Breaking: Cain Becomes a Quitterfella
Posted: December 3, 2011 Filed under: Breaking News, Republican politics, Republican presidential politics | Tags: Herman Cain, Quitterella, Quitterfella 25 Comments
"In your face uppity women and lame stream media! Can I have a reality show now?"
Following in the footsteps of Quitterella, Cain goes rogue, rides in and out on his electric Koolaid acid bus named Further, and probably is on the hunt for a reality show, or a Fox Gig,and money for Plan B. Plan B is either sell Books or find more Booty behind Gloria Cain’s Back. Rumors abound that he’s going to support Michelle Bachmann. Funny,there’s probably no money in that. He’s probably just appeasing his “we’ll believe anything” fan club so they’ll continue to buy his junk. Bachmann’s detachment from reality fits right in with that.
An unapologetic and defiant Herman Cain suspended his presidential campaign on Saturday, pledging that he “would not go away,” even as he abandoned hope of winning the Republican nomination. Instead, Mr. Cain announced what he called a “Plan B,” continued advocacy of his tax and foreign policy plans.
“As of today, with a lot of prayer and soul searching, I am suspending my presidential campaign,” Mr. Cain said. “Because of the continued distractions, the continued hurt caused on me and my family, not because we are not fighters. Not because I’m not a fighter.”
Mr. Cain, his wife at his side and adamantly professing his innocence, went out much the way he came in. The circus-like atmosphere – complete with numerous postponements, barbeque, a blues band and supporters in colonial-era dress – was in keeping with the campaign’s irreverence and disarray since its inception: Mr. Cain, a self-styled rebel, announced his intention to run earlier this year at a rally, also in Atlanta, with the nonsensical phrase, “Aw, shucky ducky!”
I’m still hoping that Gloria Cain goes rogue and hires Gloria Allred. Watcha think?
Breaking: Herman Cain Accuser Releases Statement Through Attorney
Posted: November 4, 2011 Filed under: 2012 presidential campaign, Breaking News, Republican presidential politics, U.S. Politics | Tags: Herman Cain, National Restaurant Association, Sexual harassment 16 Comments
Herman Cain
Here is the statement one of the women who accused Herman Cain of sexual harassment while he was CEO of the National Restaurant Association (NRA) in the 1999. The statement was made through her attorney Joel Bennett. Via Politico (emphasis added):
In 1999 I was retained by a female employee of the National Restaurant Association concerning several instances of sexual harassment by the then CEO.
She made a complaint in good faith about a series of inappropriate behaviors and unwanted advances from the CEO.
Those complaints were resolved in an agreement with her acceptance of a monetary settlement. She and her husband see no value in revisiting this matter now, nor in discussing this matter further, publicly or privately. In fact it would be extremely painful to do so.
She is grateful that she was able to return to her government career, where she is extremely happy serving the American people to the best of her ability. She looks forward to continuing to work hard for them as we face the significant challenges that lie ahead.
She wishes to thank the media for the restraint that they have shown, her family – especially her sisters – for their love and support, her colleagues and supervisors for their patience and forbearance and her advisors for their wise counsel, and most of all, her dear husband of 26 years for standing by her and putting up with all of this.
Everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace. Sexual harassment is unfortunately very much alive and with us even today, and women must fight it in all kinds of workplaces and at all levels.
My client stands by the complaint she made.
According to Politico, the National Restaurant Association “waived the confidentiality restrictions to allow Cain’s accuser to speak through her lawyer and confirmed that her complaint had been filed against Cain.”
No doubt, more information will be coming out about Cain’s harassment of women. Abusers don’t just do this once. There is generally a pattern of similar incidents over time.
UPDATE: TPM has more from Joel Bennett
Cain has said that the one payout he was aware of was closer to a severance package than any kind of settlement over inappropriate behavior. Bennett said that was inaccurate and that the agreement was clearly tied to the sexual harassment complaint. Asked whether it was possible Cain didn’t know about the settlement, since has only acknowledged one of the cases, Bennett said it may have been resolved after he left the NRA but that it still was highly unlikely he wouldn’t be informed.
“I would be astounded if the complaint was not brought to his attention,” he said.
While he said he was not aware of the other woman who filed a complaint against Cain, he indicated the existence of other accusers bolstered his client’s claim that Cain sexually harassed women.
“There’s an expression: where there’s smoke there’s fire,” he said. “the fact that there are multiple complaints tells me that there was probably some sexual harassment behavior by this man at that time.”
