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[Avon Barksdale]

I was sure worried about Walker. Not anymore I guess.

Remember when people thought the GOP's finest sat out 2012 to wait for 2016 which is why they had to settle for Mitt? Well here we are and Mitt would be far better than anything they have to put out there. Amazing that they're seriously down to Rand Paul and Jeb Bush as their best hopes.

Don't worry, the Republicans have a deep

Spoiler

shit

bench.

 

[B-Dubs]

Good news for Wisconsin's Democratic challenger. Never heard of her until I googled her name just now: Mary Burke.

Also lol Walker.

Also, Josh Marshall is alleging new news about Bridgegate is forthcoming. Today is like Christmas!

Specifically:



And in reply to someone asking what it was about:

Man, this is getting good.

 

[The Librarian]

McCarthy is majority leader. Whip vote next.

 

[TacticalFox88]

Good news for Wisconsin's Democratic challenger. Never heard of her until I googled her name just now: Mary Burke.

Also lol Walker.

Also, Josh Marshall is alleging new news about Bridgegate is forthcoming. Today is like Christmas!

Specifically:



And in reply to someone asking what it was about:

 

[Wilsongt]

McCarthy is majority leader. Whip vote next.

I guess they could have done worse...

 

[eBay Huckster]

I guess they could have done worse...

Short of the Democrats actually winning back the majority, McCarthy's probably the best option.

(Either way, we only have to wait two years.)

 

[Aaron Strife]

Don't worry PD, Walker could still win. After all, Democrats are just mad at him because he's presiding over a great economy!

Wisconsin ranked 37th in private sector job growth last year, federal employment numbers released Thursday show.

Wisconsin added about 28,141 private-sector jobs during 2013, a 1.2 percent increase, the numbers show. The state lagged the national growth rate of 2.1 during that time period.

The latest statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, known as the Quarterly Census on Employment and Wages (QCEW), have been called the "gold standard" on job creation numbers.

The numbers provide a more complete picture of how many jobs have been created in the state since Gov. Scott Walker took office in Jan. 2011. Walker's pledge to help create 250,000 private sector jobs by 2015 was a key campaign promise during his 2010 gubernatorial bid, but it appears highly unlikely that he will meet his jobs promise by the end of his term.

About 104,272 private sector jobs have been created in Wisconsin since Walker became governor, according to recent State Journal calculations using federal data.

Oh shit!

 

[Sibylus]

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-obama-iraq-story.html

I wonder how long until "We do not have the ability to solve this problem" get's quoted out of context.

Sanity reigns.

 

[RustyNails]

Din't PD say walker will be GOP's dark horse in 2016?

 

[thepotatoman]

So Scalise the Chairman of the RSC that releases budgets right of the Ryan budgets and votes against any of Boehners compromises just became Whip as expected. That's going to be where things get a bit more interesting in this Republican infighting story. I wonder if he'll just all of a sudden become just another establishment politician or if he'll use his position to rally the tea party against the establishment.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

McCarthy is majority leader. Whip vote next.

Told y'all.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

So Scalise the Chairman of the RSC that releases budgets right of the Ryan budgets and votes against any of Boehners compromises just became Whip as expected. That's going to be where things get a bit more interesting in this Republican infighting story. I wonder if he'll just all of a sudden become just another establishment politician or if he'll use his position to rally the tea party against the establishment.

He won with southern votes. He'll push them right or be a thorn in their side.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Din't PD say walker will be GOP's dark horse in 2016?

This reminds me of when the Rev. Wright videos came out, everyone started freaking out and wrote Obama off, but I stuck to my prediction that he would be the nominee.

 

[RustyNails]

I heard 1/3rd of McCarthy's district are Latinos. He is going to get teabagged so hard.

 

[Wilsongt]

This reminds me of when the Rev. Wright videos came out, everyone started freaking out and wrote Obama off, but I stuck to my prediction that he would be the nominee.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

Good news for Wisconsin's Democratic challenger. Never heard of her until I googled her name just now: Mary Burke.

Also lol Walker.

Also, Josh Marshall is alleging new news about Bridgegate is forthcoming. Today is like Christmas!

Specifically:



And in reply to someone asking what it was about:

I'm guessing this is the Bridgegate info Marshall's referring to:

EXCLUSIVE: PROSECUTOR IS CLOSING IN ON GOV. CHRISTIE
Indictments against four cronies are near certain, sources say. Only question is if David Samson, Christie's longtime crony, will flip.

