Breaking: Issa threatens Holder with Contempt charge

Just two days before Attorney General Eric Holder is set to appear in front of the House Oversight Committee, Chairman Darrell Issa has sent Holder a letter, threatening a contempt charge unless the DOJ complies with subpoenas.

Via Fox News:

In a four-page letter to Holder, Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., claims the Department of Justice has "misrepresented facts and misled Congress," which began its investigation of Operation Fast and Furious one year ago.

Issa wrote that Holder's "actions lead us to conclude that the department is actively engaged in a cover-up" because it refuses to comply with previous subpoenas.

"If the department continues to obstruct the congressional inquiry by not providing documents and information, this committee will have no alternative but to move forward with proceedings to hold you in contempt of Congress," Issa warned in the letter.

I also received a copy of the letter in my inbox. You can view it HERE. There is a reason why verbiage on the first page is in bold.

In referring to an email that names Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, the letter says:

One e-mail reads, "Breuer suggested allowing straw purchasers cross into Mexico so SSP [Secretariat of Public Security] can arrest and PGR [Office of the General Prosecutor] can prosecute and convict. Such coordinated operations between the US and Mexico may send a strong message to arms traffickers." These new documents show that Breuer made this statement on February 4, 2011, the same day Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich wrote to Congress denying that the Department allowed guns to walk.

After this February 2nd hearing, the Super Bowl might just be a letdown.

2003 Video: Did Santorum call for Stimulus?

In 2003, when George W. Bush was president, Rick Santorum seemed to advocate for an economic stimulus package while Democrats said it was too much money. Note that the reporter asked Santorum about a $600 Billion stimulus package. The Democrats stimulus package in 2009 was only $187 Billion more.

Santorum seems quite comfortable with the package. In fact, at the end of the clip, he said something about not having to worry about deficits during a recession.

Uhhhhhhhhh.... I..... think.... what... he... meant..... was........ never mind.



h/t Free Republic

Has Rubio been bitten by the Establishment Vampire?

Florida Senator Marco Rubio has been a Tea Party favorite, much like South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was. Haley endorsed Romney and was thoroughly rebuked by her state's voters when Gingrich won going away.

Rubio hasn't officially endorsed Romney but he has come about as close as Sarah Palin has to endorsing Gingrich. In fact, Rubio's rebuke of Gingrich's ad that went after Romney for being anti-Immigration may have been almost as effective in deflating the Newtmentum in Florida as Romney's negative and egregious ads that targeted Gingrich. The Senator from Florida even rebuked Gingrich when the former Speaker likened Romney to Crist. Rubio defended Romney as someone who stood by him in his race against Crist.

As John Hawkins points out at Right Wing News, Romney didn't get behind Rubio until the Tea Party had spent a year pushing Rubio past Crist:

Back in May of 2009, I got together with Erick Erickson, Stacy McCain, and other bloggers to support Marco Rubio and went after the National Republican Senatorial Committee for endorsing Charlie Crist over Marco Rubio.... 

Back then, when Charlie Crist had what looked like an overwhelming lead and the support of the GOP establishment, guys like Mitt Romney were absolutely nowhere to be found. 

Of course, Mitt did eventually BOLDLY endorse Marco Rubio. It was almost a YEAR later on April 17 of 2010 and the GOP primary was already as good as over.

So why is Rubio siding with the establishment in this Florida primary? What has happened to these Tea Party favorites who wouldn't be sniffing higher public office if not for the conservatives who fought for them?

I can think of only two possibilities. Either Rubio got bit by an establishment vampire or it's nothing more than the disgraceful human tendency to betray instead of doing what's right.

Catholic Bishop slams Obama

The good news? The Catholic church is now angry about what Obamacare has wrought. The bad news? The church could have helped to prevent it in the first place but seemed to be all too willing to either stand by or endorse it.

Nonetheless, a Bishop is delivering some tough talk to the president.

Via CNS News:

Roman Catholic Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh says the Obama administration is telling American Catholics: “To Hell with you.”

“The Obama administration has just told the Catholics of the United States, ‘To Hell with you!’” the bishop said in a column posted on his diocesan website. “There is no other way to put it.”

The bishop was responding to a regulation, finalized by Health and Human Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Jan. 20, that orders all health-care plans in the United States to cover sterilizations and all FDA-approved contraceptives--including those that induce abortions--without any fees or co-pay.

The regulation includes an exemption for “religious employers.” But to qualify for this exemption, the employer must primarily serve members of its own faith, primarily employ members of its own faith, and primarily focus on inculcating the tenets of that faith—a rubric that would not apply to Catholic hospitals, universities, or charitable organizations.

We'll see if the phrase, "better late than never" actually holds true here but I don't see how at this point. The horse is out of the barn; the genie is out of the bottle.

Read it all. 

Jeffrey Lord hits back at the Republican Establishment

If you're a conservative and don't know if you should go with Gingrich or Romney, Jeffrey Lord's latest piece at the American Spectator should help you decide.

Via the Spectator:

"Ford Declares Reagan Can't Win" -- Headline in The New York Times, March 1, 1980

Yet still more mush from the wimps.

To borrow a famous Reagan phrase: "Well, there they go again."

Somewhere an exasperated Gipper is doubtless shaking his head.

The war between conservatives and the Republican Establishment -- and make no mistake, this is a war -- is on once more.

The people who brought the GOP losing candidates from Dewey to Dole are at it again.

Last week's assault on Newt Gingrich -- with various Romney supporters seriously and deceptively trying to tell unwitting voters that Gingrich was never really a real Reagan ally -- in reality has nothing to do with Newt Gingrich at all.

A certain staunch conservative - former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin - has been practically screaming for people to vote for Newt as her 2008 establishment running mate - John McCain - continues to stump for Romney.

Lord continues:

Sarah Palin is dead-on right.

If Newt Gingrich disappeared from the planet today and in his place stood only Rick Santorum -- or Sarah Palin herself or some other conservative -- you can be certain the Establishment GOP would have their sights trained on that conservative, running some version of precisely the same multi-gazillion dollar campaign they are running against Newt Gingrich right now. As a matter of fact, they did exactly this to Governor Palin from the very moment she stepped on the national stage in 2008. If by chance Rick Santorum emerges as the sole conservative left in this race -- look out Rick.

Here is Sarah Palin's appearance on Hannity one night before the Florida primary:


Read Lord's entire piece. It's long but well worth it.

Video: NBC's Plastic Man, Brian Williams and Misplaced Outrage

There's quite a bit of feigned outrage over Arizona Governor Jan Brewer pointing her finger at Barack Obama as he met with her on the tarmac in the Governor's state. One of those outraged is none other than a certain NBC news anchor who would much rather bow to Obama.

Williams, whose "objective" news casts are belied by blatant bias, has a bit of a problem and should probably move on at this point. In 2006, he not only pointed his finger directly at then President George W. Bush's chest but held it there for quite some time.

Via NewsBusters:



Objectivity? Ha!

Remember this?

Video: George Soros says no difference between Obama and Romney

The man who essentially got Obama elected says there is no difference between Obama and Romney.



h/t Freedom's Lighthouse

Video: Little Boy in Man's body Tased by Police at Occupy DC

What would prompt a protester to pitch a tent in Washington, DC and walk around in Pajama bottoms with bare feet in January? Uh, not sure but he got tased by police anyway.

