Tenthers

The Normalization Of Nullification

Jillian Rayfield | April 1, 2011, 1:10PM

For most of the last century, talk of secession, nullification and the rest of the extreme states-rights lexicon were relegated to the fringiest parts of the political fringe. But since Barack Obama entered the White House in January 2009, mainstream Republican rhetoric and proposed legislation at the state level have both warmed to the hoary idea that state governments can take their relationship with the federal government on what amounts to an a la carte basis or perhaps abandon it altogether.

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voter fraud

As Voter ID Laws Spread Across Statehouses, House GOP Telegraphs Anti-Voter Fraud Bill

Ryan J. Reilly | April 1, 2011, 1:00PM

Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS)

With voter ID laws popping up in Republican-controlled statehouses across the country, could a federal bill be far off?

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Project Gunrunner

Darrell Issa Subpoenas Records On 'Project Gunrunner'

Melissa Jeltsen | April 1, 2011, 11:58AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) wants answers about Project Gunrunner -- a controversial initiative targeting illegal gun trafficking on the Mexico border -- and he wants them now.

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Randall Terry

Reports: Afghan U.N. Office Attacked During Protest Of Pastors' Quran Burning

Eric Lach | April 1, 2011, 11:45AM

A vegetable market in Mazar-i-Sharif, in Northern Afghanistan

Several U.N. workers were killed Friday in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Reports indicate that a demonstration against the burning of a Quran by American pastors turned violent. There are conflicting reports about the number of people killed, and a U.N. spokesperson has issued a statement confirming the attack, while calling the incident "still confusing."

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Gun Control

Pro Gun Group Claims Obama Has Secret 'Freedom Crushing Plan' For Second Amendment

Melissa Jeltsen | April 1, 2011, 10:02AM

President Barack Obama

When it comes to the thorny issue of guns, President Barack Obama is finding it difficult to please anyone. Gun control groups are dissatisfied with his progress on the issue, though a recent meeting with Obama administration officials about reducing gun violence may improve relations. Gun-rights groups, on the other hand, paint Obama as an 'anti-gun' President, intent on destroying the Second amendment.

Now a conservative gun-rights organization has launched an email fundraising campaign claiming that Obama is secretly planning to eviscerate the Second amendment through an executive order.

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Donald Trump

Tea Partiers Rallying In DC Praise Donald Trump's Birther Stance (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly and Jillian Rayfield | March 31, 2011, 5:26PM

Donald Trump

In the span of just a few weeks, real estate mogul turned reality television star turned Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump went from dipping his toe in the birther pool to diving right into the deep end and claiming that he's "starting to wonder" whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States.

So we figured it'd be good to ask the Tea Partiers in attendance for the "Continuing Revolution" rally on Capitol Hill on Thursday if speaking out on the issue boosted Trump's presidential campaign.

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Darrell Issa

Issa: DHS FOIA Process 'Reeks Of A Nixonian Enemies List'

Ryan J. Reilly | March 31, 2011, 10:01AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has trumped up scandals involving the Obama administration that have turned out to be duds. But in his probe of political interference in the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at the Department of Homeland Security, it looks like Issa has the goods.

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James O'Keefe

Lawyer For Ex-ACORN Employee To James O'Keefe: You're No Ashton Kutcher

Ryan J. Reilly | March 30, 2011, 5:51PM

James O'Keefe

A lawyer for a former employee of the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) who was secretly recorded by James O'Keefe is calling bull on O'Keefe's claims that the First Amendment protected his actions.

Four lawyers representing O'Keefe on a pro bono basis cited everything from the writings of James Madison to Ashton Kutcher's MTV show "Punk'd" to claim that O'Keefe's tactics were protected by the First Amendment.

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Scott Bloch

Scott Bloch Sentenced To One Month In Prison In 'Geeks On Call' Case

Ryan J. Reilly | March 30, 2011, 5:42PM

Former U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch

Scott Bloch, the former Bush administration official who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor contempt of Congress, was sentenced to one month in prison by a D.C. federal court today. The former head of the Office of Special Counsel, Bloch had pleaded guilty in connection with his use of 'Geeks On Call' to scrub his government computer while he was under investigation by Congress.

In addition to the prison time, Bloch was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation and 200 hours community service. An attorney for Bloch indicated that he would be filing a motion for a stay of the decision pending appeal.

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DOMA

Immigration Officials End Hold On Deporting Bi-National Same-Sex Couples

Jillian Rayfield | March 30, 2011, 3:55PM

The U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service has ended its hold on deporting foreign-born partners in same-sex marriages who would otherwise be eligible for a green card, citing "guidance" they had received over how to handle cases that might be affected by the Department of Justice's decision to no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act.

"The guidance we were awaiting ... was received last night, so the hold is over, so we're back to adjudicating cases as we always have," Christopher Bentley, press secretary for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told the Metro Weekly Wednesday.

