CHUCK HAGEL RESIGNS: DEAR GOD WHAT ABOUT THE U.S. TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN?? (FERGUSON VERDICT)

CHUCK HAGEL RESIGNS: DEAR GOD WHAT ABOUT THE U.S. TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN??

IS HAGEL'S RESIGNATION BEING USED TO DEFLECT FROM FERGUSON VERDICT??

#justiceforMikeBrown


Effective today the U.S. Secretary of Defense CHUCK HAGEL has Resigned.

This news comes immediately after Pres OBAMA signed a New Agreement with AFGHANISTAN to keep U.S. Troops in that region longer than expected.

This news also comes on the heels of a very Shaky Nuclear Bomb Deal with IRAN.

And last but certainly not least, this news comes as ISIS continues to wreak Havoc in IRAQ, while Beheading U.S. Citizens and CHRISTIANS.

According to earlier LEAKS from the WASHINGTON POST, reports of HAGEL submitting his Official Resignation actually occurred back in September 2014.

Has anyone other than myself notice how Pres OBAMA stands in very close proximity of each member of his Administration and GLARES at them as they deliver their Public Resignations??

This includes JAY CARNEY, KATHLEEN SEBELLIUS AND ERIC HOLDER.

Has anyone other than myself also noticed how Media reports of HAGEL'S Resignation is now drowning out what's going on in FERGUSON, Missouri as it relates to the Murder of MICHAEL BROWN and Officer DARREN WILSON'S Indictment or Dismissal of Charges?

HAGEL'S Resignation could be a Media and Federal Gov't Ploy used to Deflect a Grand Jury Verdict of Dismissing all Charges against DARREN WILSON, and using U.S. Military Troops to Murder more Hurting, Oppressive BLACK People in FERGUSON.

Is this a Coincidence??

I think NOT!

Considering what happened to Ambassador CHRISTOPHER STEVENS at BENGHAZI in 2012, news of HAGEL'S Resignation is Bad News!

Is it possible CHRISTOPHER STEVENS was preparing to Resign too when he was MURDERED by AL QAEDA on September 11, 2012??

Will HAGEL be replaced by another U.S. Military Veteran who understands what it means to Serve their country as a Member of the U.S.Armed Forces, or by a Civilian who has NO Knowledge of what it really means to ever Serve in COMBAT while protecting the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA??

I don't know but GOD knows.

In fact GOD knows the Whole TRUTH about EVERYTHING and Nothing but the TRUTH!

I will continue to Trust in GOD and PRAY Psalms 91 & Isaiah 54:17 constantly over U.S. Troops currently serving all over the Globe.

I will continue to PRAY for the people of FERGUSON and for MICHAEL BROWN'S grieving Family.

"For He shall give His Angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways."

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,
Says the Lord."


Article Sources: ABC News; Bloomberg News; CNN; NY Times; Washington Post; Youtube

ARTICLE: "Hagel Submits Resignation as Defense Chief Under Pressure"

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel handed in his resignation on Monday, the first cabinet-level casualty of the collapse of President Obama’s Democratic majority in the Senate and the struggles of his national security team to respond to an onslaught of global crises.

In announcing Mr. Hagel’s resignation from the State Dining Room on Monday, the president, flanked by Mr. Hagel and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., called Mr. Hagel critical to ushering the military “through a significant period of transition” and lauded “a young Army sergeant from Vietnam who rose to serve as America’s 24th secretary of defense.”

Mr. Obama called Mr. Hagel “no ordinary secretary of defense,” adding that he had “been in the dirt” of combat like no other defense chief. He said that Mr. Hagel would remain in the job until his successor is confirmed by the Senate.

Administration officials said that Mr. Obama made the decision to remove Mr. Hagel, the sole Republican on his national security team, last Friday after a series of meetings between the two men over the past two weeks.

The officials characterized the decision as a recognition that the threat from the militant group Islamic State will require different skills from those that Mr. Hagel, who often struggled to articulate a clear viewpoint and was widely viewed as a passive defense secretary, was brought in to employ.

Mr. Hagel, a combat veteran who was skeptical about the Iraq war, came in to manage the Afghanistan combat withdrawal and the shrinking Pentagon budget in the era of budget sequestrations.

Now, however, the American military is back on a war footing, although it is a modified one. Some 3,000 American troops are being deployed in Iraq to help the Iraqi military fight the Sunni militants of the Islamic State, even as the administration struggles to come up with, and articulate, a coherent strategy to defeat the group in both Iraq and Syria.

“The next couple of years will demand a different kind of focus,” one administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. He insisted that Mr. Hagel was not fired, saying that the defense secretary initiated discussions about his future two weeks ago with the president, and that the two men mutually agreed that it was time for him to leave.

But Mr. Hagel’s aides had maintained in recent weeks that he expected to serve the full four years as defense secretary. His removal appears to be an effort by the White House to show that it is sensitive to critics who have pointed to stumbles in the government’s early response to several national security issues, including the Ebola crisis and the threat posed by the Islamic State.

Even before the announcement of Mr. Hagel’s removal, Obama officials were speculating on his possible replacement. At the top of the list were Michèle A. Flournoy, a former under secretary of defense, and Ashton B. Carter, a former deputy secretary of defense.

Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island and a former officer with the Army’s 82nd Airborne, was also considered to be a contender, but a spokesman said that the senator was not in the running. “Senator Reed loves his job and does not wish to be considered for secretary of defense or any other cabinet post,” the spokesman said.

