Rangel indicted--

[DOGS THAT BARK]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...10984644090.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLETopStories

Lets see -Cold Cash Jefferson--govs of New York and Illionois-now head of ways and means committee.

Hmm I lay 2/1 Pelosi and Dems drop the Draining the Swamp from further campaign slogans--probably won't hear any on worst economy since great depression either--:SIB

 

[Chadman]

If he's guilty, and there's plenty to digest on this pro and con for that, he needs to be taken out. After hearing his explosions towards reporters in a couple of situations - especially the stupid one against Luke Russert - I'd say he's worried and evasive, at the very least. If he's found not guilty, then he should be given the proper latitude in that direction, too.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

If he's guilty, and there's plenty to digest on this pro and con for that, he needs to be taken out. After hearing his explosions towards reporters in a couple of situations - especially the stupid one against Luke Russert - I'd say he's worried and evasive, at the very least. If he's found not guilty, then he should be given the proper latitude in that direction, too.

All this has me thinking what the Dems will be using for November campaign slogan--

Considering politicians above--I believe they will definately stay away from "draining the swamp" again-
and believe the "worst economy since great depression" is out of the question

The 'change you can believe in" and "no Washington as usual" won't fly again

If O's key words from last weeks speech on economy and jobs are any indication--
--appears they may have settled on "it could be worse" for 2010 elections :facepalm:

Obama's message to voters: Things could be worse

By ERICA WERNER

Published: Monday, July 26, 2010 3:45 AM CDT
http://theindependent.com/articles/2010/07/26/ap/politics/us_obama_the_argument.txt

 

[Trench]

All this has me thinking what the Dems will be using for November campaign slogan--

Obama's message to voters: Things could be worse

By ERICA WERNER

Published: Monday, July 26, 2010 3:45 AM CDT
http://theindependent.com/articles/2010/07/26/ap/politics/us_obama_the_argument.txt

Yeah, it's painfully clear to just about everyone but you, that Republicans are MUCH better at creating messes than Democrats are at cleaning them up.

But keep doin' the ol' Neocon Shuffle DTB... :0064

 

[rusty]

All this has me thinking what the Dems will be using for November campaign slogan--

Considering politicians above--I believe they will definately stay away from "draining the swamp" again-
and believe the "worst economy since great depression" is out of the question

The 'change you can believe in" and "no Washington as usual" won't fly again

If O's key words from last weeks speech on economy and jobs are any indication--
--appears they may have settled on "it could be worse" for 2010 elections :facepalm:

Obama's message to voters: Things could be worse

By ERICA WERNER

Published: Monday, July 26, 2010 3:45 AM CDT
http://theindependent.com/articles/2010/07/26/ap/politics/us_obama_the_argument.txt

Funny DTB I posted the same article this morning.This coming from someone who had voted democrat every election except Reagan (2nd term)and Bush Sr.as a registered independent voter.I admit its been a train wreck.

Should of known better with all those "me generation" votes he got.

 

[Chadman]

All this has me thinking what the Dems will be using for November campaign slogan--

Considering politicians above--

Considering that Rangel is innocent until convicted by conservative supporters with a political agenda, anyway...

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

Considering that Rangel is innocent until convicted by conservative supporters with a political agenda, anyway...

If he's found quilty but not forced to resign--I'll make you a friendly wager "hat or shirt" that he gets re elected--ala Marian Barry--
What do you say?

 

[Chadman]

I sincerely doubt that if he's found guilty that he'll be allowed to keep his position - considering the charges and his position. Could be wrong. But it wouldn't surprise me if he was re-elected in his home district, to any degree - just like it wouldn't surprise me if politicians found guilty of transgressions and crimes are re-elected all over the country. People usually only care about what their representatives have accomplished for them personally or in their home districts - this is nothing new. And usually most have brought home tangible things to keep their people happy. For instance the republicans who voted against the stimulus bills (to the point of open obstruction) taking that political benefit from some, then being front and center accepting the stimulus money and saying how "they" helped the local/state economy by helping this money get there (or keeping their original positions quiet, at least).

Until people start caring less about their own personal gain in the election process, this probably will never change. It is usually a matter of weighing what the person does, in more ways than one. This will not be a unique situation - the Rangel one - in many respects. In others it is unique - whether people care, that's another matter.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

no more PAC or lobbyist as usual-- DUH

Lobbyists, unions paying Rangel's legal bills...
Street goes to the defense of Charlie Rangel