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Michael Yaki

Surprise! Investigation Doesn't End GOP Complaints About New Black Panther Case

Ryan J. Reilly | March 30, 2011, 2:35PM

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)

Nearly two and a half years after two members of the New Black Panther Party stood outside a polling station in Philadelphia -- and after an extensive internal probe found no improper political influence of the Justice Department's decision to drop a civil voter intimidation case against all but one of the defendants -- conservatives are showing no signs they'll let the issue drop.

As TPM reported yesterday, the Justice Department said in a letter to members of Congress that after an extensive investigation, they found that neither the race of the defendants or political considerations affected the Justice Department's handling of the voter intimidation case.

But many on the right smell a cover up. FoxNation.com called it a "whitewash." J. Christian Adams, the conservative lawyer hired during the Bush administration who was one of two Civil Rights Division Voting Section line attorneys who filed case, wrote for the website Pajamas Media that the "fix came in."

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Harley G. Lappin

Bureau Of Prisons Director Announced Resignation After Drunk Driving Incident

Ryan J. Reilly | March 30, 2011, 11:05AM

Dir. of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Harley G. Lappin

When Harley G. Lappin, the director of the Bureau of Prisons, announced his plans to retire last week after 25 years at the agency, Attorney General Eric Holder praised him as a "sound steward of taxpayer dollars" who had "served as an example of integrity and professionalism."

But it turns out there was a bit more to the story. Andrew Ramonas of the legal news website Main Justice reports (reg. req.) that Lappin was arrested back in February and is facing drunk driving charges stemming from an incident in Annapolis, Md.

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Scott Bloch

Judge Denies Scott Bloch's Motion To Reconsider Guilty Plea In 'Geeks On Call' Case

Ryan J. Reilly | March 30, 2011, 10:17AM

Former U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch

A judge's decision to reject a request to reconsider former Bush administration official Scott Bloch's guilty plea because he didn't know he'd have to spend a minimum of a month behind bars is another indication the former head of the Office of Special Counsel is likely headed to prison. Bloch is due in federal court in D.C. for a sentencing hearing at 4 p.m. today.

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Abortion

Arizona Approves Nation's First Ban On Gender, Race Based Abortions

Jon Terbush | March 30, 2011, 8:37AM

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed on Tuesday a bill to criminalize abortions based on the race or sex of a fetus, making the state the first in the nation to do so.

The bill, H.B. 2443, makes it a felony for a doctor to perform such abortions, and a crime punishable by up to seven years in prison.

AZCentral reports:

The law allows the father of an aborted fetus - or, if the mother is a minor, the mother's parents - to take legal action against the doctor or other health-care provider who performed the abortion.

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Bradley Manning

911 Call Alleges Bradley Manning Threatened Stepmom With Knife

David Taintor | March 30, 2011, 8:31AM

Pfc. Bradley Manning

A Frontline investigation reveals that alleged Wikileaks source Pfc. Bradley Manning threatened his stepmother with a knife in 2006.

Manning's father, Brian Manning, in an interview with Frontline said the incident spawned from a discussion of Bradley Manning needing to follow house rules. Then things reached a boiling point, he said.

"My husband's 18-year-old son is out of control and just threatened me with a knife," Manning's stepmother told the 911 dispatcher. "And his father has just had surgery and he is down on the floor... Get away from him! You, get away from him! Get away from him!"

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New Black Panthers

DOJ Ethics Office: No Evidence That Politics, Race Influenced New Black Panther Party Case

Ryan J. Reilly | March 29, 2011, 6:05PM

Members of the New Black Panthers Party outside a polling place in Philadelphia, PA during the 2008 elections.

The Obama Justice Department did not improperly let politics or the race of the defendants affect the handling of a high-profile civil voter intimidation case against members of the New Black Panther Party, a probe by DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) concluded after an extensive investigation.

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Immigration

Man Charged With Trying To Sell Military Spy Plane On EBay

Jillian Rayfield | March 29, 2011, 5:39PM

Soldier holding unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) RQ-11 Raven

A foreign national was indicted yesterday for allegedly illegally importing an unmanned spy plane into the U.S., and then trying to resell it on eBay.

According to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, Henson Chua of the Philippines was indicted and charged by a grand jury in Tampa with violating the Arms Export Control Act and smuggling. Chua is accused of importing an RQ-11B "Raven" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from the Philippines into the U.S., which is listed on the U.S. Munitions List as a defensive item, "without having first obtained from the U.S. Department of State a license or written authorization." He then "aided and abetted the attempted export" of the same UAV.

U.S. arms code prohibits people from buying and selling defense equipment without permission from the government, primarily to prevent people from selling U.S.-manufactured equipment to foreign governments. But Chua managed to reverse the process.

