Monday, February 29, 2016

The "Republican Meltdown" --- OMG !!! The Sky Is Falling, The Sky Is Falling


With things looking like Donald Trump might lock things up tomorrow, or more likely, within a couple of weeks, lots of Establishment GOPers want to knock over the GOP game board and march out of the party in a huff


ALL OF A SUDDEN   —   It’s beginning to look like the GOP is in danger of breaking apart  —   They say the reason is Donald Trump  —  BUT  —  The “BAD GUYS that are pushing this "breakup" are not the pro-Trump folks, it’s the types identified as "ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS” that are “OPPOSED TO DONALD TRUMP – NO MATTER WHAT”



There is no shortage of stories on the topic of the coming Republican meltdown or breakup over the probable inevitable nomination of Donald Trump.  The articles and reports are coming from the left wing media, the right wing media and the main stream media (See, e.g., "Republican Meltdown" Google Search, 2/29/16, Google [https://www.google.com/search?q=Republican+Meltdown&oq=Republican+Meltdown&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.13109j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8]; also, "Republican Party Breakup" Google Search, 2/29/16, Google  [https://www.google.com/search?q=republican+party+breakup&oq=Republican+Breakup&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0j69i60.13549j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8]).

In fact, there is at least one so-called Republican conservative anti-Trump commentator that is willing to entertain the possibility of a GOP “breakup” as a good thing (See “The benefits of a Republican Party breakup” by Jennifer Rubin, 2/29/16, The Washington Post/ Opinion/ Right Turn [www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/02/29/the-benefits-of-a-republican-party-breakup/]).  Ms. Rubin's article is an interesting intellectual exercise, but I'm not prepared to address it here and now.  I suspect that I might never be inclined to talk very much about it.

Tonight, I am going to look at only two of the pieces that I found; and my discussion follows below.

A VIEW FROM ACROSS THE [NORTHERN] BORDER

Let’s start with a real outsider’s view  —  and it goes like this:  “It’s an existential crisis. With Trump sailing toward victory, the Republican Party appears to be heading toward a historic crackup....  ‘We are on the verge of a tipping point in the Republican Party where it could actually split for the first time,’ prominent right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt said on ABC on Sunday. He added:  ‘We are at the verge of a real meltdown...  it might happen Tuesday.’...  That would be ‘Super Tuesday,’ the most important day on the primary calendar, when 11 states vote in each party’s nominating contest. On the Democratic side, front-runner Clinton has a chance to take a big enough lead to make the race against Bernie Sanders boring. On the Republican side, front-runner Trump is leading everywhere but Texas. But his party is at war....  On one side: Trump’s devoted fans, plus non-fans willing to support any Republican over the reviled Clinton. On the other: people unwilling to countenance this oft-odious Republican. And there are a lot of them. Despite Trump’s electoral dominance, he has the current support of just a third of Republican voters....” ( See “Republican Party on the verge of meltdown” by Daniel Dale, 2/28/16, Toronto Star [http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/02/28/republican-party-on-the-verge-of-meltdown.html]).

Now, that’s a Canadian paper.  However, their take on things is not out of step with a lot of what’s being said by the MSM  in the USA. Just this evening, Chris Matthews unequivocally said that the GOP appeared to be “...coming apart at the seams...” over what looked like Trump’s unstoppable move toward the Republican Presidential nomination.

A RIGHT-ISH OUTLOOK

Meanwhile, right wing sources are even warning about stuff like this, which they predict are most likely  to happen:  “With Donald Trump set for a YUUGE VICTORY [caps mine] in tomorrow's Super Tuesday slugfest - oddsmakers see 80% chance of Trump being the nominee - tensions are mounting dramatically within the Republican establishment.  ... [M]any  mainstream Republicans believe Mr Trump would struggle to beat Hillary Clinton and are urgently rallying around their man Rubio with some senior Republicans saying privately that they might consider voting for Mrs Clinton if Mr Trump were to end up as their party nominee as one conservative commentator exclaimed ‘we are on the verge of a real meltdown in the Republican party.’...” (See “"The GOP Is On The Verge Of A Meltdown": Senior Republicans Threaten To Vote For Hillary” by Tyler Durden, 2/29/16, “ZeroHedge” [0 H] Blog [http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-29/gop-verge-meltdown-senior-republicans-threaten-vote-hillary]).

HILLARY MORE WARLIKE THAN TRUMP ? ? ?

It is at least a little interesting that the “ZeroHedge” article ended with this provocative prediction: “....  With Trump’s ascendancy, it’s possible that the parties will re-orient their views on war and peace, with Trump moving the GOP to a more dovish direction and Clinton moving the Democrats towards greater support for war.”  I don’t agree, because I think there is much too little in the way of hard evidence to back that up. However, it is an interesting look into somebody’s crystal ball on the topic.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

What the heck is going on here! ! ! — Did anybody see the so-called Trump “endorsement” released by the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization? ? ?

Based on yesterday’s release by the “leadership” of the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization, it is not clear that any “Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization” endorsed anybody


ALSO THIS: Has Arnaldo Ferraro given up any and all claims to being the GOP County Chairman ? 


Is this “Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour” ? ? ?  —  Is this some kind of joke ? ?   —  Or what ? 



