'm impressed that the LA Times has decided to cover the story ...
The documents show that Bell's former assistant city manager, Angela Spaccia, received two loans of at least $100,000 each and that council members Oscar Hernandez and Luis Artiga received $20,000 loans. Rizzo, whose huge salary sparked a scandal that forced him and other city officials to step down, received two loans for $80,000 each, city officials said. Aww, c'mon now. He was only making a million and a half a year. Let's not jump to any conclusions here...
Neither Hernandez nor Artiga reported the loans on their state financial disclosure forms for 2009, which is required under state law.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
from Rizzo's DUI mugshot, it appears that he invested the $ in doughnuts and fast food
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/19/2010 9:13 Comments ||
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#2
I will bet as they investigate further they will find that the town was one huge money laundering scheme.
"They should be abolished," Frank said in an interview on Fox Business, when asked whether the mortgage giants should be elements in housing market reform. "They only question is what do you put in their place," Frank said.
The Federal Housing Administration should be fully self-financing and Freddie and Fannie should be replaced with a new mechanism to help subsidize housing, Frank said in the interview.
"There is no more hybrid private-public," the Massachusetts Democrat suggested. "If we want to subsidize housing then we could do it upfront and let the budget be clear about that."
I think they ought to abolish the senior discount for the Fire Island ferry.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
Abolish what you helped bankrupt, frank?
You are a walking turd girl. none of this should have ever been started in the first place.
We will see what your voters are. I personally think you represent them well as they are all imbeciles.
#4
This guy is going to burn in hell for so many reasons.
Posted by: Mike Ramsey ||
08/19/2010 3:19 Comments ||
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#5
Yeap, Barney has no intention of setting up anything independant. He wants a total Fed takeover. Feds will decide who can buy a home ala student loans. Work for the Fed for ten years and get a reduced rate and low down, fixed. You proles pay top rate, one year ARM, no cap, with 25% down.
Posted by: retired LEO ||
08/19/2010 3:35 Comments ||
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#6
> "If we want to subsidize housing
You shouldn't do as all this achieves is less affordability.
Someone should shove David Ricardo's book so far up his arse it lodges in his brain.
#7
Is the Hon. (ahem) Barney Frank (D-MA) participating in the political lynching of Franklin Raines now? (Or is it someone else these days?)
Boy howdy did those Dems circle the wagons around Fannie and Freddie when Bush-era investigators came a-calling.
Posted by: Grenter, Protector of the Geats ||
08/19/2010 9:00 Comments ||
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#8
Barney sure does sleep around with different political positions. The problem with these donks is that they have no foundation of beliefs or enduring principles on which to base political positions. They are waving in the wind just trying to get elected from election to election.
#10
But that said, I agree Fannie and Freddie should be abolished. Can't quite agree with them being replaced with a new mechanism. I am distrustful of such new mechanisms.
I don't trust our government and I don't trust Wall Street but how is that different from 300 million others? Right?
#14
I think he wants to go back to federally subsidized rental housing. He and his buddies made millions before Bush canceled the program. All those new buildings to be built. Just think of all the "Donations to his Campaign".
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
08/19/2010 11:16 Comments ||
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#15
It's all a scam for developers and bankers who turn around and contribute big bucks to their pet politicians. It's all a big lie. They tell us we need "affordable housing" but their policies have created the highest housing inflation, and inflation in general, since the Weimar Republic. No wonder our workers can't compete in the global market. The cost of living in the United States is completely out of control. Forget Barak Obama. Barney Frank is public enemy number one. He's done to this country the same as he and his "partners" do to each other.
He says we didn't have the same degree of leveraging as we've seen with other bubbles? What does he call zero down, ARM mortgages? He's either lying or he has his head up his butt...most likely both.
#20
Meanwhile, the Kos-Gang sent this out today in support of a bare-majority Senate for the benefit of "progressives."
Welcome to the Daily Kos action email list. You received this email either because you are a registered member of the Daily Kos community, or because you donated to a Daily Kos operated Act Blue page. To unsubscribe from this list, follow the link at the bottom of this email.
Today we're launching a campaign to end the filibuster. Join this campaign by following the link below and signing the petition that appears:
http://campaigns.dailykos.com/action/reformthesenate
Here's how signing the petition makes a difference. We'll deliver the petition to every Democratic nominee for Senate and every returning Democratic Senator. When we do, we'll get them on record about whether they agree that the rules of the Senate can, and should, be changed with a simple majority vote on the first day of Congress next year. Once 51 returning and potential Senators have come out in support, we'll have proven that changing Senate rules is possible with a simple majority vote.
http://campaigns.dailykos.com/action/reformthesenate
Entrenched power players like Joe Lieberman, Max Baucus, Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu have all depended on the filibuster to enable Republican obstructionism and water down progressive legislation. Corporate interests have used it to protect themselves by purchasing a few small state Senators on the cheap. There's no bigger decision Senate Democrats will make next year. The Senate is where good legislation goes to die. Democrats can either change a system that allows a tiny unaccountable minority to thwart the will of the country, or they can continue being part of the problem.
