IMRAN AWAN - HIRED BY DEMS (WASSERMAN SHULTZ) TO STEAL FROM U.S. VOTERS & CONTROL POLITICS

IMRAN AWAN - HIRED BY KEY DEMS (WASSERMAN SHULTZ) TO STEAL FROM AMERICAN VOTERS AND CONTROL POLITICS:

DURING OBAMA'S REIGN MANY MIDDLE EASTERN PEOPLE WERE PAID TO SPY ON AND TERRORIZE U.S. CITIZENS VIA THE INTERNET (HACKING IPHONES).

IT'S NOT ABOUT NATIONALITY; IT'S ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY.

U.S. BANKING INDUSTRY IS FULL OF MIDDLE EASTERN PEOPLE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT LOVE THE UNITED STATES.

THANK GOD AWAN WAS BUSTED TRYING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.


Sources: CBS News, Fox News, RT America, Youtube



***** Former Wasserman Schultz IT staffer arrested on charges of bank fraud


A former information technology staffer for Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Monday was arrested on charges of bank fraud at Dulles International Airport as he was attempting to travel to Pakistan.

Imran Awan, 37, of Lorton, Virginia, pleaded not guilty to one charge of bank fraud during a Tuesday arraignment at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the court, Awan was granted permission to return to his home under specific conditions, including obeying a strict curfew, wearing a GPS monitoring device, giving up his passports and staying within a 50-mile radius of his home. Awan was fired by office of the former chair of the DNC on Tuesday, according to his attorney Chris Gowen.

Awan is accused of trying to defraud Congressional Federal Credit Union, a popular bank for Capitol Hill staffers, by misrepresenting a home $165,000 home equity loan he attempted to obtain for a piece of rental property. FBI Special Agent Brandon Merriman, who penned the charging document, stated in an affidavit that Awan and his wife, Hina Alvi, misrepresented the property for which the loan was to be granted, identifying it as a "principal residence." According to Merriman, the credit union does not normally issue home equity loans for rental properties.

Merriman wrote in the document that Awan was attempting to leave the U.S. and not return. Awan, however, did have a booked returning flight set for January 2018. Merriman also noted that Awan's family, including his wife, designated as a co-conspirator in the charges, left for Pakistan months before him with multiple bags and boxes packed. The affidavit stated that agents followed Awan and her family during their departure in March, and inside their bags, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol found around $12,000 in cash along with "household goods, clothing and food items."

Awan's attorney railed against the charge in a statement to CBS News, saying that was a "modest real estate matter" exacerbated by "ultra-right-wing-media" and "anti-Muslim bigotry." Awan, Gowen said, has been victimized, and the charges against him will not hold up in court. He added that Awan was not trying to flee the country -- he just wanted to visit family members who were staying in Pakistan with other extended family because of financial troubles.

"They will stand and fight whatever charges are presented," Gowen said about Awan and his wife. "Once they have prevailed, we will have a chance to more closely examine the ugly political and media dynamics that have driven this controversy from the beginning."

Gowen said the charge of bank fraud ultimately stems from a previous criminal investigation earlier in the year looking into accusations that Awan and his wife were overcharging members of Congress for technical equipment and pocketing the difference. When the investigation was revealed in February, many of the members of Congress who had contracted with Awan and his wife fired them suddenly. However, Wasserman Schultz, who employed Awan on a full-time basis, retained him until Tuesday.

In a statement to CBS News, Gowen said: "The government spent several months investigating allegations made by the right wing and has not found any wrongdoing by our client. Instead they have charged him with bank fraud with a criminal complaint that's only direct allegation to Mr. Awan is that he did not disclose all of his rental income on his tax returns."

The investigation leading up to the bank fraud charge and eventual arrest of Awan, according to Merriman, included physical surveillance and multiple FBI interviews. Gowen said that Awan right now is distraught from the arrest but is driving for Uber in the meantime to make ends meet. According to Gowen, Awan is in contact with his family in Pakistan, and he is set to be back in court on August 21.

CBS News reached out to Wasserman Schultz. Her spokesperson David Damron confirmed Awan's previous employment and termination on Tuesday.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz: No Apology From Allen West Yet

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The Allen West Apology Mystery

Did he or didn’t he?

Shortly after Roll Call reported Wednesday afternoon that Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) said that he had apologized to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) for calling her “vile, unprofessional and despicable” in an email, the phones started ringing off the hook.

Wasserman Schultz aides said there had been no apology, and West’s office adamantly denied the report and demanded a retraction.

So, what exactly happened?

West said, “I just apologized,” when asked by a Huffington Post reporter about the situation in the Speaker’s Lobby before votes Wednesday afternoon, according to a tape of the conversation.

The Huffington Post reporter repeated the question later, asking about it in the context of a group of female lawmakers preparing to hold a news conference to condemn him. The Members planned to call on the leadership of both parties to rebuke West. In response to the question, West reiterated that he had apologized before walking into the House chamber.

