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The “reckoning” arrives for Obama’s conservative political opponents
Power Line ^ | February 21, 2014 | Paul Mirengoff

Posted on 02/22/2014 12:40:53 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Earlier today, John noted that “everywhere we look, our friends on the right are under attack.” In nearly all cases, the Obama administration is doing the attacking, be it through ridiculous criminal prosecution or harassment via the IRS, the FBI, the EPA, and even OSHA.

We shouldn’t be surprised. Obama has been attacking his political opponents through trumped up charges of unlawful activity since he first ran for president.

Hillary Clinton’s backers were Obama’s first victims. Again, this isn’t surprising. Clinton was Obama’s first important presidential opponent.

As Kim Strassel has pointed out, in the spring of 2008, the general counsel of Obama’s campaign, Bob Bauer, filed a complaint with the FEC against the American Leadership Project, a group backing Clinton. Bauer announced:

"There’s going to be a reckoning here. It’s going to be rough — it’s going to be rough on the officers, it’s going to be rough on the employees, it’s going to be rough on the donors."

According to Strassel, the Obama campaign launched a similar attack on groups supporting its other Democratic rival, John Edwards.

The tactic worked. In August 2008, Politico reported that Bauer’s words had “the effect of scaring [Clinton and Edwards] donors and consultants,” even though they hadn’t “result[ed] in any prosecution.”

Naturally, Obama engaged in similar attacks on groups supporting Republican presidential candidates. In 2008, after the conservative American Issues Project ran an ad highlighting ties between candidate Obama and Bill Ayers, Bauer demanded that the criminal division of the Justice Department investigate AIP, “its officers and directors,” and its “anonymous donors.” He followed up by calling for the prosecution of AIP’s donor, who was not anonymous.

Fortunately, the Justice Department was not yet under Obama’s control.

In 2012, President Obama’s campaign used similar tactics against Romney supporters. According to Strassel, the Obama campaign, with Bauer still serving as its general counsel, targeted private citizens who had donated to Romney groups. Meanwhile, Democratic senators demanded that the IRS investigate these organizations.

Unfortunately, the IRS was now under Obama’s control. Its targeting of Republican donors is the result.

Bauer’s words from 2008 resonate today: “There’s going to be a reckoning. . .It’s going to be rough. . .on the officers, it’s going to be rough on the employees, it’s going to be rough on the donors.”

It’s going to be rough on a public intellectual who made an anti-Obama film; it’s going to be rough on organizers of grass roots conservative political groups; it’s going to be rough on big Republican donors of our acquaintance.

President Nixon was vilified by the mainstream media and impeached by Congress in large part because his conduct arguably threatened (albeit lamely) the proper functioning of our two-party political process. But the Obama administration presents a greater threat to the political process than that posed by an amateurish break-in to the DNC headquarters (which there was no evidence Nixon signed off on), contemplated use of the IRS against political enemies (which gave rise to an article of impeachment), and assorted tricks.

Nixon would like to have seen a reckoning for his political opponents. Obama is carrying one out.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: democrats; fascism; hillary; obama

1 posted on 02/22/2014 12:40:53 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Sadly i don’t see the will to prosecute the blatant abuses regardless of who wins the next election. The Dems will simply pretend they never happened if not continue the same tactics while the pubbies in their never ending quest to be loved will say we need to move on.


2 posted on 02/22/2014 12:55:14 AM PST by wiggen (The teacher card. When the racism card just won't work.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; everyone
Be sure to read the comments at the link... scroll down.
3 posted on 02/22/2014 12:56:49 AM PST by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Clinton was Obama’s first important presidential opponent.

Team KingHussein vs. SociopathofState sycophants. That was just an exhibition game for the U.S.A. - United Socialists of America. Win/win - everybody got a trophy. Witness the playas.

you essay

you essay

you essay

4 posted on 02/22/2014 2:52:28 AM PST by PGalt
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
President Nixon was vilified by the mainstream media and impeached by Congress...

Paul Mirengoff is a maroon.


5 posted on 02/22/2014 3:33:28 AM PST by 867V309 (Obammy = LIAR)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Time to draw a line in the sand and say this far and no farther backwards.
Form a line.....and stand tough


6 posted on 02/22/2014 4:35:16 AM PST by Yorlik803 ( Church/Caboose in 2016)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Heck, 0bunghole has been a slimy little skidmark since (before) he got Jack Ryan’s divorce records unsealed to steal the Illinois state senate race.


7 posted on 02/22/2014 5:22:48 AM PST by Peet (Oderint dum metuant)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The author should get his facts straight. Nixon was not impeached by congress. Knowing that he faced impeachment proceedings he resigned his office.


8 posted on 02/22/2014 5:27:31 AM PST by Shane (When Injustice Becomes Law, RESISTANCE Becomes DUTY.----T.Jefferson)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

!


9 posted on 02/22/2014 5:39:13 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun..0'Caligula / 0'Reid / 0'Pelosi)
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To: Peet

Heck, 0bunghole has been a slimy little skidmark since (before) he got Jack Ryan’s divorce records unsealed to steal the Illinois state senate race.


This is the first case I remember but who knows how many others there have been. This sort of thing doesn’t just happen over night - it’s a mindset


10 posted on 02/22/2014 5:12:26 PM PST by Rays_Dad (H. Clinton-Every man who looks at her is reminded of his first wife, even if he's never been married)
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