American History

» Migisi - "Silencing the Lam"

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A new movie plot for Michael Moore, based on real accounts. I've titled it "Silencing the Lam"...
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Caliornia US Attorney Carol Lam had successfully prosecuted Rep. Congressman Duke Cunningham for bribery and income tax evasion (sentenced to 8+ years). While investigating Cunningham, Lam discovered evidence against two of his associates:
- Brent R. Wilkes, a defense contractor, head of ADCS Inc. and two smaller logistics and lobbying firms.
- Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo, a top CIA official who ran daily operations.
Wilkes and Foggo were college buddies.
Cunningham had admitted in his plea agreement that he used his position on the defense appropriations subcommittee to get millions of dollars in federal contracts for Wilkes/ADCS.
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Wilkes was accused of bribing Congressman Cunningham and CIA Foggo to get contracts for Wilkes' companies.
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Foggo was charged with conspiracy and money laundering. The conspiracy indictment alleges that Foggo used his position at the CIA to pressure subordinates into awarding contracts to Wilkes' companies. In return, Wilkes promised to hire Foggo after he retired from the CIA.
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But there's more...
Lam had a parallel investigation going into Rep. Congressman Jerry Lewis and former Rep. Congressman Bill Lowery.
- Lewis was then chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
- Lowery had served on the Approp. Committee with Lewis. After leaving Congress, he founded a successful lobbying firm. Wilkes was one of Lowery's clients. Clients of Lowery's lobbying firm had been awarded millions of dollars in earmarks - all authorized by Lewis. In addition, members of Lewis' staff had been hired as lobbyists by Lowery's firm, and then they returned to Lewis' staff.
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Lam had notified Washington last year about search warrants in this widening corruption case. Shortly after, Kyle Sampson (Attorney Gen. Gonzales' chief of staff) emailed White House Deputy Counsel William Kelley, referring to a "real problem we have right now with Carol Lam." (Sampson resigned last week.)
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On Dec. 7, Lam was notified that she was fired. She was fired right in the middle of this investigation. She stepped down in February. Two days before leaving office, she announced federal grand jury indictments of Wilkes and Foggo.
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What of Lewis and Lowry? Sorry, you'll have to wait for the sequel to find out what happens to them - if anything, that is.
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The End

-- posted by Migisi

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» Migisi - Bush defiantly refuses to cooperate with CONGRESS

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The Congressional Judiciary Committee requested transcripts regarding the US attorney purges. What they got included over 100 erased pages. Bush flat out refuses to cooperate with CONGRESS and the legal process regarding subpoenas and trials - refusing to make Karl Rove available to testify.
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Listen to Bob Bar, former US Attorney under Ronald Reagan, on the subject: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/03/21...

-- posted by Migisi

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» Migisi - Voice of experience from the past...

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"Why, of course the people don't want war... but, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship... voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger."
---Hermann Goering, Nazi Commander, April 18, 1946 (Nuremberg Diary, by Gustave Gilbert)

-- posted by Migisi

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» Migisi - Dem Funding Bill, and Firing US Attorneys

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Sen. Murtha speaks out again, in support of the Dem funding bill and our troops: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/03/23...
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Sen. Patrick Leahy on the arrogant response from the White House on the hearings about fired US attorneys:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/03/23...

-- posted by Migisi

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» Migisi - Americans losing hope

In response to Dem Funding Bill, and Firing US Attorneys posted by Migisi:

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http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=26...
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March 20, 2007
Congress Job Approval Back Down Again This Month --
January and February uptick appears to have dissipated
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GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
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(quotes) PRINCETON, NJ -- The modest uptick in approval of the job being done by Congress has dissipated for the most part after only two months. Congress job approval had risen over the last two months after the Democrats took over control of Congress in early January -- fueled in large part by a jump in approval among rank and file Democrats. This month, however, Congress job approval is back down to levels quite similar to where it was in 2006. Democrats have lost a good deal of the positivity exhibited in the first two months of the year after their party took over.
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According to Gallup's monthly update on job approval of Congress -- in a March 11-14, 2007, national poll -- 28% of Americans approve of the job being done by Congress and 64% disapprove. This marks a substantial change from January and February, with approval down nine points and disapproval up nine points...(end quotes)
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Why? We had high hopes that last November's sweep in the elections would send a loud and clear message to ALL in Congress that the American majority wants an end to the Iraq war NOW.
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Instead, we got the 'slow bleed'...
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Sigh.

-- posted by Migisi

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» pink101 - Americans losing hope--Slow Bleed?

