CajunWin4's Blog

 

(CNSNews.com) - Kevin O’Reilly, a member of the White House National Security Staff who  regularly communicated about Operation Fast and Furious with the Arizona-based  ATF agent responsible for running the operation that allowed guns to flow to  Mexican drug cartels, was suddenly transferred out of the White House and into  Iraq in July 2011.

 

The transfer took place shortly after the ATF agent had testified in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the White House had provided the committee with  a series of emails that O’Reilly and the agent had exchanged while Fast and  Furious was underway.

Since then, the White House has declined to allow O’Reilly to be interviewed  either by the committee or by Justice Department Inspector General Michael  Horowitz, who conducted the administration’s internal investigation of Fast and  Furious. The White House also refused to give the inspector general access to  internal White House communications relating to Fast and Furious.

Under Fast and Furious, the ATF and the Justice Department deliberately  allowed known straw purchasers for Mexican drug cartels to buy about 2,000 guns  at U.S. gun stores. In December 2010, two of these guns were found at the scene  of the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Many more of the guns were  found at crime scenes in Mexico.

In Sept. 20 testimony before the Oversight Committee, Horowitz said that the  White House’s refusal to let O’Reilly speak and to provide the IG’s office with  access to relevant internal White House communications “made it impossible” to  “pursue that aspect of the case.”

In a letter they sent to O’Reilly’s attorney last Thursday, House Oversight  Chairman Darrell Issa and Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking member of the  Senate Judiciary Committee, warned that Issa would subpoena O’Reilly if he did  not agree to testify.

“We have been trying to arrange to speak with your client, Kevin O’Reilly,  for nearly a year now,” Issa and Grassley wrote. “Earlier this year, you agreed  to make O’Reilly available for an interview if the White House authorized his  participation. The White House, where O’Reilly worked during the pendency of  Operation Fast and Furious, refused to make him available, citing ‘an  insufficient basis to support the request.”

“If O’Reilly chooses to continue to make himself unavailable, Chairman Issa  will have no further alternative but to use compulsory process to require his  testimony before the committee,” they wrote.

In a March 28, 2012 letter to White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, Issa and Grassley had said: "O'Reilly's personal lawyer has represented to the Committee that he would permit his client to speak to the Committee in the absence of any objection from the White House."

In an April 5, 2012 response to Issa and Grassley, Ruemmler wrote: "In light of the important Executive Branch confidentiality interests and institutional prerogatives implicated by your request, including those of NSS [National Security Staff], and in the absence of any evidence that suggests that Mr. O'Reilly had any involvement in 'Operation Fast and Furious' or was aware of the existence of any inappropriate investigative tactics, there is an insufficient basis to support the request to interview Mr. O'Reilly."

In their letter to O'Reilly's attorney on Thursday, Issa and Grassley said that without getting O’Reilly’s story it would be  impossible to determine the role that the White House played in Fast and Furious.

“By not interviewing O’Reilly, the OIG could not fully determine the role the  White House played in Fast and Furious,” Issa and Grassley wrote. “Given that  O’Reilly was the link connecting the White House to the scandal, and that the  President subsequently asserted executive privilege over documents pertaining to  Fast and Furious, it is imperative that the American people get to the bottom of  O’Reilly’s involvement in Fast and Furious.

“To do this,” Issa and Grassley said, “Congress must speak with O’Reilly  directly.”

The letter indicates that while O’Reilly was working at the White  House he communicated for more than half a year about Fast and Furious  with ATF Special Agent in Charge William Newell, who was in charge of the  operation for the ATF in Arizona.

“Last year, the Department of Justice and the White House produced several  series of email exchanges ranging from July 2010 to February 2011 between  O’Reilly and William Newell pertaining to Operation Fast and Furious and  Newell’s work as head of the ATF Phoenix Filed Division,” wrote Issa and  Grassley. “At that time, O’Reilly was serving on the National Security Staff at  the White House. Several of the emails produced by the Department and the White  House raise serious questions about the nature and the purpose of their  interactions. For example, one email from Newell, the Special Agent in Charge of  the ATF Phoenix Field Division, began, ‘You didn’t get these from me …’ Another  email shows Newell’s intent to circumvent his leadership structure in talking  with O’Reilly: ‘Just don’t want ATF HQ to find out, especially since this is  what they should be doing (briefing you)!’”

When Newell testified before Issa’s committee on July 26, 2011, he said of  White House aide O’Reilly: “He has been a friend of mine for a long time, and he  asked me for information.”

“Not that I shouldn’t have been talking to him,” Newell testified. “He is a  friend of mine. He asked for information and I provided it to him.”

In one of O'Reilly's emails to Newell that the White House did give to the  committee, O’Reilly told Newell he intended to inform two other White House  National Security staff members--Dan Restrepo, the senior director for Western  Hemisphere; and Greg Gatjanis, director for the Counterterrorism and  Counternarcotics--about the gun trafficking investigation.

On July 28, 2010, O’Reilly responded to Newell: “This is great; very  informative. OK to share with Sr. Director Dan Restrepo and CT/CN Director Greg  Gatjanis? Would not leave the NSS, I assure you.”

Newell replied: “Sure, just don’t want ATF HQ to find out since this is what  they should be doing (briefing you)!”

Issa and Grassley learned that shortly after Newell’s July 26 2011 testimony,  O’Reilly was transferred from the White House to Iraq.

“Additionally, we recently learned that, last July, O’Reilly was suddenly  transferred out of the country to serve in Baghdad as the head of the Police  Development Program, a multi-year, multi-billion dollar program designed to  train Iraqi security forces,” Issa and Grassley wrote.

“O’Reilly’s sudden transfer to Baghdad occurred just days after the  aforementioned e-mails with William Newell were produced to the Committee and  Newell testified about them before Congress,” Issa and Grassley wrote.  “Additionally, we have learned that O’Reilly took the place of a previously  selected individual—and individual who had gone through a competitive  application process and thorough vetting process, had the necessary  qualifications, and whose spouse was already in Baghdad in anticipation of the  individual’s arrival—to serve as the head of the Police Development  Program.”

A State Department official told CNSNews.com last week that O’Reilly was no  longer assigned to Iraq and is now between assignments—but would not say what O'Reilly's next assignment is.

“I can confirm that he [Kevin O’Reilly] is no longer in Iraq but he has not  yet started in his next position,” said a State Department official. “So, I  can’t confirm what that position is. I just don’t have any information on that  right now, what his next position will be or when he will be starting.”

The State Department official said there is no official biography for  O’Reilly because he is not in a senior level post. However, public records do  not indicate that O’Reilly had experience in the Middle East before his sudden  posting to Iraq.

O’Reilly’s  LinkedIn profile says he started working for the State Department as a  foreign service officer in 1987 and that he started at the Obama White House in  May 2009.

Before going to the Obama White House, he had worked from September 2008 to  May 2009 for the State Department’s Office of the Coordinator of  Counterterrorism, and from May 2006 to August 2007 as the director of Latin  American Affairs for the Department of Homeland Security.

O’Reilly worked from 2005 to 2006 for the office of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)  from 2005 to 2006 as a Pearson Fellow.

O’Reilly was the deputy political counselor for the U.S. Embassy in Mexico from 2003  to 2005, officer in charge of Columbian Affairs from 2002 to 2003. He was the  executive assistant to the assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs  from 2001 to 2002. He served as the officer in charge of Iberian Affairs for  NATO Division J-5 from 2000 to 2001. He served as the political affairs officer  for the U.S. embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from 1997 to 2000;  worked as the political affairs officers for the U.S. embassy in Buenos Aires  from 1994 to 1996; and was the executive secretariat for the State Department in  1993.

O’Reilly apparently was willing to talk to congressional investigators over  the phone while he was working in Iraq, according to a March 28, 2012 letter  from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House oversight  committee, and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking member of the Senate  Judiciary Committee. White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler responded in an April  5, 2012 letter that “there is an insufficient basis to support the request to  interview Mr. O’Reilly.”

During the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on Sept.  20, Issa asked Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, “Can you  tell us a little bit about your efforts to try to interview Kevin O'Reilly, a  member of the national security team?”

Horowitz responded, “We reached out to his lawyer, requested an interview. We  have no basis to compel interviews from individuals who are outside the  Department of Justice. He does not work in the Department of Justice. So we had  to ask for a voluntary interview, and he denied our -- his lawyer told us he  would not appear voluntarily.”

Issa responded, “Would it surprise you that he’s been in Afghanistan and  we’ve been denied even the ability to serve a subpoena on him?”

Horowitz responded, “I was not aware of where he was, but I was told by his  lawyers,” Issa corrected himself, “I'm sorry. Iraq. Sorry.”

Horowitz said, “As I said, we weren’t -- I don't recall knowing myself where  he was, but we were told by his counsel he would not appear voluntarily.”

Later in that same hearing, Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) asked Horowitz,  “You noted also in your report that the White House refused to share internal  communications with you during your investigation of Fast and Furious. We've  noted a connection into the White House through Kevin O'Reilly at the National  Security Council. Do you believe the White House’s refusal to share these  documents limited the scope of your investigation? And would this committee be  well served by pursuing an investigation in that avenue?”

Horowitz answered, “Well, as we noted in the report, and as you know,  congressman, we did not get internal communications from the White House and Mr.  O’Reilly’s unwillingness to speak to us made it impossible for us to pursue that  angle of the case and the question that had been raised.”

Farenthold followed, “So it would probably be worthwhile for us to pursue.”  Horowitz said, “Well, certainly we have sought to pursue every lead we could. So  I can just tell you, from our standpoint, it was a lead we wanted to  follow.”

In their letter to O’Reilly lawyer, Issa and Grassley note that the program  in Baghdad that O’Reilly was assigned to run was cited in an inspector general’s  report for wasting tax dollars.

“The program ‘drawn up to be the single largest State Department program in  the world,’ recently came under fire in a report by the Special Inspector  General for Iraq Reconstruction, published a year after O’Reilly took the helm,  for having a ‘total amount of de facto waste … to about $206 million.’”

“These events raise serious questions about O’Reilly’s assignment in Baghdad,  the motivation for his transfer there, his qualifications for his position  there, and the potentially extreme waste of taxpayer dollars in placing O’Reilly  in this position,” Issa and Grassley wrote

Published: 8:50 PM   10/02/2012

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Published: 11:32 PM   09/26/2012

Alex Pappas is a  political reporter at The Daily Caller. His work has also appeared in the  Press-Register in Mobile, Ala. and The Washington Examiner in D.C. He's a  graduate of The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.

 

• obama

Tue, 11/15/2011 - 7:14pm — Hugh

Just a quick note that my Obama Scandals list hit 300 today.  There are a few scandals I never got around to writing up like the jail term deChristopher got for his disruption of an oil lease auction.  Contrast that with the hoops Justice Department lawyers went through to try to keep the scudsy Bush-era Scott Bloch from serving any time (item 244).  I also never got around to finishing Obama's deficit reduction plan and the Cat Food Commission II.  But still a lot of material to remind you of just how bad Obama and our politics are.

