Faith-Based Presidency Part 2

The Republican presidential debate last night had NBC anchorman Brian Williams asked all the candidates "whether or not the invasion of Iraq was worth the loss of lives and treasure?"

Born-again Christian Mike Huckabee answered that it was worth it, and "that Iraq probably did have weapons of mass destruction" giving as an example that "if you haven't found all the easter eggs, doesn't mean that the eggs haven't been planted."

Only the guy that doesn't believe in evolution and ignores the geological evidence that proves the earth is older than 6,000 years old, would be the lone guy to believe that Saddam Hussein had weapons of the even five years of occupation where our guys have looked in every nook and cranny of Mesopotamia and couldn't find them. Only Huckabee could believe that despite all evidence proving otherwise that either our Armed Services are incompetent (which I do not believe) or Saddam Hussein is the world's greatest illusionist. Its same sort of conservative idiocy that thinks John Kerry didn't deserve any medals while he was serving in Vietnam (possibly because the Nixon Pentagon handed them out like candy) that can see things that aren't there . Idioacracy that has put Bush into the Whitehouse, that allows fairytale believing idiots to control the GOP, and is central to Mike Huckabee's presidential run; needs to be stomped out.

Competency within our government depends on a strong attachment to reality. I obviously would never vote for Huckabee, or Bush or any other looney right wing-nut, but I am mature enough to realize that every candidate I vote for will win so the important thing is that the loyal opposition should be at least be fact-based. If have people in charge that are faith-based that could care less about the results of their policy (infrastructure failings in New Orleans and Minneapolis, invading a foreign country because of a gut feeling, trickle-down economics while believing greed is good) we will all suffer under their rule as we have seen with current Bush adminstration.

Brokered Convention

We could see the first televised brokered convention one maybe even both national parties this summer. With the GOP so scatter-shot four or even five candidates that are plausible to be nominees (plausible= Giuliani; Huckabee; Romney; McCain, and much less plausible Thompson). On the Democratic side Obama and Hillary are unlikely more than 45% of the delegates except in their respective home states. A brokered convention is probably what Edwards is banking on, because when Denver rolls around and head-to-head match ups are the only thing the political press can write about Edwards will certainly look better than Hillary, and Hillary will probably start slinging mud at Obama to take the shine off him. Saving grace for Hillary and Obama are that some states have winner-take-all primaries, I couldn't find a list of them on the net , but thenattering-nay-bobs of negativity (aka the media) will get around to talking about it by Febuary 5th.

Queens Councilman To Surrender On Charges Tied To Rape Claims - Investigations News Story - WNBC | New York

Queens Councilman To Surrender On Charges Tied To Rape Claims - Investigations News Story - WNBC | New York

Wow not at all what I was thinking about when they first raided his offices! Rape charges! Who would have guessed Councilman Gallagher was going to be charged with rape in his own district office.

New York’s Antiterror Funds Disappoint, Officials Say - New York Times

New York’s Antiterror Funds Disappoint, Officials Say - New York Times

{sarcasm alert!}
Indiana's World's Largest Ball of Twine needs to be protected!

There really is nothing surprising that this administration is making funding decision and government responses based upon political calculations. Democratic Governor's tend to get screwed by FEMA's decisions when responding to natural disasters (Kathleen Sibelius Kansas' Tornadoes this past spring; Kathleen Blanco Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana; etc) while Republican governors get rapid response from FEMA ( Jeb Bush 2004 Florida Hurricanes; Rick Perry 2005 Hurricane Rita through Texas; Haley Barbour of Louisana during Hurricane Katrina; George Pataki of New York during the winter of 2006 flooding upstate)

Rep. Sweeney Hiding Something

John Sweeney some has come to the conclusion that he and he alone has a constitionally guaranteed right to privacy. Daily News reported that Sweeney

A state official ruled that the New York State Police improperly denied a request for information about police responses to the home of powerful Republican Rep. John Sweeney. The executive director of the state's Committee on Open Government, Robert Freeman, ruled in a July advisory opinion that the police had no right to refuse the request from a producer at WNYT-TV in Albany.

The station requested records indicating the number of times the police had been called to the home of Sweeney, a former executive director of the state Republican Party who represents the Albany area. The state police refused on the grounds that releasing such records would violate privacy.

