New Cubs’ (ex Royal) outfielder, Joey Gathright jumping cars in 2002. Doesn’t compare to the kid below that Ellen DeGeneres made famous on her show. He ended up getting a Nike commercial.
mdillion23
FOX 8 News (5-17-07) Chris Bryant from Akron, Ohio
Phil Berg wrote a letter to each member of Congress yesterday expressing his disgust. Nothing is ever going to happen. SCOTUS can deny everything. They are afraid of rioting and whatever else. Whatever happens – all proper procedures were met on the part of “We The People”. The onus is forever on them. Here is Berg’s letter en toto from the press release on his site. I wonder if he made them sign to prove they received them. Probably too costly.
January 15, 2009
Dear Member of Congress:
It is your duty, as a duly elected representative of the American people; to regain the respect you have lost by your inaction in not vetting Soetoro a/k/a Obama, by calling for a Congressional Hearing ASAP to determine the truth regarding qualifications of Barry Soetoro, otherwise known as Barack Hussein Obama, to be President of the United States.
My, my, you and the other Members of Congress just showed your true character, that being, no guts, no backbone and only interested in getting re-elected.
I refer to each of you in your lack of action regarding the now President-elect Soetoro/Obama.
As you must be aware, there are many unresolved questions concerning Soetoro/Obama’s status or lack thereof, as a ‘natural born’ American citizen, as required by ‘our’ U.S. Constitution.
On January 8, 2009, you failed your constituencies, your voters, the citizens in your district, as well as all citizens in our nation. Yes, you failed all of us, the ‘We the People,’ yes, the words that begin our U.S. Constitution. Federal Law, 3 U.S.C. 15 provides a method to challenge the counting of the electoral votes in the Joint Session of Congress. If only one [1] Member of the House and one [1] Member of the Senate announced in writing that they were objecting to the Electorial Vote in any/every state, the counting of the votes would stop and the Joint Session would cease until the House and Senate meet, discussed and voted on each States Electorial Votes.
Because of your failure to ‘question’ the eligibility of Soetoro/Obama, we are headed for a ‘Constitutional Crisis.’ Yes, a ‘Constitutional Crisis’ because Soetoro/Obama who appears not to be a ‘natural born’ U.S. citizen is ‘ineligible’ under ‘our’ U.S. Constitution to serve as President.
Soetoro/Obama, being ‘ineligible/unqualified’ due to his lack of being ‘natutal born’ means that Obama will be ‘usurping’ the powers of the Office of President of the United States. It will result in every, yes every law that Soetoro/Obama signs, every appointment to an Ambassador or Judgeship, all will be invalid. Soetoro/Obama is setting himself up to be blackmailed, both internally and externally.
There are millions of Americans who believe that Soetoro/Obama does not meet the 3rd qualification pursuant to ‘our’ U.S Constitution, that being ‘natural born.’ Soetoro/Obama satisfies the 1st two [2], that being at least thirty-five [35] years of age and lived in the United States for fourteen [14] years.
The document that Soetoro/Obama’s people keep pushing on the American public is a fraudulent ‘Certification of Live Birth’ and not a ‘Birth Certificate.’ And significant is the fact that in an attempt to quash the rumors that Soetoro/Obama was not ‘natural born,’ in the Soetoro/Obama campaign web site ‘fightthesmears.com’ in June 2008, they put up this fraudulent ‘Certification of Live Birth’ indicating Soetoro/Obama was born in Hawaii. The fact that Soetoro/Obama has never released his ‘Birth Certificate’ is a very strong indication that he was not born in Hawaii.
There is evidence that:
1. Soetoro/Obama was born in Kenya and because of his mother’s age, he was only ‘naturalized.’
2. Soetoro/Obama was adopted in Indonesia and his legal name became and probably still is ‘Barry Soetoro.’
3. Obama, otherwise known as ‘Barry Soetoro’ became a ‘natural’ citizen of Indonesia.
4. At age ten [10] Obama returned to Hawaii from Indonesia and:
a. If Soetoro/Obama went through U.S. Immigration he would have been given a ‘Certification of Citizenship’ indicating he was ‘naturalized.’
b. If, and it is believed that Soetoro/Obama, or rather Barry Soetoro, did not go through U.S. Immigration, then he is an ‘illegal alien’ – not only not qualified/eligible to be Preseident, but also ineligible to have been a U.S. Senator from Illinois.
5. Soetoro/Obama traveled to Pakistan in 1981 when he was twenty [20] years old on his Indonesia Passport:
a. If Soetoro/Obama was a U.S. citizen in 1981, he did an ‘overt’ act against the U.S. by travelling to a nation, Pakistan that was restricted as Pakistan was a non-travel nation.
Without truthful information concerning Soetoro/Obama’s eligibility to serve as President, ‘We the People’ have been injured. Our fundamental right to cast an informed vote for an eligible Democratic Presidential candidate has been violated. Further, our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association have been violated because we have been robbed of the opportunity to cast our objections through our Representatives to the counting of the Electoral Votes.
