News/Politics

by

News/Politics 5-24-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

I’ll put a bunch up to start, then you tell us what interests you.

First up, more IRS scandal news.

When Bopp learned years later that Lerner had been promoted to an IRS  position, he became concerned. “She was in effect being promoted for what she had done at the Federal  Election Commission and now was going to be expected … to replicate that at  the IRS and now we know that’s exactly what happened,” he said. From FoxNews

Her reputation for bias is what got her the IRS gig.

Lois Lerner Directly Involved in IRS Targeting, Letters Show, from NationalReview

She’s finally getting some consequences and repercussions for her actions. But with pay of course. 🙄

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member of the tax writing Finance Committee, said in a statement Thursday that Lerner was placed on administrative leave after she refused a request from Danny Werfel, the newly installed acting IRS commissioner, to resign. From Politico

UPDATE!

Here’s a video showing Schumer and Franken dodging questions on their involvement in requesting the behavior the IRS is in trouble for.

With a Hat Tip to DrivesGuy

____________________________________________________

Next up, Benghazi…

Looks like the Lerner situation, rewarding bad behavior, and silence.

President Obama on Thursday nominated Victoria Nuland, a State Department official involved in the editing of the administration’s talking points on Benghazi, to be the next assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs. From Politico

Meanwhile, a subpoena for another witness.

Pickering, Issa reach agreement on testimony, from HotAir

That one should be fun. He’s the former ambassador who helped the Obama admin investigate themselves.

____________________________________________________

And then the AP/Fox record scandal. Holder insisted repeatedly that he knew nothing and had recused himself. That appears to be false.

Eric Holder Signed Off On Search Warrant For James Rosen Emails: NBC News, from TheHuffingtonPost

But don’t worry, Obama is having Holder investigate himself and his dept. in order to get to the bottom of things. 🙄

President Obama is a little uneasy with the way journalists have been dragged into the Justice Department’s aggressive pursuit of national security leak investigations. In fact, he has ordered Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct a 45-day review of the department’s guidelines on the issue. From ABCNews

Even HuffPo thinks he should be fired. But someone should hose him down first and extinguish his pants.

____________________________________________________

Here’s more funny business from Obama’s HHS and Sec. Sebelius.

Current and former administration officials have taken on leadership and  fundraising roles for Enroll America, a nonprofit aiming to make sure people  sign up for new coverage options. As the ties grow deeper, the organization has  come to feel like “just an arm of the administration,” said one official who  works closely with insurers. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has already come  under fire from congressional Republicans because she has raised money for the  organization. From TheHill

____________________________________________________

Here’s an update on the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman case.

Martin’s cell phone contains photos of a gun, drugs, and texts about delinquent behavior. From WFTV.com

His school records, as well as school police video, hold more potential evidence. None of it good. And the defense wants to include discussion on his marijuana use. They claim he was likely under the influence at the time of his death. Needless to say prosecutors would like all these matters suppressed. It won’t help them and they know it.

____________________________________________________

The Boy Scouts have caved. Not good, but not surprising given the pressure brought down on them by the media. It was only a matter of time.

The Boy Scouts of America threw open its ranks Thursday to gay Scouts but not gay Scout leaders – a fiercely contested compromise that some warned could fracture the organization and lead to mass defections of members and donors. Of the roughly 1,400 voting members of the BSA’s National Council who cast ballots, 61 percent supported the proposal drafted by the governing Executive Committee. The policy change takes effect Jan. 1. From TheAP

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-23-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

Well the IRS scandal continues to raise more questions. And answers don’t seem to be coming anytime soon. Everyone seems to have “forgotten”, “didn’t or don’t know”, or took the 5th. It seems the only way we’ll get them is a special prosecutor. Maybe an offer of immunity will jar some memories and loosen lips.

Now as for Lois Lerner and her claiming the 5th…..

Lois Lerner might win the legal battle but she’s prolonging the political war. And her bravado has prompted House Oversight and Government Reform Committee  Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) to say she has waived her constitutional right  to not comment. From Politico

Some legal experts disagree with Issa. Other’s don’t.

Lois Lerner, the Internal Revenue Service’s embattled director of Exempt  Organizations, could be held in contempt of court and jailed for refusing to  testify before Congress, civil-rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz says. “She’s  in trouble. She can be held in contempt,” Dershowitz told “the Steve Malzberg  Show” on Newsmax TV. From NewsMax

That might help loosen her lips.

The IRS, like many in the Obama admin, are not being forthcoming with answers.

IRS Misses Filing Deadline: Fails to Comply With Congressional Demand for All Communications With WH About Targeting Conservatives, from CNSNews

Oversight on IRS targeting came from Washington all along, from NationalReview

So who’s next to go under the bus?

The Washington Post highlights her role in the IRS scandal, in which the top lawyer in the West Wing is purported to have played goalie with information in order to ensure plausible deniability:

Looks like we now know who pulled the strings in Cincinnati.

From Fox19

They also provide a nice run down of the players, and what they’re up to today.

“What this means for you… consider this chain of command since the story broke. Former Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller… retires-. Joseph Grant, Commissioner of Tax Exempt and Government Entities… retires. Lois Lerner, Head of Exempt Organization…says she will invoke her 5th amendment right to not incriminate herself when called before Congress on Wednesday. Holly Paz, Director of Exempt Organizations, subpoenaed to Washington to be interviewed by members of Congress. All of this IRS leadership, in Washington D.C.

Then one level down is Cindy Thomas, the highest ranking employee in Cincinnati in this Tax Exempt and Government Entities Department that no one in Congress is talking to… yet. ”

And yet the WH’s top lawyer says she never informed the President. 

We’re also expected to believe the former head of the IRS didn’t mention it on any of his 118 visits to the WH. From WeaselZippers

____________________________________________________

In other news…..

According to Gallup, 72% of Americans think the country’s moral values are getting worse. I guess they’re just stating the obvious. From CNSNews

” A large majority of Americans hold a bleak  outlook on the state of morality in the United States, as 72% said the  nation’s moral values are “getting worse,” and only 20% said that moral  values are “getting better,” according to a recent Gallup survey.

The poll specifically showed that Americans who attend church weekly,  are married, or are Republican, were the most negative about the  country’s moral direction. But even Democrats, people who attend church  infrequently, and the unmarried had high negative outlooks about the  nation’s moral values.”

____________________________________________________

I suppose that story is the perfect lead in for this one…

From NBCNews

“After years of emotional debate, the Boy Scouts of America are considering a proposal at their annual meeting to allow gay youths to participate openly in the popular organization for the first time.

The exclusion of gay Scouts has been the subject of much wrangling and soul searching in the century-old organization — from local troops and councils to online petitions to national board meetings. The dispute was even heard by the Supreme Court, which said 13 years ago that as a private membership organization the BSA was free to decide who it would admit.

Here is a rundown of what is at stake in the vote, which is scheduled to take place Thursday among the 1,400 delegates of the National Council gathered in Grapevine, Texas.”

This vote would allow gay scouts to participate, but would still ban gay scout leaders.

