Breaking News Thread

[Peelz]

T-shirts portraying Obama in a superman costume dunking a basketball are going for $15.

[Flynbyu]

T-shirts portraying Obama in a superman costume dunking a basketball are going for $15.

I own one.



Holla!

~Brian

[Flynbyu]

Sen. Ted Kennedy suffered a seizure and was taken away by emergency medical personnel during President Obama's celebratory inaugural luncheon on Tuesday.

A Republican House leadership member told FOX News that Kennedy had a seizure at the end of the lunch, the seizure lasted a while. He was taken out on a wheelchair and had to have his legs lifted up to get him out of the room.

Last summer, the Massachusetts Democrat was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

A reporter said Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Sen. John Kerry, helped Kennedy get into a reclining chair in which he was wheeled out in.

Must have had too much to drink.



~Brian

[Peelz]

Sen. Ted Kennedy suffered a seizure and was taken away by emergency medical personnel during President Obama's celebratory inaugural luncheon on Tuesday.

A Republican House leadership member told FOX News that Kennedy had a seizure at the end of the lunch, the seizure lasted a while. He was taken out on a wheelchair and had to have his legs lifted up to get him out of the room.

Last summer, the Massachusetts Democrat was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

A reporter said Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Sen. John Kerry, helped Kennedy get into a reclining chair in which he was wheeled out in.

Must have had too much to drink.



~Brian

NOPE!  Too little....

[fire raptor]

He should be able to walk drunk because he sure could swim drunk!!

[Flynbyu]

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's first public act in office Wednesday was to institute new limits on lobbyists in his White House and to freeze the salaries of high-paid aides, in a nod to the country's economic turmoil.

Announcing the moves while attending a ceremony in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to swear in his staff, Obama said the steps "represent a clean break from business as usual."

The pay freeze, first reported by The Associated Press, would hold salaries at their current levels for the roughly 100 White House employees who make over $100,000 a year. "Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington," said the new president, taking office amid startlingly bad economic times that many fear will grow worse.

Those affected by the freeze include the high-profile jobs of White House chief of staff, national security adviser and press secretary. Other aides who work in relative anonymity also would fit into that cap if Obama follows a structure similar to the one George W. Bush set up.

Obama's new lobbying rules will not only ban aides from trying to influence the administration when they leave his staff. Those already hired will be banned from working on matters they have previously lobbied on, or to approach agencies that they once targeted.

The rules also ban lobbyists from giving gifts of any size to any member of his administration. It wasn't immediately clear whether the ban would include the traditional "previous relationships" clause, allowing gifts from friends or associates with which an employee comes in with strong ties.

The new rules also require that anyone who leaves his administration is not allowed to try to influence former friends and colleagues for at least two years. Obama is requiring all staff to attend to an ethics briefing like one he said he attended last week.

Obama called the rules tighter "than under any other administration in history." They followed pledges during his campaign to be strict about the influence of lobbyist in his White House.

"The new rules on lobbying alone, no matter how tough, are not enough to fix a broken system in Washington," he said. "That's why I'm also setting rules that govern not just lobbyists but all those who have been selected to serve in my administration."

In an attempt to deliver on pledges of a transparent government, Obama said he would change the way the federal government interprets the Freedom of Information Act. He said he was directing agencies that vet requests for information to err on the side of making information public — not to look for reasons to legally withhold it — an alteration to the traditional standard of evaluation.

Just because a government agency has the legal power to keep information private does not mean that it should, Obama said. Reporters and public-interest groups often make use of the law to explore how and why government decisions were made; they are often stymied as agencies claim legal exemptions to the law.

"For a long time now, there's been too much secrecy in this city," Obama said.

He said the orders he was issuing Wednesday will not "make government as honest and transparent as it needs to be" nor go as far as he would like.

"But these historic measures do mark the beginning of a new era of openness in our country," Obama said. "And I will, I hope, do something to make government trustworthy in the eyes of the American people, in the days and weeks, months and years to come."

~Brian

[Colorado700R]

you know I was expecting a mass of Presidential Pardons from ole W......That's usually the norm for an outgoing president (IE H.W. Bush, and Clinton)   

strange

[fire raptor]

 As Governor he presided over 152 Texicutions. He is not the pardoning type of guy.