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Jon Kyl

Jon Kyl To Muslim Group: Why Doesn't Your Website Condemn Violent Rhetoric? (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | March 29, 2011, 3:25PM

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) asked a representative of the group Muslim Advocates on Tuesday why the organization's website didn't specifically condemn violent rhetoric.

At the first Senate panel on the civil rights of Muslim-Americans, Kyl asked a representative of the group Muslim Advocates why their website didn't condemn rhetoric aimed at other religious groups.

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J. Christian Adams

Ex-DOJer: Friends Reminded Me Of Mother Teresa's Advice When I Resigned Over Black Panthers

Ryan J. Reilly | March 29, 2011, 1:35PM

J. Christian Adams, former Department of Justice attorney

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Despite his constant criticism of his ex-employer, former Justice Department lawyer J. Christian Adams said this weekend that he developed a "tight camaraderie" with employees in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division who were "not insane."

It was when he spoke to those friends about his decision to resign from the Justice Department because of handling of an investigation into a voter intimidation case against members of the New Black Panther Party that Adams said he was "reminded by [sic] a story of Mother Teresa."

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Andrew Breitbart

Andrew Breitbart Says He's 'Excited' For Shirley Sherrod Lawsuit, Claims It's All About Pigford

Ryan J. Reilly | March 29, 2011, 11:50AM

Andrew Breitbart

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Andrew Breitbart says he still stands by everything he's said about Shirley Sherrod, the former U.S.D.A. official who filed a lawsuit against him charging he defamed her by "publishing an intentionally false and misleading clip" that damaged her reputation.

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Muslim-Americans

Durbin: King, Gingrich Statements On Muslims Create 'Fertile Climate For Discrimination'

Ryan J. Reilly | March 29, 2011, 11:12AM

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Sen. Dick Durbin said Tuesday that statements from a "chorus of harsh voices" -- specifically Rep. Peter King (R-NY), former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Rev. Franklin Graham -- create "a fertile climate for discrimination" against American Muslims.

Durbin is chairing the first-ever congressional hearing on the civil rights of American Muslims, which the Illinois Democrat's office said was held in response to the "rise in anti-Muslim bigotry over the last year including Quran burnings, restrictions on mosque construction, hate crimes, hate speech, and other forms of discrimination."

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Bill Sammon

Fox News Bureau Chief: I Thought It Was 'Far-Fetched' When I Speculated Obama Is A Socialist

Jillian Rayfield | March 29, 2011, 10:28AM

Reporter Bill Sammon

In 2009, current Fox News DC Bureau Chief Bill Sammon admitted that he didn't really believe charges that Obama was a "socialist" when he encouraged Fox News staff to use the term. But, he claims, he soon realized it was true.

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DOMA

Some Deportations Of Bi-National Same-Sex Couples Put On Hold

Jillian Rayfield | March 28, 2011, 6:31PM

The U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service confirmed Monday that it has temporarily put some deportations of partners in same-sex marriages on hold if they could be affected by the recent Department of Justice decision to no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act.

Chris Bentley, Press Secretary for the USCIS said in a statement: "USCIS has issued guidance to the field asking that related cases be held in abeyance while awaiting final guidance related to distinct legal issues."

DOMA forbids the government from recognizing and granting the same rights to same-sex couples, so foreign-born partners in same-sex marriages who would otherwise be eligible for green cards frequently get deported.

The DOJ announced last month that part of DOMA is unconstitutional and it would no longer defend it in court.

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FOIA

DHS Process Of Vetting FOIA Request 'Bananas!' Says Insider

Melissa Jeltsen | March 28, 2011, 4:38PM

Obama administration appointees in the Department of Homeland Security purposely stonewalled Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by journalists and citizens, according to emails obtained by The Associated Press. This disclosure comes days before Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is to hold an oversight hearing on the agency's handing of FOIAs -- including the claim that information requests were vetted for political reasons.

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Kenneth Kratz

No Criminal Charges For 'Sexting' Former WI District Attorney

Jillian Rayfield | March 28, 2011, 3:28PM

Calumet County DA Kenneth Kratz

The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced Monday that former District Attorney Kenneth Kratz won't face criminal charges over his alleged "sexting" of several women, some of them victims of domestic abuse whose cases Kratz was handling.

The DOJ said it investigated 15 complaints from "different females who alleged improprieties that warranted further investigation," eight of which involved an "identifiable criminal offense," but "prosecutors have concluded that they can not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed a specific violation of a criminal law."

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True The Vote

Tea Party-Backed Anti-Voter Fraud Effort Touts Non-Partisanship At First National Conference

Ryan J. Reilly | March 28, 2011, 3:25PM

Anita Moncrief and Christian Adams

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- When you talk about conservatives who rail against the supposed scourge of voter fraud and support voter identification laws that many expert say depress turnout among Democratic-leaning constituencies, there's a few big names that invariably come up.

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