Mr. Hagel, a respected former senator who struck a friendship with Mr. Obama when they were both critics of the Iraq war from positions on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has nonetheless had trouble penetrating the tight team of former campaign aides and advisers who form Mr. Obama’s closely knit set of loyalists. Senior administration officials have characterized him as quiet during cabinet meetings; Mr. Hagel’s defenders said that he waited until he was alone with the president before sharing his views, the better to avoid leaks.

Whatever the case, Mr. Hagel struggled to fit in with Mr. Obama’s close circle and was viewed as never gaining traction in the administration after a bruising confirmation fight among his old Senate colleagues, during which he was criticized for seeming tentative in his responses to sharp questions.

He never really shed that pall after arriving at the Pentagon, and in the past few months he has largely ceded the stage to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, who officials said initially won the confidence of Mr. Obama with his recommendation of military action against the Islamic State.

In Mr. Hagel’s less than two years on the job, his detractors said he struggled to inspire confidence at the Pentagon in the manner of his predecessors, especially Robert M. Gates. But several of Mr. Obama’s top advisers over the past few months have also acknowledged privately that the president did not want another high-profile defense secretary in the mold of Mr. Gates, who went on to write a memoir of his years with Mr. Obama in which he sharply criticized the president. Mr. Hagel, they said, in many ways was exactly the kind of defense secretary whom the president, after battling the military during his first term, wanted.

Mr. Hagel, for his part, spent his time on the job largely carrying out Mr. Obama’s stated wishes on matters like bringing back American troops from Afghanistan and trimming the Pentagon budget, with little pushback. He did manage to inspire loyalty among enlisted soldiers and often seemed at his most confident when talking to troops or sharing wartime experiences as a Vietnam veteran.

But Mr. Hagel has often had problems articulating his thoughts — or administration policy — in an effective manner, and has sometimes left reporters struggling to describe what he has said in news conferences. In his side-by-side appearances with both General Dempsey and Secretary of State John Kerry, Mr. Hagel, a decorated Vietnam veteran and the first former enlisted combat soldier to be defense secretary, has often been upstaged.

He raised the ire of the White House in August as the administration was ramping up its strategy to fight the Islamic State, directly contradicting the president, who months before had likened the Sunni militant group to a junior varsity basketball squad. Mr. Hagel, facing reporters in his now-familiar role next to General Dempsey, called the Islamic State an “imminent threat to every interest we have,” adding, “This is beyond anything that we’ve seen.”

White House officials later said they viewed those comments as unhelpful, although the administration still appears to be struggling to define just how large is the threat posed by the Islamic State.



ARTICLE: "Defense Secretary Hagel, Under Pressure, Submits Resignation"

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel submitted his resignation Monday, bowing to pressure from the White House to step down after less than two years in the job in what could portend a broader shake-up among President Obama’s national security team.

Hagel resigned after holding a series of discussions with Obama and other White House officials in recent weeks. A senior defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Obama and Hagel “both determined that it was time for new leadership at the Pentagon.”

Hagel will remain as defense secretary until Obama can pick a replacement, who must also be confirmed by the Senate. Possible contenders include Michele Flournoy and Ashton Carter, former high-ranking defense officials during Obama’s first term who were passed over for the top job in favor of Hagel two years ago.

Obama formally announced the resignation in a late-morning appearance at the White House. Flanked by Vice President Biden, he praised Hagel’s service, listed a series of accomplishments and said he appreciated Hagel’s role as an adviser who has “always given it to me straight.”

Hagel, in brief remarks, said that serving as defense secretary “has been the greatest privilege of my life.” But neither he nor Obama gave a reason for the resignation.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is slated to take over as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee in January, said that Hagel “was frustrated with aspects of the administration’s national security policy and decision-making process,” citing “excessive micro-management” on the part of the White House.

McCain noted that Hagel’s predecessors as defense secretary — Robert M. Gates and Leon E. Panetta — had both likewise complained in their memoirs about excessive political interference from White House aides. “Ultimately, the President needs to realize that the real source of his current failures on national security more often lie with his Administration’s misguided policies and the role played by his White House in devising and implementing them,” he said.

When Obama nominated Hagel in January 2013, the president was intent on limiting defense spending, winding down the war in Afghanistan and keeping the military out of conflicts in the Middle East. He made clear that he was picking the decorated Vietnam War combat veteran in large part because Hagel understood “that sending young Americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud, that’s something we only do when it’s absolutely necessary.”

Since then, however, Obama has reluctantly been dragged back into the Middle East, signing deployment orders to send as many as 2,900 troops to Iraq to serve as advisers in the fight against the Islamic State.

Hagel has been a quiet figure in that debate as the administration has struggled to articulate a strategy for defeating Islamic State and stabilizing Iraq and Syria, largely ceding the stage to other figures such as Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Rumors had intensified this month that Hagel’s time was short, though the former Republican senator from Nebraska has insisted in recent interviews that he was planning to stay at the Pentagon. The resignation was first reported by The New York Times.

A senior administration official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Obama initiated discussions with Hagel about leaving in October — shortly before the mid-term congressional elections that saw the president’s party take a beating.

Hagel never quite recovered from a stumbling performance during his confirmation process that led the Senate to approve his nomination by a narrow 58-41 vote in February 2013. The margin was exceptionally narrow, especially given the fact that he had served two terms in the Senate. Only four GOP senators voted for their fellow Republican.

Hagel served in the Senate with Obama and the two bonded during overseas trips, where both were leading critics of the Iraq war during the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Unlike Panetta and Gates, Hagel in public was generally accepting of the White House’s push to keep a lid on defense spending, which had soared after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

He was most visible in supporting Obama’s strategic “pivot” to Asia, taking numerous trips to visit allies in that part of the world. But his time spent in Asia came at the expense of making his presence felt in the Middle East and Afghanistan, which continued to dominate the national security agenda despite the White House’s desire to wind down U.S. military involvement in the region.

