April 16, 2008
Condoleeza Rice
"Torture, and conspiracy to commit torture are crimes under U.S. law, wherever they occur in the world."
Posted by jnfr at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)
April 02, 2008
Wal-mart Relents
Brain-damaged former employee can keep money
A former Wal-Mart employee who suffered severe brain damage in a traffic accident won't have to pay back the company for the cost of her medical care, Wal-Mart told the family Tuesday....
"We wanted you to know that Wal-Mart will not seek any reimbursement for the money already spent on Ms. Shank's care, and we will work with you to ensure the remaining amounts in the trust can be used for her ongoing care," Curran said.
"We are sorry for any additional stress this uncertainty has placed on you and your family."
Wal-Mart's reversal came as shock to Shank....
Posted by jnfr at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2008
Wal-mart Has Neither Morals Nor Class
In other word, Wal-mart sucks. Don't let their PR convince you otherwise.
Posted by jnfr at 06:42 PM | Comments (0)
July 04, 2007
Special Comment
From Keith Olbermann
Posted by jnfr at 07:24 AM | Comments (0)
July 03, 2007
Further reactions
Various Republicans on my TV:
CLENIS!!!! CLENIS!!!! CLENIS!!!!!
Posted by jnfr at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)
Reactions, cont.
We have a radical and lawless government that has run rampant over the last six years precisely because the institutions designed to stop that abuse have not only stood idly by, but have actively defended and participated in it. We actually have a press corps that holds, as its central belief, that our highest government officials should be free of investigation and accountability. In every country ruled by a lawless government and a corrupt political and media elite, powerful political officials do not go to prison for crimes. That is why convicted felon Lewis Libby will remain free.
Posted by jnfr at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)
Reactions
Most in USA Disagree with Bush Decision to Commute Libby Prison Sentence:
21% of Americans familiar with the legal case involving former White House aide Scooter Libby agree with President Bush's decision to commute Libby's prison sentence, according to a SurveyUSA nationwide poll conducted immediately after the decision was announced. 1,500 Americans were surveyed. Of them, 825 were familiar with the Libby case. Only those familiar were asked to react to the President's action. 17% say Bush should have pardoned Libby completely. 60% say Bush should have left the judge's prison sentence in place. 32% of Republicans agree with the President's decision, compared to 14% of Democrats and 20% of Independents. 26% of Republicans say Libby should have been pardoned completely, compared to 21% of Independents and 8% of Democrats. Conservatives split evenly: 31% say Libby should have been pardoned. 35% say the judge's sentence should have been left in place. 31% agree with the President's decision to commute the prison sentence, but to leave the fine and conviction in place. Reaction to the President's decision may evolve over time. This poll attempts to measure a first reaction to the news, before many individuals would have had a chance to be influenced by political spin applied to the story.
Posted by jnfr at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)
July 02, 2007
Libby walks
"We fully recognize that the Constitution provides that commutation decisions are a matter of presidential prerogative and we do not comment on the exercise of that prerogative.
"We comment only on the statement in which the President termed the sentence imposed by the judge as 'excessive.' The sentence in this case was imposed pursuant to the laws governing sentencings which occur every day throughout this country. In this case, an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws. It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals. That principle guided the judge during both the trial and the sentencing.
"Although the President’s decision eliminates Mr. Libby’s sentence of imprisonment, Mr. Libby remains convicted by a jury of serious felonies, and we will continue to seek to preserve those convictions through the appeals process."
Posted by jnfr at 08:57 PM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2007
Lurita Doan
Best name ever. I know everyone and their sister is putting up this clip, but I need it here so I can watch it again without looking it up.
Posted by jnfr at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2007
Americans Support Dems' Investigation
From a USA Today/Gallup poll. These questions refer to the attorney purge.
In spite of the whining from various media elites, Americans want investigations into the corruption of this administration. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And while it's true that the Dems may overstep at some point, and launch investigations that aren't appropriate, that time hasn't come yet, and isn't even close.
Via Horse's Mouth and Glenn Greenwald.
Posted by jnfr at 07:51 AM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2007
How much did Specter know?
Over on the Well, we've been talking a lot among ourselves about the attorney purge. And here's what Rik thinks it all comes down to (quoted with permission):
"It's beginning to look to me that this justice purge is part of a longterm Rove plan to affect the 2008 election. The emphasis on "voter fraud" is classic Rove. He's going after the Democrats on what should be a strong point of theirs, that the Republicans are actually the ones who are guilty of systematic voter fraud. And by purging the Justice Department of prosecutors who won't play ball, he's stacking the deck in advance. The nerve of him putting in a known flunky with no experience to replace the guy in Arkansas, is astounding.