____________________________________________________

Here’s some non-shocking news on Ivy League commencement speakers. From CampusReform

“The list of keynote commencement speakers at Ivy League institutions for 2013 does not include a single conservative, a recent study authored by the conservative Young America’s Foundation (YAF) found.

Instead seven of the elite schools opted to invite ideological liberal speakers such as media billionaire Oprah Winfrey, Vice President Joe Biden (D), Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D), Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I), among others.

Only Brown University, which chooses a commencement keynote from among its students, did not have a 2013 speaker who is generally associated with the left.”

Not at all surprising. The left is always intolerant of those who disagree with their ideology.

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-22-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

We have a lot today, so I’ll try to be brief.

First a story on just a few of the many heroes who aided their neighbors after the tornado in Oklahoma.

‘When the need is there, we step up’, from NBCNews

There’s plenty of other related stories at the link.

The tornado that left a path of destruction in Oklahoma was an EF-5, from APNews

The Democrat Senator from Rhode Island has had to apologize for his callous remarks following the tornadoes. From FoxNews

Of course he offers a lame excuse about pre-written remarks. It was just a coincidence that it was while Oklahoma was being hit. Sure.

____________________________________________________

IRS’s Lerner Had History of Harassment, Inappropriate Religious Inquiries at FEC, from TheWeeklyStandard

Which is why this isn’t at all surprising.

IRS official Lois Lerner to invoke Fifth Amendment at hearing, from NBCNews

Meanwhile the shady non-profit run by the President’s half brother certainly appears to have actually warranted further questioning, yet for obvious reasons they weren’t.

The “charity” run by President Barack Obama’s half-brother that was  fast-tracked for IRS tax-exempt status is based at a Virginia UPS store, according to its website. The organization’s IRS filings list another Virginia address that is actually a drug rehab center where the foundation does not appear ever to have been based. From TheDailyCaller

Nope, nothing to see here. Just move along.

And just as a reminder, let’s not forget that the White House had others aiding their efforts. And this was right around when it all started. These folks encouraged exactly what the IRS did.

Durbin Asked IRS’ Shulman to Probe ‘Several’ Conservative 501(c)(4) Groups in 2010, from PJMedia

And in a related story…

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said Tuesday that a pro-life group in Iowa was told by an IRS agent that its application would not be approved until the group’s board of directors swore it would not protest Planned Parenthood. From CNSNews

____________________________________________________

It’s getting hard to hear with all these whistles blowing. Yes. More.

Ex-Diplomats Report New Benghazi Whistleblowers with Info Devastating to Clinton and Obama, from PJMedia

In a related story…

Raymond Maxwell, the only official at the State Department’s bureau of Near Eastern Affairs to lose his job after the attacks, tells Josh Rogin that he’s been scapegoated by Hillary Clinton’s team. From TheDailyBeast

____________________________________________________

Meanwhile one of the few mainstream reporters actually doing her job on the many Obama scandals has had her computer compromised. She got the same treatment as Fox reporters. And this was way back during Fast and Furious. They’ve been operating like this for a long time.

Sharyl Attkisson, the Emmy-award winning CBS News investigative reporter, says that her personal and work computers have been compromised and are under investigation. From Politico

In fact, a whole lot more people were victims than we knew, including Rosen’s parents, the WH staffers, and Fox executives. From TheNewYorker

BREAKING: DOJ Grabbed Even More Records In Rosen Case Including Other Fox News Numbers, Media Visits To State Dept, Even WH Numbers…Update: Report: DOJ Seized Phone Records Of James Rosen’s Parents…Update: Locations Of Fox Numbers Inc WH, State Dept, Executives’ Lines…Update: Video, from WeaselZippers

____________________________________________________

So what’s an embattled President to do? Why call in the troops for a good old-fashioned propaganda meeting of course.

Liberal Bloggers, Columnists Seen In West Wing For WH Meeting…, from WeaselZippers

In other words…. JournoListers to the rescue!

And in case you’re wondering, they’re gonna blame campaign finance laws for the IRS scandal and attempt to use this to push for new restrictive laws that will do the same thing.  Just watch. In fact, this coordinated effort between Dems and their propagandists has already started.

Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee said Tuesday the IRS, while engaging in “unacceptable” targeting of  conservative groups, may have been set up for failure by campaign finance law  ambiguities that allowed tax-exempt groups to engage in partisan politics  without disclosing their donors. From TheWashingtonTimes

____________________________________________________

In other news….

Senate panel OKs tax-welfare benefits for newly legal immigrants, from TheWashingtonTimes

This next one probably helps explain why Obama’s foreign policy is such a disaster.

Dems Who Do Campaign Time Get Prime State Department Spots, from PJMedia

Don’t bother asking Holder about this one. From what I’ve seen and heard from him, he doesn’t know anything about anything. He’ll tell you so himself. Repeatedly.

When the Department of Justice is finished violating journalists’ First Amendment rights, perhaps it should look into this: Liberty Counsel, an international Christian litigation organization, has obtained a brochure entitled, “LGBT Inclusion at Work: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Managers, distributed to DOJ managers by DOJ Pride, the department’s in-house LGBT association, in advance of “LGBT Pride Month” (a.k.a. “June”). From NationalReview

Here’s the PDF in question, from LibertyCounsel. And yeah, it’s as PC pathetic as you can get.

LGBT Inclusion at Work: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Managers

by

News/Politics 5-21-13

The full scope of the devastion in Oklahoma is more apparent this morning. Sadly most of the news is not good. There is also the chance of more tornadoes today. From NBCNews

“At least 51 people, including 20 children, were among the victims of an enormous tornado that roared through the suburbs of Oklahoma City Monday, pulverizing entire city blocks and leaving behind miles of mangled cars and splintered wood.

Officials warned the death toll was likely to climb, making it among the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.

Forecasters warned that more “large and devastating” tornadoes were possible Tuesday with cities including Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Shreveport, Texarkana and Little Rock potentially at risk.”

More From CBSHouston

“A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. At least 51 people were reported killed, according to CBS News.”

Many of the victims were children. It’s just so sad. Please keep these folks suffering loss and damage to their homes in prayer. And all those working on rescue and recovery efforts as well.

UPDATE

The death toll continues to rise. From KFOR-TV

“Officials have confirmed at least 91 people have been killed in the Moore tornado Monday.

The medical examiner’s office confirmed at least 233 people have been injured.

That number is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue Tuesday morning and daylight arrives.”

____________________________________________________

In other news….

This woman should be spending time in prison. From TheWeeklyStandard

“Perhaps no other IRS official is more intimately associated with  the tax agency’s growing scandal than Lois Lerner, director of the IRS’s  Exempt Organizations Division. Since admitting the IRS harassed  hundreds of conservative and Tea Party groups for over two years, Lerner  has been criticized for a number of untruths—including  the revelation that she apparently lied about planting a question at an  American Bar Association conference where she first publicly  acknowledged IRS misconduct.”

