David Rouzer 'a solid conservative voice' -- Former Pantano staffer Andy Yates.

 
Staff photo by Allison Potter

Senator David Rouzer greets supporters and media at an

Open House for his New Hanover County headquarters.

 By Verne Strickland / August 4, 2012

Recently I interviewed Andy Yates via our USA DOT COM telephone hook-up from his home in Huntersville, NC, near Charlotte. Yates worked in behalf of Ilario Pantano of Wilmington through several bruising political campaigns. Pantano was the District's GOP nominee in 2010, but couldn't take down Democrat incumbent Mike McIntyre, who squeezed by in a nail-biter. Pantano had come close to pulling off the upset of the year. Pantano was not able to overcome 2012 primary challenger David Rouzer in the run-up to the November General Elections. A State Senator from Johnston County, Rouzer is preparing to face Mike McIntyre in November 2012. I asked conservative political consultant Andy Yates but one question: Who is David Rouzer?

"In  the spirit of full disclosure I was a Pantano guy for a long time, and always will be, but we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. I’ve known Sen. Rouzer for a long time, dating back to when he ran for Commissioner of Agriculture in 2000. He is a dedicated working guy and will make a great congressman.

I’m not going to agree with anybody 100% of the time, but he will be a solid conservative. I don’t think you can work with Jesse Helms for as long as he did without being a solid conservative. I think he’ll work hard to represent the whole district, although he knows he has some work to do in some areas, and he will do that. When he gets to Congress he will work hard to get things done, and he is familiar with what needs to go into effective leadership there. I feel that Republicans across the Seventh District who may not know him well at this time will grow to like and support him in time. 

"David Rouzer has been a solid conservative voice in the State Senate, where he was especially active on social issues. He has been a leader in the fight in Raleigh – not just someone who sits on the back row and only shows up to vote. Especially over the last two years, when we have tried to right all the wrongs that the Democrats brought to the State Legislature, David has been in the front ranks of the battle. In Raleigh, as we know, he has won lots of praise for his work ethic and strong conservative record.

"One of the great positives of the Republican Congressional Primary in the Seventh District was that we had a choice between two candidates who each pledged to go to Washington and create positive change. Senator Rouzer was chosen for the mission, and he is shaping up to be a tough opponent for McIntyre to take on.

"I know people have had some concerns with David over the immigration issue, and we’re not going to agree with everybody over everything. But hands down he will be greater asset to the District than Mike McIntyre, who talks like Jesse and votes like Nancy. What Mike does is he masquerades as a conservative to his constituents, but does what he thinks is best for him. He’ll tell you he will vote to repeal Obamacare, that he will vote to do away with the estate tax, and fight for traditional values, but he just disappears into the Democratic partisan crowd in Washington and totally goes against his word.

"I think we have in David Rouzer a conservative with all the right stuff, who will speak his mind and vote his heart. We don’t need to look any further than the enthusiastic endorsement of Ilario Pantano who has pledged he will do whatever he can, not only because Ilario is a gentleman, but because he knows we need a new congressman in the district, and knows David  will be a dramatic improvement over Mike McIntyre. Both David and Ilario have moved past the primary, and I know that their alliance will be good for the party.

With David in Congress, we’ll have no more Mike McIntyre stunts like a taxpayer-funded party in Italy with his wife on their wedding anniversary, then after he comes comes back to North Carolina he uses campaign funds to buy Panther tickets for his wife and his children, and reimburses his wife tax-paid dollars for personal expenses. There’s nothing honest or honorable about that. Mike is just up there to just have a good time and not really do a whole lot. It’s past time for a change."

