Open Thread...
...
posted by Patrick J. Fitzgerald at 5/31/2006
May 31, 2006
About Me
- Name: Patrick J. Fitzgerald
- Location: U.S. Attorney On Assignment - WDC, Illinois, United States
Think Globally Prosecute Locally - I grew up in Flatbush, kept my nose clean, went to law school. Now that I am in Chicago and D.C. I have found that the rampant graft and corruption to be a travesty - a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham. ---Favorite quote --- "Conditional love is an oxymoron." - Yours truly
Previous Posts
- Are You Better Off..?
- Monday Monday...
- The Crooked G...
- Please Don't Forget...
- New Thread...
- If I Wanted More Baloney...
- 06/06/06: Not Just Another Date...
- Keep Pace...
- SEALED V. SEALED - May 17th Grand Jury...
- Open Thread...
37 Comments:
Can hardly wait Fitz.
Please get these criminals off the streets and out of our lives.
Trolls have feelings too. Trolls are the most abused creatures in the universe. Trolls unite. Trolls should have rights just like other "A" holes.
Well it should be "Tar Babies Unite". And once again coruption on capital hill is making everyone frustrated.
Help!! I'm drowning and all the strong powerful men are holding me under!
Fitz, we miss you!
D
GMNUK, THANKs for that info-I hadn't read the note yet.
Hey - it's midweek already!
Since it's an open thread:
Looks like the petitions in S Dakota had way more than enuff legit signatures to get the anti-any abortion bill on the ballot.
Bush named Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chairman Henry M. Paulson Jr. as Treasury secretary yesterday, turning to a prominent Wall Street insider to lead his economic team and become the chief promoter of the administration's fiscal policies. (they have actual POLICIES???)
Seems that England is a bit upset that they've had 11 soldiers killed this month. Perhaps they should have considered that before they sent them to Bush's Folly. Can't wait to see a backlash on that one since Blair is already effectively gone.
RE: The killings in Haditha, our Illustrious Bonehead had this to say (I believe we've heard this before):
"I am troubled by the initial news stories," Bush said. "I'm mindful that there's a thorough investigation going on. If in fact, laws were broken, there will be punishment."
You guys have a terrific day and in closing I'd just like to say
FITZ!
It's amazing how quickly these "leaders" of ours can say one thing and turn around, almost within the hour, and do the opposite. Its getting to be so amazingly comical, I don't think SNL could write better material.
Although, the Al Gore opening sketch was just phoenominal. "What part of the Lock Box don't you understand?" "We won't let the glaciers win."
jamie in nyc
"If we're an arrogant nation, they'll resent us. If we're a humble nation, but strong, they'll welcome us. And it's -- our nation stands alone right now in the world in terms of power, and that's why we have to be humble. And yet project strength in a way that promotes freedom. GWB 10/11/00
Bush and his think tank don't even know the meaning of the word "humble" or "freedom".
“I'm not so sure the role of the United States is to go around the world and say this is the way it's got to be. We can help. And maybe it's just our difference in government, the way we view government. I want to empower the people. I want to help people help themselves, not have government tell people what to do. I just don't think it's the role of the United States to walk into a country and say, we do it this way, so should you.”
More words from George W. Bush
Congressman Tried to Hide Papers, Justice Dept. Says
Court Filing in Response to Jefferson Lawsuit Defends Raid
By Allan Lengel and Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, May 31, 2006; A04
The Justice Department yesterday vigorously defended the recent weekend raid of Rep. William J. Jefferson's Capitol Hill office as part of a bribery investigation, asserting that the Democratic lawmaker attempted to hide documents from FBI agents while they were searching his New Orleans home last August.
The government questioned in a 34-page motion filed in U.S. District Court here whether it could have obtained all the materials it had sought in a subpoena if it had not launched the surprise raid on Jefferson's congressional office May 20. According to the government filing, an FBI agent caught Jefferson slipping documents into a blue bag in the living room of his New Orleans home during a search.
