Bernard Madoff Gets Maximum Sentence

Mega-swindler Bernie Madoff will have 150 years to think about his crime, as U.S. District Judge Denny Chin issued the maximum sentence to the 71-year-old defendant.

Historic swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison Monday for a fraud so extensive that the judge said he needed to send a symbolic message to potential imitators and to victims who demanded harsh punishment.

Scattered applause and whoops broke out in the crowded Manhattan courtroom after U.S. District Judge Denny Chin issued the maximum sentence to the 71-year-old defendant, who said he lives "in a tormented state now, knowing all the pain and suffering I've created."

Chin rejected a request by Madoff's lawyer for leniency and said he disagreed that victims of the fraud were seeking mob vengeance.

"Here the message must be sent that Mr. Madoff's crimes were extraordinarily evil and that this kind of manipulation of the system is not just a bloodless crime that takes place on paper, but one instead that takes a staggering toll," Chin said.

The judge said the estimate that Madoff has cost his victims more than $13 billion was conservative because it did not include money from feeder funds.

"Objectively speaking, the fraud here was staggering," he said.

Finally there is some justice for those who have suffered due to Madoff's actions.

"Life has been a living hell. It feels like the nightmare we can't wake from," said Carla Hirshhorn.

"He stole from the rich. He stole from the poor. He stole from the in between. He had no values," said Tom Fitzmaurice. "He cheated his victims out of their money so he and his wife Ruth could live a life of luxury beyond belief."

Dominic Ambrosino called it an "indescribably heinous crime" and urged a long prison sentence so "will know he is imprisoned in much the same way he imprisoned us and others."

He added: "In a sense, I would like somebody in the court today to tell me how long is my sentence."

I truly hope others who might have been tempted to follow in Madoff's greedy footsteps will now think again. What he did was unconscionable, and it's only fitting that he live the rest of his life in prison.

Domestic Terrorist Kills Holocaust Museum Guard

The Justice Department and Homeland Security are busy these days as agents respond to a second act of domestic terrorism over the past couple of weeks. This time it was white supremacist James W. Von Brunn, 88, who shot and killed 39-year-old Stephen Tyrone Johns.

This is not Von Brunn's first incidence of violence. In 1981 he was convicted of attempting to kidnap members of the Federal Reserve Board. At the time of his arrest he was carrying several weapons.

I fear that as the economy continues to flat line, we will see more of these incidents. Terrorists like Von Brunn needed someone to blame for their economic problems, and his personal history indicated it was African Americans and Jews.

The first thing that came to mind when hearing about this, and Von Brunn's background, is why was this person allowed to own a weapon? And how can we get weapons out of the hands of individuals who so openly display their propensity for violence? How do we balance Second Amendment rights with protecting citizens from such clear domestic terrorists?

What do you think?

Full of Hate and No Place To Go

Troy Newman, the president of Operation Rescue, has a problem. Seven years ago he moved his family and his entire hate-filled movement to Wichita for the express purpose of harassing Dr. George Tiller. Newman did such a good job inciting people to violence that one of his terrorists took a gun into a church to kill Dr. Tiller. Now the group is all full of hate, with no place to go.

For the first time in years, only a Wichita police car has been waiting outside the abortion clinic of Dr. George R. Tiller, who was shot to death a week ago. Gone are the trucks bearing enormous images of bloody fetuses, the signs offering the home addresses of clinic workers, the crowd of protesters yelling to women as they enter.

Over almost 20 years, a vocal, diverse constellation of anti-abortion forces has grown up in this conservative city with an intensity rarely seen elsewhere, converging around Dr. Tiller’s practice. With his death, its future suddenly seems uncertain, too.

This city of 358,000 people, once the focal point of protests because of four abortion clinics — most significantly Dr. Tiller’s, which provided rare late-term abortions — last week had no abortion facility open for business, no target in chief, no immediate reason for this network of anti-abortion forces to be based here.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” said Troy Newman, the president of Operation Rescue, one of the most well-known anti-abortion organizations. Seven years ago, Mr. Newman moved his organization’s national headquarters, its leaders and his family from Southern California to Wichita to focus a national spotlight on Dr. Tiller, whom he described as “the flagship” of the country’s abortion business.

“I think it’s too early to say what comes next,” he said.

If your community has a physician who provides abortion services be on the lookout. Operation Rescue extremists might be heading your way.

