GOP House Members need to hold the line — The GOP needs to show some spine — Pass a Republican-only DHS Funding Bill With No Funding for Obama’s Amnesty for ILLEGALS

GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell looks like he has surrendered in the fight to stop President Obama’s illegal executive amnesty  —   Now,  McConnell looks to be working WITH Democrat Senator Harry Reid to force American taxpayers to fund the president’s lawlessness through a "CLEAN" DHS Funding Bill

Both House and Senate have passed DHS bills  —  LET THE SYSTEM WORK  —   Send it to Conference  —   Let Democrats in House and Senate try to block the DHS Funding Conference Committee  —   Let Obama veto a Republican-only passed DHS funding bill 

Last week Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in a joint press conference, blasted any plan by House Republicans to force negotiations over DHS funding. At that time, they said Senate Democrats would block a conference committee to negotiate a final bill ( See “Reid vows to block DHS conference” by Alexander Bolton, 2/26/15, The Hill [http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/233939-reid-vows-to-block-dhs-conference]).

In his later article that appeared in “The Hill” Alexander Bolton said,  “Senate Republicans are fuming over the House GOP’s decision to extend the standoff over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a move that they say uses up political oxygen and burns precious time on the legislative calendar. ***   GOP senators say it’s time to move on to other issues, such as the budget, trade legislation, and regulatory and tax reform. ***   They must defend 24 seats in the 2016 election and worry that voters could soon start to question their ability to govern unless they can move forward with a more substantive agenda....” (See “House chaos on DHS funding leaves GOP senators fuming” by Alexander Bolton, 2/28/15
[http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/234212-house-chaos-leaves-gop-senators-fuming]).

GOP SENATORS DON’T WANT TO DO ANY HEAVY LIFTING  —  SO THEY GET ANGRY AT GOP CONSERVATIVES IN THE HOUSE FOR MAKING THEM

First, they don’t even vote on the House-passed DHS bill, because the Democrats “threaten” to filibuster. Then the Senate passes a different DHS funding bill, but get angry because some in the House want it to go to a joint conference.  Why, because Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats don’t want that.

According to Bolton’s most recent column in “The Hill”  —   “...House conservatives say they want to pressure Senate Democrats to agree to a bicameral conference, in which the two chambers would hash out a compromise that would both fund homeland security and repeal some of Obama’s orders. *** ‘It’s time for democracy to work and the way our process works is when the House and Senate disagree, they go to conference and work it out,’ said Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.). ***   But Senate Republicans say hopes of going to conference are delusional. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) ruled out the possibility Thursday....”   —   So whose side are the Senate Republicans on ?

REPUBLICAN SENATORS SIDE WITH THE ENEMY INSIDE THE GATES  —   FELLOW SENATE DEMOCRATS AND THEIR BOSS,  UNCONSTITUTIONAL-OBAMA

House Republicans say they have their own message for the Senate: the 60-vote threshold for passing bills in the upper chamber is a poor excuse for inaction [on the DHS funding bill that passed the House]. One of Boehner’s necessary allies in the House,  asserted that the move on the temporary DHS funding was to push back against the GOP Senators as much as anything else. “I think this is about holding our own ground and it’s also a message to the Senate. There’s a lot of different levels to this. On some levels it’s Republicans versus Democrats but there’s a lot of House versus Senate....” Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said.

Also according to Bolton writing in “The Hill”  —    “Conservative critics have pilloried McConnell this week for moving a funding bill stripped of immigration riders. *** [For example the Senate Conservatives Fund wrote in an email to supporters saying]  ‘Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has surrendered in the fight to stop President Obama’s illegal executive amnesty and now he’s working with Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to force American taxpayers to fund the president’s lawlessness’....”

DE–Criminalizing Marty Golden ! — Or what could State Senator Martin Golden have been thinking ?

Was this just Marty being a super-cynical buffoon ?   Or did somebody on his State Senate staff tell him it might be a good idea to joust with Mayor Bill de Blasio over his ordinance yrying to prevent killing or maiming people in NYC crosswalks

You See  —   A State Senator, who has a history of a vehicular incident that eventuated in the death of a pedestrian, should not be criticizing anybody that advocates making such an incident, or "accident," a crime

But, you say, Marty might truly think that such a thing should not be a crime  —   Right !  Of course he would.  That’s why it’s called self-justification and self-serving....

Once again, Bay Ridge Democrat commentator Kip has another gotcha story about State Senator Martin Golden. This time it was about Marty Golden's questions put to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio during Wednesday's  Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the 2015-2016 Executive Budget Proposal, dealing with the topic of "Local Government."

GOLDEN CONFRONTS DE BLASIO OVER CROSS-WALK LAW

According to her most recent Bay Ridge Journal article about Marty,  “... Golden, citing the recent high-profile arrests of bus drivers who have struck pedestrians in crosswalks, questioned the necessity for the "Right-of-Way Law" and whether a bus driver should be arrested and face jail for what may have been an accident. ***   DeBlasio responded that under the new local law, when a driver who fails to yield seriously injures or kills a pedestrian who is walking legally, the investigating officers, if they find the death or injury was avoidable, must arrest.  But they could likewise determine that the strike was unforeseeable or unavoidable, in which case they would only issue a summons. ***   The new law, deBlasio said, established a clear standard where there was none. Drivers who injured and killed pedestrians by failing to yield previously faced no consequences, [the mayor] said ....” (See “Golden, deBlasio Spar Over New "Right of Way" Law” by Kip, 2/26/15, Bay Ridge Journal [http://bayridgejournal.blogspot.com/2015/02/golden-deblasio-spar-over-new-right-of.html]). Kip’s article was based upon and linked to a post on a transit watchdog blog called “streetsblog.”

GOLDEN THINKS THAT PUBLIC SERVANTS DESERVE RESPECT AND APPRECIATION, NOT PROSECUTION

Marty Golden seems to believe that being a “Public Servant” conveys a special status, by which some laws that apply to plain old citizens should not apply to certain categories of public servants. That’s what’s behind Golden’s questioning the necessity for NYC’s "Right-of-Way Law," and whether certain public employees should be arrested and face jail time for a particular category of vehicular homicide.

According to Stephen Miller writing for Streetsblog.org,  “State Senator Marty Golden, who represents Bay Ridge, focused on the high-profile arrests of bus drivers who have killed or injured pedestrians in crosswalks. Golden asked if the Right-of-Way Law is even necessary. ‘If it’s an accident, it’s an accident. Do we need to arrest these people, and is that necessary?’ Golden asked. ‘Should we be locking up bus drivers?’...” (See  “De Blasio Defends Right-of-Way Law to Dimwits in Albany” by Stephen Miller, 2/25/15, STREETSBLOG/ NYC
 [http://www.streetsblog.org/2015/02/25/de-blasio-defends-right-of-way-law-to-dimwits-in-albany/][Update 2/26/15: The quote from the mayor has been updated to include his full response]).

Needless to say, State Senator Marty Golden has been especially solicitous to public employees and their unions over the years.   However, there is probably something more involved in Golden’s outspoken criticism of the "Right-of-Way Law."

MARTY GOLDEN’S CONFRONTATION OF MAYOR DE BLASIO IS ESPECIALLY IRONIC AND SELF-SERVING 

What makes this all particularly ironic, is that Marty Golden is secretly being quite self-justifying and self-serving by the question that he put to the NYC mayor and his professed concern for NYCTA bus drivers and other “public servants.”

Given Marty Golden’s own driving history, with his own unfortunate “accident” in a cross-walk with a pedestrian, which eventually led to the death of the victim; it seems almost incredible that State Senator Golden would bring this up so publicly. Actually, it’s darn near foolhardy. What could he have been thinking ?

At around 11:42 AM on August 6, 2005, State Senator Marty Golden had an “accident” of his own when his black 2005 Chevrolet SUV struck a 74 year old woman pedestrian, Hariklia Zafiropoulos [also reported as: Harkli Zafiroulos], at the corner of 84th Street and Third Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Sometime thereafter, she succumbed to her injuries.

Given all of that, what possibly could have motivated Golden to confront Mayor de Blasio the way he did, knowing that it would only revive all the questions that had arisen back when Golden had this accident in 2005 ?   Right now, one can only guess.

Taking the message of the Brooklyn GOP national — While Gene Berardelli, Russell Gallo, Diana Sepulveda and other Brooklyn GOPers are rubbing elbows at CPAC — We are seeing a metamorphosis before our eyes

Diana Sepulveda’s recent post in “Behind Enemy Lines...” is much more than a few words about “...Blogging From Within”  —   She is telling the story of the emergence of Gene and Russell from a couple of local guys to a pair of emerging conservative Republicans moving up in the national right-wing media 

FROM PAINS IN THE NECK TO DAGGERS IN THE HEART

The Diana S. Blog-piece About Gene and Russell is so much more than a paean or panegyric to a pair that started as (a) local “pain(s) in the neck”....

Those who know the history, know that for the longest time, Moron #1 and Moron #2  were royal pains in my Gravesend-Neck, as well as to other Independent Brooklyn Republicans. And that for years I stayed away from Brennan & Carr’s or Roll’n’Roaster for fear of having a major throw-down with the Ole Sarge or a fatal belly-bump with Gene. Finally, my urge to merge with some roast beef on roll got the better of me, and Russell and I did some manly bonding over our amber and/or chocolate-brown liquids of choice. And, as everybody knows, where Russell goes –  there also travels Gene (ala Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis, Sacco and Vanzetti, and Leopold and Loeb) .  Enough of that, I have come to praise Gene and Russell, not to bury them. Using the words of Diana Sepulveda, I want to announce the emergence of our pair of  local ne’er do wells into a duo of national media personalities in the precincts of the right and the righteous.