But it all hung on someone slipping that clause in when they renewed the patriot act. They've been planning this for years. And the fact that it was someone in Specter's office just nails down my suspicion that Specter's in on it. With that little item to give perspective, his numerous instances of threatening oversight, while ultimately caving in every single time, comes off as pure political theater. Even now, when he's subordinate to Pat Leahy, he's the voice urging compromise and reason when he should be absolutely livid at being used and made a fool of for years. Specter is in on this all the way. He's part of the plot.
Posted by jnfr at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2007
More on the Oversight Committee hearing
I watched the entire hearing Friday, and it's too bad most of the reporters left when Plame was done testifying, because they missed the more telling testimony. That came during the questioning of James Knodell, head of the White House office of security.
He had to admit – and he did it quietly and reluctantly – that the Administration had not begun a single investigation into Ms Plame’s status and the way her cover was blown, in spite of how sensitive the information was and even though the work she was involved in was important for national security. All in spite of the fact that Bush emphasized how seriously he was taking this, and said he would fire anyone involved.
But clearly no one over there really cared at all, which only show how poorly this Administration is handling security issues.
UPDATE: For anyone who missed it, Crooks & Liars has the video clip. And there was at least one report on this testimony, from E&P.
Posted by jnfr at 07:43 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2007
Valerie Plame Wilson
She's testifying now in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. C-SPAN is covering it live, and you can watch it on their video feed.
UPDATE: If you can't watch, FireDogLake is live-blogging the panel, and doing their usual excellent job of it.
UPDATE: If you're having trouble with the C-SPAN feed, try this one directly from the Oversight Committee. I hear it has superior sound and clarity.
UPDATE: Thanks to PoliticsTV for putting up this clip of Valerie's testimony.
Posted by jnfr at 09:49 AM | Comments (0)
March 06, 2007
The broader picture
Does anyone really believe that Scooter Libby acted alone?
UPDATE: Booman explains why this case mattered, in a thorough fisking of today's WashPost editorial.
Media Matters gives us facts to counter the spin.
And boy were the TV news shows full of spinners last night. Sheesh.
UPDATE: And Think Progress also fact-checks the Washington Post.
UPDATE: And a choice bit of analysis from the Guardian (emphasis added):
...The eventual trial may have fascinated the Washington Beltway crowd, to whom Mr Libby, the former CIA analyst Valerie Plame, and her husband Ambassador Joseph Wilson are seasoned and familiar figures. But why should outsiders have to take it seriously too?For two main reasons. The first concerns the ethics of the administration of which Mr Libby, as top aide to Dick Cheney, was such a senior member. George Bush came to the White House in January 2001 pledging to "change the atmosphere in Washington DC". By this he apparently meant two things: one, that he would govern in a dignified and rule-respecting way that supposedly contrasted with that of Bill Clinton; and, two, that he would try to end the intense partisan bitterness that had marked the Washington of the Clinton era. The Libby case is prosecution exhibit number one in support of the charge that Mr Bush never attempted to do any such thing. On the contrary. The Bush administration has been ruthlessly partisan, fuelled by enmities worthy of the Nixon era. The outing of Ms Plame was a criminal act against the wife of an administration critic. Mr Libby lied about it. He presumably did it to protect Mr Cheney, who wanted to punish the Wilsons. Mr Libby's conviction therefore raises very direct questions about Mr Cheney's own position.
The second reason is because, at bottom, Mr Libby's lies concerned Iraq. The administration wanted to invade Iraq. Mr Cheney, and through him Mr Libby, was not particular about how to do it. When Mr Wilson publicly questioned the weapons of mass destruction case for war he therefore made himself a Cheney enemy. As a consequence, the White House took its revenge on him through his wife. Mr Libby lied to protect not just his boss but his boss's unjust war. That's why yesterday's verdict matters. This affair is not over yet - not by a long chalk.
Posted by jnfr at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2006
Pinochet dies
Why are there women here dancing on their own?
Why is there this sadness in their eyes?
Why are the soldiers here
Their faces fixed like stone?
I can't see what it is that they despise.
They're dancing with the missing
They're dancing with the dead
They dance with the invisible ones
Their anguish is unsaid.
They're dancing with their fathers
They're dancing with their sons
They're dancing with their husbands
They dance alone
They dance alone ...
Hey Mr. Pinochet
You've sown a bitter crop
That foreign money that supports you
One day the money's going to stop.
No wages for your torturers
No budget for your guns
Can you think of your own mother
Dancing with her invisible son? ...
One day we'll dance on their graves
One day we'll sing our freedom
One day we'll laugh in our joy
And we'll dance
And we'll dance
-- Sting
Posted by jnfr at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)
April 03, 2006
Delay drops out
Tom DeLay Says He Will Give Up His Seat
The embattled former Republican leader tells TIME that he will leave Congress and not seek reelection.
This has to mean he's in further legal trouble...
Posted by jnfr at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)