This from one the most ardent supporters of Bush's illegal wiretapping, the invasion of privacy Patriot ACT, and opponent of the Roe v Wade decision on the basis that the constitution does not imply there is a right to privacy. Well John if you didn't do anything wrong or illegal, why don't you just come publicly with why the state troopers were coming to your house. What do you have to hide Congressman Sweeney? Were they responses to domestic abuse? Are you running a crystal meth lab up in Clifton Park? or is the truth of the matter that you are running an Al-Queda cell out of your house?

The rational for allowing Patriot Act, illegal NSA wiretapping, and the Torture Bill (a.k.a. Military Commissions Act of 2006) and every other attempt to rip liberty out of our hands has been that we will die because they want to kill us so we shouldn't question our lost of rights because if we have nothing to hide then we won't be harmed. Except if you are one of the thousand Muslims that have gone missing into the industrial-military complex without a trial. "But Sean" you say "They are a different because their skin color or their religion. Certainly we can trust our government to be fair in their destruction of our rights." Bob Johnson, Congressional candidate from Watertown, NY was held at the airport because his name appeared on the terrorist watch list, the same thing happened to Sen. Ted Kennedy despite the TSA employee in Logan Airport recognizing the Senator he was denied to board a airplane also because his name appeared on the terrorist watch list.

Rep. Sweeney has actually organized terrorism in the past; he organized congressional staffers to go down Broward County Florida during the 2000 presidential recount to scare the Board of Elections to stop the recount despite the majority Republican State Supreme Court ordering it to continue. This act of terrorism is commonly referred to as "The Brooks Brothers Riot" and earned Rep. John Sweeney his Presidentially conferred nickname Congressman Kickass.

Why can't state troopers release their report of their visit to Sweeney's domicile, like they do after everyone else that gets a knock on the door from a State Troopers (ever heard of the police blotter)? Why does dissident-in-chief Sweeney get special treatment? Why is Rep. John Sweeney hide the facts? What did John Sweeney do to deserve a visit from the State Troopers?

Chuck Hagel: Cheney should have been in the military

I know this is a national story but I like that Chuck Hagel (R-NE) taking a pot shot at fellow republican Dick Cheney and his incident of shooting a 78 year old man. Senator Hagel was quoted as saying

...if he had been in the military, he would have learned gun safety

Boelhert stepping down could be a blessing on so many levels

Congressman Boehlert of the 24th has sluggish fundrainsing, term limited chairmanship on the Science committee, and Don Young of Alaska promising he would do anything possible to ensure that Boelhert does not become the Chairman of the Transportation Committee (which Young now chairs and is also term limited), all of which give him little reason to stay in the job for a 13th term. So if Boehlert does step down who in the GOP steps up?

Brad Jones is already running, though will force any other Republican to spend more money in the primary he would lose in the general due to how exuberantly conservative he is (he has been heard bragging that he is "10 times more conservative than Bohlert could ever be") and how moderate the district is. There are two state Senators that have mumbled about throwing their hats in the ring State Sen. Ray Meier and State Sen. James Seward. Seward has been linked with Walter Rich scandal and his infamous Cooperstown fundraisers, but may still forge forward leaving two open state senate seats. Any open senate seat while the Spitzer/Clinton Tidal wave occurs is takable seat, along with Spano's seat in Westchester (which is poachable since he won it by 125 votes two years ago) brings the Dems to a tie in the state senate.

Lobbying Panel Probes Bashes

State wants to know if Cooperstown parties violate any laws
Saturday, January 28, 2006
By Michelle Breidenbach
Syracuse Post-Dispatch Staff writer

The state lobbying commission has asked railroad executive Walter Rich to produce records that show who he wined and dined during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction weekends over the last few years at his Cooperstown mansion.

The New York State Temporary Commission on Lobbying asked Rich in the fall to turn over the names of people who stayed at his home, called Edgewater, and in other guest rooms he reserved around the village during the busy baseball weekend. The commission wanted records as detailed as the names of people who got $11 tickets to the Hall of Fame Museum, said Nathan Fenno, spokesman for the NY Susquehanna & Western Railway.

David Grandeau, executive director of the lobbying commission, said he cannot comment on pending investigations. He said the commission plans to hold a public meeting Feb. 8.