With their new and improved  blog-radio program and associated text blog, Gene Berardelli and Russell Gallo have taken their Brooklyn Republican message out of its Plum Beach and New Utrecht Avenue cocoon and allowed it to fly over all America.

SHOWING THAT THINKING BIG RESULTS IN BIG IDEAS 

Now, it is not only local fools that will suffer the well-fueled wrath of Russell Gallo or the crushing analysis of Gene Berardelli  —   it will be bad guys near and far from Borough Hall to the West Wing, with Russell wielding the Broadsword and Gene, the dirk or stiletto. Also guests with a national footprint can be questioned about things that matter to those of us active in the Brooklyn GOP and by somebody with the point of view of many, and possibly most, Brooklyn Republicans.

PLAYING THE BOSWELL TO THEIR JOHNSON, STANLEY TO THEIR LIVINGSTON  —   OR “SQUEEKY” FROMME TO THEIR MANSON

Diana Sepulveda posts this sop to the greatness of her special patron-mentors   —   “ ... Behind Enemy Lines hosts Russell Gallo & Gene Berardelli showed me the ropes of the Brooklyn political scene. Their guidance and support led me to become President of the Brooklyn Young Republicans, leading a team of dedicated young conservatives to run for office every year & continue to get involved in politics through different avenues. They also encouraged me to get more involved in the county, putting my accountant-style excel skills to good use in campaigns and our county's reorganization election. Hell, they even had my back when I was a plaintiff in a lawsuit against our governor, Andrew Cuomo, for refusing to call a special election for my Congressional seat. ***   Russell Gallo & Gene Berardelli gave me an outlet for a voice that I never thought I had....”  (See “Why I Am Supporting Behind Enemy Lines for BlogBash Best Podcast” by Diana Sepulved, 2-26-15,  “Behind Enemy Lines –  Blogging From Within” [blog] [http://www.behindenemylinesradio.us/2015/02/why-i-am-supporting-behind-enemy-lines.html][btw, I’m so glad that Gallo ditched the hat for the set of photos in this post  – no wonder Russell Gallo commented on February 25, 2015 at 12:20 PM “Thanks Diana. Love the message and the pics!”] ).

MOVE OVER RUSH AND WALTER WINCHELL — AND ALL THE SHIPS AT SEA

Ms. Sepulveda goes on to talk about her introduction to a new world of blog radio by Gene and Russ.  —   “... They introduced me to internet talk radio, and have leant me the mic when I need to vent about the madness of the world we live in today. They welcomed me as an integral part of the unprecedented grassroots Election 2014 coverage that Behind Enemy Lines radio led on WAAR, We Are America Radio. They also have opened the door for me to write blog posts about whatever topic is grinding my gears at the moment. And I am forever grateful of them introducing me to CPAC in 2013, an event that I still can't believe exists for young conservatives. ***   Through all the great interviews Russell Gallo & Gene Berardelli have done, I have had the opportunity of meeting and speaking with people I admire, like Governor Rick Perry, Congressman Darrell Issa, writer & filmaker Dinesh D'Souza, NRA President David Keene, and Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, to name a few. I never thought I'd have an opportunity to meet such important figures in politics, and still get starstruck when the guys announce guests for their radio show....”

SUCH ENCOMIUMS  —   AND THEY ARE STILL ALIVE TO HEAR THEM

And she concludes with this: “...  We have shared so many great memories, inside and outside of politics, over the last few years and can't wait to see what the future has in store for them and their show. ***   Russell Gallo and Gene Berardelli have put their all into their radio show Behind Enemy Lines, and deserve to win the BlogBash award for Best in Show: Podcast. Please vote for them if you can and show your support for them on social media.”

"NOBODY DOES IT BETTER"

Of course I think I could have said all of it more succinctly by stealing and paraphrasing the simple Carly S. lyric  —   “Nobody does it better...   Makes me feel sad for the rest...  Nobody does it half as good as [they do]...  [Both of them] are the best...”

Yet Again, Treacherous Democrat Senators Filibuster DHS Funding to Protect Obama's Amnesty

"Temporary Kudos" to CNN for BRIEFLY giving America and the World an accurate headline on the subject:  " SENATE DEMS BLOCK HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING AGAIN ”

PROFILES IN DISCOURAGEMENT:  McConnell BLINKS !  And the story line changed  for CNN and the rest of us  —   Let’s see what happens next ?

Democrats in the upper chamber have filibustered three attempts to take up, discuss, or amend the House-passed DHS funding bill. Last night was round four of the Democrat filibuster. As a result even the MSM stopped covering for the recalcitrant Democrats in the Senate  – at least they did  for a short period.   After Town Hall gave “Kudos to CNN  for its accurate headline  –  ‘Senate Dems Block Homeland Security Funding Bill Again:’..."  (See “Again: Senate Democrats Filibuster DHS Funding to Protect Obama's Amnesty” by Guy Benson, 2/24/15, Townhall  [http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2015/02/24/again-senate-democrats-filibuster-dhs-funding-to-protect-obamas-amnesty-n1961172]) CNN took it down.

Although the folks at CNN quickly saw the error of their ways and changed the headline of their article to something about a change in Majority Leader McConnell’s tactics, the deadlock persists.  The Republicans are still trying to pass DHS funding and stop funding for Amnesty; and for their part, the Democrats are blocking all votes and amendments on the House-passed DHS funding bill (See “McConnell changes tactics in DHS fight” by Ted Barrett, CNN, 2/23/15 [http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/23/politics/dhs-shutdown-funding-vote/]).

As usual, Republicans that could be relied upon to extract defeat out of the jaws of compromise most of the time, are trying to do so again. Since he sees no reason to be exceptional,  Mitch McConnell has decided  that he would attempt to break the log-jam by attempting to schedule split votes on general DHS funding of all DHS programs, with the specific prohibition of any DHS spending on amnesty put forward as a separate bill. In doing so, he rejected the advice of conservatives in both the House and in his own Senate caucus that he exercise the “nuclear option” of suspending the rules about filibusters with respect to the vote on the DHS bill passed by the House.  That bill would likely pass the Senate as well if it weren’t for the Democrat filibusters.  The most recent cloture vote to cut off the filibuster failed with a 47-46 plurality in favor of cutting-off debate, with a super-majority of 60 votes needed for successful cloture.

According to CNN, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) used the failed cloture vote as his opportunity to blame Republicans for failing to fund DHS, saying:  "It's becoming clear Sen. McConnell realizes he must separate himself from the far right, but the bottom line is this proposal doesn't bring us any closer to actually funding DHS, and Republicans still have no real plan to achieve that goal...."

Multi-layered GOP Opposition to Loretta Lynch is Building on Capitol Hill

In an unprecedented move, more than 50 House Republicans co-sign letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject Loretta Lynch's nomination for Attorney General in their committee

GOP presidential hopefuls also weigh-in against Lynch  —  Ted Cruz editorial appears in Politico

The Hill is reporting that fifty-one (51) Republican Members of Congress in a unprecedented move have sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee opposing the approval of Loretta Lynch as Attorney General of the United States (See “House Republicans urge AG nominee's rejection” by Cristina Marcos, 2/23/15, The Hill [http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/233535-gop-lawmakers-urge-senate-judiciary-to-oppose-lynch-nomination]).

LETTER BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO SENATE COMMITTEE

According to the letter, “ ...[w]e appreciate Ms. Lynch for her many years of outstanding service to our nation. Nonetheless, having observed her nomination hearing testimony, we can only conclude that she has no intention of departing in any meaningful way from the policies of Attorney General Eric Holder, who has politicized the Department of Justice and done considerable harm to the administration of justice....”  The GOP House Members specifically raised concerns about Lynch's compliance with President Obama's executive actions, including shielding certain illegal immigrants from deportation. “Our larger concern is with Ms. Lynch's apparent unwillingness to stand up to the president and his unconstitutional efforts to circumvent Congress and enlarge the powers of his office...."

On the presidential political front, to date,  potential GOP presidential nominees Rand Paul and Ted Cruz have openly stated their opposition to the Lynch nomination.

SENATOR TED CRUZ' EDITORIAL IN POLITICO

In a editorial published in Politico magazine, Ted Cruz has called the testimony of the Attorney General nominee, Loretta Lynch, "breathtaking and brash.  He is forcefully urging his colleagues not to approve her to replace Eric Holder, saying that she would  "impose no limits on the president whatsoever...." ( See “Stop Loretta Lynch – Republicans must oppose Loretta Lynch—or lose all credibility on lawlessness” by Sen. Ted Cruz, 2/24/15, Politico [http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/02/loretta-lynch-115438.html#ixzz3Sfm4lASC]); see also “Sen. Ted Cruz: Loretta Lynch 'Will Impose No Limits' on Obama” by Andrea Billups, 2/24/15, Newsmax [http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Ted-Cruz-Senate-Loretta-Lynch-attorney-general/2015/02/24/id/626543/]).

Cruz, who is furious over answers Lynch gave at her confirmation hearing in response to questions about President Barack Obama's executive order on immigration as well as other legal issues, gave these two pathways for Republican Senators to reject  her:  "First, if every Senate Republican on the Judiciary Committee votes no, the nominee will be rejected. [However Newsmax notes thats, to date, two Republicans have said publicly they will vote yes, and a third has strongly suggested he will as well," the Texas Republican wrote]; Second, regardless of where the committee votes might be, Republican Leadership could simply decide not to report the nomination to the floor. If Leadership did so, the nomination would be rejected — and there is no procedural mechanism for Democrats to change the outcome...".

