This really ought to be under the auspices of The Office of Oversight Oversight. Well, of course. There were no earmarks in the “Stimulus” package. Obama said so.
The bad news, of course, is that majority party Democrats are adamant against having any investigation into whether there are links between campaign contributions and earmarks in bills – which is very interesting, given that they control Congress, and thus can presumably make sure that the proceedings are fair…
The House voted Wednesday to kill a resolution calling for an ethics investigation into potential quid pro quo between lobbyist campaign donations and lawmakers.
Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., sponsored the proposal that would have forced the House Ethics Committee to launch a probe into ties between the source and timing of campaign contributions by lobbyists and subsequent legislator requests for special projects or earmarks.
While open-ended, Flake’s resolution was a direct response to the ongoing federal investigation into the PMA Group, a lobbying company accused of making fraudulent donations to lawmakers using names of people who did not exist.
The firm, which has contributed millions to politicians in the last decade, has close ties to senior Democratic appropriators including Reps. John Murtha D-Pa., and Pete Visclosky,D-Ind. The FBI raided PMA’s headquarters in November and is investigating the group’s founder and president, Paul Magliochetti, a former Murtha aide.
Ah. That might be the problem, right there.
Well, the good news is that Rep Flake had House Republicans with him on this one: 165 noes, only 2 yeas, 6 present and 5 not voting.
The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a federal tax deadbeat who landed a $75,000-a-year state job under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich five months ago, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
Blagojevich’s administration hired Roland W. Burris II as a senior counsel for the state’s housing authority Sept. 10 — about six weeks after the Internal Revenue Service slapped a $34,163 tax lien on Burris II and three weeks after a mortgage company filed a foreclosure suit on his South Side house.
*******
A month after the IRS filed the lien, Burris II’s lender filed its foreclosure suit. Since Burris II and his wife got the $372,000 mortgage on July 18, 2006, they’ve paid less than $3,000 on it, the suit alleges. The balance due is $406,685, including interest and penalties.
The fact that Burris II faces foreclosure but is working at a housing-related state agency “reeks of hypocrisy,” said state Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), who was the first to call on Sen. Burris to testify before the impeachment panel.
“It’s probably not the area where he [Burris II] should be counseling Illinois citizens on how to stave off foreclosure,” Durkin said. “I guess it just begs the question: Why was he placed there, and to what extent did Sen. Burris have conversations regarding the placement?”
Burris II built his home in the booming Bronzeville neighborhood on land he bought from the City of Chicago in 2000. City records show he paid $1 for the lot as part of an effort to clean up his once-blighted block.
I hope Joan Walsh doesn’t mind my going after him. (h/t Sister Toldjah)
Isn’t it getting kinda old to point out how they are the most ethical congress ever? Their voters do not seem to care obviously.
Care? They don’t even know.
Ah, the Democratic era of corruption returns.
“
He isThey area manmen of splendid abilities, but utterly corrupt.He They shines and stinks like rotten mackerel by moonlight.”– Senator John Randolph of Virginia
TFTFY, Senator
Epic tag fail.
Sorry….
[hangs head in shame]
Well they will continue to not know until the press stops being a propaganda outlet and BURYING any information that casts a negative light on O! and his apostles, I mean Democrats in Congress.
Sorry if I sound pessimistic but when I read transcripts of the guy saying “I am not for big government” when he has just blown a wad full of trillions barely a month in office, and then I see the press say how “Reaganesque” he is in every news article, I find it hard to not to be.
From the way it was supposed to have been written and passed that could be parsed as true. There are no earmarks in the bill the entire bill is an earmark itself.
The foxes are guarding the henhouse.
I preemptively denounce myself
Chicago Sun-Times reporting that Sen. Burris’ (D-IL) son got his state job from Gov. Blagojavich, and that he is facing foreclosure while serving for the Housing Commission, and …..this is the best part………the land he built the house on he purchased from the City Council for a grand total of $1. (That last part is not a typo.)
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/burris/1450607,CST-NWS-burris26.article
I’m beginning to think that the voters no longer care. Al Sharpton’s tirades seems nicely timed to divert national attention from Burris. If I were a true cynic, I’d question the timing.
As in the Clinton years, parsing is going to be the garnish on every dish of verbiage served up.
I’m dubious. Wouldn’t U.S. Pork Inspector Joe Biden know if there were earmarks in the “stimulus” thingy?
Hah. I’m just messin’ with you, Joe.
Techie this is a rhetorical question but what is more important, tapping your foot in a bathroom stall or this rampant corruption from the President’s home state involving his own senate seat? Until the press decides to stop propaganizing I find it hard to be optimistic about any of this.
Our Noble Princes, Masters and Overseers are feeling their oats, and kicking up their heels saying, “Free at last, free at last, Our lord Obama has set us free at last.” “Free to steal, free to pillage, free to take revenge on those peons who dared to try to rule us these past 233 years, our freedom, it is sweet to us.”