Yesterday, an E-mail put out “For Immediate Release” under the purported letterhead of the “FIORELLO LAGUARDIA REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATION” –  with a somewhat familiar address [including E-mail address] – proclaimed the following: “Donald Trump Endorsed in Brooklyn.”  That headline was followed by this: “The Republican Leadership of the 46 Assembly District – Endorses Donald Trump for President of the United States”; and all of it looked like it came from “The Republican Leadership of the 46 Assembly District [ ]: Hon. Arnaldo A. Ferraro, Former State Assemblyman, Founder and Chairman, Lucretia Regina-Potter and Anthony Bove, Republican District Leaders-46 Assembly District.”  A similar item appeared yesterday on the homepage of the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization ( by the way, still referring to itself as the >>> 49th A.D. Regular Republican Organization<<< on its homepage) [http://www.laguardiarepublicanclub.org/2016/02/26/donald-trump-endorsed-in-brooklyn/].

So far so good right ?  —   Not so fast !

THE SMELL TEST

Something doesn’t pass the smell test here.

According to the release, dated February 26, 2016,  “....  The leadership of the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization recently endorsed Donald Trump for President of the United States....”

Really ?  Then, when and where was that “recently” done ?

This blog knows several of the executive members of the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization and some of them indicated that they knew of no meeting having been called for any endorsement of presidential candidates.

What we do know, based on their quotes, is that three people in the 46th AD  –  Arnaldo Ferraro, Lucretia Regina-Potter and Anthony Bove –  appear to have endorsed Donald Trump; and that’s about it.

BIGGER QUESTIONS THAN THAT

The release raised many more questions than the where and when of the so-called Trump endorsement.  For example, as stated above, the release stated that “Donald Trump Endorsed in Brooklyn”; and it contained several references to Arnaldo Ferraro, under various titles, styles and appellations  >>>  but not one of them was as Chairman of the Kings County Republican Party.  Now, I think that is very strange, because it had been widely reported, both here and in other press outlets in Brooklyn, that Mr. Ferraro was lawfully selected to be the Brooklyn GOP Chairman and that he had accepted the job. Has the “Arnaldo Ferraro” in this E-mail given up his claim to being the Brooklyn Republican Chairman, or has he been stripped of the title for some reason?

If Arnaldo Ferraro remains the Chairman of the Kings County Republican Party, doesn't that make his direct endorsement of a candidate not endorsed by the Brooklyn GOP a conflict of interest?  Also, did Arnaldo consult-with and/or notify the Brooklyn GOP Executive Committee in any way about his intended "personal" endorsement of Donald Trump? (The same issues exist vis a vis Lucretia Regina-Potter, who also was elected to and accepted a County-wide GOP position).

Also, why are these three "leaders" of the so-called LaGuardia Republican Organization in the 46th Assembly District (one of whom is arguably also the Kings County Republican Chairman) rushing into this "endorsement" of Mr. Trump  --  all without proper formalities, literally doing it electronically from a closet and in the dead of night.

Based on "THE SMELL TEST" mentioned above, there is more here than meets the eye.....

Sunday, February 21, 2016

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: THE “WOWZUH - WOWZUH !!! CAPANO TO SPEAK IN DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN” EDITION


MONDAY NIGHT  —  BOB CAPANO TO ADDRESS BROOKLYN BROWNSTONE REPUBLICAN CLUB ON THE TOPIC  —   "A PATH FORWARD FOR THE BROOKLYN AND NYC GOP"  —  MORE DETAILS BELOW



Bob Capano, who was the Republican, Conservative, and Independence party candidate for the 43rd Council District seat against Vincent Gentile in 2009, will be the featured speaker at the Brooklyn Brownstone Republican Club on Monday, February 22nd.

The focus of his remarks will be "A Path Forward for the Brooklyn and NYC GOP", and it will include a specific 4-point plan, which Bob will be unveiling for the first time.

Bob Capano served as District Director to former Brooklyn/Queens Republican Congressman Bob Turner; Brooklyn Director to former Staten Island/Brooklyn Republican Congressman Vito Fossella; Director of Community Relations and Legislative Affairs under former Democratic Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz; Brooklyn consultant to former Republican Mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis; and President of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club.  He also served as President of the 68th Precinct Youth Council, which provides over 1,100 children in southwest Brooklyn with recreational baseball and soccer programs, and is an adjunct instructor of Political Science with the City University of New York (CUNY).

In addition, Capano is "considering" another run in 2017 for Brooklyn's 43rd City Council District, which covers Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, and Bensonhurst.  The position will be vacant due to term limits on the incumbent, Vincent Gentile. However, it had been recently reported that Mr. Gentile might be leaving his City Council position before the end of his term, thus creating the possibility of a Special Election for the Council seat sooner than 2017.

"You must remember this... as time goes by" : 


WHO: Bob CAPANO

WHEN: TOMORROW, Monday, February 22, 2016 at 7:00 PM

WHERE: SAM'S RESTAURANT
                238 Court Street (at Kane Street)
                Brooklyn, NY
             


Saturday, February 20, 2016

Is John Quaglione picking a fight with Bob Capano ??? – If so – WHY NOW ??? – & – WHY THIS ???


TWO NYC COPS SHOT – Brooklyn Republican Bob Capano speaks out –  And then – John Quaglione says Capano needs to keep his mouth shut until some other time



Republican-Conservative candidates for NYC Council, Quags & Cappy, have quick Facebook face-off



Also this: Might there be a City Council race coming sooner than 2017 ???



I think that a line was crossed earlier today.  And I leave it to you to decide who crossed it.  And, if you think that more than one person did, then Riddle-Me-This-Batman:  Who crossed the line first ???

Just as Bob Capano was getting ready to sit down to a nice Saturday brunch of bacon & eggs, John Quaglione dropped in for a food fight with the Capster.

Those who follow this blog know very well that Brooklyn GOPer, Bob Capano, who is now well into his next campaign for the City Council seat now held by Vinny Gentile, had been very outspoken in his opposition to various proposals by Mayor de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, especially during the last several weeks. So when Capano came out this morning with his –  “I told you so...” statement about yesterday’s dual police shootings, nobody should have been surprised.  On the contrary, it should have been readily expected and well-accepted by those of us who generally support good policing, and the NYPD in particular..

