CONYERS vs PELOSI - SEXUAL HARASSMENT AGAINST WOMEN WHEN MEN ARE IN POWER

PELOSI vs CONYERS - SEXUAL HARASSMENT AGAINST WOMEN WHEN MEN ARE IN POWER:

DENIAL OF GUILT DOESN'T MAKE SOMEONE INNOCENT........JUST VERY CUNNING.

IN MOST INSTANCES I DISAGREE WITH NANCY PELOSI BUT THIS TIME I DO AGREE WITH HER DECISION TO INVESTIGATE CONYERS.

IF CONYERS IS 100% INNOCENT WHY DID HE AGREE TO PAY HIS COMPLAINANTS $$$??

OPRAH DIDN'T SETTLE WHEN SHE WAS SUED BY WEALTHY CATTLE RANCHERS.

WATCH OUT DEMOCRATS; TRUMP IS FIGHTING BACK.

"HE WHO COMMITS ADULTERY IS SENSELESS. DOING SO, HE DESTROYS HIMSELF"
PROVERBS 6:32

"FOR WHAT PROFITS A MAN TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD YET LOSE HIS SOUL?"
MATTHEW 8:36


Sources: Washington Post, The Hill, YouTube


***** Pelosi calls for ethics investigation into alleged Conyers sexual harassment


House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called for a formal ethics investigation into Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) following allegations he sexually harassed female staff and reached a settlement with an aide who claimed she was fired for rejecting his advances.

"As Members of Congress, we each have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of the House of Representatives and to ensure a climate of dignity and respect, with zero tolerance for harassment, discrimination, bullying or abuse," Pelosi said in a statement Tuesday.

"As I have said before, any credible allegation of sexual harassment must be investigated by the Ethics Committee," she said.

Pelosi is the most senior lawmaker yet to call for an ethics probe into Conyers's behavior. She did not address whether Conyers, the ranking member of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, should step down from that position.

"I expressly and vehemently denied the allegations made against me, and continue to do so," Conyers stated Tuesday.

"My office resolved the allegations — with an express denial of liability — to save all involved from the rigors of protracted litigation. That should not be lost in the narrative," he stated.

A growing chorus of Democrats has called for an ethics investigation into the matter.

"The allegations against Ranking Member Conyers are extremely serious and deeply troubling," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Judiciary's second most senior Democrat, in a statement.

"Obviously, these allegations must be investigated promptly by the Ethics Committee. There can be no tolerance for behavior that subjects women to the kind of conduct alleged," Nadler stated.

A growing chorus of Democrats has called for an ethics investigation into the matter.

"The allegations against Ranking Member Conyers are extremely serious and deeply troubling," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Judiciary's second most senior Democrat, in a statement.

"Obviously, these allegations must be investigated promptly by the Ethics Committee. There can be no tolerance for behavior that subjects women to the kind of conduct alleged," Nadler stated.

"Beyond the sexual harassment allegations are allegations that call into question the amount of money that is used to settle sexual harassment cases, and whether some Members are using their tax payer-funded office budgets to make settlements under the guise of severance payments," Speier said in a statement, also calling for an ethics investigation.

Citing documents from the case, BuzzFeed News reported late Monday that Conyers settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015 with an unidentified woman who alleged that he "repeatedly made sexual advances to female staff that included requests for sex acts." The report included other allegations of harassment by Conyers.

Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) called the report "extremely troubling" in a statement. He noted a recent rules change requiring members and staff to undergo anti-harassment training and said the House Administration Committee is reviewing congressional workplace policies.

"Additional reforms to the system are under consideration as the committee continues its review," Ryan stated Tuesday. "People who work in the House deserve and are entitled to a workplace without harassment or discrimination."

Pelosi denied knowledge of the alleged settlement in a statement first shared with BuzzFeed, citing the requirement that the parties keep their agreement confidential.

Anthony Weiner Should Resign & See Dr. Drew! Decision 2012

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Here It Is Straight No Chaser!

I Totally, Totally Agree With MSNBC's Ed Schultz (Glad To See You Back Ed) That Its Time For Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-NY) To Resign.

After Supporting Him Earlier, I Now Believe It Would Be In The Best Interest Of The 2012 Elections, That He Should Step Down. NOW!

If Weiner Refuses To Resign He Could Possibly Ruin Chances For Democrats To Regain The U.S. House & Could Also Possibly Cost Democrats The U.S. Senate.

Thus He Should No Longer Continue Speaking Out To The Press.

He Should No Longer Try To Hold On To His Seat Hoping He'll Be Able To Ride Out This Scandal Because It Won't Work!

Just Please SHUT UP & STEP DOWN For Christ's Sake!

PLEASE!

And....

Schedule An Appointment To Meet With Dr. Drew Pinsky ASAP In The Process.

Do I Still Believe Weiner Fell Into The GOP's Waiting Hands On This One?

YES!

The GOP Didn't Want Weiner, A Liberal Democrat To Become Mayor Of NYC.

So When He Messed Up With This Sexting, Twitter Scandal He Became Putty In Their Hands.

Andrew Breitbart, Founder Of Biggovernment.com & A Paid GOP Operative, Doesn't Just Sit Around Waiting For Scandalous Stories Like These To Pop-Up Out Of Nowhere, No!

Instead Breitbart Preys Upon Influential Democrat Politicians, Helps Set Them Up & Than Moves In For The KILL!

Kill As In Kill Their Political Careers, Thereby Making Room For GOP Replacements.

Folks Like Peter King (R) (Mr. "Muslim Radicalization") Who Represents Long Island, Was Also Probably Sitting & Waiting By The Sidelines For Weiner To Self-Destruct.

No Worries Folks!

