Was it that long ago Obama spoke in Tucson, calling for civility?*
It’s nothing new. We’ve all heard the coordinated montages of congressional Democrats using the exact same phrases, as though someone opened their heads and inserted a funnel with sound tracks of in-unison blather. Liberals have made an art form of outdoing themselves in trying to paint conservatives as extreme.
Yesterday, after the partisan sparring over the raising of the nation’s debt limit, the over-the-top remarks began in earnest. It started with bizarre talk of Republicans engaging in “hostage taking” and transmogrified to Vice President Joe Biden accusing Republicans of “acting like terrorists.”
More than a dozen suspected members of “Anonymous” were arrested this morning in states including Florida, New Jersey and California, in what appears to be a nationwide takedown of the notorious hacking group, FoxNews.com has exclusively learned.
The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into Anonymous, which has claimed responsibility for numerous cyberattacks against a variety of websites including Visa and Mastercard.
Some of the arrests were out of the San Francisco field office, sources said, activity that followed searches earlier in the day in the New York area at residences believed to be associated with members of the hacking collective, FoxNews.com has learned.
“I can confirm that we’re conducting law enforcement actions relating to a criminal investigation,” said Alicia Sensibaugh, a spokeswoman for FBI’s San Francisco office, out of which sources said multiple search warrants were executed Tuesday morning.
Kimberly Yee, Republican, District 10
And my legislative priorities have reflected that: Cracking down on bullying in our schools, protecting the health of women in our state and reining in our spending to lower the debt passed on to the next generation.
That’s why E.J. Montini’s column on Thursday (“Legislature: Anti-abortion and anti-children“) is so offensive.
In typical fashion, Montini resorts to personal attacks and hyperbole to make his point, ignoring the facts and assigning malicious motives for any public policy that doesn’t fit his worldview.
He says state lawmakers don’t care about children.
Well, apparently, in Montini’s view, dangerous abortions on demand and unsustainable levels of government spending are the best way to protect children. I couldn’t disagree more passionately.
I was proud to support and help pass several measures this year to protect the health of women, including safeguards related to abortion by pill.
Medication abortions are not a safer alternative to surgical abortions, and clinics dispensing abortion medications should be properly licensed and equipped to handle complications.
David Jacobson, right, now the ambassador to Canada, arranged meetings with bundlers. | AP Photo
Telecom executive Donald H. Gips raised a big bundle of cash to help finance his friend Barack Obama’s run for the presidency.
Gips, a vice president of Colorado-based Level 3 Communications, delivered more than $500,000 in contributions for the Obama war chest, while two other company executives collected at least $150,000 more.
After the election, Gips was put in charge of hiring in the Obama White House, helping to place loyalists and fundraisers in many key positions. Then, in mid-2009, Obama named him ambassador to South Africa. Meanwhile, Level 3 Communications, in which Gips retained stock, received millions of dollars of government stimulus contracts for broadband projects in six states – though Gips said he had been “completely unaware” that the company had received the contracts.
More than two years after Obama took office vowing to banish “special interests” from his administration, nearly 200 of his biggest donors have landed plum government jobs and advisory posts, won federal contracts worth millions of dollars for their business interests or attended numerous elite White House meetings and social events, an investigation by iWatch News has found.
These “bundlers” raised at least $50,000 – and sometimes more than $500,000 – in campaign donations for Obama’s campaign. Many of those in the “Class of 2008″ are now being asked to bundle contributions for Obama’s reelection, an effort that could cost $1 billion.
As a candidate, Obama spoke passionately about diminishing the clout of moneyed interests. Kicking off his presidential run on Feb. 10, 2007, he blasted “the cynics, the lobbyists, the special interests,” who had “turned our government into a game only they can afford to play.”
“We’re here today to take it back,” he said.
A m e r i c a n P o s t – G a z e t t e
Distributed by C O M M O N S E N S E , in Arizona
Friday, May 27, 2011
Republic: [Dropping the charges] was not vindication [of Stapley]
Columnist E.J. Montini: Prosecutor ought to pursue charges vs. Stapley
When the Arizona Republic and its most liberal columnist, E.J. Montini, who usually writes columns attacking Sheriff Arpaio, agree with us that someone is corrupt, then there is no doubt something is really, really wrong. Even the liberals at the Republic cannot sit back and ignore all the evidence piled up against Stapley. The Republic and Montini both wrote columns yesterday expressing disappointment that the criminal charges against County Supervisor Don Stapley were dismissed by Gila County Attorney Daisy Flores. Flores alleges that she had to drop the charges because the prosecution was botched, but Montini is having nothing of it. Why doesn’t Flores fix the problems and prosecute him herself? It’s pretty obvious to everyone observing that Stapley’s powerful connections are helping him skate.
Here are some excerpts from the articles:
Montini: “Prosecutor ought to pursue charges vs. Stapley”
This is not how the justice system is supposed to work, unless you live in Arizona.
Here, it’s normal.
It must be, because no one seems to be complaining.
The prosecutor looking into accusations against Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley says that he is probably a criminal but that she’s not going to prosecute him.
Stapley then declared his “long nightmare is over,” said he is “relieved and grateful” and, oh yeah, wants the county (that’s us) to give him $10 million.
Why not? It’s Arizona.
For more than two years, Gila County Attorney Daisy Flores has been reviewing an investigation of Stapley by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (under former head Andrew Thomas).
Senators Intimidated by Chamber of Commerce Infuriate Precinct Committeemen
March 20, 2011
The Republican Precinct Committeemen (PCs) who elected me as their Maricopa County Chairman by an unprecedented margin of 70%, did so for a reason. They wanted a spokesman with a clear, consistent, conservative position on the issues as opposed to what they frequently heard from elected Republican office holders pandering to the moderate wing of the Party. The level of disgust held by PCs toward the Republicans who voted with the Democrats on the illegal immigration bills this past week is palpable.
The excuses given by these senators for their actions were the same platitudes we’ve heard repeatedly from those in the business community bonded to the concept of an exploitable, cheap labor force. They are joined in their efforts by the liberal media, the ACLU and the Democrat Party when opposing legislation or policies (Prop 200, employer sanctions, sanctuary cities, SB1070) which sought to enforce our immigration laws. They protest: ”We agree …but it is a federal issue …the border has never been more secure …it is discriminatory and racist …it will not be upheld in court …citizenship is a federal issue …Arizona can’t go it alone …unintended consequences …boycotts …we are not pro-illegal immigration, we just need to press the federal government for meaningful immigration reform …we have more pressing issues to deal with such as the economy …there are more issues than illegal immigration …it is poorly written, etc.”
Dozens of Arizona CEOs from hospitals, construction companies and other major businesses joined to turn back new get-tough legislation on illegal immigration, citing worries that emphasis on the issue could hurt the state’s struggling economy and cost jobs.
The result Thursday was something much different from a year ago, when Arizona’s governor enacted a tough local enforcement measure that put the state at the heart of a fierce national debate over the issue. This time, numerous Republican senators joined with Democrats in rejecting bills dealing with health care, government benefits and everyday activities like driving.
Besides business groups’ opposition, others factors came into play: There isn’t an election looming this fall, some GOP senators had never been too enthused by the severity of some of the bills and many lawmakers have simply become tired of the issue.