First thing this morning, Bob Capano sent out a “Media Advisory” that contained the following key remarks about the shootings -- and what Bob Capano considered among the causes for the shooting:
“....   In response to the news of two more cops being shot in Brooklyn last night, Bob Capano...  today demanded that Brooklyn democrats admit that anti-police rhetoric and policy proposals are emboldening criminals and creating more danger for our police officers.... Capano stated, "When do democrats in the City Council and other democratic leaders admit that the anti-police rhetoric and policy proposals of City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the Mayor are creating an environment in our city that emboldens criminals and creates more danger for our police officers. It is unfortunate that Brooklyn democratic leaders are not standing up to them simply because they share the same party affiliation. I know that the residents of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, and Brooklyn do not want to return to the criminal justice policies of David Dinkins and want to keep our communities safe." Capano specifically noted the silence of Assemblyman Peter Abbate and Bay Ridge Democratic district leader Kevin Peter Carroll. Carroll recently blocked Capano from his facebook page for challenging him to stand up to Council Speaker Mark-Viverito....   The City Council Speaker has proposed legislation that would clear open warrants on criminal offenders and de-criminalize many quality of life crimes. Capano has been leading an effort to rally Brooklyn opposition to Mark-Viverito’s proposals....”

ODD PUSHBACK FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE

What is quite surprising is that Bob Capano got some flak from an unexpected and even strange quarter – from the rear and ostensibly from his right.....    A purported conservative Republican took serious exceptionto what Bob had done and said in response to the Friday shootings of the NYPD officers. CAN YOU GUESS WHO THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ????

It was none other than one of State Senator Martin Golden’s most senior staffers, John Quaglione, who seems to have decided that this was the time and this was the issue that was ripe for a confrontation with Cappy.

Late this morning, John Quaglione responded to Bob Capano’s press release about the police officers’ shootings with this Facebook comment:
“John Quaglione  —  We are aware that the policies have failed all New Yorkers and the discussion and change must be made. Grandstanding won't change anything especially on the backs of NYPD officers who were shot. There is a time and place for those discussions....”

CAPANO’S QUICK REBUTTAL OF QUAGLIONE

Bob Capano’s rejoinder to Mr. Quaglione was as pointed as it was quick, coming in less than a half hour after John’s original Facebook entry:
“Robert Capano  —   John...  With all due respect, this is nothing new. Unfortunately, this has been going on for the past 2 years! While i appreciate that you want to ‘then discuss the failed police policies put in place by our Mayor and City Council’, i have been and we should all have been for awhile now....”

JOHN QUAGLIONE’S CRYPTIC SUR-REBUTTAL

It took Quags a half hour to come up with this:
“John Quaglione  —  Kevin Peter Carroll...”

CAPANO GETTING IN THE LAST WORD ABOUT IT

Again, Capano was quicker on the draw, clearing leather and getting off a volley of shots like a flash:
“Robert Capano  —    John...  Not sure why you cite kevin peter carroll, a dem district leader above? In any event, two of my uncles devoted their lives on the NYPD and my brother was a correction officer so for you to say i am grandstanding is an insult. If this was the first time i am talking about the above you may have a point. But, i have been publicly saying the same thing for the past two years. In fact, you may have seen my piece in the Bay Ridge Eagle and Home Reporter on this subject a few weeks ago (when no police officers were shot by the way). I will never [apologize] for standing up for our NYPD- no matter the date, time, or events occurring. I look forward to hearing you say something on these important issues when you feel the time is appropriate. To me, that time came 2 years ago....”

WHAT MIGHT BE DRIVING ALL OF THIS ???

Things have gotten very feisty, very fast between Messrs. Capano and Quaglione.  —  “The question begs...” [ I Love it, I love it, I love it !!!]  Why here, why now and why this ???

Maybe it’s got something to do with what follows:
One of my off-the-reservation BSIs recently sent me a snarky Tweet indicating that NYCCMVG’s office staff was buzzing about some imminent changes..... That would fall into line with the Post’s interesting little bomb about VG's going to the mayor with his hat in his hand looking for a nice little sinecure; with the by-the-way to his staff to get up to speed with their “Abandon Ship” drills. Now comes word,that several GOP and Conservative Party types are getting ready to jockey for another special election in Southwest Brooklyn.

Monday, February 15, 2016

FLASH UPDATE: THE "MARTY GOLDEN SHOWS UP LATE TO BOB CAPANO'S PARTY" EDITION


AT LAST, "SOMEBODY" WOKE STATE SENATOR MARTIN GOLDEN FROM HIS VERY DEEP, VERY WAY UP THE HUDSON RIP VAN WINKLE SLEEP --- AND THAT "SOMEBODY" SURE LOOKS LIKE IT WAS BOB CAPANO....

CAPANO'S QUICK OPPOSITION TO CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER'S PROPOSALS OBVIOUSLY DRAGGED A RELUCTANT AND LAGGARDLY STATE SENATOR GOLDEN INTO THE FIGHT


BOTH MARTY G & BOB C WERE QUOTED AS NAYSAYERS IN A BAY RIDGE JOURNAL ARTICLE ABOUT CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER MELISSA MARK-VIVERITO'S MOST RECENT PROPOSALS TO SET FREE AND KEEP FREE CRIMINALS THAT PREY ON THEIR NEIGHBORS ALL AROUND THE CITY 



In Kip's Bay Ridge, as shown in the "Bay Ridge Journal" blog,  here's what SSMG most recently had to say about CCSMM-V's recent  "State of the CIty" propoeals:  "State Senator Marty Golden, a former police officer and a public safety advocate, said in a media statement yesterday that the speaker's proposed criminal justice reforms, including vacating 700,000 warrants and decriminalizing some low-level offenses, would threaten public safety...."  (See "Mark-Viverito's Rikers Troll Draws out Local Conservatives" by Kip, 2/14/16,  Bay Ridge Journal [http://bayridgejournal.blogspot.com/2016/02/mark-viveritos-rikers-troll-draws-out.html]).

