EXCLUSIVE: The Dirt on Ben Barnes Claims about Bush and the Air National Guard (Part 2)

The Blogspirator ^ | 8/29/04 | adam_az

[adam_az]

(The Blogspirator's previous article "EXCLUSIVE: The Dirt on Ben Barnes Claims about Bush and the Air National Guard" covers more information about Ben Barnes and this video.)


More on the Ben Barnes story...

The Mainstream Media (MSM) is covering the Barnes "admission,", but EVERY STORY leaves out the bit about how Barnes is a top Kerry fundraiser who has raised $500,000 for Kerry, and the fact that .

ABC News: Ex-Lawmaker Says He Helped Bush With Guard

CBS News: Ex-Honcho: I Got Bush Into Guard

AP: Lawmaker Regrets Helping Bush Get in Guard

We'll get back to this one later in the article, since it's inconsistent with an AP article from 1999 on this very same issue.

The New York Times: Three Decades Later, Vietnam Remains a Hot Issue

This is a little off-topic, but The Blogspirator thought it Interesting to point out a factual error in the Times report. (I know, you're shocked, right? A factual error in the Times? Say it's not so!)

On Feb. 10, Ensign John F. Kerry, 24, a day out at sea on a frigate in the Pacific, sent off a request for duty in Vietnam. He wanted to see the war up close.

"I consider the opportunity to serve in Vietnam an extremely important part of being in the armed forces," Mr. Kerry wrote. He asked to command a Swift boat, and offered to extend his hitch if need be.

Even though he told the Washington Post a different story. (Hard to believe, isn't it?)

When Kerry signed up to command a Swift boat in the summer of 1968, he was inspired by the example of his hero, John F. Kennedy, who had commanded the PT-109 patrol boat in the Pacific in World War II. But Kerry had little expectation of seeing serious action. At the time the Swift boats--or PCFs (patrol craft fast), in Navy jargon--were largely restricted to coastal patrols. "I didn't really want to get involved in the war," Kerry wrote in a book of war reminiscences published in 1986.

They also leave out the part about how Kerry sought a 1 year deferment to attend graduate school in, of all places, Paris. And that instead of "extending" his hitch, he got 3 purple hearts, including at least one phony one, and then got out.

The Blogspirator is beginning to see a pattern here. (Furthermore, The Blogspirator thinks the timing is suspicious! Also, we are deeply saddened, saddened )

This Story Was Reported In 1999

This story was first reported in 1999 as a result of a lawsuit involving Barnes, a company called GTech which held the lottery contract for the state of Texas, and the Texas state governments lottery organization. Barnes was a $3 million a year lobbyist for GTech.

Barnes was no stranger to lottery controversy.

The Feb. 13 1997 edition of the Abilene Reporter-News carried an AP story which read:

In January, Barnes was accused in a federal prosecutors' report in New Jersey of engaging in a kickback scheme similar to one that led to the conviction of a lottery company official in New Jersey.

The allegation was in a pre-sentencing report filed in Newark federal court in the criminal case of J. David Smith, former national sales manager for GTECH Holdings Corp.

No charges have been filed against Barnes, who denies any improprieties in his dealings with GTECH.

but

In Texas, prosecutors alleged, more than $500,000 was paid to Smith through a Barnes bank account.

Here are some of the old stories The Blogspirator has dug up from the last time this story hit the headlines, 1999:

Man Says He OK'd Bush for Guard (AP - Sept 27 1999)

It contains a decent summary of the legal case that led to the 1999 stories.

(Barnes) name surfaced in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Dallas by the former executive director of the Texas Lottery. Lawrence Littwin has sued GTECH Corp., the lottery operator, alleging that the company is to blame for his firing in 1997, after four months on the job.

According to court records, Littwin's lawyers wanted to question Barnes, who used to lobby for GTECH, about whether GTECH was allowed to keep its lucrative state contract in exchange for Barnes' silence about the Guard matter.

That theory has been dismissed as unfounded by GTECH, Barnes and Bush.

In other words, Barnes said it in the process of being accused of being a crook.

The new AP article leaves out the context of the 1999 admission, and Barnes comes up with a new reason with a neat made-for-tv soundbyte.

