Mean Jean loses her shit over false report

Via MSNBC:

MSNBC posts this video of Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) — an opponent of the measure — screaming with joy at the false news that the Court invalidated the requirement. Watch it:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

What a cunt.

Great moments in CNN history

OK. This is precisely why we need cameras in the Supreme Court. CNN was trying so hard to get the scoop that they completely fucked it up. Oh, and they probably need to fire whatever producer thought this was a good idea.

It took over six minutes for them to begin to get the story right. Some moron was obviously in the courtroom listening to the dense legalese of the decision and naively decided that what he or she was hearing was them striking down the law.

I can only imagine the volume of screaming going on in the control room while they were trying to figure out what really happened! Oy vey!



And, in related news:

Suck it, conservatives!

AH, HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA (etc.)

(photo via FireDogLake.com - click the image to read the butt-hurt of poor ol' Ben))

Busy doing stuff

Like work and stuff.

And sailing once, or maybe TWICE a week if I'm really lucky!

Hope everyone is enjoying these first few days of summer.

Does it have to be 90-plus degrees yet? I only just put away my fleece pullover, and now we're in August all of a sudden!

Meanwhile...last week's drunken sailboat race!

Donovan standing tall

I gotta admit...Chris Donovan is impressing me with how well he's handling what would be a public relations disaster for a lesser man. He's standing tall, and people are behind him as he navigates through some perilous waters.

Here's an email I received today from the campaign. Tomorrow (Wednesday) there is a rally to support Chris Donovan. I will be at work (working second shift kinda sucks, but I'm happy to have a decent job, so I'm not complaining) but I'll be there in spirit:

Stand with Chris Rally
Wednesday, June 6th at 5PM
21 Oak St, Hartford

On Sunday, I stood in front of news cameras and reporters, made a statement, and took their questions. I have a video of it up online, but I wanted to share some of my remarks with you:

Let me be very clear about this: At no time did I know that anyone might have been trying to funnel illegal contributions to my campaign. No one ever made a deal with me as a quid pro quo.

I did not know about it at any point during the legislative session.
...
Let me say this unequivocally: No one bought my involvement, my position or my influence on the 'roll your own' legislation or any other. Period.
...
I have cooperated with federal authorities and I will continue to do that as this investigation proceeds.
...
All I can do is emphatically reassure the voters that I have done nothing wrong.
...
I am so very grateful - I've been overwhelmed by some of the calls and notes I have received from others. People who have known me for 30 years – or a lot less – have told me to fight on, and I will.
...
I'm looking forward to this race, and this fight, like no other in my life.

As Tom Swan told you yesterday, the campaign is moving forward and it's moving forward the right way.

We are going to win this race because I am the only candidate who is willing to fight for the working families of the 5th CD - to bring good jobs with strong benefits back home, to protect Medicare and Social Security, and to end the Republicans' destructive attacks on women's health care and contraception.

And we will win because I have you by my side. Together we organize, together we knock doors, together we make calls, and together we win by getting out the vote. Will you join me today by clicking here and pledging to stand with me?

The headline in yesterday's Hartford Courant was "NO QUIT IN DONOVAN" - well, I can confirm it for you. There is no quit in me. Not now, not when we have the most important fight of our lives - for the future of the working families of Connecticut.

Thank you once more for all you do,
Chris

PS Let's spread the word far and wide - will you forward this email to your friends and ask them to stand with us too?

Bad timing for Donovan's campaign

For the last few days local media were abuzz with the news that House Speaker Chris Donovan's finance director was charged with accepting and trying to hide illegal contributions.

For a Congressional candidate facing a tough primary just over 2 months away, this is definitely an unfortunate twist of fate.

There is an awful lot about this story that I don't yet understand, so I'll try to stick to the facts of the criminal complaint against finance director Robert Braddock. Braddock is charged with hiding contributions to Donovan's campaign that were part of an FBI undercover sting operation, where an agent posed as a cigarette retailer trying to buy influence in the House against legislation that could tax "roll-your-own" cigarettes. In the wake of Braddock's arrest, Donovan's campaign manager Josh Nassi was fired along with Braddock.

Which casts some reasonable doubt on whether Nassi may have known something about the contribution. But whether he knew anything or not, he was the guy directly responsible for the workings of the campaign and the hiring of the staff, including probably the finance director, and he likely deserved to be let go.

BTW, this is just my opinion, and I base it solely upon the stuff I've read in the papers and blogs and on Twitter, including this gem from my ol' friendly nemesis @A_C_R, which probably will get a huge belly laugh from the Rush Limbaugh aficionados out there in the Twittersphere:

Some Donovan defenders are quite annoyed. I suspect one is wearing that naughty barbed wire bra again it always makes her so cranky.

All misogyny aside, I haven't spoken to anyone inside Donovan's campaign yet, nor will I be likely to do so until the investigation is complete. So please don't put any weight on my idle speculations.

In regards to the allegations about the tax issue, it never even made it out of the Senate, so the House had absolutely no conversation about whether a tax should be levied. This will probably work in Donovan's favor as the investigation proceeds. Donovan has also hired a former US Attorney for Connecticut Stan Twardy to look into how the alleged wrongdoing occurred.

Also, according to published reports there are connections with House Minority Leader Larry Cafero in the investigation. From CT News Junkie:

Cafero was one of a dozen lawmakers interviewed Thursday by federal investigators. During the course of their conversation, Cafero said he learned that straw donors also delivered five $1,000 checks to three House Republican PACs.

Cafero said he promptly returned the donations after being informed that they came from straw donors, but he added that he was not given an explanation as to why the donations were made and was told he was not a target of the investigation.

So, after being informed, presumably by the same agents investigating Donovan's campaign, Cafero was allowed to return the donations, no questions asked.

Sounds weird. I dunno, but it kinda makes you wonder, eh?

Look back here for more solid information, idle speculation, and wildly unfounded conjecture as the story develops. After all, nobody ever threatened to give me a Pulitzer for my journalism!

Meanwhile (remember whose blog you're reading) I just contributed to DonovanForCongress.com. And I love using Paypal. It makes life so much easier.

Because, when he's finally vindicated of any connection with this awful situation, I absolutely want Chris Donovan to be our next congressman from Connecticut's 5th District!