“The trouble with this defense is that, prior to joining the IRS,  Lerner’s tenure as head of the Enforcement Office at the Federal  Election Commisson (FEC) was marked by what appears to be politically  motivated harassment of conservative groups.”

“One of the most shocking things about the current IRS scandal is the revelation that the agency asked one religious pro-life group to detail the content of their prayers and asked clearly innappropriate questions about private religious activity. But under Lerner’s watch, innappropriate religious inquiries were a hallmark of the FEC’s interrogation of the Christian Coalition. According to Bopp’s testimony:”

And does anyone doubt that this is exactly why she’s received her newer assignments? Me neither.

____________________________________________________

We also have attempts to intimidate reporters seeking answers at the IRS office in Cincinnati. From ABCNews

“As we traveled the public hallways of the building – watched over by security cameras – an armed uniformed police officer with the Federal Protective Service followed us. We were looking for a particular office—of someone who would not want to be seen talking to reporters–but chose to bypass it because of our official babysitter.

Asked why we were being escorted in a public building, the officer identified himself as Insp. Mike Finkelstein and said he was only trying to make sure that the newsmen were not a “nuisance.” He brushed aside further questions. The cop said a supervisor would call to explain.”

“One of the reporters wanted to know if the act of following the journalists was an effort intended to scare off any federal employee who might have considered speaking to the press. That’s sure what it looked like; and, even if that wasn’t the goal, it was the effect.”

Chicago style.

Next is the ever changing talking points. Regardless of whether it’s Benghazi, the IRS, or the AP story, the issue of a continually changing narrative seems to be a theme. From Politico

“The White House on Monday once again added to the list of people who knew  about the IRS investigation into its targeting of conservative groups — saying  White House chief of staff Denis McDonough had been informed about a month  ago.

Press secretary Jay Carney said again that no one had told President Barack  Obama ahead of the first news reports: not his top aide McDonough, nor his chief  counsel Kathy Ruemmler, nor anyone from the Treasury Department.”

“Monday’s revelation amounts to the fifth iteration of the Obama administration’s  account of events, after initially saying that the White House had first learned  of the controversy from the press.”

Quick, blame the video or something! 🙄

And there’s much more on this. Here are some examples.

A bushel of Pinocchios for IRS’s Lois Lerner, from TheWaPo

Senior W.H. staff knew of IRS investigation, did not tell Obama, from Politico

Riiiight. 😉

The True Scandal, fromNationalReview

“A tea-party group targeted by Democrats gets attention from the IRS—and the FBI, OSHA, and the ATF.”

“Two months later, the IRS initiated the first round of questions for True the Vote. Catherine painstakingly answered them, knowing that nonprofit status would help with the organization’s credibility, donors, and grant applications. In October, the IRS requested additional information. And whenever Catherine followed up with IRS agents about the status of True the Vote’s application, “there was always a delay that our application was going to be up next, and it was just around the corner,” she says,

As this was occurring, the FBI continued to phone King Street Patriots. In May 2011, agents phoned wondering “how they were doing.” The FBI made further inquiries in June, November, and December asking whether there was anything to report.”

“On the same day they received the questions from the IRS, Catherine says, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) launched an unscheduled audit of their machine shop, forcing the Engelbrechts to drop everything planned for that day. Though the Engelbrechts have a Class 7 license, which allows them to make component parts for guns, they do not manufacture firearms. Catherine said that while the ATF had a right to conduct the audit, “it was odd that they did it completely unannounced, and they took five, six hours. . . . It was so extensive. It just felt kind of weird.””

The fourth shoe is coming according to Drudge Editors and Dem. Sen. Max Baucus.

____________________________________________________

And we have yet another example of govt agencies harrassing people, and once again, an ever changing story. From NBCNews

“The Justice Department’s secret subpoena for AP phone records included the seizure of records for five reporters’ cellphones and three home phones as well as two fax lines, a lawyer for the news organization tells NBC News.”

“David Schulz, the chief lawyer for the AP, said the subpoenas also covered the records for 21 phone lines in five AP office lines — including one for a dead phone line at  office in Washington that had been shut down six years ago. The phone lines at four other offices – where  100 reporters worked — were also covered by the subpoenas, Schulz said.”

We know they also targeted at least 3 Fox reporters as well. From WeaselZippers

Jay Carney would like to remind everyone that leaks will not be tolerated. From TalkingPointsMemo

“Insisting repeatedly that he can’t comment on the Department of Justice’s 2009 probe of Fox News reporter James Rosen, White House press secretary Jay Carney on Monday emphasized the severity of leaks related to national security.

Carney said that President Barack Obama has long valued the First Amendment and an open press, but that leaks of classified information “are not tolerated.” The White House spokesman said that the media shield law proposed by Obama strikes that balance.

“I think it is very important that leaks are not tolerated,” Carney said.”

Well, except for those that benefit and come from the administration right Jay? 🙄

From Breitbart

“The Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General published a new report Monday that confirms former U.S. Attorney for Arizona Dennis Burke leaked a document intended to smear Operation Fast and Furious scandal whistleblower John Dodson.”

Apparently some leaks are more equal than others.

____________________________________________________

Democrats are planning an attempt to place restrictions on crisis pregnancy centers. Of course no such restrictions for abortion mills were not included. This is just rich. Gosnell they ignore. His victims, they ignore. And they don’t seem real concerned with full disclosure from Planned Parenthood before for an abortion. In fact, quite the opposite. From TheHill

“Democrats in the House and Senate are looking to stop what they say are  deceptive advertising practices by anti-abortion health clinics that imply they  offer abortion services, but instead encourage birth and promote  adoption.

The legislation is aimed at crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs),  which are clinics often set up by a church or other anti-abortion groups.  Democrats in Congress and other pro-abortion groups say these clinics are known  to indicate they can perform abortions in order to attract pregnant women  patients, and then try to convince them to carry their babies to term.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the House sponsor of the Stop Deceptive  Advertising for Women’s Services Act (H.R.  2030), said CPCs should not be allowed to deceive women who are seeking  information about their pregnancy.”

But this enabler who sponges blood money from abortion groups wouldn’t dare try this on PP, where it’s actually needed. Hypocrite.

Meanwhile some actual honesty and following of the law is completely lacking from Planned Parenthood. From TheBellinghamHerald

“An Everson man who impregnated a preteen girl and forced her to have an abortion must serve a six-year prison sentence, then leave the country.”

“He brought the girl to a Planned Parenthood clinic in August 2012. She told staff members that her 14-year-old boyfriend impregnated her, but she couldn’t give the boy’s name or address.

Six weeks after the abortion, the girl told a detective how she had really become pregnant. Gonzalez-Jose had insisted “it would be best for her” to not have the baby, according to the documents.”

Perhaps their new-found fondness of honesty will let them explain how a 14 year old girl, accompanied by a non-family member adult male, can get an abortion in one of their clinics without serious questions being asked and the authorities alerted?

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-20-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

We’ll start with some good news this morning. Here’s the first. From YahooNews

“When Marine Sgt. Ross Gundlach served as a dog handler in Afghanistan, he told the yellow lab who was his constant companion that he’d look her up when he returned home.”