Top Political Reporter at The Washington Post asks if Barack Obama is a Christian ?

WaPo’s interview with possible GOP presidential candidate Scott Walker raises eyebrows for cheap shot and shoddy journalism  —  Walker answers spontaneously and honestly – “I DON’T KNOW...” –  to question about Obama's religious beliefs

For most right-thinking and fully informed people, that would be a correct answer  —   For others, including me, Obama is clearly a crypto-Muslim – and his personal history and disclosed records indicate that he probably is a Muslim or had been one earlier in his life* 

For many good reasons, based on what Barack Hussein Obama has done and said recently, The Washington Post did ask the right question  —   but the WaPo asked it for all the wrong reasons  

*****

Also, by asking Scott Walker about Obama's religious beliefs, Dan Balz and his sidekick were really asking the wrong person.  —   Since The Washington Post now recognizes that President Barack Obama’s status and reputation as a Christian is a proper question for general media inquiry, shouldn’t Dan Balz and Robert Costa have put that question rightly and forcefully to Obama himself ?

*****

The Washington Post article by Dan Balz and another reporter opens like this:  “Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a prospective Republican presidential contender, said Saturday he does not know whether President Obama is a Christian. ***   ‘I don’t know,’ Walker said in an interview at the JW Marriott hotel in Washington, where he was attending the winter meeting of the National Governors Association. ***   Told that Obama has frequently spoken publicly about his Christian faith, Walker maintained that he was not aware of the president’s religion....” ( See “Gov. Scott Walker: ‘I don’t know’ whether Obama is a Christian” by Dan Balz and Robert Costa, 2/21/15, The Washington Post [http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/walker-says-he-is-unaware-whether-obama-is-a-christian/2015/02/21/6fde0bd0-ba17-11e4-bc30-a4e75503948a_story.html]).

For those who think that Governor Walker might have mis-spoken, the Balz-Costa article makes  it clear that Walker did not make any mistakes; as is indicated by the following passages from the article: “Told that Obama has frequently spoken publicly about his Christian faith, Walker maintained that he was not aware of the president’s religion. ***   ‘I’ve actually never talked about it or I haven’t read about that,” Walker said, his voice calm and firm. “I’ve never asked him that,’ he added. ‘You’ve asked me to make statements about people that I haven’t had a conversation with about that. How [could] I say if I know either of you are a Christian?’...”

The WaPo article’s closing paragraph was this: “Some figures on the right have consistently questioned Obama’s faith, with some suggesting that he is a Muslim. Obama, however, has often talked about his Christian faith, as he did recently at the National Prayer Breakfast....”  From that one would reasonably conclude that neither Dan Balz nor Robert Costa ever asked Barack Hussein Obama whether he is a Christian.  That would be a relevant and appropriate question; in other words, it would be quite pertinent and in no way impertinent.

However, don’t expect any pointed questioning of this  President about this by any in the MSM, nearly “least of all” at the WaPo. A proper inquisition as to these closely held matters of belief, religious affiliation and/or association will come only from the precincts of the right and/or other non-Democrat, non-Obama apologists. After all, Obama has lied to the American people about so many other things; and historically many have posed as Christians, often for survival, but also for expediency and political advantage. That’s why tough questions still need to be asked of this president; and they should be pressed repeatedly and forcefully. Sort of like a cross-examination, but more-so like a "Third Degree."

_____________________________________

* Many stars of right-minded conservative blogs, not unlike myself, as well as our readers, are far better informed than  –  let’s say  –   the average readers and viewers of the mainstream media and other assorted left-wing sources..

Governor Cuomo Sets Date for Special Election to Fill Grimm’s Seat — May 5, 2015

All you folks in New York’s 11th Congressional District, take out your crayons and mark your calendars

As a named plaintiff in the action that forced Governor Andrew Cuomo’s hand to declare the Special Election and to select the May date  —   Diana Sepulveda’s cred for any step-ups in the Brooklyn GOP has gotten a big boost  —  Perhaps, it even propels her into a bigger Republican Party County-wide position  —  All as a prelude to the 2015 GOP organizational primary in September 

Meanwhile back in the 11th C.D., the Republicans seem in better shape than their Democrat adversaries for this seat  —   the GOP's Dan Donovan  will go up against  [somebody - you fill in any name you like,  the most likely Democratic candidate]  —   Democrats say they'll name their candidate next week

According to a report in the NY Times  — “Moving to fill offices vacated by a prosecution and a promotion, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced two special elections in New York after being chided by a federal judge for not acting sooner. The elections will be held on May 5, the governor said on Friday....” (See “Cuomo Sets Special Election to Fill Grimm’s Seat” by Jess McKinley, 2/20/15, NY Times
[http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/21/nyregion/cuomo-sets-special-election-to-fill-grimms-seat.html?_r=0]).

DIANA SEPULVEDA WAS INVOLVED WITH THE LAWSUIT THAT FORCED GOVERNOR CUOMO TO ACT  

The part about  “... after being chided by a federal judge for not acting sooner...” is a direct reference to the federal lawsuit brought by Ms. Sepulveda and her co-plaintiffs. Just last Tuesday, a federal judge in Brooklyn, Jack B. Weinstein, had ordered Mr. Cuomo to set a date for an election to fill Michael Grimm’s vacated congressional seat for Staten Island and part of Brooklyn, threatening the Governor that the federal court might do so unilaterally if Cuomo continued not to act. Another hearing on the matter had been scheduled for earlier today, but Cuomo announced the election and its date instead, which should obviate the need  for further federal court intervention.

This is doubly interesting because Ms. Sepulveda’s name has been repeatedly bandied about on the Eaton side of the fence inside the Brooklyn GOP. Eaton and others have talked about raising Diana’s profile inside the Brooklyn GOP in advance of this years organizational primaries.  Something like this successful lawsuit against the sitting Democrat Governor of NY can only add further impetus to the Sepulveda bandwagon.

REPUBLICANS SEEM SET FOR THE CAMPAIGN IN THE SPECIAL   —   DEMOCRATS NOT SO MUCH

It sure looks like Republicans have already found their candidate to succeed Grimm. Staten Island District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan Jr.,  who achieved quite some “prominence” last fall for his handling of the Eric Garner case.  Garner was an unarmed black man who died after being arrested and while in police custody.  Video of the incident showed Garner resisting police and the use of what appeared to be a prohibited choke-hold by one of the officers.

The word is that Democrats are not very optimistic about their chances in New York’s 11th C.D. That party’s candidate in 2014, Domenic M. Recchia Jr., lost badly after a lackluster campaign. As for their candidate for the May 5th Special Election, which is already only about ten (10) weeks away, a bundle of candidates have been mentioned.

Just a few days ago, the New York Observer reported that Staten Island Democrats interviewed three candidates last week: Brooklyn Councilman Vincent Gentile (viewed by many as the front-runner for the nomination), Brooklyn Assemblyman William Colton and Staten Island union activist Robert Holst.  However, John Sollazzo, first vice chairman of the Staten Island Democratic Party, put himself into the increasingly unwieldy field of contenders for his party’s nomination to run for Grimm’s seat. Noting that in a special election, the candidates are chosen by the county party bosses, in this case Frank Seddio in Brooklyn and John Gulino on Staten Island; the Observer also noted that Mr. Sollazzo has long been a top member of the Staten Island party. A spokesman for Staten Island Democratic Chairman Gulino declined to comment on the Sollazzo announcement (See “Staten Island Democratic Party Vice Chair Announces Bid for Congress” by Jillian Jorgensen, 2/16/15, NY Observer [http://observer.com/2015/02/staten-island-democratic-party-vice-chair-announces-bid-for-congress/#.VOK3YvgMwr0] [@newyorkobserver on Twitter | newyorkobserver on Facebook]).

If that wasn't enough, the Brooklyn Eagle just reported that  "...  [o]n Feb. 19, a new candidate emerged. Amber Adler, a Brooklyn resident and a former chief of staff of the International Center for Autism Research and Education, announced that she would be seeking the Democratic nomination in the 11th Congressional District..." (See  “Cuomo sets May 5 as date for special election to replace Grimm” by Paula Katinas, 2/19/15, The Brooklyn Eagle [http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2015/2/20/cuomo-sets-may-5-date-special-election-replace-grimm]).

DEMOCRATS PROBABLY TO ANNOUNCE THEIR CANDIDATE NEXT WEEK

According to the report in the Times cited above, the executive director of the Democratic Committee of Richmond County, Tom Feeney, said that he expected to make the announcement about the Democratic Party candidate early next week.

COMING SOON TO A BLOG NEAR YOU — The Judge John Phillips – John Kennedy O’Hara Story to be Told Anew

[ WATCH THIS SPACE FOR DETAILS OF A FUTURE MULTI-PART SERIES ]

______________________

SETTLEMENT OF JUDGE PHILLIPS WRONGFUL DEATH CASE FOR $750,000 IS NOT  THE WHOLE STORY  —   NOR IS IT THE END OF THE STORY  —   See WHO WAS CLOSE TO Judge John Phillips  —   And see who was OUT TO GET HIM   —   AND WHY

______________________

IF THIS IS WHAT THEY DID TO A RETIRED JUDGE  —  WHAT CAN THEY DO TO YOU ? 