GOLDEN'S 2/12/16 "STATEMENT" POSTED ON FACEBOOK

What appeared in the BR Journal as State Senator Golden's "media statement" seemed quite terse, so I went to look up the State Senator's actual "media statement."   That was NOT as easy as I might have hoped.  State Senator Golden's website isn't nearly as complete or user friendly as in the past. Plus on 2/14/16,  Golden's  "Newsroom" tab on his existing  website is weeks out of date:   both the "All News" and "Press Release" sub-tabs contained the same 2/1/16 item about Hurricane Sandy relief ---  and nothing about City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito's recent "State of the City" proposals.  So where is this "media statement"?    Eventually, I did find somethings on one of Marty's Facebook pages;  and here's what those "somethings" are:

"A primary focus of every elected official should be the support of measures that help keep their constituents safe. New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito appears to think otherwise....   The Speaker's desire to reform the criminal justice system includes measures that will only endanger the public. The components of her plan include vacating 700,000 warrants, overlooking certain offenses and misguided attempt to close Rikers Island. The Speaker's dream will be nothing short of a nightmare for law-abiding citizens....   It should not be a mystery to anyone that we live in a society where dangerous people commit crimes and threaten a society. Criminals and violent offenders need to be jailed in a facility far away from homes, businesses and schools. Until the day when jails are not needed, we must do everything to protect all of our citizens.[Marty Golden with Marty Golden. February 12 at 9:57am · New York, NY ];  and a later 2/12 Facebook post said this:  " SENATOR MARTY GOLDEN OPPOSES THE CLOSING OF RIKERS ISLAND....   Brooklyn– State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) today is opposing New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s plan to someday close Rikers Island as part of her Criminal Justice Reform plan...."  [ "See More" (would not link)] [Marty Golden February 12 at 5:30pm].

COVERAGE OF BOB CAPANO'S REMARKS

Here's how Kip reported on Bob Capano's opposition to the Council Speaker's proposals:  "....  Golden's fellow Republican/Conservative Bob Capano, running an early bird one-man campaign for term-limited City Council Member Vinnie Gentile's seat in the 43rd District, characterized the speaker's proposed criminal justice reforms as 'far left.'...   According to Capano, "common sense" demands that her fellow Democrats oppose Mark-Viverito's 'ridiculous' plan to clear open warrants. Instead of clearing old warrants, Capano, said, the speaker should be urging the subjects of those open warrants to turn themselves in....   Capano likewise opposes Mark-Viverito's proposal to decriminalize many of the low-level offenses on which those old warrants have been issued, contending that the policies behind the backlog have made communities safer for the past 20 years....  The Mark-Viverito's policies, Capano asserted, will bring the return of the 'bad old days' of Conservative bogeyman David Dinkins, the city's first black mayor...."  

So why did Bob's remarks get a better play than Marty's ???


NOT ONLY DID BOB CAPANO BEAT STATE SENATOR GOLDEN TO THE PUNCH ON THIS ISSUE,  CAPANO'S EARLY MOVES FORCED GOLDEN'S HAND

As a famous Civil War general once said, "You got to be the fustest with the mostest...";  and this time out, Bobby C certainly was.

Clearly there seems to be some distance between State Senator Martin Golden and the staff fingers that're supposed to be on the pulse of things going on in Golden's district.  It is no longer only being whispered that Marty Golden's focus is well up the Hudson in Albany.  However, this Melissa Mark-Viverito rebuff by Capano showed how Golden was pretty much asleep at the switch.

Police issues used to be 100% in Marty's wheelhouse; and the City Council Speaker's proposals were certainly very well publicized. However, if it weren't for all the credit that Bob Capano were getting, it's doubtful that there even would have been any statement by Golden on the proposals advanced by Melissa Mark-Viveito  ---  AT ALL.

Saturday, February 13, 2016

The virtual avalanche of "Confidential"; "Secret"; and even "Top Secret" Hillary Clinton E-mails continues


Latest tranche of 551 E-mails contains 84 that are classified either "Confidential" or "Secret"  --- With about 4000 more E-mails, which need to be reviewed and released by the State Department on/or before February 29th

NY Times says:  "....  The fact that emails sent on Mrs. Clinton’s unclassified server must now be reviewed on the department’s classified network — with hundreds being released only with redactions — could be viewed as an indication that at least some of the information in the roughly 33,000 emails turned over by Mrs. Clinton’s lawyers should never have been sent on an unclassified network...."

CNN says:  Don't forget, the Obama Administration [U.S. State Department] is also conducting an internal investigation and review to determine how many of Hillary Clinton's E-mails were "Classified" at the time they were put on HRC's private non-secure server  



Critics and commentators have maintained that much of what is now deemed "Classified" [some  Confidential"; others "Secret"; and still others "Top Secret"] always had that/those status(es) even if they were not previously so marked in the format that had been put into Hillary Clinton's private E-mails system or as preserved on HRC's un-secured private server.


