He does not know about foreign threats because he doesn't want to know. Proof? How about a 40% attendance record for his daily national security briefings . . . . that's 8 days out of a 20 day working month?
• First Term: President Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009 and was re-elected in November 2012. Between January 20, 2009 and January 19, 2013, President Obama attended 620 PDBs over a possible 1,461 days for a 42.43% attendance rate.
• Second Term: President Obama was inaugurated for his second term on January 20, 2013. Between January 20, 2013 and September 29, 2014,President Obama attended 255 PDBs over a possible 618 days for a 41.26% attendance rate.
Source: Government Accountability Institute.
• Second Term: President Obama was inaugurated for his second term on January 20, 2013. Between January 20, 2013 and September 29, 2014,President Obama attended 255 PDBs over a possible 618 days for a 41.26% attendance rate.
Source: Government Accountability Institute.
Leader of ISIS was No. 3 on FBI's most wanted list in October of 2011. In Sunday, Obama implied he had never heard of this man until recently.
Wanted
Abu Du’a
Up to $10 Million
Place of Birth : Samarra, Iraq
Date of Birth : 1971
Sex : Male
Hair : Black
Eyes : Brown
Complexion : Olive
Aliases : Dr. Ibrahim ‘Awwad Ibrahim ‘Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai’, Ibrahim ‘Awad Ibrahim al-Badri al Samarrai, Abu Duaa’, Dr. Ibrahim, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Date of Birth : 1971
Sex : Male
Hair : Black
Eyes : Brown
Complexion : Olive
Aliases : Dr. Ibrahim ‘Awwad Ibrahim ‘Ali al-Badri al-Samarrai’, Ibrahim ‘Awad Ibrahim al-Badri al Samarrai, Abu Duaa’, Dr. Ibrahim, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Abu Du’a is the senior leader of the terrorist organization, al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI). Abu Du’a is in charge of overseeing all AQI operations and is currently based in Iraq. AQI was listed by the UN 1267 Committee in 2004 under permanent reference number QE.J.115.04. Abu Du’a is responsible for managing and directing AQI large scale operations, such as the AQI August 28, 2011 attack on the Umm al-Qura mosque in Baghdad which killed prominent Sunni lawmaker Khalid al-Fahdawi.
In a statement eulogizing Usama bin Ladin, Abu Du’a threatened violent retaliation for bin Ladin’s death. Three days after bin Ladin’s death, Abu Du’a claimed responsibility for an attack in Hilla, Iraq, that killed 24 policemen and wounded 72 others. On August 15, 2011, a wave of AQI suicide attacks began in Mosul, Iraq, which culminated in over 70 deaths. Shortly thereafter, Abu Du’a pledged on AQI’s website to carry out 100 attacks across Iraq in retaliation for bin Ladin’s death.
Holder carries a 26% approval rating, one of the poorest ratings in modern times.
<<<< Recommended reading
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Marc Rich, presidential pardon: How Eric Holder facilitated ...
www.slate.com/.../marc_rich_presidential_pardon_how_eric_holder...
Slate
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As Attorney General, Holder has functioned as a black activist hack, refusing to prosecute cases having to do with black/brown activism, whether committed by the Black Panthers or the Islamic group, CAIR. He has replaced more than 40 DOJ attorneys with men and women concerned with empowering Black Activism. He is on record opposing our local police force(s),
More than this, his public record as AG is one of revenge against the White man. He is an anti-colonialist to the core, working against all that our colonial history provided in terms of leadership and foundational principles (the Bill of Rights, the US Constitution, the rules of congressional governance and our foundation "respect for law and order").
Much of the civil unrest in Ferguson, can be directly traced to the activist speech of the haters within the Black community. He and his boss, B Hussein Obama, sides with the activist Muslim community on every occasion possible, and has contributed to making this country more vulnerable than at any time in the past 13 years (since 9/11 of 2001).
One of his first decisions as AG was to give respect and honor to CAIR, a domestic terror sponsor red-flagged by the FBI prior to the Obama Administration.
The Inspector General for the DOJ, was one of more than 45 Inspecter Generals who filed an official complaint detailing the refusal of federal agencies to be open and transparent. That list can be found here.
Holder has refused to obey a Congressional subpoena and is has been given until October 22, to comply with a Federal Court's order to surrender Fast and Furious documents.
I am certain a full-blown book could be written about this man's failures and criminal activity. It is a shame that our first Black executive administration is corrupt in its core principles and Marxist oriented in his Revenge Strategies for the United States. We will recover, as a nation. Hopefully, this "recovery," which began with the midterms of 2010, will continue until completed.
On 60 Minutes this past Sunday, Obama threw James Clapper, his security chief, under the bus. No one in the know, believed him or was willing to let this lie, stand as truth.