New York state's lobbying laws prohibit a lobbyist or client from offering or giving gifts valued at more than $75 per year, Grandeau said. The commission uses eBay and other methods to put a market value on an item such as an autographed baseball, he said.

The state commission regulates the people who lobby state and local government officials, but not the government officials. That is up to the state ethics commissions for each branch of government.

The maximum penalty for lobbying violations is $50,000 per violation, he said.

For the past two decades, Rich and his wife, Karine, have invited New York's business and political elite to enjoy the induction weekend from their fenced-in lawn, just down the street from the Hall of Fame. Some guests make the mansion their home base for the entire weekend. Others come for just a few hours to attend political fundraisers, staged back-to-back under a tent on the lawn.

The baseball players filter in and out of the parties and sign memorabilia.

Sometimes the politicians pay the players to attend. Sometimes the players just show up.

Last summer, for example, Yogi Berra stopped by at Edgewater on Thursday before the parties really got started, Rich said in a Post-Standard interview in July. Rich asked the former Yankee to sign a jersey that he gave to Gov. George Pataki during a Republican fundraiser two days later on Edgewater's lawn.

State Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, and Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-New Hartford, also held fundraisers at Edgewater during the Hall of Fame weekend.

Rich's partyguests were the subject of another state investigation in 2004. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer interviewed party guests as part of his investigation into the state's sale of Erie Canal development rights to a Pataki campaign contributor.

Richard Hutchens, the Buffalo man who got that contract, made his connections with state canal officials during baseball-themed parties at Edgewater. Three former Canal Corp. officials may have violated state ethics laws when they hit up Hutchens for campaign donations and steered the contract to him, but they could not be prosecuted because they left their jobs, Spitzer said.

Rich told Spitzer's investigators that he spends about $100,000 a year on the Hall of Fame weekend. He said in a Post-Standard interview after his 2005 party that he sends an itemized list to the politicians, who must reimburse him for lodging, food and other expenses.

Seward spokesmanDuncan Davie said the senator has reimbursed the railroad company for all of its expenses. Election records filed in January for the Friends of Senator Seward show a $12,586 payment to NY Susquehanna & Western Railroad for the 2005 reception and a $6,000 payment for an outstanding bill from 2004.

Davie said the senator received a letter Friday from the lobbying commission that asks for information about the events in Cooperstown. He would not elaborate on the information requested, but said the senator will comply.

Rich and his railroad companies have reported at least $100,000 in donations to state candidates and committees since 1999, according to records filed at the state board of elections. Rich has retained the firms Ostroff, Hiffa & Assoc. and Marsh & Assoc., records show.

Rich has along history of contributing money to politicians and receiving tax money for his railroads, which include OnTrack, the little-used passenger train that shuttles between Carousel Center and Syracuse University. OnTrack has received more than $8 million in state grants. In recent years, the New York Susquehanna & Western was the recipient of a $3 million state grant that Sen. Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton, said would be used to run passenger trains daily between Syracuse and Binghamton. Four years after that announcement, there is no such passenger service.

Fenno said the railroad has cooperated with the commission. He said the Riches try to keep within limits for gifts and campaign donations. He said, however, that it is difficult to distinguish between the guests who come to a certain fundraiser and guests who stop in at another point during the weekend.

"We certainly don't think we did (go over the limit) and if we did, it was definitely something unintentional," he said.

Fundraising by Boehlert trails previous years

Opponents say he may not run again

By Tom Grace

Cooperstown News Bureau

Is U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-New Hartford, running for re-election?

Based on the amount of money the congressman has raised, the answer might well be "no."

Boehlert, 69, will make an announcement in March, his spokesman, Sam Marchio, said Friday.

"I think he’ll announce his plans in the third week of March because that’s when Congress will be in recess," Marchio said.

First elected a representative in 1982, Boehlert, a self-styled moderate Republican, has cruised to victory in every general el

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ection since then. But in 2002 and 2004, he faced strong primary challenges from conservative candidates in his party.

And in 2004, an underfunded Democratic candidate, Utica College Professor Jeff Miller, managed to win about a third of the vote with a campaign that raised less than $40,000.