Fishman’s timetable is unclear -- he has yet to send out target letters even to the lower-hanging fruit: Wildstein and Baroni, and Bridget Kelly and Bill Stepien, Christie’s former Deputy Chief of Staff and his former campaign manager, each deeply implicated in the Fort Lee/GWB debacle. One source expects Fishman to return some indictments as soon as next month. Both sources say that all of those four certainly will be indicted -- and both further note that Fishman, an Obama appointee, hopes to see the entire matter resolved before this President’s term expires. “But Fishman is really focused on Christie,” says one source. “Ultimately, he believes he'll get to the governor."

 

[speculawyer]

I'm guessing this is the Bridgegate info Marshall's referring to:

EXCLUSIVE: PROSECUTOR IS CLOSING IN ON GOV. CHRISTIE
Indictments against four cronies are near certain, sources say. Only question is if David Samson, Christie's longtime crony, will flip.

Is Samson the guy who's law firm did a hugely conflict of interest deal? If so, Christie's probably fucked. Because that guy needs to go to jail and I could see him squealing to avoid jail.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

Is Samson the guy who's law firm did a hugely conflict of interest deal? If so, Christie's probably fucked. Because that guy needs to go to jail and I could see him squealing to avoid jail.

I'm not sure if that's exactly it, but the article says that Samson's the guy that they have dead to rights. He's older too (in his 70's), so they're expecting him to cut a deal so he doesn't die in prison.

 

[Drakeon]

Is Samson the guy who's law firm did a hugely conflict of interest deal? If so, Christie's probably fucked. Because that guy needs to go to jail and I could see him squealing to avoid jail.

That is him yes.

For the record: I've been saying to give bridge gate time, I knew there would be more to the story. Christie isn't out of hot water yet.

 

[Aaron Strife]

This reminds me of when the Rev. Wright videos came out, everyone started freaking out and wrote Obama off, but I stuck to my prediction that he would be the nominee.

Just like you stuck to your guns on Romney winning Ohio and the presidency because of a hail-Mary, right?

 

[eBay Huckster]

man, speaking of scandals and administration-dooming emails

i like that republicans apparently know that lois lerner's emails implicate people in Many Crimes while simultaneously claiming that they've "disappeared", meaning they're some kind of clairvoyant

 

[speculawyer]

man, speaking of scandals and administration-dooming emails

i like that republicans apparently know that lois lerner's emails implicate people in Many Crimes while simultaneously claiming that they've "disappeared", meaning they're some kind of clairvoyant

Well sadly, this could be an ideal situation for them. They probably know there is no real scandal here and if they had the emails, the emails may prove that. But with the emails missing they can endlessly raise allegations that can't easily be disproved.

 

[Amir0x]

man this is some riveting shit coming out

 

[Tamanon]

Well sadly, this could be an ideal situation for them. They probably know there is no real scandal here and if they had the emails, the emails may prove that. But with the emails missing they can endlessly raise allegations that can't easily be disproved.

Yeah but it's a "scandal" that ends the second the 2016 election coverage starts. No ties to anyone.

 

[Drakeon]

Yeah but it's a "scandal" that ends the second the 2016 election coverage starts. No ties to anyone.

Unfortunately, they're going to keep fucking that Benghazi chicken. If Hillary runs/wins, get ready for 8 more years of Benghazi.

 

[Mario]

Well sadly, this could be an ideal situation for them. They probably know there is no real scandal here and if they had the emails, the emails may prove that. But with the emails missing they can endlessly raise allegations that can't easily be disproved.

I still don't understand how this ever was a scandal in the first place.

Targeting applications to investigate for possible dis-allowed political activity where those applications use names which heavily imply a political purpose or leaning seems entirely reasonable, especially when some of those groups complaining were indeed engaging in political activities.

The IRS and Obama should never have agreed there was any wrongdoing here.

 

[RustyNails]

In light of the new Bridgegate development, Christie going on late night talk shows and goofing off is very reminiscent of Blagoevich (IL governor indicted for selling Obama's senate seat) doing the same right before he got his ass thrown in jail.

 

[WayneMorse]

Presented without comment.

 

[B-Dubs]

In light of the new Bridgegate development, Christie going on late night talk shows and goofing off is very reminiscent of Blagoevich (IL governor indicted for selling Obama's senate seat) doing the same right before he got his ass thrown in jail.

Christie was a fool if he thought there wasn't going to be more coming out. No one covers their tracks that well, no one.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

 

[Wilsongt]

...

...
...
...

Idiot.

 

[benjipwns]

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/dianne-feinstein-brian-schweitzer-108083.html

Attention Brian Schweitzer: Dianne Feinstein’s husband may want a word with you.

The former Democratic Montana governor had harsh words for the Senate Intelligence chairwoman in a profile published by National Journal on Thursday, criticizing her in untoward and graphic terms as too close to the Central Intelligence Agency to then turn around and criticize it.

...

Feinstein said on Thursday she was aware of the remarks and laughed knowingly when asked about them. Her reaction: “You better keep him away from my husband.”