Because There's Absolutely NO Chance Weiner Will Become New York's Mext Mayor In 2013.

However Unlike Adulterer & Former Presidential Candidate, John Edwards (D-NC), It Doesn't Appear That Weiner Violated Any Laws. (i.e., Campaign Finance Laws)

And Lying Isn't Usually A Crime Unless You LIE To A Government Or Law Enforcement Official Right?

i.e., John Ensign (R-NV)

After Receiving Some Serious Sex Addiction Counseling From Dr. Drew Pinsky, Who Knows What Weiner's Next Career Might Be.

But If He Wants To Regain The Trust Of His Constituents, He Will More Than Likely Have To Start Over At Ground Zero. (No Pun Intended)

Like Possibly Becoming A NYC District Rep., City Councilman Or.....

Perhaps Starting An Advocacy Program For Some Of Brooklyn's Most Vulnerable Citizens To Help With Issues That Have Repeatedly Plagued Citizens Who Reside In That Part Of New York City.

Ex: Slum Landlord Housing, Illegal Evictions, No Hot Water, No Heat, Illegally Fired, Low Unemployment, Bad Public Schools, Serious Crime, Mob Takeovers, Child Abuse & Neglect, etc.,

Kudos To U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi For Immediately Starting An Ethics Investigation Following Weiner's Babbling Idiot's Press Conference.

Listen Weiner For The Good Of Your Party & Pres. Obama's Re-election, Please Just SHUT UP & STEP DOWN!

Don't Drag This Out Any Longer Because The GOP Is Eating It Up Like A Delicious Coney Island Frankfurter.

Just RESIGN Dude!

TODAY!

And STOP Sexting Photos Of Your "Hot Dog Bun" To Other Women.

You're A Married Man Now Dude!

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

Weiner's only choice is to resign

As Anthony Weiner is about to find out: When you're a politician, not all lies are the same. There's a big difference between breaking a campaign promise by failing to deliver on something and breaking the public's trust with an outright falsehood.

When you do the former, the public will shrug and surmise that you're no better or worse than any other elected official. But when you do the latter, you signal that you can no longer be trusted on any level.

In what you'd have to call a negative trend, Americans have become accustomed over the years to politicians saying one thing to get elected and doing another once they're in office. In fact, these days, people think that is normal. Whether it's George H.W. Bush breaking his promise of "no new taxes," or Barack Obama violating his pledge to make immigration reform a priority of his administration, most people are tolerant of broken promises. They tell themselves that circumstances have changed or that the elected official will eventually make good. Besides, they say, every politician has his share of unfulfilled pledges.

That's not Weiner's problem. The lies he told in response to reporters' questions were much worse and much more direct. They were told not with the desire to get elected but with the intent to mislead and deceive. And that being the case, the damage to his political future is likely to be much more severe.

But you knew that already, if you caught even a glimpse of Monday's news conference where Weiner finally came clean about posting lewd photos on his Twitter account and lying about it.

It was a much different story than what we heard last week, when Weiner claimed that his account had been compromised and that, as a "prank," a hacker had posted

But you knew that already, if you caught even a glimpse of Monday's news conference where Weiner finally came clean about posting lewd photos on his Twitter account and lying about it.

It was a much different story than what we heard last week, when Weiner claimed that his account had been compromised and that, as a "prank," a hacker had posted a lewd photo on the account and sent the photo to a young woman. In a textbook example of how not to answer a question, Weiner told MSNBC's Luke Russert that, while he didn't send the tweet, he "can't say with certitude" whether he was the person in the photo. In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Weiner couldn't even say whether the underpants in the picture were his.

Monday, amid reports that there were more pictures that could yet be released, Weiner apparently decided to cut his losses before the story got worse. He apologized for lying about the ordeal and admitted carrying on inappropriate virtual relationships with several women he'd met online. Better late than never, the married congressman took "full responsibility" for both the relationships and for lying in an attempt to cover them up.



"To be clear, the picture was of me, and I sent it," Weiner said. "I'm deeply sorry for the pain this has caused my wife and our family, my constituents, my friends, my supporters and my staff," he said. "I lied because I was ashamed at what I had done, and I didn't want to get caught."

No kidding. Isn't that why most people lie -- because they're afraid of getting caught? That's obviously no excuse. Nor does it look good that the Democratic leadership in the House wants to know whether Weiner used government resouces while he "exchanged messages and photos of an explicit nature with about six women over the last three years." (Weiner says he doesn't believe he did.)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced just moments after the news conference that she would call "for an Ethics Committee investigation to determine whether any official resources were used or any other violation of House rules occurred." Weiner said afterward that he "will fully cooperate with an investigation by the House ethics committee."

Whether or not Wiener violated House ethics rules, it is already clear that he violated the trust of his constituents. When he lied to reporters, he lied to the American people, who count on journalists to tell them what elected officials are doing on their dime. There's no way to make up for that kind of deceit. The relationship between lawmaker and constituent is forever damaged, and this public servant will never be effective again.

As it stands, Weiner is just holding a seat that the people of New York could put to better use. That's why the congressman has no choice but to resign.


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

Charlie Rangel's Censure A Sad Day For American Politics

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

U.S. House Ethics Panel Recommends Censure For Charlie Rangel


The House ethics committee on Thursday recommended censure for longtime Rep. Charles Rangel, suggesting that the New York Democrat suffer the embarrassment of standing before his colleagues while receiving an oral rebuke by the speaker for financial and fundraising misconduct.

Censure is the most serious congressional discipline short of expulsion. The House could change the recommended discipline of Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel, and make it more serious or less serious.

It probably will consider the recommendation after members return from a holiday late this month.