AUGUST 4 -- SUPER SATURDAY is launch day for GOP VICTORY 2012 in NC

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / August 4, 2012

 

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

AUGUST 3, 2012

Important Dates and Election Information

September 7, 2012 - Absentee ballots ready for General Election October 12, 2012, 5pm - Voter registration deadline for November 6 General Election. Forms must be postmarked or delivered in person by 5:00 pm *Individuals who miss the registration deadline may register in person and then vote at one-stop voting sites in the person’s county of residence during the one-stop absentee voting period (October 18-November 3). In order to register during a one-stop period, the applicant must show acceptable proof of name and residence in the county. October 18, 2012 - One-stop absentee voting begins for General Election; modified full-time county board offices remain open five days each week October 30, 2012 - Last day to request absentee ballots in writing (exceptions due to sickness or disability) November 3, 2012 - One-stop absentee voting ends November 5, 2012, 5pm - Deadline to request absentee ballots for sickness/disability is 5:00 pm November 5, 2012, 5pm - Absentee ballots must be received in CBE office by 5:00 p.m. If mailed, returned absentee ballots will still be timely if postmarked on or before Election Day, and received no later than 5:00 pm on November 9, 2012. November 6, 2012, 6:30am - 7:30pm  General Election Day November 16, 2012 - Canvass Day for county boards of elections  For more information on events, please see our on line calendar

THIS IS SUPER SATURDAY!

On Saturday, August 4, volunteers from across the country will be joining together for a massive door-to-door and phone-banking operation. This will be a huge day in North Carolina, and we’re counting on you to help get the word out!  Sign up today and our local Victory staff will contact you with ways to get involved. There are less than 98 days until the November presidential election, which gives us less than 2,360 hours to defeat President Obama and Walter Dalton. That's less than 2,360 hours to call voters, knock on doors, and recruit supporters all across this great state. That gives us less than 2,360 hours to regain a #RedNC.  Sign up now to get involved in our Victory efforts across the state! You can help us by signing up today for a Super Saturday door-walk or phone-bank 3-hour shift anytime between 9am-9pm. Simply click the image below, enter your contact information, and your local Regional Field Director will contact you with information on how to get involved with our Victory efforts. There are less than 2,360 hours left to defeat President Obama and #BevPart2. Will you volunteer for a three hour shift on 8/4 at one of your local Victory centers and help us ensure victory this November?

Sales Tax Holiday Message from Pat McCrory

This weekend is the state sales tax holiday, a time to buy the things you normally buy, only tax-free. Unfortunately, Walter Dalton agrees with Governor Perdue and wants to raise your taxes every other day of the year. If elected, he promises to increase the sales tax by 15%! 15%! We can't let that happen. At a time when North Carolina is struggling to create jobs and get out of this recession, we should be finding ways to save you money and grow this economy, not tax you more.       I want you to keep more of your money in your own pocket, not give it to the government. After all, you know how to spend your money better than Lt. Governor Dalton and Governor Perdue. Every day should be a holiday from Governor Perdue and Walter Dalton's 15% sales tax increase. The only way we’re going to lower taxes and fix this broken economy is with new, honest leadership in the governor’s office. If you agree, please take a moment to click here and share this video with your friends. Pat McCrory

Gay faith leader not too hot on 'kiss-in' strategy.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / August 3, 2012

Posted: Aug 03, 2012 4:36 PM EDT Updated: Aug 03, 2012 4:36 PM EDT

By: WECT Staff - email

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT/AP) – Gay rights activists were kissing at Chick-fil-A stores across the
country Friday, just days after the company set a sales record when customers flocked to the restaurant to show support for the fast-food chain president's opposition to gay marriage.

The movements stem from a statement made by Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy last month. Cathy told a religious publication that the company backed "the biblical definition of a family."

The statement sparked controversy among gay marriage supporters, who planned the so-called kiss-in protests.

Greg McCaw, a gay community faith leader in Wilmington, grabbed the attention of others in the gay community when he wrote a blog saying he does not believe same sex couples should protest Chick-fil-A by kissing in the restaurants.

"I believe the gay community has come miles especially in the past few years," said McCaw. "I think we have to be really careful about the message we send. The kissing for me. The idea has the potential of bringing back negative stereotypes for the community. Things that the ultra conservative right tell one another to make themselves fear us."