Here's the table of contents:

1. Reneged on pledge to filibuster FISA Amendments Act (July 2008) 2. Lobbied for $700 billion Paulson TARP bank bailout 3. Pushed for no sanctions against Lieberman despite his support for John McCain 4. Nominated healthcare company lobbyist Tom Daschle as Secretary of HHS 5. Had neoliberal Robert Rubin as his chief economics adviser 6. Then had the equally neoliberal Larry Summers assume this role 7. Chose the failing upwards Timothy Geithner to head Treasury 8. AIG bonuses and money to Goldman under Obama 9. Doubling down in Afghanistan 10. Delay and reduction of withdrawal from Iraq 11. Moving Guantanamo activities to Bagram 12. Military commissions for some detainees 13. Support for indefinite detention 14. Refusal to release torture photos under FOIA 15. Refusal to investigate and prosecute Bush era criminality 16. Geithner’s DOA economic rescue programs: the PPIP and TALF 17. Minimal help for homeowners and no cramdowns 18. Treatment of Chrysler and GM with bankrupcy compared to bank no fail “stress tests” 19. Kabuki of TARP repayment by banks while still dependent on government credit lines 20. Extra-Constitutional use of the Fed by the Executive for fiscal policy 21. Credit Card bill without usury caps and with 9 month delay for other reforms 22. Business friendly Mary Schapiro named to head SEC 23. Gary Gensler who helped deregulate derivatives named to head CFTC 24. $787 billion stimulus: too little, too late, poorly structured 25. Use of financial crisis to attack Social Security and Medicare 26. The great healthcare non-debate 27. Continued use of state secrets argument in ongoing Bush era cases 28. Use of signing statements, including one to punish whistleblowers 29. Vetting process problems, especially tax related ones 30. Leaving Dawn Johnsen's nomination to head OLC twisting in the wind 31. Eric Holder, failure to reform DOJ, not removing worst of Bush USAs 32. Failure to move against new oil bubble 33. Retention of Bush Defense team: Gates, Patraeus, and Odierno 34. Continued missile strikes inside Pakistan 35. Keeping Bush’s domestic spying programs and adding a new one, cybersecurity 36. Choice of Elena Kagan who favors expansive Presidential powers as Sollicitor General, her subsequent nomination to the Supreme Court 37. Leaving EFCA (to help counter anti-union companies) to wither in Congress 38. Welcoming Arlen Specter who brings nothing to the Democrats into the party 39. Weak ineffective proposals for financial reform 40. Obama wanted John Brennan at CIA but settled for making him his counter- terrorism adviser 41. Chas Freeman with broader Mideast perspective done in by AIPAC 42. Dennis Blair made DNI; failed to act to stop atrocities in East Timor 43. Choice of McChrystal involved in torture in Iraq to head Afghanistan command 44. Obama threat to suspend intelligence cooperation with UK over Binyam Mohamed case 45. Efforts to keep Bush and Obama White House logs secret 46. Playing games with “Don’t ask, don’t tell” 47. Filing a brief to overturn Jackson (access to lawyer) in the Montejo case 48. Not withdrawing Bush brief in Osborne DNA case 49. Egregious brief in challenge to Defense of Marriage Act 50. The Supplemental which made Iraq and Afghanistan Democratic wars 51. Choice of Rahm Emanuel as the President’s Chief of Staff 52. Choice of Dennis Ross as Iran envoy and then his move to the White House 53. Politically embarrassing processes to fill Obama and Clinton’s Senate seats 54. Choice of Bill Richardson, then Judd Gregg to head Commerce Department 55. Reneging on pledge to re-negotiate NAFTA 56. Obama's throwing his pastor Jeremiah Wright to the curb, then reaching out to religious conservative Rick Warren 57. Continued challenges to habeas corpus petitions over indefinite detention, the Janko case 58. The Obama White House website 59. Continuing an ineffective program that Iran can exploit politically 60. Going slow on climate change when there is no time to 61. Not withdrawing a Bush-era amicus brief in the Ricci v. DeStefano reverse discrimination case and supporting a rollback of Title VII 62. Appointment of a CIA General Counsel who doesn’t know if waterboarding is torture 63. Appointment of a DNI General Counsel who doesn’t know if waterboarding is torture 64. CIA delay in a FOIA request concerning torture 65. The influence of Goldman Sachs in the Obama Administration 66. Attempt to keep secret the Cheney interview on the Plame affair 67. Mountaintop removal under Obama 68. Attempt to restrict Congressional notification on intelligence matters 69. Opposition to a second stimulus 70. Another egregious attempt to fight a habeas corpus petition in the Jawad case 71. Continuing charter schools and standardized tests 72. Holder's decision to support a weak, narrow review of torture 73. Re-appointment of Ben Bernanke as Fed Chairman 74. Continuing renditions 75. Politically dubious company was used to vet reporters in Afghanistan 76. Judge vetoes a too weak SEC plea bargain with Bank of America 77. Justice’s argument for making Bagram a new Guantanamo, the al Maqaleh case 78. Defense to turn over databases to poorly controlled fusion centers 79. Obama changes but keeps Bush's Star Wars program 80. Failure to win an Israeli freeze on settlements 81. White House refuses to back its own staffer environmentalist Van Jones 82. Politicized US Attorney in the Siegelman case cleared by Office of Special Counsel 83. Criticism of Iranian nuclear program; support of Israeli nuclear weapons 84. Support for a weakened reporter's shield law 85. Use of the Zazi case to retain broad Patriot Act surveillance provisions 86. Wilner v. NSA, continuing the coverup of warrantless surveillance of communications between attorneys and detainees 87. Attempt to spike the Goldstone report on Israeli-Hamas war crimes in Gaza 88. Slowness in filling federal judgeships 89. Inadequate aid to overwhelmed state budgets 90. Attempting to dodge the Supreme Court deciding whether innocent Guantanamo detainees can be resettled in the US 91. Allowing drilling in the waters off the north coast of Alaska 92. Keeping detainee accounts of CIA torture secret 93. Current FBI manual allows for widespread domestic spying 94. Securitization invalidates most foreclosures 95. Geithner wanting unlimited powers to save large banks 96. Another state secrets defense to conceal domestic spying 97. Circuit Court dismissal of Maher Arar suit 98. Weakening Sarbanes-Oxley and calling it financial reform 99. Unemployment 100. Inspector General for Fannie and Freddie ousted for investigating fraud 101. Gaming courts to convict Guantanamo detainees 102. White House counsel removed for his principled stands on torture and Guantanamo 103. US seizes mosques claiming Iranian connection 104. Howard Dean removed as head of the DNC 105. Scientist with close ties to Monsanto put in charge of all governmental agricultural research 106. Pesticide lobbyist nominated as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for trade 107. Effort to let some government contractors avoid paying taxes 108. A bad US Attorney nomination for Northern Iowa 109. Hunger in America 110. The breast cancer recommendations fiasco 111. Ongoing confusion and disorganization in the military commissions process 112. Phillip Carter another official in closing Guantanamo resigns 113. Refusal to sign anti-land mine treaty 114. The Ghizzawi case and the legal limbo of "cleared for release" 115. Black prisons at Balad and Bagram 116. Delay in declassifying historic documents 117. Max Baucus' conflicts of interest in healthcare and with his girlfriend 118. Major security breach at a White House party and a ridiculous assertion of "executive privilege" 119. Dana "Pig Missile" Perino nominated to the Broadcasting Board of Governors 120. Cass Sunstein, an anti-regulator in a regulatory position 121. Warrantless for profit electronic surveillance by telecoms and search engines 122. The government sides with torture lawyer John Yoo and attacks Bevins actions again 123. The TSA publishes its security manual online 124. Toxic legal arguments in al Zahrani v. Rumsfeld, yet another Bevins action 125. The Nobel Peace Prize and a neocon acceptance speech 126. Blackwater's involvement in military and CIA assassination and drone programs 127. Congressional Research Service censorship in the firing of Morris Davis 128. AIG writes off $25 billion in debt and sticks taxpayers with the bill 129. The Administration plays hardball to kill an amendment that would lower drug costs 130. A poorly considered blank check to Fannie and Freddie 131. Continuing a Bush botch in the Nisoor Square massacre case 132. Jonathan Gruber, a major defender of Obamacare was also a paid consultant for it 133. A Geithner related cover up of the AIG at par payments on swaps 134. Adoption of stealth signing statements 135. al Bihani, more bad legal reasoning in another Guantanamo habeas case 136. Cutting Medicare and Social Security by deficit commission proposed 137. A 3 year non-freeze budget freeze proposed 138. NASA flights privatized 139. OPR report on Yoo and Bybee watered down and its relation to the Padilla case 140. Government targeting of US citizens for assassination 141. Abuse of informants by ICE agents 142. Obama leaves Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board empty 143. Obama backs firing of teachers in Rhode Island 144. Irish human rights advocate Edward Horgan has US visa pulled 145. Threatened veto of 2010 Intelligence Authorization Act over Congressional notifications 146. Obama Administration intimidation of whistleblowing site: wikileaks 147. Fish and Wildlife Service continues to ignore science on endangered species 148. Senate vacation more important than jobless benefits 149. Government seeks to compel turnover of emails without a warrant 150. Obama goes after an NSA whistleblower: the Thomas Drake case 151. Obama goes after a CIA whistleblower: the James Risen case 152. Weakening Miranda rights in national security cases 153. Advocating the privatizing of public housing 154. Another step in making Bagram the new Guantanamo, the al Maqaleh case, the appeals court edition 155. Massey mining disaster, 29 die because of corporate greed and poor regulation 156. Obama proposal for a line item veto 157. A military commander allowed to use military forces for intelligence operations without Presidential approval 158. Political pandering in sending 1200 National Guardsmen to the Southwest border 159. A sad record on resisting Guantanamo habeas petitions 160. Israel attacks an aid convoy for Gaza; Obama punts 161. A further erosion of Miranda: Berghius v. Thompkins 162. Naming James Clapper, a Bush appointee, to be the next DNI 163. DOJ seeks to protect Vatican in sex abuse scandal 164. Yahya Wehelie, an American exiled without charge 165. Failure to replace National Labor Relations Board members means hundreds of decisions must be reviewed 166. SCOTUS opts for overly broad definition of material support to terrorist groups 167. Speaker Pelosi backstabs Social Security 168. Complaints by government scientists of political interference at Bush era levels 169. Flip flop on free trade agreement with Colombia 170. SEC declares major victory but lets Goldman off easy 171. Private contracting of intelligence continues under Obama 172. Two Guantanamo prisoners to be deported back to Algeria against their will 173. The Shirley Sherrod affair: trumped up charges of racism and a bungled response 174. Whitewash report on Bush era US Attorney firings 175. Despite its record, Blackwater still gets big US government contracts 176. Wikileaks releases government files showing Pakistan involvement with Taliban and admission that things are going poorly in Afghanistan 177. Obama seeks to get access to everyone's web histories without a court order 178. Teacher funding sacrificed to keep Education Secretary Arne Duncan happy 179. State's top Iran hand resigns over Obama's Iran policy 180. Citizens United: validation of unlimited corporate political funding 181. Push to expand US arms sales around the world 182. Project Vigilant, Infragard and "volunteer" corporate spying for the government 183. Obama's approval hits Bush levels in Arab world 184. Effort to pre-empt state environmental lawsuits involving green house gases 185. Justice's Anti-trust division asleep at the wheel 186. Kagan's recusals render her even more ineffective on the Supreme Court 187. Poverty level highest since 1994 188. Courts run interference for corporate violators of international law 189. Warren named to set up but not to run Consumer Financial Protection Board 190. Chief economic adviser Larry Summers leaves; Obama looks for someone even more pro-business to replace him 191. DOJ IG report goes soft on Bush era surveillance against peace groups and other activists; meanwhile the Obama Administration conducts raids against similar groups 192. Move to put backdoors in the internet to facilitate spying and more requirements on banks on international money transfers of any size 193. HHS Secretary Sebelius delays for at least two years required insurance coverage for contraception 194. Americans on Medicaid increased to 48.5 million in 2009 195. Big home lenders suspend foreclosures as their documentation gets challenged in court 196. HR 3808, a bill passed by Congress, to facilitate the acceptance of false documentation by banks in foreclosure proceedings 197. ICE raids and deportations increase under Obama 198. Social Security COLA frozen for second straight year; no action taken 199. Waivers for military aid to countries with child soldiers 200. Big and deserved losses in the 2010 elections 201. 42 million Americans on food stamps at the end of FY 2010 202. No indictments for those involved in the CIA destruction of the torture tapes 203. The Bowles-Simpson Cat Food Commission proposals 204. $3 billion in aid for Israel for a 90 day settlement freeze 205. No change in Democratic Congressional leadership after 2010 election disaster 206. Forced proselytizing still prevalent at US Air Force Academy 207. TSA harassment and violation of the 4th Amendment 208. More TSA idiocy: full body scans and invasive pat downs 209. The response to the 2009 coup in Honduras 210. Use of diplomatic personnel to spy at the UN 211. Fed proposes rule change to Truth in Lending Act to protect bank fraud 212. FCC head Genachowski takes an axe to net neutrality 213. Lieberman and Amazon.com seek to censor wikileaks 214. Pressuring the Spanish government into dropping torture prosecutions against 6 high level Bush officials 215. Neoliberal free trade deal with South Korea at a time of high unemployment 216. Hamfisted banning access to wikileaks by government departments 217. Massive screwup in printing $100 bills 218. Extending tax cuts for the rich in a poor compromise on jobless benefits 219. Dancing boys of Afghanistan paid for by US contractor Dyncorp 220. EPA backtracks on smog standards 221. Former OMB director Peter Orszag goes to Citigroup 222. Obama breaks the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to supply Israel with nuclear fuel 223. DREAM Act for children of illegal immigrants done in by Senate Democrats 224. DOJ drops investigations of corrupt members of Congress 225. The FBI's Guardian database, another useless, intrusive surveillance program 226. Pentagon weakens rules on contractor conflicts of interest 227. Investigation by state Attorney Generals into foreclosuregate: no criminal charges 228. Obama names Mr. NAFTA Bill Daley as his new Chief of Staff 229. Obama names neoliberal free trader Gene Sperling to replace Larry Summers 230. Executive Order to make regulations more business-friendly 231. Gulet Mohamed: Detention and torture of US citizens by proxy 232. Nelson v. NASA: government can demand intrusive, unnecessary information about its employees 233. Choice of GE's outsourcing CEO Jeffrey Immelt as Obama's Jobs Czar 234. Failure to weaken or eliminate the filibuster 235. Corporate targeting of Wikileaks and liberal organizations 236. Reaction to the popular revolution in Egypt 237. HHS Secretary Sebelius helps states cut Medicaid rolls and funding 238. Petraeus accuses parents not US attacks for burns to children in Afghanistan 239. US general in Afghanistan sets up illegal propaganda program targeting Americans 240. Obama plans to devastate small block grants program for the poor 241. Silence on the Wisconsin labor protests 242. Former Senator Christopher Dodd quickly becomes lobbyist after promising not to 243. Obama reinstitutes sham review tribunals at Guantanamo 244. DOJ colludes with Bush era official Scott Bloch to keep him out of jail 245. The treatment of Bradley Manning 246. State Department spokesman PJ Crowley forced to resign over Manning comments 247. Massive conflicts of interest in David Stevens at HUD and soon to be head of main lobbying group for the mortgage industry 248. Mild reaction to bloody anti-democratic repression in Bahrain and Yemen 249. Torture psychologist appointed to White House task force 250. FBI program which allows them to investigate anyone doesn't work (surprise) 251. In his Libya war, Obama has completed the unconstitutional process of Presidents' usurpation of Congress' power to make war 252. Obama accepts award for transparency in secret 253. Democrats create PACs to receive unlimited contributions from anonymous donors 254. 2011 government shutdown threat as Shock Doctrine 254. The 2011 "great" biprtisan budget deal 255. The OCC deal to cover for banks in foreclosuregate 256. Reshuffling neocons at DOD and the CIA 257. Leak of Detainee Assessments shines light on the weakness of cases against many Guantanamo inmates 258. Geithner shields foreign exchange derivatives from Dodd-Frank regulation 259. Crazy new application for some US passports 260. DOJ wants SCOTUS to allow for GPS tracking without a warrant 261. An industry stacked panel to study fracking 262. SCOTUS attacks small claim class actions 263. SCOTUS okays fraud in financial presentations 264. SCOTUS attacks large class actions and Title VII 265. DOJ's non-investigation of torture produces few results 266. Department of State threatens participants of Gaza flotilla with terrorism charges 267. Detainees now held on ships to avoid judicial scrutiny 268. CIA operating a black site prison in Somalia 269. SCOTUS and DC Appeals Court torpedoing detainee habeas petitions 270. SCOTUS greatly expands warrantless searches; Obama DOJ approves 271. Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve after the 2011 spike in gasoline prices 272. Christine Varney, head of DOJ Anti-Trust Division, goes to law firm that had case before her 273. Senseless 2011 debt ceiling crisis, budget cutting, and attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid 274. TSA closes US airspace to Mexican human rights activist 275. DHS guts its unit monitoring right wing terrorism in US 276. "Recovery" benefited corporations, not workers 277. Harassment of a government scientist Charles Monett because his work clashes with drilling in the Arctic 278. African Americans and Hispanic wealth took hardest hit from financial crises 279. Cass Sunstein sitting on labor rules to protect child workers 280. Oil leasing in Gulf resumes 281. Administration pressures NY AG Schneiderman to go along with bogus mortgage settlement 282. DOJ dumps responsibility for its bungled gun running sting on handy US Attorney 283. US ranks 41st in the world in infant mortality 284. White House engages in selective prosecution of Dan Choi over DADT protest 285. COBRA extension ditched 286. Obama spikes EPA ozone limits 287. 2011 Obama fictional jobs plan 288. Contractors cost twice as much as unionized federal workers doing the same work 289. New EPA greenhouse gas limits also being drawn out 290. CFTC proposes ineffectual limits on commodity speculation 291. State Department targets career officer Peter Van Buren for writing critical book 292. Secret Law and the OLC legal justification for killing a US citizen abroad 293. US incomes fall more after recession than during it 294. Another Afghanistan fail: torture rampant in Afghan prisons 295. Bank of America dumps derivative exposure on to the FDIC with Fed approval 296. New rule to legitimize government lying in response to FOIA requests 297. Cronyism and the Keystone XL pipeline 298. Despite pledge, Obama still taking money from lobbyists 299. Secure Communities and deportation as a business 300. The Occupy movement and the attacks upon it