The only question left to ask is how long Justice and the Department of Homeland Security is going to allow this domestic terrorist ring to exist?

Dr. George Tiller Murdered

I am deeply sadden by news of the murder of Dr. George Tiller, a Wichita doctor who was one of the few physicians to perform late-term abortion procedures. Dr. Tiller was shot and killed as he attended church.

Dr. Tiller has provided abortion services since the 1970s, has long been a target of anti-abortion violence. In 1993 he was shot in both arms by an anti-abortion fanatic, but recovered. Dr. Tiller has also come under legal attack, with the most recent being a citizen-initiated grand jury investigation. Dr. Tiller was acquitted in March of charges that he had performed late-term abortions in violation of state law.

This tragedy illustrates the extreme measures anti-abortion fanatics will take in their attempt to control women's reproductive choices -- and it must be treated as domestic terrorism. This is the first murder to take place since the Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2002 and Yikes calls on them to investigate this. The person (or persons) responsible for this tragedy must be captured and brought to justice.

We have lost a brave and compassionate man who placed the well-being of his patients above his own personal safety. In memory of Dr. Tiller we must all rededicate ourselves to insuring women have access to safe and legal abortion.

My heart goes out to his family, friends, coworkers and patients.

Cheney vs. Obama on National Security

Do I even need to ask who is the more trustworthy here?

President Obama and former vice president Richard B. Cheney yesterday gave the country the national security debate it never had during last year's campaign, with the two outlining starkly divergent views of American power and the presidency in the fight against terrorism.

In an extraordinary set of speeches, the still-new president, who refers often to the problems he inherited from his predecessor, and the previous administration's most forceful spokesman laid out their positions just minutes apart in locations separated by barely a mile. The virtual debate touched on Congress and the courts, interrogation tactics and truth commissions, and competing assessments of the nation's post-Sept. 11 history that are currently informing the debate in Washington over how best to balance public safety and civil liberties.

Presidential scholars could not recall another moment when consecutive administrations intersected so early and in such a public way.

Because we've never had a previous administration so corrupt!

In my lifetime I can think of only Nixon and Reagan who played fast and loose with the Constitution. Nixon is the epitome of why the founders included a process for impeachment. Nixon used the full power of the executive office for his own personal gain. Had he not resigned he would have surely been impeached. And I think his waiting so long damaged the country in a way we have never truly recovered from.

Reagan also used the powers of the presidency to advance a personal agenda -- one that would set this country on a course that would eventually lead to the brink of a second great depression. Regulations were imposed on corporations and the banking industry during FDR's administration for a reason. To prevent another great depression -- and for 50 years they worked! Then along came Ronnie, hell bent on deregulation and now look at where we are.

I've said before that I never thought there could be a president worse than Nixon or Reagan, but George W. Bush proved me wrong. He is the worst combination of the two. He used his pulpit to steal from the poor to benefit the rich. And his partner in crime, Dick Cheney, helped.

Cheney's fingerprints are all over the tortured prisoners at Guantanamo.

We may be in a serious depression, but that should not prevent the truth from coming out -- or from convicting Bush-Cheney for war crimes.

US Financial Collaps Driven by 'Fraud'

Is anyone surprised?

Bill Moyers recently interviewed William K. Black, a professor of economics and law with the University of Missouri, about our current economic disaster. What Black alleged should come as no surprise to anyone paying the least bit of attention.

[Black] alleged that American banks and credit agencies conspired to create a system in which so-called "liars loans" could receive AAA ratings and zero oversight, amounting to a massive "fraud" at the epicenter of US finance.

But worse still, said Black, Timothy Geithner, President Barack Obama's Secretary of the Treasury, is currently engaged in a cover-up to keep the truth of America's financial insolvency from its citizens.

Wow, this sounds really bad. And if true, it is bad, or is it?

Maybe we need to keep digging. Here is more of what Professor Black has to say:

What we know now is that the rating agencies never looked at a single loan file. When they finally did look, after the markets had completely collapsed, they found, and I'm quoting Fitch, the smallest of the rating agencies, "the results were disconcerting, in that there was the appearance of fraud in nearly every file we examined."

He equated the entire US financial system to a giant "ponzi scheme" and charged Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, like Secretary Henry Paulson before him, of "covering up" the truth.

Yikes!

Why would an administration committed to change appear to be giving us more of the same?

"Are you saying that Timothy Geithner, the Secretary of the Treasury, and others in the administration, with the banks, are engaged in a cover up to keep us from knowing what went wrong?" asked Moyers.

