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A good catch of the nuance of Steny Hoyer defending Nancy Pelosi on CIA enhanced interrrogation techniques, including waterboarding by Jim Geraghty of National Review.

In an effort to help out Nancy Pelosi, the number two Democrat in the House, Steny Hoyer, asserts that CIA Director Leon Panetta doesn’t know what he’s talking about: “As I understand, Mr. Panetta’s notes don’t reflect that. Mr. Panetta was not there and he wasn’t the director. I haven’t seen the notes.”

Hoyer has now effectively doubled down on Pelosi’s claim, arguing that Panetta is lying when he wrote, “our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, describing “the enhanced techniques that had been employed.”

Read the entire piece in which Hoyer asserts: “I believe the Speaker.” Yet…………

Yeah, Flap is pissed because NBC cancelled one of his favorite shows: Medium.

There is hope that Medium will be picked up by CBS.

But barring that NBC with Leftist Commentators over at MSNBC and Conan O’Brien taking over the Tonight show, the only redeeming reason to watch NBC is Elita.

Ok, I exaggerate.  There is Poker After Dark and Leeann Tweeden.

Why Feingold had the gall to place a hold in the first place is beyond belief. But, the hold is lifted and let the celebrations begin on the anniversary of the Gippers birthday 100 years ago this coming February.

Roll Call has a piece today about Senator Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, blocking in the United States Senate ,Flap’s Congressman Elton Gallegly’s bill honoring President Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

The House of Representatives today passed a bill by Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties) to honor President Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

The bill passed on a 371-19 vote, with one Member voting present.

The Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act would create an 11-member commission that will plan and carry out activities deemed fitting to honor Ronald Reagan on his 100th birthday, which will be on Feb. 6, 2011.

The commission will make recommendations and provide necessary assistance for federal, state and local governmental agencies and civic groups to honor Reagan’s 100th birthday. Such activities could include special stamps or coins. In addition, the commission will recommend to Congress activities to honor Reagan’s 100th birthday, including the possible convening of a Joint Session of Congress.

No federal money can be spent on the commission or its activities.

“‘The Great Communicator’ spoke for the American people, capturing the hearts of small-town citizens and world leaders alike,” Gallegly told his colleagues before the vote today. “California enjoyed an economic resurgence during his terms as governor, and as President of the United States his legacy is extraordinary: In eight short years as President, Ronald Reagan presided over international changes and ushered in unparalleled peace and prosperity—not only for our nation, but for the world.”

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is in Simi Valley, CA, Gallegly’s hometown.

Previous commissions have been instituted to honor Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Abraham Lincoln.

The bill, H.R. 131 can be found here.

So, why is Democrat Senator Feingold blocking the bill or better yet holding the bill hostage?

Politics – Feingold wants to drive his own agenda and amend a non-controversial bill.

Republicans are trying to pass legislation in the next few weeks to kick off the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth, and the only hurdle appears to be Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), who is refusing to let the Senate vote on the bill.

Feingold’s decision to block passage of a bipartisan commission to celebrate the former president’s 100th birthday has nothing to do with antagonism toward the conservative icon. But he does want to use the momentum behind the bill to drive legislation of his own.

“Sen. Feingold has no interest in blocking this bill,” said a Feingold spokesman, referring to the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act. “He wants to offer an amendment to it, but that request was blocked by a Republican Senator.”

Feingold’s amendment would establish two commissions to study the internment and restrictions of German and Italian Americans and Jewish refugees during World War II, and it is unrelated to the Reagan bill. The Reagan measure would establish a commission to plan federal and state celebrations around Reagan’s centennial birthday in February 2011.

Feingold’s spokesman said that the noncontroversial bill would be a good vehicle for the internment amendment, which he said is also noncontroversial.

Supporters of the Reagan commission question Feingold’s motives for blocking a bill that passed the House 371-19 on March 9.

Ryan Patmintra, a spokesman for Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), said if Feingold’s amendment is truly noncontroversial, he should simply go through the regular committee process and move it to the Senate floor.

“It should have no problem passing through the Judiciary Committee where Democrats have a 12-seat majority,” Patmintra said. “Sen. Feingold has decided to hold this bill hostage using his own” amendment.
On May 11, Kyl rejected a request by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) on behalf of Feingold to attach the Wartime Treatment Study Act to the Reagan commission bill.

A GOP aide said some Senate Democrats were not comfortable with Feingold’s amendment.

“That’s why he wants to attach it. [The Reagan bill] is a commission that everybody supports,” the aide said.

Representative Gallegly is not pleased.

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.), the bill’s lead sponsor in the House, said the commission’s funding has been restructured and that private donors have been found to pay for the Reagan tributes, which are likely to cost millions of dollars. 

“I didn’t question their motives,” Gallegly said. “We got all the funding struck from it and passed it out of committee with overwhelming support.” 

He added, “In a matter of a week we got 140 co-sponsors.” 

Gallegly said he had hoped to have the legislation passed in time for the unveiling of Reagan’s statue in the Rotunda on June 3, since former first lady Nancy Reagan will be attending the ceremony. 

Gallegly said it would be a shame “to have her here and not to be able to do these things concurrently [because] of folly about what should be simple.” 