But West spokeswoman Angela Sachitano doubled down, saying it was Wasserman Schultz who should do the apologizing. Sachitano strenuously denied that West had apologized to Wasserman Schultz and even denied what he’d told Huffington Post.

“In fact, we’re waiting on an apology from her,” Sachitano said.

Wasserman Schultz said on CNN on Wednesday evening that it is “not true” that West apologized and said his message Tuesday was “a tirade” in response to a floor speech on a policy issue that came “out of the clear blue sky.”

“I haven’t received an e-mail or a voice mail,” she added. “I would appreciate his apology.”

The Huffington Post released an audio recording of their reporter’s exchange with West on Wednesday evening:

Huffington Post reporter: Hey Congressman West?

Allen West: Hey.

HP: I have a question for you. I saw that there’s a bunch of Congresswomen having a press conference today to talk about your email to Debbie Wasserman Schultz. What do you think about it? Does that bother you that they’re doing that?

AW: No, it doesn’t bother me.

HP: They’re probably going to say something about being anti-woman or something. [inaudible]

AW: I’ve been married for 22 years. I have two daughters.

HP: So what does that mean? That you respect women or ...

AW: [inaudible] And I just apologized.

HP: And you just apologized?

AW: Mmhmm.

HP: OK. Alright. Thank you.

AW: You’re welcome.

Regardless of what may or may not have been said Wednesday, West was anything but contrite, remorseful or apologetic about the dustup in an email to supporters earlier in the day.

It’s no surprise Democrats and women’s groups used West’s now-infamous email to raise money, but the fiery tea-party-affiliated Congressman used the incident himself in a fundraising solicitation to supporters.

In an email with the subject line titled “vile despicable and unprofessional,” West wrote, “[T]hose three words sum up my feelings about Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

“By now, you’ve probably heard the story. But I wanted you to hear it from me,” he added. The former military man went on to describe Wasserman Schultz as “an attack dog for the liberal, progressive wing of the Democratic Party” and then solicited “$25 or more” for his campaign.

Politico first reported on the nasty diatribe West emailed to the Florida Democrat, who serves as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. The message was in response to Wasserman Schultz knocking his support for the GOP’s Cut, Cap and Balance plan in a speech on the House floor.

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Democrats using Allen West’s rant against Debbie Wasserman Schultz for fundraising

National Democrats are seizing on Rep. Allen West’s (R-Fla.) e-mail tirade against Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) in an effort to raise money and mobilize their supporters.

Wednesday morning, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (N.Y.) sent a message to supporters containing an excerpt from West’s Tuesday night e-mail, in which the Florida Republican wrote to Wasserman Schultz, “You are the most vile, unprofessional, and despicable member of the US House of Representatives. ... you are not a Lady.”

“I wish I could say I was surprised,” Israel wrote in the fundraising e-mail. “Unfortunately, this is exactly the sort of partisan tantrum we’re used to from House Republicans as they push our economy to the brink of disaster while pandering to their Tea Party base. We can’t let this shameful display go unanswered.”

Israel charged that West has often “riled up his extremist right-wing base by attacking progressive women for ‘neutering American men,’ calling supporters of President Obama, ‘a threat to the gene pool’ and writing for a misogynist magazine that denigrated women with words I’d be ashamed to even repeat.”

“And now that he’s in Congress, West thinks he can attack a respected legislator like Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz with this kind of hate-filled screed,” he added.

The political action committee EMILY’s List, which seeks to elect female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, also sent out a message to supporters highlighting West’s remarks.

“Cong. Allen West’s angry, hostile tirade to DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz is truly despicable,” reads a message on the EMILY’s List Web site. “If you had any doubt about the Republican war on women, look no further than West’s email -- it’s threatening, sexist and demeaning. We can’t sit by and watch such an appalling action from one of our elected officials. Tell Allen West that you are standing with Debbie against this outrageous and despicable behavior.”

The group had already been targeting West for some his more controversial comments and has endorsed former West Palm Beach mayor Lois Frankel (D) in her bid to unseat the freshman Republican.

Wednesday morning, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) took to Twitter to defend Wasserman Schultz.

“@DWStweets - got your back. Truth’s like ice water. It was all just the facts,” Edwards tweeted.

A West spokeswoman on Tuesday stood by the congressman’s comments, saying in a statement that Wasserman Schultz’s “actions were unprofessional and cowardly.”


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Sources: AP, Huffington Post, MSNBC, Politico, Roll Call, Sun Sentinel, Washington Post, Youtube, Google Maps

Allen West Viciously Slams Debbie Wasserman Schultz! (Florida Medicare Cuts)

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Democrats using Allen West’s rant against Debbie Wasserman Schultz for fundraising

National Democrats are seizing on Rep. Allen West’s (R-Fla.) e-mail tirade against Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) in an effort to raise money and mobilize their supporters.

Wednesday morning, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (N.Y.) sent a message to supporters containing an excerpt from West’s Tuesday night e-mail, in which the Florida Republican wrote to Wasserman Schultz, “You are the most vile, unprofessional, and despicable member of the US House of Representatives. ... you are not a Lady.”

