Someone asked last night on what this "John Doe" stuff was about. This is an incredibly important story that the media is not telling.
Nobody can explain it better than Michelle Malkin in The John Doe Manifesto-
( Note: Earlier this month, six publicity-seeking imams filed a federal lawsuit against US Airways and the Metropolitan Airports Commission in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The Muslim clerics were removed from their flight last November and questioned for several hours after their suspicious behavior alarmed both passengers and crew members. Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Katherine Kersten reported last week that the imams, advised by the grievance-mongers at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also plan to sue "John Does" -- innocent bystanders who alerted the authorities about their security concerns. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., has introduced legislation to protect John Does who report suspicious behavior from legal liability. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; talk show host Michael Reagan; Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, who heads the American Islamic Forum for Democracy; and Minnesota lawyer Gerry Nolting have all stepped forward to offer free representation to the imams' targets. )
Dear Muslim Terrorist Plotter/Planner/Funder/Enabler/Apologist,
You do not know me. But I am on the lookout for you. You are my enemy. And I am yours.
I am John Doe.
I am traveling on your plane. I am riding on your train. I am at your bus stop. I am on your street. I am in your subway car. I am on your lift.
I am your neighbor. I am your customer. I am your classmate. I am your boss.
I am John Doe.
I will never forget the example of the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 who refused to sit back on 9/11 and let themselves be murdered in the name of Islam without a fight.
I will never forget the passengers and crew members who tackled al Qaeda shoe-bomber Richard Reid on American Airlines Flight 63 before he had a chance to blow up the plane over the Atlantic Ocean.
I will never forget the alertness of actor James Woods, who notified a stewardess that several Arab men sitting in his first-class cabin on an August 2001 flight were behaving strangely. The men turned out to be 9/11 hijackers on a test run.
I will act when homeland security officials ask me to "report suspicious activity."
I will embrace my local police department's admonition: "If you see something, say something."
I am John Doe.
I will protest your Jew-hating, America-bashing "scholars."
I will petition against your hate-mongering mosque leaders.
I will raise my voice against your subjugation of women and religious minorities.
I will challenge your attempts to indoctrinate my children in our schools.
I will combat your violent propaganda on the Internet.
I am John Doe.
I will support law enforcement initiatives to spy on your operatives, cut off your funding and disrupt your murderous conspiracies.
I will oppose all attempts to undermine our borders and immigration laws.
I will resist the imposition of sharia principles and sharia law in my taxi cab, my restaurant, my community pool, the halls of Congress, our national monuments, the radio and television airwaves, and all public spaces.
I will not be censored in the name of tolerance.
I will not be cowed by your Beltway lobbying groups in moderates' clothing. I will not cringe when you shriek about "profiling" or "Islamophobia."
I will put my family's safety above sensitivity. I will put my country above multiculturalism.
I will not submit to your will. I will not be intimidated.
I am John Doe.
Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore voted against the bill that would protect Americans against these John Doe law suits.
H/T Charlie Sykes
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Just keep doing your job, Congressman Ryan
I have been watching with amusement over the last several weeks as Daniel Bice from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has taken to beating up on Congressman Paul Ryan.
Mr. Bice is certainly within his rights, as a journalist, to beat up on Congressman Ryan. In fact, Mr. Bice has come up with several juicy tidbits about Congressman Ryan.
Congressman Ryan is a big boy and he can handle this stuff.
It was when I read this comment in Sunday’s paper that I finally decided it was time to write something-
Ryan then leaned on fellow congressmen and federal officials in support of this measure.
That is a pretty dramatic statement.
Really, Ryan “leaned” on his fellow congressman? Sounds like something the mafia would do to collect a debt. I get back to addressing this later.
Unfortunately, now Mr. Bice has taken to leaving out important information when reporting. Of course leaving out these important facts only makes Mr. Bice’s job of spinning the WHOLE truth a little easier.
Let us start with a few basic facts.
Paul Ryan is a Congressman. As a congressman, Paul Ryan is paid to represent every single person in Wisconsin’s first district. Yes, Dennis Troha lives and owns businesses in Wisconsin’s first district. It is Congressman Ryan’s job to represent Dennis Troha.
Of course, Mr. Bice and others will make the claim-“but, but, but…. Troha financially gained in this transaction”.”
Guess what? Many, many thousands of Paul Ryan’s constituents have financially gained from his support.
Personally, I have gained financially because of my congressman. What is funny is that Mr. Bice himself has financially gained because of Congressman Ryan’s actions.
Let me explain with a few more facts.
Paul Ryan has been a champion for tax cuts. Everything from increasing the child tax credit to individual tax cuts for every single American. Every single taxpayer in the US received a federal tax cut of 2% or higher in 2003. Literally millions upon millions of dollars were kept in pockets of Americans because of these tax cuts.
Even Mr. Bice pocketed a few dollars because of the tax cuts he received that year.
Those folks that do not support Congressman Ryan also benefit from the hard work that the congressman does.
For instance, in 2005, the UAW and thousands of autoworkers financially benefited because Congressman Ryan fought for their pension benefits. Without the fix, which Congressman Ryan personally added to H.R. 2830, the autoworkers’ pension plans were at risk.
Therefore, as you can see, whether or not his constituents are conservative or liberal, Congressman Ryan has a duty and a responsibility to do whatever he can to protect us all.
We are back to the point where Mr. Bice accused Congressman Ryan of leaning on his fellow congressman.
Really, the final vote for the bill that Mr. Bice was speaking about, HR 3-The Transportation Equity Act passed the House by a whopping 412 to 8 vote.
Honestly, how much leaning did Congressman Ryan have to do to get HR 3 to pass? With a vote of 412-8- not much, I guess.
What seems to be overlooked by Daniel Bice is the amount of transportation aid given to Wisconsin’s congressional first district, with the passage of this bill. The state of Wisconsin received more than $700 million of federal money for repair of I-94, I-43 and many other transportation projects.
I am certain Mr. Bice will continue with his gossip column filled with innuendo. That’s okay. Mr. Bice can play around in the gutter for as long as he wants to.
In the meantime, Congressman Ryan, those of us in the first district are counting on you to protect us. We need your continued protection from our over-regulating government. We are counting on you to continue to protect the tax cuts, protect our jobs, and protect our security. It is also your responsibility to make sure that Wisconsin’s first congressional district gets a fair return on our federal taxes.
In other words, Congressman Ryan, just keep doing your job and we will continue to support you.
You “lean” on whomever you have to in order to continue to protect us.
Mr. Bice is certainly within his rights, as a journalist, to beat up on Congressman Ryan. In fact, Mr. Bice has come up with several juicy tidbits about Congressman Ryan.
Congressman Ryan is a big boy and he can handle this stuff.
It was when I read this comment in Sunday’s paper that I finally decided it was time to write something-
Ryan then leaned on fellow congressmen and federal officials in support of this measure.
That is a pretty dramatic statement.
Really, Ryan “leaned” on his fellow congressman? Sounds like something the mafia would do to collect a debt. I get back to addressing this later.
Unfortunately, now Mr. Bice has taken to leaving out important information when reporting. Of course leaving out these important facts only makes Mr. Bice’s job of spinning the WHOLE truth a little easier.
Let us start with a few basic facts.
Paul Ryan is a Congressman. As a congressman, Paul Ryan is paid to represent every single person in Wisconsin’s first district. Yes, Dennis Troha lives and owns businesses in Wisconsin’s first district. It is Congressman Ryan’s job to represent Dennis Troha.
Of course, Mr. Bice and others will make the claim-“but, but, but…. Troha financially gained in this transaction”.”
Guess what? Many, many thousands of Paul Ryan’s constituents have financially gained from his support.
Personally, I have gained financially because of my congressman. What is funny is that Mr. Bice himself has financially gained because of Congressman Ryan’s actions.
Let me explain with a few more facts.
Paul Ryan has been a champion for tax cuts. Everything from increasing the child tax credit to individual tax cuts for every single American. Every single taxpayer in the US received a federal tax cut of 2% or higher in 2003. Literally millions upon millions of dollars were kept in pockets of Americans because of these tax cuts.
Even Mr. Bice pocketed a few dollars because of the tax cuts he received that year.
Those folks that do not support Congressman Ryan also benefit from the hard work that the congressman does.
For instance, in 2005, the UAW and thousands of autoworkers financially benefited because Congressman Ryan fought for their pension benefits. Without the fix, which Congressman Ryan personally added to H.R. 2830, the autoworkers’ pension plans were at risk.
Therefore, as you can see, whether or not his constituents are conservative or liberal, Congressman Ryan has a duty and a responsibility to do whatever he can to protect us all.
We are back to the point where Mr. Bice accused Congressman Ryan of leaning on his fellow congressman.
Really, the final vote for the bill that Mr. Bice was speaking about, HR 3-The Transportation Equity Act passed the House by a whopping 412 to 8 vote.
Honestly, how much leaning did Congressman Ryan have to do to get HR 3 to pass? With a vote of 412-8- not much, I guess.
What seems to be overlooked by Daniel Bice is the amount of transportation aid given to Wisconsin’s congressional first district, with the passage of this bill. The state of Wisconsin received more than $700 million of federal money for repair of I-94, I-43 and many other transportation projects.
I am certain Mr. Bice will continue with his gossip column filled with innuendo. That’s okay. Mr. Bice can play around in the gutter for as long as he wants to.
In the meantime, Congressman Ryan, those of us in the first district are counting on you to protect us. We need your continued protection from our over-regulating government. We are counting on you to continue to protect the tax cuts, protect our jobs, and protect our security. It is also your responsibility to make sure that Wisconsin’s first congressional district gets a fair return on our federal taxes.
In other words, Congressman Ryan, just keep doing your job and we will continue to support you.
You “lean” on whomever you have to in order to continue to protect us.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Interesting
Yes- We have known for a while that Troha and his wife gave $50,000 to Governor Doyle's inauguration.
What is interesting is the other groups that have also given money-
A review of state Ethics Board records shows that 34 of the roughly 75 companies and trade groups that gave to the governor's inaugural pay lobbyists or employees to influence Capitol decisions. By law, those companies cannot contribute directly to Wisconsin political campaigns.
Several of the companies and trade groups that underwrote costs of the inaugural have major issues pending in the Capitol, or were the subject of controversy in the governor's first four years in office.
For example:
• Two years ago, Doyle criticized Wal-Mart for policies that forced thousands of its Wisconsin workers to get their health care through state government. The company gave $25,000 to help pay for his inaugural.
Canter said Doyle still supports legislation preventing companies from "dumping" employees into state health care programs.
• AT&T, which has hired 15 lobbyists to push a bill through the Legislature to Doyle's desk that would require the state - rather than local governments - to issue cable and data franchises, donated $25,000 to the inaugural committee.
Canter said donations to the inaugural did "absolutely not" present any potential conflicts for Doyle, and some donors oppose initiatives Doyle has proposed.
What is interesting is the other groups that have also given money-
A review of state Ethics Board records shows that 34 of the roughly 75 companies and trade groups that gave to the governor's inaugural pay lobbyists or employees to influence Capitol decisions. By law, those companies cannot contribute directly to Wisconsin political campaigns.
Several of the companies and trade groups that underwrote costs of the inaugural have major issues pending in the Capitol, or were the subject of controversy in the governor's first four years in office.
For example:
• Two years ago, Doyle criticized Wal-Mart for policies that forced thousands of its Wisconsin workers to get their health care through state government. The company gave $25,000 to help pay for his inaugural.