Troy Davis: Clemency Denied
Posted: September 20, 2011 Filed under: Action Memo, Breaking News, Civil Liberties | Tags: Amnesty International, clemency, death penalty, Georgia, Troy Davis 7 Comments
I just got an e-mail from Amnesty International, and I’m copying it here:
It is with a very heavy heart and a deep sense of outrage that I let you know that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles voted to deny clemency to Troy Davis.
This means that very little is standing in the way of the state of Georgia executing a potentially innocent man this Wednesday, September 21 st at 7pm.
The actions of the Board are astounding in the face of so much doubt in the case against Troy Davis. However, we are not prepared to accept the decision and let anyone with the power to stop the execution off the hook.
Join us in calling on the Board to reconsider its decision, and on the Chatham County (Savannah) District Attorney Larry Chisolm to do the right thing. They have until the final moments before Troy’s scheduled execution to put the brakes on this runaway justice system.
We have seen an unprecedented level of support from our members, coalition partners and all sorts of concerned individuals across the political spectrum.
I was blown away as I carried one of the many boxes containing your petition signatures up to the Parole Board office last Thursday. Close to a million signatures have been collected from the many organizations working with us. I looked back as we were marching down Auburn Avenue in Atlanta Friday night and I could not see an end to the crowd. About 3,500 people came out!
The movement here is very alive. It is electric. And I have no doubt that we will raise the volume together against what could be an unthinkable injustice.
Join your voices with us – we will not allow Troy Davis to be executed, not in our names! Troy Davis and his family have counted on us for many years now and we will not let them down. Please take action – human rights and a human life are on the line. Please contact Georgia’s District Attorney and urge him to stop the execution of Troy Davis.
Make the state of Georgia hear you! Tell them that executing Troy Davis will only deepen the cycle of violence and injustice.
In Solidarity,
Laura Moye
Director, Death Penalty Abolition Campaign
Amnesty International USAP.S. We’ll be organizing a Day of Protest today to express our outrage at the recent decision to deny Troy Davis clemency. And on Wednesday (Sept. 21), we’re calling for a Day of Vigil on Troy’s impending execution date. If you are able to organize locally for either of these events, please tell us about your plans.
Minkoff Minx is very passionate about the Troy Davis case, and has written several excellent posts about it. She’s involved in family business today, but perhaps she will still find time to comment on this terrible decision.
Davis, 42, was put on death row 20 years ago for the 1989 murder of a police officer, Mark MacPhail, in Savannah following a fight with a homeless man over a bottle of beer. Since then seven out of the nine key witnesses who implicated him have recanted their evidence, several saying they were cajoled by police into giving false eye-witness statements.
Another 10 have come forward to point the finger at a separate man present at the scene of the murder, Sylvester Coles.
Meanwhile, no forensic or DNA evidence linking Davis to the shooting has ever been found, and nor has the murder weapon.
The denial of clemency by the parole board prompted an outpouring of anger and despair from hundreds of Twitter users and several celebrity supporters of Davis’s campaign. The prisoner’s lawyer, Brian Kammer, said he was “shocked and disappointed at the failure of our justice system at all levels to correct a miscarriage of justice”.
Amnesty International’s US branch, that has championed the case, said: “Allowing a man to be sent to death under an enormous cloud of doubt about his guilt is an outrageous affront to justice. The case against Davis unraveled long ago.”
Live Blog: Breaking News in Libya
Posted: August 20, 2011 Filed under: Breaking News, Foreign Affairs, Libya, Live | Tags: Libya, Libyan Rebels, NATO in Libya, Tripoli 22 Comments
You may not have heard the news from Libya, but it appears that Rebel and NATO forces have entered Tripoli and it may mean the end for Ghaddafi. Most of the sources I’ve found are coming from the foreign press and are being tweeted. CNN and Fox have yet to switch to the story although I just read a tweet from Don Lemon that he’s excited the story is breaking on his shift because he gets to cover it.
Here’s some coverage for you to check out. I’ll try to keep some of the links updates through out the evening. You can find similar news on twitter at #Libya.
Sounds of gunfire and explosions are becoming more intense in the Libyan capital Tripoli, according to a witness who spoke to the Reuters news agency.
Residents reported fighting in several neighbourhoods and said opponents of Muammar Gaddafi were in the streets.