“The 25-year-old learned Casey had finished her military service and had been sent to the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office, where she was used to detect explosives.”

“Reynolds decided to arrange a surprise. First, he got in touch with the Iowa Elk’s Association, which agreed to donate $8,500 to buy another dog for the agency.”

“When Gundlach arrived with his parents, Reynolds told them the meeting had been delayed and invited them to join an Armed Services Day celebration in the rotunda. There, hundreds of law enforcement officers, military personnel and civilians were seated, keeping the secret — until they brought out Casey.

When Gundlach saw Casey, he put his head in his hands and cried. She licked his face, wagging her tail furiously.”

Good dog! 🙂

____________________________________________________

Next we have a story of a woman abandoned at birth in a dumpster, and her adoption by loving parents who helped her overcome such a horrible start to life. From Today.com

“Rachael Clark is OK now. The straight-A student is graduating from the University of Maryland this year, getting married this summer, and excitedly making plans beyond that: To write a book about adoption; to pursue a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy; to become a mom to at least four kids.

The 23-year-old is so focused and busy that she sometimes forgets about the turmoil that’s dogged her since childhood. “Some days, it’s like it never happened,” Rachael said. “But some days, I really do struggle. I have such strong abandonment issues.”

Her issues stem from the way her life began. On Sept. 27, 1989, the day Rachael was born, she was sealed inside a dark garbage bag with her umbilical cord and placenta still attached. The trash bag was then thrown, hard, into a dumpster.”

____________________________________________________

Tornadoes have once again caused serious damage in the nation’s mid-section. From NBCNews

“People in two states were taking shelter amid wailing warning sirens Sunday as tornadoes were confirmed to have touched down in Kansas and Oklahoma as part of an extreme weather system plowing through the nation’s midsection.”

“The system, which stretched from North Texas to Minnesota, also heaved hail — dime to softball sized — as well as heavy rainfall.”

“Across central Oklahoma, where multiple twisters were seen, homes were blown apart and off their foundations with some of the worst damage seen in the Twin Lakes area just outside Wellston, according to KFOR. Power lines were downed and trees uprooted.”

____________________________________________________

There’s a news overload out there on the IRS scandal. I’m sure you’ve seen most of it. I’m just gonna point out two things. And remember this is a retiring Democrat Senator, and it sure sounds like he knows something we don’t. Yet.

And then this, “Everything comes from the top” From TheWashingtonExaminer

“A story in the Washington Post yesterday about the Internal Revenue Service’s Cincinnati office, which does most of the agency’s nonprofit auditing, clearly contradicted earlier reports that the agency’s targeting of Tea Party groups was the result of rogue agents.

The Post story anonymously quoted a staffer in Cincinnati as saying they only operate on directives from headquarters:”

““We’re not political,’’ said one determinations staffer in khakis as he left work late Tuesday afternoon. “We people on the local level are doing what we are supposed to do. . . . That’s why there are so many people here who are flustered. Everything comes from the top. We don’t have any authority to make those decisions without someone signing off on them. There has to be a directive.””

Exactly. Now who wrote it, and who’s hiding it?

____________________________________________________

Oh look, another leak from the Obama admin. And once again, “low-level” people are responsible.  🙄

From TheJerusalemPost

____________________________________________________

Bob Schieffer still seems pretty upset that WH officials used his show to push their lies on Benghazi. From NewsBusters

“As NewsBusters reported  two weeks ago, CBS’s Bob Schieffer is fed up with the White House’s talking  points concerning what happened at our consulate in Benghazi, Libya, last  September.

His impatience continued on Sunday’s Face the Nation when Obama  senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer gave stock answers to questions about the three  crises facing the President leading Schieffer to first accuse his guest of  taking “exactly the approach that the Nixon administration took” and finally  scolding him by asking, “Why are you here today? Why isn’t the White House Chief  of Staff here to tell us what happened?” (video follows with transcript and  commentary):”

“DAN PFEIFFER, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR: The point that our Chief of Staff  is making is that this is the Republican playbook here which is try, when they  don’t have a positive agenda, try to drag Washington into a swamp of partisan  fishing expeditions, trumped up hearings and false allegations. We’re not going  to let that distract us and the President from actually doing the people’s work  and fighting for the middle class.

BOB SCHIEFFER, HOST: You know, I don’t want to compare this in any way to  Watergate. I do not think this is Watergate by any stretch. But you weren’t born  then I would guess, but I have to tell you that is exactly the approach that the  Nixon administration took. They said, “These are all second-rate things. We  don’t have time for this. We have to devote our time to the people’s business.” You’re taking exactly the same line they did.”

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-18-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First, the IRS scandal continues to grow. From TheWallStJournal

“The Internal Revenue Service’s watchdog told top Treasury officials around June 2012 he was investigating allegations the tax agency had targeted conservative groups, for the first time indicating that Obama administration officials were aware of the explosive matter in the midst of the president’s re-election campaign.”

“The disclosure to the Treasury general counsel and the deputy secretary was a cursory one, according to J. Russell George, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration. He said he didn’t reveal conclusions of the probe, which was in its early stages, and his disclosure came as part of a routine update to Treasury leaders. At the time, Republican lawmakers were complaining publicly about alleged IRS targeting of tea-party groups.

The revelation nonetheless raised a fresh set of questions about who was aware of the problem within the Obama administration. It was one of several new details that emerged during a contentious four-hour House committee hearing Friday, held one week after an IRS official revealed at a legal conference that the agency had taken “absolutely inappropriate” actions in targeting conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status for often heavy-handed scrutiny.”

And of course they knew, it’s looking more and more like they ordered it.

More. From TheWeeklyStandard

“NBC’s Lisa Myers reported this morning that the IRS  deliberately chose not to reveal that it had wrongly targeted conservative groups until after the 2012 presidential election:”

Of course they did. The whole point was to aid Obama in his re-election bid. How successful do you think he would have been if the truth got out before election day?

The probe will be expanding now for sure, as it should. From TheNYTimes

“Congressional Republicans, not resting with the Internal Revenue Service scandal, are moving to broaden the matter to an array of tax malfeasances and “intimidation tactics” they hope will ensnare the White House.”

Don’t panic though, the Times hasn’t turned on Obama. They carry water for him numerous times in the article, starting with the second paragraph.

“Republican charges range from the clearly questionable to the seemingly specious, and they grow by the day. On Friday, lawmakers sought to tie the I.R.S. matter to the carrying out of President Obama’s health care law, which will rely heavily on the agency. Whether they succeed holds significant ramifications for Mr. Obama, who will soon know if he is dealing with a late spring thunderstorm that may soon blow over or a consuming squall that will leave lasting damage.”

Nothing to see here, move along.

____________________________________________________

We have a Benghazi update too. From CBSNews

” The chairman of the House Oversight committee has issued a subpoena to compel the co-chairman of the independent review board that investigated last year’s attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, to answer questions about its findings in closed session.