May God have mercy on them as I feel none.
hf: “U.S. Pork Inspector Joe Biden”
Made me laugh, you did. I’m going to use that everywhere.
Wouldn’t it have been a beautiful couple of terms if the Republicans now lockstep in opposition would have grown a set when they were, you know, actually in power?” I can’t get angry at Obama and his ilk because they are doing exactly what I expected them to do. The real villains are the brandy sipping Demo-Lite Rethugs who allowed, by their wanton disregard for so called “party principles,” this socialization of America to proceed apace.
After-the-fact solidarity in the face of hopelessness is not courageous, I think. More like weaselly…
The Congress of the United States. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.
You are a gem of a commentator, hf.
On my last airline flight I packed my conscience in my “checked baggage”. It was easy and my carry-on bag was lighter.
You’re gonna need that lightsaber to cut all the crap coming from Washington.
When will the investigation of the turned-off address verify for the Obama campaign start? Wasn’t that the case? Wasn’t address verify turned off?
Hahahaha, a dude: he won.
I’m much more of a thermal detonator / blaster guy. I leave elegance to those who have the time for it.
Because, when you win, nothing matters.
Unless you are George Bush. Then everything matters.
But, but, Bush didn’t win he was selected not elected.
/moonbat>
You know what’s really expensive? Nuclear weapons, that’s what.
Just think of the cost savings when we unilaterally disencumber ourselves of them! And besides, they’re scary to little girls like Sasha and Malia and Amy.
Wow, this Obama fellow is going to go down in history as an economic genius I’ll betcha. Better even than Franklin D. Roosevelt is gonna be easy. After all, Roosevelt was the war monger who started that whole evil wasteful nuclear weapons thing in the first place.
The depressing thing is that none of this is the least bit surprising.
And that’s the other depressing thing.
I for one do not think alot of them would care even if they did know.
Greetings:
“The Office of Oversight Oversight” is located down the hall from the Department of Redundancy Department.
One can only raid the Treasury until it’s empty. The full faith and credit of the US Government doesn’t mean what it used to.
We’re not Zimbabwe, yet. I wonder why my children and grandchildren should pay for this fiscal gluttony. I don’t have an answer. The government can force the acceptance of US Dollars in this country. They can’t force goods and services to be available for purchase. What will they do when China laughs, and the shelves at WalMart are bare?
the shelves at WalMart are bare?
Bobby Jindal would have to do some serious rethinking of his core beliefs.
Is that near the “Small Animal Administration”?
I think it is closer to the Ministry of Silly Walks, actually.
PT
So the implication is, this is not the most ethical congress ever ?
But Nancy Pelosi said it would be.
On a more serious note, Reynolds has a link to this story on his front page- the comments are telling “Well, even if Obama did lie, its not like W, who lied and who’s lies killed hundreds of thousands of people”. As long as people remain that stupid, earmarks will be irrelevant.
BUSHHHHH!!!
CNBC round table discussion oh the current hour. IS OBAMA TALKING TOO MUCH?
Meanwhile, my savings continues to vaporize, my wallet continues to pilfered, my wages continue to be overtaxed, my confidence sapped, my outlook dimmed.
Insane. The world has gone insane, and the majority of America is sleepwalking through it all.
….Burris II and his wife got the $372,000 mortgage on July 18, 2006, they’ve paid less than $3,000 on it, the suit alleges. The balance due is $406,685, including interest and penalties.
Ummm, what kind of interest rate would that right there calculate out to?
B Moe – I suspect penalties make up the bulk of that inflation
“Ummm, what kind of interest rate would that right there calculate out to?”
Something south of 5%, I’d venture. Disregarding the $3k they actually did pay, a simple 5% compounded annually — before penalties — would have run that principal up over $410,000.
In that vein, you’ll find it informative that you can no longer use the term “Obamessiah” in the comments at the Denver Post. “Bushitler” is still okay though.
Ignorant, arrogant, coercive and stupid — our new government seems to be moved to hate the United States very existence. It will take whatever we have that pleases it and laugh when we complain. It will prop up the failed and failing and pull down the successful and enterprising. It is put on earth to take this country down. It will have it’s way and it has many friends and servants, clueless, grasping, dictatorial lackeys spread across the nation and the globe, just waiting to get their envious claws into you. It is evil — set hard against virtue — ready to do evil by every means that comes to hand.
Resist.
Our dipshit president is indistinguishable from a Manchurian candidate.
I agree with Sdferr. Just evil. Nothing fancy. Your basic a lot of good people are gonna get hurt evil. Resist and also pray I think.
Yea, I suspect Bama secretly hopes the Dow goes to 0, so all those nasty Republicans investors finally see the light and come prostrate before the all encompassing state.
Was it a quit-claim deed? Because those often say “For $1 and other good and valuable consideration” to avoid taxes.
Deeds and probate are two of the areas of law in which form is still important, and magic words still rule.