In the same election cycle, Boehlert’s campaign spent more than $1.5 million, according to the Center For Responsive Politics.

Boehlert, chairman of the House Science Committee, has consistently raised more money than his opponents over the years. But money has not been pouring in at the usual rate this time. As of Sept. 30, Boehlert’s campaign had $166,220 on hand, according to the CFRP, which obtains its information from the Federal Elections Commission.

Asked why Boehlert, who has three challengers registered with FEC and others professing interest in the race, has not been more aggressively raising money, Marchio said, "I think he’s been more focused on policy than politics."

In about two weeks, the FEC will release figures on money raised in the last quarter of 2005. Marchio said these numbers "probably" will show Boehlert has raised less money at this stage of the 2006 election cycle than in recent elections.

"What you have to remember is he’s shown he can raise the money when he needs to," Marchio said.

But will he need to?

Democrat Les Roberts of German, who announced his candidacy for 24th District seat a few weeks ago, said Friday that the smaller-than-usual size of Boehlert’s war chest does make it appear the incumbent is getting ready to retire.

Also, although Boehlert has often voted with his party on budgets, alienating some liberal voters, he has also broken ranks on other issues, such as drilling for oil in Alaska, alienating some in House leadership, Roberts observed.

With the House dominated by conservative Republicans, Roberts said, Boehlert may not be given another committee chairmanship when his tenure as Science Committee chairman expires this year.

"That might be a reason to retire, too," he said.

Miller, who said Friday that he will announce his election plans Monday, said he, too, thinks the incumbent is getting ready to retire.

The first candidate to challenge Boehlert in this cycle was Republican Brad Jones, general manager of ITT Industries-Gould Pumps in Auburn and the former mayor of Seneca Falls.

Jones, whose campaign has raised nearly $86,000 so far, said he has heard the rumors that Boehlert will step down.

"It won’t really affect my campaign, because I’m running for the office no matter who else is running," Jones said.

Jones said he has heard that state Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, and state Sen. Raymond Meier, R-Utica, are considering runs for the 24th congressional district seat.

Duncan Davie, Seward’s spokesman, said Friday that Seward is not considering a run for Congress at present.

"There is no vacancy in that district," Davie said.

However, if Boehlert were to announce his pending retirement this spring, Seward might consider running, Davie said.

In addition to Jones and Roberts, Oneida County District Attorney Michael Arcuri, a Democrat, has registered with the FEC.

Other candidates who have expressed interest include Utica lawyer Leon Koziol and former Cortland Mayor Bruce Tytler, both Democrats.

Update on Utica Area NYS Senate Seat

An update about that Utica area NYS Senate seat mentioned recently. Apparently, Adirondack Bank president Tom Clark has put out feelers about the possibility of his running for the New York State Senate seat held by his fellow Republican Ray Meier, but only if Meier gives up the seat to run for the U.S. House seat currently represented by Sherwood Boehlert. Speculation is that Boehlert is considering retiring. If he does, Meier's made it know that he's interested in running.

-Walter Rath

As if the NY GOP could be anymore divided

This great

GOP 'TURNCOAT'

By FREDRIC U. DICKER

EXCLUSIVE

INSIDE ALBANY

AN INFLUENTIAL GOP leader wants a prominent Republican Party consultant fired for allegedly working to help a Democrat defeat an upstate Republican congressman.

The extraordinary demand was made over the weekend by Saratoga County GOP Chairman Jasper Nolan, a prominent upstate GOP leader.

He says consultant Patrick McCarthy, a former executive director of the party and a close political ally of Gov. Pataki, is trying to undermine incumbent Rep. John Sweeney.

Sweeney, a former GOP executive director, has been highly critical of Pataki's leadership.

Sweeney, a Saratoga County resident and close political ally of Mayor Bloomberg and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, has told friends he believes that Pataki himself approved of McCarthy's alleged efforts to help his Democratic opponent, Kirsten Gillibrand.

Gillibrand is the daughter of Albany lawyer/lobbyist Doug Rutnik, a longtime fixture at the state GOP headquarters and the significant other of Zenia Mucha, the Walt Disney Company exec who was once one of Pataki's top political advisers.

"Doug Rutnik's daughter is not going to challenge Sweeney without Pataki's OK," said one of the state's most prominent Republicans.