"Absolutely, because they are scared to death," he said. "All right? They're scared to death of a collapse. They're afraid that if they admit the truth, that many of the large banks are insolvent. They think Americans are a bunch of cowards, and that we'll run screaming to the exits. And we won't rely on deposit insurance. And, by the way, you can rely on deposit insurance. And it's foolishness. All right? Now, it may be worse than that. You can impute more cynical motives. But I think they are sincerely just panicked about, 'We just can't let the big banks fail.' That's wrong."

Ultimately, said Black, the financial downfall of the United States in the wake of the Bush years is due to "the most elite institutions in America engaging in or facilitating fraud."

"When will Americans wake up and hold the real criminals - Banksters - accountable for their actions, and pressure the government to enact systemic changes to prevent future abuses?"

So there you have it. During the Reagan administration we saw the beginning of deregulation -- or more plainly, the beginning of the end.

During the George W. Bush administration the crooks had the keys to the bank. The whole lot of them should be in jail, not receiving billion dollar bailouts.

Now, about the Obama administration. Maybe they are trying to "protect" us ... but in the same way they are "protecting" us by not releasing the torture photos?

Maybe it's time to level with the American people, and make the bad guys pay for their crimes. What do you think?

The full interview can be viewed on-line.

Reid Still Doesn't Get It

Americans by and large know that if they break, or even bend, the law there is a price to pay. Well, unless you are a corporate CEO or part of the Executive Branch of government. THAT is the message being sent by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- who should know better. Unlike our president, Reid has been around awhile.

It's understandable that President Obama wants to remain focused on fixing the mess left behind by the Bush administration, but Reid should support Speaker Pelosi's call for an investigation on torture.

Senate Democratic leaders, joining forces with the Obama White House, said they would resist efforts by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other prominent Democrats to create a special commission to investigate the harsh interrogation methods that the Bush administration approved for terrorism suspects.

At a meeting of top Democrats at the White House Wednesday night, President Obama told Congressional leaders that he did not want a special inquiry, which he said would potentially steal time and energy from his ambitious policy priorities, and could mushroom into a wider distraction by looking back at other aspects of the Bush years.

The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and other top Senate Democrats endorsed Mr. Obama’s view on Thursday, telling reporters that they preferred to wait for the results of an investigation by the Senate intelligence committee expected sometime “late this year.” But Ms. Pelosi renewed her call for an independent panel.

Mr. Reid, who repeatedly denounced the use of harsh interrogation techniques when Mr. Bush was president, suggested that naming a special panel would signal an intent to exact “retribution” and he sought to paper over the disagreement with members of his own caucus, like Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, who want a commission.

Hummm ... let's think about this.

ret·ri·bu·tion (rět'rə-byōō'shən) n.
Something justly deserved; recompense.
Something given or demanded in repayment, especially punishment.

Seems appropriate for the actions of the previous administration.

And what about our Constitution? Is it just a piece of paper, or is there meaning behind the words written? George Bush & Co. didn't seem to think it meant much -- but many of us do.

So come on Reid, it's time to get on board with what the American people want.


MUST READS:

Is Cheney Winning the Torture Debate?
By Eric Etheridge

Abu Zubaydah’s FBI Interrogator Removes the Legal Cornerstone of the Torture Regime
By emptywheel

Flashback: Bush’s FBI Director Said Torture Didn’t Foil Any Terror Plots
By Greg Sargent

AIG: We're Mad as Hell ...

Paying out millions of dollars in bonuses, and spending millions remodeling executive suites is absolutely unacceptable in these tough times. Let your Senators know what you think.

Scumdog Billionaire

Word on the street is that Bernie Madoff, multibillion-dollar Ponzi schemer, may plead guilty. It's about time. Hopefully his house arrest will end soon, and this jerk will end up behind bars for good.

The government is seeking $170.8 billion in forfeiture from Madoff, or more than three times what he confessed to stealing. [...]

Madoff, 70, faces a potential sentence of up to 150 years on 11 charges. In December, the investment manager and former head of Nasdaq told authorities that his fund was nothing more than a huge Ponzi scheme and that he bilked investors out of as much as $50 billion, though federal authorities now investigating the case think the number could be less than half that. [...]

A government-appointed trustee has recovered about $900 million of what Madoff allegedly took from them.

