Governor John Kitzhaber announces his resignation

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned effective Wednesday, Feb. 18, in a letter submitted to Secretary of State Kate Brown. "I am announcing today that I will resign as Governor of the State of Oregon," he wrote in a statement released just after noon Friday.

In just four months, a public corruption scandal involving Kitzhaber and his fiancee, Cylvia Hayes, has hobbled one of Oregon's most durable politicians. Kitzhaber, a public official for 37 years, was sworn in for a historic fourth term as governor just a month ago. Facing not only a state criminal investigation and an ethics review, Kitzhaber watched his support from fellow veteran lawmakers crumble this week.

The governor's resignation does not end either the criminal investigation or ethics review.

Brown, also a Democrat, will be sworn in as Oregon's 37th governor, but the timing of that ceremony is uncertain. Read more at OregonLive Read More......

Dinesh D'Souza's 'America' Trailer Released (Video)

The conservative behind "2016: Obama's America" is under indictment for campaign finance violations but his next documentary, "America," will open on schedule on July 4, filmmakers say. ✧ In America, D'Souza -- who wrote and produced the film -- makes the claim that 1960s radical leftism is more or less indistinguishable from current mainstream liberalism, a doctrine that he says preaches the United States is the product of "stealing and plunder" from Native Americans, Mexicans and African-American slaves. ✧ "I want to take this progressive, leftist critique head on," D'Souza says in the trailer. The movie will include re-creations of some of the major events in American history. Read more at The Hollywood Reporter.

"America" Trailer from Dinesh D'Souza on Vimeo.

Note: Watch Dinesh D'Souza vs. Bill Ayres "The Ultimate Fight between Left and Right" live streamed on January 30th at 7:30 p.m. (EST)  Sign up to watch: http://live.dineshdsouza.com. The topic is "What's so great about America?" Held at Dartmouth College, this debate is sponsored locally by Darthmouth College Republicans and nationally by Young Americans for Freedom.

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Kincaid: Obama bows to Castro

ACCURACY IN MEDIA (AIM) 1/17/2011 by Cliff Kincaid - [Snip] The New York Times noted that the White House lifted restrictions on travel and payments to communist Cuba “when most Republican members of Congress were away on retreat and Democrats had left their offices for the long holiday weekend,” and that the timing “indicated that the administration hoped to enact the changes with as little fanfare—and backlash—as possible.” The changes were posted at 5:42 p.m. EST. Read more at AIM... Read More......

WSJ: Ethics Panel Finding Hints at Guilty Verdict for Rangel

Wall Street Journal, 11/16/2010 - What's the difference between unethical behavior and corruption? --bc

"...Mr. Chisam [Ethics Committee member acting as prosecutor] said he didn't believe Mr. Rangel's actions were corrupt, but were sloppy and in violation of House ethics rules.

The formal charges were filed against Mr. Rangel in July, prompting some fellow Democrats to urge him to leave Congress. The accusations aren't viewed by investigators as corruption or profiting from his position, but rather a failure to follow the rules of ethical conduct and accurately report his finances as required.

Thus, Mr. Rangel is unlikely to face expulsion from the House even with a finding of guilt; the most likely punishment would be a public reprimand."

Read full story at WSJ... Read More......

Charlie Rangel holds onto gavel

POLOTICO, 2/2/2010 - Charlie Rangel emerged from a closed-door meeting in Nancy Pelosi’s office Tuesday night to declare that he’s still the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and hasn’t agreed to give up his gavel – even as some media outlets were reporting that he’d done just that. ∴ But asked whether he’d still be the chairman tomorrow and in the coming days, Rangel said: “I can’t make all those promises at my age.” ∴ And when Pelosi was asked whether Rangel was resigning, she said “no comment.” Read more at Politico...

2/3/2010 UPDATE: Rep. Rangle turned over the gavel in a short, emotional press conference, at which he took no questions. Read More......

Labor leaders irate over proposed health care 'Cadillac' tax

FOXNews.com, 1/11/2010 by Major Garrett - Irate Labor Leaders Press Obama on Proposed Health Care 'Cadillac' Tax - WASHINGTON: "President Obama told labor leaders in a tense two-hour closed door tussle over whether to tax health care benefits that he backed the tax, which labor leaders vehemently oppose, but also supports efforts "to protect working men and women." ∴ Their problem? Labor leaders say you can't have it both ways. Some now openly accuse Obama of doing that and violating one of his most important early promises in the health care debate: that if you like the coverage you have, you will be able to keep it." Read more at FOX... Read More......

U.N.-Usual Suspects

The United Nations has sent a special investigator to look into whether affordable housing is so hard to find that it constitutes a human rights violation. Her destination? New York, Washington D.C., Chicago and three other U.S. cities.

U.N. special investigator Raquel Rolnik's mission is to tour the American cities and report back to the U.N. General Assembly. The New York Post editorial board writes: "Since 2000, the U.N. has had a housing investigator looking into shortages in such obvious places as Cambodia, Kenya, and Iran... but this is its first foray into U.S. territory — and it remains to be seen whether she'll call for Donald Trump and other landlords to be hauled before the International Criminal Court." --Fox News Channel's Lanna Britt contributed to this report. Read More......