-
Former Democratic Party Fundraiser Norman Hsu Pleads Guilty in Federal Fraud Case
Norman Hsu, 56, is escorted into a Redwood City, Calif., courtorom, Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Hsu on Tuesday was charged with fraud and campaign finance violations in a case that prompted Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton to return hundreds of thousands of dollars in contribution
Norman Hsu pled guilty today to ten seperate federal fraud charges.Hsu, 58, entered his plea today in Manhattan federal court. In 1991, he pleaded no contest in California and was convicted of grand theft for stealing $1 million from investors in a scheme to buy and resell latex gloves. He failed to appear for sentencing and spent 15 years as a fugitive. He was re-arrested in 2007 and sentenced to prison by a California judge.
In the intervening years, Hsu raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Democratic candidates and party committees, including then-U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, the Democrat from New York and former presidential candidate who is now U.S. secretary of state, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group.
Hillary Clinton and the numerous other Democratic POLS got offf easy in the Hsu case by simply refunding the money. However, the scrutiny of Democrat political donors has been enhanced and the media is no longer content with sitting back and not following the money.
Previous:Hillary Clinton Fundraiser Norman Hsu Sentenced to Three Years in Prison
Norman Hsu Watch: INDICTED on 15 CountsHillary 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Hillary Clinton Watch: Norman Hsu Wants Plea Deal Withdrawn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?
Technorati Tags: Norman Hsu, Hillary Clinton
-
Sarah Palin Falls in the Polls But Does It Matter?
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin visits with Brooke at the John C. Haines Elementary School on April 29, 2009
Well, it was bound to happen since polls had her in the upper atmosphere in popularity.Time in the spotlight apparently hasn’t helped Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. According to a Hays Research poll, Palin’s positive rating has nosedived from 86% positive a year ago to just 54% now.
Palin still is a net-positive (54% positive, 42% negative), but compare that to fellow Republican Lisa Murkowski, who’s approval is above 76%.
Who or what is to blame for her fall from polling grace? But does it matter at this point?
Probably NOT and, in fact, lowering expectations for her may actually help her as she moves towards re-election next year.
Technorati Tags: Sarah Palin
-
Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge Will NOT Be Running for the Senate Next Year
Tom Ridge, former secretary of Homeland Security and former Pennsylvania governor, speaks during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee says, Tuesday, May 5, 2009, that Tom Ridge might run against Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania next year
Tom Ridge announced today that he will not be running against Arlen Specter next year for a Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat.After much speculation, former Gov. Tom Ridge today announced that he would not seek the GOP nomination for Senate next year.
In a statement, Ridge said he had been heartened by the support and encouragement he received from within the party and that it had been a difficult decision for him. He expressed a desire to still be involved in the party’s development.
“To those who believe that the Republican Party is facing challenges, they are right,†Ridge said. “To those who believe the Democratic Party is without its own difficulties, they are wrong. No one party has a monopoly on all of the answers. The more important view, in my mind, is that we remember, whether Republican or Democrat, we are foremost Americans. And as Americans, we have always overcome challenges when we put partisanship aside and solutions first.â€
Ridge’s decision leaves Republicans Pat Toomey and Peg Luksik as the main candidates in the race. But it also would seem to increase the likelihood that Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-7) and other Republican lawmakers will give the race a serious look.
Tom Ridge who is very popular in Pennsylvania would have been a very good candidate for the Republican Party.
Now, it will be up to former Congressman Pat Toomey who barely lost to Arlen Specter in a GOP primary election six years ago or Congressman Jim Gerlach.
Technorati Tags: Tom Ridge, Pat Toomey, Jim Gerlach
-
Poll Watch: If Israel Attacks Iran 49 Per Cent Say United States Should Help
What is amazing to me is that 37 per cent say the United States should do NOTHING to help Israel.
Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans say that if Israel launches an attack against Iran, the United States should help Israel. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 37% believe the United States should do nothing while just 2% believe the U.S. should help Iran.
Last summer, just 42% said the United States should help Israel while 46% said the nation should do nothing.
Sixty-four percent (64%) of Republicans say that the U.S. should help Israel as do 50% of those not affiliated with either major political party. A plurality of Democrats (44%) say that the U.S. should do nothing.
Interesting in that American Jews overwhelmingly are members of the Democratic Party. Yet, Democrats do not favor intervention with Israel.
The question is how this public perception will change as Iran becomes closer and closer to developing a useable nuclear weapon.
-
Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge Continues to Own Home and Registered to Vote In Pennsylvania
Tom Ridge, former secretary of Homeland Security and former Pennsylvania governor, speaks during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee says, Tuesday, May 5, 2009, that Tom Ridge might run against Sen. Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania next year
Yesterday, I reported that Tom Ridge would have to move his official residence back to Pennsylvania if he was going to challenge Senator Arlen Specter in 2010.Well, former Governor Ridge never changed his official residence although he currently resides in Maryland, where it is a short commute to Washington.