 

Obama Administration Scandals List

The Official list of 141 (already!) Obama Administration Scandals!

By Peter Andrew - ConservativeAmerican.org

Contains scandals, mistakes, blunders, broken promises, gaffes, lies, etc. That’s too long of a name, so we call it the Scandals List. Okay? List in chronological order - recent items at end.

Last Updated: 3/30/9 NEW # 138, 139, 140, 141


Frank Marshall Davis Obama Scandal - National Review: “The press refuses to delve into Barack Obama’s radicalism, his Leftist revolutionary collaboration with self-identified communists [like] Frank Marshall Davis. Obama identifies Davis only as ‘Frank’ in his book. The Honolulu Advertiser reports: “I have a lot of expectations, a lot of hope, & I expect to see a lot of change,” said the daughter of Davis, a black journalist & poet & friend of Obama’s maternal grandfather. “I feel truly proud to be an American,” said Davis’ granddaughter. “I never have before.” Sounds like Michelle Obama!
Obama Drug Use-Scandal - In his own book, Obama writes that he used both marijuana and cocaine (”maybe a little blow”.)  “Oddly enough, he writes that he didn’t try heroin because — wait for it — he didn’t like the pusher who was selling it. (Weren’t there any other reasons?)”
Obama’s Scandalous Strategy for Picking Friends! - Obama wrote, “I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The Chicanos. The Marxist professors and the Structural Feminists.” Yeah, he chooses his friends carefully. NOT!
Obama Saul Alinsky Training Scandal - The American Thinker: Obama’s early mentor in the “Alinsky Rules for Radicals” [socialist] method was Mike Kruglik, who said of Obama: “He was a natural, the undisputed master of agitation, who could engage a room full of recruiting targets in a rapid-fire Socratic dialogue, nudging them to admit that they were not living up to their own standards. As with the panhandler, he could be aggressive & confrontational. With probing, sometimes personal questions, he would pinpoint the source of pain in their lives, tearing down their egos just enough before dangling a carrot of hope that they could make things better.” The Thinker reported: “The agitator’s job, according to Alinsky, is first to bring folks to the “realization” that they are indeed miserable, that their misery is the fault of unresponsive governments or greedy corporations, then help them to bond together to demand what they deserve, & to make such an almighty stink that the dastardly governments & corporations will see imminent “self-interest” in granting whatever it is that will cause the harassment to cease.” Obama called this being a “Community Organizer!“
Jeremiah Wright Obama Scandal - Obama pledges never to disown his pastor despite Rev. Wright’s anti-American and racist rants. Wright says “G.D. America!” during a service. Days after the news, Obama tosses Wright under the bus along with his white grandmother in a clumsily handled press conference on racial relations.
Father Michael Pfleger Obama Scandal - Another “man of God” Obama calls a spiritual advisor, Pfleger spoke at Obama’s church mocking Hillary Clinton saying she expected to win only because she was white. Obama finally decides he should leave the Church.  Ya think?!
Emil Jones Obama Scandal - Obama’s political Godfather, the man who taught Obama all he knows, Jones “is known for steering state money to favored institutions, including some that employ his relatives. Several of his relatives have gotten state jobs, & his wife’s government salary jumped 60% after he became Senate president. He has played an important role in blocking ethics legislation in Illinois.” (Source AP)
Michelle Obama Pay Increase Scandal - Michelle Obama gets a big promotion & huge pay increase right after her husband is elected US Senator. The prez of the U. of Chicago Hospitals promotes her to VP of “external affairs” & nearly triples her salary to $316,962! He tells the bankrupt Chicago Trib the promotion & raise had nothing to do with Barack joining the Senate.
Tony Rezko Obama Scandal - Obama buys a $1.65-million house in a nice neighborhood with help from indicted political fundraiser Tony Rezko and other pals. Rezko buys the lot next door & sells it to Obama for far less than it’s value. Obama admits not handling that one properly. UPDATE 2/9 the Federal Election Commission notified Judicial Watch that Obama had in fact received a deeply discounted home loan (a savings of $108,000) from the other pals at Northern Trust. Not a deal you could get!
Obama Endorses Socialist Candidate Scandal - NewsAlert Blogspot: VT self-described socialist congressman Bernie Sanders ran for senate & Obama endorsed him. Obama passed on the  slated Democrat & chose socialist Sanders. Obama says he’s an “outstanding candidate” and “only a handful of wrong headed people don’t like him.” Watch the video of him saying it: Click Here.
Obama’s Family Scandal # 1-Broken Promise to Kenya -Evening Standard: Obama promised help for a school in his grandmother’s village but has not given any. “I have said I will assist the school and I will”…although Obama did not say “financial”, “there was no doubt among us [teachers] that is what he meant. We interpreted his words as meaning he would help fund the school, either personally or by raising sponsors or both.” She added 10 of the students are Obama’s relatives…While Obama had a new Rezko house, he let his own grandmother down. Sarah Obama confidently told reporters before his visit: “When he comes down here, he will change the face of the school and, believe me, our poverty in Kogelo will be a thing of the past.” She lives in a “small brick house with no running water, a tin roof and roving chickens.”
Obama Raila Odinga Scandal - Some claim then-US Senator Barack Obama campaigned for infamous Kenyan Dictator Raila Odinga. They certainly appeared together:Snopes says the two men are NOT cousins, Obama did NOT donate money to Odinga and Obama is NOT a muslim. Those are rumors related to this appearance.
Obama Terrorist Scandal #1 -Bill Ayers - 3 times before the <snip> crows, Obama denies having a “relationship” with Bill Ayers. Obama started his political career in Ayers’ home & served on a foundation’s education board with Ayers. Ayers is a home-grown terrorist & founder of the Weather Underground which bombed the pentagon & a judge’s home. His terrorist wife also used to work with Michelle Obama. However, Obama maintains Terrorist Ayers is “just a guy in my neighborhood.”
Obama Controversy: Supports Law-Breakers - Obama marched with illegal aliens waving Mexican flags in Chicago.  He backs an easy way to convert 12-million illegals instantly to citizens.  Immigrants who want to be here and want to be citizens should wave US Flags.  World Net Daily says listen to Obama’s promises to La Raza in 2007.
Obama Sex for Kindergarteners Scandal - In November of 2007, Obama laughs about being criticized for wanting sex education taught to kindergarteners, but says “It is the right thing to do.”
Obama “Bitter Clingers” Gaffe - April 6th, 2008 - Obama tells wealthy liberal elites: “You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest,…And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.” Even the H.R. Puff-n-Stuff website called that ” a problematic judgment call.”
Obama 57-state Gaffe - May 9th 2008