Canter said Doyle still supports legislation preventing companies from "dumping" employees into state health care programs.
• AT&T, which has hired 15 lobbyists to push a bill through the Legislature to Doyle's desk that would require the state - rather than local governments - to issue cable and data franchises, donated $25,000 to the inaugural committee.
Canter said donations to the inaugural did "absolutely not" present any potential conflicts for Doyle, and some donors oppose initiatives Doyle has proposed.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
You first- Eugene Kane
In today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Eugene Kane asks the question-
Where's anger when victim is black?
Eugene Kane wants to know why nobody cared about a murder that took place a few weeks ago involving a black man. Instead, when a white man is murdered in the inner city, then people become outraged.
That is a good question.
Unfortunately, Mr. Kane needs to be looking in the mirror when he asks the question.
I read the previous story that Mr. Kane had written about Prentice Barnes. Here is Eugene Kane’s entire reflection about Prentice Barnes-
Last week, another shocking murder happened in broad daylight. Police say Prentice Barnes, 55, the driver of a medical van, was shot in a crossfire while stopped at N. 39th and W. Center streets.
More than likely, it started out as a typical morning for Barnes. Who expects to die at 11 a.m.?
That is it, folks. Nothing else. This is all Eugene Kane had to say about Prentice Barnes.
In fact, Mr. Kane spent more time talking about his own drive thru the inner city than he did anything else.
Why is that, Mr. Kane? Why is it you spent more time talking about yourself than you did Prentice Barnes?
Did Eugene Kane or anyone else from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel every bother visiting Prentice Barnes’ family? Did anyone bother to check on what kind of life Prentice Barnes might have lead?
We know nothing about Prentice Barnes because Eugene Kane or anyone else ever bothered to tell us.
Eugene Kane has the incredible opportunity to be a reflection of Milwaukee’s inner city. He could be writing about the hopes, dreams, fears and anxieties facing today’s inner city families.
Instead, what we continue to hear from Eugene Kane is how outraged he is at the Milwaukee Police Department.
We even hear about how outraged Eugene Kane is about all of the fuss and muss over the beating of a white man on a city bus.
However- what we did not really hear about is Prentice Barnes.
Eugene Kane wants us to be outraged over the daytime murder of Prentice Barnes. Okay- we can do that.
However, we need inner city leaders in Milwaukee, like Eugene Kane, to start telling us what is going on in Milwaukee.
Look in the mirror, Eugene Kane. You need to become outraged first. Then tell us about the people like Prentice Barnes and we will become outraged with you.
Eugene Kane- you need to stop talking about yourself and introduce us to people like Prentice Barnes.
Maybe then, all of us as a community can start dealing with the culture of death that has gripped Milwaukee’s inner city.
Until that day comes, the rest of us are left wondering what in the world is going on in Milwaukee.
Where's anger when victim is black?
Eugene Kane wants to know why nobody cared about a murder that took place a few weeks ago involving a black man. Instead, when a white man is murdered in the inner city, then people become outraged.
That is a good question.
Unfortunately, Mr. Kane needs to be looking in the mirror when he asks the question.
I read the previous story that Mr. Kane had written about Prentice Barnes. Here is Eugene Kane’s entire reflection about Prentice Barnes-
Last week, another shocking murder happened in broad daylight. Police say Prentice Barnes, 55, the driver of a medical van, was shot in a crossfire while stopped at N. 39th and W. Center streets.
More than likely, it started out as a typical morning for Barnes. Who expects to die at 11 a.m.?
That is it, folks. Nothing else. This is all Eugene Kane had to say about Prentice Barnes.
In fact, Mr. Kane spent more time talking about his own drive thru the inner city than he did anything else.
Why is that, Mr. Kane? Why is it you spent more time talking about yourself than you did Prentice Barnes?
Did Eugene Kane or anyone else from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel every bother visiting Prentice Barnes’ family? Did anyone bother to check on what kind of life Prentice Barnes might have lead?
We know nothing about Prentice Barnes because Eugene Kane or anyone else ever bothered to tell us.
Eugene Kane has the incredible opportunity to be a reflection of Milwaukee’s inner city. He could be writing about the hopes, dreams, fears and anxieties facing today’s inner city families.
Instead, what we continue to hear from Eugene Kane is how outraged he is at the Milwaukee Police Department.
We even hear about how outraged Eugene Kane is about all of the fuss and muss over the beating of a white man on a city bus.
However- what we did not really hear about is Prentice Barnes.
Eugene Kane wants us to be outraged over the daytime murder of Prentice Barnes. Okay- we can do that.
However, we need inner city leaders in Milwaukee, like Eugene Kane, to start telling us what is going on in Milwaukee.
Look in the mirror, Eugene Kane. You need to become outraged first. Then tell us about the people like Prentice Barnes and we will become outraged with you.
Eugene Kane- you need to stop talking about yourself and introduce us to people like Prentice Barnes.
Maybe then, all of us as a community can start dealing with the culture of death that has gripped Milwaukee’s inner city.
Until that day comes, the rest of us are left wondering what in the world is going on in Milwaukee.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Thanks
I just wanted to send out a great big thank you to everyone involved with the Republican Party of Kenosha's Lincoln Day Dinner.
The night was a great success.
The speakers included Congressman Paul Ryan, former Congressman Mark Neumann, State Rep. Samantha Kerkman, Milwaukee County Exec. Scott Walker and State Supreme Court candidate Annette Ziegler.
There were many other elected local officials in attendance and we thank you all.
It was great night with a full house.
Thanks to everyone who donated auction items and all those that purchased auction items.
I am looking forward to a great year.
The night was a great success.
The speakers included Congressman Paul Ryan, former Congressman Mark Neumann, State Rep. Samantha Kerkman, Milwaukee County Exec. Scott Walker and State Supreme Court candidate Annette Ziegler.
There were many other elected local officials in attendance and we thank you all.
It was great night with a full house.
Thanks to everyone who donated auction items and all those that purchased auction items.
I am looking forward to a great year.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Real Debate Wisconsin: Happy Anniversary.
Real Debate Wisconsin: Happy Anniversary.
Just for my friend RDW- check out this website-
Virtual Bubble-wrap that you can pop-
http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow.shtml
Just for my friend RDW- check out this website-
Virtual Bubble-wrap that you can pop-
http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow.shtml
"Shame on Pelosi"
These days, I am busier than a one armed paper hanger. However, I had to take time to post the following.
This is an editorial from the San-Diego Union Tribune.
It is doubtful you will ever see an editorial like this in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Shame on Pelosi
Buying war-policy votes with pork is pathetic
March 23, 2007
Democrats wasted no time after their takeover of Congress in November in declaring a new era of responsible government. Party leaders said earmarks and massive, blithe pork-barrel spending would be a thing of the past. “We promise the most honest, most open, most ethical Congress in history,” declared House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Initially, Democrats seemed to live up to their grand talk. To the amazement of many, incoming Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd – the West Virginia Democrat who may be the biggest pork abuser of all – joined with incoming House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey to vow there would be no new earmarks until the next fiscal year began on Oct. 1.
This was all wonderful, welcome and overdue. Federal spending has been out of control since the final years of the Clinton administration. While earmarks and pork are only a relatively small part of the reason why, controlling them would be a welcome sign of a newly sober, adult attitude on Congress' part.
Too bad it was all a charade. What's going on this week in the House is as appalling an exercise in pork-politics vote-buying as anything seen when Republicans Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay were in control – especially because the vote-buying involves an issue of the utmost gravity.
Weeks ago, Pelosi proposed attaching a requirement that U.S. troops come home from Iraq before September 2008 to an emergency $100 billion military appropriations bill. When it became apparent she didn't have enough votes, she responded by adding $24 billion in pork, often in the form of agricultural subsidies used to win over rural Democratic lawmakers who tend to be more deferential on war policy.
This is disgusting. That Pelosi insists this extra spending doesn't qualify as pork is bad enough. But the idea that taxpayer funds are being doled out by the multibillion for unrelated domestic programs to influence a profoundly important vote on Iraq should offend everyone. What does it say for the dozens of House members that this tactic apparently swayed? That on any issue, there is a price at which their convictions are for sale?
“A great nation deserves better,” Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, said yesterday as the House debated the $124 billion spending measure. He's absolutely right. In 2004, a unanimous House ethics committee voted to rebuke then-Majority Leader DeLay for his tactics in attempting to persuade Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., to support a 2003 bill adding prescription-drug benefits to Medicare. DeLay's offense, according to the official panel report: “DeLay offered to endorse Rep. Smith's son [to replace him after he retired] in exchange for Rep. Smith's vote in favor of the Medicare bill.”
If that merits a formal rebuke, trying to use $24 billion in taxpayer money to sway a vote on war policy deserves a prison term.
A final House vote on the bill is likely today. If Pelosi gets her way, it will be national disgrace. Her tactics could not be less honest, less open or less ethical.
Well, as we all know- Pelosi got her way and it is a national disgrace!
This is an editorial from the San-Diego Union Tribune.
It is doubtful you will ever see an editorial like this in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Shame on Pelosi
Buying war-policy votes with pork is pathetic
March 23, 2007
Democrats wasted no time after their takeover of Congress in November in declaring a new era of responsible government. Party leaders said earmarks and massive, blithe pork-barrel spending would be a thing of the past. “We promise the most honest, most open, most ethical Congress in history,” declared House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Initially, Democrats seemed to live up to their grand talk. To the amazement of many, incoming Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd – the West Virginia Democrat who may be the biggest pork abuser of all – joined with incoming House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey to vow there would be no new earmarks until the next fiscal year began on Oct. 1.
This was all wonderful, welcome and overdue. Federal spending has been out of control since the final years of the Clinton administration. While earmarks and pork are only a relatively small part of the reason why, controlling them would be a welcome sign of a newly sober, adult attitude on Congress' part.
Too bad it was all a charade. What's going on this week in the House is as appalling an exercise in pork-politics vote-buying as anything seen when Republicans Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay were in control – especially because the vote-buying involves an issue of the utmost gravity.
Weeks ago, Pelosi proposed attaching a requirement that U.S. troops come home from Iraq before September 2008 to an emergency $100 billion military appropriations bill. When it became apparent she didn't have enough votes, she responded by adding $24 billion in pork, often in the form of agricultural subsidies used to win over rural Democratic lawmakers who tend to be more deferential on war policy.
This is disgusting. That Pelosi insists this extra spending doesn't qualify as pork is bad enough. But the idea that taxpayer funds are being doled out by the multibillion for unrelated domestic programs to influence a profoundly important vote on Iraq should offend everyone. What does it say for the dozens of House members that this tactic apparently swayed? That on any issue, there is a price at which their convictions are for sale?
“A great nation deserves better,” Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, said yesterday as the House debated the $124 billion spending measure. He's absolutely right. In 2004, a unanimous House ethics committee voted to rebuke then-Majority Leader DeLay for his tactics in attempting to persuade Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., to support a 2003 bill adding prescription-drug benefits to Medicare. DeLay's offense, according to the official panel report: “DeLay offered to endorse Rep. Smith's son [to replace him after he retired] in exchange for Rep. Smith's vote in favor of the Medicare bill.”
If that merits a formal rebuke, trying to use $24 billion in taxpayer money to sway a vote on war policy deserves a prison term.