To redeem yourself, I implore you to call with your Congressional colleagues for a Congressional Hearing and ask the questions that you failed to do regarding President-elect Soetoro/Obama, even after he tries to hide behind the Office of the Presidency, to resolve the issue without question of the citizenship status and qualifications as set forth in ‘our’ U.S. Constitution. Such a procedure has and is occurring regarding the proposed members of the Cabinet.
Gov Blagojevich’s high-powered lawyer, Ed Genson states he will not represent Blagojevich for his impeachment trial. Neither Sam Adam Jr & Sr who were also retained for his criminal case. Reasons given – Blago has no chance at a fair trial and Genson et al will not be able to present an adequate defense. Then there’s the matter of money, discovery and inevitability. Why add a loss? Fitzgerald has limited much of the discovery because of the criminal investigation. Blago has yet to be charged with anything and Fitzgerald’s theatrical arrest resulted in absolutely nothing but a fast impeachment, which the Illinois legislature wanted anyway. It was an assist that should be looked in to. And once Blago’s impeached, Fitzgerald can take all the time he needs since blago is no longer in a position to do damage. It’s all a joke.
And they drew in Mrs Blagojevich for what? If blago did what is alleged – it’s criminal. But what they did to blago’s wife and children for the sake of sensationalism was just as criminal. ill resign to keep any type of evidence private.Maybe he’ll resign.
And what about barry’s team? When was the last time you saw Emanuel and Jarrett in public with barry? Will Jesse Jackson Jr (or Sr) be visible on Inauguration day?
TIME has a You Tube collection of Bush being Bush. In the group is the infamous golf swing and the caption below.
[Leo120]
Made famous by Michael Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, this scene from 2002 of Bush following up a screed against “terrorist killers” with a golf swing spelled disaster for his reputation. Really, Mr. President? Suicide bombings in Israel and you’re showing off your form.”
It seems they have forgotten our President-elect playing golf while Gaza burned, issuing not a single statement under the guise of “one president only” – even as he spoke out and was managing the economy.
Shhh…there’s only one president at a time…when it comes to making a stand.
(Reuters)
It’s time to drop the blinders and get real. Focus on what barry should be and hasn’t been doing instead of what Bush has or has not done.
Thank you, vyttalimma. I never did get around to the exchange between DC Madam piglet Vitter and Sen Clinton and Mr Chairman. I had transcribed it by hand with body language but Taylor Marsh has the video.
Vitter, like all of them, had reservations about Mr Bill’s foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative. They really just want to find out what’s in there for them to keep ragging on. Madame Secretary Clinton has been held back by her husband and now when she is clearly more informed than all of them together they focus on her husband.
What did they ask her that she didn’t know?
Nothing. So the old fall back – Mr Bill.
Wouldn’t you love to know what Chelsea was thinking? She is an amazing woman.
Vitter wanted more disclosure and asked about conflict of interest. He said Mr Bill hadn’t agreed to disclose future foreign contributions to his Global Initiative and Clinton gave an explanation of what barry and Mr Bill agreed on. Something that has been made public and answers were provided ahead of time that he must not have read. Maybe his wife gave him an ultimatum. She looked awfully scary in that picture and appeared taller than him. Surprise. This man has a lot of issues above and beyond simple coarseness.
Madame Secretary Clinton is speaking with her head down, glancing at her papers. When vitter rudely interrupts, she stops and looks up.
CLINTON: But I want to speak for a minute, if I can, about the work that’s done, because I think it’s important–
Vitter, a fellow senator, a southerner, a prostitute frequenter, a father of three daughters, a husband of a former prosecutor and a Catholic Church Lector, rudely cuts her off. But he has no problem addressing Chairman Kerry with respect.
VITTER:Mr. Chairman.
Face flushed, voice quivering, hands palm out like, enough wench!
I have
Points both hands at himself – he wanted camera time.
no objection listening to this.
Lie. Why else is he interrupting?
But I don’t want it to come out of my time, ‘cuz I’d like to pursue these questions.
He sits back like, aha, I won.
Not even close. He was always going to vote nay and just wanted to stand out. He did. As a classless, rude pig. He lost himself an awful lot of votes with his gyne envy insecurity. I wonder if his prostitute ever pissed or shat him. My guess is he liked to be spanked. For good reason.
I would like to know what Mr Chairman said afterward. Vitter – besides disrespecting a woman and a colleague – disrespected the Chairman and the proceedings in front of the foreign dignitaries in attendance.
MR CHAIRMAN (off camera): Well, I guess, I mean, it’s fair to say…
Clinton raises her eyebrows, like you’ve got to be kidding me – this eunuch? She re-centers herself in the chair–showing him he didn’t begin to put her in her place–draws in her upper lip–figuratively biting it–rests her forearms on the table–bring it on, this is my domain–and waits for Kerry to handle the useless gnat not worthy of swatting.
KERRY (wide shot of him and piglet) …that if you ask a question you deserve an answer, and the answer, traditionally, comes out of the time of the senator.
Piglet sits back in his chair and rocks like a kindergartner who has to urinate – or already has – in his diaper.