"It is my belief that when Congressman Jefferson placed documents into the blue bag, he was attempting to conceal documents that were relevant to the investigation," FBI agent Stacey E. Kent of New Orleans stated in an affidavit that was part of the government's court submission. The document was filed in response to Jefferson's lawsuit demanding that the government return to him documents seized during the raid on his Capitol Hill office 11 days ago.
Still no target letters, indictments or press conferences.
Regarding Harry Reid...
Was that not John McCain sitting next to him? Hmmm...
John McCain paid for his own tickets. Sometimes it is just the appearance of wrong doing that should rule the day.
Reid's self-inflicted blow
If Harry Reid is smart enough to lead the Senate Democrats, he ought to be smart enough to admit his mistake in accepting boxing tickets.
The Senate minority leader has acknowledged that between 2003 and 2005, he accepted three ringside seats to boxing matches, courtesy of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. At the time of the fights, Reid, a Nevada Democrat as well as a former boxer and boxing judge, was working on legislation that would impose more federal regulation on boxing.
Two other senators managed to attend the fights without getting black eyes: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., paid for his tickets, and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., recused himself from voting on the legislation.
But it doesn't matter whether the tickets were worth $1,000 or a buck. It doesn't matter that Reid accepted them from his state.
When Reid accepted those free tickets while he was working on boxing regulation, he created the perception of a quid pro quo. And in drawing his own ethical behavior into account, Reid lost credibility in questioning the ethics of others: That's a dear price to pay for the privilege of watching a sporting event.
Many Democrats had hoped to run a campaign taking Republicans to task for ethical violations using Cunningham, lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and others as examples.
That effort has taken a series of hits recently as several Democrats have run into legal and ethical troubles. West Virginia Rep. Alan Mollohan, the highest-ranking member on the House Ethics committee, is under investigation for corruption. Rep. Jefferson is accused of taking bribes. Don Siegelman, who might well be the next governor of Alabama, is currently under indictment and on trial for allegations of corruption during the time he was governor of Alabama. Add Reid to this list who, in addition to this boxing brouhaha, has apparent ties to Abramoff according to this news story.
Charlie Rangel, that overdone goose stepping, whore for the military industrial complex has reintorduced a bill to reinstate
the draft for both men and women
to age 42. What do you say that we
load this whore with emails and faxes.
Captain Anon
Charlie Rangel, that overdone goose stepping, whore for the military industrial complex has reintorduced a bill to reinstate
the draft for both men and women
to age 42. What do you say that we
load this whore with emails and faxes.
Captain Anon
Mr. Fitzgerald, please proceed:
Go do that Voodoo,
that You do so Well!........
Charlie Rangel is putting this war at the doorsteps of the rich, elite's eligible children. If there's a draft, there's a draft. Then you can watch the rich elite and connected go through machinations to get their kids out. It won't play this time.
If there's a draft, people are not going to be so complacent about what we are dying for. Because the bell tolls for thee.
That's why Rangle is doing this. He has always said that the rich, well connected are disingenuine when they are so willing to vote for war, while "their children" are not the ones getting maimed and are dying.
Rangle is "calling the game" on them. Just like Michael Moore in his film when he was handing out information for recruitment on the steps of the Senate building. It was hilarious to watch the shocked faces. "Like, my kid isn't going to sign up, are you kidding."
That's were Rangle is coming from.
I am glad I know who owns this blog.
For a moment I thought I had arrived at "Blog Anonymous".
By the way, the tickets had no monetary value. They were tickets that were used for govs.,boxing officials,and other dignitaries.
Because there was no face value, no money could be exchanged. It would be illegal to do so.
McCain's money was donated to a catholic charity because Bob Arum did not know what to do with it.
thanks,
bob anonymous
www.TPM Muckraker.com
freeperland already making fools out of themselves over Rangel's draft proposel. They just don't get it.
OOPs...
sorry former fed, i did not see your post. cannot stand redundancy, cannot stand redundants...
bob anonymous
"Tar Babies Unite!!!"
"Death for some sex offenders OK'd in S.C."
After only two offenses.
Nice...
Rangle is doing a very smart thing, except that if he is successful I have three draft age boys that would be adversily affected.