Feinstein then made a hand gesture indicating that Schweitzer’s remarks were not mentally balanced. “That’s all I’m going to say,” she added, before stepping onto the Senate floor.

 

[benjipwns]

That Walker story is updated: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statep...r-at-center-of-criminal-scheme-263839791.html

Prosecutors allege Gov. Scott Walker was at the center of an effort to illegally coordinate fundraising among conservative groups to help his campaign and those of Republican state senators facing recall elections during 2011 and 2012, according to documents unsealed Thursday.

In the documents, prosecutors laid out what they call an extensive "criminal scheme" to bypass state election laws by Walker, his campaign and two top Republican political operatives — R.J. Johnson and Deborah Jordahl. No one has been charged, but this marks the prosecutors' most detailed account of the investigation yet.

The governor and his close confidants helped raise money and control spending through 12 conservative groups during the recall election campaigns, according to the prosecutors' filings.

The documents include an excerpt from an email in which Walker tells Karl Rove, former top adviser to President George W. Bush, that Johnson would lead the coordination campaign. Johnson also is Walker's longtime campaign strategist and the chief adviser to Wisconsin Club for Growth, a prominent conservative group.

"Bottom-line: R.J. helps keep in place a team that is wildly successful in Wisconsin. We are running 9 recall elections and it will be like 9 congressional markets in every market in the state (and Twin Cities)," Walker wrote to Rove on May 4, 2011.

...

Beginning in March 2011 there were "open and express discussions" of the need to coordinate the activities of entities like Americans for Prosperity, Wisconsin Club for Growth, the Republican Party of Wisconsin, the Republican State Leadership Committee and the Republican Governors Association, special prosecutor Francis Schmitz wrote. Conference calls were held between the Walker campaign, the governors association and the business lobbying group Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, he wrote.

The scope of the criminal scheme under investigation "is expansive," Schmitz wrote. "It includes criminal violations of multiple elections laws, including violations of Filing a False Campaign Report or Statement and Conspiracy to File a False Campaign Report or Statement."

Walker, who is running for re-election and is considered a possible 2016 presidential candidate, responded Thursday by criticizing the case that prosecutors were trying to build.

"You've got two judges, both a state judge and a federal judge, who said that they didn't buy into the argument that has been presented at this point," Walker said, speaking to reporters after presenting awards at the 2014 Water Council Summit in Milwaukee. "I think their words speak pretty strongly both at the federal and state level."

Walker said he hadn't seen the material and couldn't respond directly to the Rove email. He indicated Johnson, his chief strategist, will remain with the campaign for the fall election.

"We've used him in the past," Walker said. "I don't see that changing in the future."

Federal Appeals Judge Frank Easterbrook unsealed the court documents Thursday as he reviews a lawsuit attempting to end the John Doe probe. Two unnamed individuals this week tried to intervene in the case to prevent the release of the records, but Easterbrook rebuffed their request.

Also Thursday, another federal judge ruled a host of other documents would mostly remain secret, though he allowed some could become public later.

The lawsuit was brought by Wisconsin Club for Growth and one of its directors, Eric O'Keefe. They allege the probe has violated their First Amendment rights to free expression. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa ruled last month to halt the investigation for now.

Wisconsin Club for Growth has alleged Chisholm and other prosecutors are on a "witch hunt" against conservatives, and a lawyer for the organization contended other documents released Thursday provided evidence of that.

...

Among the documents made public in their entirety is O'Keefe's original complaint asking Randa to halt the investigation.

The complaint says former Kenosha County Circuit Judge Barbara Kluka, the judge who originally presided over the investigation, authorized as many as 100 subpoenas "of breathtaking scope" and ordered raids "related to at least 29 organizations."

O'Keefe's complaint also describes the early-morning raids at the homes of several targets on Oct. 3, 2013.

"School-age children were home in at least two residences and school buses passed their houses during the course of the raids, which lasted over two and a half hours," O'Keefe's complaint said. "The searches were conducted by six armed sheriff's deputies with flak vests, bright lights were aimed at the houses, and multiple vehicles were parked on the lots, police lights ablaze."

The complaint says investigators took all family members' computers and cellphones, and that no one was permitted to call their attorneys.

In the suit, O'Keefe claimed prosecutors, either directly or indirectly, supplied information to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Daniel Bice for two articles — a 2010 story that broke for the first time an earlier John Doe probe; and an Oct. 21, 2013, article that revealed a second John Doe investigation had been launched.

O'Keefe charged "information from the article was leaked directly or indirectly from the DA's Office with the purpose of influencing the 2014 campaign cycle and legislative session and chilling conservative activism."

Leaks by John Doe prosecutors would violate the secrecy order imposed in such cases.