Little kid in man's body tased by police.



h/t GWP

Is Alex Jones a Russian Propaganda Agent?

I have long maintained that there is something not right with Alex Jones. Everything is a conspiracy and nothing can be taken at face value. Well, the real conspiracy may actually involve Jones himself. Cliff Kincaid has already made a strong case against Jones. Now this.

Via the American Thinker:

Following the largest anti-Kremlin protests since the alleged collapse of communism, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused the United States of orchestrating the activities of the Russian dissident movement.  In televised remarks on December 8, the former KGB colonel accused Hillary Clinton and the United States government of funding the protests and suggested that the Western powers sent a "signal" to their undercover agents to begin active measures against the country.

"They heard this signal and with the support of the U.S. State Department began their active work," said the KGB man.  "The [U.S.] secretary of state was quick to evaluate the elections, saying that they are unfair and unjust, even before she received materials from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) observers."  He went on to remind the world that Russia is a nuclear power, and he also claimed that the U.S. was "shaking" things up to show the world who is boss in world affairs.

All too quick to wave the Kremlin banner, Alex Jones' Prison Planet has released a flurry of articles supporting Putin's charges by attempting to link the protests with the alleged nefarious involvement of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).  Strategically, they have begun focusing their attention on prominent Russian blogger and attorney Alexey Navalny, whom they accuse of being the prime orchestrator of the over 50,000-strong Russian street protests against fraudulent election returns.  Prison Planet writers have linked him with an activist group known as Democratic Alternate (DA!), which they describe as a "[NED] fund recipient, meaning that Alexey Navalny is an agent of US-funded sedition and willfully hiding it from his followers."

And, of course, when Jones' followers don't like someone, what do they call them? You got it, Neocon.

The NED itself, according to Prison Planet writers, is run by "Neo-Conservative, corporate-fascists who have signed PNAC documents declaring their intentions of acheiving [sic] and maintaining a century of global hegemony." The NED, they say, receives its funding from the U.S. government and operates around the world inspiring U.S.-controlled revolutions such as the "Arab Spring." Of course, behind it all are the nefarious NWO masters, who, among other things, also used the CIA to create al-Qaeda to carry out false-flag attacks against the United States (so goes the Alex Jones thesis).

The damning piece ends thusly:

We must consider the benefits our friends in the Kremlin receive from the promotion of Alex Jones-type conspiracy theories.  The creation of a Faux Right-Wing movement can help Russian/Chinese goals in many ways.  It can spread communist propaganda while at the same time fronting itself as anti-communist; it can train individuals to be reflexively anti-American throughout every tragedy, constantly ready and willing to blame the American government for everything that goes wrong; it further ideologically disarms the United States, making it unable to resist Russian/Chinese objectives; and, best of all, it further spreads a climate of fear, envy, hate, and distrust in a country already torn apart between "left" and "right."  It is high time we pointed a spotlight on the real provocateurs and propagandists in this country.

Be sure to read it all. 

Is Romney's Florida Spokesman redistricting Allen West out of Existence?

If this is true, the Tea Party may have an issue to take national. Florida state representative Tim Weatherford (R) is a Florida spokesman for the Romney campaign. According to the Shark Tank, he has confirmed that Rep. Allen West (R) may be a victim of redistricting.

One of Governor Mitt Romney’s spokesmen was Florida Representative Will Weatherford, and during the course of his remarks in the “Spin Room”, he shed a very dim light on the ongoing redistricting process in the Florida Legislature. Over the past several weeks, many Republicans have voiced their disappointment towards the Republican legislature after the release of the preliminary redistricting maps. Much of the ire concerns the proposed boundaries of Congressman Allen West’s 22nd Congressional District that would be redrawn to include far more registered Democrats.

William Jacobson at Legal Insurrection seems to think this is a foregone conclusion:

A website, SaveAllenWest, had been set up, but it appears to be too late.

One of the rising stars of the Tea Party is about to be sacrificed by the Republican establishment in Florida, led by someone spinning for Mitt Romney.

Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Folks, this is establishment level arrogance on display. The Tea Party is being slapped in the face because one of its members - West - isn't towing the establishment line. There is a way for the Tea Party to have the last laugh, however.

Though West hasn't officially endorsed Gingrich, he has been defending the former Speaker against establishment attacks recently. Gingrich has also said he would consider West when selecting a running mate. West hinted that he would be interested.

If a scenario plays out where Lt. Col. Allen West is redistricted out of a job, it might be the perfect opportunity for Newt to launch a counter-attack by naming the Tea Party favorite as his running mate.

One of the downsides to a presidential candidate selecting a running mate from Congress is that, well, you lose that candidate's vote in Congress. That's one of the best arguments against the eventual nominee selecting Florida Senator Marco Rubio. If Gingrich overcomes the odds and wins the nomination, West could be much more appealing in terms of him being out of a job anyway. The payback factor would be nice too.

Having someone as Vice President with West's military background could be a perfect fit.

Anyway, here is video of Weatherford.

Video: Why this is the Sleaziest ad from Romney Campaign

It is politics so the notion that the Romney campaign could be found guilty of defamation or slander for this ad is indeed laughable but that doesn't make it any less defamatory. The ad features a January 21, 1997 news report from NBC's Tom Brokaw in which the anchor reports on a bipartisan Congress voting to find then-Speaker Newt Gingrich guilty of ethics violations, with a harrowing music bed.

First, watch the ad and I'll illustrate exactly why it's so despicable.



What Romney - whose voice approval you heard at the end of that ad - ignores is the fact that in 1999, Gingrich was fully and completely vindicated. I've posted this before but in the context of that Romney ad, it's even more relevant.

Here is a CNN news report from 1999 in which Brooks Jackson reported that Gingrich had been fully exonerated of all the charges that Romney is attempting to pin on the former Speaker.



Romney's ad incorporates the dishonest tactics of the left and wasn't it Romney who in a recent debate said that if the tactics of the left are used, they will be turned back on those who use them?

h/t Hapblog

Occupy Oakland Flares up again; 300 Arrested

If there is one city in America that has been home to the Occupy movement's most petulant miscreants, it's Oakland. Again, former Obama green jobs czar and Occupy organizer Van Jones is from Oakland. He has a rather cozy relationship with Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), whose district includes Oakland; Lee has a rather cozy relationship with Valerie Jarrett, Obama's closest adviser. Until Americans begin to connect these dots, little to no accountability will take place. The liberal media certainly isn't doing the job.

Nonetheless, Occupy Oakland has just flared up again and has given the movement something to cheer about. With 300 arrests in Oakland all on the same day, the Occupy movement is now officially well over 6000 arrests nationwide.

Guess what?

They're so proud of it that they're tracking it.

ABC News reports that three officers were injured:

Police spokesman Jeff Thomason says most of the arrests came around 8 p.m. That's when police took about 100 protesters into custody as they marched through the city's downtown, with some entering a YMCA building.

About 20 demonstrators were arrested earlier in the afternoon, after police say they threw rocks, bottles and other objects at officers and tore down fencing.

Police say three officers were injured. Officers used tear gas and "flash" grenades on the protesters after they refused to leave.

Authorities were still tabulating the exact number of arrests late Saturday.

