Obama Picks Numbers-Fudger to Run Census

Republicans expressed alarm because of one of Mr. Groves’s specialties, statistical sampling — roughly speaking, the process of extrapolating from the numbers of people actually counted to arrive at estimates of those uncounted and, presumably, arriving at a realistic total.
—NY Times

Proof: Congress Has More Criminals Than NFL or NBA

The numbers don't lie.

Pelosi Caught Abusing Military Aircraft for Fun Trips

"It is my understanding there are NO G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable ... The Speaker will want to know where the planes are," [Pelosi aide Kay] King wrote.

In another, when told a certain type of aircraft would not be available, King wrote: "This is not good news, and we will have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset Speaker."
Fox News

Eric Cantor is Democrat's Next Molestation Target

Noose Tightens Around Murtha's Flabby Neck

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders are “concerned” by a widening criminal probe that may involve Rep. John P. Murtha, but sources close to the leadership say there’s no move afoot to force him out as chairman of the powerful Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.

“We are watching to see what happens,” said a senior House Democratic aide. “At this point, there is nothing for us to do. There is not a clear indication yet that Mr. Murtha has done anything wrong or that the Justice Department is targeting him in any way, so there is no reason to take any action.”

The new worries about Murtha come in the wake of news of a November raid of the PMA Group, a lobbying firm with close ties to the veteran Pennsylvania Democrat.

—Politico (Washington Post)

Democrat Mayor of Hartford Arrested for Bribery

Mayor Eddie A. Perez sat in his office at city hall on a late June day in 2007 and assured a pair of state criminal investigators that the rumors weren't true, that he had long ago paid in full for the $20,000 renovation at his home by city contractor Carlos Costa.

He could even get them the canceled check to prove it.

But barely an hour and a half after Perez said goodbye to the investigators, the mayor was in the offices of the Hartford Federal Credit Union filling out an application for a $25,000 home equity loan. It fell to Perez's lawyer nine days later to tell investigators that the mayor, in fact, had never paid Costa for the work that had begun more than two years earlier.

Hartford Courant

Blagojevich Wins? Burris May be Seated in The Senate

More Blago/Emanuel Hanky-Panky

In addition to talking with Gov. Blagojevich about who would fill President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat, Obama's newly minted chief of staff had something else on his mind: his own congressional seat.

Just after accepting the top post with Obama, Rahm Emanuel discussed with Blagojevich the possibility of keeping his congressional seat "warm" for him for a couple of years, the Sun-Times has learned.

Emanuel expressed interest in returning one day to his elected position because he was on track to become U.S. House speaker, the Sun-Times previously reported.

Chicago Sun-Times

Washington Post Calls for Charlie Rangel to Step Down as Chairman of Ways and Means Commitee

The revelation is the latest in a litany that has come to light since the summer. It was disclosed that Mr. Rangel was paying below-market rents on four Harlem apartments. One, which he has since given up, was illegally used as a campaign office. He owed taxes on at least $75,000 in rental income on a vacation home in the Dominican Republic. (He has since paid $10,800 to the IRS and New York State for three tax years and has hired a forensic accountant to determine how much he owes for the remaining 17 years.) Mr. Rangel underreported the value of a condominium he and his wife owned in Florida. He neglected to fully account on House travel disclosure forms for some privately sponsored trips. And he used his official stationary to ask for meetings to discuss his eponymous school of public service with titans of business and philanthropy.
—Washington Post

Rezko May Spill Beans on Obama, Blagojevich

Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a convicted influence peddler who was once one of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's most trusted confidants, has met with federal prosecutors and is considering cooperating in the corruption probe of the governor's administration, sources told the Tribune.


Rezko's possible change of heart—after years of steadfast refusal—has sent ripples through a tight circle of prominent defense attorneys who represent dozens of potential witnesses and targets in the wide-ranging probe.

Continue Story: Chicago Tribune

New Obama Scandal: $100K Missing from Charity

Don't worry about the corruption.
Just stare at the pretty Obamstika!
Repeat after me... Hope. Change. Hope. Change...

A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports, about whether the money might have been misspent.

The garden was never built. And now state records obtained by the Sun-Times show $65,000 of the grant money went to the wife of Kenny B. Smith, the Obama 2000 congressional campaign volunteer who heads the Chicago Better Housing Association, which was in charge of the project for the blighted South Side neighborhood.

