Free Republic

Jefferson's criminal sentencing, bankruptcy hearing a month apartBy Jonathan Tilove November 03, 2009, 6:52AM Former Rep. William Jefferson will face sentencing Nov. 13 on 11 counts of federal public corruption. But it will not be the last court hearing this fall for Jefferson. On Dec. 9, if he is still a free man, Jefferson is due to appear before Judge Jerry A. Brown in United States Bankruptcy Court in New Orleans to argue that he and his wife should be able to keep their wedding rings and that his family has the right to hold onto one of his guns....

Zvi Goffer, was charged with insider trading.......nicknamed "Octopussy" for having so many sources of information. Goffer -- formererly with Galleon Group hedge-funder Raj Rajaratnam (busted last month on related insider-trading) -- allegedly led a rogue group on an "illegal tip-and-trade binge" that raked in upwards of $20M between April 07-May 08. The ring took "a page from drug dealers' playbook," using "hard-to-trace, pre-paid cellphones to avoid detection. According to a SEC complaint, Goffer, 32, gave one of his tipees a disposable phone to share info about the impending acquisition of 3Com. After the deal was announced, Goffer pulled out the...

President Barack Obama has RSVPed “nein” to Chancellor Merkel’s invitation to Germany to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. National Review Online asked a few experts what this snub reveals about our current president. [....] FRANK GAFFNEY: Nine words say it all: Undermine our allies. Embolden our enemies. Diminish our country. That’s the Obama Doctrine in a nutshell, and the slighting of Germany with regard to one of the most symbolic and consequential expressions of the quest for freedom undertaken in the teeth of Soviet oppression does all three. — Frank J. Gaffney Jr. is...

Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Eric Cantor, the second-ranking Republican in the U.S. House, said his party needs to be inclusive and criticized some comments by talk-show host Rush Limbaugh as inappropriate. “The Republican Party in its roots is a party of inclusion and we ought to be promoting that and making sure that voices are heard,” Cantor, of Virginia, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” airing today.

Man charged in soldier's death seeks trial delayPosted: October 27, 2009 - 12:40pm LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Attorneys for the man charged with capital murder of an Army soldier at a Little Rock recruiting station are asking for a delay in the start of his trial. Lawyers for 24-year-old Abdulhakim Muhammad say in a motion filed last week that they need more time to go through evidence in the case. The current trial date is Feb. 15. Muhammad was born Carlos Bledsoe. He's charged in the June shooting death of 23-year-old Pvt. William Long of Conway and in the wounding...

Today at 2pm the House Rules Committee will meet to consider the rule for H.R. 3962 , the Affordable Health Care for America Act. As of this morning 104 amendments had been filed with the Rules Committee for consideration. Republican’s have filed 87 amendments and Democrats have filed 17. The debate in the Rules Committee and a final vote could continue well into this evening.The rule being debated today will not only cover HR 3962 but will also apply to HR 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, also known as the Doc Fix. This is a procedural gimmick that...

Whether you call it a rally, press conference or "House Call," Republicans think Thursday's Capitol Hill Tea Party was a success -- and they are crediting Rep. Michele Bachmann for having the pizazz to increase turnout and press coverage. "We didn't know what to expect, we didn't know what kind of energy would be there, but this thing took a life of its own," Brendan Buck, spokesman for the Republican Study Committee, told TPMDC. "It came together better than we ever imagined it would in terms of size and energy," he said. After chatting with press aides from various Republican offices,...

Reporting from Nogales, Ariz.-- Alan Bersin is back at the border and on the move. On the third day of a sprint through Texas and Arizona, a law enforcement convoy zooms into Nogales. Riding in a sport utility vehicle, Bersin scans a dusty landscape that he knows well: this desert town of 20,000 with its fast-food joints and discount shops facing the pastel facades and helter-skelter skyline of Nogales, Mexico, a city of 300,000 just south of the fence. Bersin, a compact 63-year-old with the stride of a former star football player at Harvard, arrives at the Nogales station, the...

... don’t believe the fact that Hoffman is a social conservative was the reason for his loss, but when it comes to priorities, Simon makes a point worth considering: Hoffman’s capital “C” Conservative campaign tried to separate itself from the majority parties by making a big deal of the social issues. He was all upset that Scozzafava was pro-gay marriage, seemingly as upset as he was with her support for the stimulus plan. The majority of Americans are conservative — not just on matters of fiscal policy, but also on many social issues. After all, in the last presidential campaign...