A final House vote on the bill is likely today. If Pelosi gets her way, it will be national disgrace. Her tactics could not be less honest, less open or less ethical.
Well, as we all know- Pelosi got her way and it is a national disgrace!
Friday, March 23, 2007
Bribing votes
In a few short hours we will find out whether or not Nancy Pelosi was able to bribe enough votes to set a time line for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
Since Pelosi cannot get the votes legitimately- they loaded the bill with pork projects to bribe congressman.
We will see if it will work.
It certainly does not matter either way. The bill will not make it thru the Senate very easily.
If even it makes it thru- the President will veto.
Since Pelosi cannot get the votes legitimately- they loaded the bill with pork projects to bribe congressman.
We will see if it will work.
It certainly does not matter either way. The bill will not make it thru the Senate very easily.
If even it makes it thru- the President will veto.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Prayers up for Elizabeth Edwards
I will be quite honest- I do not like John Edward's politics.
However, politics is one thing- cancer is another thing all together.
Wow- prayers for the entire Edwards family. Cancer is frightening and they both seem to be handling this with a positive attitude.
God bless the Edwards family as they challenge this disease head on.
However, politics is one thing- cancer is another thing all together.
Wow- prayers for the entire Edwards family. Cancer is frightening and they both seem to be handling this with a positive attitude.
God bless the Edwards family as they challenge this disease head on.
Insurgents and Democrats are on the same page
Now this is interesting-
Insurgents and Democrats are on the same page
From USA Today-
Speaking to The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday, al-Muttalibi said the negotiations were deadlocked over the insurgent groups' insistence that they would lay down their arms only when a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition troops in Iraq is announced.
From Yahoo-
In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee bill would require troops to start coming home in four months. Unlike the House bill, which sets a firm deadline for combat operations to cease, the $122 billion Senate bill identifies a nonbinding goal of getting troops out by March 31, 2008
The Democrats must feel awful proud that they are calling for the same timetable that the terrorists are calling for.
The terrorists want America out of Iraq, so do the Democrats
Insurgents and Democrats are on the same page
From USA Today-
Speaking to The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday, al-Muttalibi said the negotiations were deadlocked over the insurgent groups' insistence that they would lay down their arms only when a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition troops in Iraq is announced.
From Yahoo-
In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee bill would require troops to start coming home in four months. Unlike the House bill, which sets a firm deadline for combat operations to cease, the $122 billion Senate bill identifies a nonbinding goal of getting troops out by March 31, 2008
The Democrats must feel awful proud that they are calling for the same timetable that the terrorists are calling for.
The terrorists want America out of Iraq, so do the Democrats
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
How convenient
How convenient-
Calendar entries for state Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi and his top assistant have been erased, making it impossible to know where they were for their first two years in office.
The Journal Sentinel recently requested Busalacchi's calendar going back to January 2003, but the Department of Transportation said his calendars for 2003 and 2004 were accidentally destroyed because of a problem with a computer server. Deputy Secretary Ruben Anthony Jr.'s calendars also are missing for those years.
Busalacchi has said he never talked to now-indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha about tax troubles faced by companies Troha owned at the time. Busalacchi was to meet with Troha on the issue in April 2004, but Busalacchi said Troha - a major contributor to Gov. Jim Doyle - did not show up for the meeting.
The Journal Sentinel asked for Busalacchi's schedule to see how involved he was in the tax cases affecting Troha's firms. But the Department of Transportation said this week that it did not have the calendars for 2003 and 2004.
continued...
A cynical person might actually start to think that the DOT was trying to cover something up.
Calendar entries for state Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi and his top assistant have been erased, making it impossible to know where they were for their first two years in office.
The Journal Sentinel recently requested Busalacchi's calendar going back to January 2003, but the Department of Transportation said his calendars for 2003 and 2004 were accidentally destroyed because of a problem with a computer server. Deputy Secretary Ruben Anthony Jr.'s calendars also are missing for those years.
Busalacchi has said he never talked to now-indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha about tax troubles faced by companies Troha owned at the time. Busalacchi was to meet with Troha on the issue in April 2004, but Busalacchi said Troha - a major contributor to Gov. Jim Doyle - did not show up for the meeting.
The Journal Sentinel asked for Busalacchi's schedule to see how involved he was in the tax cases affecting Troha's firms. But the Department of Transportation said this week that it did not have the calendars for 2003 and 2004.
continued...
A cynical person might actually start to think that the DOT was trying to cover something up.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Why the shock?
After reading today's article on Dennis Troha, I don't understand why so many people are shocked about the Troha indictment.
"I just was really surprised and shocked," Kenosha Ald. Kenneth Polzin Jr., a casino opponent, said of the formal accusations earlier this month that Troha engineered illegal contributions to Doyle and lied about it to the FBI. " . . . It's totally out of character, out of his public persona."
It is a well know fact in Kenosha, if you opposed the casino, you met with trouble. You were up against big money and you did not stand a chance.
Still- 44% of Kenosha voted against the casino in 2004.
Not everyone wanted a casino or the corruption it would bring.
"I just was really surprised and shocked," Kenosha Ald. Kenneth Polzin Jr., a casino opponent, said of the formal accusations earlier this month that Troha engineered illegal contributions to Doyle and lied about it to the FBI. " . . . It's totally out of character, out of his public persona."
It is a well know fact in Kenosha, if you opposed the casino, you met with trouble. You were up against big money and you did not stand a chance.
Still- 44% of Kenosha voted against the casino in 2004.
Not everyone wanted a casino or the corruption it would bring.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Mark Green did NOT break the law!
Boy, this is infuriating. Several months after the fact, the State Elections Board now admits they gave Mark Green bad advice.
Mark Green DID not break the law!
WisPolitics: Green, SEB Reach Deal on Money Dispute
3/16/2007
By WisPolitics Staff
Mark Green and the state Elections Board reached an agreement today that stipulates the Republican was following precedence and advice he received from board staff when he converted money from his congressional account to his gubernatorial fund.
But the deal also states the board was following its interpretation of the law when it ordered the Republican to dump some $468,000 money from out-of-state PACs that was included in the conversion.
The deal also puts limits on how Green can use the money. The agreement also calls for the end of the lawsuit Green filed over the board's action. That case is pending before the state Supreme Court.
Mark Green DID not break the law!
WisPolitics: Green, SEB Reach Deal on Money Dispute
3/16/2007
By WisPolitics Staff
Mark Green and the state Elections Board reached an agreement today that stipulates the Republican was following precedence and advice he received from board staff when he converted money from his congressional account to his gubernatorial fund.
But the deal also states the board was following its interpretation of the law when it ordered the Republican to dump some $468,000 money from out-of-state PACs that was included in the conversion.
The deal also puts limits on how Green can use the money. The agreement also calls for the end of the lawsuit Green filed over the board's action. That case is pending before the state Supreme Court.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
I am surprised
After all the trash talk for weeks about the Democrats forcing the President to pull troops out of Iraq- the Senate Democrats could not even muster a simple majority.
In the Senate, after weeks of skirmishing, Republicans easily turned back Democratic legislation requiring a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days. The measure set no fixed deadline for completion of the redeployment, but set a goal of March 31, 2008. The vote was 50-48 against the measure, 12 short of the 60 needed for passage.
In order for the bill to pass- they would have needed a super majority.
In the Senate, after weeks of skirmishing, Republicans easily turned back Democratic legislation requiring a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days. The measure set no fixed deadline for completion of the redeployment, but set a goal of March 31, 2008. The vote was 50-48 against the measure, 12 short of the 60 needed for passage.
In order for the bill to pass- they would have needed a super majority.
9/11 mastermind confesses
The suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 hijackings confessed at a military hearing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that he organized those attacks plus many more, according to a transcript released Wednesday by the Pentagon.
"I am responsible for the 9/11 operation from A to Z," Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told military investigators, the transcript says.
continued...
Perhaps someone should tell Kevin Barrett and his friends that Vice President Dick Cheney was not behind the attacks on 9/11.
"I am responsible for the 9/11 operation from A to Z," Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told military investigators, the transcript says.
continued...
Perhaps someone should tell Kevin Barrett and his friends that Vice President Dick Cheney was not behind the attacks on 9/11.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Does this makes sense to you?
Okay- this is rich.
Let me see if I have this straight.
According to the Democrats, President George Bush is not allowed to fire US Attorneys that President Bush, himself, hired. In fact, they are holding hearings up on the hill for this right now.
However- currently the Democrats are putting political pressure on President Bush to fire the country’s head attorney.
Basically President Bush is in trouble for firing people for political reasons, but the Democrats are demanding that President Bush fire the Attorney General for political reasons????
Now that does not make sense to me at all.
Let me see if I have this straight.
According to the Democrats, President George Bush is not allowed to fire US Attorneys that President Bush, himself, hired. In fact, they are holding hearings up on the hill for this right now.
However- currently the Democrats are putting political pressure on President Bush to fire the country’s head attorney.
Basically President Bush is in trouble for firing people for political reasons, but the Democrats are demanding that President Bush fire the Attorney General for political reasons????
Now that does not make sense to me at all.
More hypocrisy from the Clinton's
Really- should Hillary Clinton be talking about firings for political reasons?
"I'm deeply disturbed by what we have learned thus far," Clinton said, "and I join those who are calling for a full and thorough investigation to try to get to the bottom of these very political decisions that interfere with prosecutorial responsibility by U.S. attorneys, and I think that the attorney general should resign."
This statement from Clinton is almost laughable.
Remember Travelgate?
"I'm deeply disturbed by what we have learned thus far," Clinton said, "and I join those who are calling for a full and thorough investigation to try to get to the bottom of these very political decisions that interfere with prosecutorial responsibility by U.S. attorneys, and I think that the attorney general should resign."
This statement from Clinton is almost laughable.
Remember Travelgate?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Dems are backing off
In the battle between President Bush and the new Democrat leaders in Washington, the new Democrats are being forced to back down.
Democratic leaders are stripping from a military spending bill for the war in Iraq a requirement that President Bush gain approval from Congress before moving against Iran.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other leaders agreed to remove the requirement concerning Iran after conservative Democrats as well as other lawmakers worried about its possible impact on Israel, officials said Monday.
The Democrats are backing down. Perhaps cooler heads are beginning to prevail on the Democrats side of the aisle.
Less than two months ago- Reid and Pelosi were declaring that Bush has "no authority" to launch any military options against Iran.
As you can see, the Dems had to rethink this strategy because their are others in their own caucus that are not supporting this.
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said in an interview that there is widespread fear in Israel about Iran, which is believed to be seeking nuclear weapons and has expressed unremitting hostility about the Jewish state.
"It would take away perhaps the most important negotiating tool that the U.S. has when it comes to Iran," she said of the now-abandoned provision.
"I didn't think it was a very wise idea to take things off the table if you're trying to get people to modify their behavior and normalize it in a civilized way," said Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y.
Several officials said there was widespread opposition to the proposal at a closed-door meeting last week of conservative and moderate Democrats, who said they feared tying the hands of the administration when dealing with an unpredictable and potentially hostile regime in Tehran.
Next on the Democrats chopping block?
It appears that the Democrats may also have to back down from their own time line they created for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
Even as the media is touting the additional provision for withdrawing troops in Iraq, we now see that this may be in danger of being removed also-
The overall bill — which requires that the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by Sept. 1, 2008, if not earlier — remained on schedule for an initial test vote Thursday in the House Appropriations Committee.