“I wish I could say I was surprised,” Israel wrote in the fundraising e-mail. “Unfortunately, this is exactly the sort of partisan tantrum we’re used to from House Republicans as they push our economy to the brink of disaster while pandering to their Tea Party base. We can’t let this shameful display go unanswered.”

Israel charged that West has often “riled up his extremist right-wing base by attacking progressive women for ‘neutering American men,’ calling supporters of President Obama, ‘a threat to the gene pool’ and writing for a misogynist magazine that denigrated women with words I’d be ashamed to even repeat.”

“And now that he’s in Congress, West thinks he can attack a respected legislator like Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz with this kind of hate-filled screed,” he added.

The political action committee EMILY’s List, which seeks to elect female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, also sent out a message to supporters highlighting West’s remarks.

“Cong. Allen West’s angry, hostile tirade to DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz is truly despicable,” reads a message on the EMILY’s List Web site. “If you had any doubt about the Republican war on women, look no further than West’s email -- it’s threatening, sexist and demeaning. We can’t sit by and watch such an appalling action from one of our elected officials. Tell Allen West that you are standing with Debbie against this outrageous and despicable behavior.”

The group had already been targeting West for some his more controversial comments and has endorsed former West Palm Beach mayor Lois Frankel (D) in her bid to unseat the freshman Republican.

Wednesday morning, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) took to Twitter to defend Wasserman Schultz.

“@DWStweets - got your back. Truth’s like ice water. It was all just the facts,” Edwards tweeted.

A West spokeswoman on Tuesday stood by the congressman’s comments, saying in a statement that Wasserman Schultz’s “actions were unprofessional and cowardly.”


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Sources: AP, MSNBC, Politico, Sun Sentinel, Washington Post, Google Maps

GOP's 2012 Anti-Obama Lethal Weapon: Voter Suppression! (Black Voters)

New GOP Sponsored "Voter Fraud Prevention" ID Laws Reek Of 2012 Voter Suppression Tactics Aimed At BLACK & HISPANIC Constituents.

Its Obvious GOP Lawmakers On Capitol Hill & Some GOP Governors Are Laser-Focused On Paralyzing The Black American Community's Power & Wealth By Any Means Necessary!

As I've Mentioned Before I'm Vehemently Opposed To Straight Ticket Voting Because It Encourages Politicians, Especially BLACK Politicians To Be Lazy.

If BLACK Politicians Think Their BLACK Constituents Are Going To Support Them Regardless Of How They Are Represented, Than Why Should Those Same BLACK Politicians Fight For Or Look Out For The Best Interests Of Their BLACK Constituents?

Thus My Dislike Of The Straight Ticket Voting Process Still Stands.

However To Suppress BLACK & Hispanic People From Being Able To Vote Is A Whole Different Ball Game!

Voter Suppression DOES In Fact Take America Back To The Days Of Jim Crow, Poll Taxes & Pre-Voting Literacy Exams.

And....

Its ILLEGAL!!

A Direct Violation Of The Voting Rights Act Of 1965!

When The U.S. Supreme Court Ruled In 2008 That States Are Allowed To Control Their Own Voting Laws, The Court Did NOT Grant Permission For States To Violate Or Ignore The Voting Rights Act Of 1965.

However That Is What Exactly What GOP Lawmakers Appear To Be Doing.

By The Way Where Is The Outrage From BLACK & Democrat Leaders Over This Injustice?

Recently When DNC Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-D) Spoke Up & Called Out What The GOP Is Doing As It Relates To Voting Rights Violation, She Was Slammed By The Mainstream Media.

Do Such Public Rebukes Mean The Mainstream Media Actually Supports Voter Suppression Of BLACK & HISPANIC Voters??

I Say Its Time For The U.S. Dept Of Justice To Also Speak Up On This Critical Issue, Just As Debbie Wasserman Schultz So Boldly Spoke Up.

How Can We Save Ourselves From Being Led Back To Jim Crow?

Stop Complaining & Fighting Among Ourselves.

Let's Unite, Mobilize & Re-elect Pres. Barack Obama By Any Means Necessary!

Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around!

Don't Allow Anyone To Silence Your Political Voice In 2012!

As A Legal American Citizen, Of Legal Age, YOU Have The Right To Vote!!

So Get Out & VOTE FOR OBAMA IN 2012!!




Republican ID laws smack of vote suppression


To many Republicans, it is an article of faith that minimalist government works best.

Except, that is, when Republicans want to impose tighter rules for their political benefit. A case in point is the flurry of states —six so far this year— rushing to pass laws requiring voters to bring government-issued photo IDs to polling places. All have Republican governors and GOP-controlled legislatures.

Supporters say this is necessary to prevent voter fraud. But the operative question is: Why, at a time of economic distress and state budget shortfalls, is this such a priority? The answer has less to do with prevention than with suppression.