Obama Terrorist Scandal #2- Rashid Khalidi - Another terrorist friend, Khalidi was an advisor to the PLO. Obama dined with him, served on a board with him, and Khalidi held fundraisers for Obama. Jesse Jackson Sr. promised one audience that the Jewish influence on American foreign policy would soon come to an end with an Obama victory.
Franklin Raines Obama Scandal - This former chairman & CEO of Fannie Mae (the ones who got us into the housing mess) was an advisor to Obama on mortgage and housing issues during the campaign.  McCain ads pointed out the foolishness of Obama picking Raines.
Obama Banking Committee Lie - Newsbusters reports Obama said: “We passed out of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, which is my committee, a bill to call for divestment from Iran.” The problem? Obama was not on the US Senate Banking Committee!
Obama Official Seals Scandal - His Majesty, King Obama not only created his own “official” seal for his candidacy so he could feed his ego & look more presidential, he also invented a fake “Office of the President Elect” &, of course, made an “official” seal for that nonsense too. UPDATE: 3/4/9 Obama wants an official seal for his stimulus plan so signs can go up by road projects!
Obama Campaign Finance Scandal - Obama’s top fundraiser sought money & support from disgraced political fundraiser Norman Hsu. Politico reports, “Julianna Smoot, national finance director of Obama’s presidential campaign, originally sought the support of Norman Hsu.” Hsu was a fugitive from the law & ran a Ponzi scheme.
Obama Gun Rights Flip Flop # 1 - 1st Obama: ‘I have no intention of taking away folks’ guns.’ 2nd Obama: supports the D.C. handgun ban, saying it is constitutional. “We can have a reasonable, thoughtful gun control measure that I think respects the Second Amendment and people’s traditions.” Update 02/09: Obama’s AG Eric Holder has tried to link the Mexican drug-war to U.S. gun sales and go after “assault weapons.”
Obama Family Scandal #2 - Obama’s Aunt is here in the United States as an Illegal! He does nothing to help her.
Obama Family Scandal #3 - While preaching at his acceptance speech about looking out for your brother, Obama leaves his own half-brother to live in a hut in Africa. “Change we can believe in” apparently is in the family values category.
Obama Birth Certificate Controversy - Some believe he was born in Kenya, not the USA. That would, of course, make him ineligible to be President. There are many (including me) who do not believe this story is true. Still, why can’t any of the hot shot reporters find out once and for all?
Scandal: Obama Insults Nancy Reagan - Obama said “I didn’t want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about doing any seances,” a reference to Nancy Reagan talking with Astrologers while she was living in the White House. Smooth.
Obama Lied, People Died - Smoking Scandal - Obama said he quit smoking when, in fact, he had not. Obama lied to the American people about an issue that takes thousands of lives each year. He promises not to smoke in the White House though.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 1 - Robert Gates - Obama gets in big trouble with Code Pink and MoveOn for keeping Bush Defense Sec. Robert Gates & more than 150 of the 250 political appointees at the Pentagon. Liberals mad at Obama suggest there might not be any change they can believe in.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 2 Bill Richardson - Gov. Bill Richardson removes himself from the running to be US Commerce Secretary, supposedly because of an on-going investigation into a possible “pay-for-play” deal in Richardson’s state. However, the Obama camp knew about that before it named him as its nominee to the post. So the real deal is?
Obama Appointment Scandal # 3 Susan Rice - Susan Rice, nominated for UN Ambassador, wants US troops to attack the Sudanese military, to join UN forces on the ground in Darfur, and to enforce a no fly zone over Darfur. Rice is too immature and dangerous to be placed in such a position of authority by Obama, who demonstrates time and time again he is a VERY poor judge of character. Rice is a far left blogger who calls conservatives “hacks” and says she “cussed & spat” when George W. Bush spoke of Iraq. She actually believes George Bush deliberately decided not to protect from terrorists, states which voted democrat! UPDATE: Rice was approved with support from wimpy republicans.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 4 Peter Orszag- While Obama’s plans will create the largest deficit ever, he names another liberal blogger from the Brookings Institution (Rice is the other) who says “budget deficits could trigger a fiscal crisis!”  Don’t we already have one?? I guess to Orszag, deficits only matter if a republican is in the White House.  Blazing Deficit Hypocrisy!
Obama Appointment Scandal # 5 Leon Panetta - Democrats Feinstein & Rockefeller are ticked off Obama not only picked Panetta to run the CIA, but didn’t ask them or tell them before it all hit the media! Another headache for Obama; people on both sides of the aisle say Panetta is unqualified. Panetta was the key advisor when Clinton decided against taking Bin Laden from the Sudanese, ready to hand him over. UPDATE: 2/5/9 Panetta took $700,000 in speaking & consulting fees from bailed out firms and companies doing biz with the government. Sounds like another lobbyist (Lobbyist Scandal #4) in the ‘no-lobbyists, I promise’ Obama administration. UPDATE: 2/19/9 Panetta sworn in.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 6 Timothy Geithner (Tax Cheat #1) - Obama’s pick for Treasury Secretary (oops) “FORGOT” to pay taxes! Gosh, that’s an easy oversight, right? Could have happened to anyone? Hmmm. He failed to pay social security and medicaid taxes for years and didn’t notice that a housekeeper he employed on the side wasn’t here legally. He knew darn well he owed the taxes and chose not to pay them. More proof Obama is lousy at picking friends! UPDATE: 2/5/9 Mark Stein laughs on Limbaugh’s show as he explains Geithner deducted summer camp for his son! UPDATE: 3/9 Geithner promises a crack down on tax cheaters!  Like himself & others on Team Obama?!
Obama Appointment Scandal # 7! Carol Socialist Browner - Obama Administration says being socialist is “Not a Problem.” OMG, you’re kidding right? Nope. Obama spokespal Nick Shapiro says the fact Obama’s pick for Climate Hoax Czar is a Socialist is simply, “not a problem.” That’s it. It certainly is a problem!! And a huge one at that! President Elect Barack Obama intends to lead this nation into Socialism. It worked so well for Europe that it’s “not a problem here.” Gag.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 8! Eric Let ‘em Go Holder - Obama picks Eric Holder for Attorney General. Holder was involved in the pardons of Marc Rich and 16 Puerto Rican terrorists. Another lousy pick. Republicans with no guts don’t bother to oppose him. Obama gets praise and glory for appointing a minority (Holder is black), even though Bush got little credit for appointing minorities to cabinet positions.  Holder’s law firm represents 17 Gitmo terrorists. Sure will be nice for them when Obama closes Gitmo!
Obama Appointment Scandal # 9! Obama’s Spy Man Company Breaches Top Secret Files - Rush Limbaugh says terrorism and intelligence adviser, John O. Brennan, heads a firm cited for breaching sensitive files in the State Department. “The security breach, first reported by the Washington Times and later confirmed by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, involved a contract employee of Brennan’s firm, The Analysis Corp., which has earned millions providing  intelligence-related consulting services to federal agencies and private companies. McCormack confirmed the contractor had accessed the passport files of presidential candidates Obama, Clinton, and McCain and that the inspector general had launched an investigation. Newsmax says the main target of the breach was the Obama passport file, and that the contractor accessed the file in order to ‘cauterize’ the” Obama file, to make sure that whatever was in there was bottled up.
Obama’s Broken National Security Promise - KOA Radio reports Obama promised to conduct no national security business before taking office.  However, he “had his advisors from the primarily leftist pacifist group United States Institute of Peace and transition staff (including Ellen Laipson and William Perry) conducting secret, “very, very high-level” meetings in Damascus with Syrian and Iranian officials, according to Jeffrey Boutwell.”
Obama Senate Seat Scandal # 1 Blagojevich Sells Seat - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojeich, elected with help from US Senator Barack Obama who said Blago ran “a sound administration”, is arrested for trying to sell Obama’s vacant US Senate seat to the highest bidder. For weeks, Obama basically has no comment. Just before Christmas he announces his staff did nothing improper. Both Obama & Blago also have ties to Tony Rezko.
Obama Senate Seat Scandal # 2 Rahm-Rod-ing Valerie Jarrett - As scandal breaks about filling Obama’s Senate Seat, word leaks out that Obama point man Rahm Emanuel tried to shove Valerie Jarrett down Rod Blagojevich’s throat. With no promised reward for Blago, the Illinois Gov. told the new Prez, “No deal!”
Obama Senate Seat Scandal # 3 Reid Reportedly Says No Blacks - The bankrupt Chicago Trib says Harry Reid called Blago to tell him not to appoint 3 different men to the Obama senate seat, all of whom are black. Reid reportedly suggests 2 whites instead. UPDATE 1/6/9: Durbin & Reid refuse to seat Burris, keeping senate a whites only club. UPDATE 1/9/9: The Illinois Supreme Court pulls a King Herod and sent the whole Burris issue back to Pilate (the US Senate) today. The court said no signature is needed by the Illinois secretary of state and the Burris appointment by Blago is valid. More trouble for Harry Reider & the Half Black Prince! UPDATE 1/12/9: At Obama’s command, Reid & Durbin cave, and allow Burris to be seated. UPDATE 1/15/9: Burris seated today. UPDATE 2/19/9: Burris still under attack as some try to oust him. UPDATE 2/24/9: Dick Durbin asks Burris to leave, still going for the whites-only club.  Burris says no.

Obama Breaks Promises Before Inauguration - On January 10th, Barack Obama told ABCDEmocrat News he won’t be able to carry out his campaign promises! You mean he lied?!! Now we have to listen to four years of “Obama Lied.” Great.

Obama Inauguration Scandal # 1 - The Barack Obama Coronation price-tag will be more than three times any other inauguration ever cost! UPDATE 1/19/2009: He’ll be spending $150-million! So big spending on the next CEO of our nation is okay, but other CEO’s have to skip the spa’s and the evil corporate jet rides? Blatant Hypocrisy. UPDATE tally was close to $175-million.
Obama Inauguration Scandal # 2 - Obama picks an anti gay-marriage pastor to speak, creating commotion over what inclusiveness means. Obama chose Rick Warren, evangelical pastor and author. Geoff Kors, of Equality California said “Appalling. If that’s Obama’s idea of a new day, we are in a lot of trouble.” UPDATE 1/21/09: Warren actually said “Jesus” during the prayer!
Obama Inauguration Scandal # 3 - Obama picks a Muslim “scholar” to speak at his coronation prayer service January 21st who is the leader of a group that federal prosecutors say has ties to terrorists! Yet another instance of Obama befriending terrorists. She is Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America. In July 2008, federal prosecutors in Dallas filed court documents linking her terror group, Hamas, which is hell-bent on the destruction of Israel.
Obama Inauguration Scandal # 4 - Obama sells only inauguration day interview to ABC for the $2-mill they paid to sponsor the DC Neighborhood Ball!
Obama Inauguration Scandal # 5 - KOA Radio reports Obama becomes the first President ever to skip the “Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball, which is held in honor of Medal of Honor recipients, Purple Heart recipients, paralyzed veterans and other military heroes. Obama did, however, find time to attend the Neighborhood Ball, which was filled with Hollywood’s ultra elite.”
Obama Broken Promise on Iraq War #1 - Jan. 21, 2009 -On his first full day in office, Obama breaks a promise he made in July, 2008. Fox News reports Obama said he would hold a full cabinet meeting his first day to set a new course to get out of Iraq. He did not hold the meeting & instead plans to get troops out of Iraq “in good time” while adding to forces in Afghanistan!
Obama: Do as I say, not as I do - Jan. 21, 2009 - KOA Radio reports David Axelrod says Obama likes to be warm and keeps the oval office so hot you could grow tropical plants in there! Odd, considering On May 19, 2008, Obama chided Americans that it is wrong for them to keep their thermostats on 72 degrees and stated, “That’s not leadership. That’s not going to happen.”
Obama Executive Orders Scandal - Jan. 22, 2009 - Obama demonstrates he’s not ready for prime time as he signs executive orders, but has to ask his attorney what they actually say! How can you, in good faith, sign an executive order when you don’t know what it says!! Greg Craig had to help the President. Remember when they said Bush was too dumb to be president and Dick Cheney was actually doing the work? Maybe President Obama is too dumb & Greg Craig is actually doing the work!
Obama’s Secretary of State Unconstitutional? Appointment Scandal #10 - Jan. 22, 2009 -With no objections from wimpy republicans, HIllary Rodham Clinton is sworn in as Sec. of State.  Her senate vote increasing the pay for the Sec. of State made her ineligible for the position according to Article 1 Section 6 of the US Constitution.
Obama Lobbyist Scandal # 1 William Lynn - Jan. 22, 2009 - A US Senate committee puts the nomination of William Lynn to be deputy defense secretary on hold. It seems he breaks the brand new Obama Administration Rules just set up the day before! Obama promised no former lobbyists would serve in his administration. That would rule Lynn out. Obama’s press team says rules are made to be broken! UPDATE: Obama administration says it’s in “the public interest” to grant Lynn a waiver!!! So all the other lobbyists hired in the past were hired against “the public interest???” UPDATE: Lynn gets approval without any trouble 2/11/9.