The truth is, draft or no draft, the rich elite aren't going to fight any war of hegemony or adventurism. However, the effect that Rangle wants is to incite the complacent Americans into bringing this war home, in their face, so that the type of demonstrations seen in Vietnam are the type of backlash that would be created as a result.
The trick of this ploy is that it looks like he is pro-war when in fact he is not. It is the perfect way to bring down the government and that is why Rummy and friends DO NOT WANT citizen soldiers. They want a mercenary army that I dub the "Republican Guard." The same name as Hussein used for his mercenaries. Interesting, huh?
Hey fellow bloggers:
Here is the newest way to search the internet for just about anything! Fitz, you need your blog on there! :)
http://www.swarmthe.com/go/swarm
Another interesting point, Bush said after all his WMD lies fell through that the real reason for the war was to rid the world of Hussein. In the process tens of thousands of Iraqis have died. I wonder if they felt the same way about Hussein as Bush did. They are dead and guess what - Hussein is still alive and well.
Bush reminds me of that Danny De Vito movie, "Other People's Money," except in Bush's case it is "other people's lives AND their money."
Bush and Tony Blair committed treason yet again and had their British special agents shoot at our own CIA and americans.
http://cloakanddagger.de/shows/webcast/_WEBB/CLOAK_WEBB_FLOCCO_MAY31.mp3
Tony Blair's plot to blow up the rail system failed completely, but the media fell for the accidental shootout cop-out story.
The rest of the media covered it up like the loyal british/mossad stooges they are.
I hope this treason is dealt with once and for all, and Tony Blair is found, hunted and removed from his diplomatic immunity.
He needs to answer for all these black box crimes using "The Shop" which is known worldwide.
Rangel really did it.
That is a can of worms that the Bushcos don't want opened up. As long as it's a volunteer army, he skates on the "well they signed up for it" excuse.
I think he has a reason for doing this - I hope anyway.
Actually, I should have posted the link to give you the info about swarm first.
http://swarmthe.com/
Funny how the non-partisan manage to make all kinds of excuses for a Democrat that displays some ethics challenges.
Discovered an interesting article about Karl Rove...www.orlandoweekly.com, Columns section...."Crunch Time"
Here is the story about the pregnant woman who was killed by the soldiers for failing to stop at a checkpoint. You will NOTE the size of the sign and the fact that it is approximately 100 feet from a Maternity Hospital
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/3918294.html
This is an excellent song (I'm uncomfortable using the adjective 'excellent' considering the subject matter...)that has been getting pretty heavy airplay on our local public radio station.
I think it sums it all up pretty well.
We Can't Make It Here
"We Can't Make it Here"
by James McMurtry
There's a Vietnam Vet with a cardboard sign
Sitting there by the left turn line
Flag on his wheelchair flapping in the breeze
One leg missing and both hands free
No one's paying much mind to him
The V.A. budget's just stretched so thin
And now there's more coming back from the Mideast war
We can't make it here anymore
That big ol' building was the textile mill that fed our kids and it paid our bills
But they turned us out and they closed the doors
We can't make it here anymore
See those pallets piled up on the loading dock
They're just gonna sit there 'til they rot
'Cause there's nothing to ship, nothing to pack
Just busted concrete and rusted tracks
Empty storefronts around the square
There's a needle in the gutter and glass everywhere
You don't come down here unless you're looking to score
We can't make it here anymore
The bar's still open but man it's slow
The tip jar's light and the register's low
The bartender don't have much to say
The regular crowd gets thinner each day
Some have maxed out all their credit cards
Some are working two jobs and living in cars
Minimum wage won't pay for a roof, won't pay for a drink
If you gotta have proof just try it yourself Mr. CEO
See how far $5.15 an hour will go
Take a part time job at one your stores
Bet you can't make it here anymore
There's a high school girl with a bourgeois dream
Just like the pictures in the magazine
She found on the floor of the laundromat
A woman with kids can forget all that
If she comes up pregnant what'll she do
Forget the career, forget about school
Can she live on faith? Live on hope?