From the Left Wing and the Daily Beast, here, give us this partial report: Nearly eight months ago, some of President Obama’s senior intelligence officials were already warning that ISIS was on the move. In the beginning of 2014, ISIS fighters had defeated Iraqi forces in Fallujah, leading much of the U.S. intelligence community to assess they would try to take more of Iraq.
But in an interview that aired Sunday evening, the president told 60 Minutes that the rise of the group now proclaiming itself a caliphate in territory between Syria and Iraq caught the U.S. intelligence community off guard. Obama specifically blamed James Clapper, the current director of national intelligence: “Our head of the intelligence community, Jim Clapper, has acknowledged that, I think, they underestimated what had been taking place in Syria,” he said.
Reached by The Daily Beast after Obama’s interview aired, one former senior Pentagon official who worked closely on the threat posed by Sunni jihadists in Syria and Iraq was flabbergasted. “Either the president doesn’t read the intelligence he’s getting or he’s bullshitting,” the former official said . . . . . you will want to read the rest of the article but you already know the gist of the article.
Nate Silver, the Lefts premo pollster asks, "When should the Dems panic?" and suggests that time is "now."
Nate Silver, perhaps the most respected pollster on the Socialist/Progressive Left, details the polling possibility of a GOP Senate take over in this article. We are a month and 4 days away from the midterms. Understand that during these last days before the election, races that appear to be "tight" often tilt to one side or the other. The 5 to 7 percent of the voting collective who have not finalized their voting decisions, do so during the three or four weeks leading up to any election.
If there is a trend away from the Marxist Utopian Agenda, that will not be as obvious as during the current, short, pre-election time.
In the referenced article, Silver sees GOP victories in 6 states. If Kansas goes to the so-called Independent in that race, then the GOP must win one additional race in their bid to take back the Senate, and that race appears to be in Iowa.
If there is a trend away from the Marxist Utopian Agenda, that will not be as obvious as during the current, short, pre-election time.
In the referenced article, Silver sees GOP victories in 6 states. If Kansas goes to the so-called Independent in that race, then the GOP must win one additional race in their bid to take back the Senate, and that race appears to be in Iowa.
Reports from within say ISIS is within a mile of entering Baghdad.
Fear: Canon Andrew White, is the vicar of Baghdad's St George's Church - the only Anglican church in Iraq. Earlier Canon White had claimed the terrorist group were six miles from the city
The US coalition: far less than the 40 nation claim of the Obama Administration but more than the 5 member claim of opponents to this Anti-Colonial Administration.
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
Editor's notes: the reader should know that the list, below, is a list of the coalition in Iraq. The Syrian coalition is limited to the US in the north; the US, Saudia Arabia, France, and the United Arab Emerats in southern Syria.
[There are over-night reports that ISIS is within a mile of entering Baghdad. Nothing can be more of a threat to the Obama Administration than for ISIS to attack the US Embassy in Baghdad and kill American soldies and Embassy personnel, and it is want to do, without doubt].
[There are over-night reports that ISIS is within a mile of entering Baghdad. Nothing can be more of a threat to the Obama Administration than for ISIS to attack the US Embassy in Baghdad and kill American soldies and Embassy personnel, and it is want to do, without doubt].
Coalition into Iraq:
UNITED STATES
The U.S., which is leading the coalition, has launched dozens of airstrikes on Islamic State targets. It also has sent military advisers, supplies and humanitarian aid to help Iraqi troops and Kurdish forces beat back the insurgents.
GULF STATES
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have participated in airstrikes in Syria. A fourth, Qatar, has played what the Pentagon called a supporting role.
The Emirates and Qatar also host air bases that are being used for the coalition's aerial campaign against the Islamic State group. U.S. Navy ships involved in the airstrikes are assigned to the Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet. Saudi Arabia has agreed to host training facilities for Syrian rebels on its territory.
JORDAN
Jordan has launched airstrikes against Islamic State positions, with government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani calling the move 'necessary in light of continuous attempts to infiltrate our borders.' The kingdom didn't give any specifics about its operations, but said the airstrikes aim to insure the country's security.
EGYPT
Egypt hasn't announced any specific participation in airstrikes, but President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi told the AP that Egypt is 'completely committed to giving support,' and will do 'whatever is required' to support the coalition.
ISRAEL
Israel is offering intelligence estimates and concrete intelligence to the U.S. on the Islamic State group as part of ongoing intelligence sharing between the two countries, an Israeli defense official said. But, he added, Israel wasn't asked to contribute anything beyond that. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly on the issue. The prime minister's office declined to comment.