There appears to be some Democratic opposition to this plan-
"This supplemental should be about supporting the troops and providing what they need," Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., said Monday upon returning from Iraq. Boren said he plans to oppose any legislation setting a clear deadline for troops to leave.
Let's hope that calmer, cooler and brighter minds prevail in the Democratic caucus.
As it is, all we have heard from the Democrats is constant shrieking about Iraq since they have taken over.
The MoveOn.org people have such a strangle hold on the Democrats, that the Democrats are now beginning to look foolish.
Democratic leaders are stripping from a military spending bill for the war in Iraq a requirement that President Bush gain approval from Congress before moving against Iran.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other leaders agreed to remove the requirement concerning Iran after conservative Democrats as well as other lawmakers worried about its possible impact on Israel, officials said Monday.
The Democrats are backing down. Perhaps cooler heads are beginning to prevail on the Democrats side of the aisle.
Less than two months ago- Reid and Pelosi were declaring that Bush has "no authority" to launch any military options against Iran.
As you can see, the Dems had to rethink this strategy because their are others in their own caucus that are not supporting this.
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said in an interview that there is widespread fear in Israel about Iran, which is believed to be seeking nuclear weapons and has expressed unremitting hostility about the Jewish state.
"It would take away perhaps the most important negotiating tool that the U.S. has when it comes to Iran," she said of the now-abandoned provision.
"I didn't think it was a very wise idea to take things off the table if you're trying to get people to modify their behavior and normalize it in a civilized way," said Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y.
Several officials said there was widespread opposition to the proposal at a closed-door meeting last week of conservative and moderate Democrats, who said they feared tying the hands of the administration when dealing with an unpredictable and potentially hostile regime in Tehran.
Next on the Democrats chopping block?
It appears that the Democrats may also have to back down from their own time line they created for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
Even as the media is touting the additional provision for withdrawing troops in Iraq, we now see that this may be in danger of being removed also-
The overall bill — which requires that the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by Sept. 1, 2008, if not earlier — remained on schedule for an initial test vote Thursday in the House Appropriations Committee.
There appears to be some Democratic opposition to this plan-
"This supplemental should be about supporting the troops and providing what they need," Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., said Monday upon returning from Iraq. Boren said he plans to oppose any legislation setting a clear deadline for troops to leave.
Let's hope that calmer, cooler and brighter minds prevail in the Democratic caucus.
As it is, all we have heard from the Democrats is constant shrieking about Iraq since they have taken over.
The MoveOn.org people have such a strangle hold on the Democrats, that the Democrats are now beginning to look foolish.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Are we just being meanies?
Apparently, according to the Democrats(some Republicans) and the ACLU, we are just being meanies.
There are currently, some bills floating around Congress that will lower the punishment for drug dealers and drug users of crack cocaine.
Momentum is building in Congress to ease crack cocaine sentencing guidelines, which the American Civil Liberties Union and other critics say have filled prisons with low-level drug dealers and addicts whose punishments were much worse than their crimes.
Federal prison sentences for possessing or selling crack have far exceeded those for powder cocaine for two decades. House Crime Subcommittee chairman Robert Scott, D-Va., a longtime critic of such sentencing policies, plans to hold hearings on crack sentences this year. In the Senate, Republican Jeff Sessions of Alabama is drawing bipartisan support for his proposal to ease crack sentences.
cont...
Here is another news flash- Crack Cocaine still kills
Now Congress and the ACLU want to make life easier on crack cocaine dealers that are selling their crack on America's streets.
Here are some statitics that Congress may want to mull on before making life easier on drug dealers.
In 2004, 34.2 million Americans aged 12 and over reported lifetime use of cocaine, and 7.8 million reported using crack. About 5.6 million reported annual use of cocaine, and 1.3 million reported using crack. An estimated 2 million Americans reported current use of cocaine, 467,000 of whom reported using crack. There were an estimated 1 million new users of cocaine in 2004 (approximately 2,700 per day), and most were aged 18 or older although the average age of first use was 20.0 years.
I guess the war on drugs is officially over for the US Congress. Apparently that war is also too hard to fight.
There are currently, some bills floating around Congress that will lower the punishment for drug dealers and drug users of crack cocaine.
Momentum is building in Congress to ease crack cocaine sentencing guidelines, which the American Civil Liberties Union and other critics say have filled prisons with low-level drug dealers and addicts whose punishments were much worse than their crimes.
Federal prison sentences for possessing or selling crack have far exceeded those for powder cocaine for two decades. House Crime Subcommittee chairman Robert Scott, D-Va., a longtime critic of such sentencing policies, plans to hold hearings on crack sentences this year. In the Senate, Republican Jeff Sessions of Alabama is drawing bipartisan support for his proposal to ease crack sentences.
cont...
Here is another news flash- Crack Cocaine still kills
Now Congress and the ACLU want to make life easier on crack cocaine dealers that are selling their crack on America's streets.
Here are some statitics that Congress may want to mull on before making life easier on drug dealers.
In 2004, 34.2 million Americans aged 12 and over reported lifetime use of cocaine, and 7.8 million reported using crack. About 5.6 million reported annual use of cocaine, and 1.3 million reported using crack. An estimated 2 million Americans reported current use of cocaine, 467,000 of whom reported using crack. There were an estimated 1 million new users of cocaine in 2004 (approximately 2,700 per day), and most were aged 18 or older although the average age of first use was 20.0 years.
I guess the war on drugs is officially over for the US Congress. Apparently that war is also too hard to fight.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Troha-Jambois Connection
There was an article in yesterday's Kenosha News written by Joe Potente. The article was choked full of well researched details about the Troha and Jambois connections.
Since I cannot link to it- I have posted the entire article.
DOT-Troha ties under microscope
Agency connections to case continue to generate debate
BY JOE POTENTE
Top Wisconsin Department of Transportation attorney Robert Jambois on Friday deflected criticism of his own connections to indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha.
Jambois also continued to defend the DOT’s actions in motor fuel tax disputes involving trucking companies once controlled by Troha, a top fi - nancial contributor to Gov. Jim Doyle who was indicted last week for facilitating allegedly illegal donations to the governor.
According to campaign fi - nance reports reviewed by the News, Troha was also a major contributor to Jambois’ unsuccessful 2005 bid for a Kenosha County Circuit Court judgeship. The records indicate Troha, family members and business associates donated more than 30 percent of what Jambois raised during the entire campaign at a Jan. 24, 2005 fund-raiser Troha hosted at his Kenosha office.
The fund-raiser generated $2,500 for Jambois from Troha family members alone, each of whom donated $250. Troha company employees contributed another $1,700, while Dairyland Greyhound Park and Menominee Nation offi cials contributed $1,150. Until he withdrew from it last month, Troha was the local developer in the tribe’s effort to build an $808 million casino at Dairyland.
The total of $5,350 raised from Troha family members, business associates and casino interests was about 32 percent of Jambois’ fi nal fund-raising tally of $16,738. The limit for in- dividual donations in a circuit court judge’s race is $1,000.
Troha and Jambois are also linked by Jambois’ wife, Bev, who was paid nearly $1,700 per week to run Troha’s pro-Kenosha-casino referendum campaign from late August 2004 at least through the November election.
The fuel tax controversy erupted earlier this week in the wake of Troha’s indictment. Troha is charged with fraud and lying to the FBI in connection to an alleged scheme in which he used a business entity to illegally funnel cash to family members who in turn donated the money to Doyle and, perhaps, other politicians. Troha’s attorney has said he believes Troha will be found innocent.
At issue now is whether the DOT acted out of the ordinary in using a staff attorney to help negotiate Interstate Fuel Tax Agreement settlements between trucking fi rms Troha formerly owned and fi ve other states. At one point, Troha was said to owe a total of roughly $1 million to the states of Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.
While Jambois steadfastly maintains that the department acted appropriately, critics say the state’s involvement is unusual and suggest that state officials might have been influenced by Troha’s contributions to the governor and relationship with Jambois and his wife.
A leading legislative Republican said Friday that the fundraising link and other connections undermine Jambois’ credibility as a spokesman for the DOT and its secretary, Frank Busalacchi, who have come under fire in recent days for their handling of the Troha company-related tax cases.
“It’s almost comical at this point that this would be the guy that you would put out in front of the media, with so many direct ties, political ties, to the Troha family,” said state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.
But Jambois said he does not believe his history with Troha compromises his position and contends he has no current or past conflicts of interest with Troha.
A former longtime Kenosha County district attorney, Jambois lost the April 2005 judge’s race to Anthony Milisauskas and was named general counsel of the DOT in August 2005.
Jambois noted that when his judicial campaign received the Troha family donations in January 2005, Troha had no cases pending before the Kenosha County Circuit Court.
When he joined the DOT later that year, Jambois said, he was not informed of Troha’s tax cases. By July 2006, Troha had pulled entirely out of the trucking business and Jambois said he remained unaware of the tax cases until last week when the news media began looking into the issue as an offshoot of Troha’s federal indictment. The FBI has since questioned DOT offi cials about the situation.
“I now would have no confl ict of interest, if in fact I was involved in these cases,” Jambois said, adding that he has only been responsible for reviewing how other DOT staff members handled the cases.
Jambois also downplayed his wife’s work for Troha’s 2004 referendum group, JOBS for Kenosha. Jambois said Troha approached Bev Jambois to lead that group because she was a renowned community organizer, known for her successful advocacy for Kenosha’s smoke-free dining ordinance.
“She agreed to do that because she supported the idea of a casino for Kenosha, and so did I,” Jambois said.
But Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said Jambois’ connections to Troha further exemplify the close ties Doyle administration offi cials have to the Troha family and its associates.
“These are very obvious conflicts of interest,” McCabe said. “And this administration is showing itself to be absolutely insensitive to conflicts of interest.”
Meanwhile, at a late-morning news conference in Madison Friday, Jambois asserted that no one from Doyle’s offi ce contacted the DOT seeking special favors for Troha.
A spokesman for another state that negotiated a tax settlement with Troha’s former firms told the News on Friday that Wisconsin’s involvement in the talks was not unusual because Wisconsin is the collection agent in the case. But Tom Jacobs of the Nevada Department of Transportation added Nevada officials were surprised Wisconsin acted more like an advocate for the trucking company than Nevada would have had it been involved in a similar case involving a Nevadabased fi rm.
“That was unusual,” Jacobs said. “All we can do is speak for Nevada, and we thought it was unusual.”
Jambois disagrees. He said all Wisconsin did was put the affected states and the trucking companies in the same room. He said the state’s responsibility is to make sure all sides are treated fairly.
“We’re not here to resolve this for the trucking company,” Jambois said. “We’re here to collect, to receive delinquent taxes. That’s what we’re here to do.”
— Kenosha News reporter Deneen Smith contributed to this report.
Also is Saturday's Kenosha News was a timeline connecting all of the dots between Troha and Jambois.
I am working on adding to the Kenosha New's timeline including the campaign donations given to Governor Jim Doyle.
I will post it later this week.
Since I cannot link to it- I have posted the entire article.
DOT-Troha ties under microscope
Agency connections to case continue to generate debate
BY JOE POTENTE
Top Wisconsin Department of Transportation attorney Robert Jambois on Friday deflected criticism of his own connections to indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha.
Jambois also continued to defend the DOT’s actions in motor fuel tax disputes involving trucking companies once controlled by Troha, a top fi - nancial contributor to Gov. Jim Doyle who was indicted last week for facilitating allegedly illegal donations to the governor.