Obama Lobbyist Scandal # 2 William Corr - Again, Obama breaks his brand new no lobbyist rules! Twice in one week! This time it is with the naming of lobbyist William Corr to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. So much for “higher standards” for Team Obama. “When I am president, they [lobbyists] won’t find a job in my White House.”
Obama Terrorist Scandal # 3 - Talk with Terror - Obama makes a big mistake in granting his first post-inauguration TV interview to Al-Arabiya (not a US network!) and says America must stop “dictating” to others.
NEW! Obama Appointment Scandal # 11! James Steinberg - Obama’s pick for deputy sec. of state rewrites the Constitution saying in written testimony that Americans have a free speech right to tax-payer funded abortion!  LifeNews: Steinberg claims Congress cannot constitutionally restrict taxpayer funding to perform or promote abortions. He says the Mexico City policy, which Obama rescinded “is an unnecessary restriction that, if applied to organizations based in this country, would be an unconstitutional limitation on free speech.”
Obama Lobbyist Scandal # 3 Mark Patterson - And Again, President B-Rock breaks his own no lobbyist rule. No big deal, rules schmules after all. This time it is with yet another waiver and the appointment of Goldman Sachs Lobbyist Mark Patterson, named to be number 2 under Tim the Tax Cheat Geithner at the Treasury. Obama again demonstrates what a lousy judge of character he is in picking a tax cheat & lobbyist with conflicts of interest to head the treasury.
Obama Tax Cheat Scandal # 2 (& Appointment Scandal #12) Tom Daschle - The theme to this list: Barack does a lousy job of picking friends. AP reports former US Senator Tom Daschle, picked by Obama to lead health reform, “recently filed amended tax returns to report $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest.” Hey, it was okay for Geithner, so it’s okay for Daschle. Chicago-Style Democrat Senator Dick Durbin says Daschle “lost an election ending his public career…he went out in the private sector, and now he’s found himself having made a mistake and admitted to it. He took the steps necessary to start paying the taxes, make sure they’re paid. Now, that’s the right thing to do.” I doubt Durbin would say that about a republican! UPDATE 2/20/9: I was right. Durbin kept quiet about taxes Palin owes after laws were changed to hurt her. UPDATE 2/3/9: “President Obama admitted he made a “mistake” in his handling of Daschle’s Cabinet nomination, telling FOX News he takes full responsibility for a process that ended in Daschle withdrawing. “I consider this a mistake on my part, one that I intend to fix and correct and make sure that we’re not screwing up again,” Obama said.
Obama Comedian Gaffe #1 - Democrat Matt Lauer tells Obama singer Jessica Simpson has replaced him on the cover of US magazine.  Obama jokes that she is “losing a weight battle, apparently.” Not very funny and not a very nice, or presidential thing to do.
Obama Family Scandal #4 - George Obama, the President’s half-brother who lives in a shack and earns $1 a day in Kenya, was arrested for having marijuana on Jan. 30th, 2009. This is the man Obama has done nothing to help even though he preaches (like during his acceptance speech) about caring for your brother. Interesting how the press can say this is Obama’s “HALF” brother, but they can’t say Obama is “HALF” black.
Obama Tax Cheat Scandal # 3 (And Appointment Scandal #13) Nancy Killefer - This is ridiculous. The USA has elected an unqualified man with incredibly poor judgment as our President. You’d think after the first two tax-cheats he wanted to hire caused so much trouble, he might learn his lesson. Nope. Fox News reports “the administration had refused to answer how its choice [Nancy Killefer] to make government workers more efficient and more responsive had bungled her household payroll taxes.” She took herself out of the running for Obama’s newly created “Chief Performance Officer” position. She failed for 18-months to pay employment taxes on household help.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 14! David Playboy Ogden - Obama’s pick for deputy attorney general, David Ogden, gets blasted by Fidelis for his risque legal work for Playboy and others Fox News calls “purveyors of nudity.” Ogden represented Playboy and prevented a federal court from releasing a list of distributors of what some said was pornographic material. From Tax Cheats to Porn Defenders, this Obama guy has a talent for picking the winners, eh?
Obama Tax Cheat Scandal # 4 (And Appointment Scandal #15) Hilda Solis’ Family - Obama tells press he has “learned” you can’t have “two sets of standards.” He just learned that??!! Despite that nonsense, yet another tax scandal has popped up for the Obamanator. This guy has only been in office 16 days! Seems the husband of Obama’s nominee for US Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis, has more than $7,600 in tax liens on his auto repair business. Obama spokespal says they won’t punish her for her husband’s mistakes. UPDATE: KOA Radio reports Solis made her own mistake when she lobbied for herself as a member of Congress, violating House ethics rules.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 16 Shauna Daly - President Obama misuses his power, appointing a 29-year old “Partisan Dirt Digger” as a White House Counsel Research Director, another new position he added despite the tough economy. The Washington Times has an exclusive story about Shauna Daly: “Though she is inside one of the most powerful legal offices, Miss Daly holds no law degree and doesn’t list any legal training on her resume. Her sole experience has been as an opposition researcher for Democratic political campaigns: She helped dig up dirt on rivals”. The move indicates an intention to use the White House Counsel’s office to keep Obama in power by digging up more dirt on Sarah Palin and any other potential threats to his 2012 campaign.
Obama’s RV Lie at first Press Conference - In his first prime time press conference, President Obama lied to the American people. He said, “There are people right now with good credit who can’t get loans to buy an RV.” He used the recreational vehicle example after being in Elkhart, IN where many are made. The statement is completely false. There are about 11,000 banks in the USA and 7,000-to-9,000 have no financial problems at all, and even make money. These banks have money to loan to people with good credit and a good down payment. It is a lie to say that people with good credit cannot get a loan to buy an RV and help the people in Elkhart.
Obama’s Broken Tax Promise # 1 -Within days of taking office, Obama breaks promise not to raise any taxes on those making less than $250,000 a year! Obama approves tax hike of 61-cents a pack on cigarettes after saying as a candidate: “I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.” UPDATE: 2/24/9: Obama repeats the lie saying those who make less than $250,000 will not pay higher taxes, “Not one Dime!” UPDATE 3/5/9: Obama’s budget raises 45% of its revenue from energy taxes that will be paid by everyone who fills a gas tank, pays an electric bill, or buys anything that was grown, shipped, or manufactured. UPDATE 3/24/9: Neil Cavuto on Fox reported Obama’s budget raises taxes on those making above $209,000.
Obama Becomes 3rd Bush Term! -As we have posted, President Obama seems to be the 3rd Bush Term he warned us McCain would be! Alternet reports: “the Obama administration has now taken action, and it’s appalling. He’s backed the Bush administration claim that terror suspects held at Bagram Air Force base in Afghanistan have no constitutional rights.” And that’s what the democrats think of him!!
Obama Appointment Scandal # 17 Judd Gregg -The President’s 2nd choice for Commerce Secretary also drops out saying the differences he had with Obama on the Deficit Stimulus Plan and the power-grab over the Census were the things that made him change his mind. Obama calls the news “something of a surprise.” It’s one of many appointment scandals, Mr. President. How can it be a surprise?? His 5th appointment screw-up since promising not to screw up again!
Obama Steals The Census -As Obama tries to test the waters to see how much power he can steal in violation of the US Constitution, his trial balloon about moving the control of the census into the White House is creating yet another scandal in his first month in office. Fox News reports: “Congressional Republicans say they’ll go to court against President Obama if he doesn’t scuttle his plan to move the census into the purview of the Oval Office. But the administration says there is no such plan, even after apparently (and privately) assuring some Democratic members of Congress that there is. Statements issued by the White House have seemingly backed both points of view.” Gosh, that’s surprising (not). UPDATE 3/18/9: Obama’s ACORN community organizers will be recruiting the workers for the 2010 census! So the democrat party’s ACORN, plagued with voter fraud problems already, will run a “fair” census???
Obama Sneaks Money to ACORN -Republican John Boehner reveals Obama sneaks money into the Deficit Stimulus Plan for his democrat partisan pals at ACORN for neighborhood “stabilization” (creating more democrat voters makes a neighborhood more “stable” I guess)
Obama’s “Unprecedented Transparency” Lies: 7 Broken Promises! -Extremist Radical President Obama promises unprecedented transparency in his new administration…while at the same time hiding the contents of the Obama Debt Stimulus Plan from the public. After promising at least 48 hours for everyone to see the text of the bill, it is rammed through the House and Senate in secrecy within a few short hours. This President makes a practice of saying one thing and doing another.
Sweetness & Light reports along with the failure to make government transparent six other promises were broken: …first, he said it would be “impossible” for congressmen to slip in pork projects,
…said meetings where laws are written will be more open to the public,
…said there would be no more secrecy (republicans didn’t even get to see the bill!),UPDATE: 2/25/9: Obama’s staff requires secrecy oaths on defense budget team.

…promised public would have 5 days to look at the bill,
…assured us “you’ll know what’s in it,”
…and “we will put every pork-barrel project online. You can watch him make the 7 promises:
The Obama Corporate Jet Hypocrisy -Socialist President Obama spends the week spewing the evils of corporate jets used by overpaid execs, only to arrange a special jet ride for one US Senator to vote on his Porkulus bill! The Obama Administration learned Ohio Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown could not make it back to D.C. to vote because there were no seats available on commercial airlines.  While execs can’t use those evil corporate Cessna Jets because they are on the public dollar, seems it’s okay for Obama The Hypocrite to arrange special plane rides for his pals ALSO on the public dollar. This president is a joke. UPDATE: 2/10/9 Fox reports Obama’s head of the National Economic Council, Larry Summers, flew on Citigroup’s corporate jet from the Democratic National Convention in Denver back to New York last year. UPDATE: 2/24/9 Repeats his promise to kill the evil corporate jet. UPDATE: 3/10/9 Judicial Watch says Nancy Pelosi is abusing her private military jet and using the Air force as a private airline. Fox reported more democrat hypocrisy saying Pelosi aide Kay King emailed the air force to complain about the types of planes they were allowing her to use: “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.”
Obama’s Chief of Staff an Illegal Renter! -Gawker.com reports Rahm Emanuel is renting a basement from congresswoman Rosa DeLauro.  A zoning administrator says the house is listed as “single family” and can’t be rented out.
Obama’s Free House Scandal -At a Socialist Town Hall, Obama takes a question from Henrietta Hughes who say she is homeless and needs a house. Big Hollywood reports, “The next day the media was full of reports Hughes had a house. Another miracle by Saint Barack! See, it’s working! Now if you greedy, nasty conservatives would just get on board, the singing of “We Are the World” could begin! But wait, it wasn’t Saint Barack or even the Blessed Michelle who got the house for Ms. Hughes. It wasn’t the government bureaucrat or stimulus package that found the house for these poor folks, either. No, it was a nice lady named Chene Thompson, and who is Chene Thompson? Is she a “progressive” who cares about her fellow Americans? Is she a Hollywood celebrity? Is she even a Democrat? No. Mrs. Thompson is the wife of a Republican State Representative.” The press left that part of the story out so the Obamanator could part the seas.
Obama’s Troop Surge Hypocrisy -Candidate Barack Obama was very vocal about how awful troop surges were. He stood firm in demanding the Bush surge was a mistake and only admitted to Katie Couric that surges actually worked after a good deal of badgering by her. Now, that he isn’t playing politics on TV anymore and actually has the job (wonder if he realizes that yet?), he has suddenly changed his tune! The Obama Troop Surge in Afghanistan suddenly is a good idea! The MSM aren’t even talking about this. UPDATE 2/20/9: Fox News followed our lead and did start talking about it!
Obama’s Mileage Tax Super Fast Flip Flop -On Feb. 20, 2009 Obama transportation secretary Ray LaHood suggests motorists be taxed based on how many miles they drive. Fox news reports that mere moments later, his own spokeswoman Lori Irving shot the idea out of the sky. “The policy of taxing motorists based on how many miles they have traveled is not and will not be Obama administration policy.” Who is running this show? Obama, LaHood or Irving? You’re still not safe to drive though as some states are considering this tax!
Obama’s “Distractions” Lie - Obama has denounced “distractions that keep everyone from focusing on significant issues.” The Weekly Standard says Obama orders distractions for his own political gain: “but his White House aides cause a huge controversy by calling Rush Limbaugh the leader of the Republican party.”
Obama Broken Promise on Iraq War # 2 - Team Obama says it will remove troops from the battlefields in Iraq by August of 2010, 3 months later than his promised 16-month withdrawal of all troops.  That broken promise could cost 100 lives.  The new Obama word is that we won’t leave completely until 2011 sometime.  That’s two to three years later than his promised “get out now” by the end of 2008 campaign talk. “The days of our open-ended commitment must come to a close,” he told the Senate, according to a Jan. 31, 2007, Washington Post article.
Obama Energy Lie # 1 - Barack tells a joint session of congress “we will double this nation’s supply of renewable energy” in 3 years so 16.8% of our energy comes from hydro, solar and wind by 2012. Fox reports: “Under the status quo, the Energy Department says, it will take more than two decades to boost that figure to [just] 12.5 percent.”
Obama Energy Lie # 2 -B. Hugo Obama says “we import more oil today than ever before.” Fox says that isn’t true: “Oil imports peaked in 2005 at just over 5 billion barrels, and have been declining slightly since. The figure in 2007 was 4.9 billion barrels, or about 58 percent of total consumption. The nation is on pace this year to import 4.7 billion barrels, and government projections are for imports to hold steady or decrease a bit over the next two decades.” & Tell your friends we get most of our oil from Canada (it’s true!).
Obama Energy Lie # 3 -President Obama: “We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy.”  Really?  Our entire survival depends on this one thing?  Are you sure? And we have known this for decades?  Maybe we should drill here, drill now.
Obama Questionable History - Obama promises to save the United Auto Workers Union, “the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it.”  Many question that version of history saying Karl Benz of Germany invented the automobile in roughly 1885.
Obama’s Broken Tax Promise # 2 - Obama told congress he lived up to his promise to give a tax cut to 95% of all Americans.  That’s a lie and a broken promise and he knows it. 40% of all Americans don’t make enough money to pay any federal income tax at all.  That means even a tax cut for everyone else would only be a tax cut for 60% of Americans.  What he actually did was use your tax dollars to provide a welfare check to the 40% by giving them $13 a week in their paycheck starting in April.  If his math is right, another 55% of Americans actually will get that whopping $13 tax cut and the rest of us are screwed.
Obama’s Big Government Lie - “Not because I believe in bigger government — I don’t.” (2/24/09) The next day he proposed a budget with the biggest increase in the size of government ever!
Obama’s Wall Street Executive Lie KOA Radio reports along with energy, tax and big government lies, he had other false statements like,…claiming he would never help “a single Wall Street executive” even though his bailouts did precisely that,
Obama’s Healthcare Spending Lie …and in a bizarre statement, he claimed using tax dollars to create a socialist medicine program would reduce the deficit (he made no attempt to explain that).
Obama’s 3rd Pick for Commerce Broke Campaign Finance Laws (Appointment Scandal #18) -Gary Locke was “fined a maximum $2,500 by state regulators after it admitted breaking campaign finance laws during two out-of-state fundraisers in 1996.” Even Obama jokes about his appointments: “I’m sure it’s not lost on anyone that we’ve tried this a couple of times.” Locke was breifly implicated in the ‘96 Clinton Chinese fundraising scandal, returned some checks, and was cleared of wrong-doing.
Democrat Warns Obama about Constitutional Violations -2/25/9 America’s Watchtower: Democrat senator Robert Byrd, sent a letter to President Obama warning him that he is pushing the constitution’s limits in regards to Obama’s appointment of all of these “czars” to oversee issues (health reform, energy, climate change, urban issues) that are supposed to be handled by the legislative branch of the government.
Obama Appointment Scandal #19- Late-term abortion proponent put in charge of Health?! - In yet another poor character judgment, Obama names Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius  to be in charge of health and human services.  She’s only interested in keeping SOME Americans healthy, not all. Reports say this abortion extremist once had a reception attended by a late-term abortion provider who now faces criminal charges. She’s also the Governor who threatened not to send out state tax refunds owed to citizens.
Obama’s Urban Czar Pay for Play Scandal (Appointment Scandal #20) - 3/1/9  The NY Daily News I-Team reports Adolfo Carrion, Jr., the man who is President Obama’s newly minted urban czar, “pocketed thousands of dollars in campaign cash from city developers whose projects he approved or funded with taxpayers’ money.” Amazing how most of these big appointment scandals go unreported as the national press tries to help its new President.
Obama’s Broken Earmark Pledge - 3/1/9 No big surprise here…Peter Orszag says Obama will “sign the $410 billion spending bill despite a campaign pledge that he would reject tailored budget requests that let lawmakers send money to their home states. Orszag said Obama would move ahead and overlook the time-tested tradition that lets officials divert millions at a time to pet projects.” From Rush Limbaugh: “He declared war on earmarks in a bill that’s got 9,000 of them! (laughing)… And he said this without bursting out laughing, too.  He’s got to know when he says this, that it’s just BS.  The only difference in his words and a bag of manure…was the bag. And he knows it.” UPDATE 3/8/9: Orszag repeats promise to approve the pork and earmarks. UPDATE 3/11/9: Promise-breaker-in-Chief Obama signs the bill changing positions to say he has to be flexible on earmarks and pork!