The ethics committee voted 9-1 to recommend censure and that Rangel pay any taxes he owes on income from a vacation villa in the Dominican Republic. The five Democrats and five Republicans on the panel deliberated for about three hours behind closed doors.

Rangel apologizes, says he's not crooked

Earlier, at a sanctions hearing, the 20-term congressman apologized for his misconduct but said he was not a crooked politician out for personal gain. He was in the House hearing room when the ethics committee chairman, Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, announced the recommendation.

Rangel said, "I hope you can see your way clear to indicate any action taken by me was not with the intention of bringing any disgrace on the House or enriching myself personally."

The ethics committee's chief counsel, Blake Chisam, had recommended censure for Rangel. The ethics committee could have opted for lighter punishments, such as a reprimand, a fine or a report deploring the congressman's behavior.

Rangel, 80, one of the chamber's most powerful members before facing the charges, ended the sanctions hearing with an emotional plea to salvage his reputation.

Before speaking, Rangel sat for several minutes trying to compose himself. He placed his hands over his eyes and then his chin, before he slowly stood up and said in a gravelly voice that was barely audible: "I don't know how much longer I have to live."

Facing the committee members, he asked them to "see your way clear to say, 'This member was not corrupt.'"

He continued: "There's no excuse for my behavior and no intent to go beyond what has been given to me as a salary. I apologize for any embarrassment I've caused you individually and collectively as a member of the greatest institution in the world."

In the most dramatic clash of the proceeding, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, questioned the assertion of Rangel — the former chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee — that he wasn't corrupt.

"Failure to pay taxes for 17 years. What is that?" McCaul asked, referring to Rangel's shortchanging the Internal Revenue Service on rental income from his villa in the Dominican Republic.

McCaul also noted the committee's finding that Rangel solicited donors for the Charles B. Rangel Center at City College of New York from donors who had business before the Ways and Means Committee.

The charges

After an investigation that began in summer 2008, Rangel was convicted Tuesday by a jury of his House peers on 11 of 13 charges of rules violations.

He was found to have improperly used official resources — congressional letterheads and staff — to raise funds from businesses and foundations for the Rangel Center. A brochure with some of Rangel's solicitation letters asked for $30 million, or $6 million a year for five years.

He also was found guilty of filing a decade's worth of misleading annual financial disclosure forms that failed to list hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets, and failure to pay taxes on his Dominican unit.

Chisam said donations to the Rangel Center were going poorly, then spiked after Rangel rose to the top of the Ways and Means Committee. He noted the center would benefit minority students and asked, "What kid of example is that of what public service ought to be?"

Chisam asked what a neighbor of Rangel would think after she was evicted from her apartment in Harlem's Lennox Terrace, for violating terms of her lease — and then learning Rangel was allowed to convert a residential-only unit into a campaign office. Others were evicted for similar offenses, the committee found.

"How would that influence her faith in government?" Chisam asked.

And Chisam asked how a waitress struggling to pay her taxes on income and tips would feel about Rangel not paying taxes on rental money from his vacation villa.

'A good and decent man'
Rangel brought in Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, to give a testimonial for the congressman to the panel. Lewis called his colleague "a good and decent man" and said Rangel had worked tirelessly to advance civil rights.

Before Chisam commenced his remarks, Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., told committee colleagues that Rangel needed only to "look in the mirror to know who to blame" for his predicament.

Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., a former member of his state's Supreme Court, said he believed the facts merited a reprimand, not a censure.



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Sources: MSNBC, Google Maps

Keith Olbermann Suspended For Donations To Democrats (Ethics Violations)

Keith Olbermann Suspended After Donating To Democrats

MSNBC host Keith Olbermann has been suspended indefinitely without pay after POLITICO reported that he made three campaign contributions to Democratic candidates.

MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in a statement Friday: “I became aware of Keith's political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay."

Olbermann made campaign contributions to two Arizona members of Congress and failed Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway ahead of Tuesday’s election.

Olbermann, who acknowledged the contributions in a statement to POLITICO, made the maximum legal donations of $2,400 apiece to Conway and to Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. He donated to the Arizona pair on Oct. 28 — the same day that Grijalva appeared as a guest on Olbermann’s “Countdown” show.

NBC has a rule against employees contributing to political campaigns, and a wide range of news organizations prohibit political contributions — considering it a breach of journalistic independence to contribute to the candidates they cover.

Olbermann is one of MSNBC’s most recognizable faces, and has emerged as one of the country’s most prominent liberal commentators. A former ESPN star, Olbermann’s “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” started in 2003 as a traditional news show but evolved into a left-leaning opinion program – and in some ways, led the network into its new identity as the cable-news voice of the left and an attempt to be a counterweight to Fox News.

Olbermann tripled MSNBC’s ratings at 8 p.m. In the past two years, MSNBC’s left-leaning opinionated hosts have helped propel it past CNN in prime time, and even lately during the daytime, too.

MSNBC has branded Olbermann as a prominent face in its new “Lean Forward” marketing campaign. It wasn’t immediately clear what the network would do with Olbermann’s 8 p.m. time slot.

Despite MSNBC’s embrace of a more opinionated format, NBC News has a policy against its employees making political contributions – and it appears that Olbermann ran afoul of that policy, even by contributing to candidates he gave a platform on his show, like Grijalva.

In addition, Olbermann has been a critic of the political donations made by Fox News’s parent company, News Corp., which contributed $1 million each to a pair of organizations trying to defeat Democratic candidates.

Griffin also tweaked rival network Fox over the contributions. “Show me an example of us fundraising,” Griffin told The New York Times last month.

A 2007 MSNBC.com story laid out the rules for the network regarding such contributions:

"Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest. Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the president of NBC News or his designee.”