Clearly, this is grandstanding partisan politics by Feingold.

The left-wing Democrat Senator should really cut the crap, unblock the bill and move on to moving his own bill forward.

The 90 day deadline for the California Supreme Court to issue its judgement on California Proposition 8 which restored traditional marriage (one man and one woman) is fast approaching. Oral arguments were heard March 5, 2009 which means the decision is coming imminently.

The court usually gives a one business day notice before releasing its opinions on Mondays or Thursdays. So, we could learn tomorrow.

It is surprising there have been NO leaks of a decision which has taken many weeks to draft.

Perhaps this is a clue, however.

Equality California, a leading gay rights group, is surveying its members to gauge whether they support putting gay marriage on a 2010 state ballot or waiting until 2012.

While the state waits for the California Supreme Court’s verdict on Proposition 8 – which bans gay marriage – the group asks that members answer the survey by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

“We stand together, hopeful that the California Supreme Court will confirm that fundamental civil rights cannot be stripped away from a minority group at the ballot box. However, we must be prepared to go back to the ballot if the Supreme Court fails to overturn Proposition 8,” says an email message from Marc Solomon, the group’s marriage director.

Stay tuned……

While 49 per cent say no in the latest Rasmussen Poll.

Forty-one percent (41%) of likely U.S. voters think the United States should legalize and tax marijuana to help solve the nation’s fiscal problems.

However, nearly half (49%) oppose this idea, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

These results show little difference from a survey conducted in February that asked Americans about legalization only. At that time, 40% said marijuana should be legalized, but 46% disagreed.

While little movement has been made on the federal level, cash-strapped states – most notably California – have taken the idea of legalizing and taxing the drug into consideration. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and state assemblymen are calling for a discussion on the proposal as a means to not only increase tax revenue for the state but to free up large sums of money invested in the legal system as a result of the War on Drugs.

California voters are evenly divided on the issue. A recent survey found that 45% support legalizing and taxing marijuana to help solve the state’s financial problems, while 46% are opposed to the idea.

A novel idea that pot could help California’s budget problems but it legalization and taxation will not occur anytime soon. In the meantime, California is racking up some serious budget deficits.

So, if anyone thinks marijuana will help California with its government financing operations, they are just blowing smoke.

Norman Hsu, mega-Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton fundraiser has been convicted of violating federal campaign finance laws.

Disgraced Democratic donor Norman Hsu was convicted this morning of illegally funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to top-tier political candidates including then-Sen. Hillary Clinton and now-President Obama.

A Manhattan federal court jury pronounced Hsu guilty on all four counts against him after less than three hours of deliberations over two days.

Hsu, 58, did not react to the verdict.

“I think he expected it because it was quick,” defense lawyer Alan Seidler said.

Seidler said the conviction was unlikely to add to the 30-year prison term Hsu faces after pleading guilty two weeks ago to running a massive $20 million Ponzi scheme.

Talk about a “CULTURE OF CORRUPTION.”

But, the Democratic POLS return the money and move on……..

Previous:

Former Democratic Party Fundraiser Norman Hsu Pleads Guilty in Federal Fraud Case

Hillary Clinton Fundraiser Norman Hsu Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Norman Hsu Watch: INDICTED on 15 Counts

Hillary Clinton Watch: Norman Hsu Case Postponed Amid Rumors of a Plea Deal

Hillary Clinton Watch: Unlikely Chinatown Campaign Contributions Raise More Questions

Bill and Hillary Clinton: Double Trouble

Hillary Clinton Watch: Norman Hsu Wants Plea Deal Withdrawn

Hillary Clinton Watch: Hsu Contributions Help Hillary Supporters

Michael Ramirez on Hillary Clinton and Norman Hsu

Hillary Clinton Watch: Will Return $850,000 in Norman Hsu Contributions? Maybe

Hillary Clinton Watch: Will Return $850,000 in Hsu Contributions?

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Technorati Tags: Norman Hsu, Hillary Clinton

Democrat Senate Majority leader Dingy Harry Reid continues to unimpress in Nevada re-election polls.

Nearly half of Nevadans have had enough of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as the powerful Democrat heads into his re-election campaign, a new Las Vegas Review-Journal poll finds.

About a third of the state’s voters would re-elect Reid if the 2010 election were held today, according to the poll, but 45 percent say they would definitely vote to replace him. Seventeen percent would consider another candidate.

The findings are echoed by another poll question about Reid’s popularity that finds the four-term incumbent to be a polarizing figure in his home state.

Half of Nevada voters had an unfavorable view of Reid, while 38 percent had a favorable view and 11 percent a neutral opinion.

The statewide poll of 625 Nevadans who vote regularly was conducted by telephone last week by Washington-based Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. for the Review-Journal. It carries a margin of error of 4 percentage points in either direction.

Reid’s approval ratings at home have been subpar for years, particularly since he ascended to Democratic leader in 2004 and to majority leader in 2006.

An unpopular, old Pol with financial ethics problems in a state where the economy has crashed and burned under his watch. 

One would think the Nevada GOP could recruit an excellent candidate to run against Reid?