According to campaign fi - nance reports reviewed by the News, Troha was also a major contributor to Jambois’ unsuccessful 2005 bid for a Kenosha County Circuit Court judgeship. The records indicate Troha, family members and business associates donated more than 30 percent of what Jambois raised during the entire campaign at a Jan. 24, 2005 fund-raiser Troha hosted at his Kenosha office.
The fund-raiser generated $2,500 for Jambois from Troha family members alone, each of whom donated $250. Troha company employees contributed another $1,700, while Dairyland Greyhound Park and Menominee Nation offi cials contributed $1,150. Until he withdrew from it last month, Troha was the local developer in the tribe’s effort to build an $808 million casino at Dairyland.
The total of $5,350 raised from Troha family members, business associates and casino interests was about 32 percent of Jambois’ fi nal fund-raising tally of $16,738. The limit for in- dividual donations in a circuit court judge’s race is $1,000.
Troha and Jambois are also linked by Jambois’ wife, Bev, who was paid nearly $1,700 per week to run Troha’s pro-Kenosha-casino referendum campaign from late August 2004 at least through the November election.
The fuel tax controversy erupted earlier this week in the wake of Troha’s indictment. Troha is charged with fraud and lying to the FBI in connection to an alleged scheme in which he used a business entity to illegally funnel cash to family members who in turn donated the money to Doyle and, perhaps, other politicians. Troha’s attorney has said he believes Troha will be found innocent.
At issue now is whether the DOT acted out of the ordinary in using a staff attorney to help negotiate Interstate Fuel Tax Agreement settlements between trucking fi rms Troha formerly owned and fi ve other states. At one point, Troha was said to owe a total of roughly $1 million to the states of Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.
While Jambois steadfastly maintains that the department acted appropriately, critics say the state’s involvement is unusual and suggest that state officials might have been influenced by Troha’s contributions to the governor and relationship with Jambois and his wife.
A leading legislative Republican said Friday that the fundraising link and other connections undermine Jambois’ credibility as a spokesman for the DOT and its secretary, Frank Busalacchi, who have come under fire in recent days for their handling of the Troha company-related tax cases.
“It’s almost comical at this point that this would be the guy that you would put out in front of the media, with so many direct ties, political ties, to the Troha family,” said state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.
But Jambois said he does not believe his history with Troha compromises his position and contends he has no current or past conflicts of interest with Troha.
A former longtime Kenosha County district attorney, Jambois lost the April 2005 judge’s race to Anthony Milisauskas and was named general counsel of the DOT in August 2005.
Jambois noted that when his judicial campaign received the Troha family donations in January 2005, Troha had no cases pending before the Kenosha County Circuit Court.
When he joined the DOT later that year, Jambois said, he was not informed of Troha’s tax cases. By July 2006, Troha had pulled entirely out of the trucking business and Jambois said he remained unaware of the tax cases until last week when the news media began looking into the issue as an offshoot of Troha’s federal indictment. The FBI has since questioned DOT offi cials about the situation.
“I now would have no confl ict of interest, if in fact I was involved in these cases,” Jambois said, adding that he has only been responsible for reviewing how other DOT staff members handled the cases.
Jambois also downplayed his wife’s work for Troha’s 2004 referendum group, JOBS for Kenosha. Jambois said Troha approached Bev Jambois to lead that group because she was a renowned community organizer, known for her successful advocacy for Kenosha’s smoke-free dining ordinance.
“She agreed to do that because she supported the idea of a casino for Kenosha, and so did I,” Jambois said.
But Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said Jambois’ connections to Troha further exemplify the close ties Doyle administration offi cials have to the Troha family and its associates.
“These are very obvious conflicts of interest,” McCabe said. “And this administration is showing itself to be absolutely insensitive to conflicts of interest.”
Meanwhile, at a late-morning news conference in Madison Friday, Jambois asserted that no one from Doyle’s offi ce contacted the DOT seeking special favors for Troha.
A spokesman for another state that negotiated a tax settlement with Troha’s former firms told the News on Friday that Wisconsin’s involvement in the talks was not unusual because Wisconsin is the collection agent in the case. But Tom Jacobs of the Nevada Department of Transportation added Nevada officials were surprised Wisconsin acted more like an advocate for the trucking company than Nevada would have had it been involved in a similar case involving a Nevadabased fi rm.
“That was unusual,” Jacobs said. “All we can do is speak for Nevada, and we thought it was unusual.”
Jambois disagrees. He said all Wisconsin did was put the affected states and the trucking companies in the same room. He said the state’s responsibility is to make sure all sides are treated fairly.
“We’re not here to resolve this for the trucking company,” Jambois said. “We’re here to collect, to receive delinquent taxes. That’s what we’re here to do.”
— Kenosha News reporter Deneen Smith contributed to this report.
Also is Saturday's Kenosha News was a timeline connecting all of the dots between Troha and Jambois.
I am working on adding to the Kenosha New's timeline including the campaign donations given to Governor Jim Doyle.
I will post it later this week.
Lenny Palmer's Blog
My fellow Kenoshans- if you have not already heard, local talk show host Lenny Palmer now has a blog.
It's called "A Citizen's Voice". Check it out.
It's called "A Citizen's Voice". Check it out.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
$630 is the average amount of tax and fee increases that Governor Doyle and the Democrats are proposing, for each and every taxpayer in the state of Wisconsin. Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
This got me to thinking about the affect on a average family of four with two working parents. Since there are two taxpaying citizens in most average families, the total cost per year now doubles to $1260 per year.
Here is a list of reastic items that a family of 4 spends $1260 a year on.
$1260= 2880 glasses (16 oz.) of milk
$1260= 540 gallons of gas (today’s price of $2.50 per gallon)
540 gallons of gas = 15120 miles (30mpg)
$1260= about 3 months worth of family medical insurance payments
$1260= 1482 loaves of wheat bread (.85ea)
$1260= 560 jars of peanut butter
$1260= 42 pairs of shoes ($30 per pair)
$1260= 84 Packer T-shirts ($15 per shirt)
$1260= about 4 vacation days for a family @ Wisconsin Dells
etc...
The average family of 4 will have to decide what they plan on sacrificing in order to cover for the Democrat's tax and fee increases.
Crossposted @ Badger Blog Alliance
This got me to thinking about the affect on a average family of four with two working parents. Since there are two taxpaying citizens in most average families, the total cost per year now doubles to $1260 per year.
Here is a list of reastic items that a family of 4 spends $1260 a year on.
$1260= 2880 glasses (16 oz.) of milk
$1260= 540 gallons of gas (today’s price of $2.50 per gallon)
540 gallons of gas = 15120 miles (30mpg)
$1260= about 3 months worth of family medical insurance payments
$1260= 1482 loaves of wheat bread (.85ea)
$1260= 560 jars of peanut butter
$1260= 42 pairs of shoes ($30 per pair)
$1260= 84 Packer T-shirts ($15 per shirt)
$1260= about 4 vacation days for a family @ Wisconsin Dells
etc...
The average family of 4 will have to decide what they plan on sacrificing in order to cover for the Democrat's tax and fee increases.
Crossposted @ Badger Blog Alliance
Friday, March 09, 2007
Congressman Obey flips out
Congressman Obey caught on tape- flipping out against his own party base, calling them liberal idiots.
http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/fv.htm??g=2836532c-d0d1-4d8a-91d5-fff6e61a51d7&f=06/
http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/fv.htm??g=2836532c-d0d1-4d8a-91d5-fff6e61a51d7&f=06/
Governor Doyle- we just don't believe you anymore
Whom do they think they are trying to fool?
Between Jim Doyle, the AP reporters, whom do they think they are trying to fool?
How gullible does Governor Doyle think the people of Wisconsin are?
Apparently, there are still some gullible enough to give him a second term as Governor. That is a different story all together.
On the front pages of yesterday’s Kenosha News, an Associated Press story triumphantly announced:
Gov. Jim Doyle said Wednesday that donations to his campaign from indicted businessman Dennis Troha “absolutely” did not come with expectations that Doyle would look favorably upon Troha’s bid to build a casino in Kenosha.
Well, now that is a relief. Everybody can rest easy now that the Associated Press is on the case.
We certainly would not want to believe that Jim Doyle might be involved.
…Yes, I am being sarcastic.
The reality is that it does not matter what Governor Doyle says about this.
People are a lot smarter than Governor Doyle thinks they are.
Does the governor really believe that he is fooling people with these lines?
Quite honestly, Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative- not a single person that I have spoken to is buying the lines that Governor Jim Doyle is selling.
Now- just to add a little gasoline to this fire, it appears that the Department of Transportation was involved in a private matter between Dennis Troha and several states whom Troha owed some fuel taxes too.
Now there is another FBI investigation into the actions of the DOT, Governor Doyle and Dennis Troha.
Also thrown into the mix is Robert Jambois, current chief council for DOT, former District Attorney in Kenosha and strong supporter of the Kenosha casino project.
On the front pages of today’s Kenosha News- Robert Jambois is defending the actions of the DOT lawyers, who were working on behalf of Dennis Troha.
Today’s Kenosha News headline states: DOT “Nothing” to Troha case
Still, even down here in Kenosha, where many folks are still pining for a casino, no one is buying the Governor’s latest defense.
Frankly, the statements made by Governor Jim Doyle and DOT Attorney Robert Jambois are just not believable.
In today’s Kenosha News- Robert Jambois has the nerve to try and shove the following types of statements down our throats:
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s top attorney defended his agency’s actions Thursday, stating there was nothing special or unusual about the way it has handled an interstate tax dispute involving indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha.
Robert Jambois, the DOT’s general counsel, said the department was serving its dual responsibilities when it sent a state-paid attorney to help negotiate a settlement in a case in which trucking fi rms then owned by Troha owed motor fuel tax debts.
“This whole story is much ado about absolutely nothing,” said Jambois, a former longtime Kenosha County district attorney who was active in Doyle’s 2002 campaign and was named general counsel of the DOT in 2005.
These types of statements are not believable.
Even worse, these types of statements are insulting to our intelligence!
There have been too many coincidences to believe this stuff any longer.
There is too much money at stake to believe this stuff any longer.
There is too much power at stake to believe this stuff any more.
Enough is enough!
To Governor Doyle, Robert Jambois and Dennis Troha- we want the truth and we want it now.
Between Jim Doyle, the AP reporters, whom do they think they are trying to fool?
How gullible does Governor Doyle think the people of Wisconsin are?
Apparently, there are still some gullible enough to give him a second term as Governor. That is a different story all together.
On the front pages of yesterday’s Kenosha News, an Associated Press story triumphantly announced:
Gov. Jim Doyle said Wednesday that donations to his campaign from indicted businessman Dennis Troha “absolutely” did not come with expectations that Doyle would look favorably upon Troha’s bid to build a casino in Kenosha.
Well, now that is a relief. Everybody can rest easy now that the Associated Press is on the case.
We certainly would not want to believe that Jim Doyle might be involved.
…Yes, I am being sarcastic.
The reality is that it does not matter what Governor Doyle says about this.
People are a lot smarter than Governor Doyle thinks they are.
Does the governor really believe that he is fooling people with these lines?
Quite honestly, Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative- not a single person that I have spoken to is buying the lines that Governor Jim Doyle is selling.