In theory, there isn't anything wrong with requiring photo IDs to vote, just as they are required to drive, board a plane or cash a check. The Constitution gives states broad latitude to run their elections. And a 2008 Supreme Court ruling upheld an ID law in Indiana, giving other states a green light for their own laws.

So states clearly can impose these requirements. The question is whether they should.

Scratch just gently beneath the surface, and these new measures appear unnecessary at best. Voter fraud is rare and consists largely of the types of actions that IDs would not correct, such as vote-buying and voter intimidation. Fraud is already kept in check by elections officials, poll watchers from both parties, and acceptance of alternatives to photo IDs, such as utility bills.

One study in Minnesota, done after an extraordinarily close Senate race in 2008, found a grand total of seven suspicious votes, out of nearly 3 million cast. No charges were filed that year. Those seven cases were exceeded by the dozen or so elderly nuns in nearby Indiana who were turned away from the polls for lack of picture IDs.

The nuns were exercising a surprisingly common choice. An estimated one in 11— do not have government-issued photo IDs. This, of course, is an option they should be free to exercise. They also have every right to participate in elections, and the government has an obligation to allow them reasonable access to the polls.

So does it make sense to place roadblocks in front of them in the name of policing a crime that barely exists? And does it make sense to try to issue IDs to millions of people who apparently don't want or otherwise need them? Many libertarians see this as a route to a national ID card system, which they deeply oppose.

There is also ample reason to doubt the sincerity of states that say they will provide IDs. When Georgia imposed an ID law in 2005, courts barred the state from charging for them, calling such fees a poll tax — an unconstitutional tactic once used by segregationists to keep blacks from voting. But given the true motive behind such laws, it's likely that states will find other ways to make the IDs hard to get.

Just as Democrats try to help their cause by making it easier to vote through expedited registration and early voting, Republicans see a benefit in lowering the turnout among certain voters. The people most likely to be dissuaded by the hassle of obtaining an ID card — the old and infirm, the young and the poor — tend to vote Democratic. Shouldn't Republicans be looking for ways to expand their appeal to these groups, rather than throwing obstacles in their way?

While both parties are guilty of self-interested behavior, the national interest of addressing the USA's deplorably low election participation rates clearly falls on the side of making it easier, not harder, to vote.




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Sources: CNN, Politico, TV One, USA Today, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Weiner Being Forced Out By Party Leaders; Considers Resigning

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For The Last Time Congressman Weiner Please Resign Sir!

It Doesn't Matter What Your Wife Huma (If She's Advising Him) Or Some Loyal 9th District (NYC) Constituents Are Telling You.

It Doesn't Matter Because You Did LIE & Communicated Via Tweeter With A 17-Year-Old Girl!

We Know That You Are Truly Apologetic & Sincerely Remorseful But Sir For The Good Of Voters (Democrats & Independents) Badly In Need Of JOBS & Voters Participating In The 2012 Elections, You Need To Step Down Like Yesterday.

Please Listen To Party Leaders, NOT Your Friends & Family!

Its NOT About YOU Anymore Sir!

Its About Hurting Voters!

Its About Healing This Country!

So Please Stop Dithering!

Step Down Before This Unnecessary Media Blitz Totally Screws Up Democrats' Plans To Help Create Infrastructure Jobs & To STOP The GOP's Discriminatory Fake Deficit Reduction Agenda Of Destroying Successful Programs Which Have Always Helped Senior Citizens (Medicare), Veterans, College Students, Middle Class & Low Income Citizens.

Congressman Weiner If You RESIGN Now & Seek Treatment, Its Highly Possible You WILL Be Able To Come Back And Continue A Career In Politics.

Despite This Embarrassing Incident, Its Quite Obvious You Have A Brilliant Political Mind.

However If You Ignore The Advice Of Party Leadership, Your Political Career May Be Doomed FOREVER!

You Remain In Our Prayers.

God Bless & Thank You For Making The RIGHT Decision.

VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!!!!

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Weiner Agrees to Get Treatment as Calls for Resignation Intensify


Defying forceful demands for his resignation, Representative Anthony D. Weiner of New York said on Saturday that he was entering a psychological treatment center and seeking a leave of absence from the House to deal with a pattern of reckless online behavior with women.

The announcement came as three top Democratic leaders declared that Mr. Weiner, 46, once a rising star in the party, needed counseling and should step down from Congress.

Pressure on Mr. Weiner to leave the House, and spare the Democratic Party from an increasingly embarrassing scandal, had been building all week, but intensified on Friday, after it was revealed that Mr. Weiner had traded private messages with a 17-year-old girl in Delaware.

Mr. Weiner, who friends say has become distraught and fragile in recent days, will use the leave to think about his future and whether to leave Congress, a possibility he has not entirely ruled out, a person close to him said.

But Mr. Weiner’s plan did not satisfy exasperated Democratic leaders, who have been trying to persuade him that he is damaging himself, his family and his party by remaining a member of the House.