Chicago Sun-Times

Hey, that's some community organizer! You could get rich being friends with that Obama guy.

But Obama speaks so well! And as Joe Biden pointed out, he's so clean for a black man—so let's just sweep this under the rug.

The Chicago way.

Ad Spotlights Obama's Ties With Rezko

Obama, Rezko Linked to Iraqi Government Fraud

Sen. Barack Obama's office engaged in six months of negotiations with a company controlled by convicted criminal Tony Rezko to lobby the U.S. government to push through a nixed $50 million contact to train Iraqi security personnel at a site in Chicago.

The contract was awarded to Rezko's company while Aiham Alsammarae, a long-time, close Rezko friend and a contributor to Obama's campaign, served as Iraq's U.S.-appointed electricity minister, the senator's office confirms.

—World Net Daily

Russia: Corruption Rampant

What do you think is the extent of bribery and corruption in Russia?

	Mar. 2008	Jul. 2007	Apr. 2007
A few officials are corrupt	6%	7%	5%
Less than half of officials are corrupt	11%	12%	9%
The majority of officials are corrupt	47%	43%	47%
Practically every official is corrupt	29%	28%	34%
Hard to answer	7%	10%	5%

Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Mar. 14 to Mar. 18, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

Democrats Caught Not Paying Gas Tax in Denver

The committee hosting the Democratic National Convention has used the city's gas pumps to fill up and apparently avoided paying state and federal fuel taxes.

The practice, which began four months ago, may have ended hours after its disclosure. An aide to Mayor John Hickenlooper released a statement Tuesday evening saying that Denver 2008 Host Committee members would pay market prices for fuel and would also be liable for all applicable taxes.

—Rocky Mountain News

New Jersey Politician Linda Stender Defends Rangel Corruption

Today Lance for Congress called on Congressional candidate Linda Stender to return the over $20,000 in campaign donations that she has received from Rep. Charlie Rangel in light of the corruption allegations reported in the New York Times last week. See the below editorial from Saturday's New York Times: Mr. Rangel's Very Good Deal.

"This is absolutely disgraceful. Rent stabilized housing is intended to provide residences to middle class and low income families and seniors who otherwise would be unable to afford to remain in the city - not as perks for wealthy politicians," said Leonard Lance. "We hope that Assemblywoman Stender would agree with the New York Times, which called Rangel's behavior inexplicable," concluded Lance.

"Last week Linda Stender refused to comment on the scandal and as to whether she would cancel her participation at Rangel's upcoming fundraiser. Now days later Stender has remained silent. We call on Linda Stender to speak out against this shocking behavior, cancel the upcoming fundraiser and immediately return the over $20,000 she already received from Rangel," said Lance Campaign Manager Amanda Woloshen.
—Leonard Lance Press Release

Pennsylvania: Bonusgate Scandal Hurting Democrats

"It's hard to see how Democrats keep control of the House," said Potts, "unless they decide to promote an integrity agenda."
—Philly.com

New York: Charlie Rangel Caught Breaking Housing Law 4 Times

Mr. Rangel, who has a net worth of $566,000 to $1.2 million, according to Congressional disclosure records, paid a total rent of $3,894 monthly in 2007 for the four apartments at Lenox Terrace, a 1,700-unit, six-tower luxury development with doormen that is described in real estate publications as Harlem’s most prestigious address.
—MSNBC

Pennsylvania: 'Bonusgate' Charges Filed Against 12

A "staggering" number of man hours from House Democratic staffers were used to throw out Green Party candidate Ralph Nader.

Veon sent this e-mail to those staffers: "FYI ...great job by our staff! This would have never been successful without your work. You have given John Kerry an even better opportunity to win this state ... one of the 5 most important states to win this year."

"This is very significant fact and significant contribution by each of you to the Kerry for president campaign ... you should take great pride in your efforts."

—Politicker PA

Another New Jersey Democrat Snagged for Corruption

Governor Jon Corzine's former lover, Carla Katz:

The Star-Ledger reports that CWA Local 1034 President and former Corzine girlfriend Carla Katz was removed from her post today after the union’s national leadership found that she misappropriate funds and violated federal labor laws.
—Politicker NJ