Former Democratic Congressman William Jefferson was found guilty of 11 of 16 corruption charges today by a federal jury. The jury of eight women and four men returned a guilty verdict following five days of deliberation.
In the 16-count indictment, Jefferson was charged with soliciting bribes and other crimes for a series of schemes in which he helped American businesses broker deals in West African in exchange for payments or financial considerations to companies controlled by members of his family, including his brother Mose, his wife, Andrea, their five daughters and a son-in-law.
Jefferson, 62, who represented the New Orleans-based 2nd Congressional District for nine terms, will now face sentencing by Judge T.S. Ellis III, who earlier meted out stiff sentences for lesser figures in the case. According to the U.S. attorney's office, Jefferson faced 235 years in prison if convicted on all counts, and will still face substantial prison time.
Prosecutors asked that Jefferson be held as a flight risk, but the judge allowed him to remain free pending his sentencing scheduled for Oct. 30. A forfeiture hearing will be held Thursday to decide what assets Jefferson will have to surrender.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/06/2009 00:00 ||
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But not guilty on the count related to the cash in the freezer; seems like the jury found his explanation reasonably believable - that he took the money but he wasn't going to use it to bribe the Nigerians (was just going to keep it, which turns out to not be a violation of whatever law he was accused of breaking.)
This tacky monstrosity can't belong to Obama, can it?
The chief White House pastry chef just has to be hanging his head in shame ...
No doubt the morning after the election Mrs. Obama sent out her underthings to have coronets embroidered thereupon. Later, of course, she realized her error, and had the presidential seal added.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/06/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
I think it's the medallions along the side, and lower tier of lettering that really make the cake something special....
#4
Too much people, I doubt Bambi or the 1st lady ordered this cake. Did we see past Presidential cakes? Probably equally hideous. Do like him but don't pee on his birthday cake, that aint right.
#6
Was there some problem with a simple "Happy Birthday Barrack"? Did it really require the Presidential seal? Let alone the seals of all 4 armed services?
AN Australian man who unwittingly found himself embroiled in a conspiracy to oust US President Barack Obama has vowed to be more careful about what he posts on the internet.
Adelaide public servant David Bomford was plucked from obscurity when US political campaigners released a copy of a birth certificate at the weekend that supposedly showed Mr Obama was born in Kenya. The campaigners, known as "birthers,'' point out that if Mr Obama was born in Africa, rather than Hawaii as US records show, he would not be eligible to be president, since only natural-born US citizens can hold the top office.
However, the document they released turned out to be a fake based on a copy of Mr Bomford's birth certificate that he had posted on a friend's genealogy website.
Bomford said it was hard to believe "a grey-haired old guy sitting in a corner in quiet old Adelaide'' had been swept up in a push to unseat the most powerful man in the world. "It is interesting someone from here being involved in a conspiracy - that is so funny,'' he told the ABC.
Mr Bomford said he knew nothing about the "birthers" claims. He said the fake Kenyan birth certificate contained his personal details and was clearly based on his own South Australian document. "It's definitely a copy of my certificate. It's so laughable it's ridiculous,'' he said.
Mr Bomford said he only expected relatives researching their family tree would be interested in the document when it was posted on the internet. "I was very, very surprised that anyone would even find it on the net,'' he said. "I'll be certainly contacting my friend who runs that web and asking him to remove it.''
Which is the forgery? Both? If both, which came first? It's not credible that they both are genuine.
If the Aussie one is a forgery, how did it get on the geneology website? (The copy I posted was taken directly from http://www.bomford.net/worcestershire/images/DavidJeffreyBomfordBirthCertDoc65.jpg.)
A fascinating possibility is that the Aussie doc is genuine and the "Kenyan" doc was forged with deliberate references to the Aussie doc. The "Kenyan" doc was then fenced to gullible people, and when the moment was right, the Aussie doc was exposed, discrediting the gullible.
It seems a little early to expose it, though.
Has anyone pointed out that Kenyan docs of that period don't resemble the doc in question?
#3
WND has posted a sample 1961 Kenyan birth certificate. The format is entirely different, so the "Kenyan" doc is a forgery, and it appears Taitz is hooked.
Nancy Pelosi, the most despised member of Congress, whose popularity ratings are second only to Jeffrey Dalmer, has issued such a blatant lie that it deserves to be smacked down immediately with extreme prejudice. Nancy, dear, this is what we think of you:
#2
In honor of Senator Barbara (Mam) Boxer, I am going to initiate the Dumb as a Box of Rocks award. Unfortunately Nancy Pelosi is the second recipient of the award. You know who had to be the first.
Posted by: Art ||
08/06/2009 10:40 Comments ||
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âWeâve been quiet too long,â said a woman named Joan.
The Donks fail to heed the admonition of Sun Tzu -
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
They do not know their opponents and ascribe all sorts of Freudian projected beliefs of who they are which are only aspects of their own nature. These are not just Trunks and Libs, but Americans [real ones, not ones hired for the day] that have been 'quiet too long'.
#5
What a full load of bull$$it. This is the ultimate in psychotic transference. Is there something in the liberals genes that causes the knee jerk reaction of accusing any and all dissenting voices of carrying swastikas and being Nazis and Hitler?
#7
Might be time to lay off the botox. Her head's getting too tight.
She says this shit because she can. Nobody of any influence is gonna call her on it. And it's not like her supporters back in the district are gonna disagree.
#9
Nah, honey, there's no swastikas out there in your 'hood. Just some leather boyz out for the night from the Castro. (Tell Dr. Feelgood to not poke you so deep with the 'tox next time, ok?)
A Republican senator is calling for the White House to suspend a new project that asks members of the public to flag "fishy" claims about President Obama's health care plans, arguing that it raises privacy concerns and will serve to chill free speech.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is sending a letter to the White House today asking the president to "cease this program immediately" -- or to explain how Americans' privacy will be protected if e-mails are forwarded to the White House as requested.
"I am not aware of any precedent for a President asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed 'fishy' or otherwise inimical to the White House's political interests," Cornyn writes
"I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House. I suspect that you would have been leading the charge in condemning such a program -- and I would have been at your side denouncing such heavy-handed government action."
Yesterday, White House director of new media Macon Phillips wrote a blog posting urging readers to flag questionable claims about health care proposals.
"There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."
Cornyn specifically asks whether those who quote the president's past statements -- such as his 2003 statement that he was a "proponent" of single-payer care -- qualifies as "disinformation." He also asks what actions the White House would take against those engaging in "fishy" speech.
Allow me to be the first:
BBK reports today that an alert at the White House has been rescinded. Detectors flagged a chemical constituent to the air in the West Wing and fully-garbed NBC hunters were sent in to investigate. Said the investigator of the White House matriarch, "Sumding's vawy, vawy fishy down deh."
White House spokesperson Gibbs had only this to say: "I don't think any reasonable person would possibly expect transparency to actually extend to the personal hygeine habits of the first family. Go fish."
Simultaneously, from an unknown town hall meeting seemingly lacking in attendees or press, this recorded statement from the President: "There is nothing, nothing I say, that I won't do to get this healthcare reform passed this year. That said, the bait has been laid: If you bit, and criticized me or my plan, I'm coming to get you."
#2
Lol. Insert snarky comment regarding Michelle's personal hygine, not Barack! I know - I should be deleting comments like this, not making them. Can't help it, Heh.
Posted by: Mike Hunt ||
08/06/2009 3:35 Comments ||
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The White House office might well be in violation of the law, too:
According to 5 U.S.C. § 552a, United States agencies, including the Executive Office of the President shall, maintain no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity.
#6
My logic follows my convictions: Rights first, wife second. Since his priorities are so out of whack and she supports this, the swipe was intentional and, of course, well-deserved.
#8
Can you imagine what would happen if Bush did a stunt like this. The media would eat him alive. Instead with Zero the media just orders more kneepads.
And what happens after something is 'flagged'? They must intend to do something. Do they send out the enforcers of truth?
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/06/2009 9:38 Comments ||
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maybe I should simply put an automatic cc: to flag@whitehouse.com on every email I send and an automatic forward to flat@... on every email I receive
you never know
one man's routine correspondence is another man's fishy
Posted by: Lord garth ||
08/06/2009 9:56 Comments ||
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My wife is sending them YouTube clips of various Obama and Sebelius etc. speeches - clearly full of lies and deceptions and deserving correction.
(CNSNews.com) -- Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said that Obama used to support a single-payer health care plan but flip-flopped on the issue because of the "Rahm Emanuel Factor."