POLITICO discovered the Olbermann donation to Grijalva in a Federal Election Commission filing, and when MSNBC was asked for a comment, it forwarded a statement from Olbermann:

“One week ago, on the night of Thursday October 28 2010, after a discussion with a friend about the state of politics in Arizona, I donated $2,400 each to the reelection campaigns of Democratic Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords,” Olbermann said. “I also donated the same amount to the campaign of Democratic Senatorial candidate Jack Conway in Kentucky.”

In his statement, Olbermann said he wasn’t using his influence to solicit any donations for the candidates.

“I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns, nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level,” Olbermann said.

Under FEC rules, an individual donor may give only $2,400 to a candidate per general election campaign. The FEC filings for Olbermann’s contributions list an address that is a Mailboxes Etc. storefront in New York, and it also lists his occupation as a newscaster for NBC Television.

News Corp., the parent company of Fox News, came under fire from liberals during the past election cycle for its contributions to the Republican Governors Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

On Oct. 7, Olbermann had House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) on his show to discuss the donations. At one point, he asked Clyburn: “Is there a legislative response to the idea that there is a national cable-news outlet that goes beyond having a point of view and actually starts to shill for partisan causes and actually starts to donate to partisan groups of one party?”

Olbermann’s contributions came amid a brutal campaign season for Democrats.

Giffords had appeared on Olbermann’s program in May, as did Conway. During his more recent broadcasts, Olbermann also made frequent references to the “Aqua Buddha” controversy involving Conway’s Republican Senate rival, Rand Paul, who handily won election Tuesday.

Grijalva, a prominent liberal who was just declared a winner in his race Thursday night, was in a tight contest against tea-party-backed candidate Ruth McClung when he appeared on "Countdown" — one of several appearances he made on the show.
Grijalva had seemed to be in a safe race until the month before the election, when he became targeted by outside groups. In mid-October, national Democratic interests began putting money into his district to compete with fundraising for McClung from outside conservative groups.

On Oct. 28, Grijalva went on Olbermann’s show and fielded questions about a story linking profit motives of private prisons to Arizona's new immigration crackdown. It was the sixth time Grijalva had appeared on "Countdown" in a little more than the past six months.

Grijalva not only opposed the immigration law — known as S.B. 1070 — but inadvertently put himself in electoral jeopardy by calling for an economic boycott of his own home state in response, a move that didn't go over so well with cash-strapped Arizonans.

"It's almost extraordinary to believe that once we got past the original phony reason for it, which was security at the border, when obviously it didn't pertain to that whatsoever, that the real reason behind that was well, this is to intimidate people of Hispanic descent. Well, it turns out there's an even more base, cynical reason behind it. Am I wrong about this?" Olbermann asked. "Is there anything you can tell us about the relationship between these private prisons and the lawmakers who supported this monstrosity of a bill?”

Grijalva responded: "It is a wonderful I-told-you-so moment."





Olbermann Suspended For Dem Contributions

Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's primetime firebrand host, has been suspended indefinitely for violating the ethics policies of his employer earlier this year when he donated to three Democrats seeking federal office, MSNBC announced Friday.

"I became aware of Keith's political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay," MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in a statement.

First reported by Politico and confirmed by Federal Election Commission filings, the primetime television host gave $2,400 – the maximum individual amount allowed – to each of the campaigns of Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway, and Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. (View PDF's of FEC filings for Conway, Grijalva, and Giffords)

Conway lost his bid to Republican Rand Paul while Grijalva eked out a win over Tea Party-backed candidate Ruth McClung for a fifth term. Grijalva found himself in an increasingly competitive race after he announced his support of a boycott of Arizona businesses in response to the state's controversial new immigration law and often appeared on Olbermann's show where he found a sympathetic audience. CNN, meanwhile, has yet to declare a winner in Giffords' race, but the Democrat currently holds about a 3,000-vote lead with all precincts reporting.

The contributions may have violated an NBC policy that requires employers of the news organization to obtain permission ahead of any political donations or activities that could be deemed as a conflict of interest. CNN institutes a similar policy.

In a statement to Politico before the suspension was announced, Olbermann defended the contributions:

"One week ago, on the night of Thursday October 28 2010, after a discussion with a friend about the state of politics in Arizona, I donated $2,400 each to the re-election campaigns of Democratic Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords," he said in the statement. "I also donated the same amount to the campaign of Democratic Senatorial candidate Jack Conway in Kentucky."

Olbermann, as well as MSNBC executives, was a vocal critic of the $1 million donation by Fox News' parent News Corp. to the Republican Governor's Association earlier this year, saying at the time, "We now have another million reasons Fox News is the Republican news channel."

In a subsequent show, Olbermann also pressed House Majority Whip James Clyburn if there was a "legislative response" to a networks that "starts to shill for partisan causes."

A News Corp. spokesman defended the donation when it was first reported in August.

"News Corporation believes in the power of free markets, and the RGA's pro-business agenda supports our priorities at this most critical time for our economy," the spokesman said.




Keith Olbermann Suspended Over Political Donations To Democrats


MSNBC TV host Keith Olbermann was suspended indefinitely on Friday for making campaign donations to three Democratic congressional candidates, apparently in violation of NBC News ethics policy.

The announcement came in a one-sentence statement from msnbc TV President Phil Griffin: “I became aware of Keith's political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.”

The donations were first reported by the Politico website earlier in the day.

Olbermann acknowledged the donations in a statement to Politico, saying he gave the maximum legal donation of $2,400 to Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords and Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, who waged an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate against Tea Party standard-bearer Rand Paul.

Like most news organizations, NBC News, parent of msnbc TV, prohibits political contributions by its journalists without prior approval of the president. (Msnbc.com, a joint venture of NBC News and Microsoft, also has a policy against its journalists contributing to political campaigns.)

"Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest,” it reads. “Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the president of NBC News or his designee."

Politico noted that the donations to Grijalva and Giffords were made on Oct. 28, the same day that Grijalva appeared on Olbermann’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” show. Grijalva won re-election on Tuesday, while Giffords on Friday was clinging to a narrow lead over Republican Jesse Kelly in a race that the Associated Press has not yet called.

In his statement to Politico, Olbermann said he did not encourage his viewers or other staff members to donate to the candidates.

“I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns, nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level,” he was quoted as saying.





Olbermann Suspended From MSNBC For Campaign Donations

Keith Olbermann, the top anchor on MSNBC, was suspended on Friday after the channel discovered that he had made campaign contributions to three Democrats.

The MSNBC president, Phil Griffin, issued a statement saying, “I became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.”

No one at NBC News would speculate about what this might mean for Mr. Olbermann’s future, though one NBC executive suggested this was not a step toward firing him.

Politico had reported Friday morning that Mr. Olbermann’s contributions were in apparent violation of MSNBC policy.

Mr. Olbermann hosts the most popular program on MSNBC, “Countdown.” He worked at MSNBC in the late 1990s and re-joined the channel in 2003.

He has long been a volatile figure inside MSNBC, in part for his polarizing points of view. He has sometimes clashed with Mr. Griffin and other managers over editorial decisions, and he has been publicly critical of some of his former bosses.

Mr. Olbermann did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the suspension was announced Friday afternoon.

MSNBC has a number of hosts who could fill in for Mr. Olbermann, including Lawrence O’Donnell, who recently started to host a 10 p.m. program on the channel; and Cenk Uygur, who recently was signed as a contributor.


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Sources: CNN, MSNBC, NY Times, Politico, Google Maps

Dan Clodfelter Opposes New ABC Board Ethic Rules & Privatization

N.C. Senator Clodfelter: Guts New Ethic Rules For State ABC Stores


N.C. Lawmakers on Wednesday stripped out some of the toughest measures from a package of new laws governing the state's liquor store system.

"We gutted it," said Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Charlotte Democrat who was critical of the changes.

He cast the lone "no" vote on the legislation approved by a special committee focused on the Alcoholic Beverage Control system.

The committee cut a requirement that members of local ABC boards must follow the state ethics law, even though a primary task assigned to the group was to craft a bill establishing consistent ethical standards across the state.

The committee was created in the aftermath of embarrassing revelations of the Mecklenburg ABC board's chair and some employees accepting a lavish dinner from a liquor company and six-figure salaries paid to the father and son team that ran the New Hanover County system.



Sen. Dan Blue, a Wake County Democrat, said the state ethics law provision would put local ABC boards on different footing from other local boards and commissions that are subject to local ethics policies.

"It doesn't make sense to have mixed messages and mixed standards," Blue said.

The committee also sliced out a measure that would empower the state ABC Commission to take steps to improve an unprofitable or minimally profitable liquor store.

"If you want to have any teeth in this law to fix problem stores, this language does it," said Rep. Edgar Starnes, a Hickory Republican.

The committee instead voted to put county commissions and city councils in charge of fixing the problems. Starnes said those groups are "too close to home," because they appoint the ABC boards.

Rep. Pryor Gibson, a Wadesboro Democrat, led several of the efforts to delete provisions from the bill, including a requirement that a community must have 5,000 registered voters before it could vote to create a local ABC board, which then can open a liquor store.

Gibson has repeatedly criticized such a restriction as discriminating against small towns.

The restriction grew out of criticisms, including in a report by legislative staffers, that the existing threshold of 500 registered voters to create an ABC board and subsequent store created unnecessary competition and inefficient stores.

More than 100 of the state's 169 ABC boards operate one store.

Brunswick County, for example, has nine ABC boards. Last year 10 ABC boards had a profit margin of 2 percent or less. Nine boards lost money.

State ABC Commission Chair Jon Williams said the bill still would provide "important new powers" for the commission.

The legislation approved Wednesday afternoon mirrors several provisions that Gov. Bev Perdue's budget reform commission recommended to her just an hour earlier, including:

Giving the state ABC Commission the authority to audit local boards.

Establishing a mission and performance standards for liquor stores.

Limiting the compensation of ABC board members and store operators.

The general manager and other top employees of a local ABC board could not be paid more than the local clerk of superior court.

That's currently $113,000 in both Mecklenburg and Wake counties.

Current ABC compensation would be grandfathered, but four Mecklenburg County ABC board employees' pay exceeds that limit:

The CEO ($159,000), Chief Financial Officer ($130,000), Director of Operations ($120,000) and Director of Human Resources ($115,000). Wake County's General Manager's compensation is $142,000.

The legislation was amended, though, to let the county commission or city council approve higher salaries if the ABC board requested them.




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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, WRAL, Youtube, Google Maps

Democrats' New Label: "Party Of Arrogance, Corruption, Hypocrisy, Lies & Scandals"

Rash Of Scandals Tests Democrats At Sensitive Time



The ethical woes facing Democrats are piling up, with barely a day passing in recent weeks without headlines from Washington to New York and beyond filled with word of scandal or allegations of wrongdoing.

The troubles of Gov. David A. Paterson of New York, followed by those of two of the state’s congressmen, Charles B. Rangel and Eric J. Massa, have added to the ranks of episodes involving prominent Democrats like Eliot Spitzer, Rod R. Blagojevich and John Edwards.

Taken together, the cases have opened the party to the same lines of criticism that Democrats, led by Representatives Nancy Pelosi, now the House speaker, and Rahm Emanuel, now White House chief of staff, used effectively against Republicans in winning control of the House and Senate four years ago.