In December Madoff gave away millions in jewelry and other items as "gifts" to friends. All that needs to be recovered, so the victims in this story can recover as much of what they've lost as possible. Anything that has ever been in Bernie Madoff's name needs to be recovered and sold. Even if the items were given to family members or friends.

And this scumdog billionaire needs to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Adam Walsh: May He Rest in Peace

In 1984 I had an opportunity to meet John Walsh, father of Adam Walsh who was murdered in 1981. His son's death was still very raw, and he talked about his fear for his family. We were at a fundraising event for the advocacy he was doing on behalf of missing children, hosted by the radio station I worked for at the time.

John Walsh turned his tragedy into a mission that has led him to change laws, helping children and their families nationwide.

Maybe now that his sons case has been closed, the torture he has felt for the past 27 years can be put to rest. The Associated Press reports:

A serial killer who died more than a decade ago is the person who decapitated the 6-year-old son of "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh in 1981, police in Florida said Tuesday. The announcement brought to a close a case that has vexed the Walsh family for more than two decades, launched the television show about the nation's most notorious criminals and inspired changes in how authorities search for missing children.

"Who could take a 6-year-old and murder and decapitate him? Who?" an emotional John Walsh said at Tuesday's news conference. "We needed to know. We needed to know. And today we know. The not knowing has been a torture, but that journey's over." [...]

Police named Ottis Toole, saying he was long the prime suspect in the case and that they had conclusively linked him to the killing. They declined to be specific about their evidence and did not note any DNA proof of the crime, but said an extensive review of the case file pointed only to Toole, as John Walsh long contended.

"Our agency has devoted an inordinate amount of time seeking leads to other potential perpetrators rather than emphasizing Ottis Toole as our primary suspect," said Hollywood Police Chief Chadwick Wagner, who launched a fresh review of the case after taking over the department last year. "Ottis Toole has continued to be our only real suspect."

Toole had twice confessed to killing the child, but later recanted. He claimed responsibility for hundreds of murders, but police determined most of the confessions were lies. Toole's niece told the boy's father, John Walsh, her uncle confessed on his deathbed in prison that he killed Adam.

Wagner acknowledged numerous missteps in the investigation and apologized to the Walshes.

Adam was last seen at a Hollywood, FL, mall on July 27, 1981. Two weeks later his severed head was discovered in a canal 120 miles away. His body was never recovered.

The police have acknowledged they made crucial errors in their handling of the case, and John Walsh has harshly criticized them. But today, he had this to say:

The Walshes, who appeared Tuesday flanked by their other children, long ago derided the investigation as botched. Still, John Walsh praised the Hollywood police department for closing the case.

"This is not to look back and point fingers, but it is to let it rest," he said.

Wishing John Walsh and his family peace this holiday season.

.

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens loses re-election bid

This is GREAT NEWS! Ted Stevens is a truly obnoxious individual, and his arrogance finally caught up with him.

Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power and Alaska icon who couldn't survive a conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat by Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats within two seats of a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

Stevens' ouster on his 85th birthday marks an abrupt realignment in Alaska politics and will alter the power structure in the Senate, where he has served since the days of the Johnson administration while holding seats on some of the most influential committees in Congress.

Happy Birthday ... ha!

Stevens' future was murky at a time when newly elected members of both the House and Senate were on Capitol Hill for heady receptions, picture-taking sessions and orientation this week. Stevens, speaking earlier Tuesday in Washington, said he had no idea what his life would be like in January, when the 111th Congress convenes.

"I wouldn't wish what I'm going through on anyone, my worst enemy," he lamented to reporters. "I haven't had a night's sleep for almost four months."

Don't worry, Ted -- hopefully you'll have plenty of time to sleep in prison.

The politics of distraction and why the "bad man" can't win

Obama has got to stop laughing off the attacks from the McCain/Palin camp as simply the "silly season" in politics. What we have right now is the politics of distraction. McCain/Palin NEED the politics of distraction so that voters won't discover just how aligned their politics are with the current administration.

And LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING ... George W. Bush has nearly destroyed this country. Obama had it right during his acceptance speech when he said "ENOUGH."

We've had ENOUGH of an administration that caters to special interests -- like oil companies, defense contractors, and all the others who have seen their profits go through the ROOF during this administration -- while hard working Americans suffer.

We've had ENOUGH of an administration that can bail out failing corporations but turned a blind eye to families losing their homes.