NY TIMES REPORT ---  SAYS WHAT HAS ALREADY COME OUT COULD INDICATE THE 33,000 E-MAILS TURNED OVER SO FAR "SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SENT ON AN UNCLASSIFIED NETWORK"

According to today's NY Times article by Steven Lee Myers,  "The State Department released 551 more emails from the personal server of Hillary Clinton on Saturday, including 84 with some or all of the messages blocked out because they contained information that has now been deemed classified. Three of those are classified 'secret.'..."   (See "More Hillary Clinton Emails Released, Including 3 Now ‘Secret’" by Steven Lee Myers,  2/13/16, NY Times/ Politics [http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/us/politics/more-hillary-clinton-emails-released-including-3-now-secret.html?_r=0]).

The Times article goes on to say this:  "....  Each of the secret emails included Mrs. Clinton’s comments atop forwarded chains of messages discussing tensions on the Sinai Peninsula; a visit by John Kerry to Pakistan in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death; and sensitive, back-channel talks between the Israelis and Palestinians....   The State Department has now classified as secret 21 emails from among 33,000 that were sent through the private server Mrs. Clinton used while she was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013....   An additional 22 emails — mostly referring to the Central Intelligence Agency’s drone strikes, officials have said — have been deemed to be 'top secret.' Those are considered too sensitive to release to the public even with portions blocked out...."

Timesman Myers made special note of the following:   "....  The fact that emails sent on Mrs. Clinton’s unclassified server must now be reviewed on the department’s classified network — with hundreds being released only with redactions — could be viewed as an indication that at least some of the information in the roughly 33,000 emails turned over by Mrs. Clinton’s lawyers should never have been sent on an unclassified network....   In a letter to one of the State Department’s lawyers regarding another request for emails under the Freedom of Information Act, Mr. Baker of the F.B.I. wrote that the bureau had  'acknowledged generally that it is working on matters related to former Secretary Clinton’s use of a private email server,' but he declined to detail the nature of that work....   The bureau, he wrote, has not 'publicly acknowledged the specific focus, scope or potential target of any such proceedings.'...   The next batch of emails will be released on Friday, followed by releases on Feb. 26 and 29.”


CNN REPORT ---  MENTIONS STATE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNAL REVIEW OF WHETHER INFORMATION ON HRC'S SERVER WAS "CLASSIFIED" AT THE TIME IT WAS PUT INTO HER SYSTEM

In its report on the same release of Hillary Clinton E-mails, CNN reporter Laura Koran  noted that "....   [T]he State Department has retroactively classified information in 1,688 [Hillary Clinton]emails since March as it has reviewed them for release, including 84 emails in this most recent batch -- 81 of which have been to the lowest "confidential" level, and three to the next-highest "secret" level....   Last month, the State Department upgraded 22 emails to "top secret," the highest level of sensitivity, withholding those documents altogether...."  ( See "Highlights of the latest Clinton emails" by Laura Koran, 2/13/16, CNN/Politics [http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/13/politics/hillary-clinton-emails-syria-state-department/index.html]).

The CNN report also highlighted this important fact:  "....   The State Department also announced last month that it had opened an internal review into whether the information in the emails was classified at the time they were sent, but few details are known about the parameters of that review, and officials have thus far refused to comment on its timeframe or scope...."

Guest Opinion: "Why Donald Trump is Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names" by Russell Gallo

The following piece appeared a couple of days ago on a much more glamorous and well-regarded Brooklyn-related Republican blog than mine.  After intense negotiations, and a significant exchange of good and valuable consideration, I secured the permission of the author to reprint it here on my blog. In so doing, I hope to enhance the prestige as well as the credibility of my humble and independent bit o' internet jibbuh-jabbah-jiye.....


See the original  "Why Donald Trump is Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names" by Russell Gallo [w/audio link to related radio monologue ], 2/10/16, Behind Enemy Lines/ Blog Text [http://www.behindenemylinesradio.us/2016/02/why-donald-trump-is-kicking-ass-and.html?m=1].

_________________________________

Why Donald Trump is Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names
by Russell Gallo

_________________________________

To so many of my Pseudo-Conservative /RINO /Establishment /Liberal "friends", this question is persistent, baffling and scaring the shit out of them.

The answer is quite simple. As a matter of fact, President George W. Bush pretty much summed it up quite "brilliantly" when he said "There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee that says, 'Fool me once, shame on ... shame on you. Fool me... You can't get fooled again!'"

For so many election cycles, Republicans have been running on issues that the American people agree with them on and winning. However, once in office they do not fight the good fight. They cite reasons like not having control over one or both houses of Congress, not having a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and not controlling the White House as reasons not to pass or even propose legislation.

But a quick look back into history shows that even when the Republican Party controlled the entire federal government under George W. Bush they didn't follow through on any of their promises. They even allowed moderate justices onto the Supreme Court!

This time around we have several real conservative candidates running for office BUT the American people (Republicans primarily but a significant portion of Democrats and Independents) don't trusTed (not a typo) them.

[(In Original) LINK TO SEE WHAT NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOWED US]

What New Hampshire Showed Us

First of all, New Hampshire has gotten the GOP candidate right 14 of the last 17 election cycles while only getting the Democrat candidate right 6 of the same last 17 cycles....   Trump won every demographic on the Republican side and received more raw votes than Hillary Clinton....   New Hampshire allows Independent voters to vote in primaries giving a more accurate view into how these same voters will vote in a General Election....   If all outsider candidates dropped today, where would their voters go? Most to Trump and some to Cruz. Even the candidates that are being labeled "establishment" (Rubio, Kasich, Christie) are more conservative than any candidates fielded by the Republican Party for President in quite some time and ALL of them have adopted watered-down versions of policies that Trump has brought to the forefront....  The problem for them is "...that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!"