 

> First, they arrested him and took his gun < 

 

>> Then, they took his money and properties <<

                                                                 >>>  Finally, they took his life <<<

______________________

READ ABOUT JOHN KENNEDY OHARA  —   ONCE JUDGE PHILLIPS’ YOUTHFUL WARD  —  AND [ SINCE O'HARA'S RE-ADMISSION TO THE PRACTICE OF LAW ]  SUCCESSFUL ATTORNEY FOR THE PHILLIPS’ ESTATE IN A RECENTLY CONCLUDED WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION 

• SEE WHAT WAS  —  O’Hara’s tie-in to Primary campaigns against DA Hynes  —   By a Republican in 1993  —  By Judge Phillips in 1997 and after  —   And by Sandra Roper in 2001 and after

• SEE WHAT WAS  —  Ohara’s role in helping John Phillips the whole time that Judge Phillips was in what now is clearly an unlawful imprisonment, including secure lock-down in an unlawful senior care facility.  —  All the while, O’Hara was himself subject to court supervision and disbarred, all because he was improperly convicted of voting violations by Hynes and those allied with Hynes.

• SEE WHAT WAS  —  O’Hara’s case for WRONGFUL DEATH ON BEHALF OF JUDGE PHILLIPS’ ESTATE  —  AND WHAT THAT CASE WAS ALL ABOUT  —  AGAINST AN UNLAWFUL SENIOR CARE FACILITY, RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO U.S. SENATOR CHARLES SCHUMER'S HOME
______________________

SEE HOW THE ASSOCIATION OF JOHN PHILLIPS AND JOHN O’HARA WAS SOMETHING THAT BEGAN YEARS BEFORE ANY OF THE COURT CASES THAT MADE FOR SUCH BIG POLITICAL AND COURTHOUSE NEWS ABOUT BOTH OF THEM

Phillips and O’Hara came from opposite sides of 1970s and 80s Brooklyn.  

• BUT SEE HOW many, many years ago, Brooklyn Civil Court Judge John Phillips helped a young man from Brooklyn get into Law School. The young man, who was finishing up his undergraduate work at the Brooklyn Campus of LIU was a part-time cab driver and Democratic Party political activist from Bay Ridge, John Kennedy O’Hara.

• SEE HOW  —  In 1993, a Democrat gadfly, perennial candidate and lawyer John O’Hara was the largest financial backer of a well known Independent Republican-Conservative candidate, who succeeded in knocking incumbent DA Charles  “Joe” Hynes off of the Republican line during Hynes’ run for re-election as DA in 1993. —  All of it in spite of Hynes’ backing by Republican Mayoral Candidate Rudy Giuliani, the GOP County Chairman, who was himself defeated partly because of his support for Hynes, and the leadership of the GOP County Organization, whose leadership was largely turned over in 1993 after backing Hynes. See that after Hynes’ stumbled in the GOP primary of 1993,  O’Hara’s legal woes for an alleged "pattern of wrongful voting" began; and learn what that case was really all about, and how the O'Hara prosecution almost fell apart completely....

• FAST FORWARD TO APRIL 1997  —    SEE HOW:  When word had gotten out that John Kennedy O’Hara was planning with retired Civil Court Judge John Phillips for a primary run against DA Charles Hynes, two men, who did not identify themselves, accosted retired Judge John L. Phillips Jr. outside what he was using as his campaign office.  SEE HOW: After a tussle, where one of the men claimed to be injured by Phillips’ Kung Fu maneuvers, one of the men grabbed Judge Phillips’ registered fire arm. SEE HOW: The two men belatedly identified themselves as plainclothes police officers and ARRESTED the retired judge.

• SEE HOW: A deputy Police Commissioner later said the two men had been officers of a special undercover investigative unit, and that they said, “...‘Stop. We're the police. Let us have your gun’...”  And  that “...[t]hey were in plainclothes but their shields were clearly displayed....” She also said  Phillips was later charged with carrying and displaying a pistol without a permit and with resisting arrest, but only after the two plainclothes officers determined that Judge Phillips’ license for his gun had expired.  SEE HOW: The charges were completely dismissed and expunged, but that Judge Phillips’ gun was never returned.

IN 2001 THEY TOOK PHILLIPS’ PROPERTIES AND PUT PHILLIPS UNDER LOCK-DOWN IN A SERIES OF MEDICAID MILLS

• SEE HOW  —  When Ohara and Phillips were getting ready for a run against Hynes in 2001, the roof fell in on retired Judge John Phillips led by a top Hynes honcho, Harvey L. Greenberg, who took charge of all of John Phillips’ money and properties, and shipped Phillips to a nursing home in the Bronx under lock-down; and that very quickly and without much explanation, he was replaced by Frank J. Livoti, also a former top ADA for Hynes, who worked long and hard to keep Phillips incommunicado, but who himself spilled a lot on tape. All of it happened under the noses of Brooklyn’s top Supreme Court Justice Michael Pesce, and key law clerks, referees, monitors, "court appointed evaluators" and other court personnel in the Supreme Court in Brooklyn.
______________________

LETS KEEP THIS PART A LITTLE INCOGNITO AND BETWEEN OURSELVES, OK...  But you will find out that...

The circle of several of these O’hara-Phillips-Ohara cases was recently made complete in a Brooklyn Supreme Court matter still open in that saga. In fact, that closed circle establishes another close connection between former Brooklyn Administrative Justice Michael Pesce [ now Presiding Justice in the Appellate Term] and the original criminal case for “illegal voting” brought by Hynes against John Kennedy O’Hara so very long ago.
______________________

AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT 

  YOU'LL GET TO BE IN THE KNOW that with Justice Pesce overseeing, let's make that "overlooking," everything as series of guardians were put in charge of Judge  Phillips and his money and property  —  starting with Hynes guys, Harvey L.Greenberg, briefly, and then quickly, Frank J. Livoti  —  followed by a pair of  supposedly “arms-length operators.” named Ray Jones and Emani P. Taylor —   millions of dollars of Judge Phillips' assets just plain disappeared.

 SEE HOW  —   In September 2007, John Kennedy O’Hara, then a disbarred lawyer and the longtime friend of Judge Phillips’s, filed a complaint with the I.R.S. accusing four former court-appointed guardians — Harvey L. Greenberg, Frank J. Livoti, Ray Jones and Emani P. Taylor  —   as well as a State Supreme Court Justice, one Michael L. Pesce, of violating tax law while they jointly and/or severally oversaw the John Phillips guardianship case.

 SEE HOW —   In November 2007, it was reported that a guardian appointed after the case was removed from Justice Pesce – James Cahill Jr. –  said in Supreme Court documents in Brooklyn that a string of guardians sold off or mismanaged Mr. Phillips’s property in the years that followed the establishment of the guardianship in 2001, and that thousands of dollars that had been placed in escrow simply disappeared, according to Guardian Cahill’s  papers.  —   According to the New York Times,  “Mr. Cahill said the previous guardians took hundreds of thousands of dollars for themselves without going through the courts, while others made big cash payments to mystery contractors. Most never filed proper or timely accountings of what was spent out of Mr. Phillips’s account, the papers say. And for six years none of the guardians, all of whom are lawyers, paid taxes on behalf of Mr. Phillips’s estate, according to the reports Mr. Cahill filed with the court....”

Millions of dollars in taxes were owed, and there was very little left in Judge Phillips' Estate when most of the people lost interest or just "got lost" in the shuffle.

Most, but not all !  —  Not O'Hara and not some of old Judge Phillips' other older friends, and some in his family....
______________________

YES, I'M SURE IT WILL BE A THOUSAND LAUGHS  —   BUT THERE WILL BE A SOMBER AND SERIOUS SIDE TOO

Has MSNBC Broken With Obama Over His Handling of the ISIS Crisis in the Middle East and North Africa ?

MSNBC Host “ED” says that  “... it was a weekend of terror around the world...”   —   “..this act of mass murder amounts to a religious war...” —    “...I think it has reached a point where we really have to have a very strong debate in this country [about the ISIS strategy]...”  —  And about the Obama Administration's stated policy concerning "Boots on the Ground,"  the MSNBC host asks,  “... [W]hy would we tell ISIS there’s no way we would ever put ground troops in combat situations? ”

“Later that same evening, [MSNBC'S] Chris Matthews could barely contain his disgust during an interview with State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf. All Matthews wanted to hear from his government was how we are going to stop these barbarians. Harf’s response, that we need to find ISIS jobs instead of killing them, was as frightening as it was surreal....”  

            — John Nolte, Brietbart/ Big Journalism

According to Breitbart reporter John Nolte, an MSNBC show host, Ed Schultz, said this : “... It was a weekend of terror around the globe. In Libya, ISIS released a video showing more bloodshed. The video released on Sunday claims to show the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians. The brutal act of violence is clearly a gross display of what ISIS is capable of, what they’re motivated about, and what they are really all about. And I think this act of mass murder amounts to a religious war. Now we all have our own interpretations at this point. This continues to go on. At this point these people were targeted, as I see it, and murdered because of their faith . . . As I see it, the United States is going to have to have continual reviewal [sic] of its strategy. We can’t sit back here and watch hordes of people get their heads cut off. And why would we tell ISIS there’s no way we would ever put ground troops in combat situations? I think it has reached a point where we really have to have a very strong debate in this country. As I see it, it’s a religious war. What is going to turn back ISIS ? ....”  (See “MSNBC BREAKS WITH OBAMA ON ISIS: ‘RELIGIOUS WAR,’ ‘AMERICA MORALLY HUMILIATED’ ” by John Nolte, 2/17/15, Breitbart News/ Big Journalism [http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/02/17/msnbc-breaks-with-obama-on-isis-religious-war-america-morally-humiliated/]).

CHRIS MATTHEWS SOUNDING LIKE AN INTERVENTIONIST NEO-CON  SAYS  —  “AMERICA, OUR COUNTRY, IS BEING MORALLY HUMILIATED....”