Nolan made his demand over the weekend in a stinging letter to state GOP Chairman Stephen Minarik, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.

"I am deeply concerned to learn a paid consultant for our party was recently spotted having dinner at an Albany restaurant with the announced 2006 Democratic opponent of Congressman John Sweeney," Nolan wrote.

"This is an outrageous development, and I respectfully request that Mr. McCarthy be removed from the Republican Party payroll immediately.

". . . He should be replaced by someone who is committed to defeating Democrats and not to aiding and abetting those who seek to defeat incumbent Republicans like our congressman."

McCarthy, who was once Pataki's chief patronage dispenser and is now a lobbyist with the politically wired Patricia Lynch Associates, is paid $25,000 a year as a part-time consultant to the state GOP.

He told The Post that he'd merely had "a couple of sodas" with Rutnik and his daughter.

"I have nothing to do with that effort at all," he insisted, saying that Rutnik was a longtime family friend and that the meeting was strictly social.

But others familiar with the situation said they believe that McCarthy was an informal adviser to Democrat Gillibrand as part of Pataki's effort to retaliate against Sweeney, who has publicly blamed the governor for a long string of GOP defeats.

fredric.dicker@nypost.com

Frist a Major Shareholder in Reputed For-Profit Abortion Provider

Bill Frist (R.-Tenn.), reportedly the White House choice to succeed Trent Lott (R.-Miss.) as Senate majority leader, is a major shareholder in HCA, a for-profit hospital chain founded by his father and brother. HCA reportedly provides abortions to its customers.

So now Republicans face this question: If it is disqualifying for their Senate leader to make offensive remarks interpreted as endorsing an immoral policy that denied African-Americans equal rights, is it also disqualifying for their Senate leader to make money from a hospital chain that denies unborn babies the right to life?

Frist has deposited his major stockholdings in a "blind trust" chartered Dec. 28, 2000. A schedule of the original assets in this trust filed with the Senate showed holdings in 16 companies. Frist reported the value of these assets, as per Senate rules, within broad ranges (e.g. $1,001-$15,001). If the lowest possible value is assigned to each holding, Frist at that time had invested a minimum of $566,015 in 15 other companies, while investing at least $5,000,001 in HCA.

That would mean that approximately 89% of his holdings were in this company.

Furthermore, on its face, the trust agreement appears structured to allow the administrators to maintain this heavy concentration in HCA stock. It also specifically instructs the administrators to inform Frist if they divest entirely from any holding, including HCA. And, finally, it gives Frist the power to directly order the administrators to divest from HCA or any other holding that Frist determines "creates a conflict of interest or the appearance thereof."

HCA does not trumpet its reported involvement with abortion. But, in April, Catholic Financial Services Corporation (CFSC), a mutual fund company, announced that it was starting an S&P 500 Index Fund that would "exclude companies on the abortion issue"—and that HCA was one of only six companies on the index that would be excluded on these grounds. A spokesman for the mutual fund explained to me last week that the company excludes hospital chains that perform abortions and pharmaceutical companies that deal in drugs that induce abortion.

On December 18 and 19, I placed several calls to HCA corporate spokesman Jeff Prescott, to ask him directly whether abortions were performed in HCA facilities, or whether the company refuted CFSC’s determination that they were. I left him voice messages to this effect, and repeatedly told his secretary my questions. At 5:00 p.m. on the 19th, as press time approached, the secretary left me lingering on hold with no answer. When I hung up and called back, I got Prescott’s voice mail again and left him one last message. He never returned my call.

I also spoke with Sen. Frist’s spokesman, Nick Smith. I explained to Smith my understanding that the terms of Frist’s "blind" trust allowed the administrators to maintain a heavy concentration in HCA, while allowing Frist to order the sale of this stock, and while also compelling the administrators to inform Frist if they divested entirely from HCA or any other holding. I cited the specific passages in the trust to this effect. I also asked Smith to clarify Frist’s position on abortion—which has confounded pro-lifers over the years—and why Frist would not divest, since he apparently could, from a company that reportedly performs abortions.