By making two, simple phone calls to the Erie County courthouse, we were able to determine that:
1. The Ridges still own a home in Millcreek Township, Erie County and have since 1990. The 10-room manse on Westwood Estates Drive sits on 2.1 acres, has five bedrooms, two full bathrooms, one half-bathroom and a cheery fireplace. It’s assessed at $460,990. And a county and municipal tax bill totaling $3,416.16 was sent to the Ridges’ Chevy Chase address in March. The 2009 school tax bill has not yet been sent out, but officials told us Mr. and Mrs. Ridge paid $6,518.40 in school taxes in 2008.
2. County Election Director Sharon Drayer told us that Gov. Ridge remains registered to vote in Erie County and voted by absentee ballot in last November’s general election.
Looks like Ridge is good to go in his run against Specter. He has said he will announce his decision as to whether he will run in two weeks.
Technorati Tags: Tom Ridge, Arlen Specter
-
Day By Day by Chris Muir May 7, 2009 – The Definition of Cool
Translating conservative citizen outrage into local political activism is a worthy goal of the national tax day Tea Party movement and it is obvious that the local POLS did not wish to oblige the movement.It was a controversial night for the Quincy City Council in its first meeting with newly elected members.
New members now split the council at seven Republicans and seven Democrats and it didn’t take long to put partisan politics in play when it came to allowing one Quincy man his turn to speak.
The council voted and refused conservative resident Steve McQueen, an organizer of Quincy’s April 4 Tea Party event, to voice his opinion about the city’s new proposed budget.
All seven Democrats in attendance voted against McQueen speaking, while all six Republicans in attendance voted in favor of him speaking. McQueen had formally filed a request to speak in front of the council.
“The vote is seven to six this evening so we will not have the speaker speak this evening,” Quincy mayor John Spring said.
Republican alderman Mike Rein was absent. Had Rein been there and voted in favor to let McQueen speak, Spring, a Democrat, would have been forced to vote to break the tie. When asked what he would have voted, Spring simply said it was a decision he didn’t have to make.
“I don’t think they realize necessarily that the Constitution states that they govern at our consent. Apparently they’ve forgotten that part,” McQueen said.
Voting against allowing McQueen to speak were Democrats Ben Bumbry, Virgil Goehl, Steve Duesterhaus, Dave Bauer, Raymond Vahlkamp, Jack Holtschlag and Richard Reis.
Voting to allow McQueen to speak were Republicans Kyle Moore, Paul Havermale, Michael Farha, Tony Sassen, Jennifer Lepper and Dan Brink.
McQueen said his issue with the budget invovles pay increases for department heads and non-union employees while increasing fees for residents.
“Passing a water-sewer increase that actually is a pay cut for people in Quincy in some pretty dire economic times,” McQueen said.
Farha said this was the first time in ten years he could recall something like this happening. Duesterhaus was quick to respond.
Flap is surprised, since local city councils bend over backwards to allow residents and VOTERS to speak.
Here is a response from the council members.
Steve Duesterhaus, an alderman for Ward 2, says timing is everything and that McQueen had three chances to speak prior to the council approving both the water and sewer increases and the new $31.2 million dollar budget last week.
“We had ample opportunity for people to comment on the issue Mr. McQueen wanted to discuss so not being timely I didn’t believe it was his right to have the floor,” Duesterhaus said. “That doesn’t prevent him from having his say in another forum or if he feels his information is of the utmost importance to the council he could easily put it in a letter and send it to us.”
Duesterhaus went on to say the council simply followed rules of order and did not have to allow McQueen to speak.
However. every Republican on the council voted in support of McQueen, including Jennifer Lepper. She says every resident should have the right to address the council, regardless of the issue.
“I personally thought that he should have the ability to have the floor and tell us what’s on his mind,” Lepper said. “He is a citizen of Quincy and he does pay his taxes he should have to right to voice his opinion to us.”
Perhaps the Quincy folks should televise their meetings on the local cable television channel and keep a closer eye on what is happening in THEIR local government.
Previous:
Technorati Tags: Day By Day, Steve McQueen, Tea Party
-
links for 2009-05-07
-
Our site is dedicated to building a collective voice of consensus in drafting and supporting Rudy Giuliani for New York Governor in 2010!
At a time when both our Country and State are at an unprecedented economic crisis, failing policies and incompetent leadership is unacceptable.
The State of New York is in dire need of accountability and fiscal responsibility within its government.
We need a Governor who will streamline government, cut taxes and create jobs.
We need a Governor who understands that growing the size of the government will not grow the economy.
We need a Governor who will fight crime and clean up the streets, so that our children live in a safe and peaceful State.
-
A week after Arlen Specter switched parties with the expectation that he would maintain his Senate seniority, Democratic leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that it would be up to Democrats to decide whether the former Republican could reclaim his standing in the next Congress.
Reid was making it clear to disgruntled members of his caucus that an agreement he forged with Specter would be subject to a vote by Senate Democrats.