The mix of power and the temptations of corruption can be a compelling political narrative at any time. But with voters appearing to be in an angry mood and many already inclined to view all things Washington with mistrust, the risks for Democrats could be that much greater this year.

With Election Day still eight months away, there is time to avert a history-is-repeating-itself storyline. But Democrats, who are already on the defensive over the economy, health care and federal spending and are facing a re-energized conservative movement, suddenly have a set of ethical issues to deflect as well. “Speaker Pelosi famously promised the most open, honest and ethical Congress in history,” Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, said Thursday. “Yet here we go again.”

In 2006, when Democrats were battling for control of the House, the message of their campaign against the Republicans could be boiled down to a three-word slogan: culture of corruption. Democratic leaders aggressively seized on each indictment of a Republican member of Congress or lobbyist, building an argument that the controlling party had become arrogant and was in urgent need of a housecleaning.

So is that moment — in reverse fashion — now approaching for Democrats?

Tim Kaine, a former Virginia governor and chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Thursday that the recent spate of allegations against several political figures in his party was troubling.

But he said the recent cases — largely revolving around New York politicians — had hardly reached the nationwide pitch that buffeted Republicans four years ago. Then, Tom DeLay, the Republican House leader, was indicted in Texas, and the influence-peddling scandal tied to the lobbyist Jack Abramoff touched several Republican members of Congress.

“I would never say that folks should be blithe about their ethical responsibilities. But I think it’s quite a bit different,” Mr. Kaine said Thursday in an interview. “But a couple things that happened in the same week in one state is different than the kind of corruption that roped members of Congress in from all over the country.”

Ms. Pelosi moved quickly this week to deal with escalating criticism surrounding Mr. Rangel, who was admonished by the House ethics committee for accepting corporate-sponsored trips to the Caribbean. He remains under investigation on more serious accusations.

Mr. Rangel stepped down on Wednesday as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, heading off any possibility of a drawn-out political battle over his fate. The National Republican Congressional Committee has been intensifying its pressure on Democratic lawmakers in districts across the country to return political contributions from Mr. Rangel, who was among the most generous contributors to fellow members of Congress.

“All Aboard for the Ride to Victory,” screams a poster depicting Mr. Rangel against a train, showing how many Democratic campaigns he helped finance. Republicans have sent around the old Rangel campaign posters this week to highlight his influence.

Since last Friday, 29 House Democrats have given back or donated to charity more than $400,000 in contributions from Mr. Rangel’s three political fund-raising committees. But several others have not returned the money. Representative Michael E. McMahon, Democrat of New York, is among those who have not returned the money, in his case more than $70,383.

Ms. Pelosi dismissed the criticism on Thursday that Democrats had not lived up to their promise to sweep away a culture of corruption on Capitol Hill. She also noted that she had established an outside group to receive complaints about members of Congress, which could be easily referred to the House ethics committee.

“My commitment to the American people is that the public trust will always be honored,” Ms. Pelosi said at her weekly news conference. “And on the floor of the House, that happens.”

President Obama, who built his campaign around a pledge to change the way Washington works and to strengthen transparency and ethics, has followed a practice of generally not commenting on the scandals or allegations involving the Democratic politicians. Months ago, several of his senior advisers worked behind the scenes to try to dissuade Governor Paterson from running for election, a pitch that failed.

Last week, Mr. Paterson conceded that he would not be on the ticket in the fall, but he has declined to step down. The White House has said that it has no intention of wading into the Paterson situation again, but several advisers said they were following the developments with interest.

It is the case of another governor, perhaps, that has drawn even more attention from those inside the West Wing.

Mr. Blagojevich, who was impeached last year as the governor of Illinois, faces a criminal trial in June. The proceedings are expected to be unfolding at the very moment that Democrats are battling in several races, including a campaign for the Senate seat once held by the man who now sits in the Oval Office.


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Sources: NY Times, Fox News, Youtube, Google Maps

E-mails Reveal Todd Palin Played Huge Role In Sarah's Administration

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Palin E-mails Reveal a Powerful "First Dude"


Officially he was the first gentleman of Alaska. More people called him the "first dude." But newly released e-mails show that Todd Palin was busy doing more than snow machine driving and salmon fishing during Sarah Palin's two and a half years as governor and vice presidential candidate.

Nearly 3,000 pages of e-mails that Todd Palin exchanged with state officials, which were released to msnbc.com and NBC News by the state of Alaska under its public records law, draw a picture of a Palin administration where the governor's husband got involved in a judicial appointment, monitored contract negotiations with public employee unions, received background checks on a corporate CEO, added his approval or disapproval to state board appointments and passed financial information marked "confidential" from his oil company employer to a state attorney.

While 1,200 separate e-mails were released this week, 243 others were withheld by the state under a claim that executive privilege extends to Todd Palin as an unpaid adviser to the government. Still, just the subject lines of those e-mails provide a glimpse of the ways the Palins divvied up their responsibilities when she became governor in December 2006, less than two years before Republican Sen. John McCain pulled her onto the national political stage by nominating her as his vice presidential candidate.

The still-secret e-mails between Todd Palin and senior officials reach into countless areas of state government and politics: potential board appointees, constituent complaints, use of the state jet, oil and gas production, marine regulation, gas pipeline bids, postsecondary education, wildfires, native Alaskan issues, the state effort to save the Matanuska Maid dairy, budget planning, potential budget vetoes, oil shale leasing, "strategy for responding to media allegations," staffing at the mansion, pier diem payments to the governor for travel, "strategy for responding to questions about pregnancy," potential cuts to the governor's staff, "confidentiality issues," Bureau of Land Management land transfers and trespass issues and requests to the U.S. transportation secretary.