High on Jesus or hooked on dope
When it's way too late to just say no
You can't make it here anymore
Now I'm stocking shirts in the Wal-Mart store
Just like the ones we made before
'Cept this one came from Singapore
I guess we can't make it here anymore
Should I hate a people for the shade of their skin
Or the shape of their eyes or the shape I'm in
Should I hate 'em for having our jobs today
No I hate the men sent the jobs away
I can see them all now, they haunt my dreams
All lily white and squeaky clean
They've never known want, they'll never know need
Their shit don't stink and their kids won't bleed
Their kids won't bleed in their damn little war
And we can't make it here anymore
Will work for food will die for oil
Will kill for power and to us the spoils
The billionaires get to pay less tax
The working poor get to fall through the cracks
So let 'em eat jellybeans let 'em eat cake
Let 'em eat shit, whatever it takes
They can join the Air Force, or join the Corps
If they can't make it here anymore
So that's how it is, that's what we got
If the president wants to admit it or not
You can read it in the paper, read it on the wall
Hear it on the wind if you're listening at all
Get out of that limo, look us in the eye
Call us on the cell phone tell us all why
In Dayton Ohio or Portland Maine
Or a cotton gin out on the great high plains
That's done closed down along with the school
And the hospital and the swimming pool
Dust devils dance in the noonday heat
There's rats in the alley and trash in the street
Gang graffiti on a boxcar door
We can't make it here anymore
Hello everyone,
I am temporary on the blog for now. I thought I jump on the blog real quick. I will be back in the evening, I am waiting on my next appointment.....
Apologies for the Length but here is the Selective Service Bill introduced by Hagel in the House:
Universal National Service Act of 2006 (Introduced in House)
HR 4752 IH
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4752
To provide for the common defense by requiring all persons in the
United States, including women, between the 18 and 42 to perform a period of
military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national
defense and homeland security, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 14, 2006
Mr. RANGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Armed Services
____________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the common defense by requiring all persons in the
United States, including women, between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform a
period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the
national defense and homeland security, and for other p
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Universal National Service
Act of 2006'.
(b) Table of Contents- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. National service obligation.
Sec. 3. Two-year period of national service.
Sec. 4. Implementation by the President.
Sec. 5. Induction.
Sec. 6. Deferments and postponements.
Sec. 7. Induction exemptions.
Sec. 8. Conscientious objection.
Sec. 9. Discharge following national service.
Sec. 10. Registration of females under the Military Selective Service Act.
Sec. 11. Relation of Act to registration and induction authority of military
selective service Act.
Sec. 12. Definitions.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL SERVICE OBLIGATION.
(a) Obligation for Service- It is the obligation of every citizen of the
United States, and every other person residing in the United States, who is
between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform a period of national service as
prescribed in this Act unless exempted under the provisions of this Act.
(b) Form of National Service- National service under this Act shall be
performed either--
(1) as a member of an active or reserve component of the uniformed services;
or
(2) in a civilian capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes
the national defense, including national or community service and homeland
security.
(c) Induction Requirements- The President shall provide for the induction of
persons covered by subsection (a) to perform national service under this Act.
(d) Selection for Military Service- Based upon the needs of the uniformed
services, the President shall--
(1) determine the number of persons covered by subsection (a) whose service
is to be performed as a member of an active or reserve component of the
uniformed services; and
(2) select the individuals among those persons who are to be inducted for
military service under this Act.
(e) Civilian Service- Persons covered by subsection (a) who are not selected
for military service under subsection (d) shall perform their national
service obligation under this Act in a civilian capacity pursuant to subsection
(b)(2).
SEC. 3. TWO-YEAR PERIOD OF NATIONAL SERVICE.
(a) General Rule- Except as otherwise provided in this section, the period
of national service performed by a person under this Act shall be two years.
(b) Grounds for Extension- At the discretion of the President, the period of
military service for a member of the uniformed services under this Act may
be extended--
(1) with the consent of the member, for the purpose of furnishing
hospitalization, medical, or surgical care for injury or illness incurred in line of
duty; or
(2) for the purpose of requiring the member to compensate for any time lost
to training for any cause.