TR Nunley, the president for Wilmington Pride said he believes the national kissing campaign will help more than hurt. And despite Wilmington Pride not officially participating, individuals are encouraged to make their own decision.

McCaw says he believes there should be some type of boycott against Chick-fil-A, but since the franchise is not refusing to serve those who are gay he'd like groups to target the company in a different way.

"I think we need to make sure our message goes forward, but it goes forward with dignity, respect, and class," explained McCaw. "The action of Chick-fil-A doesn't warrant us to harm their business directly in anyway. We simply take our resources move them elsewhere to other restaurants that do not particularly give money to hate groups."

To counter the demonstration, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee declared Wednesday a Chick-fil-A appreciation day.

Palin: Chick-fil-A owner 'getting crucified'

'TASTES LIKE CROW' -- GAY PROTESTORS AFTER CHICK-FIL-A'S BIG DAY?

 Verne Strickland Blogmaster / August 2, 2012

  

Sarah and Todd Palin at a Chick-fil-A restaurant 
on July 27, 2012. (Credit: http://www.facebook.com/sarahpalin)

 By Leigh Ann Caldwell   CBS News   Campaign 2012

(CBS News) On "Chick-fil-A appreciation day," a day organized by
leading conservatives, Sarah Palin comes to the fast-food chain's
defense for "their support of traditional marriage."

Palin defended Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy for stating that the fast-food chain believes in "the biblical definition of the family unit."

"I am speaking up for him, and his First Amendment rights, and anybody else who would wish to express their not anti-gay people sentiment, but their support for traditional marriage, which President Obama and Joe Biden they both supported the exact same thing until just a few months ago when Obama had to flip flop to shore up the homosexual voter base," Palin said during an interview with Fox News Tuesday night.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee called for "Chick-fil-A appreciation day" after plans for protests and boycotts of the chicken sandwich chain emerged and after some mayors vowed to block the restaurant.

"Calling for that boycott has a chilling effect on our First Amendment rights," Palin said Tuesday, adding that Cathy was "basically getting crucified" over his comments.

"He merely voiced his personal opinion about supporting traditional definition of marriage. One boy, one girl, falling in love, getting married," she added.

Leigh Ann Caldwell

Leigh Ann Caldwell is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.

Chick-fil-A protests fizzle after Christian restaurant chain's record turn-out

Customers stand in line for a Chick-fil-A meal at
the chain's restaurant in Wichita, Kan., on 
Wednesday. Aug. 1, 2012. 

By Verne Strickland, Aug. 2, 2012 


Chick-fil-A's huge nationwide victory celebration on Wednesday, August 1, was answered by but a whimper of protests against the popular Christian restaurant chain.

With former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee leading the charge, "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" warmed the hearts and filled the tummies of Christians who flocked to CEO Dan Cathy's popular fast-food eateries everywhere.

With my wife Durrene as my audio assistant and soul-mate, I took to the streets Wednesday to see what the fuss was all about. Having lunch at the attractive, spit-and-polish clean Chick-Fil-A franchise on Wilmington's Oleander Drive was satisfying (from the good food) and uplifting (joining the friendly Christian throng which had gathered.)

We took our USA DOT COM microphones into the happy fray to gather interviews for this report:

Bill Sue, chairman, Brunswick County Board of Commissioners

"I’m here to support the conservative Christian movement to support the president of ChikFilA in taking a stand for what the Bible teaches. I think this whole thing has really backfired against the protestors. I hope it has. Anything we can do to support Christianity will have an effect, and God's still in control.

Vince Miselli, Leland, conservative community activist

"Man, I came here to raise hell today and support a man who speaks his mind and believes in his rights to freedom of speech and religion. I’m delighted to see this place packed and a long line of cars around the business. It’s great. I’m so happy about it. I hope all this activity and excitement goes right to Mr. Cathy’s bottom line."