The House Democratic leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, spoke to Mr. Weiner on the phone Saturday morning and, notably, released her statement calling for his resignation after he told her of his plan to
get treatment and to take the leave. Mr. Weiner received a similar phone call from Representative Steve Israel of New York, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, urging him to resign.

Mr. Weiner has been talking with a therapist in New York City over the past couple of days, as fallout from his online scandal worsened and he absorbed the message from his colleagues and advisers that his conduct reflected not just bad judgment but perhaps a deeper psychological problem.

“Congressman Weiner departed this morning to seek professional treatment to focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person,” said his spokeswoman, Risa Heller. “In light of that, he will request a short leave of absence from the House of Representatives so that he can get evaluated and map out a course of treatment to make himself well.”

Ms. Heller would not identify the facility or the precise kind of counseling Mr. Weiner, who has admitted having explicit communications with six women he met online, would receive. She stressed that he was carefully considering the calls from his fellow lawmakers urging him to give up his seat.

Mr. Weiner has been resistant in telephone calls over the past week with Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Israel, who have been warning him that if he does not quit, they will make their case publicly.

They were especially frustrated, according to one high-ranking Democratic official, when Mr. Weiner repeatedly told them he could not resign now because his wife, Huma Abedin, was traveling abroad with her boss, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton — an assertion they viewed as an unpersuasive pretext.

Ms. Pelosi had hoped that the congressman would reach the decision on his own to go. In addition to her concerns about the political distraction Mr. Weiner had become, Ms. Pelosi concluded that his behavior required medical intervention.

“When you are this self-destructive, there is obviously something deeper going on with you,” said a Pelosi adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being seen as betraying her confidence.

Asked how Mr. Weiner reacted to his phone call Saturday morning, Mr. Israel said, “He absorbed it, but he obviously had more pressing matters to deal with.”

The pressure from colleagues had been building throughout the week, but the report on Friday that Mr. Weiner corresponded on Twitter with the 17-year-old girl further inflamed the situation. A Democratic National Committee official told members of Mr. Weiner’s staff that the congressman’s assertion that his exchanges with the girl, a high school junior, were “neither explicit nor indecent” did not really matter at this point.

The concerns of Democratic leaders were echoed by those closely advising Mr. Weiner throughout the week, who said they watched him become more anguished as sensational news media coverage continued about his graphic interactions with the women on social media.

One friend said it had become abundantly clear that Mr. Weiner was no longer in a position to make clear-headed decisions about his career and health.

“He was falling apart,” said a longtime friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the relationship.

Mr. Weiner, who prides himself on his dapper appearance and physical fitness, was losing weight, seemed run down and drawn and increasingly found it difficult to make it through telephone calls without losing his composure.

He began meeting with the therapist not only to discuss his online behavior, but also to cope with the fallout from the scandal. On Friday, with calls for his resignation multiplying, he agreed that traditional therapy was not enough. He told family and friends that he would enter an out-of-town clinic and made travel plans for Saturday afternoon. He will be evaluated before it is determined exactly what kind of treatment he will receive.

Several friends who have talked to Mr. Weiner this week expressed concern about how he was handling the scandal. On Saturday he appeared briefly in his Queens neighborhood, visiting a dry cleaner and an A.T.M., while some neighbors called out their support to him.

Mr. Weiner, a Brooklyn-born former city councilman who many believed until a few days ago would be the next mayor of New York City, has always been a figure of frenetic pace and in-your-face manner.

Taking a leave is uncharacteristic for Mr. Weiner, who likes the limelight and is not given to self-reflection — or rest. He must submit his request for the leave in writing. Approval is fairly routine: the letter will be presented on the House floor and recorded, without a vote. Mr. Weiner would continue to collect his salary and benefits during his leave.

Others have taken similar steps, including Representative Patrick J. Kennedy, Democrat of Rhode Island, who sought help for addiction to prescription drugs in 2006.

Even as they emphasized that Mr. Weiner’s desire to get help was sincere, two people close to him acknowledged that it could, at least temporarily, relieve some of the political pressure and media chaos surrounding him. As recently as Monday, the congressman said he would not seek treatment, blaming a personal mistake for what he had done.

Ms. Pelosi and other Democratic leaders were deeply worried about Mr. Weiner’s scheduled return to Washington this week, after a Congressional recess, fearing he would bring a circuslike spectacle with him.

His scandal erupted at a particularly bad time for the party, as Democrats had briefly regained momentum after a surprise victory in an upstate New York election, and put Republicans on the defensive over a proposal to revamp Medicare.

“I am heartbroken,” Senator Charles E. Schumer said in a statement, adding, “It’s clear he needs professional help and I am glad he is seeking it.”

As the party has tried to react, the voices of female Democratic leaders seem to have carried special weight.

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, issued a statement saying, “The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner’s continued service in Congress is untenable.”