California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa issued the subpoena on Friday to retired veteran diplomat Thomas Pickering to force him to appear at a deposition next Thursday.”

____________________________________________________

A terrorist with a bomb was arrested in Idaho. Once again, he’d been legally admitted into the country. From TheLongWarJournal

“The Department of Justice arrested an Uzbek national living in Idaho today  and charged him with supporting the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of  Uzbekistan and possessing an “unregistered destructive device,” or bomb.  Fazliddin Kurbanov  faces charges in both Idaho and Utah, and is accused of  conspiring to train others to purchase components to assemble a bomb.

Kurbanov is “legally present in the United States” at the time of his arrest  and is currently living in Boise, Idaho, the  Justice Department said in the press release that announced his arrest. He  has been charged with “conspiracy to provide material support to a designated  foreign terrorist organization,” the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and “to  terrorists,” as well as “possessing an unregistered destructive device.”

Not surprising really. After all, DHS is too busy concentrating on make-believe right-wing terrorists instead. Real Islamic radicals get a pass. From TheDailyCaller

“The Department of Homeland Security, which under Secretary  Janet Napolitano has shown a keen interest in monitoring and warning about outspoken conservatives, takes a very different approach in monitoring political  Islamists, according to a 2011 memo on protecting the free speech rights of pro-Shariah Muslim supremacists.

In a checklist obtained by The Daily Caller entitled “Countering Violent  Extremism Dos and Don’ts” the DHS’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil  Liberties notifies local and national law enforcement officials that it is  Obama administration policy to consider specifically Islamic criticism of the American system of government legitimate.

This policy stands in stark contrast to the DHS Office of Intelligence and  Analysis’ 2009 memo “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and  Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” [pdf], which warned of the dangers posed by pro-life  advocates, critics of same-sex marriage and groups concerned with abiding by the  U.S. Constitution, among others.”

____________________________________________________

54 Colorado Sheriffs are standing up to the state for its unconstitutional new gun grab laws. From WeaselZippers

“54 Colorado Sheriffs File Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Anti-Gun Bills: It’s About Upholding The Constitution And Public Safety”

____________________________________________________

And here’s more on a story from the other day about what sounds like the next Gosnell, with a CONTENT WARNING!, from TheHoustonChronicle

“Harris County authorities and the Texas Department of State Health Services are investigating a local doctor accused Wednesday by an anti-abortion group of performing late-term abortions in 2011.

“We have several people looking into the allegations,” said Sara Marie Kinney, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney.

In an email, DSHS spokeswoman Carrie Williams said the agency, which monitors abortion facilities across the state, is “aware of the allegations, and we are investigating.” Added Williams: “This is a very high priority for us.”

The anti-abortion group Operation Rescue issued a report on Wednesday saying that three former employees of Dr. Douglas Karpen’s Houston clinic had relayed accounts of fetuses that had been illegally aborted and provided them with grisly photographs.”

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-17-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

The various scandals are leading the race of course, but they’re not the only interesting ones. I’ll give you some on that, but first some others.

Like this one. It makes sense to me. After all, very few liberals appreciate alpha males. It’s contrary to their teachings. 🙂

Seriously though, it’s something to consider. From TheDailyMail

“Men who are strong are more likely to take a right-wing stance, while weaker men support the welfare state, researchers claim.

Their study discovered a link between a man’s upper-body strength and their political views.”

“The figures revealed that men with higher upper-body strength were less likely to support left-wing policies on the redistribution of wealth.

But men with low upper-body strength were more  likely to put their own self-interest aside and support a welfare state.”

Could this be why the left seems to prefer a softer, less manly version of men? They do seem to prefer a metro sexual type male. Or am I just being a sexist right-winger? I’m never sure. 🙂
____________________________________________________
Next up, another case that exposes the hypocrisy of saying abortion isn’t murder. He does it, and it’s prison for murder, she does it and it’s exercising her right to choose. Now I’m not taking his side here. What he did is repulsive and he should go to jail for murder and forgery and everything else. But how can you say it’s not if she did the same and took the pill on her own? The method and result are the same. Seems hypocritical to me. From TheTampaBayTimes
“The son of a Lutz fertility doctor killed a girlfriend’s unborn child by tricking her into taking an abortion drug, federal authorities said Wednesday.The act could put John Andrew Welden, 28, in prison for life.Welden forged the doctor’s signature on a prescription for Cytotec, relabeled a pill bottle as “Amoxicillin” and told the woman that his father wanted her on antibiotics, a federal prosecutor asserted Wednesday.”
Sadly she took the pills, and lost the baby. He’s in jail without bail, as he should be.
____________________________________________________

Next up, an update on Boston bomber #2. From CBSNews

“Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev left a note claiming responsibility for the April 15 attack on the Boston Marathon, reports CBS News senior correspondent John Miller.

Sources tell Miller that Tsarnaev wrote the note in the boat he was hiding in as police pursued him, and as he bled from gunshot wounds sustained in an earlier shootout between police and his older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev. It reads as part manifesto, part suicide note and part justification for the killing and maiming of innocent civilians.

The note — scrawled with a marker on the interior wall of the cabin — said the bombings were retribution for U.S. military action in Afghanistan and Iraq, and called the Boston victims “collateral damage” in the same way Muslims have been in the American-led wars. “When you attack one Muslim, you attack all Muslims,” Tsarnaev wrote.

Tsarnaev said he didn’t mourn older brother Tamerlan, the other suspect in the bombings, writing that by that point, Tamerlan was a martyr in paradise — and that he expected to join him there soon.”

That should lay to rest any assertions that his religion didn’t motivate this.

____________________________________________________

Now we’ll start getting to those scandals… First up, a good question. From IllumeMagazine

Do Muslim Nonprofits Have it Easier Than Tea Party Groups?

“Having spent most of my legal career working with tax exempt entities, the IRS scrutiny on the Tea Party isn’t news to me. In my days at large law firms, I handled a portfolio of nonprofit Tea Party organizations and saw firsthand how the IRS treated them when it came to granting exemptions.”

“In many cases, the organizations fight tooth-and-nail to get through IRS scrutiny, often facing pages of questions from the IRS on their activities.”

“On the flip side, I’ve worked with numerous Muslim organizations as well. And every single application of a Muslim nonprofit has gone through the IRS, with less scrutiny. Of course, they still did get scrutiny– after all, Islamophobia is still pretty rampant everywhere and it’s inaccurate to say that they got a free pass. But truth be told, they never got a 10-page questionnaire on each and every one of their grantees.

What does this say about the way that the IRS is handling applications from Muslim nonprofits? For one, in the application phase, Muslim nonprofits seem to have an upper hand over Tea Party groups. Of course, the Muslim groups face their struggles post-determination, when they’re suddenly placed under investigation. And the IRS isn’t the agency that tends to target Muslim nonprofits, even though the Treasury has a list of “scary Muslims” (ever heard of the OFAC list?).  It’s usually  the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security who run Muslim nonprofits to the ground and put their founders in jail. But going back to the IRS Tea Party scandal, the IRS certainly makes it hard for Tea Party groups to make it through the door.”