Now- just to add a little gasoline to this fire, it appears that the Department of Transportation was involved in a private matter between Dennis Troha and several states whom Troha owed some fuel taxes too.
Now there is another FBI investigation into the actions of the DOT, Governor Doyle and Dennis Troha.
Also thrown into the mix is Robert Jambois, current chief council for DOT, former District Attorney in Kenosha and strong supporter of the Kenosha casino project.
On the front pages of today’s Kenosha News- Robert Jambois is defending the actions of the DOT lawyers, who were working on behalf of Dennis Troha.
Today’s Kenosha News headline states: DOT “Nothing” to Troha case
Still, even down here in Kenosha, where many folks are still pining for a casino, no one is buying the Governor’s latest defense.
Frankly, the statements made by Governor Jim Doyle and DOT Attorney Robert Jambois are just not believable.
In today’s Kenosha News- Robert Jambois has the nerve to try and shove the following types of statements down our throats:
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s top attorney defended his agency’s actions Thursday, stating there was nothing special or unusual about the way it has handled an interstate tax dispute involving indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha.
Robert Jambois, the DOT’s general counsel, said the department was serving its dual responsibilities when it sent a state-paid attorney to help negotiate a settlement in a case in which trucking fi rms then owned by Troha owed motor fuel tax debts.
“This whole story is much ado about absolutely nothing,” said Jambois, a former longtime Kenosha County district attorney who was active in Doyle’s 2002 campaign and was named general counsel of the DOT in 2005.
These types of statements are not believable.
Even worse, these types of statements are insulting to our intelligence!
There have been too many coincidences to believe this stuff any longer.
There is too much money at stake to believe this stuff any longer.
There is too much power at stake to believe this stuff any more.
Enough is enough!
To Governor Doyle, Robert Jambois and Dennis Troha- we want the truth and we want it now.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Call me cynical
This article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel caught my attention yesterday-
Troha tax bills got special attention from state
What especially caught my attention was the statements made by DOT Chief Council, Robert Jambois-
Robert Jambois, the department's chief counsel, said staff attorney Paul Nilsen was sent to Illinois and Pennsylvania so he could have a better understanding of the issues at hand.
But in a Sept. 14, 2004, e-mail, then-chief counsel Jim Thiel said Nilsen went there because Busalacchi promised Troha's attorney, Bill Jennaro, he would do so. Jennaro was hired by Doyle in 2003 to help negotiate casino compacts with Indian tribes, some of which opposed Troha's efforts to open a mega-casino in Kenosha.
In saying the handling of the case was not unusual, Jambois noted that DOT employees went to Georgia in 2001 when Schneider National, a giant Green Bay trucking firm, was involved in a dispute with that state. He did not know whether then-Republican Transportation Secretary Terry Mulcahy met with Schneider executives.
The reason this caught my attention is because down here in Kenosha- we know of the Jambois family quite well. In fact, Robert Jambois is our former district attorney. Mr. Jambois was appointed by Jim Doyle as the Department of Transportations chief council in 2005.
Call me cynical, but perhaps Mr. Jambois should not be the person defending Governor Doyle or the actions of the Department of Transportation in this interest.
It is a pretty well known fact, here in Kenosha, that there is a relationship between, the Jambois family, the Troha family and Kenosha's casino.
Before the casino was voted on, there was a group called "JOBS for Kenosha". This group was created specifically for the purpose of pushing through the referendum for the Kenosha Casino.
The group "JOBS for Kenosha" spent well over a million dollars(Troha's money) to push the Kenosha casino.
At the head of this group was Beverly Jambois- wife of Robert Jambois- current DOT chief counsel(appointed by Doyle) and former Kenosha DA.
Posted in the Kenosha News, Feb. 13, 2005-
Pat Kiefer, second from left, director from Women & Children’s Horizons, accepts a $13,500 check from JOBS for Kenosha, the organization formed to support the proposed casino project of the Menominee Nation and Kenesah Gaming Development. Presenting the check were Beverly Jambois, left, of JOBS for Kenosha; Dennis Troha, Kenesah Gaming Development; Laurie Boivin, Menominee legislator, and attorney John Erickson, right. The two groups decided to disperse the remaining campaign funds to the women’s shelter and the Boys and Girls Club. The Boys and Girls Club also received $13,500.
Let me be clear in stating that Robert Jambois was NOT appointed by Jim Doyle until AFTER the trip to Pennsylvania had already taken place.
However, it is important that everyone understand the Mr. Jambois most definitely has an interest in protecting Kenosha's casino, Dennis Troha and Jim Doyle.
The Jambois family has worked very hard at getting Kenosha a casino.
Perhaps Robert Jambois is not the best person to be speaking on the behalf of the DOT right now. He and his family have certainly has taken an active role in the Kenosha casino project.
Troha tax bills got special attention from state
What especially caught my attention was the statements made by DOT Chief Council, Robert Jambois-
Robert Jambois, the department's chief counsel, said staff attorney Paul Nilsen was sent to Illinois and Pennsylvania so he could have a better understanding of the issues at hand.
But in a Sept. 14, 2004, e-mail, then-chief counsel Jim Thiel said Nilsen went there because Busalacchi promised Troha's attorney, Bill Jennaro, he would do so. Jennaro was hired by Doyle in 2003 to help negotiate casino compacts with Indian tribes, some of which opposed Troha's efforts to open a mega-casino in Kenosha.
In saying the handling of the case was not unusual, Jambois noted that DOT employees went to Georgia in 2001 when Schneider National, a giant Green Bay trucking firm, was involved in a dispute with that state. He did not know whether then-Republican Transportation Secretary Terry Mulcahy met with Schneider executives.
The reason this caught my attention is because down here in Kenosha- we know of the Jambois family quite well. In fact, Robert Jambois is our former district attorney. Mr. Jambois was appointed by Jim Doyle as the Department of Transportations chief council in 2005.
Call me cynical, but perhaps Mr. Jambois should not be the person defending Governor Doyle or the actions of the Department of Transportation in this interest.
It is a pretty well known fact, here in Kenosha, that there is a relationship between, the Jambois family, the Troha family and Kenosha's casino.
Before the casino was voted on, there was a group called "JOBS for Kenosha". This group was created specifically for the purpose of pushing through the referendum for the Kenosha Casino.
The group "JOBS for Kenosha" spent well over a million dollars(Troha's money) to push the Kenosha casino.
At the head of this group was Beverly Jambois- wife of Robert Jambois- current DOT chief counsel(appointed by Doyle) and former Kenosha DA.
Posted in the Kenosha News, Feb. 13, 2005-
Pat Kiefer, second from left, director from Women & Children’s Horizons, accepts a $13,500 check from JOBS for Kenosha, the organization formed to support the proposed casino project of the Menominee Nation and Kenesah Gaming Development. Presenting the check were Beverly Jambois, left, of JOBS for Kenosha; Dennis Troha, Kenesah Gaming Development; Laurie Boivin, Menominee legislator, and attorney John Erickson, right. The two groups decided to disperse the remaining campaign funds to the women’s shelter and the Boys and Girls Club. The Boys and Girls Club also received $13,500.
Let me be clear in stating that Robert Jambois was NOT appointed by Jim Doyle until AFTER the trip to Pennsylvania had already taken place.
However, it is important that everyone understand the Mr. Jambois most definitely has an interest in protecting Kenosha's casino, Dennis Troha and Jim Doyle.
The Jambois family has worked very hard at getting Kenosha a casino.
Perhaps Robert Jambois is not the best person to be speaking on the behalf of the DOT right now. He and his family have certainly has taken an active role in the Kenosha casino project.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Troha watch
All kinds of new and exciting things happening on the Troha watch. I do not have time to expound at the moment, but here are some highlights:
Congressman Paul Ryan is donating every penny he has ever received from Troha and company to charity-
K-News
The Menominee Nation received a letter from the federal government which is not very favorable to a off reservation casino in Kenosha-
K-News-
The tribe seeking to build a Kenosha casino has received notice from the federal government that the project is in jeopardy. In a letter to the Menominee Nation, a top Interior Department official told tribal leaders that Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne opposes off-reservation casinos, a Bureau of Indian Affairs offi cial said Monday. Specifi cally, Kempthorne is characterized in the letter as having serious misgiving about the Kenosha venture, according to the BIA offi cial.
Also- there is a front page article in today's Kenosha News showing the favors between DOT and Dennis Troha. I blogged on this issue on Sunday- http://steppingrightup.blogspot.com/2007/03/channel-27s-troha-scoop.html
Congressman Paul Ryan is donating every penny he has ever received from Troha and company to charity-
K-News
The Menominee Nation received a letter from the federal government which is not very favorable to a off reservation casino in Kenosha-
K-News-
The tribe seeking to build a Kenosha casino has received notice from the federal government that the project is in jeopardy. In a letter to the Menominee Nation, a top Interior Department official told tribal leaders that Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne opposes off-reservation casinos, a Bureau of Indian Affairs offi cial said Monday. Specifi cally, Kempthorne is characterized in the letter as having serious misgiving about the Kenosha venture, according to the BIA offi cial.
Also- there is a front page article in today's Kenosha News showing the favors between DOT and Dennis Troha. I blogged on this issue on Sunday- http://steppingrightup.blogspot.com/2007/03/channel-27s-troha-scoop.html
Just stating the obvious
After years of stuff on Libby, Rove, Cheney, Armitage and others- one thing has become painfully obvious- leaking Valerie Plame's name to the media was not a crime.
If it was a crime, someone would have been charged with it.
There is plenty of evidence pointing to a number of conversations between the media and folks like Libby.
Despite what we have been told by the media for years- no crime was committed when Plame's name came out. None!
To date- absolutely no one has proven that not only was Plame an undercover CIA agent and she had been out of the country in the last 5 years, and that the name was leaked on purpose.
This is why Fitzgerald could charge no one with the crime.
If it was a crime, someone would have been charged with it.
There is plenty of evidence pointing to a number of conversations between the media and folks like Libby.
Despite what we have been told by the media for years- no crime was committed when Plame's name came out. None!
To date- absolutely no one has proven that not only was Plame an undercover CIA agent and she had been out of the country in the last 5 years, and that the name was leaked on purpose.
This is why Fitzgerald could charge no one with the crime.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Jury reached verdict in Libby trial
Guilty on 4 or the 5 charges, but not all. Doesn't pay to lie Mr. Libby. You had committed no crime until you lied.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Bad puppy!
My goodness, the folks at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign have got themselves worked into a tizzy again.
Today's press release triumphantly exclaims-
State Supreme Court Candidate Annette Ziegler violated state campaign finance law by accepting more than $10,000 from an individual contributor in an election cycle, according to records reviewed by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
Come to find out, it looks like it may have just been an oversight-
Campaign finance reports filed by Ziegler with the State Elections Board show a relative, R. Douglas Ziegler, made contributions to Annette Ziegler of $500 and $6,000 on June 10 and December 7, 2006 and $4,000 on January 5, 2007. Her reports show she did not return the illegal excess to the donor.
The super duper excessive amount of $500 was given on June 10. It appears someone may have forgotten that they had given $500 over 6 months earlier.
There is a simple fix to this problem. The Ziegler campaign can just give the $500 back. Campaigns give money back all the time.
I am all for following campaign finance laws, but this is quite a bit of drama for something that may have been a simple mistake that is easily correctable.
You know, it is one thing for the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign to be a campaign watchdog. It is something entirely different for the WDC to behave like an excitable puppy, which piddles on himself; ever time there is some excitement at the front door.