Again, these whackos like to portray themselves as victims. Do victims seek to add to their arrest totals while injuring police?

Here's a video of Oakland on January 28th via Breitbart:



h/t Weasel Zippers

Video: Greta Interview with Newt on Florida Campaign Bus

This is an excellent two-part interview between Fox News Channel's Greta van Susteren and Newt Gingrich. The Romney campaign, which has become increasingly petulant didn't seem to like it very much. Before watching the interview, check out what Greta posted about the angry responses she got from Romney supporters, who are actually behaving like unhinged liberals.

Via Gretawire:

I received more than one nasty email from Gov Romney supporters criticizing me for coming to Florida and interviewing Speaker Gingrich in person and not Gov Romney. Perhaps a dose of the facts will tone down those emails: 1/ they must have forgotten that two weeks ago I went to South Carolina and interviewed Gov Romney in person and 2/ we made the same offer – interview with Gov Romney in Florida -and the Romney campaign declined.

Here is Part 1:



Here is Part 2:

Fast and Furious Bombshell: Holder Toast; Damning E-mails released

Looks like there has been another Friday night document dump from the White House on Fast and Furious and the e-mails included in that dump show that Attorney General Eric Holder was informed about Brian Terry's death within 24 hours AND that Fast and Furious guns were found at the scene.

The most damaging email exchange for Holder appears to be one between then Arizona US Attorney, Dennis Burke and Holder Deputy Chief of Staff, Monty Wilkinson.

NPR has the emails. I've posted screen shots of the two exchanges that point to Holder committing perjury when he said on May 3rd that he'd first learned about Fast and Furious a "few weeks" earlier. He later had to concede that he knew about the operation approximately two months earlier and tried to argue that eight weeks could still be classified as "a few."

First, the email in which Burke notified Wilkinson that Border Patrol Agent, Brian Terry had died after being shot near the Mexican border. Note Wilkinson's response. He says that he has alerted the Attorney General. This shows that Holder was informed of Terry's death within hours.

Next, this email shows that Burke communicated to Wilkinson less than twelve hours later that the guns found at Terry's murder scene were tied back to Fast and Furious. It is simply not believable that Wilkinson withheld this information from Holder. It will be interesting to see how quickly Issa's team seeks testimony from Wilkinson.

Of course this puts an entirely new spin on the already suspicious testimony of Holder back on May 3rd. Though his assertion that two months equates to "a few weeks" was laughable, it will not be possible for him to make the claim that "a few weeks" equates to more than four months.



Holder is in deep, deep trouble here. This all comes out just days before Holder is set to appear in front of the committee that Rep. Darrell Issa chairs. On February 2nd, Holder will be in front of the Oversight Committee.

As Sipsey Street points out, these emails are the ones that the White House voluntarily released, which indicates they may be willing to throw Holder under the bus now. That leads to another very interesting question.

What is the level of White House involvement?

h/t Sipsey Street and Gun Rights Examiner

Video: Newt Campaign Spokesman confronts Rep. Chaffetz on Campaign Trail

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) has endorsed Mitt Romney for president but seems to be following the Newt Gingrich campaign around, apparently for opposition research. At one such event, Newt's campaign spokesman, R.C. Hammond decided to approach Chaffetz and have an interesting exchange with the congressman from Utah.

Chaffetz came off as trying to walk a fine line between appearing cordial without conveying condescension. At several points, he attempted to distance himself from Hammond by saying he wouldn't talk to him because he wasn't with the press. That was a misplaced distinction, to be sure. As a high-profile Romney supporter who is showing up at Gingrich campaign stops, refusing to talk to the campaign's spokesman because he's not with the press is rather lame. Chaffetz should expect confrontations like this if he's essentially doing opposition research when he shows up.

Chaffetz did obfuscate when Hammond asked about lobbying or if he knew about Romney's ties to Freddie and Fannie, which is exactly what team Romney has been using against Gingrich.

It's disappointing to see this from Chaffetz. As a member of the House Oversight Committee, he has been one of the bulldogs in the Fast and Furious investigation. Frankly, with the biggest hearing to date in the near year-long investigation coming up on February 2nd, it's mildly disturbing to see Chaffetz more focused on Newt Gingrich than on his confrontation with Eric Holder.

Chaffetz came across as a little more arrogant than not, here.

Yes, Chaffetz is also a Mormon, like Romney.



h/t Freedom's Lighthouse

OWS Dormant, not Dead

Back in late September of 2011, Van Jones predicted that OWS protesters would bring about an 'American autumn' similar to the 'Arab Spring' and he put all of his eggs in the October basket. Though OWS did raise a ruckus, a stink, and many other undesirable things all across the country, they proved to be a very expensive and violent nuisance more than anything else. The movement dragged on into the winter months and appeared to disintegrate.

Now there seems to be chatter that OWS will be coming out of its collective hole in the spring, leading up to the main event at the Democratic convention in September, to be held in Charlotte, NC.

Via WND:

A coalition of U.S. radical groups, including the Occupy Movement, are preparing protests to target the Democratic National Convention in September in Charlotte, N.C.

The Occupy movement is likely to escalate months before the Sept. 3-6 event. A slew of extremist organizations, some tied to President Obama, are preparing protests to coincide with major NATO and G-8 summits slated for Chicago in May.

Foreshadowing possible violent confrontations, some of the same radical trainers behind the infamous 1999 Seattle riots against the World Trade Organization have been mobilizing new protest efforts geared toward world summits.

The plans for the Democratic convention are posted on a central website, ProtestDNC.org. More than three dozen organizations, including labor, anti-war and so-called civil rights and immigrants rights groups are joining together to initiate a coalition.

Klein reports too, that OWS appears to already be setting up shop in Chicago, which is where both the NATO and G8 summits will be held.

Here is Van Jones on September 29, 2011. Fast forward to the 2:00 mark. Based on what he was predicting, OWS didn't accomplish what he wanted it to, which is why it's important to be vigilant in the spring. If OWS gives it another whirl, they're likely to be more violent.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ayatollah orders Attacks; Colleague of man given the order Visited White House

The recent assassination of one of Iran's nuclear scientists has apparently prompted the Ayatollah to dispatch Hezbollah to commit terror attacks through the head of the Al Quds Brigade. That man's name is Gen. Qasem Soleimani. That name is made more relevant by the fact that a close associate of Soleimani was recently given the red carpet treatment by the White House.

But first, the Ayatollah's order.

Via WND:

Iran is taking several steps to help Syria’s beleaguered President Bashar Assad, assassinate opposition figures and attack Israeli and American interests worldwide, sources have confirmed.

After the recent assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, deputy director of the first uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered retaliation.

He instructed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the chief commander of the Quds Forces, to prepare the ground for terrorist attacks, first to retaliate against assassination and espionage within the Iranian nuclear program, and second, to go on the offensive to make the West understand that any military action against Iran will create much instability in the world.

Some might remember an article from earlier this month that highlighted a federal judge's ruling that Iran and Hezbollah were behind 9/11. In that report, Hadi al-Ameri's connection to Iran was explored. It was relevant because he was welcomed into the Oval Office on December 12th of last year. Here is a screen shot of al-Ameri in the Oval Office as part of an Iraqi delegation. Yes, Iraqi delegation. Al-Ameri is Iraq's Transportation Minister and has obvious loyalties to the Ayatollah:

As part of the research for that article, an Arabic document that had been translated drew a very distinct connection between Soleimani and al-Ameri. Here is an excerpt from that 2005 document:

Hadi Farhan Abdullah Al Ameri, known as "Abu Hassan Al Ameri", is currently leading Badr Organization and is one of the figures that are directly connected to the Iranian Al Quds Brigade.