[Colorado700R]

As Governor he presided over 152 Texicutions. He is not the pardoning type of guy.

Not according to Wikipedia, he gave out 137 of them as governor

Pardons
James Leon Adams (1965 selling firearms to out of state residents and falsifying firearms records)[6]
Kristan Diane Bullock Akins (1990 Embezzlement by a bank employee)[7]
Charles James Allen (1979 conspiracy to defraud the United States. A former federal employee, Allen was convicted for approving payments to James Hilles Associates Inc., a Virginia firm, for office supplies that were never delivered. In return, Allen received car parts, a radio, a freezer and other gifts from the firm. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
William Thomas Alvis III (Possession of an unregistered firearm, distribution of cocaine)[8]
John Allen Aregood a/k/a Johnny (Sonny) Aregood (Conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens)[8]
Tony Dale Ashworth (1989 unlawful transfer of a firearm)[6]
Alan Dale Austin (1987 misapplication of mortgage funds)[9]
William L. Baker (1980 falsifying records)[10]
William Sidney Baldwin Sr. (1981 conspiracy to possess marijuana. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Timothy Evans Barfield (1989 aiding and abetting false statements on a Small Business Administration loan application. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Bruce Louis Bartos (1987 transportation of a machine gun in foreign commerce)[11]
George Francis Bauckham (1958 unlawful detention or delay of the mail by a postal employee)[10]
David Thomas Billmyer (1978 military conviction for making a false claim)[12]
Eric Charles Blanke (Making impressions of obligations of the United States)[8]
James Allen (Albert) Bodendieck, Sr. (1959 interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle)[13][14]
Clyde Philip Boudreaux (1975 military conviction for borrowing money from enlisted men, accepting a noninterest-bearing loan from a government contractor and signing and swearing to a false affidavit. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Gene Armand Bridger (1963 Conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and mail fraud)[15]
Marie Georgette Ginette Briere (1982 possession of cocaine with intent to distribute)
Kenneth Charles Britt (1998 conspiracy to violate fish and wildlife laws)[10]
Jeffrey James Bruce (1994 possession of stolen mail)[13]
Charles Wayne Bryant (1962 theft of U.S. mail matter by employee)[13]
William Bruce Butt (1990 bank embezzlement)[10]
Mariano Garza Caballero (1984 dealing in firearms without a license)[10]
Carl E. Cantrell (1967 moonshining)[16]
Charles Winston Carter (1964 conspiracy to steal government property)[16]
Meredith Elizabeth Casares (1989 embezzlement of US Postal Service funds)[17]
Ronald William Cauley (1980 Misapplication of bank funds by an employee)[7]
Steve Doyle Cavender (Conspiring to import, possess, distribute and dispense marijuana; importing and causing to be imported marijuana; possessing marijuana with intent to distribute)[8]
Cathryn Iline Clasen-Gage (1992 Misprision of a felony)[15]
Leslie Owen Collier (unauthorized use of a pesticide and violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act)[2]
Thomas Kimble Collinsworth (1989 Receipt of a stolen motor vehicle that had been transported in interstate commerce)[15]
Charles Russell Cooper (1959 bootlegging) [9]
Milton Kirk Cordes (conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, prohibiting importation into the country of wildlife taken in violation of conservation laws)[2]
Anthony John Curreri (1976 Mail fraud) [18]
Morris F. Cranmer, Jr. (1988 Making materially false statements to a federally-insured institution)[15]
Dale C. Critz, Jr. (1989 making a false statement)
Richard Micheal Culpepper (making false statements to the federal government)[2]
William Charles Davis (1983 income tax evasion)[12]
Randall Leece Deal (1960 and 1964 liquor laws)[6]
Brenda Jean Dolenz-Helmer (reporting or helping cover up a crime)[2]
Paul Jude Donnici (September 23, 1993) Use of a telephone in the transmission of wagering information [19]
William Henry Eagle (1972 moonshining)[6]
Mark Alan Eberwine (1985 conspiracy to defraud the United States by impeding, impairing, and obstructing the assessment of taxes by the Internal Revenue Service and making false declarations to the grand jury. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Rusty Lawrence Elliott (1991 Making counterfeit Federal Reserve notes)[15]