Conyers described that as meaning the White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, who is one of the president's senior advisers, will cut any deal necessary to help elect Democrats next year and re-elect Obama in 2012. "I can remember when Obama agreed with me," said Conyers, referencing Obama's past support of a single-payer health care system at a recent National Press Club luncheon.
In reference to why Obama changed his mind about single-payer, Conyers said: "I'm just guessing now, because we haven't talked about it, but he wants it because of the Rahm Emanuel factor. Okay. I'm glad you asked me. The Rahm Emanuel factor, to quote him, is that, look, we want success, and we're willing to make a deal about anything. Does that make you feel pretty comfortable about health care?"
Posted by: Fred ||
08/06/2009 00:00 ||
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Only a small handful of constituents typically show up to talk to the staff of U.S. Rep. Ron Klein on the first Wednesday of every month. But Wednesday morning's routine office hours were turned into a raucous town hall meeting when about 100 protesters packed a Lighthouse Point public library demanding that Klein back off proposed healthcare reforms.
The congressman will be hosting public forums this month but he is encouraging constituents with healthcare concerns to participate in a ``tele-town hall'' meeting over the phone.
Like other recent town hall meetings across the country that have become Internet sensations for resembling angry mobs more than citizens engaged in thoughtful public discourse, the group was rowdy at times. ``Where the hell is Klein?'' demanded Republican activist Ana Gomez-Mallada. ``He's a coward!'' yelled somebody else, even though the congressman was never scheduled to attend.
``I thought they were acting like kindergartners the way they kept interrupting each other,'' said Lighthouse Point resident Kristen Bradley, who left in disgust.
The congressman will be hosting public forums this month but he is encouraging constituents with healthcare concerns to participate in a ``tele-town hall'' meeting over the phone.
Asked if this was an attempt to avoid uncomfortable confrontations, Klein said the conference call would allow him to reach many more people.
``I've always been very out there and willing to meet with people, and we're going to continue to do that,'' he said.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/06/2009 00:00 ||
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``I thought they were acting like kindergartners the way they kept interrupting each other,''
Sorta like Code Pink, ACORN, union 'representatives', Hollyweird semi personalities, et al. You can dish it out, but you can't take it.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., the ranking member on the Government Oversight Committee, has written White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel requesting information about whether Emanuel coordinated a political multi-agency response to Republican criticisms of the stimulus.
Specifically, the question is whether he put four cabinet secretaries up to writing bullying letters to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, R. The letters asked whether Arizona wanted its stimulus funds cut off, shortly after Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., suggested repealing the stimulus package. In this Politico story by Jonathan Martin, two administration officials have confirmed Emanuel's involvement in demanding that the secretaries write the letters.
[A]fter seeing [Sen. Jon] Kyl [R-Ariz.] and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) again paint the legislation as a failure on Sunday talk shows, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel directed that the letters from the Cabinet secretaries be sent to Brewer, according to two administration officials.
If this is true, then Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood lied to Congress two weeks ago, during testimony before the House Budget Committee. LaHood, who wrote one of the letters to Brewer, had to be asked seven times in a July 24 budget hearing whether anyone in the White House had encouraged him or put him up to writing Brewer.
Unsatisfied with LaHood's evasive and repeated answer that he "needed no encouragement" to write the letter, Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., finally complained to the chairman: "Mr. Chairman, would the witness please answer the question?" (The committee's audio and video are of poor quality, but you can hear the whole exchange between Garrett and LaHood here.
LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, finally answered "No." But if Martin's reporting is correct, then LaHood was lying.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/06/2009 00:00 ||
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Uh oh. I don't think the SecTrans is even in the running for worst/sleaziest cabinet member or czar - but this is another item that causes one to muse: imagine, just try to imagine, a performance like that of this WH and cabinet when a) the US was a serious country b) there was something resembling a press c) there was something resembling a check in the form of a Congress that could even partly fulfill its constitutional role in this regard.
It would be chaos and bedlam, resignations and scandal, approval ratings in the low 20s - all after 6 months.
Chose "Seedy Politicians" over "Opinion" because it's an opinion about seedy politicians. I've got some opinions about that, too, but this is a family blog....
Evan Coyne Malony:
The Obama White House may be breaking the Privacy Act of 1974 by asking citizens to report fishy political speech.
On Tuesday, Macon Phillips, President Obamas Director of New Media, wrote on the White House blog asking citizens to rat out fellow citizens who are spreading disinformation about Obamas plans for more government control over the health care system. Phillips wrote:
There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we cant keep track of all of them here at the White House, were asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.
