Echoes of Conspiracy Theories

Echoes of the conspiracy theory concerning the
Reagan-Bush era Congress Callboy Scandal:

Trandahl's name comes up in three accounts of confrontations between lawmakers and Foley over his reported approaches to underage pages dating back to at least 2001. It's not surprising, since as Clerk Trandahl, a Republican appointee, was a member of the Page Board and exercised day-to-day oversight of the page program.

Now, he's lawyered up with Cono Namorato, until recently the former head of the IRS office of professional responsibility and before that counsel to former Clinton Administration HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, who resigned and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of lying to the FBI about hush money payments to his mistress.

--- Andrew Zajac at the Chicago Tribune's Swamp Blog

Why would Trandahl need a lawyer that specialized in hush money payments to mistresses? Naaaaah... Who would believe the Foley cover-up would be about prostitutes on Capitol Hill, never mind the possibility of young boys being involved? (I may read conspiracy theories for fun... Doesn't mean I believe them all;)


This whole Foley thing is getting a little too weird with how many GOP politicians and staffers that knew all about it for so long. I keep waiting for another republican to pop up from behind the grassy knoll...

X-posted at The Booman Tribune
and at My Left Nutmeg

Republican Kolbe Joins the Already Disgraced GOP List

Hastert, Boehner, Shimkus, Reynolds, Alexander, and various members of their staff (Trandahl, Fordham) have all been linked into the cover-up of Foley's stalking of young pages in Congress to varying degrees. (From the grossly incompetent, to the criminally negligent.) According to the WaPo this is a 5 year old issue AND...

You can add Kolby to the list:

A Republican congressman knew of disgraced former representative Mark Foley's inappropriate Internet exchanges as far back as 2000 and personally confronted Foley about his communications.

A spokeswoman for Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) confirmed yesterday that a former page showed the congressman Internet messages that had made the youth feel uncomfortable with the direction Foley (R-Fla.) was taking their e-mail relationship. Last week, when the Foley matter erupted, a Kolbe staff member suggested to the former page that he take the matter to the clerk of the House, Karen Haas, said Kolbe's press secretary, Korenna Cline.

The revelation pushes back by at least five years the date when a member of Congress has acknowledged learning of Foley's behavior with former pages. A timeline issued by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) suggested that the first lawmakers to know, Rep. John M. Shimkus (R-Ill.), the chairman of the House Page Board, and Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.), became aware of "over-friendly" e-mails only last fall. It also expands the universe of players in the drama beyond members, either in leadership or on the page board.

A source with direct knowledge of Kolbe's involvement said the messages shared with Kolbe were sexually explicit, and he read the contents to The Washington Post under the condition that they not be reprinted. But Cline denied the source's characterization, saying only that the messages had made the former page feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, she said, "corrective action" was taken. Cline said she has not yet determined whether that action went beyond Kolbe's confrontation with Foley.

There is clearly NOTHING INNOCENT about these E-mails...

This pushes it all back another by 5 more years and shows that there have been NUMEROUS OCCASIONS over the years where GOP Congressmen have been asked to address the situation.

Just another in a long line of failures by the GOP...


X-posted at The Booman Tribune and My Left Nutmeg

Waking Up Walmart!

Courtesy of Connecticut Bob

Ned Lamont talks about "Waking Up Walmart!"

Rell and DeFelice-ing of Connecticut

What does Jodi Rell do when the contactor costs the state millions by bungling a MEGA project?

State to check for Route 7 project mistakes

The state is inspecting the Route 7 widening project in New Milford to make certain mistakes a contractor made on an I-84 widening project were not repeated on Route 7.

...snip...

The state Department of Transportation and the state attorney general are investigating projects by L.G. DeFelice, Inc., which failed in 2005. They are also investigating the DeFelice successor company, Hallberg Contracting Corp. of West Haven.

Late Monday, Gov. M. Jodi Rell ordered an independent audit of the I-84 project.

DeFelice officially defaulted on the Route 7 widening project in New Milford in May. It was immediately replaced by Hallberg Contracting Corp., which is run by the former president of DeFelice, Stephen Hallberg.

--- The New Milford Spectrum

Good Lord! She orders an audit?

Which crony will you hand more cash out to in order to have your "independent audit"?

I'll give you an audit for free:

Republican Rell gave the contract to cronies (Business as usual for Republicans) and when they messed up so badly, and went bankrupt, Rell turned around and handed the project to a company headed up by Stephen Hallberg, the former president of the same company that messed up the first time!

Jodi Rell's "DeFelice-ing" of OUR public funds through gross incompetence...

Not just once, BUT TWICE!

First on the I-84 project, and the second time on the Super 7 project.
Nothing like repeating your same mistakes over and over again.

Care to rethink whom you should vote for Governor of Connecticut (or for any level of government these days...) if you are a fiscal conservative?