http://campaigns.dailykos.com/action/reformthesenate
Let's get started,
Markos Moulitsas
Founder, Daily Kos
Posted by: Thusolet Prince of the French2994 ||
08/19/2010 18:25 Comments ||
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#21
Barney's one of the smarter people on Capitol Hill, and probably knew all along that the hybrid govt-private model used with Fannie and Fred was a complete bust. Unlike his dim bulb peers, Barney's too smart to pretend otherwise. His problem is simple dishonesty.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state shows Democratic Senator Harry Reid and his Republican challenger Sharron Angle tied with 47% of the vote each. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate, and two percent (2%) are undecided. Two weeks ago, Reid held a two-point advantage over Angle.
Tied, huh? In the next few days look for Harry to say that he will personally blow up the Ground Zero mosque if it is ever built.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
I'm scared as bejezus to post anything because of the suit, but the latest poll for Colorado Senate shows Buck (R) 47% versus Bennet (D) 41%; maybe someone with more confidence in their links than me can post a link to a safe place on it. Should be a highly entertaining race at any rate, with Buck "I wear cowboy boots with real bulls... on them" versus the suit.
#2
If I lived in Nevada, I'd vote for a fire hydrant before I'd vote for Reid. He has one face for elections (one where he sides with the voters) and a smarmy elitist face between elections where he just about manages to p1ss-off everyone. Angle seems to be pulling up from where she was. I really hope she wins over Reid.
Aside from a brief surge in support following his mid-May primary victory over incumbent Senator Arlen Specter, Sestak's support has fallen in a narrow 36% to 40% range since tracking began in February.
Last month, Toomey led Sestak 45% to 39%.
When leaners are included in the totals, Toomey's lead slips one point. With the leaners, 48% favor Toomey and 40% Sestak.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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In every survey conducted this year, Portman's support has stayed in the very narrow range of 42% to 45% of the vote. For Fisher, this survey represents his lowest level of support since regular tracking of the race began in February. Prior to this latest poll, his support had ranged from 38% to 43%.
Last month, Portman, a former congressman and Bush administration official, had a 44% to 40% advantage.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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If billionaire Jeff Greene is the Democratic candidate, Crist gets 37% support to Rubio's 36%, with Greene trailing at 20%. two percent (2%) like another candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided.
Last month, Rubio also held a narrow lead if Meek is the Democratic nominee, and Crist was slightly ahead with Greene in the race.
But the lead in this race has seesawed between Crist and Rubio for months, ever since the former abandoned his losing bid for the GOP Senate nomination and opted to run as an independent. The race remains a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Balance of Power summary.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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#1
A vote for Crist (ken doll)is a vote for the democraps. I don't how people don't see this.
#4
Florida and their damned early poll elections... my parents told me last weekend that they had already voted in the primaries. There isn't so much an election day in Florida as an election month. As such, opinion polls are a crazed patch-work on a moving target, where some shifting fragment of the electorate has already cast its stone while the slow-bobs are taking their time about things.
I fully expect the political class in Florida to go progressively insane from the confusion and heightened stress over the next couple election cycles. Not to mention the way keeping the polls open for weeks at a time sends the cost of elections into the goddamn stratosphere.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
08/19/2010 9:39 Comments ||
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#5
But Mitch it makes fraud so much easier. Focus on what's important, dude ...
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/19/2010 10:14 Comments ||
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#6
"Oompaloompa closeted gays hardest hit"
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/19/2010 13:10 Comments ||
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Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Washington voters identify Murray as at least somewhat liberal politically, but most (54%) regard her views as in the mainstream. Forty percent (40%) say her views are extreme.
Rossi is regarded as at least somewhat conservative by 79%, but 50% say he's in the mainstream. Only 34% regard his views as extreme.
Washington voters will select the two finalists in the race on August 17 in a non-partisan primary. It is widely expected that Murray and Rossi will be the general election candidates.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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you think Ill-noise is bad.......
Washington has been taken.
No matter their politics, Los Angeles residents found themselves united. "It was a beautiful thing," said Brentwood resident Myles Berkowitz, commiserating with his neighbors on Montana Avenue. "Young, old, black, white everyone was pissed off."
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
08/19/2010 00:00 ||
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My favorite:
"Hey, it could have been worse. Obama's policies have cost so many people their jobs that I'm sure the traffic volume was correspondingly reduced. Just think of how bad things would have been 12.2% of the city wasn't out of work.
-- Charlie Foxtrot"
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
08/19/2010 14:16 Comments ||
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#9
One of the most liberal cities in the US, and Zero pisses them off. Good job Zero, You are bringing America together. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
08/19/2010 17:01 Comments ||
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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.
The city of Bell gave nearly $900,000 in loans to former City Administrator Robert Rizzo, city employees and at least two council members in the last several years, according to records reviewed by The Times.