SILVER SPRING, Maryland (AFP) – Islam is "not responsible" for the bloodbath at an army base in Texas where Muslim-American army Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly gunned down 13 people, the prayer leader at the mosque where the officer regularly worshipped said Friday. "We offer our condolences and prayers to the families that have a person who died," said Imam Mohammed Abdullahi over loud-speakers that carried the weekly Muslim prayer to several hundred worshippers gathered at the mosque. "Islam is not responsible," he stressed. Many of the worshippers who had come to the mosque in this suburb of Washington knew...

Fannie Mae will tap the Treasury again; bad mortgages and foreclosure prevention efforts resulted in a $18.9B net loss in Q-3. F/M was seized by the govt last year. The Q-3 loss stems from $22B in expenses: charges on impaired loans it bought from mortgage-backed securities on loans modified under Obama's foreclosure prevention plan. Anticipating more losses, F/M also boosted provisions for credit losses in future quarters.

Link only - Matheson to vote against health reform

Charlie could catch a breakBy DAPHNE RETTER Last Updated: 7:50 AM, November 6, 2009 WASHINGTON -- Rep. Charles Rangel is likely to be cleared on one of a half-dozen ethics charges, it was reported yesterday. Rangel and four other members of the Congressional Black Caucus may be exonerated of allegations of rule violations stemming from a 2008 trip to the Caribbean for a conference, according to the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call. **SNIP** Members of Congress are barred from accepting multiday trips from companies that employ lobbyists.

<p>In trying to keep up with which blue dogs are on record as saying they will vote against Obamacare, I have culled this from Freeper news posts today.</p>

While no one yet knows what ignited Major Nidal Malik Hasan's murderous rage Thursday afternoon, Nov. 5, at Fort Hood, the kindling was hiding in plain sight. The Army had ordered Hasan, wrestling with the conflicting demands of being a soldier, a psychiatrist and a Muslim, to the post with the highest toll of Army suicides. Fort Hood is one of the Army's most stressed posts because of its units' revolving-door deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Finally, the Army made clear that Hasan couldn't escape his own pending deployment to Afghanistan, where he'd have to salve the mental wounds of...

Suspect arrested in Orlando shooting, one dead By Andy Boyle, Shirl Kennedy and Kim Wilmath, Times Staff Writers Posted: Nov 06, 2009 12:51 PM Police have arrested the man they say shot one person to death and wounded four others Friday at a downtown Orlando office building where he had been fired from an engineering firm two years ago, the Orlando Sentinel reported. The suspect, Jason Rodriguez, 40, was arrested at about 2 p.m., the Sentinel reported, more than two hours after the shooting. He was taken into custody at the home of his mother about eight miles away from...

U.S. President Barack Obama says new figures that show the nation's unemployment rate reached double digits in October are a reminder of the challenges that remain. The 10.2 percent jobless figure is the highest since 1983. President Obama stood in the White House Rose Garden shortly after the number was announced, and said the U.S. economy has more work to do on reducing unemployment. "Although we lost fewer jobs than we did last month, our unemployment rate climbed to over 10 percent, a sobering number that underscores the economic challenges that lie ahead," said President Obama. The Labor Department says...

AP Sources: 1 rampage gun purchased legally By LARA JAKES and DEVLIN BARRETT (AP) – 20 minutes ago WASHINGTON — A 5.7-millimeter pistol used in the Fort Hood shooting was purchased legally by suspect Nidal Hasan at a Texas gun shop, law enforcement officials said Friday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. Records indicate Hasan bought the FN 5.7 at store called "Guns Galore" in Killeen, Texas, well before the attack that left 13 people dead, one of the officials said. The pistol has been dubbed a "cop killer" by...

Islamic jihadists routinely characterize anti-terror efforts as part of a "war on Islam." But of course, there is no war on terror, and there is no war on Islam. There is just the Islamic jihad against the U.S. and the West. "Hasan Called War on Terror 'War Against Islam,' Classmate Says," by Justin Blum for Bloomberg, November 6: Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people and wounding 30 others at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas, regularly described the war on terror as "a war against Islam," according to a...