Bad puppy- stop piddling on yourself!
Today's press release triumphantly exclaims-
State Supreme Court Candidate Annette Ziegler violated state campaign finance law by accepting more than $10,000 from an individual contributor in an election cycle, according to records reviewed by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
Come to find out, it looks like it may have just been an oversight-
Campaign finance reports filed by Ziegler with the State Elections Board show a relative, R. Douglas Ziegler, made contributions to Annette Ziegler of $500 and $6,000 on June 10 and December 7, 2006 and $4,000 on January 5, 2007. Her reports show she did not return the illegal excess to the donor.
The super duper excessive amount of $500 was given on June 10. It appears someone may have forgotten that they had given $500 over 6 months earlier.
There is a simple fix to this problem. The Ziegler campaign can just give the $500 back. Campaigns give money back all the time.
I am all for following campaign finance laws, but this is quite a bit of drama for something that may have been a simple mistake that is easily correctable.
You know, it is one thing for the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign to be a campaign watchdog. It is something entirely different for the WDC to behave like an excitable puppy, which piddles on himself; ever time there is some excitement at the front door.
Bad puppy- stop piddling on yourself!
Aliens did it!
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel cracks me up sometimes.
Really, some folks must be thinking that I am picking on them.
It's hard not to pick on them, they have been so infected by Bush Derangement Syndrome, that sometimes they say the silliest things.
I could not help but giggle when I read this in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-
The Bush administration slipped a provision into the USA Patriot Act that Congress renewed last year allowing the attorney general to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for indefinite periods without congressional approval. Previously, such appointments could last for only 120 days. Lawmakers may have figured that the extra leeway might help in rare emergencies.
Apparently, the Congress, who overwhelmingly supported the renewal of the Patriot Act, were duped again by the Bush administration. Or at least this is what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel would have you believe.
The renewal of the Patriot Act passed the Senate last year by in March by a vote of 89-10. Congress renewed it 8 months earlier with a vote of 257-171.
Since it's original passage on Sept. 12, 2001, the Patriot Act was debated for years in the US Congress. You name it, our congressional leaders fought over it.
Yet somehow, Bush duped the Congress again.
God forbid, the US Congress actually included this measure in the Patriot Act because they wanted to. Nope, instead, according to MJS- Bush "slipped" the provision into the bill.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel even went so far as to make up their own excuse for why the Patriot Act, with this provision, sailed thru Congress-
Lawmakers may have figured that the extra leeway might help in rare emergencies.
Well, shoot, since we are making stuff up, I have my own theory.
Aliens did it!
No really, President George Bush called on his alien buddies and had them come down and suck the brains out of our senators and congressmen. That is why the Congress, in a bi-partisan fashion, passed the Patriot Act with this provision in it.
What?
It could have happened.
Even funnier in this article, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is praising Congress for addressing the ever so pressing issue of why President Bush believes he has the right to fire people that he has hired.
Commendably, a House judiciary subcommittee is issuing subpoenas to four of the dismissed prosecutors to appear before it on Tuesday, and the Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to follow suit. Sworn testimony should shed some light on what may be an administration effort to get prosecutors to toe the party line.
That should be an interesting hearing. Congress is trying to answer the question as to why the big meanie President Bush, dares to fire people that he has hired.
Good grief!
You would think that a new Democrat Congress would have cured some of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Bush Derangement Syndrome.
It hasn't cured a thing. Instead, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's BDS has just gotten worse.
President George Bush is to be blamed for everything.
According to the MJS, not only should Bush get approval to hire people, but now Bush needs authorization to fire the people that he has hired.
Good grief.
Really, some folks must be thinking that I am picking on them.
It's hard not to pick on them, they have been so infected by Bush Derangement Syndrome, that sometimes they say the silliest things.
I could not help but giggle when I read this in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-
The Bush administration slipped a provision into the USA Patriot Act that Congress renewed last year allowing the attorney general to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for indefinite periods without congressional approval. Previously, such appointments could last for only 120 days. Lawmakers may have figured that the extra leeway might help in rare emergencies.
Apparently, the Congress, who overwhelmingly supported the renewal of the Patriot Act, were duped again by the Bush administration. Or at least this is what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel would have you believe.
The renewal of the Patriot Act passed the Senate last year by in March by a vote of 89-10. Congress renewed it 8 months earlier with a vote of 257-171.
Since it's original passage on Sept. 12, 2001, the Patriot Act was debated for years in the US Congress. You name it, our congressional leaders fought over it.
Yet somehow, Bush duped the Congress again.
God forbid, the US Congress actually included this measure in the Patriot Act because they wanted to. Nope, instead, according to MJS- Bush "slipped" the provision into the bill.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel even went so far as to make up their own excuse for why the Patriot Act, with this provision, sailed thru Congress-
Lawmakers may have figured that the extra leeway might help in rare emergencies.
Well, shoot, since we are making stuff up, I have my own theory.
Aliens did it!
No really, President George Bush called on his alien buddies and had them come down and suck the brains out of our senators and congressmen. That is why the Congress, in a bi-partisan fashion, passed the Patriot Act with this provision in it.
What?
It could have happened.
Even funnier in this article, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is praising Congress for addressing the ever so pressing issue of why President Bush believes he has the right to fire people that he has hired.
Commendably, a House judiciary subcommittee is issuing subpoenas to four of the dismissed prosecutors to appear before it on Tuesday, and the Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to follow suit. Sworn testimony should shed some light on what may be an administration effort to get prosecutors to toe the party line.
That should be an interesting hearing. Congress is trying to answer the question as to why the big meanie President Bush, dares to fire people that he has hired.
Good grief!
You would think that a new Democrat Congress would have cured some of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Bush Derangement Syndrome.
It hasn't cured a thing. Instead, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's BDS has just gotten worse.
President George Bush is to be blamed for everything.
According to the MJS, not only should Bush get approval to hire people, but now Bush needs authorization to fire the people that he has hired.
Good grief.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Channel 27's Troha Scoop
I picked up this little tidbit from Jessica McBride's website. Check it out-
27 News has uncovered state officials have spent several years attempting to collect more than $375,000 in unpaid motor fuel taxes from indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha's trucking firms. Three independent sources close to this case confirmed to 27 News, the state's tax collection effort involved a virtually unprecedented trip by a Department of Transportation attorney to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to help trucking firm representatives resolve the portion of the tax debt owed to that state.
Separately, a federal grand jury has charged Troha with fraud for Troha's alleged funneling of money to relatives to skirt limits on campaign contributions and allow them to donate thousands to Governor Doyle's campaign. The alleged fraud took place while Troha was a principal investor in the proposed construction of a casino in Kenosha, which would require ultimate approval from Doyle. Troha's attorney has maintained Troha did nothing illegal.
Records maintained by the Wisconsin State Tax Appeals Commission show representatives of John Houston Corporation & Transport Venture, Auto Truck Transport Corporation, and Unimark Services Incorporated are contesting tax judgments against these Troha firms totalling $377,585. Records show the tax liability involves truck travel in Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. A compact between states requires the state in which a interstate trucking company is headquartered to collect and distribute tax funds.
Nilsen has not returned a phone call from 27 News.
DOT spokesperson Peg Schmidt told 27 News state officials are reviewing records of the work assignment and state travel associated with it, and could not comment on the rationale for the state's intervention.
A petition by the trucking firms to the Tax Appeals Commission over the state's demand for payment remains pending. Documents show a May 22 telephone conference is expected to involve a resolution of the tax dispute with two of the five states.
Records reviewed by 27 News do no reflect the amount of interest and fines associated with the tax debt of Troha's firms.
The firms' attorney, Margaret Derus, has not returned a call from 27 News.
Why, in heaven's name, would a Wisconsin Department of Transportation employee step into the middle of a dispute between Troha's trucking companies and another state?
Pay for play?
27 News has uncovered state officials have spent several years attempting to collect more than $375,000 in unpaid motor fuel taxes from indicted Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha's trucking firms. Three independent sources close to this case confirmed to 27 News, the state's tax collection effort involved a virtually unprecedented trip by a Department of Transportation attorney to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to help trucking firm representatives resolve the portion of the tax debt owed to that state.
Separately, a federal grand jury has charged Troha with fraud for Troha's alleged funneling of money to relatives to skirt limits on campaign contributions and allow them to donate thousands to Governor Doyle's campaign. The alleged fraud took place while Troha was a principal investor in the proposed construction of a casino in Kenosha, which would require ultimate approval from Doyle. Troha's attorney has maintained Troha did nothing illegal.
Records maintained by the Wisconsin State Tax Appeals Commission show representatives of John Houston Corporation & Transport Venture, Auto Truck Transport Corporation, and Unimark Services Incorporated are contesting tax judgments against these Troha firms totalling $377,585. Records show the tax liability involves truck travel in Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. A compact between states requires the state in which a interstate trucking company is headquartered to collect and distribute tax funds.
Nilsen has not returned a phone call from 27 News.
DOT spokesperson Peg Schmidt told 27 News state officials are reviewing records of the work assignment and state travel associated with it, and could not comment on the rationale for the state's intervention.
A petition by the trucking firms to the Tax Appeals Commission over the state's demand for payment remains pending. Documents show a May 22 telephone conference is expected to involve a resolution of the tax dispute with two of the five states.
Records reviewed by 27 News do no reflect the amount of interest and fines associated with the tax debt of Troha's firms.
The firms' attorney, Margaret Derus, has not returned a call from 27 News.
Why, in heaven's name, would a Wisconsin Department of Transportation employee step into the middle of a dispute between Troha's trucking companies and another state?
Pay for play?
MJS Editorial calls for Governor Doyle to return campaign funds
Yesterday, the MJS editorial board called for Governor Jim Doyle to return the tainted campaign cash that was donated by Dennis Troha and family.
MJS-
Gov. Jim Doyle should not wait until the courts decide whether a Kenosha millionaire backer of an off-reservation casino is guilty of illegally funneling money to his campaign.
The governor should return the $100,000 now. Moreover, he should put some real muscle behind getting broad campaign finance reform enacted this year.
continued...
Unfortunately, Doyle cannot do that right now.
Why?
He cannot afford it.
According to campaign finance records posted in January, the Doyle campaign has $38,816.39 cash on hand. The governor's campaign owes $111,391.72.
This leaves the Doyle campaign with a negative balance of -$72,575.33.
It is not unusual for campaigns to end with a negative balance. It happens all the time.
The Governor can continue to raise campaign contributions to pay off his debt and come up with the cash to give back to Troha.
I know I won't be donating any cash to Governor Doyle. Any takers?
MJS-
Gov. Jim Doyle should not wait until the courts decide whether a Kenosha millionaire backer of an off-reservation casino is guilty of illegally funneling money to his campaign.
The governor should return the $100,000 now. Moreover, he should put some real muscle behind getting broad campaign finance reform enacted this year.
continued...
Unfortunately, Doyle cannot do that right now.
Why?
He cannot afford it.
According to campaign finance records posted in January, the Doyle campaign has $38,816.39 cash on hand. The governor's campaign owes $111,391.72.
This leaves the Doyle campaign with a negative balance of -$72,575.33.
It is not unusual for campaigns to end with a negative balance. It happens all the time.
The Governor can continue to raise campaign contributions to pay off his debt and come up with the cash to give back to Troha.
I know I won't be donating any cash to Governor Doyle. Any takers?