Also withheld: a discussion of how to reply to "media questions about Todd Palin's work and potential conflict of interests."

"That gossip crap bugs me"

The e-mails that were released open a curtain on the behind-the-scenes preoccupations of the Palins, particularly the flash points of family and the media, personal finances and state finances:

* The governor coached her staff on how to disguise the amount of electrical work needed at the mansion to hook up her new tanning bed.

* Palin and her staff stewed over the refusal of the state Public Safety Department to provide a plane so the children could fly to Todd's family's home in Dillingham; after all, they were going to attend a bill signing, so the travel requests could be justified. Sarah Palin called the decision "outrageous," and an aide said it provides "a great excuse to privatize" the governor's jet service.

* The manager of the Palins' travel schedule searched for a public event to use as justification ("I just need one") to charge the state for an airplane flight for Palin's daughter, Willow, who made the trip but had missed the event given as its justification.

* When Sarah Palin complained that the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner wrote a critical editorial after she did them the favor of meeting with the editorial board, Todd Palin advised the press chief to "take the news miner off the press release address list for a few days, see how long it takes them to realize their not on the list."

* "Man, that gossip crap bugs me," Sarah Palin wrote after the Anchorage Daily News wrote about mansion repairs in its Alaska Ear political column. "Any time it has anything to do with home or family, it's irritating." A press aide apologized, saying the columnist did not to call check out stories before publishing. The residence director added, "Reminds me of junior high school, where hormonal teenagers are always looking for the drama. ... I'll do my best to avoid giving them any news nuggets."

Private e-mail accounts

Many of these e-mails on public policy issues were written using private e-mail accounts on Yahoo and other services. The governor and her top aides set up accounts outside the state system, supposedly outside the reach of the public records laws. Outside accounts also helped avoid any violation of the state law against using public resources for campaigning.

Todd Palin's e-mail address at that time was named for his hobby as a four-time champion driver in the 1,971-mile Iron Dog snow machine races: fek9wnr@yahoo.com, or Iron Dog winner.

The governor wrote mostly from gov.sarah@yahoo.com and sometimes from gov.palin@yahoo.com, until that account was cracked in September 2008 by an anonymous Internet user, who boasted that he figured out the answers to her Yahoo security questions by browsing her Wikipedia page. A 20-year-old student at the University of Tennessee, David C. Kernell, was indicted and is awaiting trial; he was an Obama supporter and the son of a Democratic state legislator.

Few of the e-mails to and from the Palins twin Blackberrys show Todd Palin performing the traditional ceremonial duties of a governor's spouse, though he did judge the Miss Alaska competition, and he held a tea to honor former first ladies.

Several e-mails deal with purely personal matters, as the governor juggled a new job, a family that grew from four children to five soon after she became governor, the 574-mile trip from her office in Juneau to her home in Wasilla and a husband whose work took him away for weeks at a time to the North Slope and snow machine races.

At one point, Sarah Palin sent her husband instructions to stock up on "fresh fruit and veggies" for the kids, and "as little processed foods as possible."

Todd Palin tried repeatedly over a period of three months to get a staff aide to remove Todd's photo from the National Governors Association Web site, because it showed him in a T-shirt.

In another e-mail, the couple discussed a rare opportunity to enjoy a date night out without the kids; they saw "Juno," the film about a teenager with an unplanned pregnancy, on March 7, 2008, just short of 10 months before their unmarried 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, gave birth to a son.

Redacted

Of the e-mails released this week, dozens have information redacted, or blanked out, sometimes leaving little more than a subject line.

One example:

Sarah Palin's head of boards and commissions, political aide Ivy Frye, wrote to Todd Palin on June 26, 2007, asking about a member of a state commission on domestic violence, an appointee of her predecessor, Gov. Frank Murkowski.

"Hey, Todd, Do you know Kim Williams from Dillingham? She has a term expiring on the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Board and I wanted to see what you knew about her. Thanks."

Dillingham is Todd Palin's hometown.

His reply the next day is completely deleted in the documents released this week, with the word "Redacted" in its place.

But the public can see Frye's reply, "Thank you. That was very helpful."

At her home in Dillingham on Thursday, Williams told msnbc.com that she was not re-appointed, and was never told why. But she didn't sound upset.

"Todd and I grew up together. I guess this summer I'll have to ask Todd what he said about me," she said with a laugh.

She said she wouldn't be surprised if the governor bounced a lot of subjects off of her spouse. "It's the first time we've ever had a first dude, right? I think he was more of a sounding board for her."

A Proper Advisor

When e-mails were withheld entirely, the state usually cited the "deliberative process privilege," referring to a portion of the state public records law exempting documents about the discussion of policy. The goal of the policy, courts have held, is to allow government officials to make well-informed decisions without being impeded by making public every possible course of action discussed.

Alaska Republican Andrée McLeod has filed a lawsuit against the state on this issue. In it, she argues that if one private citizen in the state of Alaska can be privy to all these e-mails about the workings of state government, then the state has waived the privilege.

"If one citizen can see them, Todd Palin, then why can't every citizen see them?" McLeod said.

Palin's chief of staff, Michael Nizich, rejected that argument in a denial letter to McLeod's attorney. Nizich said that Todd Palin was not a third-party outsider, but an insider, "an invited advisor and participant in the actual decision-making protected by the privilege." It doesn't matter, the state argues, that Todd Palin's advice wasn't paid for; it was still solicited.

"Mr. Palin is a proper advisor to the governor," Nizich wrote. "There is nothing inappropriate about the spouse of a chief executive playing such a role. The governor is absolutely entitled to involve him in policy matters as an advisor as she sees fit."

A controversial appointment

Often the governor wasn't included on Todd Palin's e-mails at all. The staff went straight to him, or he went straight to the staff.