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Sources: CNN, Fox News, Huffington Post, Meet The Press, MSNBC, NY Daily News, NY Times, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Bart Stupak Called A "Baby Killer" On House Floor

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Sources: MSNBC, Fox News, Youtube

Pro-Life & Pro-Choice Women Voters Slam Stupak & Obama

Pro-Choice & Pro-Life Groups Slam Obama Order On Abortion Funding


Pro-Choice and Pro-Life groups on Sunday strongly denounced a deal by Pro-Life Democrats and President Obama to ensure limits on taxpayer money for abortion services, outlined in a Senate health insurance overhaul now on the verge House approval.

Abortion Rights supporters chastised the president, saying he caved on his principles by agreeing to issue an executive order that strengthens limits on abortion. Abortion opponents, on the other hand, said Obama's pending order does nothing to prohibit spending on abortion services as provided in the Senate bill.

The National Organization for Women issued a statement that it is "incensed" Obama agreed to the deal sought by Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., and other lawmakers who argued that the Senate health care overhaul allowed public funding for abortions. The lawmakers had been the key votes to stopping passage of the massive government plan.



"Through this order, the President has announced he will lend the weight of his office and the entire executive branch to the Anti-Abortion measures included in the Senate bill, which the House is now prepared to pass," reads a statement from NOW.

"President Obama campaigned as a Pro-Choice president, but his actions today suggest that his commitment to reproductive health care is shaky at best. ... We see now that we have our work cut out for us far beyond what we ever anticipated. The message we have received today is that it is acceptable to negotiate health care on the backs of Women, and we couldn't disagree more," the group said.

The National Right to Life Committee argued that seven objectionable Pro-Abortion provisions in the Senate bill are unchanged.



"The executive order promised by President Obama was issued for political effect. It changes nothing. It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions in the bill. The president cannot amend a bill by issuing an order, and the federal courts will enforce what the law says," the group said.

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Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund President Marjorie Dannenfelser said the group was revoking its "Defender of Life" award to Stupak, which was to be awarded at its Wednesday night gala.

"We were planning to honor Congressman Stupak for his efforts to keep abortion-funding out of health care reform. We will no longer be doing so," Dannenfelser said. "Let me be clear: any representative, including Rep. Stupak, who votes for this health care bill can no longer call themselves 'pro-life.'"

Stupak, who led Democratic lawmakers opposed to the Senate bill, made an announcement of a deal Sunday afternoon, surrounded by a handful of Democratic lawmakers who had held out their "yes" votes in exchange for a guarantee of no public funding for abortion.

The arrangement appeared to cement passage of the massive insurance overhaul as House lawmakers later approved the rules for debate in a 224-206 vote, moving the House one step closer to passage.

"I'm pleased to announce that we have an agreement, and it's with the help of the president and the speaker we were able to come to an agreement to protect the sanctity of life in the health care reform. There will be no public funding for abortion in this legislation," Stupak said.

The White House issued its own statement about the executive order.

The president "will be issuing an executive order after the passage of the health insurance reform law that will reaffirm its consistency with longstanding restrictions on the use of federal funds for abortion," reads the statement from White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer.

"While the legislation as written maintains current law, the executive order provides additional safeguards to ensure that the status quo is upheld and enforced, and that the health care legislation's restrictions against the public funding of abortions cannot be circumvented," the statement reads.

Opponents say an executive order does not have the force of law that legislation would provide.

"That is not the rule of law. That's the rule of man. One man can sign an executive order and one man can repeal that again, the president of the United States," said Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., appearing on "Fox News Sunday" before the deal was announced.

House Minority Leader John Boehner said an executive order "can direct members of the executive branch, it cannot direct the private sector."

"Because of Roe v. Wade, courts have interpreted the decision as a statutory mandate that the government must provide federal funding for elective abortion in through federal programs. In other words, no executive order or regulation can override a statutory mandate unless Congress passes a law that prohibits federal funding from being used in this manner," Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a statement.

Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., added that pro-life Democrats should be alarmed by a promise coming from a politician with a 100 percent rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America.

"This puts the fate of the unborn in the hands of the most pro-abortion president in history," he said.

Stupak had frustrated Democratic liberals who said they were fine with the language in the Senate health care that stipulated taxpayer money for abortions not be used by private insurance plans operating in a new insurance marketplace.

Opponents of the Senate bill, however, had wanted more rigorous language like that which had passed the House in November under the "Stupak amendment." Stupak said statutory language would've been preferable but would not pass the Senate.

Stupak's concerns seemed to have been allayed by the executive order even though the Senate bill creates a tricky accounting technique to separate out federal subsidies for premiums on plans that allow abortion coverage and those that do not.

Planned Parenthood argued that while it opposed the president's decision to issue an order, the abortion service provider was glad the president didn't order a ban on private health insurance coverage for abortion, as it claimed Stupak's amendment would've done.

"We regret that a pro-choice president of a pro-choice nation was forced to sign an executive order that further codifies the proposed anti-choice language in the health care reform bill," the group said in a statement. "We are grateful that it does not include the Stupak abortion ban."

Health insurance provided by government-run exchanges is not set to go into effect until 2014, after the 2012 election. Stupak said he was confident the executive order would not be rescinded by Obama.