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Local reaction to Troha indictment
I spent part of this past week , trying to gage the local reaction to the Troha indictment.
For several days, many folks were in denial. They just could not believe it.
Here in Kenosha, Dennis Troha is a hero. Folks were attempting to defend his innocence.
As of today, I think reality is beginning to set in.
Even the Kenosha News had three separate articles in the front section of today's paper.
The biggest fear today is that more names will begin to drop.
This goes deeper than just Dennis Troha.
If you are looking to keep up with local reaction, here in Kenosha, try The Daily Kenoshan Forum.
Anyone can register and post. However, there are rules- don't say or do anything stupid.
For several days, many folks were in denial. They just could not believe it.
Here in Kenosha, Dennis Troha is a hero. Folks were attempting to defend his innocence.
As of today, I think reality is beginning to set in.
Even the Kenosha News had three separate articles in the front section of today's paper.
The biggest fear today is that more names will begin to drop.
This goes deeper than just Dennis Troha.
If you are looking to keep up with local reaction, here in Kenosha, try The Daily Kenoshan Forum.
Anyone can register and post. However, there are rules- don't say or do anything stupid.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Troha indictment and the political fallout.
Try as he might, Governor Doyle and his political bedfellows will not be able to rid themselves of the stench surrounding the Troha indictment.
It should be noted that the many media and democratic pundits are attempting to muddy the water surrounding the Troha indictment. They figure if they can dirty the water around the Governor Doyle, then things will not look so bad for the governor.
One of the first defenses for Governor Doyle, when it comes to this mess, is that Congressman Paul Ryan and the RNC also received contributions from Troha.
Unfortunately, these defenses for Governor Doyle will not fly for two major reasons.
The first reason is that donating to campaigns is not illegal. It is perfectly legal for Dennis Troha to donate to any candidate he chooses. However there are campaign limits.
Not all of Dennis Troha’s campaign contributions were illegal.
The indictment very specifically names the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign as the campaign that received the illegal donations.
No where in this indictment is “Ryan for Congress” or anyone else’s campaign specifically mentioned as recipients of illegal campaign donations.
The indictment against Dennis Troha even gives the impression that their might have been some complicity between the Doyle campaign and Dennis Troha.
The indictment reads:
Prior to June 2005, Dennis M. Troha was a supporter of the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign. Troha provided advice to the campaign, organized a fund raiser, and contributed the maximum of $10,000.
In June of 2005, an official of the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign asked Dennis M. Troha to help raise additional campaign funds by the end of the month. The official identified June 30, 2005, as a significant date for the public disclosure of campaign finances.
On or about June 29, 2005, the checks were picked up by the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign official at the offices of Dennis M Troha.
As you can clearly see, the Governor’s campaign fingerprints are all over this indictment.
Another reason why dirtying the water will not work, is because only one man has the final discretionary power to give Kenosha it’s casino. That man is Governor Jim Doyle. This is also mentioned in the indictment.
Just a few short months ago, the Governor vetoed legislation that would have brought the state legislatures into the process of approving casinos.
As it stands now, the Governor makes the final decision on the Kenosha casino.
Dennis Troha needed the Governor’s loyalty above anybody else’s in order to get his casino.
Governor Doyle, his political buddies and the media can spin this over and over again, but the facts will not change.
However, the political stench surrounding Governor Jim Doyle and his campaign donors continues to grow and grow.
So let the Governor, the political pundits and the media continue to spin- the rest of us are a lot smarter that these folks would like to give us credit for.
The political fallout for Governor Doyle continues to grow.
It should be noted that the many media and democratic pundits are attempting to muddy the water surrounding the Troha indictment. They figure if they can dirty the water around the Governor Doyle, then things will not look so bad for the governor.
One of the first defenses for Governor Doyle, when it comes to this mess, is that Congressman Paul Ryan and the RNC also received contributions from Troha.
Unfortunately, these defenses for Governor Doyle will not fly for two major reasons.
The first reason is that donating to campaigns is not illegal. It is perfectly legal for Dennis Troha to donate to any candidate he chooses. However there are campaign limits.
Not all of Dennis Troha’s campaign contributions were illegal.
The indictment very specifically names the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign as the campaign that received the illegal donations.
No where in this indictment is “Ryan for Congress” or anyone else’s campaign specifically mentioned as recipients of illegal campaign donations.
The indictment against Dennis Troha even gives the impression that their might have been some complicity between the Doyle campaign and Dennis Troha.
The indictment reads:
Prior to June 2005, Dennis M. Troha was a supporter of the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign. Troha provided advice to the campaign, organized a fund raiser, and contributed the maximum of $10,000.
In June of 2005, an official of the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign asked Dennis M. Troha to help raise additional campaign funds by the end of the month. The official identified June 30, 2005, as a significant date for the public disclosure of campaign finances.
On or about June 29, 2005, the checks were picked up by the “Doyle for Wisconsin” campaign official at the offices of Dennis M Troha.
As you can clearly see, the Governor’s campaign fingerprints are all over this indictment.
Another reason why dirtying the water will not work, is because only one man has the final discretionary power to give Kenosha it’s casino. That man is Governor Jim Doyle. This is also mentioned in the indictment.
Just a few short months ago, the Governor vetoed legislation that would have brought the state legislatures into the process of approving casinos.
As it stands now, the Governor makes the final decision on the Kenosha casino.
Dennis Troha needed the Governor’s loyalty above anybody else’s in order to get his casino.
Governor Doyle, his political buddies and the media can spin this over and over again, but the facts will not change.
However, the political stench surrounding Governor Jim Doyle and his campaign donors continues to grow and grow.
So let the Governor, the political pundits and the media continue to spin- the rest of us are a lot smarter that these folks would like to give us credit for.
The political fallout for Governor Doyle continues to grow.
Troha indictment-around the blogosphere
Reaction from around the blogosphere world-
Fraley's Dailytakes- http://www.dailytakes.com/
Jessica McBride- http://www.620wtmj.com/_content/talk/jessicamcbride/index.asp?id=125&entry=33090
Real Debate Wisconsin- http://realdebatewisconsin.blogspot.com/2007/03/troha-indicted.html
Boots and Sabers- http://www.bootsandsabers.com/index.php/weblog/permalink/links/
Lakeshore Laments- http://lakeshorelaments.com/2007/03/01/troha-charged-with-fraud/
There are many more. I will be back later to add these.
Fraley's Dailytakes- http://www.dailytakes.com/
Jessica McBride- http://www.620wtmj.com/_content/talk/jessicamcbride/index.asp?id=125&entry=33090
Real Debate Wisconsin- http://realdebatewisconsin.blogspot.com/2007/03/troha-indicted.html
Boots and Sabers- http://www.bootsandsabers.com/index.php/weblog/permalink/links/
Lakeshore Laments- http://lakeshorelaments.com/2007/03/01/troha-charged-with-fraud/
There are many more. I will be back later to add these.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Troha indicted!
Several have called with the news that Dennis Troha has been indicted. Unfortunately, I have been away from a computer for 6 hours, so I could not blog about it.
So here is the news from MJS-
Millionaire Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha, who until recently was a partner in a proposed $808 million tribal casino project, was charged in federal court today with fraud and lying to the FBI.
The 8-page indictment, returned in Milwaukee, accuses Troha of breaking campaign finance laws for donations he and his family made to Gov. Jim Doyle's campaign in 2006, and possibly other campaigns.
U.S. Attorney Steven M. Biskupic is speaking about the indictment at a news conference.
The indictment says the charges are in "connection with activities involving campaign contributions and a potential Indian casino in Kenosha, Wisconsin."
Troha, 60, funneled more than $100,000 through an entity called Johnson Houston Partners to family members for them to make the political contributions, according to the indictment.
Troha concealed the true nature of the financial transactions, and during a Jan. 12 interview with FBI agents falsely stated that there was no link between Johnson Houston and the family campaign contributions, the indictment charges.
The casino deal could have earned Troha $88 million over seven years, according to records filed with the federal government as part of the Menominee tribe's application for the casino. Federal law gives Doyle veto power over any off-reservation casino in the state.
Troha and 12 family members have donated $200,000 to Doyle since he first ran for governor five years ago, sometimes writing checks on the same day, campaign records show.
Troha also played a role in sponsoring both of Doyle's inauguration celebrations. It is the second person with ties to the Doyle administration to be charged in federal court.
Last year, former state purchasing employee Georgia Thompson was convicted of steering a travel contract to a company whose executives had given the Doyle campaign large contributions.
Late Friday, Troha abruptly announced he was pulling out of the casino deal. A spokesman cited "long-term business considerations" and a family medical problem as the reasons.
On Saturday, the Journal Sentinel revealed a federal investigation was launched earlier this year into Troha's contributions.Troha reported to the state in 2005 that he was worth $33.7 million.
Read the indictment
As I said in a previous post- I am concerned for Kenosha. This hurts my community.
The frustrating part about all of this is that we were jumping up and down, here in Kenosha, trying to get someone's attention early last year. We knew it was happening and we still could not stop it.
Read the indictment and then answer me this question- How is it possible for the Doyle campaign not to know about these illegal contributions? After all- someone from Doyle's campaign came down here and picked up the illegal donations from Dennis Troha himself.
So here is the news from MJS-
Millionaire Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha, who until recently was a partner in a proposed $808 million tribal casino project, was charged in federal court today with fraud and lying to the FBI.
The 8-page indictment, returned in Milwaukee, accuses Troha of breaking campaign finance laws for donations he and his family made to Gov. Jim Doyle's campaign in 2006, and possibly other campaigns.
U.S. Attorney Steven M. Biskupic is speaking about the indictment at a news conference.
The indictment says the charges are in "connection with activities involving campaign contributions and a potential Indian casino in Kenosha, Wisconsin."
Troha, 60, funneled more than $100,000 through an entity called Johnson Houston Partners to family members for them to make the political contributions, according to the indictment.
Troha concealed the true nature of the financial transactions, and during a Jan. 12 interview with FBI agents falsely stated that there was no link between Johnson Houston and the family campaign contributions, the indictment charges.
The casino deal could have earned Troha $88 million over seven years, according to records filed with the federal government as part of the Menominee tribe's application for the casino. Federal law gives Doyle veto power over any off-reservation casino in the state.
Troha and 12 family members have donated $200,000 to Doyle since he first ran for governor five years ago, sometimes writing checks on the same day, campaign records show.
Troha also played a role in sponsoring both of Doyle's inauguration celebrations. It is the second person with ties to the Doyle administration to be charged in federal court.
Last year, former state purchasing employee Georgia Thompson was convicted of steering a travel contract to a company whose executives had given the Doyle campaign large contributions.
Late Friday, Troha abruptly announced he was pulling out of the casino deal. A spokesman cited "long-term business considerations" and a family medical problem as the reasons.
On Saturday, the Journal Sentinel revealed a federal investigation was launched earlier this year into Troha's contributions.Troha reported to the state in 2005 that he was worth $33.7 million.
Read the indictment
As I said in a previous post- I am concerned for Kenosha. This hurts my community.
The frustrating part about all of this is that we were jumping up and down, here in Kenosha, trying to get someone's attention early last year. We knew it was happening and we still could not stop it.
Read the indictment and then answer me this question- How is it possible for the Doyle campaign not to know about these illegal contributions? After all- someone from Doyle's campaign came down here and picked up the illegal donations from Dennis Troha himself.
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