Continue Reading September 29th, 2006
WEEKEND NEWS UPDATE.
FLORIDA: CONGRESSMAN FOLEY RESIGNS IN ONLINE TEEN SEX SCANDAL.
In a period of less than 24 hours, Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) went from strong re-election favorite to resigning in disgrace in a still developing online sex scandal involving underage teen boys. Foley first denied he engaged in any inappropriate conduct with a 16-year-old male former Capitol Hill page from Louisiana. Hours later, his staff tried to blame the entire incident as being a set-up by his Democratic opponent. Later on Friday afternoon ABC News published sexually graphic email and instant messaging communication between Foley and other under-aged teenage boys. That prompted Foley to submit his immediate resignation from Congress and withdraw from his race for re-election. Foley, who was the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Missing & Exploited Children, helped lead the fight for tougher criminal laws to stop online sexual predators who target children. Ironically, those same laws he championed could possibly now be used to send Foley to federal prison. Florida law will allow to replace Foley with a new GOP nominee — but Foley’s name will remain on the ballot. That will force voters to cast a ballot for Foley to have it be counted for the GOP replacement nominee. Further, the new candidate would not be able to convert any existing state campaign account into a federal account for the race because Florida candidates may accept corporate contributions while federal candidates are explicitly barred from accepting that same money. Because of all of this, wealthy venture capitalist and former Republican Tim Mahoney must now be rated the likely winner of this CD-16 seat in November. In directly related — and further disturbing news — it appears Congressman Rodney Alexander (R-LA) promptly notified the Speaker Denny Hastert (R-IL) and the House Republican Leadership ten months ago of Foley’s inappropriate communications with the Louisiana boy. Hastert apparently buried the sordid (and possibly criminal) matter entirely until it resurfaced on Friday. It looks like Speaker Hastert may have some serious explaining to do about why the Leadership protected this apparent pedophile.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.30.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Your space to pontificate on anything and everything (except for the Foley scandal).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.30.06
Continue Reading September 29th, 2006
FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE.
FLORIDA: IS CONGRESSMAN FOLEY AN ONLINE SEX PREDATOR?
Check out this breaking story about this very disturbing email exchange between the personal email account of Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) and a 16-year-old male Capitol Hill intern. The story is even more creepy because Foley is the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Missing & Exploited Children. Read about it here and here and here (especially the emails where he keeps asking for additional pictures of the boy or emailed that one of the boy’s teenage friend was in “really great shape”). If this story has legs, Foley could be an unexpected goner. Wealthy venture capitalist and former Republican Tim Mahoney is Foley’s Democratic opponent. Foley quit the 2004 US Senate primary contest — saying he wanted to spend more time caring for a sick parent — immediately after he was outed as gay in some Florida newspapers.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.06
BY THE NUMBERS: US SENATE RACES.
CONNECTICUT: US Senator Joe Lieberman (Independent) - 49%, businessman Ned Lamont (D) - 39%, former State Rep. Alan Schlesinger (R) - 5%. (Quinnipiac University). “I think [Lieberman is] very concerned that we’re within striking distance of winning this,” said Schlesinger on Wednesday.
MINNESOTA: Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar (D) - 51%, Congressman Mark Kennedy (R) - 43%, former public access TV organization executive director Robert Fitzgerald (Independence) - 2%, Ben Powers (Constitution) - 1%. (KSTP-TV/SurveyUSA).
NEW JERSEY: US Senator Bob Menendez (D) - 45%, State Senator Tom Kean Jr. (R) - 44%. (Rutgers University).
PENNSYLVANIA: State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) - 50%, US Senator Rick Santorum (R) - 41%, Carl Romanelli (Green) - 5%. (Strategic Vision-R).
WASHINGTON: US Senator Maria Cantwell (D) - 49%, insurance executive Mike McGavick (R) - 40%. (Strategic Vision-R).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.06
BY THE NUMBERS: GOVERNOR RACES.
ALABAMA: Governor Bob Riley (R) - 54%, Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley (D) - 38%, Others - 1%. (WKRG-TV/SurveyUSA).