We've had ENOUGH of an administration that continues to lie to the American people -- lies that have resulted in the deaths of THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

We've had ENOUGH of an administration so filled with corruption it's getting harder and harder to find even a single person with integrity in ANY department of government.

The political HAS become PERSONAL.

Crime in my neighborhood is skyrocketing. We've had dozens of break-ins, armed robberies and cars stolen in JUST THE PAST FEW MONTHS! The robbers are getting so brazen they are breaking into houses while the owners are home! It's so disconcerting that I just had an alarm system installed. I RESENT feeling afraid in my own home!

To make matters worse, I talked with one of my neighbors last night and she shared a chilling story. I will call my neighbor Bea. Bea and her husband moved next door about three years ago. They are wonderful neighbors -- quiet, their house and yard always look nice, and they are always willing to offer help to anyone who needs it. Bea works as a nanny and sometimes cleans houses for additional income, her husband is a contractor.

Bea had just picked up her daughter from daycare and was driving home. It was a sunny afternoon and she had just been paid by her employer -- in cash. Bea stopped to get gas on the way and had just started filling her tank when a man approached. He jumped into her car, started the engine, and drove off -- with little Abby still in her car seat in the back.

Bea's heart stopped. She was screaming for him to take her purse, take the car, but PLEASE GIVE HER DAUGHTER BACK. The man either didn't hear her, or didn't care. In a split second he, the car, and little Abby were GONE.

Bea started running after her car, screaming at the man. Someone at the station called the police.

I can't even begin to know the horror my dear friend must have felt as she watched her daughter being so violently taken away.

As she was telling me this story my heart stopped. Abby is a beautiful little three year old girl. When I see the two of them together it's not at all uncommon for Abby to come running toward me, with her arms outstretched, wanting me to pick her up. She is so sweet and loving. All I could see was her face.

And then fear was replace by anger. I was angry at George W. Bush and Dick Cheney for their greed -- greed that created a climate where people feel desperate. Some so desperate they will do despicable things. I wanted Bush and Cheney, and all their cronies, in prison -- for a very long time.

This story has a happy ending. The carjacker ditched the car a few miles from the scene of the crime. He took Bea's purse -- with the $300 she had earned that week -- but he left our beautiful little Abby in the back seat.

Another driver saw the car, with the gasoline hose still attached, and called the police. Abby was back in her mothers arms within the hour, and Bea understands just how incredibly lucky she is. She can replace her $300 salary, she can replace all the contents of her purse ... the one thing that could NEVER have been replaced was Abby.

Abby is still traumatized by the incident. When she sees a man who matches the description of the carjacker she begins to cry and asks her parents "is the bad man going to hurt me?"

Now it's personal ... our little Abby is safe and sound at home with her parents. We were lucky -- and I'm using the universal "we" because Abby's safety is the responsibility of ALL OF US ... and WE simply can't let the bad man win ... again.

.

Attorney General Protects Lawless Justice Department Staff

"Not every violation of the law is a crime" ... Clearly Attorney General Michael Mukasey didn't grow up in my household. My mother had a certain look, and when I saw that look I knew I'd better stop whatever it was I was doing, or there would be hell to pay. You see, we were punished when we did something wrong ... but that doesn't happen to someone who is part of the Bush Administration inner circle.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey on Tuesday rejected the idea of criminally prosecuting former Justice Department employees who improperly used political litmus tests in hiring decisions, saying he had already taken strong internal steps in response to a “painful” episode.

I'd be curious to know what "pain" Mukasey is feeling? How exactly will this hurt you, Mike?

Two recent reports from the Justice Department inspector general and its internal ethics office have found that about a half-dozen officials at the Justice Department — all but one now gone — systematically rejected candidates with perceived “liberal” backgrounds for what were supposed to be non-political jobs and sought out conservative Republicans.

In a speech Tuesday morning to the American Bar Association in New York, Mr. Mukasey acknowledged that some critics and commentators have called on the Justice Department to take what he called “more drastic steps” in dealing with the scandal, including prosecuting those at fault and firing those hired through flawed procedures.

“Where there is enough evidence to charge someone with a crime, we vigorously prosecute,” he said. “But not every wrong, or even every violation of the law, is a crime,” he said. As the inspector general’s report acknowledged, the hiring violations were such a case, because the wrongdoing violated federal civil service law, but not criminal law, he said.