This month, for instance, Hagel was scheduled to travel to Burma and Vietnam, where Pentagon officials were eager to make a show of his return to the country where he fought the Viet Cong as a young infantryman and was badly wounded in battle, twice.

He was forced to postpone the visit three weeks ago, a decision that the Pentagon attributed to “new and significant demands being placed” on his schedule, including a congressional hearing on the war against the Islamic State. At the time, Hagel’s aides denied the decision was a sign that he had fallen out of favor with the White House, insisting that he looked forward to rescheduling the visit.

Hagel was known to have had a tense relationship with Obama’s national security adviser, Susan Rice, but defense officials said he tried to develop close ties with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough. Hagel and McDonough met once a week, in addition to Hagel’s weekly one-on-one meetings with Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.

Defense officials described Hagel as much more focused more on policy - his reform initiatives and the Pentagon budget - than on military operations in places like Iraq and Syria. His hands-off approach to battlefield operations is a sharp contrast to some earlier secretaries, such as Donald Rumsfeld.

That may have contributed to a view among some senior uniformed leaders of Hagel as a lackluster leader. One defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said many in the military saw the Nebraskan as “a perfectly acceptable but certainly not exciting” manager.

David Parker Defends His Leadership, Refuses To Resign (Gay Sex Harassment Scandal)

NC Dem chairman defends handling of sex harassment complaint

North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman David Parker said Thursday that he merely followed legal advice in settling a sexual harassment complaint filed last year against the party's former executive director by a junior staffer.

Jay Parmley resigned his post Sunday after news of the complaint became public, but he has denied wrongdoing.

"I did not want to settle the case," Parker said at a news conference. "I had no choice but to follow (the party lawyer's) advice and signed what I was told to sign."

He said he risked personal liability in any lawsuit over the complaint if he had rejected the advice provided by Democratic Party lawyer John Wallace.

"I got good legal advice, but I didn't get really good political advice," Parker said, noting the mounting pressure he has faced in recent days to step down of his handling of the issue.

State officials, including Gov. Beverly Perdue, said they have lost confidence in his ability to lead the party, and party activists said the non-disclosure agreement Parker signed to settle the complaint went against party values of openness and transparency.

"I chose to do what was right rather than what was easy," Parker said. "I am fine with (the decision) because that's who I am."

He reiterated Thursday that he wouldn't resign, but he said he would call a special meeting next month to name a new party chairman and wouldn't run for re-election.

"I am not going to change the standards by which I have lived my life and by which I have practiced law in order to succumb to political pressure. I'm simply not going to do that," he said. "Most of my fellow Democrats are asking me to stay on and fight this and not resign and hunker down, as it were, and continue to lead this party."

"Every single one of the people who called for my resignation, I will vote for each and every one of them proudly," he said.

Perdue expressed relief that Parker plans to leave his post in a few weeks.

"We've been distracted all week," she said. "At the end of the day, it's resolved. We're moving on forward."

Patrick Gaspard, executive director of the Democratic National Committee, called Parker's move "in the best interest of the party."

Still, Democratic consultant Brad Crone said Parker will remain a distraction for the party until he's replaced.

"The Democrats just want this story to go away," Crone said.

Republican National Committee spokesman Matt Connelly noted the lingering effects of the issue when he predicted in a statement that President Barack Obama would have to address it next week during a visit to the Triangle.

"I think chairman Parker wants it to be more about him than the good and the future and the welfare of the Democratic Party, and that's sad," Crone said.

The conservative Civitas Institute has requested the State Board of Elections to investigate whether any taxpayer money was used in the settlement. The state gave more than $331,000 to the Democratic Party last year through the check-off included on income tax returns.

Wallace said that the Democratic Party has a legal defense fund, which doesn't include any taxpayer money, but he declined to say whether it was used to pay the settlement. He said $11,000 had been paid into the fund and $10,000 paid out.

In a letter to Parmley dated Dec. 8, the junior staffer lays out specific behaviors he said constituted sexual harassment:

"The Executive Director often solicited my opinion on his clothes. He would point both hands to his crotch and ask me how his crotch looked in those pants."
"The Executive Director would frequently pretend to punch my crotch and make a popping noise with his mouth."
"The Executive Director frequently gave me unwanted shoulder rubs despite my verbal objections."
"On July 28, 2011, the Executive Director discussed, in detail, his sexual activities."
"On July 29, 2011, the Executive Director showed me a picture of a penis."
The staffer was fired from the party on Nov. 21 and stated in the letter that he thought it was in retaliation for his complaints against Parmley.

"Quite frankly, to me, the letter smacked of extortion," said Parker, who rebutted each of the allegations point by point during his news conference.

He explained the shoulder rubs by noting that Parmley was a "close talker" who breached people's personal space when meeting with them.

"Political people tend to put their hands on your shoulder," he said. "I noticed this behavior in Jay Parmley but didn't see anything sexual or unwanted in it."

Clothing opinions aren't sexual in nature, he said, noting the staffer who filed the complaint often commented on Parker's bow ties. Likewise, someone pretending to punch a body part isn't usually construed with any sexual intention, he said.

Parker noted that some items mentioned in the letter, such as the alleged July 28 conversation about sexual activities and the July 29 photo – Parker said the photo was described to him as a man with little clothing standing in a San Francisco street – weren't included in a complaint the former staffer filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The EEOC complaint, which Parker said is filed under oath, doesn't list any action prior to Sept. 6.