When Frist first ran for the Senate in 1994, the Nashville Banner reported that he "frequently" said he "does not believe abortion should be outlawed." In a May 1994 radio interview, the Banner reported, Frist said, "It’s a very private decision." One of Frist’s Republican primary rivals, Steve Wilson, the Banner said, "demanded that Frist sell his millions of dollars in stock in the Hospital Corporation of America [HCA], which Frist’s family founded. Some of the hospitals in the chain perform abortions."

Tennessee Right to Life PAC Director Sherry Holden, however, told the Banner that Frist had told her organization he was pro-life. "He said he’s against abortion, period—no exceptions, except rape and incest," said Holden.

Yet, an Oct. 10, 1994, Memphis Commercial Appeal report on a debate between Frist and incumbent Sen. Jim Sasser (D.-Tenn.) said: "There were some topics on which the candidates agreed—both said they’re personally opposed to abortion but don’t think the government should prohibit abortions."

I asked Smith whether Frist wanted to prohibit abortion either by constitutional amendment or by over-turning Roe v. Wade and enacting prohibitions in the states, including Tennessee.

Smith responded by faxing me a statement. The White House, pro-life Republican senators, and their grassroots supporters can decide whether it is responsive:

"These two issues [the HCA investment and abortion] are separate and distinct," wrote Smith.

"On his own accord, by placing his assets in a federally qualified blind trust, Sen. Frist took a step above and beyond to ensure there is no conflict of interest," wrote Smith. "He believes this was the proper and responsible thing to do. He has never been employed by, or served on the board of, HCA or any of its hospitals.

"As a U.S. senator who acts on public policy each and every day, his record on abortion is clear," Smith continued. "He is opposed to abortion except in the instances of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is threatened. He is opposed to federal funding of abortion. And in the Senate, he led the fight against partial-birth abortion."

His Senate website includes a statement saying, "No one can deny the potential human cloning holds for increased scientific understanding. But . . . I am unable to find a compelling justification for allowing human cloning today."

As Bill Clinton might say, that doesn’t rule out tomorrow—when he may be Senate majority leader.

Could it be that Rep. Sweeney has higher Aspirations

Rep. Sweeney meddling in down-state affairs; could he be eyeing the governor's mansion? If he did throw his hat into the ring it would probably bring a smile to Spitzer's face since he would be the fourth republican looking to fill Pataki's shoes. Former Governor of Mass. Bill Weld, Businessman Tom Galisiano, NYS Sec of State Randy Daniels, and State Assemblyman Pat Manning are all announced Republican candidates. Spitzer is the only Democratic candidate.

BUMBLING PIRRO HITS A $TUMBLING BLOCK

By FREDRIC U. DICKER

September 19, 2005 -- REPUBLICAN superstar Jeanine Pirro's month-old campaign for Senate election has stumbled badly, has failed to catch on with voters and is having difficulty raising cash, GOP insiders contend.

The Westchester County district attorney, who is seeking the right to challenge U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in next year's balloting, held several tense private meetings with potential backers and contributors in recent days, leaving some convinced her campaign is in trouble.

Pirro conceded to The Post that her gaffe-marred August campaign announcement had created some unexpected problems, but she insisted she had recovered her stride.

"Am I happy with how the announcement went? No. Could it have gone smoother? Absolutely. I'm much better than that," she said. "I'm the one ultimately responsible for my campaign and I am thrilled with the way it is now going."

Pirro contended she "didn't know" how much money her campaign had raised so far. But a leading GOP activist insisted that Pirro "seems to be off stride" and "has been expressing disappointment in how things have been going, including her fund-raising."

Another GOP insider said Pirro "looks strained these days, and she is clearly not happy with the progress of her campaign."

Pirro and campaign strategist Kieran Mahoney held a dinner meeting Thursday night with Conservative Party leader Michael Long, but walked away with no commitment of support.

"Long was not very encouraging about the difficult task she has in front of her," the insider said. "He also told Kieran he thought Jeanine's campaign was launched too soon, that she wasn't ready."

Pirro claimed the dinner went well and insisted that there was "absolutely no truth" to claims that she'd told people she was disappointed with the campaign.

Meanwhile, one of the state's best-known Democratic operatives said Pirro's campaign appeared to be facing "major trouble."

"Where has she been?" asked the operative. "Where are the promised Pataki and Giuliani endorsements? Where are the big fund-raisers?"