“Always Sen. Specter and his chief of staff — we thought — understood that his subcommittees wouldn’t be changed, the chairmen wouldn’t be changed, his overall standing in the Senate would be protected. But the only people who are capable of determining status in a caucus is the caucus,†Reid, the Senate’s majority leader, said Wednesday.
-
Media companies have had a hard time getting consumers to pay for content online, but Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is attempting to leverage its worldwide news-gathering operation to get them to do just that.
In one of the most ambitious online undertakings by a media outfit, News Corp. has assembled a team of executives to devise a system to charge for content on the Web.
-
Chairman Rupert Murdoch on Wednesday reiterated his call for newspapers to charge for online content, saying that his company's experience with The Wall Street Journal has proven that it can be done successfully. "We're now in the midst of a debate over the value of content, and it's clear that at many newspapers the current model is malfunctioning." He also vowed that News Corp. would not feed its content rights to Amazon's (AMZN:
Amazon.com Inc
News , chart , profile , more
Last: 81.99+0.09+0.11%
4:00pm 05/06/2009
Delayed quote data
Add to portfolio
Analyst
Create alert
Insider
Discuss
Financials
Sponsored by:
AMZN 81.99, +0.09, +0.1%) Kindle. "We will control the prices for our content and we will control the relationship with our customers," he said on a conference call. End of Story -
President Obama was noticeably silent last month when the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage.
But the days when the president can keep quiet on an issue that gays view as central to their civil rights may soon be coming to an end, the NY TIMES is set to Page One on Thursday, newsroom sources tell DRUDGE.
"Just four weeks after the Iowa ruling, Obama — who opposes gay marriage but campaigned as a self-described 'fierce advocate' of gay rights — is under increasing pressure to engage on a variety of gay issues that are coming to the fore amid a dizzying pace of social, political and legislative change,' reports the paper's Sheryl Gay Stolberg.
-
A majority of Americans — by a healthy 57-to-42 percent margin — oppose a Congressional investigation into Bush-era torture allegations, according to a new CNN/ORD poll of 2,000 adults (+/- 2 percent).
The break-out questions are even more telling:
People were downright hostile to investigations of military/intelligence officials who used "enhanced' techniques (65-to-34 percent against.
But they were more receptive to punishing the suits. When respondents were asked if "Bush administration officials who authorized" the tactics should be investigated the approval number rose to 42 percent, with 55 percent opposed.
All told, Americans seem a little schizophrenic on the topic of torture. Sixty percent of those interviewed think the U.S. used "torture" — but they approved of such procedures against terrorists by a 50-to-46 percent margin.
-
President Barack Obama's Defense Department plans to create 20,000 new jobs to manage a revamp of the way the United States buys billions of dollars of weapons each year, the Pentagon's No. 2 official told Congress.
The Pentagon also plans to tie more contract fee structures to performance and will make sure that multiyear contracts are awarded only when "real, substantial" savings result to taxpayers, Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn told the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.
The Pentagon's top suppliers by prime contract value, in order, are Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics Corp, BAE Systems Plc and Raytheon Co.
-
Arnold Schwarzenegger says "I don't like to use scare tactics," but he's doing exactly that by threatening to sharply reduce firefighters and close fire stations as the wildfire season begins unless voters approve a series of budget-related ballot measures this month.
This week, the Schwarzenegger-led campaign rolled out a television ad in which Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Chris Judd declared, "Sacramento's budget mess has already forced departments to lay off firefighters and paramedics. And it could get even worse. Without Props 1A and 1B, we have $16 billion in new cuts coming. Could lose another 24,000 firefighters and police. And you know who that hurts? The people who depend on us."
-
Dr. Frank Luntz, a top Republican consultant on the language of politics, is warning the GOP that the American people want health-care reform and that lawmakers need to try to avoid directly opposing President Barack Obama.
“You simply MUST be vocally and passionately on the side of REFORM,†Luntz advises in a confidential 26-page report obtained from Capitol Hill Republicans. “The status quo is no longer acceptable. If the dynamic becomes ‘President Obama is on the side of reform and Republicans are against it,’ then the battle is lost and every word in this document is useless.
“Republicans must be for the right kind of reform that protects the quality of healthcare for all Americans. And you must establish your support of reform early in your presentation.â€
-
A foreclosed tract of partially completed homes was demolished after the bank that owns the project deemed it a hazard and calculated that finishing and selling the dwellings would be a money-losing proposition, a bank official said Tuesday.
The planned 16-unit tract on the fringes of a suburb about 65 miles northeast of Los Angeles included four finished homes with granite countertops, whirlpool bathtubs and dual-pane windows.
"The current economic environment requires difficult decisions be made by the government, by banks and by individuals," said John Wessman, a spokesman for Guaranty Bank of Austin, Texas. "We made the difficult decision to return the site to a safe, clean and undeveloped state keeping in mind the best interests of the community and our shareholders."
-