irony 
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Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 02:44:27 PM EST
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Right wing New Jerseyan and serial misrepresenter of facts James O'Keefe has decided that what's good for the goose is not good for the gander, and is suing the Star-Ledger for libel on the heels of his latest "operation" that just may have broken a number of federal and/or New Hampshire laws. Ironically, O'Keefe is the same person behind the heavily edited and usually recorded without consent videos used to "implicate" Planned Parenthood, ACORN, NPR and the New Jersey teacher's union (the NJEA) in acts that looked bad mainly because of the deceptive and selective editing.
His latest is a lawsuit alleging that he was defamed by the Star Ledger when it reported on the potential voter fraud and non-consent laws for recording conversations that his "sting operation" broke during the NH Republican Presidential Primary. While the Star Ledger incorrectly referred to O'Keefe's prior history as including "trying to tap the phone of Sen. Mary Landrieux" - which was a federal felony charge, O'Keefe did plead guilty to a misdemeanor for entering federal property under false pretenses, a different and lesser crime, but most certainly a crime.
The misdemeanor charge carried a sentence that included three years' probation, and it remains to be seen what the impact of the NH actions and investigation by the NH Attorney General will have on O'Keefe's probation, or his "filmmaking career". What is highly ironic here (other than the nature of his suit not even mentioning the NH investigation - just a years' old different crime that was called a crime of a different name) is that the ACORNs, NPRs, Planned Parenthoods, NH voters and NJ teachers union who were unfairly and misrepresented by O'Keefe and his videos for are really the ones damaged. The fact that O'Keefe is playing victim for what looks like the Star Ledger calling Crime B "Crime A" seems more like another stunt to get publicity than anything else.
This is classic for the right and its noise machine - to hammer away on a relatively minor and sometimes insignificant point to play the victim - all while distorting the truth in the name of whatever endgame they have at the moment. What would really make things interesting is for the Star Ledger to use its resources to fight back here - a retraction would probably be warranted to the extent it did misrepresent the crime O'Keefe pled guilty to - and maybe it teaches the folks on the Star Ledger Editorial Board to be more careful. But to push back against O'Keefe, his financial backers and take "disclosure" down a very uncomfortable road for O'Keefe would really be a good thing to see.
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Sun Jun 05, 2011 at 02:54:02 PM EDT
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Not that any of this is shocking to those of us who have seen his actions and heard his words up close since his Wall Street brother bought him his job as Bush US Attorney with hundreds of thousands in donations to Bush and the Republican Party in 2000.
But this latest in a long line of instances where Chris Christie abused his power as a public employee (most egregiously and frequently as US Attorney and Governor) - either for personal perks like five star hotels and limo rides or for getting out of a ticket for driving the wrong way down a one way street or driving a car without registration - is another brick in the growing wall of evidence that the Fake Crusader in the Governor's office is precisely the so-called "public employee sucking as much personal benefit from New Jersey's citizens" as he rails against at every opportunity he gets.
Even more ironic, this caricature of public employees is and has been exemplified by Chris Christie for most of his career as a public employee. Remember, this man was sued for defamation of character back in the early 90s. The buzz surrounding his ironic rise as a future face of the Republican Party is laughable, given the most cursory look into his very actions that have tried to avoid responsibility and finger point ("DisneyGate", Race to the Top and now "CopterGate"), given out lucrative no-bid deals to political pals (one who was a former US Attorney that didn't prosecute his Wall Street brother with 16 of his colleagues in the biggest securities fraud investigate to date) and repeatedly used his position AS A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE to enrich himself, his friends or his political party.
"CopterGate" may be, as "DisneyGate", "Travel expenseGate" and all of the other many "Gate"s he has been a part of were, a "blip" in the news. But make no mistake, the real Chris Christie is rapidly being exposed and showing that he is the embodiment of the "public employee from hell" that he has been ruthlessly and politically demonizing for well over a decade.
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Tue Mar 08, 2011 at 05:33:00 PM EST
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This song, Bread and Roses (that's Judy Collins singing), takes its words from the poet James Oppenheim, whose writing was inspired by the women union organizers of his day. Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. The global recognition of women's struggle for voting, economic & civil rights had its birth in the socialist movement, and has always been observant of women's and children's economic vulnerability.
Today, 3 women on the Assembly Budget Committee - all Dems - took note of the setbacks women in NJ are dealing with under the Christie administration. A "monumental step backwards," as Nellie Pou calls it. Bonnie Watson Coleman talked about the real meaning of Chris Christie's "new normal"; it means "adjusting to a lower standard of living unless you are part of the wealthiest one percent in this state." Joan Quigley pointed out this marks the 2nd year the Christie administration "decided that access to cancer screenings, birth control and preventative care are unimportant for the working poor women of this state," adding "NJ has long been known as a progressive and compassionate state, but under the Christie administration we have taken a major step in the wrong direction."
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses!
- full lyrics of this lovely poem/song posted after the jump
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Fri Jan 01, 2010 at 04:43:40 PM EST
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Our editor, Attila T. Hunnybear, wants to pass along these wishes as they have been expressed by our political leadership.
From outgoing Governor Donny Borezine: "My hope for the new year is that the new guy doesn't screw things up too badly. But if he does, then the voters got what they asked for. I'm going to Disneyworld."
From incoming Governor Myst Mysty: "I'd like to wish everyone in the state a happy new year...but I'd also like to wish the budget somehow gets balanced. Anyway, it's going to be good to be my buddy for the next four years."
From outgoing Senate President Flick Moldey: "I'd like to wish that Heve Hiney chokes on his gavel. And everyone else can go to Hell."
Incoming Senate President Heve Hiney: "I'd like to wish for a well-financed primary challenger for Flick Moldey...and everyone else can donate to my leadership campaign before they come to talk to me."
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Thu Nov 20, 2008 at 12:46:07 PM EST
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Princeton students are braving the cold to show their support for Traditional Perambulatory Values:
A group of students opposed to the recently-passed California marriage amendment (Proposition 8) gathered outside of Firestone Library at 9:30 this morning to launch a day-long protest in support of their own Prop 8, an initiative to ban Freshmen from sidewalks in order to "restore the definition of sidewalk accessibility to what the vast majority of Princeton students already believe it should mean and what Princetonians agree should be supported, not undermined." The protest's organizers explain their demonstration on the group's Facebook page:
We believe that California's Proposition 8 is illegal and immoral. The use of a state-wide referendum to limit the rights of a minority group is the very sort of action the that the constitution ought to defend against. We hope to point out the danger and absurdity of that proposition by advocating for our own "Princeton Proposition 8" which will 'ban freshmen from walking on campus sidewalks.' We hope to parallel the language and actions of the real Prop 8 as much as possible, as we believe the injustice speaks for itself and needs no exaggeration. We will be careful not to turn this into an attack on any particular group or organization, instead choosing to focus on the moral, legal, and logical reasons why Proposition 8 should be overturned.
The protest is scheduled to continue throughout the day today and again from 9:30 to 5:00 PM tomorrow. If you're in the Princeton area, stop by to show your support!
More photos below the fold.
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