Lynn Bowen, Delco 

The Christian values that this represents is going to have a great impact on young people. Look at the young people working behind this counter. They’ll know that this company and this country support Christian values. My friends and I turned out to support this business, and the philosophy of the company's leaders. I resent the other side stepping on my rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution of our country.

I am here to support this band the philosophy of the founder of this business. And my right to free speech and Christian values. I resent the other side stepping on my rights that are guaranteed by the constitution of this country. 

Charles Tomlinson, Oak Island 

"My wife and I came here today In support of Mr. Cathy and his organization. We support their Christian beliefs that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. It was just stupid for the mayor of Boston and Chicago and San Francisco came out and tried to defame Chick-fil-A just for their Christian faith.Mr. Cathy is so courageous for standing up for his Christian faith and his rights. We have this little handful of people that try to rule everything, and it’s time for the Christian community to speak out for what the majority believes in. What makes this country great is for these individual entrepreneurs to get out here and work to make things go. Obama says the government helped them but that’s not so" 

***************************

Everyone wasn't happy, of course. There were scattered protests in the Cape Fear Region and elsewhere. In Alabama, a reporter issued a newsbrief that might sum up the sentiments of the same-sex marriage contingent on Chick-fil-A National Appreciation Day.


"Andrew, a gay 24-year-old who has been working at the northern Alabama Chick-fil-A since January, sat in his car smoking a cigarette and watching the crowd during a break earlier Wednesday.

"'I call it hater appreciation day,' said Andrew, who asked that his last name be withheld out of fear he'd be fired. 'It's very, very depressing.'"


USA DOT COM friends: Please drop a short note of appreciation and support to Mike Voorheis of StarNews, who has done two great local stories on the Chik-fil-A phenomenon. Here's how to reach him:

Mike.Voorheis@StarNewsOnline.com

Thanks!

Biscuits with a side of political statements at local Chick-fil-A!

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / August 1, 2012

GREAT JOB ON YOUR STORY, MIKE VOORHEIS!

By Mike Voorheis
Mike.Voorheis@StarNewsOnline.com

Published: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 10:46 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 10:46 a.m.

Cars with windshield wipers swishing back and forth lined up around the Chick-fil-A on Oleander Drive for Wednesday morning breakfast.

Inside, a group of three paramedics sat at a table, finishing their chicken biscuits and chatting casually. They were there to eat breakfast, not to make a statement, one said.
On the day that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee asked fast-food eaters to rally behind Chick-fil-A CEO Dan T. Cathy and his statement supporting the "biblical definition" of marriage, there was no uproar at the Oleander restaurant.
Nobody picketed outside during the rainy morning hours, and there was no line of gay supporters ordering water and nofilthing else, an idea hatched on YouTube to nibble away at Chick-fil-A's daily profit.
But there were some eating biscuits in support of Cathy.
Armond Weatherly jumped into his appliance truck and verified that he supports Cathy's stance on gay marriage.
"I'm against it myself," he said.
Inside, a group of four white-haired men sat at a table, awaiting their fifth.
"We want to support Mr. Cathy and his stand on the Bible," said Bill Stines of Wilmington. "I think it's time that Christians stood up."
Dan Grimsley, seated at the same table, mostly agreed.
"It's not strictly religious to me," he said. "It's this ‘in-the-face' attitude."
Stines, a Baptist who grew up in the North Carolina mountains, said he doesn't "condemn" homosexuals; he disagrees with their lifestyle. He blamed the media for advancing a liberal agenda.
"The news media today is killing faith in God, all in the name of diversity," he said.
TR Nunley is president of Wilmington Pride, a group dedicated to promoting equality for those living alternative lifestyles. On Tuesday, Nunley didn't know of any planned Chick-Fil-A protests in Wilmington.
Mike Voorheis: 343-2205
On Twitter: @StarNewsOnline

Rouzer poll shows tight race in 7th Congressional District. Candidates sniping.

Cape Fear Watchdog$ 

Monday, July 30, 2012 at 11:17 by Pat Gannon

This post has been updated with reaction from McIntyre’s campaign.