BRITAIN
Britain said that Tornado fighter bombers, supported by air-to-air refueling aircraft and signals intelligence, are operating over Iraq. Britain's media has widely reported that six warplanes are on standby in Cyprus, but defense officials have declined to offer specific numbers. Ben Goodlad from IHS Jane's has said that the Tornado jets offer the coalition enhanced capability to engage moving targets. Britain also has two weapons for long-range strikes: the Tornado's Storm Shadow cruise missile and the submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missile, he said.
FRANCE
France has carried out airstrikes in Iraq on two occasions since joining the U.S.-led coalition on Sept. 19, firing laser-guided bombs from Rafale fighter planes upon munitions and military hardware stockpiles — first near northern Mosul, then on Thursday, near Fallujah. France is conducting the operations in Iraq from a French air base in the United Arab Emirates. The base, with about 750 French service personnel and six Rafales, is 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) from Mosul, meaning that the planes need refueling in flight to strike in Iraq.
AUSTRALIA
An Australian air force contingent, including eight F/A-18 Hornet jet fighters and two support aircraft, has arrived in the United Arab Emirates. About 600 troops — most of them air force personnel — are being deployed with the aircraft. The jets are expected to be used in airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Iraq, although the Australian government has yet to commit to a combat role.
BELGIUM
Six F-16 multirole fighters and a contingent of 120 support staff, including eight pilots, to be based in Jordan. Authorized to take part in operations over Iraq for one month, subject to extension if approved by the Belgian government.
DENMARK
Denmark has pledged seven F-16 fighter jets — four operational planes and three reserve jets along with pilots and support staff for 12 months. The U.S. also has asked Danes to provide military trainers to Iraq to school Iraqi and Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State group on the ground. Denmark has already contributed a transport plane with personnel to a U.S.-led humanitarian operation in northern Iraq.
CANADA
Canada has contributed about 70 special operations soldiers to offer instruction to Kurdish forces battling Islamic State militants in northern Iraq. Early this week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Cabinet will be considering a U.S. request to support airstrikes against Islamic State forces. This could include five to eight CF-18 fighter aircraft as well as tanker aircraft. Canada has already contributed two military cargo planes that carried weapons to Kurdish fighters.
GERMANY
Germany isn't participating in any airstrikes against the Islamic State group. They have sent weapons to Kurdish fighters in Irbil, and a group of Kurdish peshmerga fighters arrived in Germany to receive weapons' training here by the German army. There's also German military in Irbil to train the peshmerga fighters in Irbil.
GREECE
Greece is participating with humanitarian aid and by sending ammunition for Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State group. They haven't specified any more details on quantities or type of humanitarian aid.
GEORGIA
Georgia will be providing humanitarian assistance, not military aid, according to comments made by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday to local news websites.
HUNGARY
Hungary has promised to send 15 types of ammunition totaling nearly 6 million units to Iraqi Kurds. Most of the ammunition, 4.1 million cartridges, was the M43 type for the AK-47 assault rifle.
ROMANIA
Prime Minister Victor Ponta said his country would offer 'logistic, operational and humanitarian' support to the coalition, but not troops. He provided no details of the assistance.
POLAND
Poland supports the coalition against the Islamic State, but is not actively engaged in combat.
Source: Mail Online.
There is a radical population within the black community that is calling for gun-toten revolution against the white population and [especially] the local police force.
From the editor: Encouraged by Cuban loving members of the Congressional Black Caucus and national leaders such as Sharpton, Holder and Obama, many within the civilian black community believe that "now is the time for revolution," and by "revolution," they mean to imply "armed uprising." This is at the core of what is happening in Ferguson. Nearly all of the demonstrators arrested in that small community of 21,000 are black radicals (Sharpton and the Black Panthers) from outside that city who want nothing more than to "get even" with "whitie," in spite of the fact that "whitie" is not their problem. No one I know, not a single person, wishes harm to blacks, nor has anyone I know, not a single person, done harm to black constituents . . . . . . period. But Holder sees the police as racist, Sharpton continues to call for "revolution" and Obama defines elections as the "best revenge we have."
Obama may not be a closet Muslim, but he certainly acts like one. See this report by Judicial Watch.
As
unbelievable as it may seem, the commander-in-chief and his State Department
schemed to lift the prohibition despite strong congressional opposition. In
fact a final regulation was recently approved by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Judicial Watch wrote about it just weeks before the second
anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi , Libya
The ban
was implemented in 1983 after a wave of terrorist incidents involving Libyans.
The African nation continues to be a hotbed of terrorism and in fact, the U.S.
Embassy in
Nevertheless,
President Obama and the State Department discounted congressional opposition to
let Libyans train as pilots, airplane mechanics and nuclear scientists in the United States Libya
Furthermore,
the letter says, any person entering the U.S. Libya U.S. and Libya
Something
evidently clicked for Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who rebuffed his
boss by assuring Congress that he would keep the Libyan ban.