Michelle Obama is to be the first presidential wife to appear on a reality TV series. The First Lady will make a guest appearance on 'Iron Chef America' which features British cook Nigella Lawson as a judge. The episode of the popular series, which pits well-known chefs against each others, has been filmed at the White House and will be aired in the New Year. Many of the ingredients for the meals prepared in the show were chosen from the recently planted White House vegetable garden.

Rep. Michele Bachmann stood alone at a podium at the foot of the Capitol Thursday, blowing kisses and waving to the fawning crowd of thousands she had assembled. The tea party rally against a Democratic-written health care bill was over, and the other lawmakers had cleared the stage. But the love affair between Bachmann and her fans was reaching its apex. Brushing off an aide’s reminder to go inside and vote, the fiery Minnesotan with the fierce blue eyes descended toward a crowd penned in by the stone walls of the Capitol lawn. She leaned across the barrier to grasp...

Green groups and activists for the developing world on Thursday accused rich nations of tiptoeing away from vows to seal a binding, far-reaching UN treaty on climate change in Copenhagen next month. Their bitter response came after European Union (EU) negotiators in Barcelona spelt out the likelihood that the much-trumpeted pact would be concluded in 2010, not at the December 7-18 meeting as planned. The talks, launched under a two-year "road map" in Bali, call for a global accord to curb emissions of heat-trapping carbon gases beyond 2012 and channel funds to poor countries most threatened by drought, floods, storms...

I recently sat down with legendary investor Ted Forstmann to discuss why, on the one-year anniversary of the financial meltdown, the press has largely ignored the role of government in creating the meltdown—and possibly setting the stage for another one—by allowing Wall Street to borrow cheaply and easily during the past three decades. "I guess reporters think writing about greedy investment bankers is more interesting," Mr. Forstmann laughed. [....] The greed merchants needed a co-conspirator, Mr. Forstmann argues, and that co-conspirator is and was the United States government. "They're always there waiting to hand out free money," he said. "They...

President Obama said Friday he met with FBI chief Robert Mueller and other federal agencies to discuss what may have caused Nidal Malik Hasan to turn on his comrades in Thursday's shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead and 28 wounded. In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting at a U.S. base, President Obama on Friday cautioned against jumping to conclusions on the motive of the suspect. "We don't know all the answers yet and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts," Obama said on the White House lawn.

An Army private first class from southwest suburban Bolingbrook was one of the 13 people killed in the rampage at Fort Hood, his family said. Michael Pearson, 21, joined the Army slightly more than a year ago and was training to deactivate bombs, said his mother, Sheryll.

On a chilly morning, President Obama came to the Rose Garden Friday morning to try to offer reassurance in the wake of both the Fort Hood shootings and dismal economic news, suggesting -- regarding the latter issue -- that he was considering even more economic stimulus measures. (snip) Turning to this morning's news that unemployment has risen to 10.2%, the president also announced that he signed into law a bill that he said "will help grow our economy, save and create new jobs, and provide relief to struggling families and businesses," the need for which was "made clear by the...

While roaming the grounds of the US Capitol yesterday, Kristinn Taylor obtained a list of possible democrat defectors of the now infamous “Healthcare” bill. Kristinn was asked to post this list of wobbly democrats on FreeRepublic in an effort to mobilize our forces and overwhelm these members with phone calls and e-mails asking them to vote NO on the socialization of our healthcare. We also learned that Nancy Pelosi had just scheduled the vote for tomorrow; Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 6:00 PM. For all those who were unable to answer the call to surround the Capitol yesterday, here is...

Thousands of grass-roots conservatives streamed to Capitol Hill Thursday, heeding a call to action from Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who decided that speaking out was better than staying silent about the Democrats’ health care bill. A steady stream of protestors toting signs reading “Kill the Bill,” “Free Healthcare Isn’t Free” and “No Obama Care” gathered at the West Front of the Capitol for the noontime “House Call” event. As the crowd swelled, so did the ranks of Republican lawmakers, many of whom ended up joining Bachmann on the stage. Bachmann announced plans for the rally – which she called a...

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama said Friday the entire nation is grieving for those slain at Fort Hood, and he urged people not to jump to conclusions while law enforcement officers investigate the shootings. Obama met Friday morning with FBI Director Robert Mueller and other federal leaders to get an update on what they've learned. Thirteen people were killed and 30 others injured in the shooting rampage at the Texas Army post on Thursday. The suspected shooter is an Army psychiatrist; his motive remains unclear. "We don't know all the answers yet. And I would caution against jumping to...