State Sen. David Rouzer’s congressional campaign released the results of a poll Monday showing a tight race with Mike McIntyre in the 7^th Congressional District, but a McIntyre spokesman characterized the release as a “weak attempt” to try to reverse the incumbent’s momentum.

The poll showed 44 percent of voters favor McIntyre, a Lumberton Democrat, in the November election, while 40 percent support Rouzer, a Johnston County Republican. About 15 percent were undecided.
Conducted last week, the Public Opinion Strategies survey of 400 likely voters in the district has a margin of error of 4.9 percent, causing the pollsters to deem the race a “statistical dead heat.”

“Voters in Southeastern North Carolina are tired of politicians in Washington spending money we don’t have on programs that aren’t working and they recognize that Congressman McIntyre is part of the problem,” said Rouzer spokeswoman Jessica Wood in a prepared statement.

The poll also showed that 81 percent of the likely voters disapprove of the job Congress is doing.

The Rouzer campaign declined to release details of the poll results, such as party affiliations of those surveyed or the exact questions or order they were asked, making it difficult to determine the significance of the results. The McIntyre campaign hasn’t released results of its polls.

Responding to the poll release, McIntyre spokesman Lachlan McIntosh said the Rouzer campaign is in a “free fall” and characterized the poll as “weak attempt to try and change the overwhelming amount of support that is continuing to build” for McIntyre.

He cited McIntyre’s fundraising advantage and recruitment of nearly 200 volunteers, who have made tens of thousands of phone calls.

“Sen. Rouzer has failed on nearly every front to mount a credible campaign thus far, and our campaign is moving ahead to always put people over politics and issues over ideology,” McIntosh wrote in a prepared statement.

Wood, from Rouzer’s campaign, said that response was expected because “there really is no response they could have to a challenger closing the gap this early in the race.”
Rouzer is challenging McIntyre in the 7th district, which includes all or parts of 12 Southeastern North Carolina counties.

Photos reveal Obama marched with Black Panthers in 2007. Cozy enough for you?

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / July 31, 2012

• New Black Panther Party
• October 3, 2011
• By: Joe Newby  Examiner.com

Photo shows Barack Obama addressing Black Panthers at same podium used by Malik Zulu Shabazz

Credits: big government.com

Related topics

• New Black Panther Party
• Obama
• voter intimidation case
• Eric Holder
• Photos
• J. Christian Adams

How close are the ties between Barack Obama and the New Black Panther Party?
Andrew Breitbart of Big Government released shocking photos of candidate Obama campaigning and marching with members of the radical group in Selma, AL, in 2007.
The images show Obama sharing a podium with Malik Zulu Shabazz, one of the defendants in the voter intimidation case that was dismissed by Attorney General Eric Holder.
Breitbart reports the photos were "captured from a Flickr photo-sharing account before it was scrubbed," and proves - again - that the so-called mainstream media (known here as the Democrat-media complex) failed to "examine Obama’s extremist ties and radical roots" in the 2008 campaign.
He adds:

In addition, the new images raise questions about the possible motives of the Obama administration in its infamous decision to drop the prosecution of the Panthers for voter intimidation.

A new book by former DOJ attorney J. Christian Adams, Injustice: Exposing the Racial Agenda of the Obama Justice Department (Regnery), is scheduled to be released Tuesday.
The book, according to Breitbart, "exposes Obama administration corruption far beyond the Panther dismissal, and reveals how the institutional Left has turned the power of the DOJ into an ideological weapon."

Adam's book also describes, in detail, the Selma march at which then-Senator Obama was joined by a group of Panthers who had come to support his candidacy.

Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin wrote an endorsement of the book praising Adam's patriotism and courage:

“Christian Adams is a truth-teller, whistle-blower, and American patriot. With great courage and investigative skill, this former Department of Justice attorney single-handedly exposes how Barack Obama and Eric Holder have systematically perverted the rule of law—for patently unjust, un-American, race-based ends. Adams witnessed first-hand the hijacking of the DOJ by radical leftist ideologues and interest groups. Now he reveals everything: the full story of Holder’s coddling of New Black Panther Party poll thugs, corruption run amok in the Civil Rights Division, open borders advocacy, selective law enforcement, and much more. If you care about justice for all, Injustice is hands-down the most important book you’ll read this year.”