The president "said there will be no federal dollars for abortion. The president has put his commitment in writing," Stupak said. "This is a very extensive order, he does not plan on rescinding it."

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White House, Bart Stupak Reach Anti-Abortion Funding Agreement




The White House and anti-abortion Democrats have reached an agreement to defuse the controversy over abortion in the health reform bill — planning a series of steps that will secure the support of Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak and other Democrats to give party leaders the votes they need to pass reform, sources tell POLITICO.

Under the agreement, President Barack Obama would sign an executive order ensuring that no federal funding will go to pay for abortion under the health reform plans. In addition, Stupak will get to state his concerns about abortion funding in the bill during a colloquy on the House floor during the debate.

And then, Stupak and several other Democratic holdouts over abortion will sign on to the bill, the sources said. The agreement would almost certainly give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the 216 votes she needs to secure an historic health reform vote by day’s end — capping a yearlong drive to achieve Obama’s signature legislative goal.

Stupak himself told reporters in the Capitol that he remains opposed to the bill at this time. "I'm a 'no' vote. There is no agreement. Until there is an agreement I'm a 'no' vote," Stupak said, but he said the negotiations on a final agreement are continuing.

Asked how many votes hang in the balance, Stupak said, “enough” — meaning enough to save or kill the bill.

But Rep. Alan Mollohan, who is one of the votes in question, told POLITICO that the language in the agreement has already been essentially cleared. Mollohan said it is only a matter of time for "the follow-through steps" to be implemented.

The small cavalcade of victories for Democratic leaders appeared to put them in position to enact the health care law while allowing more politically vulnerable lawmakers off the hook.

Earlier Sunday, Democratic leaders expressed growing confidence that they would have the votes needed to pass a sweeping health reform measure by day’s end — even as the No. 2 House leader acknowledged Democrats are still a few votes shy of a majority.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Democrats are “low single digits” away from getting the 216 votes needed to pass the bill.

“We're going to get the votes, low single digits certainly, but we're going to get the votes, and we’re going to have the votes this afternoon,” Hoyer (Md.) said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” "There are still members looking at it, trying to make up their minds [but], we think 216-plus votes when we call the roll."

But Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) insisted the Democrats were already there, saying Sunday would be an historic day, and said: “We have the votes now, as we speak,” he said.

Democrats hope to secure the votes of a trio of veteran Blue Dogs — Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California and retiring Reps. Marion Berry (Ark.) and John Tanner (Tenn.) — as well as a handful of anti-abortion Democrats who could break from Stupak to back the bill.

Already, Stupak’s phalanx of Anti-Abortion hard-liners has been breaking apart, with Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur announcing Sunday that she will support the health care bill. Retiring Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), who had concerns about the bill not related to abortion, also announced Sunday that he will vote for the bill.

A round of late-night negotiations held the promise of further cracking Stupak's coalition with a proposed executive order that would reinforce the bill's ban on federal subsidies for the purchase of insurance plans that cover abortion.




The talks, led by Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), were expected to continue deep into the night after a rare and wild Saturday House session that featured a visit from Obama to a Democratic Caucus meeting and a frenzied tea party-style protest against the bill and Democratic leaders on the Capitol grounds.

"It is time to pass health care reform for America, and I am confident that you are going to do it tomorrow," Obama said in an address broadcast nationwide from deep inside the underground Capitol Visitor Center. "Don't do it for me. Don't do it for Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid . Do it for the American people. They're the ones looking for action right now."

Pass or fail, Sunday's votes will be the culmination of a tortuous yearlong legislative saga. Democrats believe they will deliver on a decades-overdue promise, and Republicans believe Democrats are setting themselves up for a rout come November. At this point, Louisiana Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao is the only Republican who could back the bill — and, though he voted for the initial House bill, that seems like a long shot.

At the same time Obama spoke, several stories above the caucus bunker, thousands of protesters massed at the southeastern edge of the Capitol grounds. Several Republican lawmakers, led by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, used a bullhorn to whip up the crowd in opposition to the health care bill and the Democratic leaders who are pursuing its enactment. They derisively chanted Pelosi's first name, yelling "Nan-cy, Nan-cy, Nan-cy" in unison, as if attending a New York Mets game.

Despite the protesters, Obama's Saturday afternoon pep talk came amid good news for Democratic vote-counters, who predicted they would get the 216 votes needed to send the bulk of the health care overhaul to the president on Sunday.

In addition to expanding health insurance access to nearly every American, the measure would end insurers' ability to deny coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions. Democrats, backed by a recent report from the Congressional Budget Office, say their combined bills will also produce a surplus of $138 billion over the next decade and $1.2 trillion over the following 10 years.

In the final push to clear the underbrush for Sunday's votes, Democratic leaders killed a controversial plan to avoid a direct vote on the Senate's bill, opting instead to vote separately on both that bill and the House's fixes.