Trump On The Issues That Piss Off Real Americans And Scare The S#!T Out Of The Left


On Immigration

"What can be simpler or more accurately stated? The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc."...   "I'm gonna say, 'Mexico, this is not going to continue, you're going to pay for that wall,' and they will pay for the wall."...   "New Hampshire has a tremendous drug epidemic, I am going to create borders. No drugs are coming in. We're going to build a wall. You know what I'm talking about. You have confidence in me. Believe me, I will solve the problem."


On Terrorism

"When you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families, they care about their lives, don't kid yourselves. But they say they don't care about their lives. You have to take out their families."...   “I would bring back waterboarding and I’d bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding.”...   "ISIS is making a tremendous amount of money because they have certain oil caps, right? They have certain areas of oil that they took away, they have some in Syria, some in Iraq. I would bomb the shit out of 'em[.]"


Gallo's Analysis

In October 2014 and September 2015, I outlined plans for Republicans to win elections nationally. For those of you that know me, you know that I do not pull punches. I agree with Ronald Reagan when he said....   “Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?”

Who fits that bill? The answer is simple. Donald Trump.

We have heard politicians say they want to "build a wall" and "defeat terrorists and evil doers." It has been almost 15 years since 9/11 and we are arguably worse off now despite controlling Congress and the White House intermittently since then.

In steps Donald Trump...
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Disclaimer (by Russell Gallo):  This is an observational piece and not an endorsement of Donald Trump. I pledge to support whichever Republican wins the nomination and hope that my fellow GOPers will do the same!
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Thursday, February 11, 2016

Bob Capano pushes ahead --- Meanwhile his opponents and adversaries get together and have a few drinks


It's early in 2016 and Bob Capano is very active on many fronts getting ready for his likely 2017 run for the City Council

Somebody is  naming names and taking their numbers  ---  AND  ---  lot's of people are making sure that they have Bob Capano's numbers on "speed dial" [Don't tell me, I don't need to know about no new technology]



If you've been keeping track of my posts and comments about Mr. Capano, you'll know that even though his renewed candidacy for the New York City Council has not been formally announced, he has readily acknowledged an interest in again being the GOP-Conservative Party candidate for the 43rd Counc. Dist. seat now held by Democrat Vincent Gentile, who will be vacating it because of term limits.

It should be well known by now the extent to which Capano has stolen the early march on any potential GOP contender(s) for the 43rd District Council seat, with his repeated successes in gaining "earned media" over local police issues ---  and his deft use of local "paid media" to publicize a City-wide confrontation with the City Council Speaker, again over policing issues, which also drew in some of the local Democrats,

Meanwhile, perhaps less obviously in the "public eye," Bob Capanao has been and/or will be engaged in a series of civic-minded, community related events and activities at various locations inside the 43rd Council District, in other Brooklyn venues, or elsewhere in NYC.


FORUM AT THE BROWNSTONE REPUBLICAN CLUB

COMING UP SOON:  Robert Capano will be appearing at a forum as a featured speaker at The Brownstone Republican  Club, talking about "The Path Forward for the NYC GOP."  No doubt that Downtown Brooklyn group sought out Mr. Capano because of  the recent news that Capano had been making --  taking on the local Councilman in Bay Ridge, Democrat Vinny Gentile, over proposals before the CIty Council pushed by the Council Speaker --  as well as Capano's  open criticism of the Islamist activist Linda Sarsour, a member of the local Planning Board, over her anti-police and pro-Islamist outbursts and behaviors.  Also, some in the Brownstone Republicans, the Downtown Republican Club in the 52nd AD, remember their prior connection to Bay Ridge and viewed Bob Capano  as a  very strong potential City Council candidate in a winnable Brooklyn district.  The Brownstone Republicans forum will be held on February 22nd.


WAGNER/ NYU PANEL DISCUSSION

Another of these civic events was the "Careers in Elected Government: A Panel Discussion"  -- hosted by the Wagner Policy Alliance, associated with The Rudin Family Forum for Civic Dialogue. As its name suggested, it was a panel discussion about careers in elected office, and it was held in the evening of February 9th,  at The Puck Building in New York City.  And well-selected as a learned and experienced panelist at the Wagner/NYU-sponsored discussion was no less than Bay Ridge's own Bob Capano.


SOME OF CAPANO'S RESUME

Most Brooklyn Republicans know that Bob Capano has run for public office twice in the Southwest quadrant of Brooklyn, including his 2009 run against Democrat  incumbent Vincent Gentile for the 43rd District NYC Council seat.  However, most people don't know how broad Mr. Capano's breadth of experience really is.

For example, many people don't know that Bob Capano had been very active for a Republican candidate in the most recent city-wide election cycle in 2013, often acting as a frontman or bodyman, especially at Brooklyn events, for John Catsimatidis, who was then running in the GOP primary contest for mayor against Joseph Lhotta.  Mr. Catsimatidis now employs Bob in a variety of capacities, but one of his principal activities involves  PR work on behalf "The Cat's Roundtable,"  a weekly political talk show hosted by Mr. Catsimatidis.

Capano was previously active in the Brooklyn-Queens campaign for GOP-Conservative Party candidate for Congress Bob Turner; and then  Bob Capano became a key operative on the staff of Congressman Turner after his successful run.   Prior to that Bob worked on the staff of Brooklyn-Staten Island Congressman Vito Fossella.  Bob Capano also was a senior advisor for Community and Government relations under former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz; and he also worked on the staff of the prior Brooklyn BP Howard Golden.

Not selected just because he was some politico whose only exposure to world was as a losing candidate for public office, being  a backbencher, or even supervisor, on various elected officials office staffs, and/or  working for a nationally known political mover and shaker;  no, Bob Capano was also selected to be on the Wagner/NYU panel because of academic credentials that included his being  an adjunct instructor of American National Government at The John Jay College of Criminal Justice.