"None of the stuff that was salacious in the 12/8 letter was included (in the EEOC complaint). We're down to a whack on the leg to wake him up on Sept. 6 and unwanted shoulder rubs," he said. "That doesn't amount to a hostile environment."


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Sources: Daily Caller, Huffington Post, McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, WRAL, Youtube, Google Maps

David Parker Holds News Conference! Perdue Ignored Gay Sex Harassment Scandal Until It Went Public

North Carolina's Racially-Divided Democratic Party is Rocked by yet Another Scandal involving Corruption among its Leadership.

This time the Scandal involves Gay Sexual Harassment & Retaliation Allegations.

NC Gov. Bev Perdue previously Investigated for Campaign Finance Corruption, Chose to Ignore this Dirty Scandal and Intervene ONLY after this story was leaked to the National Public.

Jay Parmley, North Carolina's Executive Director of the Democratic Party, Resigned amid Gay Sexual Harassment Claims.

David Parker, Chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party is also Expected to Resign Amid Sexual Harassment Claims.





David Parker, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair, Expected To Resign Amid Controversy

David Parker, chairman of the Democratic Party in North Carolina, is expected to step down amid allegations that he helped facilitate a plot to cover up claims of sexual harassment by a former staffer who left the party last year.

Parker had previously sounded defiant, but Gov. Bev Perdue (D) on Tuesday capped off a chorus of Democratic voices that have come forward this week to express their concern that Parker's continued leadership is a distraction for the party.

Perdue told Parker that "he had lost the confidence of Democratic leaders, and I asked him to step aside for the good of the party," the Raleigh News & Observer reports. She had earlier faced tough questioning on the matter, but insisted it was an "internal personnel matter" before telling a persistent reporter to "get over it." Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton also spoke in favor of Parker's resignation on Tuesday.

Their comments came shortly after five top Democratic officials, including the secretary of state and state treasurer, released a statement demanding Parker's resignation and claiming that "change needs to be made as we prepare for the general election in November."

The controversy over a former staffer who came forward with sexual harassment allegations escalated Friday, when emails regarding the account were obtained by the News & Observer.

From their report:

The emails included questions from a member of the state's executive committee about a financial settlement and nondisclosure agreement with a former staffer who left the party in November after complaining about being sexually harassed by a senior staff member.

The emails did not identify the staffers nor discuss the actions that constituted harassment.

The situation is particularly sensitive for North Carolina Democrats, who will play host to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte this summer.

Read more at the Raleigh News & Observer.




Penis picture, gay sex descriptions among sexual harassment allegations against NC Democrat


A bombshell letter from the former North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) communications staffer to now-former NCDP Executive Director Jay Parmley detailing the allegations of sexual harassment has surfaced.

In the letter, dated Dec. 8, 2011 — which local news outlet WRAL first published with redactions of alleged victim Adriadn Ortega’s name — Ortega alleges that Parmley “frequently gave me unwanted shoulder rubs despite my verbal objections” and that Parmley “often solicited my opinion on his clothes.”

“He would point both hands to his crotch area and ask me how his crotch looked in those pants that day,” Ortega wrote, adding that Parmley “would frequently pretend to punch my crotch and make a popping noise with his mouth.”

“On July 28, 2011, the executive director discussed, in detail, his sexual activities from the past when he was living in South Carolina,” Ortega then said. “In addition, he discussed in detail his sexual activities from when he moved to North Carolina, where he solicited sex from gay websites such as [REDACTED].”

The next day — on July 29, 2011 — Ortega alleged that Parmley “showed me a picture of a penis.”

“And, on September 6, 2011, during the drive back from the DNC Kick-Off in Charlotte, the executive director reached back several times from the driver’s seat and caressed my leg,” Ortega added.

Ortega said he raised concerns about this behavior — which he described as sexual harassment — with Parmley on Oct. 1, 2011. Two days later, he went to former NCDP Executive Director Scott Falmlen to discuss the behavior as well. Ortega said Falmlen described him as a “valuable employee,” but Parmley turned around and fired him on Nov. 21, 2011.

In the letter, Ortega said he believes he was “fired in retaliation for my complaints of sexual harassment.”

Ortega then said he would sign a “separation agreement, confidentiality agreement and release” on the condition that he got a financial settlement package. The package he requested to stay quiet was a “provision of severance compensation equal to one year’s pay” and “with regards to health insurance, NCDP will cover the cost of my COBRA for one year or until I find employment with health coverage, whichever comes first.”

The exact value of the financial settlement package Ortega received for signing the non-disclosure agreement he later signed is at this point unclear. NCDP officials have continually refused to answer questions about it.

NCDP spokesman Walton Robinson has not responded to any of The Daily Caller’s requests for comment on this scandal, and did not answer when asked for comment about this letter.

After TheDC broke this story last week, Parmley resigned on Sunday. Since then, a chorus of high-profile Democrats have demanded the immediate resignation of Parmley’s boss, NCDP Chairman David Parker. North Carolina’s Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue, the highest profile official to demand Parker’s resignation, admitted that she has been aware of the allegations of sexual harassment since “late last year.” She called for Parker’s resignation only after telling a reporter who asked about the scandal to “get over it

Late on Wednesday, Parker defied Perdue and publicly refused to step aside amid the scandal and subsequent appearance of a cover-up. “There was no cover-up and that the personnel matter was professionally and appropriately handled by the party’s attorney using the highest ethical standards.”

Before this new letter surfaced, Perdue responded to Parker’s public defiance and refusal to resign by saying that wasn’t acceptable. According to local news reports, Perdue said Parker “needs to go.”