(c) Early Termination- The period of national service for a person under
this Act shall be terminated before the end of such period under the following
circumstances:
(1) The voluntary enlistment and active service of the person in an active
or reserve component of the uniformed services for a period of at least two
years, in which case the period of basic military training and education
actually served by the person shall be counted toward the term of enlistment.
(2) The admission and service of the person as a cadet or midshipman at the
United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United
States Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard Academy, or the United States
Merchant Marine Academy.
(3) The enrollment and service of the person in an officer candidate
program, if the person has signed an agreement to accept a Reserve commission in the
appropriate service with an obligation to serve on active duty if such a
commission is offered upon completion of the program.
(4) Such other grounds as the President may establish.
SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION BY THE PRESIDENT.
(a) In General- The President shall prescribe such regulations as are
necessary to carry out this Act.
(b) Matter to Be Covered by Regulations- Such regulations shall include
specification of the following:
(1) The types of civilian service that may be performed for a person's
national service obligation under this Act.
(2) Standards for satisfactory performance of civilian service and of
penalties for failure to perform civilian service satisfactorily.
(3) The manner in which persons shall be selected for induction under this
Act, including the manner in which those selected will be notified of such
selection.
(4) All other administrative matters in connection with the induction of
persons under this Act and the registration, examination, and classification of
such persons.
(5) A means to determine questions or claims with respect to inclusion for,
or exemption or deferment from induction under this Act, including questions
of conscientious objection.
(6) Standards for compensation and benefits for persons performing their
national service obligation under this Act through civilian service.
(7) Such other matters as the President determines necessary to carry out
this Act.
(c) Use of Prior Act- To the extent determined appropriate by the President,
the President may use for purposes of this Act the procedures provided in
the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.), including
procedures for registration, selection, and induction.
SEC. 5. INDUCTION.
(a) In General- Every person subject to induction for national service under
this Act, except those whose training is deferred or postponed in accordance
with this Act, shall be called and inducted by the President for such
service at the time and place specified by the President.
(b) Age Limits- A person may be inducted under this Act only if the person
has attained the age of 18 and has not attained the age of 42.
(c) Voluntary Induction- A person subject to induction under this Act may
volunteer for induction at a time other than the time at which the person is
otherwise called for induction.
(d) Examination; Classification- Every person subject to induction under
this Act shall, before induction, be physically and mentally examined and shall
be classified as to fitness to perform national service. The President may
apply different classification standards for fitness for military service and
fitness for civilian service.
SEC. 6. DEFERMENTS AND POSTPONEMENTS.
(a) High School Students- A person who is pursuing a standard course of
study, on a full-time basis, in a secondary school or similar institution of
learning shall be entitled to have induction under this Act postponed until the
person--
(1) obtains a high school diploma;
(2) ceases to pursue satisfactorily such course of study; or
(3) attains the age of 20.
(b) Hardship and Disability- Deferments from national service under this Act
may be made for--
(1) extreme hardship; or
(2) physical or mental disability.
(c) Training Capacity- The President may postpone or suspend the induction
of persons for military service under this Act as necessary to limit the
number of persons receiving basic military training and education to the maximum
number that can be adequately trained.
(d) Termination- No deferment or postponement of induction under this Act
shall continue after the cause of such deferment or postponement ceases.
SEC. 7. INDUCTION EXEMPTIONS.
(a) Qualifications- No person may be inducted for military service under
this Act unless the person is acceptable to the Secretary concerned for training
and meets the same health and physical qualifications applicable under
section 505 of title 10, United States Code, to persons seeking original
enlistment in a regular component of the Armed Forces.
(b) Other Military Service- No person shall be liable for induction under
this Act who--
(1) is serving, or has served honorably for at least six months, in any
component of the uniformed services on active duty; or
(2) is or becomes a cadet or midshipman at the United States Military
Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, the
Coast Guard Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, a midshipman
of a Navy accredited State maritime academy, a member of the Senior Reserve
Officers' Training Corps, or the naval aviation college program, so long as
that person satisfactorily continues in and completes at least two years
training therein.
SEC. 8. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION.
(a) Claims as Conscientious Objector- Nothing in this Act shall be construed
to require a person to be subject to combatant training and s
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