VITTER: Well, I’m still waiting for an [laughs dismissively]answer. I’d love an answer.[rocking and smirking] But if there’s an answer to my question–
KERRY calmly, in control: Well, I think you need to give the senator an opportunity to give you answer the question. And if you need additional time–
Vitter cuts off Kerry, looks away, stops rocking, puts his elbows on the table and gestures with his hands like Bush. His face still flushed, he starts in without pardoning himself, addressing Clinton by name, or thanking Mr Chairman.
VITTER, dismissively (35 second question): Let me repeat the question: which is, would you support
Blinks after a wimpy 10 words.
and help produce a new MOU that requires the same sort of disclosure
Looks down. He couldn’t hold her gaze. Couldn’t sustain it for a single sentence. Her look back is what I would have liked to have seen.
for contributions for the Clinton Global Initiative. Under this
He points and conveniently looks away – still unable to hold Clintons gaze.
there is no disclosure moving forward for contributions of the Clinton Global Initiative. So, it ‘s a yes or no. Would you support expanding that disclosure. Admittedly – this is voluntary and it’s not required by law – but it seems to be a big exception to the rule of MOU in terms of disclosure.
Clinton then told him the answers were provided and that she would be happy to provide whatever he needed. She answered evenly and calmly and maintained eye contact. Her response lasted the same time as his question.
I would love to know if she gave him a second thought once he had his little notice me I’m a senator too tantrum. Most notably he never got his yes or no. He got a polite didn’t you read your handout, young man?
Vitter, aptly cowed, still flushed and waving his hands:
Well, ok, if you could consider that suggestion.
And thenhe basically asks the same thing, Clinton corrects him and then Mr Chairman steps in and says asked and answered. Vitter says he won’t vote till it’s amended. Clinton says it isn’t going to be amended but we’ll clarify it.
Then he says: I hate to beat a dead horse…
And Madame Secretary actively seals his nay vote without giving it away with her voice or body language.
Not only that, there will be ongoing reviews by anything that is brought to the attention of thecareer professionals.
Parents go to store to get birthday cake for their 3 y/o boy. They ask to get his name written on top. The store refuses. The parents get angry and notify the press to complain.
Reasonable?
Perhaps. Except in this case the boy’s name was Adolph Hitler. He’s older brother to 23 month-old JoyceLynn Aryan Nation and 8 month-old Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie – named in honor of Heinrich Himmler. The parents say what’s the problem…they’re just names…nobody else has them….he’s a kid…he’s not going to grow up and do that. They also don’t seem to find anything wrong with having swastikas all over their house or denying the existence of the Holocaust or indoctrinating their children into a life of hate inside and outside their home. And well WalMart made them a cake anyhow.
I realized when I was watching Mr Burris get sworn in that VP Dick Cheney never asked: “If there be no objection…” after the official tally and certification of the electoral votes. In 2001, the Democrats had objected strenuously to Bush – but Gore in a strange twist as VP disallowed them.
Cheney: Without objection, the tellers will dispense with reading formal portions of the certificates.
Is that enough?
Rep Brady (D-PA) got a big laugh when he read that Ohio’s vote was “regular in form and authentic.”
(31:00) final official results.
Cheney’s official proclamation (34:00) but no final request for objections. Maybe it’s not required.
He finished:
The purpose of the joint session having been concluded pursuant to the Senate concurrent resolution 1, 111th Congress, the Chair declares the joint session dissolved.
Quite a surprising procedure. I didn’t know what entailed a confirmation hearing. I can see why Sen Clinton wanted to see a friendly face across from her. But it was a huge statement having Chelsea sitting behind her in camera range. Probably only women noticed.
Props to Sen Kerry. This was the funniest part – poignant even.
Sen Clinton addressed Mr Chairman, John Kerry as “Mr President”.
He smiled. No hesitation: I’ll take that.
She laughed: It was a Freudian slip.
He smiled: We’re both subject to those.
Clinton: On this subject, especially
Immediate clearing of the air in public, in the Senate, in front of everyone watching and on you tube forever. And it was completely natural and spontaneous.
Think about it: Kerry could have been starting his second term with her (or Biden) as VP or SoS. She could just have likely been President and he (or Biden) the VP or SoS. Instead she’s SoS and he took over the committee the now VP used to chair and the President used to be on.
They say politics is a business and that they can get over lost campaigns and move on. Hard to believe but their interaction gave testament to something. They said it would be hard for her to walk back into the senate after the campaign. How hard was it walking in there after they impeached her husband?
They may not all say it out loud but they are proud of her and her preparedness and thanked her for taking the job. Sen Whitehouse (D-RI) said she’s “fiercely smart” and “astonishingly funny” and that they would miss her as a colleague and as a person.
Well it’s official. Mr Burris is the Jr Senator of Illinois. He knew that a long time ago. Dick Cheney swore him in on Burris’ own Bible, while the (now) proud papa Dick Durbin stood behind him. When it was over Dick gave him a big hug. I’m glad I heard the Oath of Office so I could see what barry swore to. Incidentally Burris is a leftie.
VP DICK CHENEY: Raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend The Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That you will bear true faith and allegiance to that same. That you take this obligation freely, without any or mental reservation or purpose of evasion. And that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the Office on which you are about to enter, so help you God?
BURRIS: I do.
