Free Republic

A shareholder group is gaining momentum in its efforts to pressure companies to disclose charitable giving -- with donations linked to the Rev. Jesse Jackson... The National Legal and Policy Center has stepped up efforts to require corporations to disclose more details about their donations... The Rainbow/PUSH Citizen Education Fund, which in 2001 provided payments to Jackson's former mistress. The Church Falls, Va.-based non-profit group hit two shareholders meetings this week -- Boeing on Monday and PepsiCo Inc. on Wednesday. "Many shareholders would certainly object to their money going to a controversial and divisive figure like Jesse Jackson," said Peter...

Judge lowers sentence of ex-county Democratic chairman by 17 months. Andrew Reyes, the former Mecklenburg Democratic chairman convicted in one of Charlotte's biggest embezzlements, could be out of prison in May after a federal judge trimmed nearly a year and a half off his sentence. Sources say the reduction is likely due to his cooperation in an ongoing investigation. U.S. Chief District Judge Graham Mullen didn't handle Reyes' case and would not talk about it specifically. But Mullen, asked when federal judges can cut sentences, said: "The only way a judge can reduce a sentence is if the government moves...

<p>In the world according to Al Franken, Rupert Murdoch is "evil," Bill O'Reilly is "a right-wing blowhard of the schoolyard bully variety," Sean Hannity is "incredibly obnoxious," Paul Gigot defends Wall Street Journal editorials that are "mind-blowingly asinine," and mainstream media types are, well, a bunch of wimps who dance to the tune of these all-powerful conservatives. Which isn't to say he has lost his sense of humor. The former "Saturday Night Live" comic knows how to deliver a punch line along with a punch, as is evident in his new book. You may have heard about the title -- "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right" -- because of a futile Fox News lawsuit charging that Franken had no right to borrow its "fair and balanced" slogan. And the book doesn't quite meet the hallowed F&B standard. In fact, it's a bit of a screed.</p>