Marie Elena Eppens of Lynden, Wash. (conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana)[8]
Robert Carter Eversole (1984 theft)[6]
Lydia Lee Ferguson of Sun City, Ariz. (conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana)[8]
Gerald Douglas Ficke (1992 money laundering)[17]
Harper James Finucan (1980 marijuana possession with intent to distribute)[16]
Kenneth Clifford Foner (1991 bank fraud)[6]
Anthony Americo Franchi (1983 tax evasion)
Colin Earl Francis (1993 accepting a kickback of about $9,000 for helping a vendor for United Technologies Corp.'s Sikorsky Aircraft division, where Francis worked at the time, land a contract. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Victoria Diane Frost (1994 conspiracy to possess)[6]
William Grover Frye (1968 AWOL and 1973 sale of stolen car)[6]
Joseph Daniel Gavin (1979 military insubordination, drunkenness, threats, and other offenses) [9]
George Glenn (1956 accepting $50 bribe while in military)
Eduviges Duvi Gonzalez-Matsumura of Clovis, Calif. (aiding and abetting embezzlement of bank funds)[8]
George Clarence Greene Jr. (Mail fraud)[8]
Samuel Wattie Guerry (1984 food stamp fraud)[19]
Adam Wade Graham (1992 Conspiracy to deliver 10 or more grams of LSD)[15]
Charles E. Hamilton (1989 mail fraud)[19]
Stanley Bernard Hamilton 1990 (money order fraud)[6]
Brianna Lea Haney (1991 failure to report monetary instruments)[11]
Andrew Foster Harley (wrongful use and distribution of marijuana and cocaine)[2]
George Thomas Harley (1984 aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Rufus Edward Harris (1963 Possession and selling tax-unpaid whiskey)[15]
Jesse Ray Harvey (1990 Property damage by use of explosives and destruction of an energy facility)[15]
David Custer Heaston (1988 false statement)[11]
Melodie Jean Hebert (1984 defrauding U.S. with false claims)[6]
Obie Gene Helton (unauthorized acquisition of food stamps)[2]
Carey C. Hice Sr. (income tax evasion)[2]
Geneva Yvonne Hogg (bank embezzlement)[2]
Patricia Ann Hultman (1985 conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and other controlled substances. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
James Won Hee Kang a/k/a Won Hee Kang (Trafficking in counterfeit goods)[8]
Bobby Frank Kay Sr. (1959 operation of an illegal distillery)[16]
James Ernest Kinard, Jr. (1984 fraudulent firearms dealer records)[6]
Richard Ardell Krueger (1979 mail fraud and 1980 and false statement on a loan application)[12]
Devin Timothy Kruse (1979 AWOL from Coast Guard)[6]
Margaret Ann Leggett (1981 false claims)
Raul Marin (1982 failure to appear in court) [9]
Larry Paul Lenius (1989 Conspiracy to distribute cocaine)[15]
Larry Lee Lopez (1985 Conspiracy to import marijuana)[15]
Alan Stephen Maiss (Misprision of a felony)[8]
Bobbie Archie Maxwell (1962 Mailing a threatening letter)[15]
David B. McCall, Jr. (1997 False entry in bank books and aiding and abetting)[20]
William Hoyle McCright Jr. (making false entries, books, reports or statements to a bank)[2]
Paul Julian McCurdy (misapplication of bank funds)[2]
Melvin L. McKee (1982 conspiracy to make false statements on a loan application)[16]
Charles McKinley, (1950 moonshining)[16]
Michael Mark McLaughlin (1983 mail fraud and conspiracy)[12]
Craven Wilford McLemore (1983 Conspiracy to defraud the United States and Caddo County) [18]
Denise Bitters Mendelkow (1981 Embezzlement by a bank employee)[15]
Richard Harold Miller (Conspiracy to defraud the United States)[8]
Michael Robert Moelter (1988 illegal gambling business)[11]
Robert Earl Mohon Jr. (conspiracy to distribute marijuana)[2]
Billie Curtis Moore (1977 income tax evasion)[12]
Ronald Alan Mohrhoff (unlawful use of a telephone in a narcotics felony)[2]
Richard Arthur Morse (1963 transportation of a stolen vehicle)[17]
Gerard Murphy (1972 car theft)[6]
Kenneth Lynn Norris (1993 unlawful disposal of hazardous waste)[19]
Delano Abraham Nixon (Forging the endorsement on a U.S. Treasury check)[8]
Joseph Mathew Novak (1994 possession and transfer of an illegal weapon)[6]
Eric William Olson (1984 military conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, possession, and use of hashish. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Glanus Terrell Osborne (1990 possessing a stolen motor vehicle)[14]