Obama’s War Savings Lie - He says he’ll save $1.5-Trillion in 10 years by cutting back the war in Iraq (and building up the war in Afghanistan??).  For that to be true, the plan would have to have been to spend $150-billion a year through 2019…even though prior to Obama we agreed to get out of Iraq by 2011.  It’s liberal ‘new math.’
The Obama Lavish Corporate Parties Scandal - Team Obama and Bowney Fwank criticize lavish, evil corporate parties put on by overpaid execs, while having weekly Wednesday White House parties with rock stars and Hollywood celebs! So, while execs of bailed-out companies can’t have these evil corporate bashes in fancy hotels with Sheryl Crow because they are on the public dollar, seems it’s okay for Obama The Hypocrite to have lavish parties with Stevie Wonder for his pals ALSO on the public dollar. We foot the bill for “$100/ounce wagyu steak!“
Obama Tax Cheat Scandal # 5 (And Appointment Scandal #21) Ron Kirk - nominated as U.S. Trade Rep, the latest Obama tax cheater owes an estimated $10,000 in back taxes from earlier in the decade. Fox says he has agreed to make his payments now so he can get the job.  The trouble surrounds his claiming sports tickets as deductions and donating speaking fees while not counting the fees as income.
Obama Stocks Stumble - 3/3/9 “What you’re now seeing is a profit and earnings ratios get to the point that buying stocks is a good thing if you have a long-term perspective on it,” said President Obama.  It is PRICE to (future) Earnings ratio, not profit to earnings.  Hopefully he knows that and this was just a gaffe.  After the Dow hit its lowest level in a dozen years, Obama said he is not measuring policies against “the day-to-day gyrations of the stock market.”
Obama Intel Guy Violates Iran Policy (Appointment Scandal #22) - World Net Daily reports: “President Obama’s nominee for a top intelligence post sits on the board of a major oil company owned by the Chinese government that is in the midst of a multibillion dollar deal with Iran which may violate U.S. sanctions.” He is Charles “Chas” Freeman, Obama’s pick for the National Intelligence (we have a shortage of that lately) Council. (Thanks to Conservative American Steve for this idea!) UPDATE 3/10/9: After also getting blasted for comments he made about Israel & Iraq, Freeman takes himself out of the running.
Obama Bankruptcy Lie - ABCDEmocrat News: Obama kicks off his health care reform 3/5/9  with a mischaracterization of data. “The cost of health care now causes a bankruptcy in America every thirty seconds.” Simply unsupportable. The figure comes from a 2005 Harvard study saying that 54 percent of bankruptcies in 2001 were caused by health expenses. ABCDEmocrat News reviewed it and knocked it down. A more recent study, indicates in 2007 about eight-tenths of one percent of Americans lived in families that filed for bankruptcy as a result of medical costs. That rings a little less loudly than “one every 30 seconds.”
Obama Appointment Scandal #24 - Dr. Gupta - 3/5/9 Apparently worried about being forever tied to creating socialist healthcare in American, CNN’s Democrat Celebri-Doc, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, withdraws from consideration for Surgeon General.  Another embarrassment for Team Obama.
Obama Tax Cheat Scandal # 6 (And Appointment Scandal #23) Caroline Atkinson - nominated for Undersecretary for International Affairs, Atkinson is told to withdraw because of a “tax problem.” ABCDEmocrat News’ George Step-in-a-lot-of-it tries to spin the Obama failures to pick good people into a positive by saying, “dozens of candidates…have been forced to pull out because they couldn’t meet…Obama’s ethics standards!” That’s because he doesn’t have any!
Hillary Doesn’t Understand 2-Party System - 3/6/9 Reuters reports Obama’s Sec. of State told the European Union: “I have never understood multiparty democracy. It is hard enough with two parties to come to any resolution, and I say this very respectfully, because I feel the same way about our own democracy, which has been around a lot longer than European democracy.” With Bush, the Reuters story would have been that he was stupid to say this.  With Clinton however, Reuters says she was just “tired!”
Obama Breaks $3,000 Promise - The St. Petersburg Times says Obama promised a $3,000 tax credit for businesses that add an employee. His stimulus bill did not include the idea and it appears to be dead. It never got support in Congress, even from Democrats. Lawmakers were concerned the credit wasn’t enough of an incentive. Tax policy analysts said the credit would be an administrative nightmare.
Obama Lobbyist Scandal # 5 Jocelyn Frye - And Again a lobbyist for the no-lobbyists Team Obama.  Jocelyn Frye got a waiver to be a “senior official” to First Lady, Michaelle Obama.
Obama Lobbyist Scandal # 6 Cecilia Munoz - Another Lobbyist for the still-no-lobbyists Obama Administration. Cecilia Munoz got a waiver to be director of governmental affairs.  And with how many affairs these politicians have, she likely will be busy. (Oh, C’mon….that was too funny!).
Obama Appointment Scandal #24 Annette Nazareth - ABCDEmocrat News reports about 3/5/9 that Obama’s pick for Deputy Treasury Secretary is forced to withdraw after “senators made it clear she would face tough questioning over her time at the Securities and Exchange Commission — tenure that overlapped with the agency’s failure to catch Bernie Madoff.“
Obama Transparency Lie on Bank Bailouts - Another lie from Barack Obama.  Remember the bit about being transparent?  Tim the Tax Cheat Geithner and Ben the Fed Reserve Chair Bernanke both refuse to tell the American people which banks got bailout money and how much was paid for assets.  They say that would be too hard!  Melanie Sloan from Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington told Fox News: “It’s taxpayer dollars, and we as taxpayers then have a right to know where that money is going,” she said. “And I just can’t understand why there should be any secrecy about that.”
Obama School Voucher Flip Flop - “Let’s see if the [school voucher] experiment works,” Obama said. “And if it does, whatever my preconception, you do what’s best for kids.” Yet by signing the $410-billion omnibus porkulus bill, 1,700 low-income D.C. youth who currently receive up to $7,500 a year for education that is working at private schools will have to enroll in a public school in 2010.  Most of the poor kids Obama kicks out, even though the vouchers are working, are black Americans.
Obama’s Line by Line Lie - White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs admitted President Obama lied.  Gibbs told reporters the President did not go through the omnibus spending bill line by line.  During the campaign, Obama promised to review every bill “page by page, line by line!” to get rid of pork.
Obama’s Homeland Security Chief Gets it Wrong - American Chronicle: Incredibly, Janet Napolitano downplayed the danger the drug cartels pose to the United States. She told legislators that the violence perpetrated by the cartels in Mexico has yet to make its way into this country.
Obama’s Biggest Lie Yet: The Economy Lie -His Lie: “I’ve never bought into these Malthusian, woe, Chicken Little, the earth is falling. I tend to be pretty optimistic.”
This from the guy who said “economic catastrophe,” “might not ever recover,” “unable to reverse,” “create a negative spiral,” “Could become dramatically worse,” “Economic crisis could linger for years,” and on and on.  We have been Leading the way Right on this story.
Obama’s “Fundamentally Sound” Economy Flip-flop -After making fun of John McCain for saying the fundamentals of the economy were sound during the campaign, and now that the economy is much worse, the Obama Pancake House now says the fundamentals are strong!  As Obama said in his own TV ad, how can this guy lead when he doesn’t even know there is a problem?
Obama Appointment Scandal #25 John Deutch - Ronald Kessler at Newsmax: Deutch is on an advisory panel on spy satellites, violating Obama’s pledge to hold everyone in his administration to the highest ethical standards. Deutch ran the CIA for a short time & agreed in 2001 to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents. President Clinton pardoned him as he left office. “Deutch essentially walked away from what is one of the most egregious cases of mishandling of classified information that I have ever seen, short of espionage,” Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala.
Obama Appointment Scandal #26 H. Rodgin Cohen - ABCDEmocrat News reports 3/12/9 H. Rodgin Cohen, a NY Lawyer, was removed from consideration for Deputy Treasury Secretary after “issues arose” in the final stages of the vetting process. You mean they actually have a vetting process?!
Obama’s Foreign Car Drivers Blunder - Obama appoints a bunch of people to a Car Czar committee and 16 of the 18 don’t even drive American cars!
Obama’s VP Mixed up with Financial Fraud Scheme - A firm controlled by rogue financier Allen Stanford, marketed a fund managed by Vice-president Joe Biden’s sons, Hunter and James. The $50 million fund was jointly branded between the Bidens’ Paradigm Global Advisors and a Stanford Financial Group entity, mixed up in an $8-billion fraud case.
Obama Broken AIG Executive Pay Pledge - In February, the President promised to crack down on executive pay for companies that take “exceptional” amounts of socialist bailout money.  AIG has taken $170-billion and has another $30-billion on the way from Team Obama.  Yet the President broke his pledge and did nothing to stop 73 AIG execs from taking home bonuses of between $1-and-$6.4-million bucks each!
Obama Thanks Himself Stumble - John Romano at Big Hollywood: Video of the event with Obama and Brian Cowen has not been released…(it) shows Obama oftentimes has no idea what is on that teleprompter before he reads it and therefore, as he did on St. Patrick’s Day, ends up doing things like thanking himself for inviting everyone to the White House!  An endearing gaffe between two national leaders? Or President Obama sincerely thanking President Obama for inviting everyone to the White House?  The fact that the video has been suppressed may be very telling.
Obama Appointment Scandal #28 - Vivek Kundra - Business Insider: America’s CIO Vivek Kundra, “a man we [Buinsess Insider] called on to resign this morning, is back on the job.”  Vivek is part of an ongoing FBI investigation into financial kickbacks at his old offices.” FBI arrests two of Kundra’s co-workers.
Obama Comedian Gaffe # 2: Makes Fun of Special Olympians - Obama tells Jay Leno on the Tonight Show that he bowled a low 129 and laughed “It was like the Special Olympics or something.” Not funny to special olympians who work hard, train hard and compete to the best of their abilities.  The distasteful joke is the latest blunder for the President who can’t speak without his teleprompter.  Fox reports on what Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics said: “I think it’s important to see that words hurt and words do matter. And these words that in some respect can be seem as humiliating or a put down to people with special needs do cause pain and they do result in stereotypes.”
Obama Lobbyist Scandal #7 Richard Verma - Jen Demascio of the Politico reports: Obama’s pledge to prevent lobbyists from his administration from working on issues they had advocated for, is being tested again. His no lobbyist-administration says the pick for assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, Richard Verma, would not need a waiver because he had not lobbied the State Department.  Senate records, however, indicate that Verma had lobbied the State Department.  Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said those records were wrong and were “corrected” to exclude the State Department on Jan. 23 – two days after Obama announced his new no-lobbyist rules! Convenient.
Obama & Geithner’s AIG Lie - Tim the Tax Cheat Geithner and President Obama say the 2 were unaware of the extent of the AIG bonuses until March 10th, a lie. Fox Business reports emails prove the US Treasury knew about the AIG bonuses last November.  Rush Limbaugh says (see video here) a democrat congressmen asked Geithner about the bonuses on March 3rd!  So Geithner and Team Obama’s street gang knew about this at least one week earlier than they say. UPDATE 3/18/9 Obama says about AIG bonuses “I’ll take responsibility, I’m the President.” UPDATE 3/24/9: Geithner repeats his March 10th lie in front of congress, despite the video.