E. O'BRIEN MURRAY

Interestingly, another notable panelist, who was involved in the  Wagner/NYU event "Careers in Elected Government..." was one E. O'Brien Murray.   Mr. Murray, aka "Obi Wan...",  is a Republican strategist, who had worked for President HW Bush, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Governor George Pataki and was picked by some as the 2012 campaign manager of the year after masterfully managing Congressman Bob Turner’s special election to congress.

In the past, Bob Capano and Mr. E. Obrien Murray have on occasion worked together closely; and an insider has told me that the two have consulted on various possibilities involving the Capano race for City Council in 2017.  Whether Mr. Murray is retained for the top spot in any Capano campaign, or in some other position as a senior adviser, remains to be seen.  However, it is fair to say that there is significant  mutual interest in that 2017 race gong forward.


NEXT ON CAPANO'S LIST OF THINGS TO DO

The word is that somebody named "Bob Capano" has already set up a residence inside the 43rd Council District in Brooklyn.  ---  If that's OUR Bob Capano, then it is an unnecessary formality, since his lifelong connection to Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and lower Bensonhurst is impeccable and unimpeachable.

The next thing on Capano's "to do" list is to arrange for some "early" fund raising events.  Two things at or near the top of his agenda are a fund-raising-mailing operation and a big dinner event for some important "Friends of..." from across the city and from both sides of the aisle.

Gerry O'Brien has been consulted about the former;  and YKW, a big-time retailer and radio talk show host, has been mentioned in connection with the latter.


MEANWHILE BACK AT THE OLD RANCH

Recently, Capano's main potential opponent has had some cordial exchanges with Bob by E-mail or by social media.

It's a little early to say that it's JQ's act of baring his neck to 2017's  Alpha Dog;  but really that act has to come sometime  ---  sooner or later.

It should be apparent to everybody, that having a few drinks with "friends" at the new Pipin's (as had been earlier reported on this blog) isn't quite all that a real opponent  needs to be doing at this time to keep pace with Bobby C. and his efforts. Lesser efforts by any potential intra-party rival(s) will just seem second-rate and not serious. That is especially true with respect to the insights and outlooks of those in charge of giving out things like formal party endorsements.


CAPANO'S OUT THERE TRYING TO CHANGE THINGS

You see, in his own small way, Bob Capano just like Donald Trump,  is completely changing how things are going to be done vis a vis the selection of the 2017 City Council Candidate in the 43rd Councilmatic District by the Republicans -- and even by the Conservatives. There are lots of problems cropping up all over Bob's Brooklyn neighborhood; and he know things need to change very fast in order to fix things.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

SPECIAL COMMENTARY: THE "LET'S LOOK AT THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY RESULTS THIS WAY: HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON LOST TO BOTH BERNIE SANDERS AND DONALD TRUMP" EDITION

 

Not only does it look like Hillary will lose the New Hampshire Democratic Party Primary to her Democratic Socialist opponent Bernie Sanders by over 50,000 votes, Clinton's vote total was also lower than the nationalist populist  Donald Trump's on the  GOP side of the ledger.  ---  And in the Republican  contest, easily won by Trump, he was up against a much more crowded and diverse field of candidates than the former Secretary of State, US Senator from NY and former First Lady


The stature of both the Democrat and Republican extreme outsiders, Sanders and Trump,  grew tremendously ---  And as a result, Hillary looks less inevitable -- against either of THESE TWO GUYS -- after her showing in New Hampshire 


>>>  FINAL NUMBERS WHEN THEY ARE REPORTED  <<<


Sunday, February 7, 2016

FLASH UPDATE: THE "IT'S JUST A SMALL ARTICLE, BUT..." EDITION


THE LA TIMES CONTAINS AN ARTICLE ABOUT "FEMINISM" - "FEMINISTS" & "NOT SUPPORTING HILLARY CLINTON" BY COLLEEN SHALBY THAT MIGHT BE  >>>  THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR HILLARY AND HER RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY

IT'S MORE LIKE A SPLINTER THAN A STAKE IN THE HEART  ---  BUT WHO THINKS THAT A SPLINTER IN THE HEART OF THE HILLARY CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT CAN'T BE FATAL TO THE EFFORT IN THE LONG RUN ???



According to Colleen Shalby, writing for the LA Times, today,  "... Bernie Sanders likes to say Hillary Clinton represents the establishment — a criticism we have heard in debates and on the campaign trail....   'Honestly, Senator Sanders is the only person who I think would characterize me, a woman running to be the first woman president, as exemplifying the establishment,' Clinton retorted. 'It’s really quite amusing to me.'...   Clinton has actively fought that establishment label, using language designed to appeal to feminists. But it hasn’t worked, at least not with younger women. As Evan Halper reported, Clinton is losing the female millennial vote to Sanders. The most recent example came from the Iowa caucuses, as women ages 18 to 29 preferred Sanders....   Why?" (See "Readers React --  You can still be a feminist and vote against Hillary Clinton" by Colleen Shalby, 2/7/16, LA TIMES/ Politics [http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-prez-hillary-clinton-feminism-millennial-vote-20160207-story.html]).

After going through the comments of many "feminists," who are NOT FOR HILLARY CLINTON, Colleen Shalby finishes with what seems to be HER conclusion:   "....   For many, when it comes down to it, the vote for or against Clinton has nothing to do with feminism."