John H. Overholt (Concealment of information affecting Social Security benefits)[8]
Morris Keith Parker (Misprision of a felony)[8]
Donald Lee Pendergrass (1964 armed bank robbery)[16]
Fred Dale Pitzer (1976 transportation of falsely made securities)[17]
Charles Blurford Power (1948 transportation of a stolen vehicle)[16]
Michael John Pozorski (1988 Unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm)[15]
Daniel Figh Pue III (illegal treatment, storage and disposal of a hazardous waste without a permit)[2]
Robert Truman Reece (Unauthorized absence,missing ship's movement)[8]
Thomas R. Reece (1969 violating the Internal Revenue Code pertaining to alcohol. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
James Edward Reed (1975 marijuana possession with intent to distribute)[12]
Cecil John Rhodes (1981 false statement on a loan application)[17]
John Louis Ribando (1976 and 1978 marijuana dealing)[6]
Donald Edward Roessler (Embezzlement of mail matter)[8]
Larry Gene Ross (1989 making false statements in a bank loan application. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Ernest Rudnet (1992 conspiracy to file false tax returns) [9]
Gary L. Saltzburg (1995 theft of government property) [9]
John Gregory Schillace (1988 conspiracy to possess cocaine for distribution)[16]
Russell Don Sell (1995 aiding and abetting a false statement on a loan application)[17]
Scott LaVerne Sparks (1989 theft of government property)[12]
Wendy St. Charles (1984 conspiracy to trade narcotics and cocaine distribution)[16]
David Lloyd St. Croix (1989 disposal of stolen explosives)[9]
Jearld David Swanner (1991 making false statements in a bank loan application. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
James Walter Taylor (1991 bank fraud. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Johnson Heyward Tisdale (1994 food stamp fraud)[19]
Issac Robert Toussie (False statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, mail fraud; revoked one day later[irt 1][21])[8]
Edward Rodriguez Trevino, Jr. (1997 theft, convicted in military court)[6]
Janet Theone Upton (1975 mail fraud. pardoned December 21, 2006)
Orion Lynn Vick (aiding and abetting the theft of government property)[2]
Jerry Dean Walker (1989 cocaine distribution)[6]
Joseph William Warner (1995 arson on an Indian reservation)[9]
Mark Lewis Weber (1981 Selling Quaalude tablets, selling, using, and possessing marijuana )[15]
Roger Charles Weber (1969 Theft from an interstate shipment)[7]
David Lane Woolsey (Aiding and abetting violation of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act)[8]
^ Issac Robert Toussie (False statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, mail fraud) George W. Bush has revoked his pardon after discovering Issac Robert Toussie's father donated USD $28,500 to the Republican Party in April.

[Flynbyu]

He commuted two sentences on his last day in office.

Two border patrol agents. Their records were not wiped clean, he just let them out of prison.

~Brian

[Colorado700R]

He commuted two sentences on his last day in office.

Two border patrol agents. Their records were not wiped clean, he just let them out of prison.

~Brian

Still in comparison to his dad's Iran contra connection and Clinton's whitewater that's not much.  For a guy leaving as the least popular president in history, he honored his postion by not "playing to the band" as it were.

[Flynbyu]

He commuted two sentences on his last day in office.

Two border patrol agents. Their records were not wiped clean, he just let them out of prison.

~Brian

Still in comparison to his dad's Iran contra connection and Clinton's whitewater that's not much.  For a guy leaving as the least popular president in history, he honored his postion by not "playing to the band" as it were.

The tow agents were imprisoned for shooting two illegals, and they were just doing their job. Very contreversial case in court. Bush did pardon a few others in his last two weeks too, but I haven't read much on those.

~Brian

[socalrappy700]

I would let all the white supremacists go.   

JK

[Colorado700R]

I would let all the white supremacists go.   

JK

Naw leave Sam Rambo in there 

[Krandall]

SamRambo.. that was fun.