By: Timothy P. Carney
Examiner Columnist
July 28, 2010


<TABLE style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 15px; CLEAR: both" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=250><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 15px; CLEAR: both" border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=250><TBODY><TR><TD>Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., walks between meetings in the basement of Longworth House Office building on Capitol Hill in May 26, 2010. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Every person accused of a crime or an ethics violation deserves a competent defense. Charlie Rangel's legal defense, fittingly, comes from K Street.
Two of the three firms providing legal counsel to Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., in his pending ethics cases are lobbying firms. In fact, one firm, Oldaker, Belair & Wittie, conducts much of Rangel's political fundraising, while operating four different lobby shops.
But who's ultimately paying Rangel's legal bills? Mostly corporate and union political action committees along with individual lobbyists. Over the past six months, PACs and lobbyists have accounted for a majority of the money Rangel's campaign has raised this year, not counting transfers from Rangel's other fundraising operations (more on them below).
In turn, Rangel funnels his campaign cash into his legal defense. In 2009, three-fourths of Rangel's $2.16 million in campaign spending went to legal fees. The House Ethics Committee allows campaign funds for legal fees that are not "primarily personal in nature, such as a matrimonial action, or could result in a direct personal benefit for the Member." Otherwise, legal fees are a legitimate use of campaign cash because "the protection of a Member's presumption of innocence in such actions is a valid political purpose," the guidelines state.
That means any politically savvy donor who cut a check in 2010 to Rangel's reelection knew the donation was, in part, a contribution to Rangel's legal defense -- indeed, in the first two quarters of 2010, Rangel's campaign spent $655,232, with $230,749 (35 percent) going to legal fees. Zuckerman Spaeder LLP got biggest haul of Rangel cash -- $182,000. The firm had lobbying clients including one top drugmaker until last year, when the K Street legal shop de-registered as lobbyist.
Another lobbying firm defending Rangel is Oldaker, Belair & Wittie, pocketing $28,000 in legal fees so far this year. Oldaker's clients include Indian tribes, health care companies and financial organizations such as the Debt Buyers' Association. But the firm also houses two other lobbying firms: the Oldaker Group and the National Group.
The National Group's lobby clients include defense giant Lockheed Martin and other aerospace companies, as well as many universities and hospitals.
In the Oldaker orbit is lobbyist Michael Allen Andrews, a former Ways & Means staffer, now a Rangel donor. Andrews is registered to lobby for "National Health Advisors LLC," a lobbying operation launched by Oldaker and another K Street firm days before Obama's inauguration.
In a press release, Oldaker explained: "As the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress begin their work to reform America's health care system, the Washington DC-based joint venture offers lobbying and consulting services to companies needing to understand and impact the reform debate." Rangel's Ways & Means Committee was one of three with jurisdiction over the bill.
Oldaker lawyer Phu Hunyh is also the treasurer for a fundraising committee called the "Rangel Victory Fund." This is different from Rangel's principle campaign committee ("Rangel for Congress") and Rangel's PAC ("National Leadership PAC"). The treasurer of those two committees is Basil Paterson, father of New York Gov. David Paterson, a former union boss, and now a senior member of a law firm that also lobbies.
The final arm to Rangel's fundraising machine is the now-defunct Baucus-Rangel Leadership Fund. This was a joint fundraising committee Rangel set up with Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. What did they have in common? When they formed the committee, the two men had just become chairmen of their chambers' respective tax-writing committees. The committee held a fundraiser or two in 2007, pulling in cash primarily from New York City real estate developers and investors. The fundraisers reeked of auctioning off tax policy, or shaking down businesses vulnerable to tax changes.
Lobbyists are filling the campaign bank accounts that are paying these lawyers. Some high rollers on Rangel's donor lists are: Joseph Dowley, representing the Institute of International Bankers; Justin Gray, representing taxpayer-owned GM; Alan Wheat, representing Sanofi-Aventis and Roche; and Akin Gump lobbyists Robert Leonard and Jayne Fitzgerald, who represent Boeing, Bechtel, General Electric and Aetna. Lobbyists from Patton Boggs, the Podesta Group and Ernst & Young have also funded Rangel.
Check out the PACs giving to Rangel this year and you will see names like the National Bankers Association, Pfizer, New York Life, GE and Lockheed Martin. Lobbying firm PACs funding Rangel's re-election include Baker & Hostetler; McKenna, Long & Aldridge; Holland & Knight; and O'Melveny & Myers.
PACs and lobbying firms have given more than $120,000 to Rangel in the past six months while individual lobbyists have chipped in another $28,000.
All of these companies and lobbyists are savvy enough to know they're funding Rangel's legal defense. This is why politicians like Rangel benefit when K Street gains clout. Starting this week, we'll find out if K Street is powerful enough to save Rangel.
[note: Originally, due to a transposition error, this column had an incorrect number for Rangel's 2009 campaign expenditures. The correct number is $2.16 million.]





Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/p...ie-Rangel-1004040-99363214.html#ixzz0v11tEUoP
​

 

[Duff Miver]

See whather you can keep up with this, doggy -

Rangel has been accused.

He will get a fair trial.

Nobidy cares what you think.

 

[Chadman]

no more PAC or lobbyist as usual-- DUH

What SPECIFICALLY are you talking about with this comment?

And do you honestly want to suggest that this is just a Rangel/Democrat problem? Do you honestly think that after Obama is gone, that there will be no PAC or lobbyist money going to the political process or towards elected officials - ESPECIALLY after the right-leaning Supreme Court recently ruled that corporations can pump as much money as they like into political campaigns?

Do you REALLY want to keep up this particular fight, and deal with the specifics of corruption? Especially in dealing with the last few years of White House occupation?!? REALLY?

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

Chad I actually have sympathy for Rangel due to his age.

The part I'm enjoying is the swamp draining coming back to haunt Pelosi with lastest of govs-ways and means chairman--ex pres candidates-.

--almost as much justice as her worst economy since great depression gaff.

Funny what fate had in store for her and the party.

Will be a long time for independents to forget how they were grifted.

 

[Chadman]

While I won't be a party to your partisan comments as I don't agree with much of it, I don't share your compassion for Rangel due to age. He's lived a long life, much of it due to his position has been of privilege, and at this point he himself is sounding extremely guilty. I think he probably has already agreed in principle to some guilt, but don't think the Repub leader of the mission will let him off - nor should she, IMO. We'll see how it plays out, but if he's as guilty as he's NOW acting, he should be roasted.

Innocent until proven, of course, and he had his chance to skate out of much of this. His stubbornness of innocence to the point of mistreating those who questioned him will cost him now - and dems, I would agree with that. I think he stepped down from the Ways and Means gig for a reason. Starting to look bad for the guy trying to Rangel out of trouble.