John Nolte also cast his gaze on what was going on with the MSNBC show, “Hard Ball with Chris Matthews.”  Nolte reported that on that show MSNBC host Chris Matthews did a bit of a melt down on his guest from the Obama administration, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf. According to Nolte, “...Chris Matthews could barely contain his disgust during an interview with State Department Spokeswoman Marie Harf. All Matthews wanted to hear from his government was how we are going to stop these barbarians. Harf’s response, that we need to find ISIS jobs instead of killing them, was as frightening as it was surreal....”

The “Hard Ball” transcript of the exchange, taken from “The Right Scoop,” is as follows:
MATTHEWS: Are we killing enough of them?
HARF: We’re killing a lot of them and we’re going to keep killing more of them. So are the Egyptians, so are the Jordanians. They’re in this fight with us. But we cannot win this war by killing them. We cannot kill our way out of this war. We need in the medium to longer term to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups, whether it’s lack of opportunity for jobs, whether —
MATTHEWS: We’re not going to be able to stop that in our lifetime or fifty lifetimes. There’s always going to be poor people. There’s always going to be poor Muslims, and as long as there are poor Muslims, the trumpet’s blowing and they’ll join. We can’t stop that, can we? ”

MATTHEWS SEES  A  "MORAL DUTY TO PROTECT... INNOCENTS" FROM ISIS 

Nolte also noted that in his closing editorial segment, “Let Me Finish,” Chris Matthews wanted "... America to take action against ISIS."  And that Matthews said, “America, our country, is being morally humiliated....  Some of these [ISIS victims]  must have, in their last moments, been wondering if there’s any chance the people of the United States might be coming to their rescue...  Because that was how we were taught we conduct ourselves. We don’t leave people behind.”

What’s going on now ? — All GOP State Senators told to Lawyer Up by State Senate Counsel

The latest report is that State Senate Republicans have been warned by their “counsel” not to “do anything stupid,” like talk to the FBI, or any other of Preet Bharara’s investigators without a lawyer present

Does that mean something new is coming Marty Golden’s way ?   —   Or are the rest of the GOP’s NYS Senators now in the same boat as Marty Golden and Dean Skelos ?  What is attorney David Lewis' advice really all about ?

At the same time, more than a dozen state lawmakers told the Daily News that they are fuming over what they say is Bharara’s tarring of the entire Legislature for pervasive corruption, and also looking into issues of NYS governance going far beyond the scope of his Federal office

Preet Bhara has said that as far as he can tell, there’s almost zero self-policing going on in the NYS Legislature  —  And also this: NYS Legislators have to change their own rules, or they will "... become even more of a mockery, with indictment after indictment...."

According to a Kenneth Lovett report in today’s Daily News, “State Senate Republicans have been warned by their counsel not to “do anything stupid,” like talking to the FBI or other investigators without a lawyer present....   As crusading U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara zeroes in on Albany, [GOP Senate] counsel David Lewis, who is also a private defense lawyer, gave the stern advice to Republican members [of the State Senate] during a recent closed-door session....” (See “... GOP warned not to 'do anything stupid' like talk to feds without lawyer, source says” by Kenneth Lovett, 2/16/15, NY Daily News
[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/gop-warned-not-talk-feds-lawyer-source-article-1.2116729#bmb=1]).

ADVICE TO GOP STATE SENATORS: TELL THE FEDS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO TALK TO THEM

Lovett’s report went on to say that “...[t]he briefing came after then-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was arrested last month on federal corruption charges and a subsequent report that Senate GOP leader Dean Skelos is also being investigated.  ***   ... , ‘It’s such a serious time, you have to be extremely careful,’ said one senator who was in the room. ***  He said, ‘If someone knocks on your door, you don’t have to talk to them,’ the GOP [State Senator] said.”

What is not clear is whether the advice given by David Lewis, the “State Senate’s counsel” was to benefit each of the GOP State Senators, individually, or just ones like Majority Leader Dean Skelos or Senior Senate Member Marty Golden, both of whom are actually under current investigation by the U.S Attorney’s Office in Manhattan.

DAVID LEWIS’ “LEGAL”  ADVICE FOLLOWS MORE GENERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT PREET BHARARA’S TACTICS

The problematic legal advice being given out by David Lewis begins to look a little different complexion when it is taken in the context of other push back by various Albany insiders.  According to one of Ken Lovett’s other recent reports, “...[m]ore than a dozen state legislators, legislative officials and other insiders interviewed by the Daily News give credit to Preet Bharara for targeting Albany wrongdoing but are fuming over what they say is the powerful prosecutor’s publicity seeking, tarring of the entire Legislature, and wading into governance issues far beyond the scope of his office (See “Albany lawmakers cry foul over Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's tactics” by Kenneth Lovett, 2/14/15, NY Daily News [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/albany-lawmakers-upset-bharara-methods-article-1.2115710]).  Or to put it more succinctly  —    “It’s the backlash against Bharara....”  However, it should be noted that most of “lawmakers”, had agreed to be interviewed only on condition that their names not be used.

Here’s a specific example of one “lawmaker” who did speak relatively openly : “[If y]ou want to target corruption? God bless you,” said [longtime Golden ally, IDC Democrat State Senator]. Diane Savino (D-S.I.). “That’s what you’re supposed to do. But the fact there’s some corruption in the Legislature does not mean we all are corrupt. And the rest of us don’t appreciate the comparison.”  Quite apart from the almost audible whinyness of her statements, what else would anybody expect somebody like Diane Savino to say under the circumstances ?

Taking a longer view was a State Senate Republican, who said, “He’s going far beyond the role of a prosecutor....  If you find people having a conflict of interest or making money illegally, go for it. But ‘three men in a room’? It’s not for a U.S. attorney to be commenting on a system of government....”

Maybe, yes and maybe no.

Preet Bharara certainly disagrees with that anonymous Republican State Senator.  According to Ken Lovett,  “During recent public appearances, Bharara [has gone] out of his way to mock Albany’s “three-men-in-a-room” governing style in which the governor, Senate [M]ajority [L]eader and Assembly [S]peaker negotiate most budget and major policy decisions behind closed doors. During the MSNBC interview, he took a poke at Silver’s forced resignation as speaker by noting that “the membership in ‘the room’ seems to be changing....”

ACCORDING TO U.S. ATTORNEY PREET BHARARA,  “...THERE IS A BETTER CHANCE OF A [NY] STATE SENATOR LEAVING OFFICE IN HANDCUFFS THAN BY LOSING AT THE POLLS...”

Lovett’s description of the Federal prosecutor’s approach  is unequivocal  —   “Bharara, the Manhattan U.S. attorney, has often spoken of systemic ethical problems in Albany, calling it a “cauldron of corruption” and once saying that the very core of the state Capitol is an ‘overabundance of greed, cronyism and self-dealing.’ He said there is a better chance of a state senator leaving office in handcuffs than by losing at the polls. ***   He also recently tantalized the public and taunted the Capitol by telegraphing more arrests were on the way when he said ‘stay tuned’ after announcing criminal charges against then-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver....”

Bharara is neither shy nor retiring about any aspect of his quest against corruption anywhere in government and anywhere in New York State.  For example, “...[t]hree weeks after charging Sheldon Silver in a bribe and kickback scheme that prompted the Manhattan Democrat to step down as Assembly speaker and after putting six other downstate legislators in prison, Preet Bharara told The Buffalo News last week that the evidence he has seen shows corruption is appallingly common throughout New York State – and not just in New York City....” (See “Bharara sees corruption ‘all over’ New York State” by Jerry Zremski. 2/14/15, The Buffalo News/ City & Region [http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/albany-politics/bharara-sees-corruption-all-over-new-york-state-20150214]).

BHARARA’S CURRENT PROBES BASED ON MORELAND COMMISSION FILES

What’s more, Jerry Zremski’s article in the Buffalo News noted that “... [Bharara] indicated that his current probes – based on the investigative files of the Moreland Commission, a state anti-corruption effort created and then abruptly shut down by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo – could lead to cases against upstate lawmakers. ***   ‘In the same way that we often prosecute narcotics cases and other kinds of fraud and conspiracies in the Southern District when the principals may live elsewhere, the same is true in public corruption cases,’ Bharara said. ‘And a lot of business – including political and financial business – often takes place in Manhattan, for example, even if the legislators represent people in districts elsewhere.’...”

WHAT TO DO !   WHAT TO DO !  —   BHARARA SAYS THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO CHANGE ITS OWN RULES   —   TO AVOID “... INDICTMENT AFTER INDICTMENT”

Preet Bhara has said: “As far as I can tell, there’s almost zero self-policing going on [in the NYS Legislature].....  That may not seem bizarre, that people don’t want to police themselves, but I think you find less self-policing going on in Albany than in the legislature across the river in the state were I grew up [New Jersey], and including in the United States Congress.”

In the conclusion of the Buffalo News article, “...  Bharara stressed that there’s only so much he can do to control corruption. Much of the responsibility remains in the hands of the Legislature, which is the only body that can change its own rules to increase transparency and to deal somehow with the troubles that can arise when part-time legislators earn vast amounts of outside income. ***   ‘The Legislature itself has to figure out what rules makes sense so they don’t become even more of a mockery, with indictment after indictment.’...”

Already talk about “Clinton Fatigue” — At the same time, “Liberals” work to get Elizabeth Warren into the Race

Repetitive solicitations by groups like “Ready for Hillary” are leading to problems for many of Hillary Clinton’s early organizers and fund raisers

Constant solicitations for cash for Hillary in the absence of an actual candidate or candidacy aren’t sitting well  —  And now, a prominent liberal critic takes a look at Hillary's Slime Machine.