REID: There are many paths to the United States Senate. It is fair to say that the path that brought our new colleague from Illinois to us was unique. Senator Burris, on behalf of all senators, we welcome you as a colleague and a friend.
DURBIN: I know this was a rocky road to this great day in his life but a road well traveled.
Sen Clinton passes 16-1 by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The only dissenter was David Vitter (R-LA), who was the only one to try to challenger her. Chairman Kerry asserted himself and that was that…until the vote. Only way he could save face.
I didn’t know who Vitter was (I only started following politics in Jan 08) but he looked angry about something that was not related to Sen Clinton so I went agoogling. Turns out he’s a pig with castration anxiety. Explained everything except the diaper fetish.
He got his microwillie involved with the DC Madam and was the first member of Congress to be outed by her phone book. He is actually trying to use his reelection funds for defense against the allegations. Can you say wardrobe? Clothes vs defending himself because he frequented a prostitute? His lawyer says that his defense costs are a direct result of him holding office as senator. Problem being he was involved before he became a senator. And he dropped out of the 2002 gubernatorial race because of his alleged relationship with a prostitute named Wendy (like his wife).
He presents himself as a morally righteous, clean-cut family man, and his wife and three young children have become virtual campaign props. The Harvard-educated Rhodes scholar is also extremely intelligent, observers say, and runs perhaps the most effective political ads in the state. But there are hints of a dark side: allegations of an affair with a prostitute and a lawsuit claiming he lost his temper and physically charged at a woman at a town hall meeting.
Mercedes Hernandez, who was involved in Republican politics, testified that she frequently attended local meetings to engage officials on the issues, usually tape-recording the events. At a town hall meeting, Hernandez asked the state representative about a rumor she’d heard that he was supporting a gay-rights bill in the Legislature. Vitter became “enraged by her question, left the podium where he was standing, advanced toward her in a rapid, threatening manner, pushing aside chairs … and grabbed a portable tape recorder” that Hernandez was holding, according to her legal complaint.
And then there’s his ethical campaign standards bringing David Duke and the KKK:
Vitter was against any form of affirmative action. For most of the race, the better-known Treen led in the polls — until the last week, when Vitter violated his pledge not to play dirty, John Treen said. The Vitter campaign sent fliers to black voters stating that the racist David Duke was supporting his opponent. In fact, Treen had been an enemy of Duke and had tried to stop his rise in Louisiana GOP politics. “Dave Treen and I have absolutely no use for David Duke whatsoever,” John Treen said. “He [Duke] tried to shake my hand once, and I said, ‘I’m not going to shake your hand, you son of a bitch.’ It’s hypocritical to shake someone’s hand if you consider them an enemy.” But in what John Treen believes was a secret pact between Duke and Vitter, the former Ku Klux Klansman came out publicly for his nemesis, Treen.
Sound familiar?
He vowed to outlaw abortion in almost all cases, even when pregnancy results from rape or incest.
This is a real outrage. The Hollywood left is redefining the most basic institution in human history, and our two U.S. Senators won’t do anything about it. We need a U.S. Senator who will stand up for Louisiana values, not Massachusetts’s values. I am the only Senate Candidate to coauthor the Federal Marriage Amendment; the only one fighting for its passage. I am the only candidate proposing changes to the senate rules to stop liberal obstructionists from preventing an up or down vote on issues like this, judges, energy, and on and on.” stated David Vitter.
In 2006, Vitter told reporters that “the existence or non-existence of a stable, loving, two-parent household” is the most significant predictor of success in life, and conceded that infidelity contributes to the breakdown of traditional families.
Vitter and his wife, Wendy, a former prosecutor, have four children. On his Senate Web site, Vitter says he is committed to “advancing mainstream conservative principles” and notes that he and his wife are lectors at their hometown church.
His come to Jesus moment. Why is it they have “respect for their families” only after they’re caught?
This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible. Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there — with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.
Predictably, he refused to take questions; less predictably, he pushed his wife, Wendy Vitter, out to speak. Wendy Vitter, you’ll recall, made fun of Hillary Clinton’s plight during impeachment, telling the New Orleans Times-Picayune that if she had a cheating spouse, she’d be “a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary. If [he] does something like that, I’m walking away with one thing, and it’s not alimony, trust me.”But today we got the calm, forgiving, Christian wife — “I’m proud to be Wendy Vitter,” she declared — who insisted she was mainly speaking as a mother and who is “sad for our children” because the media has been hounding the family since Vitter’s admission a week ago, even following them to church.
Lorena Bobbitt? Mrs Spitzer is more like it. One wonders what he thought of barry’s pick of Warren.
As Glenn Greenwald points out, Vitter was a leading sponsor of the ban on same-sex marriage, insisting, “I don’t believe there’s any issue that’s more important than this one,” and he compared gay marriage to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
And there’s this:
Impeachment-backing state Rep. David Vitter, by the way, wrote this in the Times-Picayune: “Some meaningful action must be taken against the president [Clinton]. If none is, his leadership will only further drain any sense of values left to our political culture.”
I honestly cannot believe these men can say such things when they’ve been busy doing it for years themselves.
Remember Mark Foley who was the crusader against internet predators at the same time he was sending teenage pages graphically sexual IMs? And, of course, like Foley, Vitter was not found guilty of anything.