Breitbart says there are even more photographs.
One of the photos included in Injustice shows the Panthers marching behind then-Senator Obama with the raised-fist "Black Power" salute.
In December 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder called the voter intimidation case a "made-up controversy" and claimed the department acted within the law.
“The notion that this made-up controversy leads to a belief that this Justice Department is not color-blind in enforcement of civil rights laws is simply not supported by the facts,” he said. “All I have on my side with regard to that is the facts and the law.”
Adams, however, strongly disagreed, and resigned from the department. In June 2010, he wrote:

On the day President Obama was elected, armed men wearing the black berets and jackboots of the New Black Panther Party were stationed at the entrance to a polling place in Philadelphia. They brandished a weapon and intimidated voters and poll watchers. After the election, the Justice Department brought a voter-intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party and those armed thugs. I and other Justice attorneys diligently pursued the case and obtained an entry of default after the defendants ignored the charges. Before a final judgment could be entered in May 2009, our superiors ordered us to dismiss the case.
The New Black Panther case was the simplest and most obvious violation of federal law I saw in my Justice Department career. Because of the corrupt nature of the dismissal, statements falsely characterizing the case and, most of all, indefensible orders for the career attorneys not to comply with lawful subpoenas investigating the dismissal, this month I resigned my position as a Department of Justice (DOJ) attorney.

While Holder maintains there's "no there, there," the photos certainly suggest the opposite.
Breitbart adds:

Obama seems not to be reviled by the Panthers in any of the video or photographs. And Obama’s own campaign website would post an endorsement by the New Black Panther Party in March 2008. As Adams writes in Injustice:
Somehow, the fact that the future President of the United States shared a podium with leaders of the New Black Panthers, marched with them, and received a public, formal greeting from their party has vanished from the history of Obama’s campaign. Apart from [Juan] Williams’ single dispatch, no other media outlets ever reported it.
After NPR initially reported that the Panthers were present at the event with Obama, subsequent reports from Selma omitted any mention of the hate group appearing with the future President.

Malkin adds that had a conservative done what Obama did, the media's reaction would have been much different:

As Adams, who dug up video and photographic evidence of the Obama/NBPP event at the National Voting Rights Museum, observes in Injustice: “One can only imagine the media firestorm that would have erupted if a Republican presidential candidate had marched next to a racist hate group.”
Yes, there would have been a veritable stoning.

Breitbart notes that no one is suggesting "Obama is a secret member of the New Black Panther Party." But the photos do raise several questions. He concludes:

What did he and Malik Zulu Shabazz say when they conversed that day–something that Shabazz has said happened?
Did the Obama campaign play any role in having the Panthers travel to support his presidential ambitions?
Who posted the Panthers’ endorsement on the Obama campaign’s website, and at whose instructions?
Who–finally–was the Malik Shabazz who visited the White House residence on July 25, 2009?

Inquiring minds deserve to know the answers to these questions.
-----------------------------------------------------------
If you like this article, you can follow Joe on Twitter @jnewby1956, visit his Facebook page, or click the Subscribe button to receive email updates when a new article is published.

Suggested by the author:

• Eric Holder: Black Panther voter intimidation case "made-up controversy"
• Eric Holder: Focus on Black Panther voter intimidation case demeans 'my people'
• Rep. Allen West calls for removal of Attorney General Eric Holder
• Eric Holder calls Martin Luther King father of Environmental Justice
• Tim Pawlenty calls on Eric Holder to resign

New Hanover officials warn of whooping cough outbreak.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / July 31, 2012

Submitted by Katie Harden on Tue, 07/31/2012 - 4:26pm.READ MORE:

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- Most parents keep a close eye on their children, making sure to keep them safe and healthy. Now, though, some parents are worried their direct contact with their children may make them sick.