At a House Judiciary Committee hearing this week Johnson confirmed that he
would not lift it at this time, “given the current environment.” The lawmakers
behind the effort to keep the status quo issued a joint statement praising
the decision and Johnson’s common sense over Obama’s foolish plan. “Given the
ongoing terrorist activity in Libya Libya ’s
government remains unstable today and the country is becoming more dangerous as
rival rebel groups battle each other for control of Libya
Senate break down: GOP could win 7 seats or more. Here is the background for that prediction with 37 days to go.
This report leans heavily on RealClearPolitics polling averages and FiveThirtyEight.
Michigan Senate race:
Five Thirty Eight, the data-driven website founded by East Lansing
native Nate Silver, predicts Republicans will gain control
of the Senate but favors democrat Peters over Secretary of State, Terri Land.
Real Clear Politics, which averages recent poll results, pegs
Peters’ lead at 4.7 points , up from 3.8 100 days ago. This is the seat vacated by the
socialist, Carl Levin. Turnout could put this in the GOP camp, but turnout appears to be necessary for that
to happen.
*West Virginia
*Georgia
*Iowa
*Alaska
*Arkansas
*Montana
*North
Dakota
Some believe this is part of the reason why Holder has suddenly decided to quit as AG.
BY: CJ Ciaramella Washington Free Beacon.
September 25, 2014 5:34 pm
September 25, 2014 5:34 pm
 |
| Holder in an AP picture |
A federal
judge ordered the
Justice Department Thursday to release a list of documents it is withholding
from the public related to Operation Fast and Furious within the next month.
Calling
the Obama administration’s request for further delays “unconvincing,” U.S.
District Court Judge John D. Bates told the Justice Department to release the
list of documents—called a “Vaughn index”—that the department is withholding by
Oct. 22. Bates said in his ruling. “The Court will therefore extend the Department’s Vaughn index submission deadline to October 22, 2014—and no further.”
. . . . . . The Justice Department has claimed executive privilege over the documents.
“The Obama administration failed to game the courts and now will have to account for its Fast and Furious lies,” Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said in a statement. “Two federal courts have now rejected Eric Holder’s election-related ploy to keep this information from the American people. This is a battle that put Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, saw Nixonian assertions of executive privilege by Barack Obama, and a hapless Congress in the face of all this lawlessness.” (read the full article here).
Is Romney considering a third run for the High Office? Yes. Is he the best qualified for this time in US history? Yes. Is America ready for his presidency? Time will tell .
Byron
York reports that the campaign about nothing is considering
[Editor's note: without question, Romney is the single most qualified candidate for the US Presidency, bar none. He is more "establishment" than many prefer but that does not trump the fact of his qualification. We should not fear losing a third run when the possibilities for the nation are so great un his potential leadership.]
Romney is
talking with advisers, consulting with his family, keeping a close eye on the
emerging ’16 Republican field, and carefully weighing the pluses and minuses of
another run. That doesn’t mean he will decide to do it, but it does mean that
Mitt 2016 is a real possibility. Nearly all of Romney’s 2012 circle of
advisers, finance people, and close aides remains intact. Many developed an
extraordinary loyalty to Romney, who, in turn, has kept in close touch with
them. Romney talks to some of them quite frequently in conversations that cover
daily news, foreign and domestic policy, Hillary Clinton, the Republican field
— everything that might touch on a 2016 campaign. “Virtually the entire
advisory group that surrounded Mitt in 2012 are eager for him to run, almost to
a man and a woman,” says one plugged-in member of Romneyland.
A significant number of Romney’s top financial supporters from 2012 have decided not to commit to any other 2016 candidate until they hear a definitive word from Romney. They believe they are doing it with the tacit approval of Romney himself… The key question for Romney, according to those who have talked to him, is whether former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush decides to run. Romney is said to believe that, other than himself, Bush is the only one of the current Republican field who could beat Hillary Clinton in a general election.
A significant number of Romney’s top financial supporters from 2012 have decided not to commit to any other 2016 candidate until they hear a definitive word from Romney. They believe they are doing it with the tacit approval of Romney himself… The key question for Romney, according to those who have talked to him, is whether former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush decides to run. Romney is said to believe that, other than himself, Bush is the only one of the current Republican field who could beat Hillary Clinton in a general election.
Update for Judicial Watch: September 26.