We already know how the IRS treated Franklin Graham’s ministry, and other Christian groups as well. Why the disparity?

____________________________________________________

If the White House is the one who encouraged this behavior from the IRS, then this must be how they rewarded the behavior. From ABCNews

“The Internal Revenue Service official in charge of the tax-exempt organizations at the time when the unit targeted tea party groups now runs the IRS office responsible for the health care legislation.

Sarah Hall Ingram served as commissioner of the office responsible for tax-exempt organizations between 2009 and 2012. But Ingram has since left that part of the IRS and is now the director of the IRS’ Affordable Care Act office, the IRS confirmed to ABC News today.”

And don’t buy the “we fired the guy responsible” meme from the WH. He was leaving in June anyway. He was an obvious choice to go under the bus.

____________________________________________________

About those Benghazi e-mails….

Where’s the rest, you know the ones where the shenanigans took place? Where are the first 2 days? From TheDailyCaller

“The Benghazi-related emails released by the White House late May 15 exclude the critical emails between  administration officials that were sent during the crucial first two days  after the deadly jihadi attack that killed four Americans last September.”

“The two-day gap — the first released email was sent 67 hours after the attack  began — plus the Petraeus comment, undermines the White House’s explanation for  the rewrite.”

____________________________________________________

Next up, Holder’s abdication. From WaPo

“As the nation’s top law enforcement official, Eric Holder is privy to all kinds of sensitive information. But he seems to be proud of how little he knows.”

“On and on Holder went: “I don’t know. I don’t know. . . . I would not want to reveal what I know. . . . I don’t know why that didn’t happen. . . . I know nothing, so I’m not in a position really to answer.”

Holder seemed to regard this ignorance as a shield protecting him and the Justice Department from all criticism of the Obama administration’s assault on press freedoms. But his claim that his “recusal” from the case exempted him from all discussion of the matter didn’t fly with Republicans or Democrats on the committee, who justifiably saw his recusal as more of an abdication.

“There doesn’t seem to be any acceptance of responsibility in the Justice Department for things that have gone wrong,” said Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), after Holder placed the AP matter in the lap of his deputy. “We don’t know where the buck stops.””

Well it ain’t stoppin’ at Obama’s desk either, that’s for sure. I guess this is Bush’s fault too.

____________________________________________________

A second court has handed Obama a loss on the NLRB issue. Good. From Politico

“A second appeals court has joined the D.C. Circuit in ruling that President Barack Obama’s recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board were unconstitutional, concluding that some board actions taken in the wake of those appointments were also invalid.

The issue has far-reaching implications for both the NLRB and other boards, including Obama’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has been a frequent target of conservatives and whose director was a recess appointment.

The 2-1 decision Thursday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (posted here) found that the presidential recess appointment power is limited to breaks between sessions of Congress, not breaks within sessions or other adjournments during which the Senate might meet in pro forma sessions. The reasoning mirrors that in a ruling of the D.C. Circuit Court in January.”

____________________________________________________

These last two are on the next potential scandal, the one emerging at the EPA that I posted about yesterday. From TheHill

“Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) on Wednesday accused the Environmental Protection  Agency (EPA) of exempting left-leaning political groups and green energy  producers from various fees and fines that it routinely assesses to  right-learning groups.

Whitfield, who chairs the House Energy &  Commerce Subcommittee on Energy & Power, called the EPA’s actions a “pattern  of conduct in which this administration rewards its friends and punishes its  opponents.”

“We cannot afford a government that systematically goes against groups that  it opposes, and yet rewards groups that it favors,” he said on the House floor.  Whitfield’s charges come just as the Internal Revenue Service has admitted that  some of its officials were targeting conservative groups for closer  scrutiny.”

Also From TheHill

“The Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general will review claims  the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) refuses to waive public records  fees for conservative groups while granting the waivers for environmental  organizations.”

“Republicans compared the CEI report to recent revelations that IRS officials  improperly targeted Tea Party groups and pressed for unnecessary information  when those groups sought tax-exempt status.
“When we take this in the  context of what has just been exposed at the IRS … it seems at the EPA, the  same thing is happening,” said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.).

“It certainly appears there is a bias,” said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas).”

All this makes the scheduled Senate vote for a new EPA head on Thursday a bit more interesting.

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-16-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

The IRS scandal continues to grow.

The acting IRS Commissioner has resigned. From CNN

Acting Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Steven Miller revealed Wednesday that officials had identified two “rogue” employees that were responsible for subjecting Tea Party groups to extra scrutiny in their requests for tax-exempt status. From HuffPo

That doesn’t sound truthful considering this info.

The Treasury Inspector General’s damaging report on the IRS-Tea Party scandal has destroyed the administration’s claim that low-level workers in a Cincinnati, Ohio office are to blame, revealing that 10 of 12 agency offices referenced in the affair are in Washington. From TheWashingtonExaminer

Documents: IRS letters harassing conservative groups came from Washington, DC  headquarters and from California offices, despite Inspector General’s focus on  Cincinnati employees. From TheDailyMail

Perjury?

Representative Dave Camp, chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, charged top IRS officials, including former commissioner Doug Shulman, of lying to Congress over the targeting of tea-party groups. From NationalReview

As usual, the buck always stops somewhere else.

NBC: W.H. Blaming Treasury Dept. for IRS Scandal. Via TheWeeklyStandard

The list of victims continues to grow.

Some counts say it will be as high as 500. From TownHall

‘Very Frightening’: Prominent Catholic Prof. Claims IRS Audited Her After Speaking Out Against Obama and Demanded to Know Who Was Paying Her. From TheBlaze

The Koch brothers and other Romney donors as well.

Frank VanderSloot: ‘I’m not the only’ major Mitt Romney donor audited. From TheDailyCaller

Pro-life groups are getting the same treatment Franklin Graham’s group did.

IRS is also targeting pro-life groups: Thomas More Society. From LifeSiteNews

Report: IRS denied tax-exempt status to pro-lifers on behalf of Planned Parenthood. From TheWashingtonExaminer

I’m sure the White House had nothing to do with this either. 🙄 harassment on behalf of the abortion mills, just like the DoJ has been doing to sidewalk counselors.

____________________________________________________

And is there yet another possible IRS scandal?

The Internal Revenue Service is now facing a class action lawsuit over allegations that it improperly accessed and stole the health records of some 10 million Americans, including medical records of all California state judges. From HealthCareItNews

____________________________________________________

The White House has released several Benghazi related e-mails. And yes, they expose a little more on how the lies that came from the Obama admin in the weeks after the attack were put together.

The Obama administration released 100 pages of emails Wednesday that reveal differences between intelligence analysts and State Department officials over how to describe the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. post in Benghazi, Libya. From WaPo

You can view them yourself here. From Scribd.com

____________________________________________________

Holder had a testy hearing on the hill.

Apparently it’s “unacceptable and shameful”  to point out how he repeatedly refuses to provide info to Congressional investigators on numerous topics. From FoxNews

Meanwhile, Holder continues to play dumb and insist he knows nothing about the AP scandal.