Al Ameri's journey started with the Shiite opposition, by the beginning of the 80s, when he left Iraq to Jordan, where he remained for a few days before moving to Syria. In Syria, he contacted the Supreme Council and he was transported to Iran. He spent all the following years there.

Al Ameri holds the Iranian nationality under the name of Hassan Ameri and his wife is Iranian. He usually visits Iran and meets with Qassem Sulaimani, the head of Al Quds Brigade, under the Iranian guard forces, on a regular basis.

While being in Iran, Al Ameri played a role in torturing the Iraqi prisoners, who were captured by Iran during the Iraqi-Iranian war. Prisoners who returned from there accuse him of being the cruelest against them. This role helped him to reach the status that he occupies in the eyes of the Iranians.

Fox News reported on al-Ameri's visit back in December. Here is the video report:

Video: National Park Director Spanked by Congressman (Metaphor)

This video is a must-see. National Park Service (NPS) Director Jonathan Jarvis is being grilled by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) about why OWS campers are allowed to camp despite the prohibition of such activity. Jarvis essentially hangs himself after making the distinction between camping and protesting. It played right into Gowdy's hands.

This exchange is also a good warm-up for when Eric Holder is in front of the Oversight Committee for the first time regarding Fast and Furious. Gowdy sits on that committee and is one of several fiery committee members.

Jarvis was a ball of yarn and Gowdy was a cat who turned him into a pretzel.

Via Breitbart:

Video: All American Muslim Imam Caught on tape Again

Remember this guy? When the controversy over Lowe's pulling its advertising from the TLC program, All American Muslim, we learned that they were justified in light of the fact that this Imam - Husham Alhusayni - has expressed support for Hezbollah and Iran. Now there is video of Alhusayni supporting terrorism and genocide.

Via Shoebat:

Ruh Roh: Will another US Attorney Plead the Fifth?

Just received a mass e-mail from Darrell Issa's press office. It looks like the head of the criminal division for the US Attorneys Office in Arizona, Patrick Cunningham, might have his subordinate joining him in taking the fifth. Issa is now demanding access to Michael Morrissey, Assistant US Attorney in Arizona.

Via the email:

Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa demanded in  letter to  Attorney General Holder that the Justice Department make Arizona U.S. Attorney’s Office Assistant United States Attorney Michael Morrissey available to speak with Committee investigators about his role in and knowledge of Operation Fast and Furious.  His supervisor, Patrick Cunningham, has stated he will exercise his Fifth Amendment and refuse to answer any questions pertaining to Operation Fast and Furious – such an assertion is extremely rare and suggests possible criminal culpability on the part of a high ranking Justice Department official.  Morrissey, who reported directly to Cunningham’s  and was intimately involved with Operation Fast and Furious.

“Since August, the Department has identified Patrick Cunningham as the best person in the U.S. Attorney’s Office to provide information about Fast and Furious to the Committee,” Issa said in his letter to Holder.  “The Department has refused to make Michael Morrissey and Emory Hurley, both Assistant United States Attorneys supervised by Mr. Cunningham, available to speak with the Committee, citing a policy of not making “line attorneys” available for congressional scrutiny.  Mr. Morrissey, however, was Mr. Hurley’s direct supervisor, and an integral part of Fast and Furious.  Importantly, both Morrissey and Hurley are unique in their possession of key factual knowledge about Fast and Furious not readily available from any other source.”

The Chairman also reiterated that the Justice Department still has not complied with the subpoenas issued to date, including subpoenaed documents from Cunningham, Morrissey and Hurley.

This scandal is about to get a whole lot more interesting if Morrissey pleads the Fifth as well. Actually, it's about to get a whole lot more interesting regardless of what Morrissey does because Eric Holder will be appearing in front of Issa's Oversight Committee on February 2nd for the first time (ironically, it's Groundhog day).

Issa's letter to Holder regarding Cunningham is HERE. His letter to Holder regarding Morrissey is HERE.

Video: Newt Deals with Far Left Heckler on Florida Campaign stop

This is the kind of energy Newt brings to a crowd that Mitt simply lacks. A left winger in the crowd begins screaming at Gingrich about taking money from Freddie Mac. Newt responds by saying that the only article about his recommendations to Freddie Mac appeared in a New York Times article and that his conclusion at the time was that the GSE should not be given any more money. The heckler didn't stop, at which point, Newt smacked her down while invoking Lincoln.



h/t GWP

Darrell Issa going after Holder on Mexican Deaths

The deadly consequence that has garnered the most attention when it comes to the Fast and Furious investigation has been the death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry. His is a name and a face that basically represents everything that's wrong with the ATF operation that put guns into the hands of bad guys.

However, there's another aspect to the operation with hundreds of casualties; those casualties are Mexican citizens. In an interview with the Daily Caller, Chairman Darrell Issa highlights this point and says that 'Justice has blood on its hands.' Fast forward to the 4:00 mark if pressed for time.

The deaths of hundreds of Mexican nationals is something that no one in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) seems interested in holding Attorney General Eric Holder accountable. Go figure, they're all Democrats. I wrote about this after watching one of those members, Pedro Pierluisi, gushed in support of Holder at the House Judiciary Committee hearing in December.

More at Daily Caller

Video: Rep. Jason Chaffetz gave Obama a Rimshot at SOTU

I must say, this is the only portion of the State of the Union speech that I have seen. Barack Obama attempts to deliver a canned joke about crying over spilt milk. The camera then focuses on a portion of the gallery. In the top left-hand corner, you can see Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) mockingly give Obama an 'air rimshot.'



h/t Breitbart

Video: Newt Sets Univision Reporter straight on Comparison to Bill Clinton

Univision's Jorge Ramos attempted to do the same thing that CNN's Erin Burnett did a day after the South Carolina debate at which John King asked Gingrich about the 'open marriage' issue; he tried to paint the former Speaker as a hypocrite for attacking Clinton in the 1990's over Lewinsky while Gingrich himself was engaged in an extra-marital affair.

Like he did with Burnett, Gingrich set the interviewer straight about the difference. The issue was not about adultery; it was about lying under oath. The difference between Burnett and Ramos, however, is that Ramos appeared to be unable to understand the line of distinction. After failing to see it, Gingrich at one point referred to a misfiring 'synapse' in Ramos' brain.

Via MediaIte:

Newt and the Sarah Palin Effect

In 2008, John McCain rarely went anywhere without Sarah Palin. Most of their campaign stops were as a tandem. Why? Because without Palin, McCain's crowds would have been drastically reduced in size and in energy. Palin's energy brought crowds, yes, but it also brought the full force of the mainstream media.

Fast forward to 2012. Newt seems to be drawing the crowds that Palin drew in 2008 and McRomney seems to be about as inspiring as the 2008 nominee. Newt, like Palin, has also come under the full fledged attacks from the media while Romney desperately needs the support they appear to be willing to give him.