The Senate ethics committee in May exonerated Vitter because his contacts with the late D.C. Madam’s escort service occurred when he was a House member, before he ran for the Senate. And since the House ethics panel cannot retroactively investigate Vitter’s conduct, the Louisiana Republican looks to be off the hook completely.
Robert Cooley, a Chicago Police Officer turned mob lawyer turned federal informant says blago was corrupt decades ago. Cooley was involved in Operation Gambat in the late 80′s – early 90′s, which resulted in the prosecution of 24 corrupt politicians, lawyers, judges and police officers.
He alleges that before blago got into politics he was a bookie. That he was running a sports gambling operation in the Western Suburbs and paying street tax to the Mob via Robert “Bobby the Boxer” Abbinanti. Name right out of central casting. He was convicted as was his boss, Marco “The Mover” D’Amico (check out the pix 2:00).
Cooley said he predicted 5 years ago that blago would sell whatever position he could.
He evidently told this to ABC 7 (Chicago) and they didn’t run with it because Cooley didn’t want to be identified and of course Gov Rod denied it.
courtesy of saluki420
COOLEY: The biggest problem you have ,and the reason the city can never be cleaned up, is when the people in power have the money and have the ability to silence the media so the media will not report it. As long as that goes on, it will never change.
blago’s lawyer, Ed Genson’s response via Chuck Goudie (ABC7):
If Robert Cooley wants to Springfield tomorrow to testify, I would be delighted to cross examine him on these outfit gambling allegations.
The next day 1-9-09
Bobby the Boxer denies any involvement with Blago. Note: Cooley said he used to represented Abbinanti when he was still a mob lawyer. And Abbinanti spent 6 yrs in prison for running illegal gambling operations. He talked with Chuck Goudie by phone and said he is now a legitimate businessman and owns a window company.
My name is Bob Abbinanti. You did a report yesterday with Robert Cooley pertaining to Mr. Blagojevich stating that I was a bookmaker and that I took a street tax from him in the late 80′s.I don’t know what Rod Blagojevich did or has done but I do know one thing. I never met the man. I never spoke to the man. I never had any business – personal or in any way with him and you know what, it’s just an injustice to myself being put in that position because Mr Cooley wants to get back and write another book or get back on TV.
And then Goudie adds:
It should be noted that Mr. Blagojevich’s former campaign manager, top fundraiser and close friend Chris Kelly has just decided to plead guilty to tax fraud. Kelly will admit next month that he failed to report $1.3 million in income from sports betting.
There’s a lot more to Chris Kelly than that. He was involved in Rezko’s trial as Individual B. Blago was individual A and barry was “unnamed politician” allegedly involved with Individual D – Aramanda, whose son worked as an intern (on the recommendation of Rezko) in barry’s senate office. It’s not worth finding the links from the old blogs because no one cared about it before so why would they now?
The two men, both from working-class backgrounds, became fast friends after meeting outside a fundraiser in the 1990s. After Blagojevich decided to run for governor, Kelly took on a significant role in the campaign as an aide and eventually became Blagojevich’s campaign finance chairman.
After Blagojevich was elected, Kelly became chairman of the governor’s campaign fund as it raised millions of dollars for the governor’s re-election bid. Even after stepping down from that post in August 2005, Kelly remained close to Blagojevich and continued to act as a right-hand man for the governor’s fundraising operation.
And here’s what blago said about Kelly back in June 2008:
Chris Kelly is my friend. I am saddened to hear these allegations about Chris’ personal life. I know the pain it must be causing him and his family. . . . In fairness to Chris, I believe it is important to let the legal process play out and not rush to judgment.
Is Kelly saying this about Rod or is he talking like Rezko?
Anyway Kelly’s charges – tax fraud – (a tad more than Geithner)
Prosecutors and officials from the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI said Kelly, a former adviser to the Blagojevich administration on gambling issues, cheated on his taxes to pay gambling debts, under-reporting his income between 2000 and 2005 by more than $1 million. He is also accused of causing two corporations he directed to under-report their income by $300,000. Kelly wagered millions of dollars with one undisclosed bookie and additional millions of dollars at Las Vegas casinos, according to the indictment.
And his gambling buddy? Rezko. Rezko knows more about politics in Illinois than probably anyone because he has had a hand in all of it: City of Chicago, Cook County and State of Illinois. And the folks he got the money from were Arab Americans – many from Palestine.
Rezko gambled in Las Vegas with business associates and people he met in political circles, including Christopher G. Kelly, a fellow top fund-raiser for Gov. Blagojevich, sources said. A lawyer for Kelly, who is facing federal tax charges tied to gambling, declined to comment. Rezko allegedly accumulated $450,000 in debts to Caesars Palace and Bally’s Hotel Casino between March and July 2006. He passed nine bad checks and got hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash or gaming chips in return, Roger said. The bad checks, written on Rezko’s Broadway Bank account, were for amounts ranging from $15,000 to $120,000. Bellagio LLC won a civil judgment against Rezko for failing to repay $331,000 in gambling markers.
barry -> Rezko -> Kelly -> Blago -> barry.