You sure can't vote for the GOP and expect them to take care of your money.

Johnson's Half-Baked Deflection

Hat tip to ct progressive at No More Nancy!:

Johnson's Half-Hearted Stand:

"If any leader from either party tried to cover up this information at the expense of the safety of our children, then they should resign their position immediately.

It would be reprehensible if any Republican leader intentionally covered up the full facts of the case, and it would be equally reprehensible if Democrat leaders sat on this information for a year in order to release it 30 days before an election.

I want an investigation to go forward to find out answers to these questions."

It would be reprehensible for Johnson to say that Dems "might have leaked this", which is a complete and total lie designed to deflect from the real issue.

It is already a known fact that it was a republican staffer that leaked this, and that this would not be an "October surprise" in this election year if GOP leadership had dealt with Foley when they FIRST LEARNED OF HIS IMMORAL BEHAVIOR.

The fact is that the GOP leadership has known about this issue for at least 5 years now.

I hate to break this to you, Nancy, BUT America does not give a damn "who leaked what"... They do, however, care that GOP leadrship has shown absolutely no moral fiber, and absolutely no will to take personal resposibility for their inaction.

Your little political game of deny and deflect has already burned you because your party chose to protect one House candidate instead of the children of America.

And you are welcome Nancy!
(For that nice BIG cup of STFU!)

Come back again when you have some moral values...

As a side note: I put some chocolate flavored Exlax in that BIG cup so she should start running off at the mouth any second now...
:)

To Shays: You Already Did...

What Shays says now:

Shays reiterated his views Tuesday and added that he would not vote for any leader who "knew or should have known about Mark Foley's conduct." Shays' stance satisfied American Family Voices. "Our goal was to have Congressman Shays do what he did," said spokeswoman Hayley Zachary.

--- The Hartford Courant

The problem here is that GOP House leadership has known about Foley's immoral behavior for at least 5 years.

FACT: GOP staff, working for Republican Speaker Denny Hastert, warned the page class of 2001-2002 to stay away from Foley - five years ago.

FACT: Former chief of staff to GOP Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), Kirk Fordham, says he warned Hastert's chief of staff of Foley's behavior three years ago. Whether or not you believe Fordham, his testimony is consistent with the other facts showing that the Republicans knew about Foley's behavior long before last week.

FACT: Both Reps. John Boehner, the Republican House Majority Leader, and Tom Reynolds both say they told Dennis Hastert personally about the Foley issue months ago. Hastert says Boehner is lying. So one of the two most powerful Republicans in the House is lying about an investigation into a child sex predator. That deserves a separate investigation right there.

FACT: Hastert's staff was informed of the Foley emails a year ago, but Hastert would like us to believe his staff simply never told him that a member of Congress, a member of his leadership team, was under investigation for preying sexually on young children - children who Hastert was responsible for.

And finally, the Republicans would have us believe, yet again, that a 52 year old man sending emails to a 16 year old boy he doesn't even know, and talking to that boy about how his 16 year old friend has a great body, is somehow simply "overly friendly." That is absurd on its face.

--- John Aravosis at AMERICAblog

And in an effort to distract and dissemble right-wing-nut cheerleaders manage to get some more egg on their face:

I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you. That Drudge bamboozlement about the Foleygate cybersex IMs being a 'prank'. The kid's lawyer says Drudge's piece was "a piece of fiction."

-- Josh Marshall at Talking Point Memo

But the simple fact remains that YOU, Shays, have already voted for GOP House leadership that knew about Foley's transgressions and they have known for at least 5 years.

I am curious Shays...

Were you irresponsibly ignorant of the GOP Leadership you have already voted for?

OR

Were you willfully ignorant of the GOP leadership you have already voted for?

I won't even impugn your supposed "good character" by suggesting that you might, possibly, have known about Foley's problems personally... That would be irresponsible on my part.

BUT

Either fact suggests gross misjudgment on your part and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you continue to choose to run with the wrong crowd.

The immoral, corrupt GOP crowd.

So please don't tell me what you plan to do in the future or, more precisely, to cover your political ass because your past record already speaks for itself.

Shays, YOU have already voted for DeLay and Hastert…

Which corrupt and immoral GOP leader would you choose to vote for next?

Does it really matter what you say now?

Hastert Mismanages Foley

Silent Patriot at Crooks & Liars writes:

"Jon Stewart and the Daily Show team really went to town on the scandal-ridden GOP tonight. From the cancellation of the "Annual GOP Barebeque and Nude Cub Scout Wrestle" to the passing of the Foley buck among the House Leadersip, Jon puts a hysterical spin on a truly disastrous scandal that's getting worse by the minute.

Reynolds: I did what most people would do in a work place. I heard something, I took it to my supervisor.

