http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/corrupt/ en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:24:37 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2417108/posts 1. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT): This marks two years in a row for Senator Dodd, who made the 2008 “Ten Most Corrupt” list for his corrupt relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and for accepting preferential treatment and loan terms from Countrywide Financial, a scandal which still dogs him. 2. Senator John Ensign (R-NV): A number of scandals popped up in 2009 involving public officials who conducted illicit affairs, and then attempted to cover them up with hush payments and favors, an obvious abuse of power. Communists 4 Obama http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2417108/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:24:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407298/posts With Afghanistan hearings Tuesday and the annual Pentagon budget bill due on the House floor this week, a familiar face may be missing. Rep. John Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations defense panel, was hospitalized Sunday night because of abdominal pains. The 77-year old Pennsylvania Democrat had been feeling ill with what he thought last week was swine flu but the hospitalization appears related to his gall bladder. “He’s currently resting and doing well,” his office said. Politico http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2407298/posts#comment Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:14:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2403428/posts ...My thinking in times past is that it was amazing our country could be in such a mess when we have all these supposedly smart people running the show. More recently I have come to the conclusion that things are what they are because of, not in spite of, the geniuses inhabiting the White House and the halls of Congress. We've all seen people with degrees in everything from rocket science to brain surgery who couldn't balance their checkbook or change a flat tire. What we're lacking in Washington is plain old everyday horse sense. If you, Mister or Missus... Burkhart's Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2403428/posts#comment Wed, 9 Dec 2009 03:26:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2402559/posts World Health Organization scientists are suspected of accepting secret bribes from vaccine manufacturers to influence the U.N. organization's H1N1 pandemic declaration, according to Danish and Swedish newspapers. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical profits from swine-flu related drugs have soared – with earnings between $10 billion and $15 billion in 2009, investment bank JP Morgan estimates. As WND reported, the WHO Director General Margaret Chan initially raised the influenza pandemic alert to its second highest level in May – but evidence reveals the agency may have made it easier to classify the flu outbreak as a pandemic by changing its definition to omit "enormous... WorldNetDaily.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2402559/posts#comment Tue, 8 Dec 2009 03:09:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2393781/posts On Politics Cleaning House By Charlie Cook National Journal November 24, 2009 As House Democrats try to avert political disaster by limiting their 2010 losses to about 16 seats, the norm for post-World War II presidents' first midterm elections, dealing with their members' ethics problems may be one of their toughest tasks.With health care reform off their plate for now, House Democrats are showing that they understand the tightrope they must walk -- address unemployment without exacerbating worries about the size of government and the federal deficit.Meanwhile, though, the ethical clouds over House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles... GovernmentExecutive.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2393781/posts#comment Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:23:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2386311/posts Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey is one of the many distinguished lawyers participating at the Federal Society's annual national lawyers conference here in Washington this week. As luck would have it, he was on the program for a speech this afternoon, not long after the Obama administration announced its decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three other terrorists in federal district court in New York. Mukasey is uniquely qualified to talk about this issue. Not only was he a war-on-terror-time Attorney General (you remember the war on terror, don't you?), but he was also the judge who presided over... Power Line http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2386311/posts#comment Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:58:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2381503/posts William Jefferson sentencing of 27-33 years recommendedBy Jonathan Tilove November 06, 2009, 9:04PM Prosecutors on Friday night issued a memorandum recommending that former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson be sentenced to between 27 and 33 years in prison. Jefferson, 62, will be sentenced by federal Judge T.S. Ellis III on Nov. 13. The prosecution's sentencing memorandum suggests that Jefferson, who served 18 years in Congress, may have hidden resources and "poses a significant risk of flight,'' and ought to be immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after sentencing at the Alexandria, Va., courthouse. If Ellis follows the... NOLA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2381503/posts#comment Sun, 8 Nov 2009 15:16:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2359147/posts Friday, October 09, 2009 What If . . .    [David Kahane] Every comedy starts with a couple of guys tossing out a series of increasingly ridiculous "What if?" questions, until they get to the most idiotic reductio ad absurdum imaginable. So here goes: What if a guy nobody's ever heard of, from Hawaii no less, with a Muslim African father and a Muslim Indonesian stepfather and a mom from Kansas named Stanley inexplicably glides from Punahou to a short sheep-dip at Occidental to the Frankfurt School's favorite Ivy League haunt, Columbia, to Harvard Law? What if he's such... National Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2359147/posts#comment Fri, 9 Oct 2009 23:21:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2352847/posts October 1, 2009 ACORN, the troubled anti-poverty group, is fighting to survive in the aftermath of an undercover video scandal. Its government funding is threatened, and so is the money it receives from foundations and other donors. ACORN is fighting back, but that is also draining resources. ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis earlier this week made a simple plea in a letter to donors: "We need your help to survive." Lewis said in an interview that she thinks her 40-year-old organization will survive, but she's worried about what fighting the charges that ACORN is a corrupt organization will do to resources... NPR http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2352847/posts#comment Thu, 1 Oct 2009 22:01:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2341612/posts CREW Cut: Rangel on "Most Corrupt" List, AgainMakes naughty list. By HASANI GITTENS Updated 11:13 AM EDT, Wed, Sep 16, 2009 Sorry Charlie just can't catch a break. Rep. Charlie Rangel has been named one of the "most corrupt" members of congress for the second year in a row. The dubious distinction was handed down by CREW, or Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, in their fifth annual report, which includes 15 members of congress. The liberal group took Harlem's Democratic congressman to task for a range of ethical issues: "(1) improperly leasing four rent controlled apartments; (2) improperly... NBC New York http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2341612/posts#comment Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:48:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2338882/posts ACORN fires back at critics after stingBy S.A. Miller Sunday, September 13, 2009 The liberal activist group ACORN, reeling after hidden-camera videos showed its employees giving tax advice to a woman posing as a prostitute, went on the offensive Saturday by accusing conservatives of smearing the organization to undermine President Obama's health care overhaul plans. The group already had fired two employees in Washington and two in Baltimore who were caught in the sting videos, but the flap prompted the Obama administration late last week to cancel plans for ACORN to work on the 2010 census. The Baltimore video, which... Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2338882/posts#comment Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:29:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2337276/posts We've launched a new blog to keep you up with the latest on Election '09 news and the Association's efforts. Check it out at www.VEAElection09.com. In addition to breaking news and advocacy materials, the blog gives you access to information about the VEA Fund for Children and Public Education, why and how we make candidate recommendations, voter registration information, and much more. Of course, we encourage you to visit the site frequently. If you have election-related content you think ought to be mentioned in the blog, please e-mail to John O'Neil, VEA Communications, at joneil@veanea.org. Thank you, Robley Jones VEA... Teacher union election blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2337276/posts#comment Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:34:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2327511/posts The Silver Bullet - ‘Can’t Vote Can’t Contribute’ Money has corrupted our political system to the extent that it no linger represents the people but represents the special interests that fund politicians. One solution to the problem is ‘Can’t Vote Can’t Contribute’. Simply stated ‘Can’t Vote Can’t Contribute’ means no one can contribute one dime to any politician, political entity or activity who they cannot vote for. There would be no limit on contributions and they must be placed in the public record as soon as they are accepted. Violations of ‘Can’t Vote Can’t Contribute’ would be treated as a... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2327511/posts#comment Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:24:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2324898/posts Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is supporting a change in state law that would allow him to appoint an interim successor to Sen. Edward Kennedy’s seat while a special election is held. The Boston Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2324898/posts#comment Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:23:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2323912/posts Update | 9:02 p.m. An earlier version of this article repeated an erroneous figure in the analysis it links to from the Tennessee Hospital Association. That error has been corrected in this article, but is still incorrect on the hospital association’s document. The $171 billion number covers all 10 years. It is not an annual figure for 10 years. How good for the hospitals was the deal they got from the Obama administration last month to support its health care overhaul? A profitable one, according to a run through the numbers by one hospital association. Recall that the White House... nytimes.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2323912/posts#comment Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:22:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2320652/posts August 20, 2009 - 4:09 ETAs of July 20, 2009: • The Brainroom counts 32 czars in the Obama administration, based on media reports from reputable sources that have identified the official in question as a czar. • In addition, President Obama has said that he will create the position of cyber czar, and there have been media reports that there could be a health insurance czar and a copyright czar. When and if those positions are filled, that would bring the total to 35. • Since czar isn't an official job title, the number is somewhat in the eye... http://www.glennbeck.