But barry knows nothing…he just made a boneheaded mistake…he managed to navigate Chicago politics without being tainted…he’s only guilty by association…Folks y’all are in serious need of a reality check.
How long before barry says he didn’t know about Holder and blago?
Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry’s interview with Matt Lauer. He discusses Sen Clinton and Tim Geithner. He said it didn’t bother him that he wasn’t sitting in Sen Clinton’s chair. He didn’t act that way yesterday. He was professional and came to her defense. He also winked at her before they went to lunch. I have to congratulate Sen Kerry on a job well done. There’s no doubt Sen Clinton will be confirmed. She’s giving her farewell speech and they’re having a party to congratulate her. Eric Holder is another matter.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) sponsored a bill that would make scalping tickets to the Inauguration a federal crime. It passed by voice vote on 1-13. Whether the House passes it before the Inauguration is another matter. What if they have already sold their tickets? It’s ok because there’s no law? The majority of scalping has already taken place and selling counterfeit tickets to anything is already a crime.
Fine print: Exception is barry’s official Inauguration Committee. Can foreigners buy the tickets?
Mr Burris did get his tickets for the Inauguration – all 363 of them. Where do all these folks sit or go or whatever? And where are they going to stay if they don’t already have reservations? I wonder if local folks are renting out their spare rooms. One way to make the mortgage.
So before he left for Washington today, he stopped by Paderewski Elementary School and gave away tickets to 30 students and 5 chaperones. He doesn’t have them in hand yet but the kids went crazy. They had been saving up for 8 months – I don’t know who was going to give them tickets. BET is paying for their trip. What an experience. Sure hope they have enough money to at least get to the Lincoln Memorial and the White House.
Burris has already had 2000 requests for tickets. I wonder if anyone is will to pay to…
Who’s going to be the next Barack Obama out of this school? Where is the next Barack Obama?
The kids all put up their hands. For those of you who think he’s an egomaniac out for himself and his own glory - he could have asked who’s going to be the next Roland Burris.
He will be sworn into the Senate tomorrow just like he always said he would be. It’s a shame he wasn’t allowed to be there with the rest of his colleagues.
Well Senator Clinton did her usual. She was massively prepared – even without notes and she displayed an encyclopedic knowledge of the world. They couldn’t break her. She has to be the smartest politician on the planet. Her comment on Israel.
CLINTON: On Israel you cannot negotiate with Hamas until it renounces violence, recognizes Israel, and agrees to abide by past agreements. That for me is an absolute. That is the United States government’s position and the President elects position.
I’m putting together barama matthews comments. They are diametrically opposed to everything he spouted during the primaries. Don’t they ever listen to themselves and what do they actually believe? I wish I knew how to splice videos. I would go back and clip his comments together before and after.
It’s not a barry Rezko “boneheaded mistake” this time it’s an “innocent mistake”. This is absolutely insane. The man who is going to be head of the Treasury, which also means head of the IRS has been audited by them and still didn’t come clean until after he was nominated. I can see the first time but after the audit? Yes. These are tough times. But if a guy can’t pay his own taxes – or ok made a honest mistake over the last decade and didn’t realize it – how is he going to head up the IRS? He didn’t know he had to pay taxes? What in the hell type of financial wizard is he?
And what kind of innocent mistake was the lapsed legal immigration status of his housekeeper?
What good was barry’s whatever page questionnaire?
What is it going to take folks?
vandura1500
REPORTER: Are you considered that Timothy Geithner’s taxes mishap will affect his chance of confirmation?
BARRY: No, Tim Geithner, when I nominated him, was rightly lauded by people from both sides of the aisle, from the market, from labor, as somebody who is uniquely qualified to deal with – as what Lindsay described properly as – the biggest crisis that we’ve had since the Depression.
Ya know, look, is this an embarrassment uh-uh for him – yes. He said so himself.
But it was an innocent mistake. It is a mistake that is commonly made for people who are working internationally or for international institutions.
It has been corrected. He paid the penalties. And, as I’ve said before, if my criteria whether it was for cabinet secretary, or vice presidents, or presidents, or reporters was that if you’ve never made a mistake in your life – none of us would be employed. So, my eh-eh-eh expectation is that he will be confirmed. And my expectation is that he is going to do an outstanding job on part-on part – on behalf of the American people.
Roland Burris’ comments upon hearing he will be seated. Selected comments from the transcript. Note how he never mentions blagojevich by name.
MR. BURRIS: I’m truly humbled and honored to learn that later this week I will officially be sworn into the United States Senate as the Illinois junior senator. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve and I ask for your support and prayers, so that I may work with you, my senator — my Senate colleagues and our new president to succeed at the challenges which face our state and our country.
I would like to publicly thank Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and my long-time friend and Illinois’ senior senator, Dick Durbin. Never once did I doubt their intentions were motivated by anything other than doing what was right for the people of Illinois and by what they believed had to be done to protect the Senate as an institution. It will be my honor to both serve with them and to learn from them.
Secretary of State Jesse White, whom I’ve known for more than 30 years, is also owed a debt of gratitude. He also happen to be someone whose autograph I cherish. Some have criticized Jesse, and I think somewhat unfairly. He stood for what he believed was right, and in our state’s best interest. His actions only reinforced what I have always known him to be, an honorable man.