Sources: Fox News, MSNBC, National Right to Life Committee, National Women's Organization, TIME, Simon & Schuster, Youtube

GOP Leaders Vow To Repeal Obama's Health Care "Reform" Law

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Sources: MSNBC, Fox News, Youtube

Bart Stupak Caved! Executive Order Not Law! Pro-Lifers Loose!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

White House, Bart Stupak Reach Anti-Abortion Funding Agreement




The White House and anti-abortion Democrats have reached an agreement to defuse the controversy over abortion in the health reform bill — planning a series of steps that will secure the support of Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak and other Democrats to give party leaders the votes they need to pass reform, sources tell POLITICO.

Under the agreement, President Barack Obama would sign an executive order ensuring that no federal funding will go to pay for abortion under the health reform plans. In addition, Stupak will get to state his concerns about abortion funding in the bill during a colloquy on the House floor during the debate.

And then, Stupak and several other Democratic holdouts over abortion will sign on to the bill, the sources said. The agreement would almost certainly give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the 216 votes she needs to secure an historic health reform vote by day’s end — capping a yearlong drive to achieve Obama’s signature legislative goal.

Stupak himself told reporters in the Capitol that he remains opposed to the bill at this time. "I'm a 'no' vote. There is no agreement. Until there is an agreement I'm a 'no' vote," Stupak said, but he said the negotiations on a final agreement are continuing.

Asked how many votes hang in the balance, Stupak said, “enough” — meaning enough to save or kill the bill.



But Rep. Alan Mollohan, who is one of the votes in question, told POLITICO that the language in the agreement has already been essentially cleared. Mollohan said it is only a matter of time for "the follow-through steps" to be implemented.

The small cavalcade of victories for Democratic leaders appeared to put them in position to enact the health care law while allowing more politically vulnerable lawmakers off the hook.

Earlier Sunday, Democratic leaders expressed growing confidence that they would have the votes needed to pass a sweeping health reform measure by day’s end — even as the No. 2 House leader acknowledged Democrats are still a few votes shy of a majority.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Democrats are “low single digits” away from getting the 216 votes needed to pass the bill.

“We're going to get the votes, low single digits certainly, but we're going to get the votes, and we’re going to have the votes this afternoon,” Hoyer (Md.) said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” "There are still members looking at it, trying to make up their minds [but], we think 216-plus votes when we call the roll."

But Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) insisted the Democrats were already there, saying Sunday would be an historic day, and said: “We have the votes now, as we speak,” he said.

Democrats hope to secure the votes of a trio of veteran Blue Dogs — Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California and retiring Reps. Marion Berry (Ark.) and John Tanner (Tenn.) — as well as a handful of anti-abortion Democrats who could break from Stupak to back the bill.

Already, Stupak’s phalanx of Anti-Abortion hard-liners has been breaking apart, with Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur announcing Sunday that she will support the health care bill. Retiring Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), who had concerns about the bill not related to abortion, also announced Sunday that he will vote for the bill.

A round of late-night negotiations held the promise of further cracking Stupak's coalition with a proposed executive order that would reinforce the bill's ban on federal subsidies for the purchase of insurance plans that cover abortion.




The talks, led by Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), were expected to continue deep into the night after a rare and wild Saturday House session that featured a visit from Obama to a Democratic Caucus meeting and a frenzied tea party-style protest against the bill and Democratic leaders on the Capitol grounds.

"It is time to pass health care reform for America, and I am confident that you are going to do it tomorrow," Obama said in an address broadcast nationwide from deep inside the underground Capitol Visitor Center. "Don't do it for me. Don't do it for Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid . Do it for the American people. They're the ones looking for action right now."

Pass or fail, Sunday's votes will be the culmination of a tortuous yearlong legislative saga. Democrats believe they will deliver on a decades-overdue promise, and Republicans believe Democrats are setting themselves up for a rout come November. At this point, Louisiana Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao is the only Republican who could back the bill — and, though he voted for the initial House bill, that seems like a long shot.

At the same time Obama spoke, several stories above the caucus bunker, thousands of protesters massed at the southeastern edge of the Capitol grounds. Several Republican lawmakers, led by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, used a bullhorn to whip up the crowd in opposition to the health care bill and the Democratic leaders who are pursuing its enactment. They derisively chanted Pelosi's first name, yelling "Nan-cy, Nan-cy, Nan-cy" in unison, as if attending a New York Mets game.

Despite the protesters, Obama's Saturday afternoon pep talk came amid good news for Democratic vote-counters, who predicted they would get the 216 votes needed to send the bulk of the health care overhaul to the president on Sunday.

In addition to expanding health insurance access to nearly every American, the measure would end insurers' ability to deny coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions. Democrats, backed by a recent report from the Congressional Budget Office, say their combined bills will also produce a surplus of $138 billion over the next decade and $1.2 trillion over the following 10 years.

In the final push to clear the underbrush for Sunday's votes, Democratic leaders killed a controversial plan to avoid a direct vote on the Senate's bill, opting instead to vote separately on both that bill and the House's fixes.


Sources: MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, Politico, Youtube