A freshman Democrat on Thursday said that Republican lawmakers' attendance at the "House Call" protest was "the saddest thing I've seen here."Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) chided GOPers from skipping out on official House business, including the swearing in ceremony for a special election winner. He made his comment on Twitter:W/few courageous exceptions, GOP caucus walks out en masse as 2 new members (dems from specials) are sworn in. Saddest thing I've seen here.Former Lt. Gov. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) was sworn in this afternoon on the House floor. Garamendi replaced former Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) who took a position at the...

Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist, murdered twelve people and wounded twenty-one inside Fort Hood in Texas yesterday, while, according to eyewitnesses, “shouting something in Arabic while he was shooting.” Investigators are scratching their heads and expressing puzzlement about why he did it. According to NPR, “the motive behind the shootings was not immediately clear, officials said.” The Washington Post agreed: “The motive remains unclear, although some sources reported the suspect is opposed to U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq and upset about an imminent deployment.” The Huffington Post spun faster, asserting that “there is no concrete...

Fort Hood Texas Shootings Free Republic Archives This thread is for everyone, be sure to bookmark it. If you create a new thread, feel free to post a link to it here as well. Our prayers Continue...... *Update:13 Soldiers Killed 31 Wounded Fort Hood Shooting [Muslim terrorist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan] *MAJ. GEN. ROBERT SCALES (RET.) "This was a deliberate act of execution." (FOX NEWS) *Barack Obama Gives "Shout-Out" Before He Comments on Shooting -- FOX News (here's the video) *Transcript: President Obama delivers remarks on Ft. Hood shooting (after shoutout) *NBC CHICAGO: Obama's Frightening Insensitivity Following Shooting *Obama...

A police officer who intervened to stop a shooting spree at America's biggest military base was hailed today a heroine as she received treatment for the wounds received in a shoot-out with the gunman. Major Nidal Hasan, an army psychiatrist due to be posted to Afghanistan, shot dead 13 people and wounded 30 others after opening fire with two handguns at Fort Hood yesterday afternoon. But the death toll from the rampage could have been far worse had it not been for the actions of Sergeant Kimberly Munley, a civilian police officer stationed at the base who was the first...

Interesting article about the shootings and the dangers of infiltrators. Article points out police stations are high risk for these attacks.

Virginia Tech this morning confirmed that Fort Hood shooting suspect Nadal Malik Hasan graduated from the university in 1995. Here's the full news release. Virginia Tech has confirmed with the United States Army Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Va., that the alleged shooter at Fort Hood, Texas, once attended Virginia Tech. According to Virginia Tech records, Nidal Malik Hasan first enrolled at Virginia Tech for Summer Session II in 1992, and completed coursework in Spring Semester 1995. He received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in biochemistry from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He minored in biology...

He handed out Korans? But didn't what he read in the Book of Peace make him think that he shouldn't go through with the massacre? Or maybe he read that Paradise was guaranteed to those who "kill and are killed" for Allah (9:111), and took that seriously. Note also that he affected Islamic clothing -- as did another "moderate," Maher Hawash, before the latter embarked upon his jihad. "Police raid shooting suspect's Killeen apartment," by Victor O'Brien for the Killeen Daily Herald, November 6 (thanks to Ernest): Bell County SWAT teams barricaded and evacuated a downtown Killeen apartment complex where...

Poland votes against Israel war crimes investigationNov. 6, 2009 Poland has joined the United States in voting against a UN resolution to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes in the Gaza StripThe allegations were levied against Israel in the so-called Goldstone Report on the Gaza conflict earlier this year.Last month, Poland also voted against the Goldstone Report at the UN Human Rights Council. The report, released in September 2009, is a UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, led by Richard Goldstone of South Africa. The report, condemned by Israel for bias, accused both Palestinian militants and Israeli Defense Forces...

Muhammad Atta said: "Shout, 'Allahu Akbar,' because this strikes fear in the hearts of the non-believers."

Reconstruction of Ryongchon In 2004 much of the town of Ryongchon was tragically destroyed in a large explosion. Here is the Wikipedia page on the disaster if you would like a quick reference. I compiled a couple of images to construct this “before” picture of Ryongchon: Notice that the center of town is composed largely of traditional houses. Here is the first “after” image (which is the default image on Google Earth): As you can see a large number of traditional houses were destroyed as well as a school. Below I have compiled more recent images to show how the...

