On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid invoked a little known procedural rule, known as "Rule 21." This procedure, which mandates that all journalists and visitors leave the Senate Chamber, was used for the first time in 25 years. (Hmm .. think they might use this in their political ads??)
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Why Harry Reid Pulled The Rule 21 Stunt
However, once again the news media are being deceptive with the American people as reporters perform their function as the propaganda arm of the Democrat Party.
For instance, the news contained no mention of the leaked November 2003 strategy memorandum which emanated from Democrat Senator Jay Rockefeller's office. Basically it was the strategy designed to hurt the Bush Administration no matter what a bipartisan investigation revealed. Part of that Rockefeller memo stated:
"Pull the majority along as far as we can on issues that may lead to major new disclosures regarding improper or questionable conduct by administration officials. We are having some success in that regard [with the CIA leak investigation].
"Prepare to launch an independent investigation when it becomes clear we have exhausted the opportunity to usefully collaborate with the majority. We can pull the trigger on an independent investigation of the administration's use of intelligence at any time. But we can only do so once."
(snip)
This is not known generally because the mainstream news media decided to stay mum about it: the Democrats don't want their statements to be included in the final senate report on pre-Iraq intelligence. According to senate staffers, the final report will contain statements made by Senators John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Teddy Kennedy, Jay Rockefeller and many others who claimed Saddam had weapons of mass destruction.
It will contain statements made by former President Bill Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and foreign intelligence leaders all of whom claimed they had evidence that Saddam had -- or was working on -- weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons. The final report will also contain material that refutes allegations leveled at President Bush by the left's pride and joy, Joe Wilson. The Democrats do not want this information disseminated to Americans.
In other words, the Democrats would appear complicit in moving the United States towards war in Iraq if a final senate reports contains their quotes. Their rhetoric would appear hypocritical if they continued their rants against the Bush Administration.
The Democrats invoked Rule 21 in order to claim the Republicans were dragging their feet on finishing their investigation and report. But indeed it was the Democrats who were blocking the completion of the senate report. They do not want the American people to know the truth. They do not want the American people reminded that in the run-up to the Iraq war, most of the Democrat senators were on board for the preemptive attack on Saddam. One can only hope and pray the Republicans don't cave in to Democrat demands, which is their usual reaction to Democrat Party vitriol. Perhaps the GOP will realize they have to actively fight the Democrats who are playing for keeps. But don't hold your breath.
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Pat Roberts on deFace The Nation:
He and Reid have been discussing this issue .. it's not new
Dims gave 350 names who made policy statements about whether we should go to war. (gee, I'm surprised they can count over 108)
Then all statements made by the politicans from the time were gathered -- (Dims hate to see their old words, but they have time to ready their blame and scapegoating defense).
Then, we would compare that to the the intelligence we had
We have 511-pg. WMD report which said there was bum intelligence ... 250 analysts were asked: did you receive any pressure to stilt the intelligence? All said no ...
We had the Butler Comm. report, saying the intelligence was flawed, but came to same conclusion = there was no pressure to stilt the intelligence.
"This is a BIG job .. let's roll up our sleeves and get her done."
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Did we hear about this from the MSM???
Senator arranged for grant now involved in indictment of pastors
By TONY BATT, STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- The money that led to the indictment this week of two Las Vegas pastors and the wife of one of them came from federal grants arranged by Sen. Harry Reid in September 2001, a Reid spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Moving to distance Reid from a possible scandal, aide Tessa Hafen said the senator sought the money on behalf of a nonprofit social services agency and not for the churches or persons who have been accused of mishandling the money.
"The money was administered by the Department of Justice, and it went to the agency in Nevada (Alliance Collegiums Association of Nevada)," Hafen said.
The Rev. Willie Davis, the longtime pastor of Second Baptist Church, and his wife, Emma, were indicted Tuesday on fraud charges with an associate minister, the Rev. McTheron Jones.
They are accused of spending $330,000 from federal grants on themselves although the money was intended for halfway houses for prison inmates in Southern Nevada.
The indictment identifies Willie Davis as president of the Alliance Collegiums Association of Nevada board of directors.
In late 2002, Emma Davis became executive director, and Jones was assistant director.
According to the indictment, a grant of $423,000 was approved for the alliance in September 2002.
The indictment charges the defendants of using the grant money to benefit themselves.
A Reid relationship with the Second Baptist Church surfaced in 1997, when the senator donated $250 to the church where Davis was and still is pastor.
The money came from John Huang, who was convicted of making illegal contributions to the 1996 re-election campaign of President Clinton.
At about the same time, Reid donated another $250 from Huang to the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Las Vegas.
Reid said he made the contributions to the churches instead of returning the money to Huang because he did not think Huang deserved it.
Hafen said Reid has not made contributions to Davis or his church since 1997.
Reid has attended services at the Second Baptist Church "about three or four times" since 1997, Hafen said.
"He says hello to the pastor (Davis) when he goes to the church, but apart from that, the only other time he has seen him was in May when he met with about 30 or 40 ministers to organize a faith-based summit," Hafen said.
JOHN HUANG???? .. WHAT'S THAT CONNECTION ABOUT??? I swear, if they conducted intestinal surgery on any 4 Dims this week, they'd still be seaping Bubba bile from somewhere in their innards.
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Love Roberts ..he's the best.
It must strain his last very nerve to deal with SeedyReid.
He could use some moral support .. here's contact info:
Roberts, Pat- (R - KS)
109 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4774 email: roberts.senate.gov/e-mail_pat.html
Bottom line: Thank God for transcripts, tapes, the internet, Rush, Sean and FR (bless you, Jim).