Brad Crone, a North Carolina Democratic campaign consultant, told TheDC that he thinks this letter proves even more so that Parker needs to resign.

“This story is spiraling out of control and is damaging the party in ways we cannot imagine,” Crone wrote in an email. “I do not understand how Chairman Parker is willing to put himself before the interest of the party. The Democratic Party is bigger than one person, it’s sad that Chairman Parker doesn’t realize that fact. This letter is devastating and shows a real lack in judgment in managing the senior staff. Clearly, it’s time for Chairman Parker to resign and do it now.”

White House spokesman Eric Schultz, Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse and Obama re-election campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt have not returned any of TheDC’s requests for comment on the issue.

Even so, Obama is scheduled to visit North Carolina next Tuesday. “Next week we’ll find out whether or not he has the support of President Obama,” North Carolina GOP spokesman Rob Lockwood told TheDC.


Letter details allegations of sexual harassment by ex-director of N.C. Democratic Party

A former staffer accused the North Carolina Democratic Party’s executive director of caressing his leg and discussing his sexual exploits, according to a new document obtained by The (Raleigh) News & Observer.

The sexual harassment allegations are detailed in a Dec. 8 letter from Adriadn Ortega, a former party staffer, to then-executive director Jay Parmley. Ortega claimed he was “fired in retaliation for my complaints of sexual harassment” and asked for a severance equal to his annual pay and health care coverage for a year.

His allegations match those detailed in a complaint filed Jan. 31 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission obtained by The N&O. The EEOC complaint stated that Ortega tracked the alleged harassment in a notebook.

Ortega, 26, did not respond to questions. Parmley, 41, could not be reached for comment. He resigned Sunday but denied harassing any employee. He blamed political reasons for his departure.

The letter became public minutes after state party chairman David Parker refused to resign under pressure from party leaders, including Gov. Bev Perdue, who asked him to step aside “for the good of the party.” In a statement, Parker, 57, a Statesville lawyer, said he had the “strong support” of the party’s executive council.

“They have consulted with our party attorney and are clearly as satisfied as I am that there was no cover up and that the personnel matter was professionally and appropriately handled by the party’s attorney,” according to his statement.

He called for a referendum June 17 on his chairmanship.

Perdue called Parker’s plan “totally unacceptable.” Parker’s top deputy, first vice-chair Gwen Wilkins, said Parker didn’t have the support of all executive council members. “The chairman needs to go,” Perdue said in a statement Wednesday evening.

Settlement confirmed

As chairman, Parker authorized a settlement agreement with Ortega. It’s unclear whether the terms of the severance Ortega put forth in the letter were met, but party officials confirmed the agreement’s existence. The settlement includes a confidentiality agreement, which Ortega wrote in his letter that he would sign.

Parker could not be reached for comment.

In the letter, Ortega says Parmley:

• Frequently gave him unwanted shoulder rubs despite verbal objections.

• Pointed to his crotch area and asked how his crotch looked in his pants.

• On July 28, detailed his past sexual activities.

• On July 29, showed Ortega a picture of a penis.

• On Sept. 6, caressed Ortega’s leg as they drove back from a Democratic convention kick-off in Charlotte.

In the letter, Ortega writes that he confronted Parmley on Oct. 1, and met two days later with Scott Falmlen, a former state party executive director, to discuss the situation. Falmlen recalled the conversation, but said Ortega didn’t share the “salacious specifics ... I have seen for the first time tonight.”

In the EEOC complaint, Ortega said he was no longer harassed after the meeting. But he was fired Nov. 21.

In his letter, he defended his work as a tracker, a party operative who follows opposition candidates and takes video of their speeches.

“I believe that the sexual harassment towards me created an offensive, hostile work environment,” Ortega wrote.

Ortega, who started working for the party in March 2010, asked for a settlement equivalent to his pay. He made roughly $20,000 a year, according to campaign-finance reports.

He gave the party a week to respond, threatening to make a complaint to the party’s executive council or pursue legal action.

Late Wednesday, Democratic Party attorney John Wallace released a statement saying “in this type of situation, it is difficult if not impossible, to ascertain the truth.”

He said the terms of the agreement were confidential, but Ortega “acknowledged that he had a satisfactory working relationship with the Democratic Party.”

The News & Observer began investigating Ortega’s departure in December. The state party refused to comment at the time, calling it a personnel matter. Ortega also initially denied being harassed and keeping a notebook.

The allegations did not become public until April 13, when party email messages were obtained by The News & Observer. The messages did not detail the allegations nor identify the individuals involved.

Parmley, who served less than a year at the helm of the party, denied harassing any employee and blamed right-wing political enemies for “spreading a false and misleading story.”


Jay Parmley, North Carolina Democratic Party Director, Resigns Amid Harassment Allegations

The executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party has resigned amid concern among party activists about high turnover at the party headquarters and harassment allegations there.

Jay Parmley, who became the top administrator last year after holding a similar post in South Carolina, resigned Sunday.

He wrote in a resignation letter that he had "never harassed any employee at any time at the (state party) or in any other job."

State party leaders raised concerns after e-mails circulated last week that mentioned the allegations, which the party has not detailed.

State party chairman David Parker agreed that the issues involving Parmley were becoming a political distraction, particularly in an election year.

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Charlotte in less than five months.


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Sources: Daily Caller, Huffington Post, McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, WRAL, Youtube, Google Maps

Richard Cebull Should Resign Or Be Impeached By Congress; Misuse Of Office & Racist Behavior In Workplace

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

Federal Judge Richard Cebull (9th Circuit), a Federal Judge Appointed by George W. Bush in 2001, has Publicly Apologized for sending out an extremely Racist E-mail about Pres. Obama via his Official Judicial E-mail Account.