Meanwhile, there are rumbles of a leftish "Draft Warren" effort in the early primary/caucus states 

Hillary’s current problems do parallel similar stumbles in her failed 2008 effort for the presidency

Hillary Clinton has not yet announced whether she's running for president in 2016, but the “Ready for Hillary” super PAC is operating as if she had.   As a result, some Democrats in early voting states already are being hectored by Hillary solicitations from that group's fund-raising emails ( See “Email Onslaught May Create 'Clinton Fatigue' Among Donors” by Todd Beamon, 2/14/15, Newsmax [http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/email-Clinton-Democrat-election/2015/02/14/id/624853/]).

SOME DEMOCRATS TAKING A TIME-OUT FROM HILLARY

Many Democrat activists are already walking away from the Hillary effort  —  at least for now.

For example, according to a report in Politico,  Democrat activist Mary Tetreau already had enough last November.  With her party on the eve of an electoral walloping, the Londonderry, New Hampshire activist was sick of the constant emails begging for money for a candidate like Hillary, who isn’t even running for president yet. When another solicitation on behalf of Hillary Clinton landed in her inbox the day before the 2014 election, Ms. Tetreau opted out of Hillary’s pre-campaign ( See “Activists bristle at Hillary Clinton fundraising pleas” by  Ben Schreckinger, 2/14/15, Politico [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/activists-hillary-clinton-fundraising-pleas-115199.html#ixzz3RkmtCA00]).  Politico reports that Tetreau, a three-decade veteran of New Hampshire primary politics, called the “Ready for Hillary” early-and-often email approach “annoying”  —  
“I’m not going to be ready for Hillary until she announces she’s running for president....”

In February, three months later, Hillary Clinton’s candidacy  remains officially undeclared, but her campaign in-waiting’s emails continue to flood the in-boxes of Democratic activists and “supporters” in the early voting states.

According to Politico, the early heavy email strategy could create "Clinton fatigue" when Hillary actually does decide to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. Also, Politico reports, it spurs fears that Hillary is taking it all for granted.

ONE OF HILLARY’S BODY GUARD OF HITMEN ANNOUNCES A PROBLEM   —   PROMPTING LONG-TIME LIBERAL CLINTON CRITIC TO GET-IN SOME EARLY LICKS ON HILLARY AND HER   SNAKELIKE OPERATIVES

Clinton is now expected to make an announcement as late as July, according to Politico. In the meantime, fund-raising issues became public this week when David Brock, a longtime Clinton supporter, quit the board of Priorities USA, which backs the former first lady. Brock’s snarky riposte that named names in the Hillary pre-campaign juggernaut raised lots of eyebrows.

Politico observed that Brock accused leaders of the pro-Clinton group of planting a story in The New York Times about a fund-raising consultant that charges a commission, a practice that remains controversial. Brock called it ‘an orchestrated political hit job’ against two of HIS  pro-Clinton groups, “American Bridge” and “Media Matters”; in addition, “Ready for Hillary,” has used Brock as a consultant. Politico also mentioned that “Priorities USA” has not met its recent fund raising goals for Hillary’s 2016 campaign.

Such shenanigans have led some of Hillary’s longtime liberal antagonists to come out with early critiques of both the pro-Hillary strategies and the not-yet-candidate herself, like the New York Times’ Maureen Dowd in today’s Sunday edition ( See “Call Off the Dogs” by Maureen Dowd, 2/14/15 [in 2/15/15, Sunday Edition], NY Times/ Sunday Review [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/opinion/sunday/maureen-dowd-call-off-the-dogs.html?_r=0]). In her Times column, Dowd doesn’t focus on Hillary’s early fund raising, though she does mention it – including some of Hillary’s >>> RIGHT WING SUPPORTERS <<<, but she takes aim at the Hillary Clinton “Slime Room” led by the likes of David Brock, >>>also a former RIGHT WINGER<<<, who Dowd describes as “fit[ting] into the Clinton tradition of opportunistic knife-fighters like Dick Morris and Mark Penn.....”

OTHER LIBERALS PUSHING WARREN TO RUN

If all of that wasn’t bad enough, also in the news this week were reports of a sort of “Draft Warren” effort.

A timely Newsmax/Reuters article describes the following: “The scene in the New Hampshire office is one common to any nascent U.S. presidential campaign in the state that holds the country's first primary contest: Young staffers peck away at laptops and unpack boxes of signs with their candidate's name. ***   But the Democrat they are working for, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, adamantly denies plans to seek the presidency....” (See ““Liberals Work to Lure Elizabeth Warren Into 2016 Race” by Reuters Staff, Amanda Becker & Frances Kerry, 2/14/15, Newsmax/ Reuters
[http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/warren-liberals-president-race/2015/02/14/id/624805/]).

That article goes on to say that “[p]ublicly, Democratic strategists in Washington back Clinton's White House bid and say it is unlikely another viable candidate will emerge unless she decides not to run. Privately, many of the same people say they would like to see a more progressive candidate enter the race, if only to push the conversation to the left during the primary contests....”   And that article concludes with this “... a poll commissioned by Run Warren Run found that 98 percent of likely Democratic voters in New Hampshire and Iowa wanted a competitive race. Some 79 percent of 800 respondents polled Jan. 30 through Feb. 5 said they would like to see Warren run, though that did not mean they would vote for her.”

Clinton’s current strategy certainly does not want to see anything that urges something like  —   “RUN, WARREN, RUN”   —    “RUN, WARREN, RUN.”   A chant like that could have many unintended consequences; such a chant might even cause Mayor Bill de Blasio to run for a higher office in 2016.

Hmmmm?  “RUN, WARREN, RUN !”  Sort of catchy, Bill.....

Isn’t it time to — JUST SAY NO ! — Don't fight THERE when the fight is already HERE

Thursday, California’s Democrat Senior Senator Diane Feinstein said, “We’re either going to fight ISIS there or we are going to fight them here...”  —   The other night, Russell Gallo said almost the same thing about the bad guys in Yemen, while he was knocking Rand Paul’s and other Republican libertarian’s  foreign policy chops....  

Now that U.S. Marines have been under orders to throw down their rifles   —   I would suggest that the time has come to strategically retreat, reorganize and retrench at some logically and morally tenable DEFENSIVE LINE   —   We need to admit to ourselves that in this very dangerous world, THE UNITED STATES NOT ONLY HAS LOST THE INITIATIVE, WE HAVE LOST OUR WILL TO FIGHT

If we, as Americans, are forced to make only a choice like the one that people such as Diane Feinstein, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Russell Gallo, and now ostensibly Barack Obama, would urge upon us, I would suggest that we strongly consider FIGHTING  THEM* HERE INSTEAD OF FIGHTING THEM* IN SOME BOUNDLESS AMORPHOUS THERE; and also refocusing all of our efforts to rebuilding FORTRESS AMERICA 

It is now our MANIFEST DESTINY to fight a protracted and probably losing series of holding actions to preserve what has been given to us by OUR GOD and OUR FOREBEARS  —   Since, this sacred land of ours is still the LAST BEST HOPE FOR MANKIND  —  It is only this, OUR HOMELAND, that we MUST defend

As everybody should know by now, on Wednesday,  “President Barack Obama asked Congress for new powers to wage military operations against the Islamic State militant group, kicking off a renewed national debate over the scope of wartime powers that should be afforded to the commander-in-chief. ***   American warplanes have pounded Islamic State targets for six months, but Mr. Obama on Wednesday said the proposed resolution authorizing military force is important not only for the U.S. strategy against the group, but also to the cohesion of an international coalition, which includes Arab countries [somebody cue the canned laugh track]...” (See “Debate Opens on New War Powers –  Obama Asks Congress to Back Islamic State Fight” by Crol E. Lee & Michael R. Crittenden, 2/11/15, Wall Street Journal [http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-asks-congress-to-authorize-military-action-against-islamic-state-1423666095]).  The WSJ article went on to state that “[t]he White House worked with Republican and Democratic lawmakers on the draft language in hopes of increasing its chances of winning bipartisan support....  ” (See also “[PDF] [Proposed] JOINT RESOLUTION
To authorize the limited use of the United States Armed Forces against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant” [http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/aumf_02112015.pdf]).

According to the Wall Street Journal and other outlets, President Obama cited the deaths of four American citizens: James Foley;  Steven Sotloff; Abdul-Rahman Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller, all while captives of Islamic State militants to emphasize that group’s threat to the United States.  The deaths of Foley, Sotloff and Kassig were all shown on video by ISIS/ISIL, while earlier this week U.S. officials confirmed the death of Ms. Mueller. (Though emotionally upsetting, the deaths of these four did not expose or trigger any vital United States interest.)

“Thursday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” in discussing Obama’s ISIS war powers request, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said ISIS has become a “dominant threat to peace in the world today,” and, “We’re either going to fight them there or fight them here.”   ***   Feinstein said, “They [ISIS] are a dominant threat to peace in the world today. I really believe this. There’s never been a time when there are more threats to the United States than there is now. So as I said once before, we’re either going to fight them there or fight them here. And I believe that. So how the United States worked out its role, the kind of leadership it provides in terms of command presence, in terms of providing equipment, bombing runs, special operations that can do a number of different things on the ground is important. And making that legal, in terms of an authorization to use military force, I think is critical....” ( See “Feinstein: We’re Either Going to Fight ISIS There or Fight Them Here” by Pam Key, 2/12/15, Breitbart News [http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/02/12/feinstein-were-either-going-to-fight-isis-there-or-fight-them-here/]).