Judicial Watch Court Victories Lead to Holder Resignation
On Thursday, September 25, Eric Holder announced that he would step down as Attorney General of the United States. If you are a regular reader of the Weekly Update, you know that since the day he was appointed to office, Judicial Watch has battled day in and day out to prevent Holder from continuing to corrupt the Department of Justice (DOJ). And, in fact, in January of this year, we named him to the Judicial Watch list of the "Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians" for the sixth year in a row. Many quickly credited Judicial Watch's work with helping to force Holder out. Former DOJ attorney Sidney Powell was blunt in her New York Observer column about Holder's disastrous tenure: |
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|
You can see some of what is to blow up in my Judicial Watch statement issued to the press immediately upon hearing of Holder's intended resignation:
It is no coincidence that Holder's resignation comes on the heels of another court ruling[see below] that the Justice Department must finally cough up information about how Holder's Justice Department lied to Congress and the American people about the Operation Fast and Furious scandal, for which Eric Holder was held in contempt by the House of Representatives. Over the past several months, Judicial Watch also exposed how Holder's Justice Department was implicated in the IRS scandal and how Justice Department lawyers helped defend the illegal stonewall that kept secret key material related to Benghazi.
The disgraced Holder's exit is past due accountability for Holder's Fast and Furious lies, and I hope it brings some solace to the family of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and the hundreds of innocent Mexicans likely killed thanks to the Holder Justice Department's scheme that armed the murderous Mexican drug cartels. In 2009, Judicial Watch opposed Holder's confirmation as Attorney General, noting that "Mr. Holder's record demonstrates a willingness to bend the law in order to protect his political patrons." The U.S. Senate, including many Republicans, ignored Holder's record and confirmed a man who went on to be one of the worst Attorneys General of the modern era. Mr. Holder, his appointees, and his agency have lied repeatedly to Congress and the American people. He has damaged the Justice Department by putting politics, ideology, and race above the rule of law. Disturbingly, Mr. Holder refused to enforce the law in a race-neutral manner. And, when it comes to government transparency, Holder's Justice Department became one of the worst violators of the Freedom of Information Act, manufacturing new legal excuses for government secrecy that would make Richard Nixon blush. In Eric Holder, President Obama found his John Mitchell - an attorney general who would lie, obstruct investigations, and ignore or simply not enforce the law in order to advance his president's unbridled will. As the press is writing his political epitaph, I hope it is also remembered how Holder lied to Congress and how his agency assaulted Freedom of the Press by collecting the private email correspondence of reporters, seizing their phone records and tracking their movements as part of an investigation of perceived leaks. "Justice" took a holiday during Eric Holder's reign at the Department of Justice. The man can't leave office soon enough. Thankfully, some key media noted that scandal was behind Holder's resignation. I appeared for 30 minutes on Michael Savage's national radio program to discuss this issue and many outlets picked up the JW point tying the pressure from our victories on Fast and Furious and the IRS to Holder's departure. We are honored especially that Agent Terry's family saw the link as well. Terry's sister, Kelly Terry-Willis, commented to Townhall.com's Katie Pavlich:
"I personally think Eric Holder was really hoping that the documents would never be made public to my family and the American people," Terry-Willis tells Townhall. "Will we ever get the accountability for my brother, Brian, Jaime Zapata and every other person who lost their lives to the guns from this horrific scandal? I don't know, but I have a serious gut feeling when we finally see what is in those documents....the dynamics of this investigation are going to change and hopefully the people involved are brought to justice. Eric Holder can run, but there will be no hiding. The truth always reveals itself."
Once again, Judicial Watch's persistence, made possible with the support of hundreds of thousands of Americans, has paid off. To see more information about Judicial Watch's remarkable record exposing wrongdoing at Eric Holder's Justice Department, click here. Judicial Watch Victory: Court Brooks No More Delay for Obama's Fast and Furious Reckoning When you're going head-to-head with a deliberately obstructionist Department of Justice (DOJ), it's important to set deadlines. I am pleased to report that the U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia has ruled that the DOJ must submit a "Vaughn index" list of documents by October22 in our continuing battle to ferret out the truth about the Obama administration's Operation Fast and Furious gun-running scandal. The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates turned back a motion from the DOJ asking that it be given an extra month to produce the material. The ruling forces the DOJ to identify each document that has been withheld in response to our June 2012 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and our subsequent FOIA lawsuit filed on September 2012 seeking DOJ records pertaining to the Fast and Furious debacle. As you may recall, Fast and Furious was a joint DOJ-Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives gun running operation that the administration perpetrated with the expectation that it would bolster gun control proposals in the U.S. The idea was to allow guns to find their way into the arms of Mexican drug cartel members who would in turn use them in criminal operations. Some of the weapons used in Fast and Furious have been implicated in the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and hundreds of innocent Mexicans. Again, as Eric Holder prepares to step down, let's not forget that he was the man behind the murderous Fast and Furious scandal, and, in fact, he was held in contempt by the House of Representatives over his refusal to turn over documents about why the Obama administration may have lied to Congress and refused for months to disclose the truth about the gun-running operation. It marked the first time in U.S. history that a sitting Attorney General was held in contempt of Congress. In our FOIA lawsuit, we asked for all of the Fast and Furious documents that the Obama White House refused to release to the House of Representatives. In fact, President Obama, toprotect his crony Holder from being criminally prosecuted, asserted executive privilege in an unprecedented effort to keep all of the information secret. But Judicial Watch has persevered. (Congress sued for the documents, but got nowhere