“That does not mean, as some people have suggested, that those officials who were found by the joint reports to have committed misconduct have suffered no consequences,” Mr. Mukasey said. “Far from it. The officials most directly implicated in the misconduct left the Department to the accompaniment of substantial negative publicity.

“Their misconduct has now been laid bare by the Justice Department for all to see,” he continued. “As a general matter in such cases, where disciplinary referrals are appropriate, they are made. To put it in concrete terms, I doubt that anyone in this room would want to trade places with any of those people.”

Yeah, who would want a multi-million dollar job with some K Street lobby group? Isn't that where most former conservative Republicans miscreants go?

Mr. Mukasey also said it would be unfair, and possibly illegal, for the department to go back and reassign or dismiss those lawyers and other employees who were hired in part because they were seen as trusted conservatives. “Two wrongs do not make a right,” he said.

So let me get this straight ... it's okay to fire nine United States attorneys and replace them with hand-picked conservative Republicans, but to reverse the process would be "possibly illegal." Then how can the actions of the staff you refuse to prosecute not be illegal, and how can something illegal not be a crime?

All this makes my head spin ... could someone please get me a dramamine?
.

Rove Cited for Contempt

The Associated Press reports:

A House panel Wednesday voted to cite former top White House aide Karl Rove for contempt of Congress as its Senate counterpart publicly pursued possible punishments for an array of alleged past and present Bush administration misdeeds.

Voting along party lines, the House Judiciary Committee said that Rove had broke the law by failing to appear at a July 10 hearing on allegations of White House influence over the Justice Department, including whether Rove encouraged prosecutions against Democrats.

The committee decision is only a recommendation, and it was unclear whether Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would allow a final vote. Rove has denied any involvement with Justice decisions, and the White House has said Congress has no authority to compel testimony from current and former advisers.

If Congress doesn't have the spine to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney, the least we deserve is to see Karl Rove behind bars.

The American people have paid a price ... Iraqi civilians have paid a price ... and journalists and program hosts like Phil Donahue, Ashleigh Banfield, and Bill Maher have paid a price.

The Bush Administration has taken no responsibility, or paid any price, for their actions.

Contact the Speaker and urge her to hold Karl Rove accountable.

.

Those wacky Republicans ... never a dull moment!

Sen. Stevens indicted, Rep. Broun busts budget, and Sen. Brownback is just acting creepy

How fun is the news that Sen. Ted "the tubes" Stevens has been indicted by a federal grand jury on seven felony counts for concealing more than $250,000 in gifts from an oil company. I hope the new basement was worth tanking a 40+ year political career!

The Hill reports:

The news that the longest-serving Republican senator in history faced charges from an investigation into his relationship with the VECO Corp. roiled Capitol Hill, sent the Senate Republican Conference into damage control, and cast serious doubt that Stevens would be able to win a seventh term this fall.

Though the 28-page indictment alleges that Stevens accepted home improvements, cars and other gifts in return for political action, he is charged only with making false statements on financial disclosure forms between 2001 and 2006.

Stevens, 84, was chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee from 1997 until 2005, except for an 18-month period in 2001 and 2002 when Democrats controlled the chamber.

The VECO investigation has already produced convictions of Alaska lawmakers, oil executives and a lobbyist. The FBI and IRS raided Stevenss home in 2007.

Stevens released a statement saying he never knowingly submitted a false disclosure form required by law as a U.S. senator.

Yeah, right. Sorry Ted ... looks like you've been busted!

Stevens could face up to 35 years in prison if convicted. Darn, and he was just getting the hang of how to use the new gas grill.

Meanwhile, 'fiscal conservative' Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) will be looking for a new chief of staff following the resignation of J. Aloysius Hogan. It seems the representatives office is out of cash.

Broun, who has co-sponsored bills on balancing the budget and has vowed to rein in federal spending, busted his budge on -- of all things -- mail. At 42 cents a pop that's a lot of mail!

The chief of staff for Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) resigned Monday as sources said the congressmans office has busted its budget.

J. Aloysius Hogan, Brouns chief of staff, was in charge of the Members Representational Allowance (MRA), which was depleted because of franked mail, according to sources. The franked mail, which was sent to constituents, may have helped Broun in his recent primary win.

Earlier this month, sources said that Brouns MRA was so low that the lawmaker would have to cut staff. At the time, Brouns office said it was unaware of any possible cuts. [...]

Hogan, who used to work for Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), confirmed his resignation with The Hill on Tuesday, but declined to comment further on the situation, referring inquires to Brouns press office.