Via New York Times:

As Republican presidential candidates duke it out down here in Florida, the most visible measure of how they are doing is the crowd count.

And by that very simple measure, Newt Gingrich is crushing his opposition.

At an event Tuesday afternoon, more than 1,500 people showed up to rally for Mr. Gingrich. Later that evening, he stood before as many as 5,000 people, all applauding his surge toward the Republican nomination. And then on Wednesday, another 4,000 people.

Contrast that to Mitt Romney, who, according to polls, is roughly tied with Mr. Gingrich in the state. He, too, has been traveling around Florida in an effort to recover the momentum he had after a big win in New Hampshire.

Mr. Romney has not had a crowd with more than a couple hundred people since he arrived in the Sunshine State.

Unlike McCain, Newt has another entity gunning for him - his own party's establishment.

If Newt takes Florida, it will be monumental in light of the onslaught he is having to face. He will also need another home run of a debate performance tonight.

h/t Free Republic

Note on State of the Union Address

Didn't watch. Don't care.

Newt goes after Mitt on using Charlie Crist Staffers

In 2008, the Barack Obama campaign was successfully able to tie John McCain to George W. Bush. Electing John McCain, they said, would be like giving Bush another term. In 2012, Mitt Romney already has to fend off the 'Republican establishment' label and campaigning in Florida with former Charlie Crist campaign staffers in tow is an opportunity Newt Gingrich doesn't appear to be willing to waste.

To further make his case, Gingrich is highlighting the fact that Marco Rubio's former campaign manager is working for him.

Via the Miami Herald:

Newt Gingrich stepped onto a podium at the Tick Tock Restaurant with a hometown message.

"As many of you know Jose Mallea is helping us with our campaign. He was Marco Rubio's campaign manager. We discovered last night that Mitt Romney has picked up Charlie Crist's campaign people," he said to yelps and a few boos. "That sort of tells you everything you needed to know about this contest."

Yes, Crist is still a whipping boy in Republican circles, though he turned out for Monday night's debate.

And, to be fair, Romney has some anti-Crists in his campaign: namely Alberto Martinez and Brett Doster, Florida advisers who worked for Crist's 2006 Republican opponent Tom Gallagher. Doster managed one of now Sen. Marco Rubio's political committees, and Martinez is part of Rubio's inner-circle.

There are definitely hairs to split on who is supporting whom here. In a campaign, however, perception is reality and if Gingrich can capitalize on the perception that he is the anti-establishment candidate who is going against the establishment's choice in Romney, he'll probably do it.

Rubio didn't just overcome long odds at several turns to become Senator in Florida; He ultimately won going away and continues to be very popular.

If Gingrich can portray himself as the Rubio candidate in Florida while portraying Romney as the Crist candidate, the nuances that blur the lines may not matter all that much.

h/t Newsmax

Video: Texas Governor went after Turkey in Presidential Debate, how about in his own State?

In one of Rick Perry's last debates, he publicly singled out Turkey for its increasingly Islamist government. This tells us that he must have a significant understanding of the dynamics behind what makes that government work. One of those dynamics is a Turkish imam named Fethullah Gulen. However, Gulen lives in the Untied States and his schools have a significant presence across the United States, to include Texas.

As the video points out, public tax dollars have been used to build a Gulen charter school in Perry's backyard - Austin, TX. The Harmony School of Political Science and Journalism has been built to "influence the next generation of politicians, voters, and news writers."

Must-see video:



h/t Donna

Looks like Newt has someone else to tie to Saul Alinsky

Newt Gingrich has been going after Obama pretty hard on the Saul Alinsky connection. Mitt Romney will have a much tougher time of it in light of these photos. Mitt's dad, George, is seen meeting with Alinsky in 1967.

In fact, it's not just that the two men met but that George wanted to give legitimacy and voice to Obama's ideological hero.

Remember when Hillary attempted to nail Obama in a debate over his connection to Bill Ayers? Obama one-upped her by pointing out that her husband pardoned two Weather Underground members. This may not be as bad as that but the optics certainly can't be good.

Via Buzzfeed:

"I think you ought to listen to Alinsky," Romney told his white allies, according to T. George Harris's 1968 book "Romney's Way."

‘It seems to me that we are always talking to the same people. Maybe the time has come to hear new voices," he said.

Perhaps those words may be worse than the two men meeting. Nonetheless, George and Saul looked to be a little too chummy.

Video: Newt Vindicated by....CNN??....in 1999

Newt Gingrich resigned from Congress in 1999 amid the political controversy surrounding ethics charges that involved a college course he taught. Democrats - including John Lewis, who is seen in this video report - charged that Gingrich violated IRS laws by using that course to push a political agenda. In this CNN report, the likes of which you just will not see today, Gingrich was found completely innocent and the CNN reporter emphatically underscored the point at the end.

For all of Gingrich's goof-ups, this makes him look extremely good.

Oh, the irony. Courtesy of CNN, the same network John King works for. Like this report from 1999, King helped Gingrich win in South Carolina.

More irony... The Democrats charged Newt with something they've practically mastered in the years since. In psychology class, that's called projection.

Via Right Scoop:

Newt Pledge: Overthrow Castro Regime

Gotta admit, after three years of watching an administration cater to South and Central American thugs, it was a bit refreshing to at least hear someone at this level offer some counterbalance.

Via Newsmax:

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich vowed Monday night that as president he will "overthrow the regime" of Fidel Castro.

Responding to a question by Brian Williams during the NBC debate in Tampa about U.S. policy toward Cuba, Gingrich said he would press for a "Cuban spring," much like the Arab spring sweeping the Middle East.

"We will not tolerate four more years of this [Castro] regime," Gingrich said.

There is a reason Gingrich would say such things in Florida. The overwhelming majority of Cubans who fled Castro, along with their descendants, passionately agree with the sentiment.

Video: Carney asked about Saul Alinsky, avoids question

This is precisely why Newt Gingrich's repetitive attacks on Barack Obama for the latter's ties to Saul Alinsky are so effective. It generates discussion among the media. In this case, Fox's Ed Henry asks White House Press Secretary Jay Carney about Gingrich's charges and gives Carney the opportunity to confirm or deny them.

Carney did neither; he obfuscated and it showed weakness in the administration.

It's clear that by avoiding the question, the truth isn't meant to be known.

Alinsky is Obama's achilles heal.

Via Fox Nation:

Boehner, Cantor not willing to Fight in Fast and Furious Scandal

Imagine how much impact it would have if House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Eric Cantor expressed solidarity with the growing list of Republican congressmen who are calling for the resignation of Eric Holder. Imagining, at this point, is all you can do because the reality is neither man has any interest in doing that.

Via Daily Caller:

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel has ignored emails on the subject for months, but when TheDC caught up with him at the retreat and again asked if his boss thinks Holder should resign for the gunrunning operation that killed U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and at least 300 Mexican civilians, Steel replied, “I don’t think he has said anything on that.”

TheDC followed up with Steel in the lobby of the Waterfront Marriott and asked him if he’d just ask Boehner the question. “Yeah, maybe,” Steel replied.

As of 5 p.m. on Sunday, Steel still hasn’t answered whether Boehner agrees with the 101 members in the House GOP caucus about Holder. Instead, Steel said, “The speaker appreciates the hard work that Chairman Issa and many others have done to expose this scandal. President Obama’s Department of Justice needs to be accountable.”