On a Saturday afternoon, June 23, 2007, for example, Todd Palin wrote to Sarah Palin's political aide, Ivy Frye, asking about a state judge to be appointed from the city of Soldotna. The name is omitted from the e-mail.

"I'm getting calls from Soldotna about the next judge appointment," Todd Palin wrote. "Is (redacted) on the list, I'm getting calls from folks hoping he's not selected. Let me know what's happening so I can put to rest some of the rumors."

Frye replies, "(Redacted) was nominated alond [sic] with 3 other guys-just received the names last wk. I've heard the same feedback as you. Gov has 45 days to make appt. Will interview in about 2-3 wks."

Todd Palin replied, "Thanks, Ivy."

That entire thread was actually in reply to a different topic, in which Frye passed on to Todd Palin detailed information about the Labor Department having wage and hour claims against a company whose owner had served on Todd Palin's "Disaster Cabinet." The e-mail describes the company's back payments in detail, including what the company's lawyer told the state about the owner's debts.

Similarly, when Sarah Palin's staff was engineering a rescue or takeover of the state-run Matanuska Maid dairy, Todd Palin requested information on the former CEO, Terry Clark, and he got it. Background information on the former CEO was sent to Todd Palin by political aide Frank Bailey, the state director of boards and commissions.

Confidential information

Todd Palin also often served as a conduit for information to flow from one part of state government to another. When a friend or campaign aide's spouse got a state job, he was often notified. At other times, he notified the governor's office.

Sometimes information from outside flowed through him to the government. In one instance, the e-mails show, Todd Palin sent confidential financial information from his longtime employer, the oil and gas company BP, to a lawyer for the state, which does a lot of business with BP.

The e-mail of financial results, written by Steve Marshall, president of BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., was marked "confidential"; it told BP staff about financial results and the levels of annual bonuses to be received. Todd Palin received that e-mail from Glenn Trimmer, the secretary-treasurer of the United Steelworkers local where he was working while on a leave from BP. Palin forwarded the e-mail from his work account to his personal account, then forwarded it again from his personal account to an attorney for the state, along with financial details for a second year.

BP did not reply to a request for comment sent Thursday to the company's press contact.

The Palins did not reply to a message sent to their spokeswoman and another to the company that manages Sarah Palin's speaking engagements. Sarah Palin is scheduled to speak Saturday evening at the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville, where her bio describes her as a champion of "ethics reform and transparency in government," themes of her campaign for governor. (MSNBC TV, a partner of msnbc.com, and other networks will broadcast her speech live at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday.)

Shadow Governor

Todd Palin's frequent presence in the governor's office led some in Juneau to call him the "Shadow Governor." But it had never been clear, at least to the public, what roles he played.

He did receive scrutiny for his role in the so-called Troopergate case, in which he and the governor were accused of seeking to have her former brother-in-law fired from the state police force.

Todd Palin found a small lever to use with that department at 7:30 one morning in the classified ads of the Anchorage Daily News. The Department of Public Safety wanted to buy an airplane.

"Hey Randy," he wrote on July 16, 2008, to Randall Ruaro, Sarah Palin's deputy chief of staff. "DPS is running an add in the daily news looking to purchase a Super Cub, is this purchase in their budget."

Ruaro replied an hour later, saying he would check on it. He added a note about the new DPS commissioner, Chuck Kopp: "I will also be in Anchorage tomorrow to meet with Commissioner Kopp and review issues. I think we can start making progress pretty quickly."

"Sounds great," Todd Palin replied.

Nine days later, Kopp resigned.

Backstory

When msnbc.com, other news organizations and citizens of Alaska sought Palin e-mail records after she was named the Republican vice presidential running mate in August 2008, the state initially quoted a cost as high as $15 million for state technicians to find the e-mails, for state interns to print out the e-mails one at a time, for state lawyers to read them to determine what information could be withheld, and for a print shop to photocopy them.

That's still the laborious approach the state has taken, at what it says is a cost of more than $500,000 in staff time, but the prices it is charging have come down considerably. The state charged msnbc.com only $323.58 for the records released this week.

State officials said they could not figure out how to electronically search or distribute the e-mails. But such work is the bread and butter of firms like Crivella West, a Pittsburgh company which offered to do that work for the state for free. After the state ignored its offer, msnbc.com contacted the company, which agreed to scan in the photocopies to turn them back into searchable text, and to set up the documents in a public archive.

State law specifies that staff should respond to public records requests within 10 days, but it took Alaska much longer than that to produce the e-mails: The original request for these new e-mails was made in September 2008 by Aram Roston, an investigative producer for NBC News. He left NBC at the end of that year, and Palin left the governor's post the next July, but the request ground on without them.

A broader request by msnbc.com and other news organizations for all e-mails sent and received by the governor and about 50 top officials -- about 25,000 in all -- is still pending. Last week, Sarah Palin's former staff, now working for Gov. Sean Parnell, requested additional time, as required by the public records law, to respond.

Disclosure of private e-mails from government officials has been a legal issue in many states. For example, this week in North Carolina, news organizations are pursing a lawsuit to see the e-mails of the former Democratic governor, Mike Easley, who used a private, secret e-mail account to conduct state business.

State courts usually rule that correspondence between government officials, about government business, are public records, whether they use their government e-mail accounts or private ones.

In a second Palin case filed by McLeod, the Alaska resident seeking access to her e-mails, a state judge in Alaska ruled last month that it's not necessarily a violation of the public records law for public officials to use personal e-mail accounts. Those e-mails may be public records, but only if the state agency decides to preserve them. The state has indeed preserved thousands of such records, and someday we'll expect to see more of them from the Palin administration.


Sources: MSNBC