Holder said that he recused himself from the  making the controversial decision to subpoena the phone records of Associated  Press journalists, saying that it was made by Deputy Attorney General James  Cole. From TheDailyMail

Yet there is no paper trail showing that he ever officially recused himself. He even admitted as much.

And he’s not sure when he did. From RCP

Sure. It seems the only thing he does know is that he doesn’t know. See for yourself.

And according to Carney, repeatedly as well I might add, the White House has “No Comment.”.

____________________________________________________

And yet again we must ask, is there yet another phone records scandal coming?

Would You Believe The Administration Got Phone Records of The House Of Representatives? From TheGreenRoom

That’s the revelation made by California Congressman Devin Nunes, who sits on the House Ways And Means Committee on Hugh Hewitt’s Show Wednesday night.”

“HH: The idea that this might be a Geithner-Axelrod plan, and by that, the sort of intimation, Henry II style, will no one rid me of this turbulent priest, will no one rid me of these turbulent Tea Parties, that might have just been a hint, a shift of an eyebrow, a change in the tone of voice. That’s going to take a long time to get to. I don’t trust the Department of Justice on this. Do you, Congressman Nunes?

DN: No, I absolutely do not, especially after this wiretapping incident, essentially, of the House of Representative. I don’t think people are focusing on the right thing when they talk about going after the AP reporters. The big problem that I see is that they actually tapped right where I’m sitting right now, the Cloak Room.

HH: Wait a minute, this is news to me.

DN: The Cloak Room in the House of Representatives.

HH: I have no idea what you’re talking about.

DN: So when they went after the AP reporters, right? Went after all of their phone records, they went after the phone records, including right up here in the House Gallery, right up from where I’m sitting right now. So you have a real separation of powers issue that did this really rise to the level that you would have to get phone records that would, that would most likely include members of Congress, because as you know…

HH: Wow.

Wow indeed. Nixon? Anyone?

____________________________________________________

Oh. And the Russians are saying they arrested a US spy. Possibly Boston Bombing related?

This morning the Russian foreign  ministry today  issued a formal protest to American ambassador Michael  McFaul who was summoned  to explain the alleged espionage mission of one  of his diplomats. Again, TheMail

____________________________________________________

This next one? Well, I only have one comment….

Suckers. What did you expect?

Deep in the list of taxes that the president’s Obamacare plan will hit Americans with is a 40 percent excise tax on health plans typical union members have, especially in Midwest states, according to a new analysis. From TheWashingtonExaminer

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-15-13

What’s interesting out there in the news today?

Open Thread, feel free to share. 🙂

____________________________________________________

The more we know, the worse it gets. Their stories have more holes than swiss cheese. The claim that it was just the Cincinnati IRS office has already been proven false.

Internal Revenue Service officials in Washington and at least two other offices were involved with investigating conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status, making clear that the effort reached well beyond the branch in Cincinnati that was initially blamed, according to documents obtained by TheWashingtonPost.

Carney: W.H. ‘People Were Aware’ of IRS Targeting Conservatives, But Didn’t Do Anything About It. From TheWeeklyStandard

President Obama will do what he always does. Throw somebody else under the bus. From TheGretaWire

“I’ve directed Secretary Lew to hold those responsible for these failures accountable, and to make sure that each of the Inspector General’s recommendations are implemented quickly, so that such conduct never happens again.  But regardless of how this conduct was allowed to take place, the bottom line is, it was wrong.  Public service is a solemn privilege.  I expect everyone who serves in the federal government to hold themselves to the highest ethical and moral standards.  So do the American people.  And as President, I intend to make sure our public servants live up to those standards every day.”

It’s gonna be fun when these low-level scapegoats are under oath. I’d like to hear where they say the orders came from.

____________________________________________________

Franklin Graham says they were targeted by the IRS too. From Politico

“While these audits not only wasted taxpayer money, they wasted money  contributed by donors for ministry purposes as we had to spend precious  resources servicing the IRS agents in our offices,” Graham wrote in the letter, which was shared with POLITICO. “I believe that someone in the administration was  targeting and attempting to intimidate us. This is morally wrong and unethical – indeed some would call it ‘un-American.”

Graham said that “in light” of the IRS admission that it targeted tea party  groups for added scrutiny, “I do not believe that the IRS audit of our two  organizations last year is a coincidence – or justifiable.”

Looks like there may have been other victims as well. Someone seems to be using the IRS to harrass perceived “enemies” of the President.

Reporter Claims IRS Harassment After Tough Obama Interview *UPDATE: Conners Muzzled from TheDanaShow

____________________________________________________

At least one group had a sense of humor about it, though I doubt the IRS found it funny. 🙂

IRS Asks for Reading List, Tea Party Group Sends Constitution. From ABCNews

“The Ohio woman also did not expect that providing information about the books her group read would be part of the application process.

“I was trying to be very cordial, but they wanted copies of unbelievable things,” Bower told ABC News today. “They wanted to know what materials we had discussed at any of our book studies.”

Now can someone tell me what the books they read have to do with granting tax exempt status?

Here’s some more of the questions asked of conservative groups. They even wanted info on family members of conservative organization members. From PJMedia

Much of that information would allow the IRS to identify individual members of the targeted groups. Not just staff and donors, but members.”

And then the IRS makes it all public, thereby fulfilling the liberal dream of finding, publicly naming, and attempting to publicly shame conservative donors. Like the Koch Brothers.

And yes, it turns out the IRS did leak info on conservative groups for just that purpose. From ProPublica

“The same IRS office that deliberately targeted conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status in the run-up to the 2012 election released nine pending confidential applications of conservative groups to ProPublica late last year .”

“In response to a request for the applications for 67 different nonprofits last November, the Cincinnati office of the IRS sent ProPublica applications or documentation for 31 groups. Nine of those applications had not yet been approved—meaning they were not supposed to be made public. (We made six  of those public, after redacting their financial information, deeming that they were newsworthy.)”

____________________________________________________

Meanwhile, certain shady groups got expedited service. You just have to know the right people. Or be the President’s brother.

IRS official Lerner speedily approved exemption for Obama brother’s ‘charity’. From TheDailyCaller

“Lois Lerner, the senior IRS official at the center of the decision to target  tea party groups for burdensome tax scrutiny, signed paperwork granting  tax-exempt status to the Barack H. Obama Foundation, a shady charity headed by the president’s half-brother that operated illegally for years.

According to the organization’s filings, Lerner approved the foundation’s tax  status within a month of filing, an unprecedented timeline that stands in stark  contrast to conservative organizations that have been waiting for more than  three years, in some cases, for approval.

Lerner also appears to have broken with the norms of tax-exemption approval  by granting retroactive tax-exempt status to Malik Obama’s organization.

Wait let me guess, low-level employees again?

____________________________________________________

And is the EPA unfairly assigning fees based on political ideology?