Cantor’s press secretary, Laena Fallon, deflected questions in a similar way, telling TheDC that Cantor “doesn’t sign onto legislation, as a rule, as majority leader”

Fallon was referencing House Resolution 490, the bill that expresses “no confidence” in Holder because of Fast and Furious. When asked if Cantor agreed “with the concept,” Fallon replied, “I don’t know.”

TheDC: Can you ask him for me?
FALLON: I’ll see, he’s in meetings.
TheDC: I can take an answer whenever. It’s just a “yes” or “no.”
FALLON: I’ll ask and see if I can get you something, but I don’t know what he’ll say.”

By Sunday at 5 p.m., Fallon has still not responded.

Neither man is particularly politically courageous....

Wow! Newt Surges to 8 Point over Romney in Florida?!

If you thought the Republican establishment is unhinged over Romney's loss in South Carolina, this latest development could have them frothing at the mouth soon.

According to the InsiderAdvantage poll, Gingrich leads Romney by 8 points in a state where Romney just a week ago had a double digit lead. The worst part for Romney? Santorum has 11% of the support and the majority of that would likely go to Gingrich.

Via Newsmax:

The InsiderAdvantage poll of of 557 registered Republican voters is one of the first polls taken in Florida in the aftermath of Gingrich's double-digit win in the South Carolina primary Saturday.

The poll results follow:

Gingrich: 34%


Romney: 26%

Paul: 13%

Santorum: 11%

Other: 2%

No opinion: 14%

The InsiderAdvantage poll was the first major poll last week to show the significant surge for Gingrich in South Carolina.

 h/t Hapblog

OWS now Vandalizing, Desecrating Churches

Perhaps it's things like this that cause the likes of Nancy Pelosi to distance herself from Occupy Wall Street after having fully endorsed the group, not because she has a problem with their behavior but because supporting them is now counter-productive. Imagine a church that welcomes OWS protesters by giving them a place to stay. Then, once the disrespectful little miscreants get too comfortable, they steal a holy item and urinate on a cross.

Via the New York Post:

There’s no longer room at the inn at a Manhattan church that’s sheltering Occupy Wall Streeters after a holy vessel disappeared from the altar last week.

When the Rev. Bob Brashear prepared for Sunday services at West Park Presbyterian Church on West 86th Street, he noticed parts of the bronze baptismal font were gone.

In a fire-and-brimstone message to occupiers later that day, he thundered, “It was like pissing on the 99 percent.”

Uh, as far as pi$$ing on the 99%, how would they know the difference?

Speaking of urine, another church had a cross desecrated by some.

In Brooklyn, at another church housing OWS protesters, an occupier urinated on a cross, according to Rabbi Chaim Gruber, who has angrily abandoned the OWS movement.

In a letter last week to OWS obtained by The Post, the rabbi fumed, “The Park Slope church housing occupiers was desecrated when an occupier peed inside the building and the pee came into contact with a cross.”

The pastor of the church did not return calls.

Perhaps these liberal church leaders will finally start to understand what they're embracing.

h/t GWP

Audio: Geraldo says Newt a Racist for saying the word, 'Juan'

If race baiter = racist, Geraldo Rivera is now a premium club member. On his radio show, Geraldo actually said that the way in which Gingrich addressed Juan Williams at the Fox News debate last week was a 'racial epithet.' Forget the fact that Williams was implying that Newt was racist (race card). Apparently, that was no problem. Forget the fact that the crowd collectively rejected Williams race-baiting attempt. This was all about painting Newt as the racist because of the way he said, 'Juan.'

Listen to the whole thing because Geraldo actually says that Jimmy Carter was 'very underrated.'

The liberal media is continuing to double down with Newt like it did with Sarah Palin but they don't seem to realize that every time they do, Newt gives better than he gets.



h/t Weasel Zippers

Video: Newt on Meet the Press, Followed by mildly sour Chris Christie

After a week in which Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich thoroughly defeated the liberal media establishment, David Gregory of Meet the Press gave it his shot and had just as much luck. At about the 1:50 mark, Gregory charged that Newt was a 'lobbyist' for Freddie Mac. Gingrich then did exactly to Gregory to what he'd done to other reporters, albeit a bit more subtly.

The more the media attempts to attack him, the stronger Gingrich seems to get. Neither the liberal media, nor the Republican establishment knows how to handle him.

Via MSNBC:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Shortly after Newt's appearance, New Jersey governor Chris Christie sat down with Gregory. In many ways, he seemed as bitter about Gingrich's victory in South Carolina as Ann Coulter did.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: Ann Coulter whines about Gingrich win

Wait a minute. Ann Coulter goes on Fox and Friends to defend Mitt Romney by defending John King as a "fair" and "honest" reporter in an attempt to go after Newt Gingrich for winning in South Carolina?! According to Coulter, King had every right to ask the question he did. What Coulter is blind to is that it's not just about liberal reporters asking tough questions of Republicans; it's the fact that they DIDN'T ask similar questions of Barack Obama.

Coulter's blind support of establishment candidates is no longer inexplicable; it's to be expected.

Perhaps most surprising is that Coulter attacks Newt for calling Obama a socialist while Romney won't go that far.

Uh, Ann, Obama is a socialist.

Gingrich is rattling the establishment and Coulter's irrational diatribe comes across as blatantly petulant.

Via Fox News:

Video: Arizona looking to sue the Feds over Fast and Furious

The Feds have been going after Arizona for quite some time. First, there was SB 1070, Arizona's tough immigration law. The Feds sued to have it overturned and a federal judge did the next best thing; she blocked it and the law has subsequently wallowed, suspended in its operation. Then, sheriff Joe Arpaio was attacked and harassed by Eric Holder's Justice Department, which charged that he violated the civil rights of minorities.

This could be what we call payback, depending on how far it goes. As the scandal that broke a year ago continues to percolate in two House Committees (Oversight and Judiciary), the state of Arizona is looking into the possibility that the Feds may have violated any of the state's laws. This makes for an interesting development in light of the fact that the head of the state's criminal division for the US Attorneys Office, pleaded the fifth when subpoenaed to testify in front of the Oversight committee.



h/t Hot Air

Video: Newt's South Carolina Victory Speech

Make no mistake; Obama is very scared of this man. Period.

Via the Right Scoop:

Newtralizing Rule Number Five

When Newt Gingrich scolded CNN's John King at the South Carolina debate, he didn't just stand up to the media; he smacked down Saul Alinsky. When a candidate does that, he can deliver a knockout blow to Barack Obama, Alinsky's prized ideological protege.

Take a look at Rule number five in Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, which states:

Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.

This is exactly what King attempted to do by bringing up the charges made by Newt's ex-wife in an interview with ABC's Brian Ross. Did King infuriate Gingrich by asking the question right out of the gate? Yes. Did Gingrich react to King's advantage? Absolutely not. He channeled the fury of conservatives and delivered a counterattack squarely on the jaw of a liberal media bully; King had been stunned in epic fashion.

Conservatives know that the mainstream media is running interference for Barack Obama while attempting to portray objectivity. Gingrich exposed this dynamic thoroughly and with perfect timing, by making the charge as that reality was on full display for all to see. He connected the dots as the offense was being committed. The more King attempted to hit Gingrich, the more forcefully the former was beaten back by the latter.