until Judicial Watch broke things open with our lawsuit. Details here.) The Vaughn index the Court has ordered requires the DOJ to do the following: (1) identify each document withheld; (2) state the statutory exemption claimed; and (3) explain how disclosure would damage the interests protected by the claimed exemption. It is quite clear that if the White House had its way, it would withhold this information until it was sure it could not impact the mid-term election in November. Now it will be available for public consumption well in advance of that date. Team Obama offered up the usual litany of excuses and delay tactics. Administration officials claimed the sheer volume of documents required additional time to comply with the Vaughnindex. They also complained that a significant number of additional attorneys would be needed to comply with the deadline. But, as Judge Bates said in his ruling, the DOJ has known about its Vaughn index obligations since July 18, 2014 - which means either that the department had been slow to react to the Court's prior order, or that it had been ignoring the order altogether. Either way, in the judge's words, "The government's argument for even more time is unconvincing." So you can see why we think it's no coincidence that Holder's resignation came within two days of Judge Bates shut down the Fast and Furious stall tactics. And you can be sure that we will provide you with the full details as to what the Vaughn index documents reveal as soon as they are in our hands. In the meantime, we are pleased that we may get some accountability for Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and hundreds of others who lost their lives as a result of Obama's Fast and Furious program. Obama Fleeces Taxpayers on Campaign Travel At a time when illegal immigrants are putting pressure on America's porous southwestern border, and terrorists are gaining ground overseas, how should an American president spend his time? If you're President Obama, you apparently feel you should drink beer, play pool and book expensive fundraising trips. That's what the records we obtained from the U.S. Department of Air Force Headquarters Air Mobility Command - through a July 21, 2014, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request - appear to indicate. Here are some of the numbers: Transportation costs of the president's July 8-9 fundraising trips to Denver, Colorado cost the taxpayers $695,894.10, while the transportation costs for the president's July 17-18 fundraising trip to New York City, New York, cost taxpayers $463,929.40. That's what we know. What we don't know is the security costs to the taxpayer for these trips because the Secret Service, which can't seem to be able to guard the front door of the White House, is obsessed with stonewalling our requests for the security costs of Obama's fundraising travel. And, of course, the Obama White House keeps secret how it determines if presidential travel is either "official" or "political." Political parties and campaigns are charged no more than the price of an individual commercial airline ticket, hotel, and food costs if a president uses Air Force One in whole or in part for a "political" trip. What a racket! These fundraising trips coincided with international and domestic crises that call out for presidential leadership. While Obama was delivering his fundraising speeches in Denver and New York, thousands of illegal aliens were flooding across the Rio Grande Valley, with one law enforcement bulletin declaring that apprehensions were at "historically elevated levels. Meanwhile, in Iraq, the terrorist group ISIS was seizing "vast areas of Iraq" according to theNew York Times. In the Ukraine, a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was shot down, and, in the Mideast, Israel had begun its Gaza ground offensive. With these facts in mind, consider how The Associated Press described the president's July 8 and 9 fundraisers in Denver. Obama spent his time at "a crowded pizza restaurant, a pool bar and face-to-face with a man wearing a horse head mask." Images of President Obamadrinking beer and playing pool became the subject of national news. Not a very formidable, compelling image for the commander-in-chief. Just a few days later, on July 17 and 18, Obama traveled to New York City for a gala lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee. "The White House says Obama will raise money for the Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic group that takes unlimited donations. Obama's appearance will complete his gradual acceptance of the big-money groups he once opposed," according to a report from the Tribune Broadcasting's WPIX-TV in Manhattan. We searched in vain for any news about the president's strong stance on terrorism in Iraq and turmoil on the border during his fundraising junket. But, apparently he was far more concerned with partying hard and making money - all at the taxpayers' expense. In the meantime, Judicial Watch, which seems to be the only entity in DC asking tough questions (and suing) about Obama's abuse of his public office, is your one-stop source on the costs of Obama's unnecessary luxury travel. Judicial Watch Leads Effort to Save Clean Elections Just over a year ago, voter fraud became a much tougher proposition in North Carolina, where state lawmakers passed HB 589. This well-crafted piece of legislation requires voters to show a photo ID before they cast a ballot. The bill also eliminates same day registration, reduces the number of days of early voting, and calls for provisional ballots to be cast in the precinct where the voter is registered. Americans who care about ballot integrity have every reason to be pleased with HB 589. But not so with the Obama Department of Justice (DOJ). In fact, in September 2013, it asked a U.S. District Court to enjoin several key provisions of HB 589 under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. It argued that the bill would disfranchise up to 2 million North Carolina minority voters. But, of course, it offered no substance to back up its claims. Judicial Watch responded in June 2014 by filing an amicus curiae brief with the District Court. And as you might expect, we did provide substance. That included a definitive study debunking DOJ arguments. The study showed that black turnout actually increased in the one major election that was held in North Carolina since the bill became law. And, as we noted in our brief, the numbers were "devastating to the plaintiff's case because they contradict all of their experts' bias for asserting harm":
The results of this analysis ... show that black turnout increased in 2014 by every meaningful measure. Black share of the total electorate increased. The percentage of black registered voters voting increased. Using Census Bureau estimates, Dr. Camarota [the Director of Research for the Center for Immigration Studies] found an increase in turnout among blacks of voting age. Finally, while turnout increased across the board in May 2014, and while white turnout increased by 13.7%, black turnout increased much faster - by an astonishing 29.5%.