Stewart: "I took it to my supervisor?" Tom Reynolds…Congressman? or Assistant Manager at Applebees?"

I didn't know Hastert was a manager at Applebees?

I would hope that Foley isn't the one providing the "service" at the table... I do have kids, ya know?

Go check out the video and read the rest of the post at C&L.

Have a Cup Of Joe...

I am a Veteran of the US Army Infantry. This sort of BS really galls me when I know that my friends and family are STILL serving in Iraq and Afghanistan with substandard equipment.

In three out of the last four Congresses, Joe Lieberman has had one of the top seven worst voting attendance records in the entire U.S. Senate. He has skipped hundreds of votes, often times to travel around the country to fundraisers for himself. He has skipped half of all votes on the Iraq War since the invasion began and skipped all votes to fund the inaugural budget of the Department of Homeland Security. But today, as Ned Lamont is endorsed by a major veterans group, the Cup of Joe asks a simple question: Why did Lieberman skip a close vote on legislation by Senator Chris Dodd to improve body armor for our troops in combat?

DETAILS OF LIEBERMAN’S SKIPPED VOTE ON BODY ARMOR: Senator Lieberman skipped a tight vote on legislation sponsored by Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd that would have provided additional emergency funding for safety equipment such as body armor for troops serving in Iraq. [Source: Senate Roll Call Vote #376,
10/2/03]

DODD PLEADED FOR SUPPORT ON THE SENATE FLOOR: In trying to corral enough votes for this critical amendment, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd explained exactly what his amendment would do. “This amendment was designed specifically to see to it that those U.S. troops coming into Iraq, into a theater of war, would receive important equipment they need to perform their missions effectively,” he said. “This equipment includes important high-tech body armor, bullet-proof helmets, special water packs to keep soldiers hydrated, and other survival gear.” He added: “Let us take care of our men and women in uniform going over to Iraq. I do not think any of us want to read a story where one of our young troops has to go out and buy their own equipment to protect themselves. This is the 21st century. And in this day and age, the sole superpower in the world should not have to tell its military personnel to fend for themselves.” Unfortunately, the bill lost on a close vote, with Lieberman nowhere to be found. [Source: Congressional record page S12352, 10/2/03]

NEWSWEEK SAID TROOPS UNECESSARILY DIED OR WERE INJURED BECAUSE OF POOR BODY ARMOR: A year after Lieberman skipped the vote on Dodd’s amendment and the amendment subsequently went down to defeat, Newsweek reported that a study by one defense consultant circulating throughout the Army noted that up to “one in four of those killed in combat in Iraq might be alive if they had had stronger armor around them” and “thousands more who were unprotected have suffered grievous wounds, such as the loss of limbs.” [Source: Newsweek, 4/25/04]

It is pretty sad that Senator Dodd could not count on his "junior Senator" from Connecticut to help deliver a vote that could have saved many Veterans' lives.

Since you have whole-heartedly supported "Bush's endless war failure", AND you have failed to even try to help adequately equip Connecticut's and other American soldiers' lives, please hang this weight around your neck Lieberman:

Connecticut's War Dead

I hope this weight is at least enough to drag you down on election day.

Connecticut Senate Race Info

So you can be an informed voter:

Info on Ned Lamont:

Ned Lamont - Official Campaign Website

Ned Lamont - Ned Lamont, the Political Entrepreneur

Ned Lamont - "Democrats Back Lamont; Lieberman Files Independent Run" (F0x)

Ned Lamont - Unofficial Ned Lamont Resource

Ned Lamont - Unofficial Lamont Blog

Ned Lamont - "The Democrats Mean Business" (WSJ)

Ned Lamont - "Ned Lamont vs. Joe Lieberman" (The Nation)

Ned Lamont - "Lieberman Loses Debate With Challenger Ned Lamont"

Ned Lamont - "Lamont: Lieberman Sounded Like Cheney"

Ned Lamont - "Lamont Fires Up Naples" (New Haven Independent)

Info on Joe Lieberman:

Joe Lieberman - "Seasonal Memory Lapses" by Paul Bass (Hartford Courant)

Joe Lieberman - "Truth About Joe"

Joe Lieberman - "Lieberman Wins Republican Friends, Democratic Enemies..." (WaPo)

Joe Lieberman - "Joe Lieberman is a Big Oil Republican" (LamontBlog)

Joe Lieberman - "Kerry Calls Lieberman the New Cheney" (ABC)

Joe Lieberman - "Joe Lieberman Doesn't Care About Handicapped People" (Wonkette)

Joe Lieberman - "Joe Lieberman is Running With a Bad Crowd" (Firedoglake)

Joe Lieberman - "116 Reasons Not to Vote for Joe Lieberman"

Joe Lieberman - "How Joe Lieberman Tried to Kill Rock 'N Roll" (Huffington Post)

Info on Alan who?
Nevermind... heh