Obama Terrorist Scandal # 4 -Release them in the States! - Fox reports: Obama’s AG. Eric Let Em Go Holder says for “people who can be released there are a variety of options that we have and among them is the possibility is that we would release them into this country.” Pure lunacy.
Obama Terrorist Scandal # 5 -Moderate Taliban - Even the Taliban agree with our 3/8/9 post saying Obama is off his rocker for thinking there are moderate Taliban he can negotiate with. A terrorist spokesman (this is indeed a strange world) said, “I do not know why they are talking about moderate Taliban and what it means. If it means those who are not fighting and are sitting in their homes, then talking to them is meaningless. This really is surprising the Taliban.”
Obama’s False Gas Mileage Claim -3/21/9 Obama claims: ‘The 1908 Model T — think about this — the 1908 Model T earned better gas mileage than the typical SUV in 2008… Think about that: 100 years later, and we’re getting worse gas mileage, not better, on SUVs.’ Ford says Model T’s got as low as 13 mpg while most SUV’s get 18+.
Obama Comedian Gaffe #3: Joker-in-Chief on Economy- The President is full of laughs lately.  This time he joked and laughed during a 3/22/9 60-minutes interview with Steve Kroft about how bad the economy is!…Yeah, that’s really funny…not.  See the video of Obama laughing like a school girl here.
Obama Confused About Who Runs Italy -3/22/9 Pajamas Media: Obama “sent a letter to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano (a member of the now defunct Communist Party), expressing confidence that the US & Italy would work together “to overcome the current global political & economic hardships & build a safer world.”  The only problem was that the Italian president does not make policy; that power resides with the prime minister & his cabinet…instead of addressing himself to Prime Minister Silvio (Obama has a nice even Tan) Berlusconi, Obama wrote to a man who holds an almost entirely ceremonial position.
Obama Plays Both Sides of Economy- He says it could take a long time for the economy to improve and told the press on 3/24/9 that patience was needed. At the same time, Obama’s own budget forecasts the recession will continue through this year but with a relatively shallow 1.2 percent decline in the gross domestic product. It predicts solid growth of more than 3% each year after that.
Obama Pessimism and Optimism: Same Thing- 3/24/9 One moment he claims “even under the most pessimistic estimates” he will cut the budget deficit in half in 10 years and Fox Reports the next minute explaining the differences between his $2.3-Trillion predicted budget deficit projections and CBO’s $9.3-Trillion figure, Obama said his administration projects a higher growth rate.”
Obama’s Blue Chip Lie- 3/24/9 The president claims his optimistic budget assumptions are “perfectly consistent with what blue chip forecasters out there are saying.”  Fox News says that’s not true: “1.9% vs 1.2%. Then…growth of only 2.1% next year, instead of 3.2%, and less than 3% in each of the next 3 years, when the administration’s forecasts are for 4% or better.”
Obama Plans to Help Irresponsible Homeowners- The Prez claims his housing bailout helps “responsible homeowners” stay in their homes.  His team disagrees. Fed Chair Bernanke says “it means assistance will go to some who should have known better than to get in over their heads.” THe FDIC chair says its impractical to think they could examine every delinquent loan and weed out those taken by people who overstated their income or assets to get a mortgage they couldn’t afford.
Obama Appointment Scandal # 29 - Christopher Hill - Washington Times: “nominee for ambassador to Iraq, is a disconcerting choice…the current assistant sec. of state for East Asian & Pacific affairs, he presided over negotiations with N. Korea that deliberately minimized focus on the bleak human rights record…ignored its nuclear proliferation, & had the practical effect of affirming its nuclear weapons capability. Hill also has a troubling hotdog tendency to play by his own rules.  A letter signed by Sen. Brownback & 4 other senators notes Hill’s “evasive & unprofessional activities” including “sidelining key officials” & “breaking commitments” to Congress…in July 2005…he violated U.S. policy and express orders from superiors by meeting with N. Korean Vice Minister Kim Kye-gwan in Berlin to revive the 6-Party talks….Japanese magazine Shukan Gendai [reported]…Pyongyang is conducting back-channel diplomacy directly to the Obama White House, courtesy of Hill…worth examining…” Us: Could it be Bill Clinton? Times: “Hill, as portrayed in David Sanger’s book The Inheritance, gripes about the Bush administration…”these [expletives] don’t know how to negotiate.” He said that hard-line demarches favored by “neocons” were worse than the terms offered at Appomattox. But the inescapable fact is that N. Korea…in 2006…tested its first atom bomb. Hill’s crowning achievement was having N. Korea taken off the list of terrorist states….We [Times] wonder if Hill will speak firmly to Iran regarding Iranian weapons, training & intelligence support being used to destabilize Iraq & kill Americans, or dismiss those matters as impediments to reaching a “grand bargain” with Iran.”
Obama Gun Rights Flip Flop # 2 - Candidate Obama: ‘I have no intention of taking away folks’ guns.’ 2/25/9 ABC reports President Obama now says through his Attorney General Eric Let Em Go Holder, “there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons”
Obama Funds Company to Profit From Green Energy Agenda -3/25/9 Fox: Obama served as a Chicago-based Joyce Foundation board member and voted to fund a carbon trading exchange that “is likely to fill a critical role in the controversial cap-and-trade carbon reduction scheme that Obama is now trying to push rapidly through Congress” (to the dismay of 28 senators). The grants helped develop & launch the privately-owned Chicago Climate Exchange, which now calls itself “North America’s only cap and trade system for all six greenhouse gases.” So, Like Gore before him, Obama pushes green to make green. Then Joyce Foundation Prez, Paula DiPerna, now is conveniently exec. VP of the Climate Exchange.
NEW! Obama’s GM Lie #1 - 3/30/9 President Obama: “Let me be clear. The United States government has no interest in running GM. We have no intention of running GM.” While out of the other side of his mouth he fires the GM CEO and has his own team creating a new business plan for GM.  Sounds like running the company to us!
NEW! Obama’s GM Lie #2 - 3/30/9 President Obama said firing the GM CEO was not a “condemnation” of Rick Wagoner.  While out of the other side of his mouth he says, “we cannot continue to excuse poor decisions,” fires the CEO, and says GM needs a new vision and direction (not Wagoner’s) to create the GM (Rush Limbaugh calls it Government Motors) of the future.
NEW! Obama Steals Power from Congress - 3/30/9 President Obama today took the power of the congress to decide on spending by simply announcing the government will back the warranties of both GM & Chrysler, a huge new expense.  He did so without any legislative approval, again attacking the US Constitution.
NEW! Obama’s Homeland Security Chief Wants Border Guards by…Canada? - 3/31/9 Janet Napolitano says if put the National Guard by the Mexican border to fight the drug cartels, then it’s only fair to put the National Guard by Canada to fight the…uh…uhm,…mounties?  More insane ideas about keeping us “secure” from Team Obama.

 