One day after the debate, another CNN reporter – Erin Burnett – attempted to wound Gingrich with Rule number five. She asked him to respond to charges that he was hypocritical by going after president Bill Clinton in the 1990's during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, while he was committing similar indescretions. The question was intended to trap Gingrich but it did the opposite; his response made Burnett look foolish for not seeing the clear line of distinction. Clinton committed a felony by perjuring himself; Gingrich did no such thing. Burnett wilted and reacted to Gingrich's advantage.

Rule number five includes a premise that says the target will be placed on defense whenever it's used. When that happens, the rule works. However, when the target effectively goes on offense, the rule backfires. No other candidate has demonstrated this ability. Sarah Palin seemed to have some of it in 2008 but she was muzzled by her running mate, who was clueless and instructed his campaign not to go after Obama over Jeremiah Wright, which was exactly the wrong thing to do.

There is a narrative afoot that says Mitt Romney is the only candidate who can beat Obama. The media seems to be perfectly willing to echo it. Why would it do so if it is interested in getting Obama reelected? The answer is simple; the Obama camp wants to face Romney. Once Romney gets the nomination, he will be the target of rule number five and he has shown no indication that he is capable of overcoming its intended effect. He's already said he won't call Obama a socialist. By not telling the truth about Obama, Romney will be an ideal target for ridicule; he will succumb to rule number five and he will react to Obama's advantage.

Barack Obama will have untold amounts of money at his disposal when he faces the eventual nominee. He will spend a great deal of that money implementing rule number five; it's part of his wiring. It's simply not enough for the Republican Party to nominate a person who can neutralize rule number five; it needs someone who can reverse its intended effect.

It must nominate someone who can Newtralize rule number five.

Picked up over at Red County

Video: Newt Smacks down CNN's Erin Burnett on Lewinsky question

Folks, Newt Gingrich strikes fear in the heart of two entities. The first is Barack Obama, who absolutely does NOT want to face the former Speaker in November. If he did, the media would be demonizing Mitt Romney far more than it is Gingrich. The other entity is the liberal news media. Conservatives all across this country are sick and tired of the liberal media's double standards and bullying.

Newt put that frustration on full display at the CNN debate during his exchange with John King. One day later, he did it again with CNN's Erin Burnett, who wilted in this exchange.

Burnett attempted to paint as hypocritical, Newt's infidelity in his own marriages while going after Bill Clinton in the 90's over Monica Lewinsky. Newt's answer didn't just shut Burnett up. It did exactly what his scolding of King did at the CNN debate; it caused any conservative who watched it to pump his/her fist in the air.

If the strategy of the Obama administration - and by extension, the media - is to smear every Republican candidate with these tactics, there is one candidate who short-circuits that strategy. In fact, Newt actually uses it to his advantage and does so masterfully in this exchange.



h/t Hapblog

Video: Excellent Explanation about why SOPA and PIPA bad

Those who don't understand why the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) are very bad pieces of legislation need to see this video. Clay Shirky breaks it all down in very easy-to-understand terms. It is the entertainment and media industry lobbyists that are behind it and if they get their way, control of the internet is almost guaranteed to be wrested from the people.

Fortunately, the people won a victory this past week when both bills saw a significant reduction in support and were shelved. As Shirky explains here, though, it will not end there. It will come back.

Oh, none other than former Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd is the chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Ya think he's got some connections in Congress?

h/t Sipsey Street

Sorry Folks, this Birther Story in Georgia is Newsworthy

A case has been brought against Barack Obama by Georgia residents who say he his not eligible to appear on that state's presidential primary ballot. That, by itself, is not all that newsworthy. However, Georgia Judge Michael M. Malihi has denied Obama's request not to have to appear in front of the court on January 26th. That is newsworthy.

Via the AP:

ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has ordered President Barack Obama to appear in court in Atlanta for a hearing on a complaint that says Obama isn't a natural-born citizen and can't be president.

It's one of many such lawsuits that have been filed across the country, so far without success. A Georgia resident made the complaint, which is intended to keep Obama's name off the state's ballot in the March presidential primary.

What is the argument from the administration as to why Obama shouldn't appear? Well, he's too busy. Here is an excerpt from the Judge's order that denies the administration's motion to quash the subpoena:

In support of his motion, Defendant argues that "if enforced, [the subpoena] requires him to interrupt duties as President of the United States" to attend a hearing in Atlanta, Georgia. However, Defendant fails to provide any legal authority to support his motion to quash the subpoena to attend. Defendant's motion suggests that no President should be compelled to attend a Court hearing. This may be correct. But Defendant has failed to enlighten the Court with any legal authority.

It ends with the following sentence:

Accordingly, the Defendant's motion to quash is denied.

Read the entire order HERE.

Does this mean that Obama will appear in court on January 26th? Hardly, but it'll be interesting to see what the Judge does after getting the proverbial kiss-off.

h/t Free Republic

Ted Nugent Chimes in on Fast and Furious (Not Happy)

Those who think the Fast and Furious scandal has faded into the darkness because of stall tactics, stonewalling, and coverups are definitely mistaken. This week's news that the head of the criminal division in the Arizona US Attorneys Office, Patrick Cunningham, was subpoenaed and then pleaded the fifth is quite newsworthy. It also comes less than two weeks before the biggest Eric Holder / Darrell Issa showdown yet, when the Attorney General faces the Oversight Committee for the first time on February 2nd.

If the Feds thought the public would cry uncle after the repeated stonewalling, they were wrong. In fact, they've apparently roused Uncle Ted, who also says this is worse than Watergate.

Via Washington Times:

The United States of America has turned into bizarro land. Think of this: Our very own Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direct guidance of the attorney general of the United States - America’s top cop, mind you - not only allowed, but encouraged American gun dealers to sell about 2,000 guns to known punks involved in the drug trade in order to trace the guns to Mexican drug cartels. If you think that’s unbelievably nuts, get a load of this: The suspected goons who bought the guns were not even placed under law enforcement surveillance.

This is analogous to the Drug Enforcement Administration knowingly allowing international dope pushers to sell heroin on American streets without placing the dope dealers under surveillance in hopes that somehow, some way, the dope pushers would enable the DEA to trace the heroin back to some dirty, cave-dwelling Afghan opium poppy farmer so we could then poison the farmer’s poppy fields. Wait a minute, let’s not give this crackpot administration any more loony ideas.

In all of its bureaucratic buffoonery, the ATF lost control of the weapons. Of course it did, as there were no electronic tracing components on the guns. Our less-than-esteemed attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., to whom the ATF reports, claimed not to know a thing about this brain-dead operation.

What kind of inebriated idiot would hatch an evil scheme such as this and then believe that, somehow, the guns could be traced to Mexican drug cartels without an electronic tracing component? This isn’t some low-ranking bureaucratic village idiot but a high-ranking government bureaucratic idiot who is paid by U.S. taxpayers.

Read it all. 

Subpoenaed US Attorney in Fast and Furious to Plead the Fifth

Yesterday, it was learned that Oversight Committee chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa issued a subpoena for the testimony of Patrick Cunningham, the chief of the Criminal Division of Arizona's U.S. Attorney's Office. Today, we learn that Cunningham is pleading the Fifth.