Brouns office declined to comment. [...]

According to the Committee on House Administrations website, members are permitted to spend as much of their official budget on franked mail as they deem necessary. MRA expenses cannot be spent on personal, campaign and/or political expenses.

Jeff Ventura, a spokesman for the House Chief Administrative Officer, said, Although we have seen MRAs dip this low before, what makes this situation unique is that it went so low so early in the calendar year.

It was unclear at press time what the office planned to do in order to pay staffers, who could be furloughed if the problem is not resolved quickly.

Broun, a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee, was criticized in the local press by his opponent, Georgia state Rep. Barry Fleming, during the primary for wasting taxpayer funds to send out the mailings.

But despite predictions that the race would be close, Broun trounced Fleming in the conservative district. He is heavily favored to defeat Democrat Bobby Saxon, an Iraq war veteran, in November.

Brouns campaign is also in debt. As of June 30, he had $194,00 cash on hand and $328,000 in debt, according to CQMoneyLine. Saxon had $31,000 cash on hand and $12,000 of debt.

Gee, Bobby Saxon seems like the most fiscally responsible of the two. Too bad he doesn't have access to tax dollars to send out his campaign mailings. Geezz ...

And finally, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) is warning anyone planning on attending the Olympics in a couple of weeks that China is preparing a spy attack. Hummm ... I wonder if the Olympics were being held in this country would we be spying on any of the athletes or attendees. The answer is, of course, "YES."

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) on Tuesday alleged that China is preparing a spy attack on visitors of the Olympic Games, which will begin in less than two weeks.

Brownback told reporters that China has carefully plotted to take advantage of the situation of having thousands of foreign visitors on its soil and set up a system to be able to spy and gather information about each and every guest at hotels where Olympic visitors are located.

The senator, who ran for the GOP presidential nomination this year, said those spied on include journalists, athletes families, human rights advocates and other visitors.

Brownback stated that his office had been contacted by lawyers for international hotel chains who informed him that the Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) ordered foreign-owned hotels to install Internet monitoring equipment. Brownback provided documents showing that hotels were asked to cooperate with the Chinese government.

The Chinese government has demanded that these hotels allow the PSB to install software programs and hardware devices on the hotel networks, Brownback said. These measures are designed to assist the PSB to spy on the Internet activities of guests and record websites visited, searches entered and even keystrokes. The text alludes to harsh punishment for failure to comply with the order, including loss of license to operate a hotel in China.

I wonder if Brownback has a problem with the Bush administration reading our email, or listening in on our phone conversations?

Hey DCup ... if you're planning on attending the Olympics I hope you spend at least some time surfing your favorite porn sites! And while you're there, be sure to send Rep. Broun a postcard ... ha!

Those wacky Republicans ... never a dull moment!

.

Rove ignores subpoena, refuses to testify on Hill

Is anyone surprised? From the start Karl Rove & Co. have viewed themselves as above the law. Why should a little thing like rule of law, or upholding the Constitution stop them now?

No one has paid any significant price for the lawless behavior of this administration. Scooter Libby and Alberto Gonzales received the equivalent of a slap on the wrist. Other than Dick Cheney and the president himself, no one is more responsible for what has happened over the past seven and a half years than Karl Rove.

The Associated Press reports:

Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena and refused to testify Thursday about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department, including whether he influenced the prosecution of a former Democratic governor of Alabama.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, chairman of a House subcommittee, ruled with backing from fellow Democrats on the panel that Rove was breaking the law by refusing to cooperate — perhaps the first step toward holding him in contempt of Congress.

The White House has cited executive privilege as a reason he and others who serve or served in the administration should not testify, arguing that internal administration communications are confidential and that Congress cannot compel officials to testify. Rove says he is bound to follow the White House's guidance, although he has offered to answer questions specifically on the Siegelman case — but only with no transcript taken and not under oath. [...]

A decision on whether to pursue contempt charges now goes to the full Judiciary Committee and ultimately to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Would anyone want to bet on the outcome of this? Didn't think so.

.

Cyber Bully Indicted

The wheels of justice move very slowly sometimes, but it appears there may finally be justice for Megan Meier. Megan is the 13 year-old girl who killed herself, following a terrible online hoax.