On Wednesday evening on WAAR’s “Behind Enemy Lines...,” that show’s host, Russell Gallo, later joined by Gene Berardelli, used basically the same argument with reference to standing up in Yemen and for other “allies” in the region  —   for some unexplained reason, to put some daylight between his[their] brand of Republican jingoism and the apparent libertarian circumspection manifest by Rand Paul and other GOP libertarians ( See  “ICYMI - Vito & Vito Blew Up The Show!” by Gene Berardelli, 2/12/15,  Behind Enemy Lines - Blogging From Within [http://www.behindenemylinesradio.us/2015/02/icymi-vito-vito-blew-up-show.html]; see also blog radio link at  “WAARadio - Sound Cloud ‘Behind Enemy Lines - Vito & Vito Sabotage The Show!’ ” at 19:15 - 26:45).

Never forget it is Barack Obama that sits on top of every soldier, sailor, airman and marine as “Commander in Chief  —  think about that.  Charles Martell, he is not.

I have stated before that it is my belief that Barack Hussein Obama and the current Obama regime is a “Trojan Horse,” that they have thrown open the gates of the homeland to a variety of foreign invaders, and the nation's enemies are  running amuck across the length and breadth of this land. Under these circumstances it would be worse than foolhardy for Congress to authorize Obama to engage in any sort of foreign misadventure, regardless of the merits of any underlying justification.

In the past I have urged that the people rise up and say, “Hell no !  We won’t go.”
Now, I simply urge all of our national representatives in the House and the several states’ representatives in the Senate to “Just say no” to any additional war powers for Obama and his regime.

_______________________

* FOR THE RECORD BY “THEM” I MEAN ALL PRESENT AND FUTURE ENEMIES OF THE TRADITIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC,  TOGETHER WITH ALL THEIR ALLIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.

Senator Vitter Puts Hold On Vote in Judiciary Committee on Obama's Nominee for Attorney General, Loretta Lynch

GOP Senator not satisfied with information provided to Judiciary Committee about Lynch's hand in deal to take almost $2-billion in fines from HSBC, in lieu of more serious penalties against the bank and/or individual prosecutions against persons at HSBC 

HSBC's alleged banking crimes were connected to money laundering for drug cartels and terrorist organizations  

Senate Democrats  are miffed and quickly play the race card

According to the report in Breitbart News, Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee have stalled the nomination of U.S. attorney Loretta Lynch to replace Eric Holder as President Barack Obama’s Attorney General; and  member of the committee, Louisiana Senator David Vitter says it’s because of questions about Lynch's role in not bringing criminal charges in a white collar crime scandal involving HSBC bank (See  "Vitter:  Holdup on Holder Replacement Over HSBC Persecution" by Matthew Boyle, 2/12/15,  Breitbart News [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/02/12/vitter-holdup-on-holder-replacement-loretta-lynch-over-hsbc-persecution/]).  The article also noted that   "Vitter, a hardline conservative, said in his statement on Thursday that this is very troubling and that members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the full Senate, need to know everything that happened with HSBC’s case and Lynch’s role in all of it before they can vote on her nomination."

According to Matthew Boyle's report for Breitbart, while serving as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York,  Lynch had been quoted in 2012 as saying HSBC didn’t act on”numerous red flags and warnings about the money laundering risks.” Lynch also said that HSBC “routinely did business with entities on the U.S. sanctions list” adding that the bank engaged in “evading U.S. prohibitions on such transactions by disguising the source of the funds so the payments would go through.”  In spite of all that, nobody went to prison or even faced a criminal trial in the money laundering case, due to Lynch’s and others’ efforts.  HSBC got off by making a payment of a large fine to the government. It was also noted in the Breitbart article that a criminal conviction on the money laundering violations could have also resulted in a prohibition of HSBC's doing business in the United States.

TENSE PARTISAN ATMOSPHERE BREWING OVER DELAY OF LYNCH'S VOTE ON THE COMMITTEE

With this and Lynch’s outspoken support for President Obama’s executive amnesty, which most GOP members of Congress (even many Democrats) view as unconstitutional, what happens moving forward remains to be seen.  

According to Breitbart,  "Democrats expressed outrage at Vitter’s delay on Thursday, as Lynch had been expected to clear the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, for instance, complained that it seemed prejudicial against Lynch compared to other nominees.  'Clearly she’s been treated differently, and I guess that’s what I object to, because there are sensitivities,'  Feinstein said."

Is There Early Troubling News For Hillary Clinton ?

In what looks like an early flurry of worrisome news for Hillary Clinton’s pre-campaign for the presidency in 2016, The Drudge Report index of headlines shows these three in a row:
“Shock Poll: Warren Leads Clinton in Iowa, New Hampshire"; 

“Emerging Hillary Team Shows Signs of Disquiet...”; and 

“Unease Grows as Clinton Stays on Sidelines...” 

Is Hillary's pre-campaign getting hit with pre-shocks or is it just growing pains ?

WHAT THE POLLS IN IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE SAID

Early MoveOn.org and Democracy for America poll shows Senator Elizabeth Warren leads Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire  —  even though Warren says that she isn’t running !

According to a report in the Washington Examiner, “...[p]opulist groups cheering ‘Run Warren Run,’ today released [recent] election polls from Iowa and New Hampshire showing Sen. Elizabeth Warren ahead of dominant Democrat Hillary Clinton. ***   The YouGov poll of likely Democratic voters for MoveOn.org and Democracy for America also found that 79 percent want Warren [to run] and majorities support her anti-Wall Street positions. ***   Warren has said she doesn't plan to challenge Clinton, though several others have indicated that they are looking at a bid, including Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt....”  (See “Shock poll: Warren leads Clinton in Iowa, N.H.” by Paul Bedard, 2/11/15, Washington Examiner [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/shock-poll-warren-leads-clinton-in-iowa-n.h./article/2560098]).  The article went on to say that “...[t]he poll of 400 conducted Jan. 30 to Feb. 5 put Warren ahead of Clinton in Iowa, 31 percent to 24 percent. In New Hampshire, her lead is 30 percent to 27 percent....”

TIMES TALKS ABOUT QUICK TURF FIGHT AMONG MAJOR CLINTON PAC-MASTERS

Perhaps more unsettling to the insiders in the Clinton camp is a New York Times report that says
Hillary Clinton’s campaign organization is getting off to a bit of a rocky start ( See “Emerging Hillary Clinton Team Shows Signs of Disquiet” by Nicholas Confessore & Amy Chozickfeb, 2/10/15, NY Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/11/us/politics/emerging-clinton-team-shows-signs-of-disquiet.html?_r=0]).

The Times reports, “Lingering tensions between Hillary Rodham Clinton’s loyalists and the strategists who helped President Obama defeat her in 2008 have erupted into an intense public struggle over who will wield money and clout in her emerging 2016 presidential campaign. ***   At issue is controlling access to the deep-pocketed donors whose support is critical to sustain the outside organizations that are paving the way for Mrs. Clinton’s campaign. It is a competition that has been exacerbated, many Clinton supporters said, by Mrs. Clinton’s reluctance to formally enter the race and establish a campaign organization with clear lines of authority....”

More than anything else this appears to be a turf war between Democrat insider heavyweights David Brock and Jim Messina.

MEANWHILE WSJ REPORTS ABOUT “UNEASE...” AMONG SOME DEMOCRATS ABOUT HILLARY’S EARLY GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK

Today’s Wall Street Journal reports that “...[some Clinton] allies and prominent Democrats say she needs to jump in sooner than that and begin raising campaign funds and organizing in states with early contests, even if the payoff means more in the general election than the primaries. ***  In Iowa, which holds the nation’s first presidential nominating contest, local Democratic leaders caution that Mrs. Clinton risks a backlash if she postpones her announcement too long. Linda Nelson, who leads the Pottawattamie County Democrats, said: “I’ve heard folks who are disgruntled. They’re starting to think: ‘Well, if she’s not going to announce any time soon, I may just start looking elsewhere.’ ” (See “Unease Grows as Hillary Clinton Stays on Sidelines” by Peter Nicholas, 2/11/15, Wall Street Journal [http://www.wsj.com/articles/unease-grows-as-hillary-clinton-stays-on-sidelines-1423694468]).

The WSJ also noted that  “[a]t a comparable point in the 2008 cycle, Mrs. Clinton was already a candidate. Her main rival for the party nomination in that race, then-Sen. Obama, announced his candidacy eight years ago on Tuesday. But Mrs. Clinton’s team doesn’t see the same urgency as in 2008, when Mr. Obama represented a potent threat, people familiar with her thinking said.”

"Common Sense" Continues to Obscure — And the Slow Disappearance of Jerry Kassar — In Print

Is Jerry Kassar’s “Snow Job” Column Part of a Bigger Coverup of State Senator Marty Golden’s Problems and Kassar’s Own ?   

Kassar’s rant against Governor Cuomo’s Snowy Subway Shutdown borders on rank hypocrisy  —   similar gross instances indicative of “something truly dysfunctional” by Kassar and his boss have passed week-in and week-out without comment 

And for something completely different:  Is the scrutiny and criticism by this blog and others like it one of the reasons that Kassar is going to great lengths to keep his weekly “Common Sense” column from showing up on the internet ?

Guess who said this: “Would it not be nice if on occasion government officials and agencies simply admitted that they were wrong.  I think the public would have more respect for them if they did....”  Unbelievably, the author of that comment is Jerry Kassar !  ( See “Snow job  – Common Sense” by Jerry Kassar, 2/5/15, Home Reporter-Brooklyn Spectator/ Brooklyn Media Group [http://www.homereporternews.com/news/opinion/common-sense-a-snow-job/article_23e6ffd4-98d5-11e3-813b-001a4bcf887a.html] [NOTE: The following message appeared at the Home Reporter - Brooklyn Spectator site: “This is somewhat embarrassing, isn’t it?  It seems we can’t find what you’re looking for....” {more about that below}] ).