The E-mail suggests Pres. Obama was Conceived after his Mother had Sex with a Dog.

OMG!
That is so Disgusting!

Such Disrespectful Behavior from a Federal Judge!
A Publicly Apology from Richard Cebull is NOT good enough.

As a Federal Judge Appointed by a U.S. President & Confirmed by Congress, Richard Cebull is expected to Serve & Conduct himself in a Professional, Respectful Manner before the Public.

This is especially so whenever referring to a Sitting U.S. President.

How in the World can Richard Cebull be expected to continue Serving in his role as a Federal Judge and be expected to Treat Everyone Fairly, if he has expressed to the Entire United States via a Racist E-mail that he has a Problem with a BLACK, Elected President?

No a Public Apology isn't good enough!

Judge Richard Cebull Needs to Voluntarily Resign or Congress Should Impeach Him!
Period!






Richard Cebull says he sent Racist Obama e-mail


Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull apologized Wednesday for sending a racist email about President Obama from his office to a few friends.

"To say it's inappropriate and stupid is an extreme understatement," Cebull said Wednesday afternoon in his courthouse chambers in Billings.

"There is no doubt it's racist. It wasn't forwarded for that purpose," Cebull said. "If anything, it was political."

The judge admitted he forwarded the racially charged email he received to seven friends, including his brother, on Feb. 20 from his office computer.

The email eventually was forwarded to the Great Falls Tribune, which published it Wednesday. The Tribune said the email text read as follows:

"Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching. I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this.

Hope it touches your heart like it did mine.

"A little boy said to his mother, 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?'
His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack!

From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'"

Cebull took responsibility, calling it "a hard lesson to learn. I apologize."

The judge said he is not a racist although he acknowledged people will think that because of the email.

"And I don't blame them. The fact is that isn't how I've conducted myself as a federal judge. Never has anybody asserted I was racist," he said.

Cebull was nominated to the bench by former President George W. Bush and confirmed in 2001. He has been Montana's chief judge since 2008. Prior to becoming a district judge, Cebull served as a U.S. magistrate judge in Great Falls and had been in private practice.

Cebull said he does not remember who sent him the email and said he had deleted it before Wednesday. The judge also said he did not write the introduction.

The judge said he was at a loss to explain why he forwarded the message.

Friends send him emails of a political nature, he said.

"It was a private communication. I didn't intend for it to go public," he said.
As a judge, Cebull said, he can't express in public political preferences but was naive to not consider the public consequences of his actions.

The judge has said he is not an Obama supporter.

Cebull said he has emailed the other federal judges in Montana apologizing for his conduct. He said he will never forward or send another email from his office that isn't business related.


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Sources: Billings Gazette, CNN, Current TV, MSNBC, Washington Post, Wikipedia, Youtube, Google Maps

Lanier Cansler Leaves North Carolina's DHHS Due To Partisan Politics & Professional Frustration

Outgoing DHHS chief: Politics led to frustration


Lanier Cansler stepped down Tuesday as secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, saying that he expects the frustration of running the state's largest agency to increase in an election year.

Cansler, who has headed DHHS since the beginning of Gov. Beverly Perdue's administration three years ago, announced Jan. 13 that he would leave at the end of the month to start a consulting business focusing on finding better ways for health care to work in North Carolina.

He said he's used to challenges – he was a four-term Republican lawmaker who has served for a Democratic governor. Still, reconciling the differences between the executive and legislative branches of government became tougher than ever in recent months.

"It does get frustrating whenever you're working on the issues and you get caught in the political contest," he said. "In each of their minds, I think what they're thinking is the best thing for the state, but there's great philosophical differences."

Republican legislative leaders and Perdue have been at odds in recent weeks, for example, over how to handle a growing budget hole at DHHS.

The agency's budget was cut by more than $350 million last summer, but difficulties in making those cuts – the federal government didn't approve of many moves – has left DHHS with a $150 million deficit. It's projected to grow to more than $240 million by fiscal 2012-13, which starts in July.

"I realize politics are always going to be there, but to the extent you can let the right decision rule the day rather than let politics rule the day, that's the goal, because that's when you can achieve the most for the state," Cansler said.

Throughout his tenure, Cansler also dealt with allegations of neglect and abuse at the state's psychiatric hospitals. Months before he took over, a patient at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro fell and was left in a chair, neglected for nearly 24 hours before he died.

One of his first actions in 2009 was to establish a zero-tolerance policy for patient abuse, yet a May 2010 incident at Cherry Hospital prompted him to order intensive retraining for all employees of the facility.

Cansler said he's proud of the strides made to change the culture inside DHHS, such as better training, to fight Medicaid fraud and to stabilize the state's mental health system. He said, however, that the state needs to invest more in mental health.

Perdue has named senior policy advisor Al Delia acting secretary of DHHS. Cansler has agreed to be chairman of Perdue's new Commission on Affordable and Sustainable Healthcare, and he said he would be available to help Delia as needed.

"I'll still be in the mix. I just don't have to worry about the crisis of the day," he said.


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Sources: WRAL, Google Maps

Chris Cobitz, Charlotte Schools NCLB Testing "Guru" Resigns After Lying About Student Progress

Cobitz resigns after CMS data error


Chris Cobitz, the administrator in charge of school progress reports at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, has resigned in the wake of erroneous information about students on track to graduate.

"It is better for the children of Mecklenburg County when the public does not have reason to doubt the accuracy of reports made," Cobitz said in an email Tuesday night. "Recent events could cause the public to question future reports from my office. I take responsibility for any inaccurate data that was released."