"I got a young man named George W. Bush into the National Guard when I was lieutenant governor of Texas, and I'm not necessarily proud of that, but I did it," Barnes said in the 45-second video, which was recorded May 27 before a group of John Kerry supporters in Austin. Barnes, who was House speaker when Bush entered the Guard, later became lieutenant governor.

He said he became ashamed after walking through the Vietnam Memorial and looking at the names of people who died.

When he was Lieutenant Governor of Texas?

According to the About Texas - Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Ben Barnes was Lt. Governor from 1969-1973. In the same quote, Barnes says that he "got a young man named George W. Bush into the National Guard when (he) was lieutenant governor of Texas," and AP immediately contradicts him, saying "Barnes, who was House speaker when Bush entered the Guard, later became lieutenant governor." This is confusing, but Barnes own words are clearly are incorrect, while AP (astonishingly) is correct.

Correct, because ccording to a DIFFERENT AP article Timeline of Bush's National Guard Service, his interview and acceptance to the National Guard was May 27, 1968.

In other words, Barnes is claiming that he helped Bush get into the National Guard when he was Lt. Governor... but by the time Barnes was Lt. Governor, 2nd Lieutenant Bush was already training!

The 1999 AP article mentions that a Barnes lawyer issued a statement that said:

"Neither Congressman Bush nor any other member of the Bush family asked Barnes' help.

Barnes has no knowledge that Governor Bush or President Bush knew of Barnes' recommendation," Bush addressed the allegation, as well. The article says:

Both he and his father, the former president, have said they didn't ask for help in finding the Guard opening.

"I don't know if Ben Barnes did or not – but he was not asked by me or my dad," Bush said Monday. "People are relying on whether a man who is deceased (Adger) tried to help. I can just tell you, from my perspective, I never asked for, I don't believe I received any special treatment," Bush said.

Summary: Barnes, while being accused of being a crook (for the umpteenth time), said that he had recommended Bush for the Air National Guard, but that no one in the Bush family knew about it. He also said that he gave the recommendation when he was Lt. Gov, which wasn't until the year after Bush was already in the Guard.

The Blogspirator Wonders...

So, The Blogspirator wonders, where is the real story in 2004? There is nothing new to the allegation, except for Barnes claiming that his "guilt" is now the reason for his admission, which is different than the reason he came up with in 1999 during a trial when he was being accused of illegally rigging a contract for the company he was a $3 million a year lobbyist for.

Admittedly, the story is foggy. Perhaps Barnes did make a recommendation, perhaps he didn't.

There is a real story. Unfortunately, AP, CBS, the NY Times, etc. are all missing it.

Consider that the video was released virtually on the eve of the Republican National Convention. Consider that it's being hosted on the internet by a group called "Austin4Kerry" and a weblog, one of whose writers was an accredited blogger for the Democrat National Convention. Consider that Barnes is a Kerry campaign insider, and that he has raised $500,000 for the Kerry campaign.

Then consider this quote from the September 2001 issue of Texas Monthly:

"I'm not really a lobbyist. I don't represent clients day to day on legislation. I'm more of a crisis manager. I get called when people have a big problem in Washington that they can't solve by passing a bill."

Back in the days of the Sharpstown stock manipulation scandal, Frank Sharp told federal investigators that "Ben is smarter than those other politicians—he only takes cash."

Since then Barnes represented GTech in the Texas state lottery, working a deal that makes him and a partner 3.5 cents on every lottery tick sold.

Perhaps smelling a rat, the Texas Lottery Commission pressured GTech to sever its dealings with Barnes for a contract buyout of $23 million.

Once he took a group of Methodist minister to meet Governor Bill Clinton. "I may have to switch religions," Clinton told the ministers. "If you all will take a sinner like Barnes, you might take me."

And that, as Paul Harvey says, is the rest of the story.

A little unrelated dirt:

Ben Barnes is known as the "Fastest Zipper in the West." See page 91, "Shadow on the Alamo" It makes the Bill Clinton quote a little more interesting, don't you think?

[adam_az]

Moderators:

Please leave this in Breaking News.

