• Health,  Politics

    Laura Ingraham Get Well Soon!

    As Flap was hurriedly driving home from Santa Barbara County last night to attend the Los Angeles Press Club Media/Blog event he heard on the last few minutes of the Hugh Hewitt radio program that attorney, former law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, and radio talk show hostess Laura Ingraham had undergone immediate surgery for breast cancer.

    Flap was astounded because Laura is a healthy, vibrant and young woman.

    The details are found here on her website:

    THE POWER OF PRAYER AND LAURA UPDATE: Laura’s breast cancer surgery yesterday “couldn’t have gone better,” in the words of her surgeon Dr. Katherine Alley. Initial sentinel node testing done during surgery showed no signs of cancer involvement in the lymph nodes, and we all hope that this good news is confirmed by more in-depth tissue testing done over the next 48 hours. “The outpouring of love and concern coast-to-coast in prayer, emails, telephone calls has left me feeling more blessed than I can possibly convey,” said Laura Thursday morning from home. “I really don’t know what I did to deserve such kindness but I will gladly wrap myself in it,” she chuckled. “It’s weird but getting cancer has made me feel more blessed than I ever felt before, and I will do everything I can to return the generosity 100-fold when I am feeling a bit better.” According to Laura and her friends who were there throughout, the entire staff at the Surburban Hospital Outpatient Medical Center in Bethesda, MD was amazing. Absolutely top-notch! According to one of Laura’s friends, as she was being taken into surgery, she joked about whether the hospital was running a “two-for-one” surgery special–“a lumpectomy and a lift together–20 percent off!

    As Flap understands Laura will be back at work tomorrow hosting her show over Salem Communications – KRLA 870 AM in Los Angeles.

    Thank God for good news!

    See ya tomorrow, Laura

  • Adscam Scandel,  Canada

    Paul Coffin Testifies and Publication Ban Lifted

    The Globe and Mail reports that Justice Gomery has partially lifted the publication ban on a deposition given by Paul Coffin so that the testimony would not prejudice his June trial for fraud. The Inquiry today heard and his testimony emphasized how regular government procurement rules were flouted in the program:

    -Mr. Coffin’s firm twice was retained by bureaucrats to act as a front and pretend to do work that was in fact farmed out to BCP, a Liberal-friendly firm, and Gingko Group, an ineligible ad agency

    –Mr. Coffin lied in his application to get his firm, Communication Coffin, selected as one of the agencies managing federal sponsorships. And the very day his agency was selected, he received hefty federal contracts right away

    –He agreed with Judge Gomery’s suggestion that he submitted deceptive invoices at the request of Chuck Guité, the bureaucrat who ran the sponsorship program, as a way to circumvent the normal tender process.

    Read the remaining article here.

    Captain Ed over at Captain’s Quarter’s has this piece on today’s testimony:

    Coffin’s testimony shows that the corruption extended so far into the government that even the career bureaucrats understood the scam and furthered it on behalf of the Liberals. Coffin received plenty of cash for his front in the scam; he received $86,000 just to secretly redirect work to Groupe BCP. He also picked up almost twice that amount to serve as a beard for Gingko, an agency that never received certification to do government contracts.

    Guité has plenty to worry about if Coffin keeps going in this direction. Guité is the only government employee facing corruption charges — at least so far — and Coffin apparently dealt closely with him. Coffin, in fact, submitted fictitious invoices on a regular basis, apparently encouraged to do so by Guité in order to make sure that the Sponsorship Program money had been thoroughly fleeced. Canadians will be surprised to learn that not only did Liberal Party functionaries loot the program, but they conscientiously went back over the books to ensure that every last dime went out the door and into the waiting pockets of Liberal cronies.

    Coffin continues his testimony tomorrow. Guité has to wonder what more damage he can possibly do.

    Indeed

  • City of Thousand Oaks,  Politics

    City of Thousand Oaks Accepts City Manager Resignation

    The City of Thousand Oaks has finally accepted the resignation of City Manager, Phil Gatch. Flap previously reported the resignation here, here, and here.

    The Ventura County Star has the story here:

    After weeks of controversy sparked by allegations the Thousand Oaks city manager was being forced out, the City Council on Tuesday announced the end of Phil Gatch’s 38-year tenure with the city.

    Voting 3-2, the council accepted his resignation, said City Attorney Amy Albano. Council members Andy Fox, Jacqui Irwin and Dennis Gillette voted to accept his resignation.

    Councilman Ed Masry and Mayor Claudia Bill-de la Pena voted “no” in the closed session.

    “I think Mr. Gatch deserved better, and he dealt with a very difficult situation, a very controversial situation, that he handled to the best of his ability,” the mayor said of the resignation.

    At the special meeting, the council also announced the appointment of Scott Mitnick as interim city manager. Mitnick is the assistant city manager.

    Earlier in the night, while watching the council members walk into the closed session, Gatch said, “It’s kind of a painful way to go.”…

    In a split vote, the council turned down a motion by the mayor to hire outside counsel to investigate possible violations of city code…

    The Thousand Oaks Council deserves a city manager that has the support of the entire council.

    Move on Councilmembers.

    Update #1

    The Ventura County Star has an appropriate farewell editorial for Phil Gatch.

    Check it out here.

  • Blogosphere,  General

    Hugh Hewitt vs. MSM A Los Angeles Event

    Flap had the opportunity to attend “A Blogs and the Commentariat evening”, starring guest-of-honor Hugh Hewitt: author, radio host, constitutional law professor, blogger and opinion columnist, last evening at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The announcement of the evening was previously made here.

    It was a pleasure to meet many members/bloggers of the Bear Flag League.

    Hugh Hewitt has posted this piece on his blog about the event.

    Patterico who is pictured above with Hugh Hewitt had this to say about the evening’s festivities.

    There was also a special apperance by L.A. Times Sunday Opinion editor Bob Sipchen, who edits the Times-criticizing Outside the Tent feature, and other Outside the Tent contributors were introduced including Patterico and Mickey Kaus.

    Bob Sipchen from the Los Angeles Times.

    Others seen in the gathering were the Boi From Troy:

    And…. Flap and Justene Adamec

    Read Justene’s impressions here.

    SoCalPundit will have photos later in the day.

    New Bear Flag Member: The Gay Patriot has this piece.

    Justene over at CalBog has this round-up of the evening including some criticism from the MSM and L.A. Times apologists: LAObserved and LAVoice.

    Here is a new photo of the night. A much brighter one! Thanks to the Big Picture Blog: