ZOT: Breaking Hard!!! Bush orders settlement to conservative GOP website by City of Fresno

IndyBay via Liberty Post | Troy Montague

[Jim Robinson]

And this just in from our You Gotta Be Kidding Me department:

Bush orders settlement to conservative GOP website by City of Fresno

by Troy Montague

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004 at 11:03 PM

Settlement funnels money to local conservative website on orders of president George Bush. Rightwing website "FreeRepublic" to recieve large settlement from City of Fresno.

This is urgent-read and call the attorney general's office as soon as you can. We must stop this criminal give-away to GOP activists at taxpayer expense.

The City of Fresno has announced it is paying a large settlement to the "FreeRepublic", a right wing conservative website/forum to settle a lawsuit filed by Freerepublic alledging defamation and damage of reputation. Some background on the case:

The case FreeRepublic vs. City of Fresno stems from a bulletin sent to Fresno Police by Fresno Human Relations Commissioner Debbie Reyes regarding an event planned on sept. 13th by the Fresno chapter of FreeRepublic Network. This event, billed by Freerepublic as a picnic/rally was a subject of concern to Reyes as she had been made aware of possible counter-protests to the picnic/rally by activists critical of FreeRepublic Network's harrassment of anti-war activists and general right-wing extremist nature. Ms. Reyes faxed a notice to police that there might be possible conflicts at the event and notified them that FreeRepublic was well known as an organized hate group disguising themselves as patriotic americans. This notice and resulting publicity resulted in the lawsuit naming City of Fresno, Debbie Reyes, and Mayor Alan Autry as defendants. They alledged Reyes fax resulted in defamation and filed suit seeking $1,000,000 compensation.

The very very strange thing in all this is George Bush met with Fresno Mayor Alan Autry on 10/15/2003 and there is good reason to believe this lawsuit by the FreeRepublic Network was the main topic of conversation between the two. The FreeRepublic online forum is a darling centerpiece of the GOP party, the largest and most highly trafficked GOP oriented website in existence. Progressive activists have long suspected FreeRepublic receives under the table covert funding directly or indirectly from the GOP party. So it is quite likely and plausible that when Autry met with Bush and discussed this with him Bush told him to pay off these good old-boy conservatives and get some funds into their hands so they can continue their fight against the left and all things progressive.

It is clear that before any settlement is paid to FreeRepublic an investigation into ties between Mayor Alan Autry and FreeRepublic should be undertaken. He has been supportive of their activitys to a suspicious degree and it is apparent he was very interested in arranging for the city to settle out of court on the lawsuit and quickly get some money into the hands of his fellow patriots at FreeRepublic.

Did Fresno Mayor Alan Autry work at the suggestion of George Bush to supply a large cash settlement to FreeRepublic at taxpayer's expense? Demand an investigation.

Contact: California State Attoney General (916)322-3360

News Release

Daniel G. Hobbs, City Manager

November 14, 2003 Contact: Matt Otstot, Public Affairs Officer: (559) 621-7777

Mayor Autry Commends President Bush for Homeland Security Funding

FRESNO, CA (November 14, 2003) Mayor Alan Autry applauded President George W. Bush and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for releasing over $7 million in grants to the City of Fresno. This grant will be used to fund and improve overall security and preparedness of the City’s Public Safety Departments.

“I commend President Bush not only for providing these much needed Homeland Security funds, but also understanding that as our first responders, local public safety agencies must receive these resources directly,” Mayor Autry said.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced the release of these funds yesterday. A total of $675 million will be funded directly to urban areas across the Country. The areas funded were chosen based on several factors including critical infrastructure, population density, and credible threat information.

Sept 12, 2002 - Letter from President George W. Bush

(September 11, 2002) Mayor Alan Autry today announced the creation of the Fresno Citizen Corps to bring additional volunteer resources to the City's public safety and emergency response agencies, as well as support other civic centered efforts throughout the community.

http://www.fresnocitizencorps.org/president.pdf

But on the way out to the facility, Alan Autry, was traveling with me, the great mayor of Fresno, California, and I appreciate him being here today and I thank him for his friendship. (Applause.) http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031015-14.html

[Jim Robinson]

http://libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=33683

[Support Free Republic]

Rank	Location	Receipts	Donors/Avg		Freepers/Avg		Monthlies
37	Louisiana	185.00	5	37.00	178	1.04	38.00	5

Thanks for donating to Free Republic!

Move your locale up the leaderboard!

[mylife]

Congats Jim!

[Jim Robinson]

You gotta see this:

http://libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=33683

ROFLMAOAPIMP

[Peach]

LOL. Those people are truly delusional.

Glad you won the lawsuit.

[NormsRevenge]

LOL... A Millionaire, eh? Betcha ya can get a nice motorhome for a million. ;-)

[maui_hawaii]

Pu-leeze.

[farmfriend]

Pretty funny but why are you even bothering with Liberty Post?

[Tijeras_Slim]

BWHAHAHAHAHA! WE ARE EVERYWHERE!

[AAABEST]

Is there any truth to this? I'm confused. Talk to us.

[Jim Robinson]

Thank God Bush and the Republican Party came through for FR once again. You know they also paid the Washington Post and LA Times to get off our backs. I know it's true because I read it on the LibertyPost!

Wooo hoo!!

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Progressive activists have long suspected FreeRepublic receives under the table covert funding directly or indirectly from the GOP party.

You wish, eh Jim? How much did the GOP pledge in the latest Freepathon?? ;-)

[Tijeras_Slim]

Check this thread out.

[Pukin Dog]

Just don't hurt yourself laughing too hard. Pinch yourself, or have someone slug you so you don't cramp up. Victory is so sweet, isn't it?

[international american]

AND WE MULTIPLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tijeras_Slim]

You got a one-track mind... :)

[MEG33]

WOW..Such influence over the White House.I had no idea.LOL

[Pukin Dog]

Oh, and since you have pull with Bush, could you let him know that I need a new Corvette?

[Peach]

Okay, because you posted a link, I went there for what is only the second time.

They are NUTS. Of course, there are a few sleepers here on FR I'd like to send over there, but I will desist.

Wouldn't want to get sued for cruel and unusual punishment.

[international american]

ROTF................

[CindyDawg]

Why not? Everything else seems to be his fault:')

[Peach]

Perhaps he (President Bush) can even come on a Freeper cruise. Since he's such a fan, of course. LOL

[Jim Robinson]

Yeah, at the rate Bush's paying off to FR, I'm going to own a whole fleet of luxury motorhomes. Maybe a fleet of yachts too! Is a fleet of corporate jets out of the question? Apparently not! When you shill for the Republicans, the sky is the limit! WOOO HOO!!!

Go George Go!! (oh, yeah, we're on a first name basis now)

[clintonh8r]

libertypost....Another site to be avoided.

[AAABEST]

OK I'm an idiot and totally out of the loop.

Was there a settlement? If so I'm completely in the dark.

[Mark]

...that FreeRepublic was well known as an organized hate group disguising themselves as patriotic americans.

Well known. uh? I feel victimized.

[tutstar]

bttt

[NeoCaveman]

So, does this mean we won't need future freepathons :-D

[Kuksool]

The gift is to chuckle at TLBSHOW's "truth".

[Senator Pardek]

"Someday, Alan - and that day may never come, I will call
upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this
Money as a gift for Fresno's security..."

[international american]

Actually, all the covert monies paid to FR are being held in the Caymans by Conspiracy Guy, who is CEO of Covert Communications Corporation. Conspiracy Guy could not be reached for comment....evolving.......

[CindyDawg]

Since he's such a fan, of course. LOL

HMM. Maybe we ought to hide the immigration poll results:')

[Catspaw]

Go for the Coachman Rendevous 352DS. It has a king-sized bed :-))

[Johnny_Cipher]

Go for the Coachman Rendevous 352DS. It has a king-sized bed

Does that come with the Cummins diesel? They're built like brick ****houses and will run forever.

[Happy2BMe]

FR holds it's own PING!

[NeoCaveman]

Actually, all the covert monies paid to FR are being held in the Caymans by Conspiracy Guy, who is CEO of Covert Communications Corporation. Conspiracy Guy could not be reached for comment....evolving.......

Hey CG, my latest tanker of Iraqi crude is late.....

[Enterprise]

From the Fresno Bee, 1/9/04:

"The Fresno Human Relations Commission chairwoman who called a local conservative organization a "hate group" resigned as the city reached a lawsuit settlement over her comments."

"Debbie Reyes said in an e-mail that she resigned because of a job opportunity."

Buh bye Debbie.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Wow...they really connected the dots, didn't they? But good!

[Jonah Hex]

snort...chuckle...stifled laugh...bwhahahaBwahahaBWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!...(coughing)

Oops, sorry, I don't know what came over me there for a moment. Carry on, Jim.

:-)<

[Slings and Arrows]

Hey! Don't us Zionist Neocon Conspirators get any credit? We control everything, you know.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Congratulations Jim and coffee does taste better out of a
Free Republic cup!

[e_engineer]

Maybe Fresno's legal counsel advised them to settle out of court, and some liberals with inside info are planning to use it to try to smear GWB by implicating him in it?

Be interesting if you get an offer to settle.

[kingu]

Ok, I thought the liberals were [Kerry word] dumb, but my gawd, that thread makes some of the liberals I know look like intellectual giants.

I'm just wondering when they'll get together to gather contributions to send to the city of Fresno to pay for your 'huge settlement'.

[Peach]

Oh, yeah - I'd forgotten she "resigned". Hah.

[Strider]

Settlement funnels money to local conservative website on orders of president George Bush.

All Your Money Are Belong To JimRob.

[samantha]

Is Alan Autry the actor that played the deputy on the tv show"HEAT OF THE NIGHT"? Whomever wrote this is using GOP wrong. It is either the republican party or the GOP,not the GOP party. That is like saying the grand old party party. Must be a dumb,I mean dem.

[Pubbie]

I didn't know we had that much influence!

[Peach]

LOL. He's taken a bashing over that matter for sure.

[bert]

Ho, ho,ho.

I think the lefties are upset at loosing a law suit.

I hope you spend part of the $5 million giving all good FReepers FR coffee mugs.

[Catspaw]

Naw, it's a gas engine. I'll have to check after the game to see if Coachman has an diesel RV with a king-sized bed in the back.