In response to Americans losing hope posted by Migisi:
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Okay, quick now. What's another term for slow bleed?
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And, what is keeping congress from making the proper moves?
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What's the political party make up of the two separate houses--Representative & Senate?
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What we have is the results of our electoral system. I think it is a good system; but, I think--maybe--we need to shorted the terms more so that these buggers don't have enough time on their hands to lay out so much b.s. as they do when they're running for office and re-election. Maybe incumbants shouldn't be allowed to campaign--I don't know.
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But, what I do know is that the other term for slow bleed is gridlock. These turkeys (and that is a good word for them) sit there jawing all day long with their platitudes, half truths and outright lies trying to convince us that they're out for our good. They're out, all right; but, it isn't for our good. It's to satisfy the interests of the lobbyists who promise them support and money.
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Can anyone think of a stronger word than turkey? Have you ever heard one of those jakes as they strut around doing that gobble, gobble, gobble?
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Now, there is a chance that they are moving in a deliberative way to see what kind or response they're getting from us on a day by day basis. I hope that's the case. But, in the meantime, our dicator is getting ready to throw us into a war of expansionism into Iran. Don't take Tony Blairs bragadosia too lightly when he makes his claims about what Iran is doing with those Brittish sailors they picked up and are holding. This could be the opening shot.
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-- posted by pink101

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» Migisi - Money for war

In response to Americans losing hope--Slow Bleed? posted by pink101:

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The Bush administration has been claiming that a "clean" (minus troop withdrawal provisions) Iraq spending bill must be signed by mid-April... "or U.S. troops will suffer".
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Congressional analysts said the Army has enough money in its existing budget to fund operations and maintenance through the end of July. So, why the April 15th deadline?
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Well, remember the deadline set by the UN demanding that Iran halt their nuclear development program... or there'd be dire consequences? Yep, April 15th. A coincidence? I think not.
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...Bush wants more (ehem) 'clean' money from Congress - so more troops can suffer.
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-- posted by Migisi

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» Migisi - Americans losing hope--Slow Bleed?

In response to Americans losing hope--Slow Bleed? posted by pink101:
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Okay, quick now. What's another term for slow bleed?
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Hemorage?
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And, what is keeping congress from making the proper moves?
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Their own self-interests.
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... Don't take Tony Blairs bragadosia too lightly when he makes his claims about what Iran is doing with those Brittish sailors they picked up and are holding. This could be the opening shot.
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No doubt it's the opening shot, Pink. This isn't the first time the Brits have been caught trespassing in Iranian waters. They were warned. Bush/Blair have created a new complaint to bring to the UN to justify expanding military aggression in the Middle East. I can't wait to read the Downing Street Memo exposing their chicanery.
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Check this out:
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Brinkmanship Unwise in Uncharted Waters
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info...
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"Craig Murray is former UK Ambassador to Uzbekistan (until he was cashiered for openly objecting to UK and US support for torture there) and also former head of the maritime section of the British Foreign Office, and has considerable experience negotiating disputes over borders extending into the sea.
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"The Iran/Iraq maritime boundary shown on the British government map does not exist. It has been drawn up by the British Government. Only Iraq and Iran can agree on their bilateral boundary, and they have never done this in the Gulf, only inside the Shatt because there it is the land border too. This published boundary is a fake with no legal force...Anyway, the UK was plainly wrong to be ultra-provocative in disputed waters...
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"They [the British Marines] would under international law have been allowed to enter Iranian territorial waters if in "hot pursuit" of terrorists, slavers, or pirates....But they were looking for smuggled vehicles attempting to evade car duty. What has the evasion of Iranian or Iraqi taxes got to do with the Royal Navy?"
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"Ambassador Murray has appealed to reason and cooler heads. To state what should be the obvious, he notes it is not legitimate for the British government to draw a boundary without agreement of the countries involved:
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"A little more humility, and an acknowledgement that this is a boundary subject to dispute, might actually get our people home. The question is are we really aiming to get our people home, or to maximize propaganda from the incident?" (end quote)
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I think we know the answer to that question, don't we.

-- posted by Migisi

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» pink101 - Americans losing hope--Slow Bleed?

In response to Americans losing hope--Slow Bleed? posted by Migisi:
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It seems that history repeats itself.
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Now, there's a revalation for ya!
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ABC

-- posted by pink101

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» pink101 - Asking For Help

In response to Americans losing hope--Slow Bleed? posted by pink101:
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My little study of American History is opening my eyes to something that has been going on in this great country for a long, long time.
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I have to say that I am very happy for whatever forces that have impigned on me to help me open my mind to progressive thinking. I would not want to be held in bondage to the forces that are presented to us as being conservative. And, I can say that it is getting to be very plain to understand why history is being taught the way it is in our schools. The conservative movement in the United States has a very nasty and unAmerican tradition. It needs to be exposed.
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I see a something within the conservative forces that wants to take the focus away from a deep understanding of the conflicts between the retrograde and the progressive forces. I am going to find out if there is a "school" of study into that conflict. I'm sure there must be as it is such an obvious thing.
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I hope I can get some help from any historians who come here.
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-- posted by pink101

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