What makes this even more tragic is the hoax was perpetrated by an adult. USA Today reports:

Lori Drew, 49, of O'Fallon, Mo., was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on a charge of conspiracy and three counts of a computer crime and accessing protected computers without authorization to obtain information used to inflict emotional distress ... If convicted, Drew could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the four counts.

The only justice in this case is for Drew to serve time in prison for what I believe was a crime.

"Any adult who uses the Internet or a social gathering website to bully or harass another person, particularly a young teenage girl, needs to realize that their actions can have serious consequences," said U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien. [...]

"Whether we characterize this tragic case as 'cyber-bullying,' cyber abuse or illegal computer access, it should serve as a reminder that our children use the Internet for social interaction and that technology has altered the way they conduct their daily activities," said Salvador Hernandez, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles office.

I realize the story broke a few days ago, but I felt compelled to add an update to this post. See: Web hoax leads 13 year old girl to kill herself

Bush puts loyalty to friends above the law

The president's polling numbers have been in the toilet for months now, with no recovery in site. His hopes of passing an immigration bill went up in smoke, so what did he have to lose in commuting the prison sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby? Nothing.

Who cares that Libby had the benefit of a jury of citizens, who weighed all the evidence and listened to all the testimony and found him guilty of perjury and obstructing justice? What does it matter than a federal appeals panel ruled that Libby could not delay his prison term and would likely have to report soon? Clearly, none of that matters to George Bush -- who puts loyalty to his friends above the law.

The most corrupt administration in history has yet another stain -- and has provided even more proof that Joe Wilson was correct!

More than 3,000 Americans, and countless Iraqi civilians, have died in a war that should never had started. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost limbs, or suffered other serious physical or emotional injuries -- and for what? So that Bush & Co. could line the pockets of their friends -- and by extension, themselves.

Why are these people allowed to be above the law?

Genarlow Wilson caught in a web of injustice

Justice continues to allude Genarlow Wilson. Just when it seemed within his grasp, Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker announced that he would appeal a decision by Monroe County Superior Court Judge Thomas H. Wilson to let this young man go free.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports:

Genarlow Wilson's attorney bought him an outfit from Ralph Lauren to wear the day Wilson walks out of prison. But for now, that outfit will stay in a box.

As will Wilson. On Monday, a Monroe County judge ordered Wilson's release, ruling that a mandatory 10-year prison sentence was a cruel and unusual punishment for consensual oral sex between teenagers. The announcement was greeted by tears and joy from Wilson's mother and attorney, and from thousands of supporters around the country outraged by such a clear case of injustice.

But that jubilation proved short-lived. Within an hour of the judge's decision, word came that Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker would appeal the judge's ruling to the state Supreme Court. It's unclear now whether Wilson will be freed during the appeal process.

"This is wrong," said attorney B. J. Bernstein as she read the notice of Baker's appeal. "There is nothing right about this."

I agree with the AJC who says, "It's not just wrong, it's a senseless outrage." And when they ask how justice is served by making a young man with no prior record remain in prison for a decade due to a poorly written law. How is justice served?

Monroe County Superior Court Judge Thomas H. Wilson wrote:

"The fact that Genarlow Wilson has spent two years in prison for what is now classified as a misdemeanor ... and will spend eight more years in prison is a grave miscarriage of justice. If any case fits into the definitive limits of a miscarriage of justice, surely this case does."

The judge added, "If this court, or any court, cannot recognize the injustice of what has occurred here, then our court system has lost sight of the goal our judicial system has always strived to accomplish ... Justice being served in a fair and equal matter."

Genarlow's mother Juannessa Bennett reacted as any mother would to the news that her son was being set free. Her joy, however, was short lived.

Let's flood the email accounts of Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker at Agbaker@law.ga.gov, and at thurbert.baker@law.state.ga.us. Fill his answering machine my calling 404-656-3300, and send faxes to 404-657-8733. Baker needs to hear what a gross injustice it would be to keep Genarlow in prison.

Remind Baker that the Atlanta Journal Constitution says "he has lost any sense of perspective on justice" and "may lose his . . job as well."

For other contact information go to: Bombard Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker

And see: Save Genarlow Wilson, Remove District Attorney Thurbert Baker and Genarlow Wilson Video and more TGW Genarlow posts.

Thank you to Tennessee Guerilla Women for the tip on this story.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Agbaker@law.ga.gov

thurbert.baker@law.state.ga.us

PH: 404-656-3300

FX: 404-657-8733

Sunday Funnies ... well, sort of ...