Leaked documents reveal how $750,000 in donations led to laws in Wisconsin.
Source: After key donations, GOP tried to keep poisoned kids from suing lead makers | Ars Technica
Tag: Republican
Cleveland Police Swarm Protestors Brandishing Tennis Balls
Police officers swarmed protestors from the activist group CodePink outside a main entrance to the RNC Tuesday – because they were holding tennis balls.
Source: Cleveland Police Swarm Protestors Brandishing Tennis Balls
GOP Congressman Responds to Ted Cruz’s Proposal: “We Shouldn’t Have a Police State”
Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, on Tuesday declined to endorse Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s call for law enforcement to preemptively “patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized.”
Source: GOP Congressman Responds to Ted Cruz’s Proposal: “We Shouldn’t Have a Police State”
News Corp. Makes Copyright Claim Over News Corp’s Live Video Stream Of The GOP Debate | Techdirt
In short, Fox News issued a copyright takedown to YouTube over Sky News’ streaming the debate. While that might sound perfectly reasonable, it seems worth pointing out that both Fox News and Sky News are owned by the same company: News Corp.. Yes, News Corp. effectively DMCA’d itself. Because that’s how copyright works.
Source: News Corp. Makes Copyright Claim Over News Corp’s Live Video Stream Of The GOP Debate | Techdirt
Former GOP Sen. Phil Gramm: “It Was an Outrage” That “Exploited” AT&T CEO Got Only $75 Million at Retirement
Gramm attributed anger at CEOs like Edward Whitacre (who actually got $158 million) to “the one form of bigotry that is still allowed in America … bigotry against the successful.”
Congressmen Blame Drugs, Gay Marriage, Welfare, and Immigrants for Unrest in Baltimore
Protesters in Baltimore say they have been driven into the streets by years of police abuse and a lack of economic opportunities.
But some lawmakers have other ideas for what’s causing the unrest in Baltimore:
— Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., appeared on Birmingham talk radio on April 28 to denounce illegal immigration and politicans who have leaned towards more lenient drug laws as “factors culminating in what we saw in Baltimore.”
— Rep. Bill Flores, R-Tex., went on a podcast program to discuss the Supreme Court case over gay marriage on April 29. Flores tied the lack of marriages “between a man and a woman” with “what is going on in Baltimore.”
— Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., called into on the Sam Malone Show on May 1 to discuss the “anarchy” in Baltimore. The host argued, “if there’s no one telling you about love of America and your neighbors, what do you expect” To which Kelly replied, “I’m with you.” The congressman continued, to those who say families in Baltimore “did not have a chance,” Kelly said, “give me a break,” before going on to blame the unrest in Baltimore on welfare programs.
While the protests engulfed the city of Baltimore, Congress worked diligently on other matters last week. Legislators, including Rep. Brooks, voted on legislation to boost taxpayer spending on fighter jets and missile systems well beyond what Pentagon planners had requested.
Republicans seek fast-track repeal of net neutrality
Republicans in Congress yesterday unveiled a new plan to fast track repeal of the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules.
Introduced by Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and 14 Republican co-sponsors, the “Resolution of Disapproval” would use Congress’ fast track powers under the Congressional Review Act to cancel the FCC’s new rules.
Internet providers are now common carriers, and they’re ready to sue.
Saying the resolution “would require only a simple Senate majority to pass under special procedural rules of the Congressional Review Act,” Collins’ announcement called it “the quickest way to stop heavy-handed agency regulations that would slow Internet speeds, increase consumer prices and hamper infrastructure development, especially in his Northeast Georgia district.”Republicans can use this method to bypass Democratic opposition in the Senate by requiring just a simple majority rather than 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, but “it would still face an almost certain veto from President Obama,” National Journal wrote. “Other attempts to fast-track repeals of regulations in the past have largely been unsuccessful.”
This isn’t the only Republican effort to overturn the FCC’s net neutrality rules. Another, titled the “Internet Freedom Act,” would wipe out the new net neutrality regime. Other Republican proposals would enforce some form of net neutrality rules while limiting the FCC’s power to regulate broadband.
The FCC’s rules also face lawsuits from industry consortiums that represent broadband providers. USTelecom filed suit yesterday just after the publication of the rules in the Federal Register. Today, the CTIA Wireless Association, National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), and American Cable Association (ACA) all filed lawsuits to overturn the FCC’s Open Internet Order.