Via Fox News:

The chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona is refusing to testify before Congress regarding Operation Fast and Furious, the federal gun-running scandal that sent U.S. weapons to Mexico.

Patrick J. Cunningham informed the House Oversight Committee late Thursday through his attorney that he will use the Fifth Amendment protection.

Cunningham was ordered Wednesday to appear before Chairman Darrell Issa and the House Oversight Committee regarding his role in the operation that sent more than 2,000 guns to the Sinaloa Cartel. Guns from the failed operation were found at the murder scene of Border Agent Brian Terry.

Sipsey Street is reporting that this could - underscore could - actually be a bad sign and speculates that Issa's Committee may be backing down to the White House and Justice Department by focusing exclusively on Arizona and possibly acquiescing to the narrative that says Fast and Furious originated at the lower levels.

"I won't say that the fix is in, but the Committee seems to be buying into the 'Made-in-Phoenix' line pushed by the White House," said one source with inside knowledge of the investigator's work. This seems to be reflected in the subpoena letter from Issa to Cunningham. From (a) Politico story:

“Senior Justice Department officials have recently told the Committee that you relayed inaccurate and misleading information to the Department in preparation for its initial response to Congress,” wrote Issa. “These officials told us that even after Congress began investigating Fast and Furious, you continued to insist that no unacceptable tactics were used.”

The White House is happy for Issa to go after Cunningham for this is consistent with their denial that the White House had anything to do with gunwalking. Indeed, from the evidence above it would seem that the White House has determined Cunningham to be one of the designated sacrificial goats to that end.

Sipsey Street, which has developed a very credible reputation, then addresses what it views as the Oversight Committee's increased silence about the case:

This also comes at a time when journalists -- "mainstream" and despised bloggers alike -- have for weeks encountered a black hole when it comes to trying to find out what the Committee is working on and whether the story is progressing. "They've become the roach motel of press inquiries," said one. "Inquiries go in, but nothing comes out."

Another source, according to SS, is making the charge that Issa's Committee is fearful of both the FBI and the White House:

Another source familiar with the Issa investigation shared his fears about the direction and speed of the investigation. "They are afraid of the FBI" and are unwilling to really go after the Brian Terry murder cover-up and the use of FBI paid informants to buy weapons from the straw-buyers, he said. "They are afraid of the White House, too," indicating a reluctance to go after certain players in the early meetings such as that one held in March 2009 between ATF SAC Bill Newell and White House and DHS operatives, including, according to one report, Dennis Burke.

There is a chance that these claims are not accurate or that they are being driven by different motivations but if there is something to them, it wouldn't be good at all.

Read it for yourself HERE.

Video: Republican Debate opens with Newt Ripping CNN Moderator

The CNN debate opened up with John King asking Newt Gingrich to respond to the ABC story that included an interview with the former Speaker's ex-wife and about Newt wanting an 'open marriage.' King's question was obviously intended to embarrass Gingrich but it was King who was shamed by Newt and it was quite obvious.

Toward the end of this clip, Gingrich put his finger on the pulse of what's really going on. The liberal media is protecting Obama by levying vicious attacks against all Republican candidates. That is a theme that needs to continue because the more that fact is revealed, the more exposed Obama becomes.

Via Daily Caller:


After the debate, Greta Van Susteren interviewed Gingrich and asked him about the exchange:

Feds Indict File-Sharing Site, Hacked by 'Anonymous'

As the forceful public rejection of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) escalates, an increasing number of congressmen are backing down. All four Republican presidential candidates vehemently denounced the legislation at the CNN debate, with the exception of Rick Santorum. Though he expressed disapproval with the bills in their current form, he defended them to some degree. Amidst the pending legislation, the Feds issued indictments to a large file-sharing website known as Megaupload.

Via the UK Guardian:

The US government has closed down one of the world's largest filesharing websites, accusing its founders of racketeering, money laundering and presiding over "massive" online piracy.

According to prosecutors, Megaupload illegally cheated copyright holders out of $500m in revenue as part of a criminal enterprise spanning five years.

A lawyer for Megaupload told the Guardian it would "vigorously" defend itself against the charges, dismissing the criminal action as "a civil case in disguise".

News of the indictment – being framed as one of the biggest copyright cases in US history – came a day after major internet firms held a 24-hour protest over proposed anti-piracy laws.

According to a Department of Justice release, seven people associated with Megaupload were indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this month over the charges.

While this seems like something SOPA and PIPA were written to help enforce, verbiage in the two bills could allow the Justice Department to shut down sites it doesn't like (think China).

In any event, it appears that the computer hacking group known as 'Anonymous,' has attacked multiple government and media websites in response to both SOPA and the Megaupload indictments.

Via Gizmodo:

Anonymous has sure been quiet lately, but today's federal bust of Megaupload riled 'em up good: a retaliatory strike against DoJ.gov (and plenty of other foes) leaving them completely dead.

DownForEveryoneOrJustMe.com is reporting the department's site as universally nuked, and an Anonymous-affiliated Twitter account is boasting success. This is almost certainly the result of a quickly-assembled DDoS attack—and easily the widest in scope and ferocity we've seen in some time. If you had any doubts Anonymous is still a hacker wrecking ball, doubt no more.

Be sure to check out the Gizmodo link; they are providing several updates to this story. One of them includes a statement from 'Anonymous' about the attack. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) website was one of the sites that went down. Interestingly, the chairman of MPAA is former Connecticut Senator, Chris Dodd. The statement from Anonymous includes a list of all the sites it attacked as well as some specific personal information about Dodd.

Most of the sites appear to be back up but it's safe to say that this is getting pretty ugly.

h/t Drudge

Issa Issues another Subpoena over Fast and Furious

The Criminal Division Chief of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona, Patrick J. Cunningham is now being forced to give a deposition to the House Oversight Committee after not doing so voluntarily. Cunningham will be in a tight spot when he gives his testimony on January 24th, based on the contents in a letter sent to him by Issa:

Here is an excerpt:

"These officials told us that even after Congress began investigating Fast and Furious, you continued to insist that no unacceptable tactics were used. In fact, documents obtained confidentially just last week appear to confirm that you remained steadfast in your belief that no unacceptable tactics were used, even after the Department's initial response to the congressional inquiry. Given that the Attorney General has labeled these tactics as unacceptable and Fast and Furious as 'fundamentally flawed,' this position is startling."

A little more than a week after Cunningham is deposed, Holder will be in front of Issa's committee. It's quite possible that Issa wants to get Cunningham on the record before Holder appears on February 2nd.

Read the entire letter.

Video: Newt says Sarah Palin will 'Play a Major Role' in Administration

Check out this chain of events. On Monday, January 16th, Newt knocks the ball out of the park at the Fox News debate. On Tuesday, January 17th, Sarah Palin makes news by telling South Carolina voters to pull the lever for Newt Gingrich on Saturday, January 21st. On Wednesday, January 18th (video below), Gingrich tells Wolf Blitzer that Sarah Palin will 'play a major role' in his administration. On Thursday morning, January 19th, Drudge reports that ABC will be airing an interview with the ex-wife of Gingrich that will make him look extremely bad. The CNN debate will take place hours after the announcement of ABC's hit piece.

Via TPM:



h/t Daily Caller