COLORADO: Former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter (D) - 55%, Congressman Bob Beauprez (R) - 38%, accountant Dawn Winkler-Kinateder (Libertarian) - 3%, retired federal employee Clyde Harkins (Constitution) - 1%. (KUSA-TV/SurveyUSA).
CONNECTICUT: Governor Jodi Rell (R) - 63%, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. (D) - 30%. (Quinnipiac University).
MAINE: Governor John Baldacci (D) - 44%, State Senator Chandler Woodcock (R) - 39%, State Rep. Barbara Merrill (Independent) - 7%, radio talk show host Pat LaMarche (Green) - 6%. (WCSH-TV/SurveyUSA).
MINNESOTA: Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) - 45%, Attorney General Mike Hatch (D) - 44%, former State Finance Commissioner Peter Hutchinson (Independence) - 6%, Walt Brown (Quit Raising Taxes) - 2%, environmental activist Ken Pentel (Green) - 1%. (KSTP-TV/SurveyUSA).
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Governor John Lynch (D) - 59%, State Rep. Jim Coburn (R) - 29%. (American Research Group).
OREGON: Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) - 39%, former Portland School Board Member Ron Saxton (R) - 34%, retired TV news anchor Mary Starett (Constitution) - 4%, retired accountant Richard Morley (Libertarian) - 2%, environmental activist Joe Keating (Pacific Green) - 1%. (Portland Oregonian).
PENNSYLVANIA: Governor Ed Rendell (D) - 55%, former pro football player Lynn Swann (R) - 37%. (Strategic Vision-R).
SOUTH CAROLINA: Governor Mark Sanford (R) - 50%, State Senator Tommy Moore (D) - 46%. (WCSC-TV/SurveyUSA).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.06
BY THE NUMBERS: US HOUSE RACES.
NEW YORK - CD-26: Congressman Tom Reynolds (R) - 45%, businessman Jack Davis (D) - 43%, Christine Murphy (Green) - 8%. (WGRZ-TV/SurveyUSA). Update: The NYS Elections Board disqualified Murphy from the ballot on Tuesday.
PENNSYLVANIA - CD-6: Congressman Jim Gerlach (R) - 45%, attorney Lois Murphy (D) - 38%. (Keystone Poll).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.06
EDITORIAL: A CIVILIZED NATION DOES NOT TORTURE. EVER.
Based upon what is happening in DC this week with the debate on torture, I’m ashamed to call myself an American citizen. Why? Reason #1: read this great New York Times editorial, which succinctly explains why we are entering a terrible, shameful chapter in our nation’s history. I endorse that editorial 100%. And, before you accuse me of coddling terrorists, I have a message for you. Stop rationalizing why it would be okay for the US to sorta, kinda torture suspected terrorists because they’d treat US prisoners brutally. If we start acting like the terrorists, then we become terrorists. Just read this great article about “waterboarding” — a leading method of torture used by Cambodia’s genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Civilized nations do not engage in torture. No exceptions. Ever.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Since the GOP went this week with Minneapolis for the ‘08 convo, let me weigh in with a plug for the Dems to select Denver for the 2008 convention. It will help showcase all of the gains we’re making in the West again. It will give us a great opportunity to showcase our Western Dems like Governors Brian Schweitzer, Bill Ritter, Janet Napolitano, Dave Freudenthal and Bill Richardson and US Senators John Salazar, Jon Tester, Max Baucus, Harry Reid, Jeff Bingaman, and possibly several new Members of Congress from the Class of ‘06.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.06
SEND A PIN = GET A FREE PLUG HERE.
Here’s my open offer for every campaign (and campaign supporter): send me a button or pin from the Governor, US Senate, Congressional, Statewide Office, etc., campaign you are involved in — feel free to add a sticker and brochure — and I’ll place a link to official campaign site here on our homepage in a daily “thank you” note. My address: Ron Gunzburger, 409 NE 17 Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. OUR THANKS TODAY GO OUT TO: Lieutenant Governor Charlie Fogarty, Democrat for Rhode Island Governor.
WANNA TRADE?
I’m interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign buttons. If you’ve got Canadian political buttons to trade, I’m interesting in swapping with you for some great US pins. Please drop me a note!
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