Cobitz, executive director for federal and state programs, makes $101,839 a year. His resignation is effective Feb. 7.

Last week CMS published school progress reports that showed virtually all students were labeled "anticipated to graduate on time," a new measure based on the percent of students who have never been held back a grade.

Cobitz and Chief Information Officer Scott Muri, who took over the accountability department when Robert Avossa left to head a Georgia school district, originally said the numbers were counterintuitive but correct.

However, after repeated questions from the Observer, Cobitz realized the numbers that had been published were different from the actual calculations. The published numbers showed 98 percent of all CMS high school students on track to graduate on time. The actual calculation was 75 percent, close to the four-year graduation rate of 74 percent. No one has explained where the erroneous numbers came from or what they represent.

On Friday, interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh notified the school board that school progress had been taken off the CMS website because "several issues of data accuracy have come to light." He said the reports will be reposted Feb. 3 after a full audit.

The progress reports, which tally data on student performance, teachers qualifications, parent involvement and other measures, are part of an effort launched by former Superintendent Peter Gorman and the school board to use data to inform families and shape school improvement efforts. When CMS was awarded the 2011 Broad Prize for Urban Education, "the district's intense approach to data-based decision-making" was one of the strengths cited.

Cobitz came to CMS in 2007 from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. He earned state and national recognition for his work, but also came under fire from teachers and families for his role in an expanded testing program that debuted last spring.


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Sources: Charlotte-Meck. Schools, McClatchy Newspapers, Zimbio, WCNC, Google Maps

Weiner Publicly Rebuked By Obama: "A Distraction"

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"I can tell you that if it was me, I would resign".
President Obama, June 13, 2011


White House: Weiner scandal is a 'distraction'


President Barack Obama believes U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner was wrong to send a lewd picture of himself over Twitter and then lie about it, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday. And the continuing scandal surrounding the New York Democrat is a distraction from important national business, he said.

Carney's comments were the first by the administration since the scandal broke in late May.

"The president feels, we feel at the White House, this is a distraction, as Congressman Weiner has said himself, his behavior was inappropriate; dishonesty was inappropriate," Carney said in comments to reporters aboard Air Force One during a trip to Raleigh, North Carolina.

"But the president is focused on his job, which is getting this economy continuing to grow, creating jobs and ensuring the safety and security of the American people."

Weiner has been in the spotlight since late May, when a lewd photograph of the congressman became public after it was sent to a woman over the Twitter social networking service.

After initially claiming that his account had been hacked, Weiner admitted that he sent the picture and also had engaged in several inappropriate relationships with women he had met online.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi called for an ethics committee investigation to determine if Weiner misused government resources while conducting the online relationships. She and a number of prominent Democrats have since called for him to resign.



Weiner has said he does not plan to step aside. Instead, he has decided to seek treatment "to focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person," his spokeswoman said Saturday.

While he is seeking treatment at an undisclosed location, he will ask for a "short leave of absence" from Congress, Risa Heller said in a statement.

The president's staff has not been involved in calling for Weiner's resignation, Carney said.


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Sources: CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, White House, Youtube, Google Maps

Newt Gingrich Is Out Of 2012 GOP Circus! Palin Wants Pawlenty!

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Round & Round The GOP's 2012 Presidential Campaign Circus Goes.

Where It Stops, No One Knows!

Folks If You Listen Carefully You Can Hear The Sound Of Taps Playing For Newt Gingrich's Failed Fake Presidential Campaign.

The Same Fake Presidential Campaign He Started NOT Because He Really Expected Or Wanted To Become The Next U.S. President.

Instead It Was Likely So He Could Pay Off Some Of His Personal Debts.

i.e., His Extravagant Tiffany's Bill

And Continue Living A Lavish Lifestyle At His Donors' Expense.

i.e., His Recent Trip To The Greek Isles.


Well Today Newt's Charade Came To An End When Most Of His Senior Staff Jumped Ship Before Newt's Ship Crashed Into An Iceberg.

i.e., They Resigned!

So Where Does This Little Shake Up Leave Newt's Disillusioned Supporters?

Probably In The Hands Of Tim Pawlenty & Rick Perry (If Perry Decides To Enter The Race).

Let's Not Forget Folks That Tim Pawlenty Is The Guy Sarah "Barracuda" Palin's Rooting For, NOT Mitt Romney!

Why Do You Think She Showed Up In New Hampshire To Ruin Romney's Presidential Bid Announcement?

Do You Really Think Sarah Palin Would EVER Consider Endorsing Mitt "Health Care Mandate" Romney For President?

Regardless Of How Much He Attempts To Flip Flop On His Reason For Enacting His "Romney Care" Health Care Mandate Law In Massachusetts, That Pig Will NEVER Fly For Palin.

Not In This Life Time!

Do You Really Think Palin Was Truly Apologetic For "Stepping On Romney's Toes", As She So Eloquently Stated During A Recent Fox News Interview?

Sure! And The Moon Is Made Of Cotton Candy!

Palin Wasn't Sorry Because She Wants Romney's Campaign To Fail!

She's An Anti-Establishment Tea Party Republican With NO Intention Of Playing By The Rules, NOR Being A Team Player.

If This Chick Doesn't Care About U.S. History, Do You Think She Gives A Darn About Playing By Republican Party Rules, Even If It Means Splitting The ENTIRE Party?

NO!

How Does She Plan To Help Romney's Campaign Fail?

By Using Rick Perry To Help Derail Romney's Campaign As A Way Of Getting More Positive Press For Palin's REAL 2012 Pick: TIM PAWLENTY.

