Congress: UI, Goodwin, Kagan, Clapper

The New York Daily News: "President Obama and Senate Democrats expect they will have the votes Tuesday to pass an extension of unemployment benefits on the fourth try. The vote is set for shortly after Democrat Carte Goodwin of West Virginia is sworn in to fill the vacancy left by the late Sen. Robert Byrd."

MSNBC.com's Dann and Miller on today's Kagan Judiciary Committee confirmation vote: "After more than two months in the national spotlight and over 17 hours of grueling committee testimony, Elena Kagan is poised to take one step closer to a permanent seat on the bench of the Supreme Court of the United States." The vote won't be a "nailbiter," they point out, because Democrats control the committee 12-7. How assured has Kagan's nomination been? "One Republican lawmaker, Sen. John Cornyn, even accidentally betrayed the widely-held expectation that she will eventually win confirmation, reportedly referring to the nominee at one point during the hearing process as 'soon-to-be Justice Kagan. '"

The AP says, "the only real question [on today's Kagan vote] is whether she will get any Republican votes."

"Tough questions and blunt answers are likely Tuesday when retired Air Force Gen. James T. Clapper goes before the Senate Intelligence Committee seeking confirmation as the next director of national intelligence," the AP writes. "Clapper is expected to explain how he would streamline the massive flow of information from the intelligence community's 16 agencies. He has already answered more than 80 questions from the Intelligence Committee, providing some 90 pages in responses that will be posted to the committee's website at the start of the hearing."

How this for a make-up session? While campaigning yesterday for a Pennsylvania congressional candidate, Vice President Joe Biden called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "the most powerful person in American politics -- With the exception of the president of the United States. And I mean that sincerely.” He added, “The single most successful, the single most persuasive, the single most strategic leader I have ever worked with is Nancy Pelosi.” He also called her "the mother of health care."

The Tea Party now has an official House caucus (seriously.)

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jomama72

Well Sponge Joe still wants to get on the riechwing DOJ shark, here are the latest facts. MSNBC please straighten up your people. Note: Adams is the alleged whistle blower.

Reality: Adams' accusations don't stand up to the facts

Adams is a long-time right-wing activist, who is known for filing an ethics complaint against Hugh Rodham that was subsequently dismissed, served as a Bush poll watcher in Florida 2004, and reportedly volunteered for a Republican group that trains lawyers to fight "racially tinged battles over voting rights";
Adams was hired to the Justice Department in 2005 by Bradley Schlozman, who was found by the Department of Justice Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility to have improperly considered political affiliation when hiring career attorneys -- the former head of the DOJ voting rights section reportedly said that Adams was "exhibit A of the type of people hired by Schlozman";
Adams has admitted that he does not have first-hand knowledge of the events, conversations, and decisions that he is citing to advance his accusations;
The Bush administration's Justice Department -- not the Obama administration -- made the decision not to pursue criminal charges against members of the New Black Panther Party for alleged voter intimidation at a polling center in Philadelphia in 2008;
The Obama administration successfully obtained default judgment against Samir Shabazz, a member of the New Black Panther Party carrying a nightstick outside the Philadelphia polling center on Election Day 2008;
The Bush administration DOJ chose not to pursue similar charges against members of the Minutemen, one of whom allegedly carried a weapon while harassing Hispanic voters in Arizona in 2006;
No voters have come forward to claim that they were intimidated from voting on account of the New Black Panthers standing outside the polling center in 2008;
The Republican vice chairwoman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which is currently investigating the Justice Department's decision, reportedly said that the other conservatives on the Civil Rights Commission were trying to use New Black Panther case "to topple" the Obama administration. Thernston has also called the case "very small potatoes" and criticized the "overheated rhetoric filled with insinuations and unsubstantiated charges" surrounding it, and said that rhetoric has not "served the interests of the commission"; she further said that DOJ has given a "plausible argument" for not pursuing additional charges in the case;
The United States Commission on Civil Rights has been integral to the phony New Black Panthers scandal. Although the media have emphasized the fact that the commission is technically bipartisan, thanks to a "controversial maneuver" by the Bush administration, the commission is dominated by conservative activists;
Adams himself testified that he had no "indication" that the decision involved anyone "higher up" than an acting assistant attorney general;
The Obama Justice Department requested additional judgment against black leaders in Mississippi who were found to have discriminated against white voters.

Decision not to pursue criminal charges was made by Bush DOJ, not Obama

Bush DOJ, not Obama, made decision not to pursue criminal charges.

Obama DOJ actually obtained judgment against individual carrying weapon at polling place

May 2009: DOJ obtained default judgment against Shabazz for carrying weapon outside polling station.

No voter has alleged intimidation stemming from incident

Civil Rights commissioner: "[N]o citizen has even alleged that he or she was intimidated from voting.

Bush-era DOJ chose not to pursue similar allegations against Minutemen -- one of whom carried a gun

DOJ did not pursue allegations that Minutemen intimidated Hispanic voters with a gun in 2006.

Anti-immigrant activist in 2006 case reportedly had "9mm Glock strapped to his side" at polling place.

Arizona Daily Star: "[A]nti-immigrant activist" "stood by with a firearm in a holster."

Tucson Citizen: Incident "reported to the FBI." A November 8, 2006, Tucson Citizen article (from Nexis) reported that Bernal "said he reported the incident to the FBI."

1 vote

#1 - Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:28 AM EDT

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Eric, Salinas, CA

Looks like another losing day for the dopes of nope on the legislative front. Thankfully Manchin got Goodwin picked and today he'll be sworn in in time to hand Witch McConnell another well deserved defeat. Plus good news that Elena Kagan will get confirmed by the Senate Judicial committee, even righty Corny Cornyn has to admit defeat in stopping her from getting confirmed. I love the smell of Democratic legislative victory so early in the morning.

1 vote

#2 - Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:39 AM EDT

AnaBanana-1782128

Doesn't anyone investigate stories any more? What's going on with the press lately? If someone tells you something then its true? Come on guys and gals! Wake up and start doing your job! Otherwise the Glenn Beck types will always misrepresent and sell the public the crap that tickles their ears and spurs hatred for minority groups much to Glenn Beck's delight.

#3 - Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:10 PM EDT