1. Reneged on pledge to filibuster FISA Amendments Act (July 2008) 2. Lobbied for $700 billion Paulson TARP bank bailout 3. Pushed for no sanctions against Lieberman despite his support for John McCain 4. Nominated healthcare company lobbyist Tom Daschle as Secretary of HHS 5. Had neoliberal Robert Rubin as his chief economics adviser 6. Then had the equally neoliberal Larry Summers assume this role 7. Chose the failing upwards Timothy Geithner to head Treasury 8. AIG bonuses and money to Goldman under Obama 9. Doubling down in Afghanistan 10. Delay and reduction of withdrawal from Iraq 11. Moving Guantanamo activities to Bagram 12. Military commissions for some detainees 13. Support for indefinite detention 14. Refusal to release torture photos under FOIA 15. Refusal to investigate and prosecute Bush era criminality 16. Geithner’s DOA economic rescue programs: the PPIP and TALF 17. Minimal help for homeowners and no cramdowns 18. Treatment of Chrysler and GM with bankrupcy compared to bank no fail “stress tests” 19. Kabuki of TARP repayment by banks while still dependent on government credit lines 20. Extra-Constitutional use of the Fed by the Executive for fiscal policy 21. Credit Card bill without usury caps and with 9 month delay for other reforms 22. Business friendly Mary Schapiro named to head SEC 23. Gary Gensler who helped deregulate derivatives named to head CFTC 24. $787 billion stimulus: too little, too late, poorly structured 25. Use of financial crisis to attack Social Security and Medicare 26. The great healthcare non-debate 27. Continued use of state secrets argument in ongoing Bush era cases 28. Use of signing statements, including one to punish whistleblowers 29. Vetting process problems, especially tax related ones 30. Leaving Dawn Johnsen's nomination to head OLC twisting in the wind 31. Eric Holder, failure to reform DOJ, not removing worst of Bush USAs 32. Failure to move against new oil bubble 33. Retention of Bush Defense team: Gates, Patraeus, and Odierno 34. Continued missile strikes inside Pakistan 35. Keeping Bush’s domestic spying programs and adding a new one, cybersecurity 36. Choice of Elena Kagan who favors expansive Presidential powers as Sollicitor General, her subsequent nomination to the Supreme Court 37. Leaving EFCA (to help counter anti-union companies) to wither in Congress 38. Welcoming Arlen Specter who brings nothing to the Democrats into the party 39. Weak ineffective proposals for financial reform 40. Obama wanted John Brennan at CIA but settled for making him his counter- terrorism adviser 41. Chas Freeman with broader Mideast perspective done in by AIPAC 42. Dennis Blair made DNI; failed to act to stop atrocities in East Timor 43. Choice of McChrystal involved in torture in Iraq to head Afghanistan command 44. Obama threat to suspend intelligence cooperation with UK over Binyam Mohamed case 45. Efforts to keep Bush and Obama White House logs secret 46. Playing games with “Don’t ask, don’t tell” 47. Filing a brief to overturn Jackson (access to lawyer) in the Montejo case 48. Not withdrawing Bush brief in Osborne DNA case 49. Egregious brief in challenge to Defense of Marriage Act 50. The Supplemental which made Iraq and Afghanistan Democratic wars 51. Choice of Rahm Emanuel as the President’s Chief of Staff 52. Choice of Dennis Ross as Iran envoy and then his move to the White House 53. Politically embarrassing processes to fill Obama and Clinton’s Senate seats 54. Choice of Bill Richardson, then Judd Gregg to head Commerce Department 55. Reneging on pledge to re-negotiate NAFTA 56. Obama's throwing his pastor Jeremiah Wright to the curb, then reaching out to religious conservative Rick Warren 57. Continued challenges to habeas corpus petitions over indefinite detention, the Janko case 58. The Obama White House website 59. Continuing an ineffective program that Iran can exploit politically 60. Going slow on climate change when there is no time to 61. Not withdrawing a Bush-era amicus brief in the Ricci v. DeStefano reverse discrimination case and supporting a rollback of Title VII 62. Appointment of a CIA General Counsel who doesn’t know if waterboarding is torture 63. Appointment of a DNI General Counsel who doesn’t know if waterboarding is torture 64. CIA delay in a FOIA request concerning torture 65. The influence of Goldman Sachs in the Obama Administration 66. Attempt to keep secret the Cheney interview on the Plame affair 67. Mountaintop removal under Obama 68. Attempt to restrict Congressional notification on intelligence matters 69. Opposition to a second stimulus 70. Another egregious attempt to fight a habeas corpus petition in the Jawad case 71. Continuing charter schools and standardized tests 72. Holder's decision to support a weak, narrow review of torture 73. Re-appointment of Ben Bernanke as Fed Chairman 74. Continuing renditions 75. Politically dubious company was used to vet reporters in Afghanistan 76. Judge vetoes a too weak SEC plea bargain with Bank of America 77. Justice’s argument for making Bagram a new Guantanamo, the al Maqaleh case 78. Defense to turn over databases to poorly controlled fusion centers 79. Obama changes but keeps Bush's Star Wars program 80. Failure to win an Israeli freeze on settlements 81. White House refuses to back its own staffer environmentalist Van Jones 82. Politicized US Attorney in the Siegelman case cleared by Office of Special Counsel 83. Criticism of Iranian nuclear program; support of Israeli nuclear weapons 84. Support for a weakened reporter's shield law 85. Use of the Zazi case to retain broad Patriot Act surveillance provisions 86. Wilner v. NSA, continuing the coverup of warrantless surveillance of communications between attorneys and detainees 87. Attempt to spike the Goldstone report on Israeli-Hamas war crimes in Gaza 88. Slowness in filling federal judgeships 89. Inadequate aid to overwhelmed state budgets 90. Attempting to dodge the Supreme Court deciding whether innocent Guantanamo detainees can be resettled in the US 91. Allowing drilling in the waters off the north coast of Alaska 92. Keeping detainee accounts of CIA torture secret 93. Current FBI manual allows for widespread domestic spying 94. Securitization invalidates most foreclosures 95. Geithner wanting unlimited powers to save large banks 96. Another state secrets defense to conceal domestic spying 97. Circuit Court dismissal of Maher Arar suit 98. Weakening Sarbanes-Oxley and calling it financial reform 99. Unemployment 100. Inspector General for Fannie and Freddie ousted for investigating fraud 101. Gaming courts to convict Guantanamo detainees 102. White House counsel removed for his principled stands on torture and Guantanamo 103. US seizes mosques claiming Iranian connection 104. Howard Dean removed as head of the DNC 105. Scientist with close ties to Monsanto put in charge of all governmental agricultural research 106. Pesticide lobbyist nominated as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for trade 107. Effort to let some government contractors avoid paying taxes 108. A bad US Attorney nomination for Northern Iowa 109. Hunger in America 110. The breast cancer recommendations fiasco 111. Ongoing confusion and disorganization in the military commissions process 112. Phillip Carter another official in closing Guantanamo resigns 113. Refusal to sign anti-land mine treaty 114. The Ghizzawi case and the legal limbo of "cleared for release" 115. Black prisons at Balad and Bagram 116. Delay in declassifying historic documents 117. Max Baucus' conflicts of interest in healthcare and with his girlfriend 118. Major security breach at a White House party and a ridiculous assertion of "executive privilege" 119. Dana "Pig Missile" Perino nominated to the Broadcasting Board of Governors 120. Cass Sunstein, an anti-regulator in a regulatory position 121. Warrantless for profit electronic surveillance by telecoms and search engines 122. The government sides with torture lawyer John Yoo and attacks Bevins actions again 123. The TSA publishes its security manual online 124. Toxic legal arguments in al Zahrani v. Rumsfeld, yet another Bevins action 125. The Nobel Peace Prize and a neocon acceptance speech 126. Blackwater's involvement in military and CIA assassination and drone programs 127. Congressional Research Service censorship in the firing of Morris Davis 128. AIG writes off $25 billion in debt and sticks taxpayers with the bill 129. The Administration plays hardball to kill an amendment that would lower drug costs 130. A poorly considered blank check to Fannie and Freddie 131. Continuing a Bush botch in the Nisoor Square massacre case 132. Jonathan Gruber, a major defender of Obamacare was also a paid consultant for it 133. A Geithner related cover up of the AIG at par payments on swaps 134. Adoption of stealth signing statements 135. al Bihani, more bad legal reasoning in another Guantanamo habeas case 136. Cutting Medicare and Social Security by deficit commission proposed 137. A 3 year non-freeze budget freeze proposed 138. NASA flights privatized 139. OPR report on Yoo and Bybee watered down and its relation to the Padilla case 140. Government targeting of US citizens for assassination 141. Abuse of informants by ICE agents 142. Obama leaves Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board empty 143. Obama backs firing of teachers in Rhode Island 144. Irish human rights advocate Edward Horgan has US visa pulled 145. Threatened veto of 2010 Intelligence Authorization Act over Congressional notifications 146. Obama Administration intimidation of whistleblowing site: wikileaks 147. Fish and Wildlife Service continues to ignore science on endangered species 148. Senate vacation more important than jobless benefits 149. Government seeks to compel turnover of emails without a warrant 150. Obama goes after an NSA whistleblower: the Thomas Drake case 151. Obama goes after a CIA whistleblower: the James Risen case 152. Weakening Miranda rights in national security cases 153. Advocating the privatizing of public housing 154. Another step in making Bagram the new Guantanamo, the al Maqaleh case, the appeals court edition 155. Massey mining disaster, 29 die because of corporate greed and poor regulation 156. Obama proposal for a line item veto 157. A military commander allowed to use military forces for intelligence operations without Presidential approval 158. Political pandering in sending 1200 National Guardsmen to the Southwest border 159. A sad record on resisting Guantanamo habeas petitions 160. Israel attacks an aid convoy for Gaza; Obama punts 161. A further erosion of Miranda: Berghius v. Thompkins 162. Naming James Clapper, a Bush appointee, to be the next DNI 163. DOJ seeks to protect Vatican in sex abuse scandal 164. Yahya Wehelie, an American exiled without charge 165. Failure to replace National Labor Relations Board members means hundreds of decisions must be reviewed 166. SCOTUS opts for overly broad definition of material support to terrorist groups 167. Speaker Pelosi backstabs Social Security 168. Complaints by government scientists of political interference at Bush era levels 169. Flip flop on free trade agreement with Colombia 170. SEC declares major victory but lets Goldman off easy 171. Private contracting of intelligence continues under Obama 172. Two Guantanamo prisoners to be deported back to Algeria against their will 173. The Shirley Sherrod affair: trumped up charges of racism and a bungled response 174. Whitewash report on Bush era US Attorney firings 175. Despite its record, Blackwater still gets big US government contracts 176. Wikileaks releases government files showing Pakistan involvement with Taliban and admission that things are going poorly in Afghanistan 177. Obama seeks to get access to everyone's web histories without a court order 178. Teacher funding sacrificed to keep Education Secretary Arne Duncan happy 179. State's top Iran hand resigns over Obama's Iran policy 180. Citizens United: validation of unlimited corporate political funding 181. Push to expand US arms sales around the world 182. Project Vigilant, Infragard and "volunteer" corporate spying for the government 183. Obama's approval hits Bush levels in Arab world 184. Effort to pre-empt state environmental lawsuits involving green house gases 185. Justice's Anti-trust division asleep at the wheel 186. Kagan's recusals render her even more ineffective on the Supreme Court 187. Poverty level highest since 1994 188. Courts run interference for corporate violators of international law 189. Warren named to set up but not to run Consumer Financial Protection Board 190. Chief economic adviser Larry Summers leaves; Obama looks for someone even more pro-business to replace him 191. DOJ IG report goes soft on Bush era surveillance against peace groups and other activists; meanwhile the Obama Administration conducts raids against similar groups 192. Move to put backdoors in the internet to facilitate spying and more requirements on banks on international money transfers of any size 193. HHS Secretary Sebelius delays for at least two years required insurance coverage for contraception 194. Americans on Medicaid increased to 48.5 million in 2009 195. Big home lenders suspend foreclosures as their documentation gets challenged in court 196. HR 3808, a bill passed by Congress, to facilitate the acceptance of false documentation by banks in foreclosure proceedings 197. ICE raids and deportations increase under Obama 198. Social Security COLA frozen for second straight year; no action taken 199. Waivers for military aid to countries with child soldiers 200. Big and deserved losses in the 2010 elections 201. 42 million Americans on food stamps at the end of FY 2010 202. No indictments for those involved in the CIA destruction of the torture tapes 203. The Bowles-Simpson Cat Food Commission proposals 204. $3 billion in aid for Israel for a 90 day settlement freeze 205. No change in Democratic Congressional leadership after 2010 election disaster 206. Forced proselytizing still prevalent at US Air Force Academy 207. TSA harassment and violation of the 4th Amendment 208. More TSA idiocy: full body scans and invasive pat downs 209. The response to the 2009 coup in Honduras 210. Use of diplomatic personnel to spy at the UN 211. Fed proposes rule change to Truth in Lending Act to protect bank fraud 212. FCC head Genachowski takes an axe to net neutrality 213. Lieberman and Amazon.com seek to censor wikileaks 214. Pressuring the Spanish government into dropping torture prosecutions against 6 high level Bush officials 215. Neoliberal free trade deal with South Korea at a time of high unemployment 216. Hamfisted banning access to wikileaks by government departments 217. Massive screwup in printing $100 bills 218. Extending tax cuts for the rich in a poor compromise on jobless benefits 219. Dancing boys of Afghanistan paid for by US contractor Dyncorp 220. EPA backtracks on smog standards 221. Former OMB director Peter Orszag goes to Citigroup 222. Obama breaks the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to supply Israel with nuclear fuel 223. DREAM Act for children of illegal immigrants done in by Senate Democrats 224. DOJ drops investigations of corrupt members of Congress 225. The FBI's Guardian database, another useless, intrusive surveillance program 226. Pentagon weakens rules on contractor conflicts of interest 227. Investigation by state Attorney Generals into foreclosuregate: no criminal charges 228. Obama names Mr. NAFTA Bill Daley as his new Chief of Staff 229. Obama names neoliberal free trader Gene Sperling to replace Larry Summers 230. Executive Order to make regulations more business-friendly 231. Gulet Mohamed: Detention and torture of US citizens by proxy 232. Nelson v. NASA: government can demand intrusive, unnecessary information about its employees 233. Choice of GE's outsourcing CEO Jeffrey Immelt as Obama's Jobs Czar 234. Failure to weaken or eliminate the filibuster 235. Corporate targeting of Wikileaks and liberal organizations 236. Reaction to the popular revolution in Egypt 237. HHS Secretary Sebelius helps states cut Medicaid rolls and funding 238. Petraeus accuses parents not US attacks for burns to children in Afghanistan 239. US general in Afghanistan sets up illegal propaganda program targeting Americans 240. Obama plans to devastate small block grants program for the poor 241. Silence on the Wisconsin labor protests 242. Former Senator Christopher Dodd quickly becomes lobbyist after promising not to 243. Obama reinstitutes sham review tribunals at Guantanamo 244. DOJ colludes with Bush era official Scott Bloch to keep him out of jail 245. The treatment of Bradley Manning 246. State Department spokesman PJ Crowley forced to resign over Manning comments 247. Massive conflicts of interest in David Stevens at HUD and soon to be head of main lobbying group for the mortgage industry 248. Mild reaction to bloody anti-democratic repression in Bahrain and Yemen 249. Torture psychologist appointed to White House task force 250. FBI program which allows them to investigate anyone doesn't work (surprise) 251. In his Libya war, Obama has completed the unconstitutional process of Presidents' usurpation of Congress' power to make war 252. Obama accepts award for transparency in secret 253. Democrats create PACs to receive unlimited contributions from anonymous donors 254. 2011 government shutdown threat as Shock Doctrine 254. The 2011 "great" biprtisan budget deal 255. The OCC deal to cover for banks in foreclosuregate 256. Reshuffling neocons at DOD and the CIA 257. Leak of Detainee Assessments shines light on the weakness of cases against many Guantanamo inmates 258. Geithner shields foreign exchange derivatives from Dodd-Frank regulation 259. Crazy new application for some US passports 260. DOJ wants SCOTUS to allow for GPS tracking without a warrant 261. An industry stacked panel to study fracking 262. SCOTUS attacks small claim class actions 263. SCOTUS okays fraud in financial presentations 264. SCOTUS attacks large class actions and Title VII 265. DOJ's non-investigation of torture produces few results 266. Department of State threatens participants of Gaza flotilla with terrorism charges 267. Detainees now held on ships to avoid judicial scrutiny 268. CIA operating a black site prison in Somalia 269. SCOTUS and DC Appeals Court torpedoing detainee habeas petitions 270. SCOTUS greatly expands warrantless searches; Obama DOJ approves 271. Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve after the 2011 spike in gasoline prices 272. Christine Varney, head of DOJ Anti-Trust Division, goes to law firm that had case before her 273. Senseless 2011 debt ceiling crisis, budget cutting, and attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid 274. TSA closes US airspace to Mexican human rights activist 275. DHS guts its unit monitoring right wing terrorism in US 276. "Recovery" benefited corporations, not workers 277. Harassment of a government scientist Charles Monett because his work clashes with drilling in the Arctic 278. African Americans and Hispanic wealth took hardest hit from financial crises 279. Cass Sunstein sitting on labor rules to protect child workers 280. Oil leasing in Gulf resumes 281. Administration pressures NY AG Schneiderman to go along with bogus mortgage settlement 282. DOJ dumps responsibility for its bungled gun running sting on handy US Attorney 283. US ranks 41st in the world in infant mortality 284. White House engages in selective prosecution of Dan Choi over DADT protest 285. COBRA extension ditched 286. Obama spikes EPA ozone limits 287. 2011 Obama fictional jobs plan 288. Contractors cost twice as much as unionized federal workers doing the same work 289. New EPA greenhouse gas limits also being drawn out 290. CFTC proposes ineffectual limits on commodity speculation 291. State Department targets career officer Peter Van Buren for writing critical book 292. Secret Law and the OLC legal justification for killing a US citizen abroad 293. US incomes fall more after recession than during it 294. Another Afghanistan fail: torture rampant in Afghan prisons 295. Bank of America dumps derivative exposure on to the FDIC with Fed approval 296. New rule to legitimize government lying in response to FOIA requests 297. Cronyism and the Keystone XL pipeline 298. Despite pledge, Obama still taking money from lobbyists 299. Secure Communities and deportation as a business 300. The Occupy movement and the attacks upon it 301. DOJ prosecuting financial fraud at the lowest rate in 20 years 302. US stops funding of UNESCO 303. 42% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck 304. The Post Office facing cuts because of unnecessary prefunding mandates