Yours is more accurate than theirs is. Travis wrote: > My list contains only 2 groups: Demoshits and Repuboshits. > > On Tue, Dec 29, 2009 at 4:47 PM, dick thompson > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > > > Judicial Watch Announces List of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted > Corrupt Politicians” for 2009 > > * View > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/dec/judicial-watch-announces-list-washington-s-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-2009> > * Discussion <http://www.judicialwatch.org/node/9615/talk> > > *Contact Information:* > Press Office 202-646-5172, ext 305 > *Washington, DC* > > Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and > prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2009 list of > Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” The list, in > alphabetical order, includes: > > *1. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT):* This marks two years in a > row for Senator Dodd, who made the 2008 “Ten Most Corrupt” list > for his corrupt relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and > for accepting preferential treatment and loan terms from > Countrywide Financial > > <http://www.examiner.com/a-1449448%7EBank_of_America_PAC_money_behind_Dodd_s_Countrywide_loan.html>, > a scandal which still dogs him. In 2009, the scandals kept coming > for the Connecticut Democrat. In 2009, Judicial Watch filed a > Senate ethics complaint > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/files/documents/2009/Senator%20Christopher%20Dodd%20Ethics%20Complaint%20April%2024%202009.pdf> > against Dodd for undervaluing a property he owns in Ireland on his > Senate Financial Disclosure forms. Judicial Watch's complaint > forced Dodd to amend the forms. However, press reports suggest > the property to this day remains undervalued. Judicial Watch also > alleges in the complaint that Dodd obtained a sweetheart deal for > the property in exchange for his assistance in obtaining a > presidential pardon (during the Clinton administration) and other > favors for a long-time friend and business associate. The false > financial disclosure forms were part of the cover-up. Dodd > remains the head the Senate Banking Committee. > > *2. Senator John Ensign (R-NV):* A number of scandals popped up > in 2009 involving public officials who conducted illicit affairs, > and then attempted to cover them up with hush payments and favors, > an obvious abuse of power. The year’s worst offender might just > be Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign. Ensign admitted in June > to an extramarital affair with the wife of one of his staff > members, who then allegedly obtained special favors from the > Nevada Republican in exchange for his silence. According to /The > New York Times > <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/us/politics/03ensign.html?_r=1&hp>/: > “The Justice Department and the Senate Ethics Committee are > expected to conduct preliminary inquiries into whether Senator > John Ensign violated federal law or ethics rules as part of an > effort to conceal an affair with the wife of an aide…” The former > staffer, Douglas Hampton, began to lobby Mr. Ensign's office > immediately upon leaving his congressional job, despite the fact > that he was subject to a one-year lobbying ban. Ensign seems to > have ignored the law and allowed Hampton lobbying access to his > office as a payment for his silence about the affair. (These are > potentially criminal offenses.) It looks as if Ensign misused > his public office (and taxpayer resources) to cover up his sexual > shenanigans. > > *3. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA):* Judicial Watch is investigating a > $12 million TARP cash injection > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/aug/jw-sues-treasury-records-tarp-funds-distributed-boston-bank-after-intervention-rep-bar> > provided to the Boston-based OneUnited Bank at the urging of > Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank. As reported in the January 22, > 2009, edition of the Wall Street Journal, the Treasury Department > indicated it would only provide funds to healthy banks to > jump-start lending. Not only was OneUnited Bank in massive > financial turmoil, but it was also "under attack from its > regulators for allegations of poor lending practices and > executive-pay abuses, including owning a Porsche for its > executives' use." Rep. Frank admitted he spoke to a "federal > regulator," and Treasury granted the funds. (The bank continues > to flounder despite Frank’s intervention for federal dollars.) > Moreover, Judicial Watch uncovered documents in 2009 > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/aug/jw-sues-treasury-records-tarp-funds-distributed-boston-bank-after-intervention-rep-bar> > that showed that members of Congress for years were aware that > Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were playing fast and loose with > accounting issues, risk assessment issues and executive > compensation issues, even as liberals led by Rep. Frank continued > to block attempts to rein in the two Government Sponsored > Enterprises (GSEs). For example, during a hearing > > <http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_house_hearings&docid=f:92231.wais> > on September 10, 2003, before the House Committee on Financial > Services considering a Bush administration proposal to further > regulate Fannie and Freddie, Rep. Frank stated: "I want to begin > by saying that I am glad to consider the legislation, but I do not > think we are facing any kind of a crisis. That is, in my view, > the two Government Sponsored Enterprises we are talking about > here, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not in a crisis. We have > recently had an accounting problem with Freddie Mac that has led > to people being dismissed, as appears to be appropriate. I do not > think at this point there is a problem with a threat to the > Treasury." Frank received $42,350 in campaign contributions from > Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac between 1989 and 2008. Frank also > engaged in a relationship > <http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432501,00.html> with a Fannie > Mae Executive while serving on the House Banking Committee, which > has jurisdiction over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. > > *4. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner:* In 2009, Obama > Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner admitted that he failed to pay > $34,000 > <http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2009press/prb011309d.pdf> > in Social Security and Medicare taxes from 2001-2004 on his > lucrative salary at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an > organization with 185 member countries that oversees the global > financial system. (Did we mention Geithner now runs the IRS?) It > wasn’t until President Obama tapped Geithner to head the Treasury > Department that he paid back most of the money, although the IRS > kindly waived the hefty penalties. In March 2009, Geithner also > came under fire for his handling of the AIG bonus scandal, where > the company used $165 million of its bailout funds to pay out > executive bonuses, resulting in a massive public backlash. Of > course as head of the New York Federal Reserve, Geithner helped > craft the AIG deal in September 2008. However, when the AIG > scandal broke, Geithner claimed he knew nothing of the bonuses > until March 10, 2009. The timing is important. According to CNN > <http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1886138,00.html>: > “Although Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told congressional > leaders on Tuesday that he learned of AIG's impending $160 million > bonus payments to members of its troubled financial-products unit > on March 10, sources tell TIME that the New York Federal Reserve > informed Treasury staff that the payments were imminent on Feb. > 28. That is ten days before Treasury staffers say they first > learned ‘full details’ of the bonus plan, and three days before > the [Obama] Administration launched a new $30 billion infusion of > cash for AIG.” Throw in another embarrassing disclosure in 2009 > that Geithner employed “household help” ineligible to work in the > United States, and it becomes clear why the Treasury Secretary has > earned a spot on the “Ten Most Corrupt Politicians in Washington” > list. > > *5. Attorney General Eric Holder:* Tim Geithner can be sure he > won’t be hounded about his tax-dodging by his colleague Eric > Holder, US Attorney General. Judicial Watch strongly opposed > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/jan/judicial-watch-urges-judiciary-committee-reject-holder-appointment> > Holder because of his terrible ethics record, which includes: > obstructing an FBI investigation of the theft of nuclear secrets > from Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory; rejecting multiple requests > for an independent counsel to investigate alleged fundraising > abuses by then-Vice President Al Gore in the Clinton White House; > undermining the criminal investigation of President Clinton by > Kenneth Starr in the midst of the Lewinsky investigation; and > planning the violent raid to seize then-six-year-old Elian > Gonzalez at gunpoint in order to return him to Castro’s Cuba. > Moreover, there is his soft record on terrorism. Holder bypassed > Justice Department procedures to push through Bill Clinton’s > scandalous presidential pardons and commutations, including for 16 > members of FALN, a violent Puerto Rican terrorist group that > orchestrated approximately 120 bombings in the United States, > killing at least six people and permanently maiming dozens of > others, including law enforcement officers. His record in the > current administration is no better. As he did during the Clinton > administration, Holder continues to ignore serious incidents of > corruption that could impact his political bosses at the White > House. For example, Holder has refused to investigate charges > that the Obama political machine traded VIP access to the White > House > > <http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/28/democratic-donors-rewarded-with-wh-perks/?feat=home_cube_position1> > in exchange for campaign contributions – a scheme eerily similar > to one hatched by Holder’s former boss, Bill Clinton in the > 1990s. The Holder Justice Department also came under fire for > dropping a voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther > Party > > <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203550604574361071968458430.html>. > > On Election Day 2008, Black Panthers dressed in paramilitary garb > threatened voters as they approached polling stations. Holder has > also failed to initiate a comprehensive Justice investigation of > the notorious organization ACORN (Association of Community > Organizations for Reform Now), which is closely tied to President > Obama. There were allegedly more than 400,000 fraudulent ACORN > voter registrations in the 2008 campaign. And then there were the > journalist videos > <http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,550941,00.html> catching > ACORN Housing workers advising undercover reporters on how to > evade tax, immigration, and child prostitution laws. Holder’s > controversial decisions on new rights for terrorists and his > attacks on previous efforts to combat terrorism remind many of the > fact that his former law firm has provided and continues to > provide pro bono representation to terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. > Holder’s politicization of the Justice Department makes one long > for the days of Alberto Gonzales. > > *6. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)/ Senator Roland Burris > (D-IL):* One of the most serious scandals of 2009 involved a > scheme by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to sell > President Obama’s then-vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. > Two men caught smack dab in the middle of the scandal: Senator > Roland Burris, who ultimately got the job, and Rep. Jesse Jackson, > Jr. According to the /Chicago Sun-Times > > <http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/1515427,jesse-jackson-jr-ethics-probe-blagojevich-040709.article>/, > emissaries for Jesse Jackson Jr., named "Senate Candidate A" in > the Blagojevich indictment, reportedly offered $1.5 million to > Blagojevich during a fundraiser if he named Jackson Jr. to Obama's > seat. Three days later federal authorities arrested Blagojevich. > Burris, for his part, apparently lied about his contacts with > Blagojevich, who was arrested in December 2008 for trying to sell > Obama’s Senate seat. According to /Reuters > <http://uk.reuters.com/article/usTopNews/idUKTRE51G6Q620090217>/: > “Roland Burris came under fresh scrutiny…after disclosing he tried > to raise money for the disgraced former Illinois governor who > named him to the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack > Obama…In the latest of those admissions, Burris said he looked > into mounting a fundraiser for Rod Blagojevich -- later charged > with trying to sell Obama's Senate seat -- at the same time he was > expressing interest to the then-governor's aides about his desire > to be appointed.” Burris changed his story five times regarding > his contacts with Blagojevich prior to the Illinois governor > appointing him to the U.S. Senate. Three of those changing > explanations came under oath. > > *7. President Barack Obama:* During his presidential campaign, > President Obama promised to run an ethical and transparent > administration. However, in his first year in office, the > President has delivered corruption and secrecy, bringing > Chicago-style political corruption to the White House. Consider > just a few Obama administration “lowlights” from year one: Even > before President Obama was sworn into office, he was interviewed > by the FBI for a criminal investigation of former Illinois > Governor Rod Blagojevich’s scheme to sell the President’s former > Senate seat to the highest bidder. (Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm > Emanuel and slumlord Valerie Jarrett, both from Chicago, are also > tangled up in the Blagojevich scandal.) Moreover, the Obama > administration made the startling claim that the Privacy Act does > not apply to the White House. > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/oct/obama-administration-tells-federal-court-privacy-act-does-not-apply-white-house> > /The Obama White House believes it can violate the privacy rights > of American citizens without any legal consequences or > accountability. / President Obama boldly proclaimed that > "transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this > presidency," but his administration is addicted to secrecy, > stonewalling far too many of Judicial Watch's Freedom of > Information Act requests > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/open-records> and is refusing to > make public White House visitor logs as federal law requires. The > Obama administration turned the National Endowment of the Arts (as > well as the agency that runs the AmeriCorps program) into > propaganda machines, > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/oct/jw-obtains-documents-regarding-neas-controversial-8-10-conference-call-encouraging-art> > using tax dollars to persuade "artists" to promote the Obama > agenda. According to documents uncovered by Judicial Watch, the > idea emerged as a direct result of the Obama campaign > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/nov/jw-obtains-more-documents-regarding-neas-conference-call-encouraging-artists-promote-o> > and enjoyed White House approval and participation. President > Obama has installed a record number of "czars" in positions of > power. Too many of these individuals are leftist radicals > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/weeklyupdate/2009/47-soft-terrorism> > who answer to no one but the president. And too many of the czars > are not subject to Senate confirmation (which raises serious > constitutional questions). Under the President’s bailout schemes, > the federal government continues to appropriate or control -- > through fiat and threats -- large sectors of the private economy, > prompting conservative columnist George Will to write: “The > administration's central activity -- the political allocation of > wealth and opportunity -- is not merely susceptible to corruption, > it is corruption.” Government-run healthcare and car companies, > White House coercion, uninvestigated ACORN corruption, debasing > his office to help Chicago cronies, attacks on conservative media > and the private sector, unprecedented and dangerous new rights for > terrorists, perks for campaign donors – this is Obama’s “ethics” > record -- and we haven't even gotten through the first year of his > presidency. > > *8. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA):* At the heart of the corruption > problem in Washington is a sense of entitlement. Politicians > believe laws and rules (even the U.S. Constitution) apply to the > rest of us but not to them. Case in point: House Speaker Nancy > Pelosi and her excessive and boorish demands > > <http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/mar/judicial-watch-uncovers-documents-detailing-pelosis-repeated-requests-military-travel> > for military travel. Judicial Watch obtained documents from the > Pentagon in 2008 that suggest Pelosi has been treating the Air > Force like her own personal airline. These documents, obtained > through the Freedom of Information Act, include internal Pentagon > email correspondence detailing attempts by Pentagon staff to > accommodate Pelosi's numerous requests for military escorts and > military aircraft as well as the speaker's 11th hour cancellations > and changes. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also came under fire in > April 2009, when she claimed she was never briefed about the CIA's > use of the waterboarding technique during terrorism > investigations. The CIA produced a report documenting a briefing > with Pelosi on September 4, 2002, that suggests otherwise. > Judicial Watch also obtained documents, including a CIA Inspector > General report > <http://documents.nytimes.com/c-i-a-reports-on-interrogation-methods#p=1>, > which further confirmed that Congress was fully briefed on the > enhanced interrogation techniques. Aside from her own personal > transgressions, Nancy Pelosi has ignored serious incidents of > corruption within her own party, including many of the individuals > on this list. (See Rangel, Murtha, Jesse Jackson, Jr., etc.) > > *9. Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) and the rest of the PMA Seven:* Rep. > John Murtha made headlines in 2009 for all the wrong reasons. The > Pennsylvania congressman is under federal investigation for his > corrupt relationship with the now-defunct defense lobbyist PMA > Group. PMA, founded by a former Murtha associate, has been the > congressman's largest campaign contributor. Since 2002, Murtha > has raised $1.7 million from PMA and its clients. And what did > PMA and its clients receive from Murtha in return for their > generosity? Earmarks -- tens of millions of dollars in earmarks. > In fact, even with all of the attention surrounding his alleged > influence peddling, Murtha kept at it. Following an FBI raid of > PMA's offices earlier in 2009, Murtha continued to seek > congressional earmarks for PMA clients, while also hitting them up > for campaign contributions. According to /The Hill > > <http://thehill.com/index.php?as_q=murtha+pma&Itemid=315&option=com_gsearch&btnG.x=16&btnG.y=11>/, > in April, "Murtha reported receiving contributions from three > former PMA clients for whom he requested earmarks in the pending > appropriations bills." When it comes to the PMA scandal, Murtha > is not alone. As many as six other Members of Congress are > currently under scrutiny according to /The Washington Post > > <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/29/AR2009102904699.html>/. > > They include: Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN.), James P. Moran Jr. > (D-VA), Norm Dicks (D-WA.), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), C.W. Bill Young > (R-FL.) and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS.). Of course rather than > investigate this serious scandal, according to /Roll Call > <http://www.rollcall.com/news/33974-1.html>/ House Democrats > circled the wagons, "cobbling together a defense to offer > political cover to their rank and file.” The Washington Post also > reported in 2009 that Murtha’s nephew received $4 million in > Defense Department no-bid contracts > > <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/11/AR2009051101695.html>: > > "Newly obtained documents…show Robert Murtha mentioning his > influential family connection as leverage in his business dealings > and holding unusual power with the military.” > > *10. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY):* Rangel, the man in charge of > writing tax policy for the entire country, has yet to adequately > explain how he could possibly "forget" to pay taxes > > <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/10/AR2008091003462.html> > on $75,000 in rental income he earned from his off-shore rental > property. He also faces allegations that he improperly used his > influence to maintain ownership of highly coveted rent-controlled > apartments in Harlem, and misused his congressional office to > fundraise for his private Rangel Center by preserving a tax > loophole for an oil drilling company in exchange for funding. On > top of all that, Rangel recently amended his financial disclosure > reports, which doubled his reported wealth. (He somehow “forgot” > about $1 million in assets.) And what did he do when the House > Ethics Committee started looking into all of this? He apparently > resorted to making "campaign contributions" to dig his way out of > trouble. According to WCBS TV > <http://wcbstv.com/local/charles.rangel.ethics.2.1160326.html>, a > New York CBS affiliate: “The reigning member of Congress' top tax > committee is apparently ‘wrangling’ other politicos to get him out > of his own financial and tax troubles...Since ethics probes began > last year the 79-year-old congressman has given campaign donations > to 119 members of Congress, including three of the five Democrats > on the House Ethics Committee who are charged with investigating > him.” Charlie Rangel should not be allowed to remain in Congress, > let alone serve as Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means > Committee, and he knows it. That’s why he felt the need to > disburse campaign contributions to Ethics Committee members and > other congressional colleagues. > > > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > <http://www.politicalforum.com/> > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. > > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
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