That's How!!

At First I Was Sure Mitt Romney Would Be The Republican Party's & Tea Party's 2012 Presidential Frontrunner, However Now I'm NOT So Sure.

In Fact God Only Knows How The GOP 2012 Circus Will End.

Round & Round The GOP's 2012 Presidential Campaign Circus Goes.

Where It Stops, No One Knows!

Another Reason Why I'm Sticking With Pres. Obama.

Democrats & Independents Thank You Sarah Palin!!

VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!!!!

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

Questions Amid the Wreckage of Gingrich’s Campaign


It doesn’t require any deep thinking to determine that when virtually all of your most senior advisers suddenly decide to quit your campaign — as happened to Newt Gingrich this afternoon — your bid for the presidency isn’t off to the best start. Although Mr. Gingrich is insisting – at least for the time being – that he’ll remain in the race, betting markets now give him just a 1-in-200 chance of winning the Republican nomination.

A few questions in the wake of the news:

If Mr. Gingrich drops out, where does his support go?

Mr. Gingrich’s numbers had already been on a downward trajectory — he was averaging about 7 percent support in recent polls after having polled in the double-digits on many occasions earlier in the cycle. And about half of the Republicans who registered an opinion about him considered him to be an unacceptable choice.

So there’s not that much support to go around — one of Mr. Gingrich’s biggest problems, in fact, was that he lacked a natural constituency within the party, and wasn’t entirely trusted either by the Republican establishment or by insurgent voters who take their cues from the Tea Party.

The refrain that early polling is all about name recognition is a little exaggerated, but I think it holds in Mr. Gingrich’s case — most of his support is likely quite soft and comes from low-information voters. Temporarily, a recognizable name like Sarah Palin might see her numbers boosted by a couple of points if Mr. Gingrich were to exit the field, but those votes would probably come up for grabs again later in the cycle.

In the longer term, in fact, it might be some of the less recognizable candidates — including both insurgent candidates like Michelle Bachmann and Herman Cain and establishment-endorsed ones like Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman — who would benefit from getting Gingrich off the stage, where he otherwise might have eaten up news cycles at a time when they will need to introduce themselves to the electorate. But all of these effects are liable to be pretty marginal.

Does this mean Rick Perry is likely to run?

Sometimes, when a candidate drops out, or when his campaign is imploding, people will pick up on pretty thin reeds of gossip about what this means for the other candidates. I was skeptical, for example, about the notion that when Haley Barbour decided not to run for president, Mitch Daniels was liable to jump in instead.

But as my colleagues at The Times and other news organizations are reporting, many of Mr. Gingrich’s now-departed staffers have extremely close ties to Texas Gov. Rick Perry. And as the National Review’s Jim Geraghty notes, staffers don’t usually just get up and quit unless they have somewhere else to go, since even hopeless campaigns still pay the bills.

There’s also the issue of timing. Although a candidate could theoretically enter the race very late — even after the first primaries had been held — they’d be relying either on a complete implosion of the Republican field (in which case they might hope to be selected at a brokered convention) or on running some sort of dubious, gadget-play candidacy. But we’re nearing the end of the period when a candidate could enter and run a more-or-less traditional campaign — and still have time to raise a lot of money, hire lots of staff, and compete vigorously in the early nominating states.

Mr. Perry’s strengths are that of a traditional candidate. He’s the four-term governor of the nation’s second-largest state, he has reasonably high name recognition, he should have no problem raising money, and he has the potential to be competitive in Iowa, South Carolina, Florida and the many Southern states that vote on Super Tuesday.

If Mr. Perry were to run, in other words, I’d expect him to run a traditional campaign — which means that I’d expect him to throw his hat in the ring sooner rather than later. Of course, Mr. Gingrich’s staffers could have decided to leave for any number of other reasons apart from going to work for Mr. Perry — but the theory that Mr. Gingrch’s loss could be Mr. Perry’s gain passes the smell test.

Why is Mr. Gingrich’s campaign going so badly?

One reason may be that he hasn’t run in a competitive race since 1990, when he eked out a a victory by less than a full percentage point over the Democrat David Worley to maintain his seat in Congress. (After that, Mr. Gingrich benefited from redistricting and began to win by blowout margins.) And that was a race for the House of Representatives, not for the presidency.

Which other candidates similarly lack experience in competitive races? Herman Cain, whose only prior campaign experience came in a Senate primary in 2004, is one obvious example.

Otherwise, it’s a fairly battle-tested field. Both of Tim Pawlenty’s gubernatorial elections were close, as you’d expect them to be in order for a Republican to win in Minnesota. Mitt Romney has run tough races for Senate, governor and the presidency, although he won just one of those races. Sarah Palin was on a presidential ticket and survived some strange Republican primaries in Alaska. Rick Santorum ran for Senate three times in a key swing state. Rick Perry has spent his past 25 years running for office. Michelle Bachmann has never run for an office higher than the U.S. House, but her races in both 2006 and 2008 were quite competitive. Rudolph W. Giuliani made a lot of mistakes in 2008 — but at least he has that experience to draw from if he wants to run again, and he thrice ran for mayor of New York, with two of the elections being quite close.

Jon Huntsman is a marginal case; his gubernatorial race was only somewhat competitive in 2004 and he won very easily in 2008.

But in general, we’re not likely to see the sorts of rookie mistakes that Mr. Gingrich has consistently made. And we’re certainly not likely to see another candidate return from a Mediterranean cruise to learn that his entire staff has deserted him.


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Sources: Freaking News, MSNBC, NY Times, Youtube, Google Maps