One wonders, what constitutes fishy speech or disinformation? Is it anything that runs counter to what the White House wants you to think? And what, precisely, is the White House planning to do about someone whos speech has been flagged?
It turns out, even asking for citizens to report on each other may be illegal. According to the Department of Justice, the purpose of the Privacy Act is to balance the governments need to maintain information about individuals with the rights of individuals to be protected against unwarranted invasions of their privacy stemming from federal agencies collection, maintenance, use, and disclosure of personal information about them.
Further, anything is considered a personal record if it identifies an individual (an e-mail address would qualify), and federal agency specifically includes the Executive Office of the President.
Im no lawyer, but it sure sounds like the White House is violating the law by asking people to snitch on their friends and neighbors for engaging in fishy political speech. Anyone want to try this one in court?
In the meantime, Im going to report myself. Im obviously not thinking the way our Dear Leader wants...
Of course they're violating the law, Evan. The law don't apply to them, don'tcha know. Laws are for suckers the little people.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
08/06/2009 19:10 ||
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Does President Barack Obama believe economic and population growth ought to be stopped because they imperil the planet and that wealth should be redistributed both within the United States and among nations? Or does he think such a view is ludicrous?
He does not think it is ludicrous; a man who has promoted zero growth and global wealth redistribution for years is now one of Obama's top advisers.
In December, Obama announced he was naming John P. Holdren, director of the Woods Hole Research Center, to run the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Obama expressed admiration for Holdren's work and said, "I look forward to his wise counsel in the years ahead."
So, what wise counsel had Holdren given in the past?
His curriculum vitae lists as one of his "Recent publications" an essay entitled "The Meaning of Sustainability: Biogeophysical Aspects." Co-authored by Paul Ehrlich and Gretchen Daily of the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford, this essay served as the first chapter in a 1995 book--"Defining and Measuring Sustainability: The Biogeophysical Foundations"--published by the World Bank. The book is posted as a PDF on the World Bank's Web site.
"We think development ought to be understood to mean progress toward alleviating the main ills that undermine human well-being," Holdren, Ehrlich and Daily wrote in this essay.
Table 1-1 of the essay lists both "excessive population growth" and "maldistribution of consumption and investment" as "driving forces" behind these "ills."
"Excessive population growth," the authors assert, is "a condition now prevailing almost everywhere."
Table 1-2 of the essay lists "Requirements for Sustainable Improvements in Well-being." These include "reduced disparities within and between countries."
"The large gaps between rich and poor that characterize income distribution within and between countries today are incompatible with social stability and with cooperative approaches to achieving environmental sustainability," the authors explain.
Table 1-1 lists among the "underlying human frailties" causing the ills of mankind as "greed, selfishness, intolerance and shortsightedness." These vices, they say, "collectively have been elevated by conservative political doctrine and practice (above all in the United States in 1980-92) to the status of a credo."
The authors present a formula for understanding ecological "damage," which they say "means reduced length or quality of life for the present generation or future generations." This doomsday formula is: "Damage = population x economic activity per person (affluence) x resource use per economic activity (resources) x stress on the environment per resource use (technology) x damage per stress (susceptibility)."
Their application of this formula rejects the notion that man, through his wit, can not only increase individual productivity and technological efficiency but also find new resources to fuel them.
For example, how much potential water lingers in the universe? Well, how much hydrogen and oxygen did God create? Holdren and co-authors claim to "know for certain" such thinking is folly.
"We know for certain, for example, that: No form of material growth (including population growth) other than asymptotic growth, is sustainable," they say. "Many of the practices inadequately supporting today's population of 5.5 billion people are unsustainable; and at the sustainability limit, there will be a trade-off between population and energy-matter throughput per person, hence, ultimately, between economic activity per person and well-being per person
Posted by: Fred ||
08/06/2009 00:00 ||
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"Excessive population growth," the authors assert, is "a condition now prevailing almost everywhere."
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.
Former Democratic Congressman William Jefferson was found guilty of 11 of 16 corruption charges today by a federal jury. The jury of eight women and four men returned a guilty verdict following five days of deliberation.
A Republican senator is calling for the White House to suspend a new project that asks members of the public to flag "fishy" claims about President Obama's health care plans, arguing that it raises privacy concerns and will serve to chill free speech. 