Wisconsin Club for Growth maintains that prohibition does not apply to them and other conservative groups because they did not run ads explicitly telling people how to vote. Their efforts praised Walker and criticized his Democratic opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, but escaped regulation because they did not use the phrases "vote for" or "vote against," they argue.

Randa and the second state judge overseeing the probe, state Reserve Judge Gregory Peterson, have sided with conservatives on that point. Prosecutors are seeking to overturn those rulings in state and federal court.

The prosecutors dispute the club's arguments, saying the work amounts to illegal campaign contributions.

...

Based on the prosecutors' arguments, Kluka authorized sweeping subpoenas for a number of individuals, including O'Keefe. O'Keefe was ordered to turn over scores of documents related to the recall election and other matters dating back to 2009, the new documents show.

But Peterson, who replaced Kluka on the second John Doe case, quashed the subpoenas in January and ordered the return of any property seized because he found that there was no probable cause shown that they committed any violations of the campaign finance laws.

"I am persuaded the statutes only prohibit coordination by candidates and independent organizations for a political purpose, and political purpose, with one minor exception not relevant here ... requires express advocacy," Peterson wrote in an order included in documents released Thursday. "There is no evidence of express advocacy."

Unlike typical cases, large sections of court documents in the club's lawsuit have been blacked out because the underlying investigation was supposed to be secret. Media groups have intervened in the case to try to unseal the entire case file, but unnamed targets have asked to keep it closed.

In an order Thursday, Randa declined to make public any records, saying secrecy in the case was important to protect people and entities who have been investigated but not charged.

He ordered prosecutors, the club and the unnamed people to file a report in two weeks regarding what records they each believed could be made public.

He also scolded prosecutors for their support of making records public, saying they appeared to "seek refuge in the Court of Public Opinion, having lost in this Court on the law."

 

[Oblivion]

R.I.P. Freedom of Speech.

 

[speculawyer]

Presented without comment.

Is that from now or 2003?

 

[Aaron Strife]

In light of the new Bridgegate development, Christie going on late night talk shows and goofing off is very reminiscent of Blagoevich (IL governor indicted for selling Obama's senate seat) doing the same right before he got his ass thrown in jail.

Who would have thought being a corrupt asshole would end your budding political career

I know part of Christie's charm was being a dick to everyone but the problem wasn't that it was just a public image, it reflected his politics

 

[WayneMorse]

Is that from now or 2003?

Now.

 

[benjipwns]

Who would have thought being a corrupt asshole would end your budding political career

I know part of Christie's charm was being a dick to everyone but the problem wasn't that it was just a public image, it reflected his politics

He's a prosecutor and been active in politics since he was 15.

 

[RustyNails]

He's a prosecutor and been active in politics since he was 15.

So was Blagoevich. Being a prosecutor/attorney doesn't shield you from being a colossal screw up.

 

[mightynine]

....what the hell did he expect?

 

[PhoenixDark]

Presented without comment.

I'm not a violent man nor do I casually wish death on people but I wouldn't mind if someone threw Chalabi out of a plane. The fact that this piece of shit is still falling up in life is revolting.

 

[RustyNails]

I'm not a violent man nor do I casually wish death on people but I wouldn't mind if someone threw Chalabi out of a plane. The fact that this piece of shit is still falling up in life is revolting.

US got it's hands burned with Chalabi once. I highly, highly doubt any source that says Obama administration is ok with letting that guy anywhere near the PM's office.

 

[benjipwns]

So was Blagoevich. Being a prosecutor/attorney doesn't shield you from being a colossal screw up.

I'm saying that they're generally shitbags because they get rewarded for fucking up peoples lives.

 

[Avon Barksdale]

Now.

I think that was the joke.

 

[Aaron Strife]

I'm saying that they're generally shitbags because they get rewarded for fucking up peoples lives.

Chris Christie:

 

[tanooki141]

Some really major votes coming out of the House tonight.

NSA, Guantanamo, Iraq AUMF.

Some good votes, a lot of terrible ones.

It's particularly telling how unjust our running of Guantanamo Bay is by the amendment that didn't pass that would have not allowed federal dollars to go to an inmate who had been there for 15 years with no charges.

 

[Drakeon]

Christie was a fool if he thought there wasn't going to be more coming out. No one covers their tracks that well, no one.

Also, let's not pretend he's handled this well. He's petty and a bully. He finally just stepped in some shit he couldn't bully his way out of.

 

[sc0la]

Chalabi? Chalabi?
Bleh I can't even
:/

 

[kehs]

"Obama questions Iraq prime minister as he sends hundreds of troops back to iraq."

Fuck you msnbc.

 

[RustyNails]

So if Christie and Walker are eliminated from 2016 which I am 100% sure they will be, who is the next in line? Jeb Bush? What about Mike Huck-a-baby?