I am pleased to report that now out-going Attorney General Eric Holder and his government attorneys suffered a significant setback when the District Court ruled against the DOJ request to enjoin HB 589 this past August. The District Court allowed us to present our arguments in opposition to the DOJ at a key hearing. And those arguments clearly prevailed. Yet, while there is cause for encouragement, the well-funded lobby of voter fraud apologists continues to work through the court system in an effort to eviscerate HB 589. By the way, our partners in that legal effort were Allied Educational Foundation (AEF) and Christina Kelley Gallegos-Merrill (a North Carolina resident and former political candidate). AEF and Ms. Gallegos-Merrill both have an interest in upholding the rule of law and constitutional values. (Ms. Gallegos-Merrill's interest is based on experience, as she ran for County Commissioner of Buncombe County in 2012 and lost a very close election. She believes that this loss was due to same-day registration during early voting and to improperly cast ballots.) So, this is where we are now. The American Civil Liberties Union has appealed the lower court ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit and we have promptly responded. On Sept. 17, we joined with our partners again to file an amicus curiae brief with the Fourth Circuit asking it to deny the ACLU's motion for a preliminary injunction to prevent enforcement of HB 589. You'll be pleased to know that respected civil rights lawyer Chris Coates, who served as Chief of the Voting Rights Section of the Justice Department under President Obama, has been serving as lead counsel for Judicial Watch and its amicus partners. In our new filing, we argue that if the ACLU were to succeed, it "would have a chilling effect on voter confidence in the integrity of elections, both in North Carolina and nationwide." We added:
If North Carolina is compelled to reinstate same-day registration, to extend the early voting period by a week, and to permit out-of-precinct provisional ballots, many North Carolina citizens could have their votes diluted by unlawful ballots cast in the names of false or duplicate registrations. Furthermore, Plaintiffs-Appellants' requested relief will undermine the confidence in the integrity of elections among citizens.
I have to say that the Obama DOJ assault on North Carolina's attempt to protect the integrity of the ballot box was not altogether unexpected. On the very day that HB 589 passed, Holder delivered a speech to the National Urban League concerning the Supreme Court's decision inShelby Co. v. Holder declaring that a voting rights lawsuit the DOJ had recently filed against Texas, "is the Department's first action to protect voting rights following the Shelby County decision, but it will not be our last." This statement was widely seen as a reference to a potential lawsuit against North Carolina over its new election integrity law. So, your JW was more than prepared for the Holder assault. We believe the Fourth Circuit should affirm the lower court ruling on behalf of ballot box integrity and stave off yet another attempt by the Obama administration (or, in this case, its front group - the ACLU) to turn fair and open elections into nothing more than free for alls. But, as Jefferson said, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." And that is why we continue to fight. Our Election Integrity Project is heating up - expect more litigation and other significant steps to ensure clean elections not only in November but beyond. As always, your support is welcome. I urge you to learn more about the threat to election integrity. If the Left and other corrupt politicians of both parties are able to steal elections...well, I don't need to describe the awful consequences to our nation. Until next week ...  Tom Fitton President |
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Google and Apple are working to give back your privacy.
The DailyKos: FBI Director James B. Comey sharply
criticized Apple and Google on Thursday for developing forms of smartphone
encryption so secure that law enforcement officials cannot easily gain access
to information stored on the devices — even when they have valid search
warrants.
"Even
when they have valid search warrants"! Also when they don't. Thanks,
Google and Apple, for getting the intrusive security state off our backs! It's
much appreciated.
Editor’s notes:
The Marxist Left does not mind criminalizing free speech except with
they are the targets. At least we all
agree on something - salute
Google and Apple !!!!
Just in time for the weekend: the best in citizen journalism.