It is part 2 of the Breaking article posted at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1201549/posts

The NY Times, AP, Fox, and other organizations are running with this story, expect to see it all over the news this week.

Hopefully if we get the facts out there, we can head them off at the pass.

[Lancey Howard]

BUMP!!!

[GOPcapitalist]

Ben Barnes is a walking dumpster of old style Democrat corruption. Along with the governor, he was given the boot in the early 1970's as an unindicted co-conspirator in a stock fraud scandal that consumed the Texas Legislature.

[G.Mason]

bump & bookmarked

Thanks

[fuzzy122]

Bump for later

Stay Strong,
Fuzzy122

[Mo1]

BTTT

[alydar]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1201827/posts?page=29#29

[adam_az]

[GeoPie]

Thank you, very well put together. Bump.

[GailA]

btt

[chronic_loser]

bump

[backhoe]

To read the latest on the Franchurian Candidate's bizzare exploits, click the picture, goto "last," and work backwards:

If you would like to help the Swift Boat Vets ( as I have, and I urge all to do-- even a few dollars will help ) kindly click on this logo:

If, perchance, the top "click the pic" link is not visible, click here:

-John Kerry- some selected, informative links...--

---

Judge for yourself- see the SwiftVet ads here:

 Swift Boat Ad #3: Kerry's Own Shipmate Calls Kerry on Lie

 The video

The first two ads:

 http://www2.swiftvets.com/index.php?topic=Ads

Take a look at these three short video clips, especially the last one. You will walk away with a heavy heart.

POW'S TELL ABOUT TOURTURE

To read the latest on the Franchurian Candidate's bizzare exploits, click the picture, goto "last," and work backwards:

If you would like to help the Swift Boat Vets ( as I have, and I urge all to do-- even a few dollars will help ) kindly click on this logo:

[Mike Darancette]

If Bush bought his way into the National Guard then Barnes is admitting that he got the envelope?

[joesnuffy]

If Pres Bush's family bought GWs way into that unit to AVOID Vietnam
GW Bush was headed in the WRONG direction.....

GW had NO problemo with going into combat ...he just wanted to go as an fighter pilot...
and not a ground pounder...

He was a good pilot...so that kinda makes sense...

Like I said if GW was trying to avoid combat.....by getting into THAT unit.....he was going the wrong way...

His pop could have gotten GW into any miltary unit in the world...and kept him ther for his full time...Greece....Germany.....Italy....you name it....GW could have spent 6 yrs on the Riveria with his family connections.....

Instead he goes into a jet fighter unit....

hey libs...do the math....

[adam_az]

Can you please fix the very first link? It should read:

http://blogspirator.blogspot.com/2004/08/exclusive-dirt-on-ben-barnes-claims.html

There's an extra http in there :)

[Chieftain]

Tired of the DemocRATS 'smear the messenger and disrespect the veterans' campaign?

Do SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Do what Reagan did - GO AROUND THEM AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!

Get your own "EXPOSE KERRY'S FRAUD SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH" STICKER!

I put this sticker on my truck the other day. I get lots of honks and 'thumbs up'!

The sticker serves 3 purposes:
1 - Shows visible support for "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" to passing motorists, (encourages our side discourages the libs).
2 - Gets the swiftvets.com website visible to the public, so they can and find out more about 'Hanoi John' Kerry.
3 - Circumvents the lamestream media BIAS filter!

Made by fellow FReeper disabled vet who has a bone to pick with Kerry, like we all do!
Large (24" Wide 12" Tall) $20 (like mine above)
Small (12" Wide 6" Tall) $10
Profits go to SwiftVets.com

Ping your FRiends, let 'em know about this!

FReep mail / private reply for details on how you can get one for your vehicle!

[skr]

What is it with liberals and chronological events? It looks as though they can't read a calendar.

[concerned about politics]

Well, it looks like the Barns story has been overwhelmimgly debunked.

[Humidston]

Speaking as an old-timer in Texas, Ben Barnes was your typical 2-bit rat operative back in the days of an old fashioned rat dynasty down here.

Because of the rumors that swirled around him, I'm surprised Barnes hasn't died of some horrid social disease by now!