This is one small article, but what it  says is big, Big, BIG.....    If the HRC campaign continues NOT TO INSPIRE FEMINISTS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG FEMINISTS, TO VOTE FOR HER, then Hillary is toast on a stick, and even Larry "Bud" Mellman and Dave Letterman won't be able to peddle her.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

FLASH UPDATE: THE "SAME NEWS DIFFERENT STATION" EDITION


ANOTHER NATIONAL POLL, THIS ONE BY A MAJOR NEWS/POLLING COMBINE, ALSO SHOWS THAT HILLARY CLINTON HAS LOST HER NATIONWIDE LEAD OVER BERNIE SANDERS

REUTERS/IPSOS POLL SAYS LATEST SPLIT:  CLINTON'S 48% to SANDERS' 45% IS WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR -- MEANING A VIRTUAL DEAD HEAT NATIONALLY GOING INTO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY NEXT TUESDAY, WHERE SANDERS IS MAINTAINING HIS LOCAL LEAD



According to a report in Newsmax based on a Reuters/Thomson feed,  "Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has erased Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's wide lead for the Democratic presidential nomination since the start of year, putting the two in a dead heat nationally, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll....  Cl inton leads Sanders 48 percent to 45 percent among Democratic voters, according to the poll of 512 Americans, conducted Feb. 2-5 following the Iowa caucus. The poll has a credibility interval of 5 percentage points....  Democrats had been supporting Clinton by more than a 2-to-1 margin at the beginning of the year. Sanders has narrowed that lead considerably over the past several weeks....  (See "Reuters Poll: Hillary's National Lead Has Vanished, In Dead Heat With Sanders" by Newsmax Staff from Thomson/Reuters, 2/5/16, Newsmax [http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Reuters-Poll-Hillary-Clinton-Bernie-Sanders-dead-heat/2016/02/05/id/712984/]).

The original story that appeared on the Reuters home page is virtually the same as what appeared on the Newsmax internet posting  (See also:  "Exclusive: Presidential hopefuls Sanders, Clinton in dead heat - Reuters/Ipsos poll" by Chris Kahn, 2/5/16,  Reuters/ U.S. [http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-poll-idUSMTZSAPEC253J02S1]).

Friday, February 5, 2016

Why isn't this HEADLINE NEWS across the MSM ??? The "Inevitable Democrat Party Candidate" Hillary Clinton's national lead over Bernie Sanders is gone, according to the most recent poll

Although this poll has been reported on, as a routine matter ---  has the main stream media decided nobody really cares that Hillary Clinton's earlier 31-point national lead over Bernie Sanders is almost completely wiped out according to the post-Iowa Caucuses Quinnipiac Poll



More important the Q-poll shows Bernie Sanders doing BETTER against his possible GOP opponents than HRC would



According to a report by Blake Neff in the Daily Caller, "Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s longstanding national lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders has just about entirely evaporated, according to a new poll by Quinnipiac University....  According to the poll, Clinton is supported by 44 percent of likely Democratic primary voters, while Sanders has the backing of 42 percent. Clinton’s small lead is inside the poll’s 4.5 percent margin of error and it’s the smallest she’s ever had in the entire race, based on polls recorded by Real Clear Politics.... (See "Hillary’s National Lead Over Sanders Is All Gone" by  Blake Neff,  2/5/16, Daily Caller  [http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/05/hillarys-national-lead-over-sanders-is-all-gone/]).

Neff's article continued with this:  "....   Notably, the latest result wipes out a massive 31 point lead Clinton had the last time Quinnipiac polled the race in late December, suggesting her narrow and controversial victory in the Iowa caucuses could have tremendously sapped her momentum...."
There was a similar story in "The Hill" ( See "Poll: Sanders nearly tied with Clinton nationwide" by Bradford Richardson, 2/5/16, The Hill [http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/268362-sanders-tied-with-clinton-nationwide-poll]).

So far, the mainstream media is treating this as a normal event and hardly worth a second look.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Marty Golden has got to be kidding --- ONCE AGAIN, he's "... trying to fool some of the people all of the time..." --- Just how big of a joker is this guy ???

HOW LONG HAS THE KNAPP STREET PLANT BEEN A ROUTINE GENERATOR OF BAD SMELLS ???   HOW LONG HAS MARTY GOLDEN BEEN A STATE SENATOR AND TOLD PEOPLE THAT IT NEEDED TO BE FIXED ???  >>>   YOU DO THE MATH  >>>  WHICH IS LONGER  [Hint --- there are some things that have been around even longer than Marty Golden's career as an elected official]

So today,  Monday, February 1st, 2016, in the Twenty-first Century, in the Third Millennium of the current era, SSMG or somebody on his crack staff put out this gem:  "THIS MORNING I HAVE SENT AN OFFICIAL REQUEST....  TO ADDRESS THE STRONG AND FOUL ODORS COMING FROM THE KNAPP STREET SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT...." 

>>>  But that isn't the best part. Our really on top of things State Senator made his attempt at channeling Cicero in his peroration  >>> WAIT FOR IT -- WAIT FOR IT <<<   "....  WE MUST BRING AN END TO THESE SMELLS AND CHECK THE AIR QUALITY IN THE AREA."

OMG !!!  Why didn't some other office holder or politician think of that,  maybe even a whole generation sooner  >>>  I don't know,  maybe somebody exactly like a NYC Councilmember and later a NYS Senator, let's say somebody exactly like Marty Golden.   Hmmm, who might fill the bill for that ???



I kid you not, earlier TODAY, either State Senator Martin Golden or his staff's crack PR guy really did send this out :   "This morning I have sent an official request to New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Emily Lloyd and have sent a copy to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, requesting an onsite meeting to address the strong and foul odors coming from the Knapp Street Sewage Treatment Plant. We must bring an end to these smells and check air quality in the area."

I think I've said enough about this already.  But somebody needs to dig into this a bit, just so we can find out how big a joker SSMG really is; and to see whether Golden and his peeps really think that "....  You can fool some of the people all of the time...."