EPA waives fee requests for friendly groups, denies conservative groups. From TheWashingtonExaminer

“Conservative groups seeking information from the Environmental Protection Agency have been routinely hindered by fees normally waived for media and watchdog groups, while fees for more than 90 percent of requests from green groups were waived, according to requests reviewed by the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

CEI reviewed Freedom of Information Act requests sent between January 2012 and this spring from several environmental groups friendly to the EPA’s mission, and several conservative groups, to see how equally the agency applies its fee waiver policy for media and watchdog groups. Government agencies are supposed to waive fees for groups disseminating information for public benefit.

“This is as clear an example of disparate treatment as the IRS’ hurdles selectively imposed upon groups with names ominously reflecting an interest in, say, a less intrusive or biased federal government,” said CEI fellow Chris Horner.”

____________________________________________________

Here’s more on the AP story.

Even Liberals Call DOJ’s AP Spying “Unacceptable Abuse of Power” From JudicialWatch

Holder is defending the phone record seizure. From TheWashingtonExaminer

____________________________________________________

In other news……

Looks like ICE leadership finally found an immigrant they don’t want amnesty for. Or even asylum. They even overturned a judge’s order to protect America from these dangerous individuals. 🙄 From TheBlaze

“The Romeike family has for years been battling for the right to educate their children as they see fit.  Today, the United States government has denied their request.

Originally from Germany, Evangelical Christians Uwe and Hannelore Romeike wanted to homeschool their six children, but it is against the law in Germany.  They faced threats of legal action from the government and crippling fines before choosing to immigrate to the United States in 2010, seeking political asylum.

U.S. Immigration Judge Lawrence Burman granted the Romeike’s request, but it was overturned in 2012 by the Board of Immigration Appeals, after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement challenged the decision.”

Yet ICE leadership is releasing criminal illegals to wander the country, and hundreds of violent offenders directly from prisons. What’s wrong with this picture?

____________________________________________________

Next, new info in the Gosnell case.

Gosnell Gives Up Appeal, Prosecutors Agree to Life in Prison, No Death Penalty

This next one has upset some people.

Steve Stockman: ‘Democrats Worship Abortion,’ Don’t Care About Women’s Safety. From TheHuffingtonPost

“Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) on Monday attempted to tie Democrats to Philadelphia abortion doctor and recently convicted murderer Kermit Gosnell.

In a statement released shortly after Gosnell was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of three infants born alive at his medical clinic, Stockman said the crimes had “exposed the horrors and inhumanity of legalized abortion.”

“Despite the blood-soaked horror of Gosnell’s clinic, Democrats refuse to loosen their embrace of unrestricted, unregulated, taxpayer-funded abortion on demand,” he continued. “Democrats do not want abortion to be safe or rare. Democrats oppose even the most basic of health and safety standards for abortion mills. Democrats don’t care how many women are maimed, infected with diseases or die on the routinely filthy abortion mills. Democrats worship abortion with same fervor the Canaanites worshipped Molech.””

As you can imagine, HuffPo readers are not happy with Steve.

And sadly it appears we have another story breaking that’s similar to the Gosnell story. 3 employees have come forward to allege infanticide of born alive babies.

With A VERY STRONG CONTENT WARNING!!!

It’s graphic, and the details are horrible.

More here from LifeSiteNews

____________________________________________________

by

News/Politics 5-14-13

What’s interesting in the news today?

First up..

GUILTY! From LifeNews

“The jury in the murder trial of abortion practitioner Kermit Gosnell returned a verdict and found him guilty on three of the four first-degree murder charges he faced.

Gosnell was found guilty of killing Baby A, Baby C and Baby D and found not guilty of killing Baby E. He was also convicted on hundreds of lesser charges ranging from infanticide to running a corrupt organization.

The guilty verdict on these three counts subjects the abortion “doctor” to the potential he will face the death penalty when a second jury considers his sentencing on the convictions. At minimum Gosnell will face three life terms in prison. The jury that will be tasked with sentencing Gosnell on the convictions will begin its work on May 21.”

NARAL and other pro-abortion groups would like to blame pro-lifers. The attempted spin from those who cover for abortionists like Gosnell is sickening. Also from LifeNews

““Kermit Gosnell has been found guilty and will get what he deserves. Now, let’s make sure these women are vindicated by delivering what all women deserve: access to the full range of health services including safe, high-quality and legal abortion care,” said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL.

But she went further in her statement and blasted pro-lifers and their efforts to limit abortions and put restrictions on late-term abortions in place. She also placed the blame for the Gosnell horrors on pro-life advocates.

“Anti-choice politicians, and their unrelenting efforts to deny women access to safe and legal abortion care, will only drive more women to back-alley butchers like Kermit Gosnell,” she said.”

Groups like them have enabled the Gosnell’s by fighting any and all restrictions, inspections, and attempts at accountability for decades. He is the result of their efforts, and no amount of spin will change that.

____________________________________________________

It’s getting hard to keep up with all these breaking scandals. There’s so much, we’ll just go fast and furious again. Pun intended. 

The latest to hit is the govt tapping AP reporters and their phone lines. From TheAP   With a Hat Tip to DrivesGuy

The White House plays dumb. Again. From Politico

But that seems doubtful when Holder signed off on it. From TheWashingtonExaminer

____________________________________________________

Next up is more on the IRS scandal.

Wider Problems Found at IRS. From TheWallStJournal

The lie that it was low-level employees has already been proven false.

IRS officials in Washington were involved in targeting of conservative groups. From TheWashingtonPost

The extent of the IRS malice is here. From NationalReview

White House counsel told of IRS review in April. From Politico

Also now called into question is the testimony under oath of IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman in March of 2012. At that time he testified that he had no clue about what was then a potential scandal.

Flashback Video: IRS Commissioner Testifies Before Congress Conservative Groups Not Being Targeted. FromWeaselZippers

That appears to have been a lie. They knew as far back as at least 2011.

“The Tea Party Patriots rejects the apology from the Internal Revenue Service,” Martin said in a statement. “The IRS lied. They lied before Congress in 2011, and they lied again [in the agency’s apology]. From CBSNews

Did he perjure himself? Certainly seems like he did.

Senator Cruz has this to say on the matter…

Cruz: IRS Scandal ‘Harkens Back to the Days of Nixon,’ Carney Guilty of ‘Flat-out Falsehoods’. From NationalReview

____________________________________________________

And just a little FYI…….

Articles of Impeachment against Richard M. Nixon

ARTICLE 2

“Using the powers of the office of President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in disregard of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has repeatedly engaged in conduct violating the constitutional rights of citizens, impairing the due and proper administration of justice and the conduct of lawful inquiries, or contravening the laws governing agencies of the executive branch and the purposed of these agencies.

This conduct has included one or more of the following:

1. He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, endeavoured to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposed not authorized by law, and to cause, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, income tax audits or other income tax investigations to be initiated or conducted in a discriminatory manner.”

Just sayin’……..

____________________________________________________

And just when you though ObamaCare news couldn’t get much worse…..

Insurers predict 100%-400% Obamacare rate explosion

____________________________________________________