He went on to thank his staff and then spoke directly to The People of Illinois about the doubts about him and his taint by blagojevich. One poll had shown that 52% of Illinoians were against his appointment. That was before barry finally made a stand, which was most assuredly because Burris was taking the press away from him.
…I recognize that my appointment triggered a challenging time for many. Reasonable people can and will arrive at different decisions that although — were in the best interests of our state. They — they should not be faulted for doing their best to serve our state in the best way they thought possible.
The single most important reason why I fought, to defend this appointment, was because I believed Illinois people didn’t deserve to unfairly be punished again, by delaying their right to have full representation and equal voting rights at such a crucial time for our state and our nation. My motivation is to serve, was pure and had nothing to do with the scandal that preceded my appointment.
…My passion truly is to serve you. I look forward to providing that, every chance that I get. I cannot say enough how humbled and honored I am to be afforded this opportunity to serve.
And finally if you are among the many in Illinois, who are disheartened by the cloud that hangs overhead and darkens our state’s image, I ask that you join me in remembering the old saying: “It’s always the darkest before the dawn.”
I believe that dawn is near and brighter days are ahead for Illinois, and I’m looking forward to serving in the United States Senate.
Quite frankly, how much darker can they get nationally? Well once the truth comes out about barry but by then the whole nation and world will be darkened and disillusioned. The ones who knew all along will be very angry and justifiably so.
QUESTION: today Republican leaders have said the Democrats chose to trust a madman over the people of Illinois. What’s your reaction to that?
BURRIS: No, there’s no reaction to that. The governor carried out his constitutional duties. He had no choice but to carry out the duties that were — that were — that he took an oath to carry out when he was sworn in for governor. That’s my response.
He knows how to handle a press conference. He took on Mika and won while smiling like a sweet grandpops. And what about Caroline Kennedy? Can she handle a press conference? And there isn’t any positive “taint” about her family name qualifying her for an appointment to the senate?
Q: How do you explain the turnaround in six days?
BURRIS: Well, I think that after all the procedures were — excuse me — were brought together, then people recognized that we should get — move forward and get this action behind us.
They moved in for the kill.
Q Mr. Burris, did you have to make any deal not to run in 2010?
BURRIS: The only request that was made of me from Senator Reid and Senator Durbin was that I make my testimony before the Illinois house impeachment committee and secondly that I would clear up the signature from the secretary of state’s office and that was it.
Q Senator, your lawyers indicated Friday that you had formed a campaign committee. Might you run in 2010?
BURRIS: Well, we had to form a fund-raising committee because of the, you know, needed expenses that we’ll have. And we’re also forming a legal — legal defense fund committee, too.
They asked about the asterisk – he reiterated it was a legal appointment and that there is “no such thing as taint.” And that there’s “nothing in the statute about taint.” He said he relishes the chance to once again be a public servant. They asked how he was going to overcome the skeptics. He responded that, “My actions will speak louder than my words.” He mentioned all the letters and phone calls he has received congratulating him.
As one of those People of Illinois, I love Mr Burris’ appointment. He’s a joy to watch and he makes me smile. You want to see transparency – he’s it – naked ambition and all. Why does the press question a p0litician’s ego and ambition? Why else would they think they could win office?
They asked again about a run in 2010 and he said he wants to “get my Senate legs under me, and we’ll make that decision at the proper time.” His comment about why his appointment was not pay-to-play should have tipped them off he has no money. They asked him about whether he was going to get to go to the Inauguration. He chuckled and gives a little insight of what is really going on behind the scene.
Q: Two weeks ago, you weren’t even planning on going to the Inaugural.
BURRIS: I was waiting on my tickets from Obama. (Chuckles.)
Q And now what? How — are people calling you?
Q: What about those Inaugural tickets?
BURRIS: (Chuckles.)
Q Are you going to get some tickets to the Inauguration? And were you planning –
MR. BURRIS: (Chuckles.) Now do you want me to state that publicly? (Laughs.)
(Laughter.)
Q (Off mike.)
MR. BURRIS: Because I do not know at this point what the situation is with the tickets.
Q (Off mike) — looking for some?
BURRIS: Yes.
I bet they never thought about it. Who took the tickets that would have been allotted to the jr senate appointee? Now that it is public they have no choice but to get him tickets. And Bobby Rush? He explained how they got around Jesse White, the Illinois Secretary of State’s signature. They asked about how frustrating it has been over the last several weeks. He answers sincerely – though talking in the third person is a tad off and he has a habit of it.
BURRIS: I look upon that as a learning experience and a part of life. And I cherish that type of experience, because that has made Roland Burris tougher. That made me be able to appreciate what the people of Illinois really want in their leadership. So I have no regrets for what I went through. It has made me more humble and made me to be prepared to even work harder to serve the people of my state.
They tried to get him to comment about the race issue that Rush brought up and he dodged it by enumerating his credentials. He said previous that he has never made race an issue in his campaigns – although he did once in 1998. See here. And in case you haven’t made it by Oak Woods Cemetery to see his mausoleum, here’s a summary of his previous campaigns. And here’s his list of accomplishments.