Heavy gunfire and explosions rattled the Libyan capital Saturday after rebels seized control of a major coastal city just west of Tripoli. Rebel commanders said the firing in the capital signaled the start of an attack on Muammar Qaddafi’s main stronghold.
Gun battles and rounds of mortar shelling were heard clearly at the hotel where foreign correspondents stay in the capital. Explosions were heard in the area as NATO aircraft carried out heavy bombing runs after nightfall.
Col. Fadlallah Haroun, a rebel military commander in their stronghold of Benghazi said this marks the beginning of Operation Mermaid – a nickname for the capital city – an assault on Tripoli coordinated with NATO.
Haroun told The Associated Press that weapons were assembled and sent by tugboats to Tripoli on Friday night.
“The fighters in Tripoli are rising up in two places at the moment – some are in the Tajoura neighborhood and the other is near the Matiga (international) airport,” he told the Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera.
In his announcement on Libyan state TV, government spokesperson Moussa Ibrahim also said the rebels that entered Tripoli on Saturday night will be “pardoned if they surrender,” adding a message to the Libyan audience: “Qaddafi is your leader … Tripoli is surrounded by thousands to defend it,” suggesting the rebel advance on Tripoli has not shaken the regime.
Rebels are continuing to battle for the government-controlled Mitiga airbase in Tripoli in the early hours of Sunday. Fighting has left an unknown number of insurgents dead in the suburb of Qadah and elsewhere, an opposition activist in Tripoli told Reuters.
“The rebels have surrounded a military airbase called Mitiga in the Tajourah district. The rebels there are telling the brigades that they come in peace to avoid bloodshed. There are areas where electricity has been cut off,” he said.
Report to watch from AJ on the damage from the bombing.
Interesting Tweets:
BrianWildeCTV BrianWilde
When you have to announce it, the end is near. “@Reuters: Gaddafi remains #Libya’s leader: spokesman reut.rs/qrPdQ8”pedroelrey pedroelrey
Is Now-ism killing news? : Gadhafi likely wounded and has fled Tripoli haaretz.com/news/internati… #Italy #LibyaHenrique Henrique
amazing to see that only Al Jazeera English is broadcasting what is happening in #Libya right now…Nothing on CNN, FOX, MSNBC or even BBC!richardengelnbc Richard Engel
#libya US sources say revolt seems to have ‘certainly turned a corner’iyad_elbaghdadi Iyad El-Baghdadi
Fresh #Libya map with overview of all action; shows clearly how Gaddafi is cornered: bit.ly/nK2fKK @acarvinOmarAlMukhtar Omar Al Mukhtar
Our war is not with U Gaddafi fighters, but w/ a family who destroyed #Libya for 42 years. Lay down ur weapons & join ur brothers. #UniteMabusharkhMahmoud Abu Sharkh
Mosques all over #Tripoli now chanting Allahu Akbar after they knew the revolutionaries entered the city #Libya
Hanzabonanza Hana Tuhami
Wouldn’t it be really ironic if Gaddafi fell on the day of his Al-Fateh revolution? #Libya #Feb17evaottesmith evaottesmith
RT “@PeterClifford1: #Libya Former #Gaddafi PM, Jalloud, defects to Opposition & now believed to be in Europe. tinyurl.com/PCOLibya”
There appear to be Tweets coming from within Libya which is really interesting to follow. The #Libya channel is now overwhelmed with Tweets just from the last few minutes.
Watch Al Jzazeera English here.
There’s a live report coming from Tripoli now and the reporters are saying that it’s getting close to ‘zero hour’.
John Edwards to be Indicted
Posted: May 25, 2011 Filed under: Breaking News, U.S. Politics | Tags: affair, campaign finance laws, cover up, indictment, John Edwards 33 Comments
Edwards and another cover-up
Edwards reportedly knows about the plan and is considering his options. He could make a plea arrangement or face a trial, which could be long and costly.
An indictment or a plea bargain could happen within the next two weeks, according to reports.
The Department of Justice plans to argue that two wealthy supporters donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Edwards campaign — money that went to support Rielle Hunter, a videographer Edwards’s campaign with whom Edwards had an affair. The government will claim the funds were illegal campaign contributions.
Edwards has admitted to fathering a daughter with Hunter.
The government’s case reportedly depends on former Edwards campaign aide Andrew Young who originally said that he was the father of Hunters’s daughter and later accused Edwards of engineering an effort to hide the affair from the public.
James Hill from ABC broke the story. You can watch the story at this link.
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