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2320652/posts#comment Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:24:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2303105/posts Obama tried, and failed, to get the legislation passed before the August recess. This is because he knows that the more people who understand his plan, the less support it will receive. This is one of the biggest problems I have with certain politicians today. They don’t care whether people support them or not, they want their way, regardless of how devastating their actions may be. It is the kind of Chicago politics that makes the political realm so slimy. I can only hope that once I am a public servant, that my actions can help clean up some of... My Uncommon Sense http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2303105/posts#comment Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:04:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2301467/posts I thought Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck were supposed to get Jindal to investigate these corrupt soldiers. What happened? Haven't heard a thing since BOR blustered about it, what, 2-3 months ago. Breakdown of America http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2301467/posts#comment Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:43:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2299278/posts Every day I get countless e-mails from people who are just beginning to become aware of the questions surrounding Barack Obama's eligibility for office. Because I can't answer thousands of individual questions, this column is designed to provide a basic backgrounder on the most frequent questions – questions that could all be answered in far greater detail if readers had the patience to wade through the voluminous collection of stories on the issue we offer the public free in our archives. You can find the hundreds of news stories WND has written on this subject here. You can also find... WND http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2299278/posts#comment Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:40:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2293920/posts PHOENIX -- A Social Security Administration motivational management conference held at a high-end Valley resort last week cost $700,000, the SSA told the ABC15 Investigators. Costs for the conference at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa included airfare, hotel entertainment, dancers, motivational speakers, and food, an administration official said. A spokesperson outside the SSA's Phoenix office declined to comment. A spokesperson from the SSA's regional office said the conference was essential, that teleconferencing was not an option, and that all 675 managers needed to meet in person. The SSA provided ABC15 with a list of courses provided at the conference,... abc15.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2293920/posts#comment Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:22:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2277105/posts President Barack Obama (AP Photo) (CNSNews.com) – The ousted inspector general who reported that his office found misuse of AmeriCorps funds granted to a charity run by a political ally of President Barack Obama sees an assault on the institution of government watchdogs, noting that besides himself, the inspectors general in both the Treasury Department and the International Trade Commission (ITC) have faced reported hurdles in doing their jobs. He says he wants Congress to hold a hearing on his firing. “I certainly don’t know the facts about any of the other IGs. But I don’t think you can find in the history of IGs such an administration attack on... CNSNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2277105/posts#comment Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:48:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2277037/posts The White House, Washington Dear Friend, Last week, I announced United We Serve – a nationwide call to service challenging you and all Americans to volunteer this summer and be part of building a new foundation for America. And when I say “all,” I mean everyone – young and old, from every background, all across the country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort. Today, for the official kick off of United We Serve, members of my administration have fanned out across America to participate in service events and encourage all... Email http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2277037/posts#comment Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:18:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2272751/posts ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Opening statements are scheduled in the trial of a former Louisiana congressman charged with bribery after federal agents found $90,000 in cash in his freezer. The case is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Va. William Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes, racketeering, money laundering and other crimes. Jefferson represented parts of New Orleans until losing re-election last year. Prosecutors say he received more than $500,000 and sought millions more for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa. AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2272751/posts#comment Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:12:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2262616/posts Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, most well known for his rapid-fire temper, his foul language and his Sopranos'-style political diplomacy, reportedly has a squishy side few could imagine. According to an anonymous source close to the Obama Administration, fracturedrepublic can reveal it has evidence suggesting "Rahmbo", as recently as March, 2009 was actively taking part in what is arguably the most insipid, and least celebrated sport in America today… weasel Jell-O wrestling. Click here for more... fracturedrepublic.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2262616/posts#comment Tue, 2 Jun 2009 02:24:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2258219/posts Burdened by an embattled House Speaker who sought refuge over the weekend in China, Democrats launched a questionable public relations campaign to deflect attention from Nancy Pelosi’s controversial CIA comments. Harkening back to a 2006 incident concerning the 2001 downing of a plane in Peru that killed missionaries from Michigan, Democrats are charging Ms. Pelosi handling of the waterboarding controversy is no different than U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra’s, R-Mich., handling of the crash in Peru. During the investigation, Mr. Hoekstra took issue with the CIA report of the crash. In 2006, Mr. Hoekstra cited a report from the CIA Inspector... The Bulletin http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2258219/posts#comment Tue, 26 May 2009 11:18:01 GMT