“SOMETHING TRULY DYSFUNCTIONAL”

Kassar probably didn’t set out to say very much in his “Common Sense” column for the February 5 - February 11, 2015 edition of the Home Reporter/ Spectator. However, almost every article that Jerry Kassar  writes contains some nugget or kernel of insight or information about Kassar, his operators and the various functionaries that he operates; the “Snow job” column was no exception to that general observation.

Kassar opened his column with a statement that there is “something truly dysfunctional” in a government that allows a governor to shut down the largest transit system in the world without giving the mayor a “heads-up.”  True enough  —  but how long has Kassar’s boss, Marty Golden, been on the job, and not addressed issues of MTA organization and governance giving almost complete control over NYC mass transit to the NYS Governor ?

DOES KASSAR THINK IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING A “FAN” OF  “STYLE” 

More interesting and enlightening by far was this introductory clause by Kassar, which began his second paragraph: “I am certainly no fan of the governing style of either [Governor Cuomo or Mayor de Blasio]...”    That explains a lot. You see many of us have long thought that Jerry Kassar was some kind of professional politician, who also had some solid conservative leanings.  The aforementioned introductory clause pretty much completely negates all such notions. To be dismissive of the belief systems, policies and practices of Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor William de Blasio, as something that can be described as a “governing style,” is to profoundly not understand the contemporary ethos, especially when it comes to highlighting the radical-conservative dichotomy now part of our polity. Perhaps worse than that is Kassar’s overly glib description of activists and political supporters as “fan[s].”  Although he said he wasn’t a fan of the Cuomo or de Blasio “...style,” one could fairly infer that Kassar was the “fan” of some other “governing style.”  

The rest of Kassar’s “Snow job” column was about plowing snow on Kassar’s block; and, oddly, the closing or non-closing of Catholic Churches in a place where Kassar doesn’t live. Neither being an item of universal interest, or even the particular interest of many of Brooklyn’s conservatives.

IS KASSAR TRYING TO BECOME INVISIBLE ?

Taking something out of “The Hobbit” or  “Harry Potter...” —    Kassar has now found himself a “Cloak of Invisibility”....

I believe that Jerry Kassar’s column, as a rule, is a vehicle intended NOT to convey necessary information to conservatives or conservative-minded Republicans. This is usually achieved by Kasssar’s selection of otiose material, complimented by obscure presentation. However, Kassar seems to have added another thought-stopping arrow to his quiver  —   he has made his column virtually disappear on the internet. Lately, when I have found what might appear as a link to the most recent of Kassar’s columns, using various direct and indirect search techniques, I have been rebuffed with the following message that appeared on the  Home Reporter - Brooklyn Spectator site: “This is somewhat embarrassing, isn’t it?  It seems we can’t find what you’re looking for....”

WHO BENEFITS ?

Kassar and his boss Marty Golden do get a direct benefit out of this.  This all creates and appearance that something is being said and done. However, that is not really the case; and it has necessitated hiding from the prying eyes of this and other blogs that seek to point it out. I think that is what Kassar is trying to do.

Right now, all that Kassar and his boss think that they need to accomplish is to mark time.

But doesn’t marking time have another familiar and more threatening sound ?

Tick-tock, tick-tock....

Police Commissioner "Wild Bill" Bratton creates his own Special Forces, SEAL Teams, SAS, OSS and SOE — Then Bratton asks for new laws for all these guys

"Boston Blackie" Bill Bratton says that making “Resisting Arrest” into a “Felony” in New York would be "Very Helpful"  —   Yeah, but for whom ?  —   Certainly not for any LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS rounded up in some misguided “Dragnet” [like during a threat of heavy snow]  —  Maybe, it’s really good for his new Special Ops Cops

Bratton also put in place units of specialized Ninjas* and Stormtroopers** to deal with World War III, Terrorist Attacks, Spikes in Crime, Noisy Demonstrations, The Bay Ridge Ragamuffin Parade and/or Threats to Public Order When Heavy Precipitation Is Predicted

In case you missed it, last week in testimony at a NYS State Senate Joint-Committees Hearing, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton  called for New York State to change resisting arrest from a misdemeanor to a felony.  At the time, Commissioner Bratton was  testifying in front of a joint hearing of four NYS Senate committees See “Bratton: Raising Resisting Arrest to a Felony Would Be ‘Very Helpful’” by Will Bredderman, 2/4/15, NY Observer/ [http://observer.com/2015/02/bratton-raising-resisting-arrest-to-a-felony-would-be-very-helpful/] [@newyorkobserver on Twitter | newyorkobserver on Facebook]).

BRATTON THINKS THAT THE PUBLIC’S GROWING RESISTANCE TO POLICE AUTHORITY NEEDS STIFFER PENALTIES 

Bratton made a number of recommendations to the State Senators and others gathered at the hearing, including his main suggestion that the penalty be increased for resisting arrest [currently, resisting arrest is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum punishment of one year, which Bratton argued did not deter the nearly 2,000 resisting arrest charges each year].

Will Bredderman’s report in the Observer, went on with this version of Bratton’s keyremarks: ‘I think a felony would be very helpful in terms of raising the bar significantly in the penalty for the resistance of arrest,’ Mr. Bratton told reporters after speaking at the hearing in lower Manhattan. ***   The top cop reiterated previous statements that resisting arrest is impermissible, and endangers both law enforcement and civilians. ***   ‘We need to get around this idea that you can resist arrest. You can’t. You just can’t do it. It results in potential injuries to the officer, to the suspect. And we need to change that, and the way to change that is to start [raising the] penalties for it,’ he said....”  

“Mr. Bratton also called for laws instituting more severe penalties for fatally assaulting an officer, for attacking a school safety agent or auxiliary cop...  He also recommended measures mandating bulletproof glass in all police cars...” according to the Observer account of some of Bratton’s testimony.

BRATTON CROSSES A LINE TOWARD ESTABLISHING AN AUTHORITARIAN SOCIETY  —   EVEN A BUDDING  POLICE STATE

All of the above are largely defensive measures and to that extent are quite understandable.  But then Bratton crossed the line.  He wanted the gathered State Senators to support a ban on everyday citizens wearing  bullet-proof vests; and he called for tighter regulations on civilian window tinting, as well as punishments for anybody that publicizes the address and other personal information of  police officers.

Also, Bratton was almost completely dismissive of advocates, who sometimes complain that resisting arrest is often the only charge against someone who was not “resisting arrest” for anything else.  According to Bredderman’s account of Bratton’s testimony, Bratton said, “The vast majority might end up being dismissed...” he said, although Bratton then suggested that district attorneys at times wrongly dismiss such charges out of hand. “We’re asking district attorneys to treat them more seriously than they have been treated in the past.”

A WEEK EARLIER, BRATTON HAD ANNOUNCED THAT HE CREATED  >>>TWO<<<  NEW “STRATEGIC” UNITS OF SUPER COPS:  300-350 HEAVILY ARMED AND WELL-TRAINED  “NINJAS”* —   AND @500 NOT-SO-HEAVILY ARMED AND NOT NEARLY AS WELL TRAINED  “STORMTROOPERS”**

During the week before his testimony to the State Senators, Bratton made other momentous, ominous and controversial announcements indicating that the NYC Police Department will soon have two new groupings of officers: a heavily armed unit, primarily tasked with combating terrorism; and a more mobile unit, put together to handle more common events, like protests and neighborhood crime spikes

According to a report in the New York Times, “...A specially trained unit of 300 to 350 officers with heavier gear will be assigned to counterterrorism patrols currently performed by precinct officers who are temporarily detailed to high-risk areas of the city, like Times Square. ***   ‘It’s time to institutionalize, if you will, make permanent, that concept,’ Mr. Bratton said, standing alongside many of his chiefs. That unit will augment the Emergency Services Unit, whose officers carry heavy weapons and whose Hercules teams are often seen at potential terrorism targets. ***  Separately, he said, the department would create a unit of roughly 500 patrol officers who would help with temporary issues, like a rise in crime in any precinct or large protests. Mr. Bratton said those officers would be known as the Strategic Response Group....” (See ““Bratton Says Terrorism and Protests Will Be Handled by Separate Police Units” by J. David Goodman, 2/2/15, NY Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/nyregion/bratton-says-terrorism-and-protests-will-be-handled-by-separate-police-units.html?ref=topics&_r=0]).

The Times article pointed out that “The deployment changes that the police commissioner, William J. Bratton, outlined [ ] differed from those he presented in a speech [a week prior]. At that time, he described a single new unit, called the Strategic Response Group, “designed for dealing with events like our recent protests or incidents like Mumbai or what just happened in Paris.”

The Times noted that the idea of equipping officers with heavy weapons and protective gear to monitor protesters drew immediate criticism the week before, requiring Mr. Bratton to seek to clarify his statements.  —   “I may have in my remarks or in your interpretation of my remarks confused you or confused the issue,” Bratton told reporters. Now, the plan, he said, is to have protests and antiterrorism duties handled by different types of officers, in different corners of the department.

________________________

Ninjas* and Stormtroopers** :   The terms “Ninjas” and “Stormtroopers” were not used by NYC Police Commissioner William Bratton  —   for all that I know, he calls the new units “Archie” and “Edith.”

When first announced, there was going to be a single “Strategic Response Group” of about 900 heavily armed, well-trained anti-terror specialists....  Now, there will be only 500 members in the “Strategic Response Group.”  The rest will be...  well...  Ninjas without names...