From major conferences at the Moscone Center to small coffee shops in the Mission, San Franciscans are buzzing about Mayor Gavin Newsom and the stunning turn of fortune that in a few short days took him from being a candidate for governor to hiding out in Hawaii. From Newsom's highs, like his law-breaking same-sex marriages in 2004, to his lows, like an admitted affair and alcohol problem in 2007, the telegenic, risk-prone mayor has always given his constituents something to wag their tongues about - and this bizarre chapter is no different. Last Friday, hours after speaking before a bank...

<p>The Muslim Army psychiatrist who allegedly opened fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood and killed 13 aggressively pushed Islam on his patients to the point he was disciplined over the issue, according to a report today.</p> <p>Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, is suspected of opening fire with two handguns yesterday at the Texas base's readiness center, where soldiers were getting last-minute checkups before deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan .</p>

Washington -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gladly pocketed one more precious Democratic vote for health care legislation Thursday, swearing in Bay Area Rep. John Garamendi as key Republican gubernatorial victories this week in Virginia and New Jersey rattled moderate Democrats before a showdown vote set for Saturday. Two California Democrats, moderates Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa from the San Joaquin Valley, remain uncommitted. "We are right on the brink," Pelosi said. "We have a historic opportunity for us to again provide quality health care for all Americans. It is something that many of us have worked our whole political lifetimes...

Two soldiers are missing in western Afghanistan after failing to return from a routine resupply mission two days ago, Nato officials have said.

White House spokesman Bill Burton told Fox News that President Obama's visit to the Army's top medical facility was planned before Thursday's shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead and 30 wounded. In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting at a U.S. base, President Obama plans to visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center Friday. White House spokesman Bill Burton told Fox News that Obama's visit to the Army's top medical facility was planned before Thursday's shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead and 30 wounded. Although it didn't appear on the White Houses'...

GM's about-face has angered both Opel workers and European governments. In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, union leader and Opel board member Armin Schild blasts GM for mismanagement and says that the US company is uninterested in saving the Opel brand. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mr. Schild, General Motors has decided not to sell Opel after all, preferring to restructure the German automaker itself. What do Opel employees think of the plan? Armin Schild: GM is going to continue pursuing company policies that have already led to the firm's decline over the last 20 years. Pressure on the employees and on the...

Last week liberal Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz decided to use a House Judiciary Committee hearing as a forum to slam the brave men and women of our armed forces. The hearing was on the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which defines attacks against another person on the basis of religion, national origin, gender and sexual orientation as hate crimes. At the hearing, Congressman Tom Rooney — a former member of the U.S. military — offered an amendment to make attacks against veterans hate crimes as well. Well, that idea didn't sit well with Congresswoman Wassermann Schultz. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)...

The Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring was empty Thursday night, but inside, the phone didn't stop ringing. Members of the mosque where Maj. Nidal M. Hasan had been a regular attendee and members of the media wanted to know about the place where the suspect in the shootings at Fort Hood, Tex., had prayed seven days a week, often in his Army fatigues. Arshad Qureshi, chairman of the center's board of trustees, said he tried to answer every call to convey the message that the center stands for peace. "We want to show there is a tiny portion of...

[*] OBAMA: Please, everybody, have a seat. Let me first of all just thank Ken and the entire Department of the Interior staff for organizing just an extraordinary conference. I want to thank my Cabinet members and senior administration officials who participated today. I hear that Dr. Joe Medicine Crow (ph) was around, and so I want to give a shout out to that Congressional Medal of Honor winner. It's good to see you. (APPLAUSE) My understanding is is that you had an extremely productive conference. I want to thank all of you for coming and for your efforts, and...

(SNIP) But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and, inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a "shout-out" to "Dr. Joe Medicine Crow -- that Congressional Medal of Honor winner." Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him?

Thousands of conservative activists answered Rep. Michele Bachmann's call to come to Washington and protest the Democratic health care expansions being pushed through Congress. Standing at the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, the activists chanted, "Kill the bill," and cheered Republican members of Congress who promised to vote against it. Conservative stars such as "Liberty and Tyranny" author Mark Levin and actor Jon Voight spoke to the crowd, drawing attention to, as Mr. Levin put it, "the wrecking ball" the Democratic majority "has taken to this magnificent society." Mrs. Bachmann, Minnesota Republican, had asked activists to attend her...