The CTIA and NCTA are the most prominent trade groups representing the cable and wireless industries. The ACA, which represents smaller providers, said it supports net neutrality rules but opposes the FCC’s decision to reclassify broadband as a common carrier service. However, a previous court decision ruled that the FCC could not impose the rules without reclassifying broadband.
Emails Show Jeb Bush Coordinated With Florida Legislature for Favorable Primary Date
Emails obtained by The Intercept via a public records request reveal Jeb Bush closely coordinating with the Florida legislature to schedule Florida’s 2016 presidential primary in a way most favorable for Bush.
State Representative Matt Gaetz wrote to Bush on January 2nd that he is “concerned that Florida’s current primary date will lead to proportional allocation of delegates” and that a “winner take all” system would be preferable.
“Unless you ask me otherwise, I’ll file legislation to move our primary date back a week,” Gaetz told Bush, who responded to say that his political advisor Sally Bradshaw would give Gaetz a call. “10 4,” Gaetz shot back.
The email exchange had begun with Bush emailing Gaetz, the son of State Senator Don Gaetz, president of the Florida Senate in the previous session. Bush thanked the younger Gaetz for his “willingness to head to Iowa to go door to door,” adding, “Wow, what a generous offer! Happy New Year!”
The email exchange ended on January 3rd. But last week the primary arrangements proposed over email became a reality.
On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill that sets the date of Florida’s primary as March 15th, the first date on which states may award their full quantity of delegates on a winner-take-all basis under Republican National Committee rules. States scheduling primaries between March 1st and 14th must award delegates in proportion to the percentage of votes they receive or lose half their delegates, as Florida Republicans did in 2012.
As the Palm Beach Post noted, the bill appears to be a “a boon for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio or former Gov. Jeb Bush, who both are considering a presidential run.” Such a front-loaded system often benefits establishment candidates with the most money to spend on television advertisements, as was the case with Mitt Romney in Florida in the 2012 race.
Florida, the state Bush governed for two terms, is perhaps the most important primary election for Bush in his expected quest to secure the GOP presidential nomination. Bush could lose the first few primary elections — which award delegates on a proportional basis — yet come out decisively in the lead in terms of delegates if he is able to win Florida’s winner-take-all primary, with its projected 99 delegates.
The New York Times recently reported that Bush’s political operatives have developed a confidential plan code-named “Homeland Security” to ensure victory in Florida for the primary and general election. The report notes that the Bush team intends to spend $50 million to secure support in Florida.
Texas Lawmaker Wants To Make It Illegal To Film Cops From Less Than 25 Feet Away
Now that it’s pretty much settled that the public has the right to record the police*, legislators are now moving to peel back this begrudgingly “granted” First Amendment protection.
*Exceptions, of course. Far, far too many of them.
Filed by Dallas State Representative Jason Villalba (R), the bill prohibits anyone in public within 25 feet of police to record them. The buffer is even greater at 100 feet, for anyone recording video who is also carrying a gun. Only accredited news organizations, like KENS5, would be allowed to record without the buffer zone.
Guess who gets to decide whether any unaccredited videographers are “too close” to the action? That’s right. It’ll be the person deploying handcuffs or demanding the camera be shut off/relinquished. It will all be in the eye of the uniformed beholder who’s just going to eyeball the distance between him and the unaffiliated bodies of public accountability, and if it’s close, just go ahead and call it a crime. A crime with some rather hefty penalties, considering it involves recording public figures in public areas.
Anyone caught filming within the 25-foot radius could be prosecuted for a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. For gun-carriers who step within 100 feet, it would be a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
Nobody, Including Tom Cotton, Knows What Tom Cotton Is Saying About “Corruption of the Blood”
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) is in the news this month. For reasons that passeth understanding he’s been offered up as a spokesperson for the 47 Republicans who wrote a letter to Iran.1 Today I noticed a number of links to 2013 reports asserting that Sen. Tom Cotton offered an amendment to a bill that would allow imprisonment without due process of the relatives of the targets or Iranian sanctions. The Huffington Post’s Zach Carter may be Patient Zero on this idea:
WASHINGTON — Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on Wednesday offered legislative language that would “automatically” punish family members of people who violate U.S. sanctions against Iran, levying sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
. . .
Article III of the Constitution explicitly bans Congress from punishing treason based on “corruption of blood” — meaning that relatives of those convicted of treason cannot be punished based only on a familial tie.