BURRIS: Well, Charles, I plan to distinguish myself in the Senate the same way I did as attorney general and as state comptroller and as the vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee, as the president of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers, as the president of the National Association of State Comptrollers, as an exchange student to the University of Hamburg, where I studied international law in the German language. That’s how I plan to handle that situation.
He can handle himself, smiling the whole way. He will make a fine senator and he will continue to frustrate the press’ attempt to frazzle him. He is the Magic Man, afterall.
You don’t think the Blagojevich’s discrediting and subsequent vote for impeachment was not politically motivated?
That it wasn’t rushed through to save face for barry?
Of course it was.
Blagojevich has been under investigation for years – even before his reelection in 2006. The Democrats voted him into power, so how corrupt was he then and why didn’t they care? blago has always been blago – just as governor he got more power and was dealing in more cash.
But when Fitzgerald has blago on the cusp of actually committing an offense – something he could have gotten on tape and on video – he abruptly pulls the plug.
Why?
Because it involved barry.
Only logical explanation.
Why wait years and not catch blago in the act? He didn’t actually DO anything on those tapes and the conspiracy rests on senate candidate #5 – Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Heard about him lately?
blagojevich talked and swore and stuck it to his impeachers by appointing Burris, but he is innocent of any wrongdoing in the eyes of the law. Not so in the court of public opinion, the proobamedia, and most definitely not in Illinois.
Patrick Fitzgerald comes out with this eye-popping press conference and releases documents with eff this and eff that and dramatically states that “Lincoln would be rolling over in his grave!” and then what happens? He covers for barry by saying he doesn’t want information released when he really wanted to interview barry and his top aides: Valerie Jarrett and Rahm Emanuel. And of course it was convenient for both of them to wait till right before the holidays to release it because barry would be out of commenting range and Fitzgerald wouldn’t have to admit he wasn’t ready to charge Blago.
When was the last time you saw Emanuel or Jarrett?
Who should be speaking for barry – axelrod or Emanuel? It is the transition not the campaign – even if barry is still giving speeches instead of press conferences.
Instead, they focus on Mr Burris – probably the least corrupt politician in the state and someone barry endorsed for governor over blago – as being tainted because blago did his constitutional duty as a governor. It was legal appointment that pist everyone off because they didn’t think blago would do it and they were positive he couldn’t find someone who would accept it. But he called their bluff. That is what is driving all this frenetic urgency. Not the appointment itself or his choice of appointee. They’re pist because he said eff you one last time. And not on tape, but in front of the whole world.
But his biggest sin was taking the press from barry. That’s what finally made barry act.
Senator-elect Burris, if one is honest, is more qualified on every front to be senator than Caroline Kennedy. And what will Gov Patterson’s appointment be based on? Is the pressure on him to pick Kennedy any less “tainted”? Who knows what has been offered behind the scenes that has not (as far as I know) been documented?
Lost in the blago rush to judgment farce is the fact that Fitzgerald has asked for at least three more months to indict or do whatever with Blagojevich. So why the rush in the first place? Why show his hand when blago the day before his arrest was telling people to go ahead and tape him. He clearly wasn’t aware he was under surveillance and he clearly hadn’t DONE anything and the appointment was clearly not yet made.
And after spending The People of Illinois’ taxes out of one-sided spite, they all agreed that Burris was a legal appointment – as he always was. And today, Governor Blagojevich will swear in the members of the Illinois legislature as the legal governor. He will swear in the very people who will impeach him. That’s legal. The Bills he has signed since his premature arrest are legal. And yet his appointment of Burris wasn’t?
How can he be tainted in one regard, but not when it suits the Illinois legislators?
And why is anyone listening to Pat Quinn who will be taking over the job?
It was a circus manufactured to take the heat off barry’s people. Blagojevich was arrested because barry’s people were involved in his scheme. Jesse Jackson Jr was co-chair of barry’s presidential campaign and still acting in official capacity. Valerie Jarret was barry’s main choice for senator and was appointed White House advisor after she abruptly “decided” she didn’t want to be senator. Who gave her a heads up? Rahm Emanuel was/is barry’s White House Chief of Staff. And lest we forget – Harry Reid made his own phone calls to the tainted, crooked and corrupt governor to broker a deal or at the very least impact Blagojevich’s appointment.
So if Burris is tainted – why isn’t Reid, who is the head of the Senate?
Where is the mention of the (at least) three month delay in charging Blagojevich?
Where is the investigation and demanding of information from Jarrett, Emanuel, Reid, barry and Fitzgerald?
Instead, it’s on Mr Burris whose appointment was always legal. And on blagojevich, who is still acting as governor, who is still signing bills, who is swearing in the members if Illinois legislature, and whose appointee will indeed be seated in the US senate. And incidental to all this, he is still innocent of any wrongdoing. He has not been indicted anywhere except in the court of public opinion and he now has absolutely no chance of getting a fair trial.
But he has served as a wonderful distraction for barry and his top aides Jarrett and Emanuel and barry’s ex campaign co-chair, Jesse Jackson Jr. And then there’s Reid, who was hoping Blago would go peacefully into the night by resigning.