Watcher's Council Nominations - Executive Disorder Edition
Thanks to Joshua Pundit.
Whether its war in Syria or Libya or Lebanon or Iraq, illegal migration, those whom shall be targeted by the IRS or the wonders of climate change,Our Dear Leader has the answer, with no need to consult anyone or anything, especially not congress. He has, in his wisdom, the phone, the pen and the executive order to cut through the senseless blather of a Constitution written by old dead white men.The people have spoken ( more or less). Down with the Republic and on to the new age of pottage, food stamps, idleness and the absolute rule of our elite progressive betters!
Welcome to the Watcher's Council, a blogging group consisting of some of the most incisive blogs in the 'sphere, and the longest running group of its kind in existence. Every week, the members nominate two posts each, one written by themselves and one written by someone from outside the group for consideration by the whole Council.Then we vote on the best two posts, with the results appearing on Friday morning.
Council News:
This week, Seraphic Secret and The Pirate's Cove earned honorable mention status with some great articles.
You can, too! Want to see your work appear on the Watcher’s Council homepage in our weekly contest listing? Didn’t get nominated by a Council member? No worries.
To bring something to my attention, simply head over to Joshuapundit and post the title and a link to the piece you want considered along with an e-mail address (mandatory, but of course it won't be published) in the comments section no later than Monday 6PM PST in order to be considered for our honorable mention category. Then return the favor by creating a post on your site linking to the Watcher’s Council contest for the week when it comes out on Wednesday morning
Simple, no?
It's a great way of exposing your best work to Watcher’s Council readers and Council members while grabbing the increased traffic and notoriety. And how good is that, eh?
So, let's see what we have for you this week....
Council Submissions
- The Noisy Room – The Bear And The Dragon Encircle The Eagle
- The Independent Sentinel – Dem Congressman Says 40 ISIS Terrorists Have Returned to the US
- Rhymes With Right – When Educators Teach Students That The Constitution Does Not Apply To Them
- Joshuapundit-No Honor Among Thieves - Fatah Accuses Hamas of Stealing Millions in Gaza Aid
- GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD – Significant Strike
- The Razor – NFL – Not For Long
- The Colossus of Rhodey – Teach For America: Math is the 'Domain of Old, White Men
- Bookworm Room – Socialized medicine and passive-aggressive genocide
- VA Right! - Republicans Missed a Golden Opportunity to gain Approval of Keystone Pipeline
- The Glittering Eye -Necessary
- The Right Planet – Obama’s Baffling ISIS Strategy
- Ask Marion – Republican-Controlled House Passes Continued Complete Funding for ObamaCare and Planned Parenthood
- Simply Jews – Gideon Levy: who shall I compare thee to?
- Nice Deb – Benghazi Annex Security Team Members Challenge Democrat Adam Schiff To A Debate (Video)
Honorable Mentions
- Seraphic Secret - Obama: A Professional Diagnosis
- The Pirate's Cove - Obama Looks To Stop Tax Inversions
Non-Council Submissions
- Sultan Knish –The Rationing Societysubmitted by The Noisy Room
- Gatestone Institute –Hamas and Fatah Already Fighting Over Gaza Fundssubmitted by The Independent Sentinel
- International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran – Death Sentence for “Insulting the Prophet” on Facebooksubmitted by Rhymes with Right
- Angelo Codevilla/The Federalist –Washington’s Ruling Class Is Fooling Itself About The Islamic State submitted by Joshuapundit
- War News Updates – Are American Troops Already Fighting on the Front Lines in Iraq? submitted by GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD
- Roger Berkowitz/American Interest – Is America Coming Apart? submitted byThe Razor
- The First Street Journal – Found On Facebook submitted by The Colossus of Rhodey
- James Lewis/American Thinker-The worldwide rise of sadistic political pathology submitted by Bookworm Room
- Daily Caller – Stingray Developer Misled FCC To Sell Cellphone Tracking Tech To Police submitted by VA Right!
- Matthew Barber/Syria Comment – If the U.S. Wanted To, It Could Help Free Thousands of Enslaved Yazidi Women in a Single Day submitted by The Glittering Eye
- NYR Blog – How al-Qaeda Changed the Syrian War submitted by The Right Planet
- All American Blogger -Why Is No One Bringing Up This Common Denominator In The NFL Domestic Violence Stories?submitted by Nice Deb
- Blazing Cat Fur -UK: Work with extremist Islamic groups, says expertsubmitted by The Watcher
- Kevin D. Williamson/NRO – The Rape Epidemic Is a Fiction submitted by The Watcher
- Phyllis Schlafly – The Liberal Newcomers submitted by The Watcher
Enjoy! And don't forget to like us onFacebook and follow us Twitter..'cause we're cool like that!And don't forget to tune in Friday for the results!
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
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