Thursday Open Thread
As of writing this, I’m still waiting for this latest snowstorm, the “snowicane” to start. It sure was nice of the snowstorm to hold off until everyone gets to work to start! Today’s open thread is a “governors behaving badly” version of your open thread. Let’s roll!
It looks like the Gov. David Paterson bombshell is starting to drop now. The first article was about Paterson’s driver who had a history of violence against women. This next article details how Paterson may have intervened in his driver’s domestic violence case:
Last fall, a woman went to court in the Bronx to testify that she had been violently assaulted by a top aide to Gov. David A. Paterson, and to seek a protective order against the man.
In the ensuing months, she returned to court twice to press her case, complaining that the State Police had been harassing her to drop it. The State Police, which had no jurisdiction in the matter, confirmed that the woman was visited by a member of the governor’s personal security detail.
Then early this month, days before she was due to return to court to seek a final protective order, the woman got a phone call from the governor, according to her lawyer. She failed to appear for her next hearing on Feb. 8, and as a result her case was dismissed.
Paterson has asked the NYAG to investigate (his political rival). Nevada governor Jim Gibbons sure is lucky some other governor is overshadowing his antics!
Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has acknowledged that a woman to whom he sent hundreds of text messages several years ago accompanied him on his recent trip to Washington, D.C., where he attended the National Governors Association conference over the weekend.
…
On Tuesday, the governor issued a statement to the station, saying Karrasch traveled with him to the nation’s capital but the state did not pay for her expenses.
…
Gibbons told reporters he had paid for Karrasch’s trip, keeping a promise he made to take her to the conference, according to the Las Vegas Sun. He said he and Karrasch live near each other and she was given a ride home as a courtesy.
Gibbons, who is divorcing first lady Dawn Gibbons, acknowledged in 2008 that he sent 867 text-messages to Karrasch over a six-week period the previous year. The governor reimbursed the state $130 for the text messages and issued a publicly apology. He denied the messages were “love notes.”
I guess Gibbons keeps some his promises, except “love, honor and cherish until death do part.”
Tags: Open Thread
Inefficient government again, they should have secured the “unlimited” plan.
Brits to throw a Boston tea party in Brighton
By Kerry Picket on Feb. 25, 2010 into Water Cooler
Our Founding Fathers would have never thought that over two hundred years later, British subjects would be throwing a “Tea Party” after being inspired by American activists overseas who demanded smaller government from their own policy makers in Washington.
The Freedom Association is sponsoring a tea party event this Saturday in Brighton. Their website gives the following information:
*edited for Fair Use*
Don’t know how it is above the canal, but the sun is coming out down here in RB.
Just received Carper’s newsletter or some such thing in my inbox. I don’t for the life of me understand why we welcome electronic health records statewide. Fine for my kid’s immunizations. But as someone who has had to guard patient records from voracious insurance companies, and other nosy nellies, why would we set up this vulnerability? And let me add to that–I can’t get a wrong initial worked out of computer generated namelist, just try correcting or arguing medical documentation that has circulated, and been recopied ad infinitem.
BREAKING: Arrest Warrant Requested For Kilpatrick
clickondetroit.com ^ | Feb. 25, 2010
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — Michigan corrections officials have asked a judge to issue an arrest warrant charging ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick with violating his probation. In the warrant request, obtained by Local 4, Kilpatrick would be charged with two counts of obstruction of justice. The charges stem from Kilpatrick’s failure to make a $79,011 restitution payment last Friday. The document also said the former mayor didn’t provide “a complete and accurate accounting of all finances” of his wife Carlita, and failed to surrender all tax refunds as ordered by Judge David Groner. According to court records, Kilpatrick submitted $40,2233 towards…
HMMMMM Doctors as slave labor… so that’s where you libs got the idea:
Cuban MDs sue in US over alleged forced labor
Miami Herald ^ | February 22, 2010
MIAMI — Seven Cuban doctors and a nurse who claim they were made to work against their will in Venezuela have filed a lawsuit in Miami’s federal court. The lawsuit seeks at least $60 million for each plaintiff, naming Cuba, Venezuela and Venezuela’s state-run oil company as defendants. The plaintiffs claim they were forced into servitude and paid low wages to help repay Cuba’s oil-related debts to Venezuela. All are now living in the United States.
I see the Akaka bill has passed the house, which if it becomes law, will create seperate and unequal treatment based on bloodines in Hawaii.
Hurray, the Jim Crow Democrats have bested them selves by creating an aparthied state.
DelawarePolitics reports GOP Congressional candidate Kevin Wade has hired consultants Axiom Strategies. Axiom is owned by Jeff Roe who is notorious for negative attack campaigns in Missouri featuring attack mailings and last-minute robocalls. We’ll see how that plays in Delaware.
and…
If Wade doesn’t pay his bills, will the lawsuit be “Roe v. Wade?”
If Copeland or Lavelle or Kovach do not get in this race, the GOP has no shot in the House race. And what may work in Missouri does not work here. Rzewnicki tried slash and burn and her political career was destroyed.
DD, The Rzewnicki rule probably still holds statewide, but the DEGOP has been steadily pushing the sleeze envelope on the RD level. Maybe Wade thinks that the sleeze rubicon has been crossed.
This guy makes Edwards, Patterson, Kilpatrick, Spitzer, Sanford and Fossella look like pikers:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/georgia_county_elects_republican_who_slept_with_mother_in_law.php
Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes
Update from “Most Ethical Congress in History”…
The Hill ^
The House ethics committee has admonished Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) for improperly accepting reimbursement for trips to the Caribbean in 2007 and 2008 and has ordered him to repay the costs of the trip.
Rangel, who chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee and has served in the House for more than four decades, has been under investigation by the ethics committee for two separate matters for more than two years.
and if he repays the money, he will have made up for it…… it’s kind of like the democratic version of saying you asked jesus for forgiveness, only you actally try and make up for what you did wrong. It is called responsibility.
and ghouls like Cheney are damn lucky they will never have to make up for all the unethical, probably illegal stuff THEY did.
seriously. who IS this talking-point blurting spamer? RWR looks like like William Buckley compared to romeo.
Existing-Home Sales Plunged An Unexpected 7.2% in January
CNBC ^ | 2-26-2010 | Reuters
Sales of previously owned homes in the United States unexpectedly plunged in January, an industry survey showed Friday, fresh evidence the housing market has yet to find stable ground.
The National Association of Realtors said that sales fell 7.2 percent to an annual rate of 5.05 million units, sharply below market expectations for a 5.50 million unit pace.
Bad news is always unexpected in the age of obama.
“Bad news is always unexpected in the age of obama.”
It shouldn’t be a surprise to the greed-motivated conservatives who got us here.
Relieve the Chairman of His Gavel
(NYTimes Calls For Rangel To Lose Chairmanship)
NY Times ^ | 2-27-10
Congressman Charles Rangel was far from humbled after the ethics committee admonished him for taking corporate-paid Caribbean junkets in violation of the House ethics code. Rather, the New York Democrat berated the panel’s leaders on the House floor.
The moment was characteristic of Mr. Rangel’s arrogance throughout the investigation, which continues into more serious allegations about his official behavior. It is one more reason why Speaker Nancy Pelosi — who championed ethics reform — should stop protecting him and relieve him of his crucial role as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.