The CDC says an outbreak of whooping cough is sweeping the country, and it may be closer than you think. The highly contagious disease has infected 17,000 people nationwide already this year and has the potential to kill.

"This is unprecedented," pediatrician Dr. David Hill said. "We're already at twice the number of cases that we've seen in any year since the late 1950s, and it's definitely hitting home."

The New Hanover County Health Department says there have been 366 cases of whooping cough in North Carolina this year, and two of those confirmed cases are in the county.

The disease is especially harmful to young children who can catch the cough from caregivers.
Health care professional say you can keep the disease away, though, by getting vaccinated.

"Make sure that your children and and everybody that cares for your children has been properly immunized," Dr. Hill said.

Some caregivers say they were unaware that even if they already had the vaccine, they may need a booster. One grandmother says Medicare does not cover the shot, so she's trying to figure out how to pay. But she agrees the money would be well spent to keep her grandson healthy.

"No matter what it costs, it would be worth it to keep this little guy protected," Hope Hickam said.
The state of North Carolina is trying to help with some of the financial concerns. You can get the pertussis vaccine booster for free. For more information contact your doctor or county health department.

Thank God for dogs!

Federal Court finds Obama appointees interfered with New Black Panther prosecution.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / July 30, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Conn Carroll   July 30, 2012

Senior Editorial Writer @conncarroll

The Washington Examiner

 A federal court in Washington, DC, held last week that political appointees appointed by President Obama did interfere with the Department of Justice’s prosecution of the New Black Panther Party.

The ruling came as part of a motion by the conservative legal watch dog group Judicial Watch, who had sued the DOJ in federal court to enforce a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for documents pertaining to the the New Black Panthers case. Judicial Watch had secured many previously unavailable documents through their suit against DOJ and were now suing for attorneys’ fees.

Obama’s DOJ had claimed Judicial Watch was not entitled to attorney’s fees since “none of the records produced in this litigation evidenced any political interference whatsoever in” how the DOJ handled the New Black Panther Party case. But United States District Court Judge Reggie Walton disagreed. Citing a “series of emails” between Obama political appointees and career Justice lawyers, Walton writes:

The documents reveal that political appointees within DOJ were conferring about the status and resolution of the New Black Panther Party case in the days preceding the DOJ’s dismissal of claims in that case, which would appear to contradict Assistant Attorney General Perez’s testimony that political leadership was not involved in that decision. Surely the public has an interest in documents that cast doubt on the accuracy of government officials’ representations regarding the possible politicization of agency decision-making.
…
In sum, the Court concludes that three of the four fee entitlement factors weigh in favor of awarding fees to Judicial Watch. Therefore, Judicial Watch is both eligible and entitled to fees and costs, and the Court must now consider the reasonableness of Judicial Watch’s requested award.

The New Black Panthers case stems from a Election Day 2008 incident where two members of the New Black Panther Party were filmed outside a polling place intimidating voters and poll watchers by brandishing a billy club. Justice Department lawyers investigated the case, filed charges, and when the Panthers failed to respond, a federal court in Philadelphia entered a “default” against all the Panthers defendants. But after Obama was sworn in, the Justice Department reversed course, dismissed charges against three of the defendants, and let the fourth off with a narrowly tailored restraining order.

“The Court’s decision is another piece of evidence showing the Obama Justice Department is run by individuals who have a problem telling the truth,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. “The decision shows that we can’t trust the Obama Justice Department to fairly administer our nation’s voting and election laws.”
UPDATE: An earlier version of this post reported that the decision was released today. It was released last week.

 

Arizona 20-week abortion ban upheld by judge. Jan Brewer for President!

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / July 30, 2012

Follow:

Jan Brewer, Video, Abortion-20-Weeks, Arizona 20 Week Abortion Ban, Arizona 20 Week Ban, Arizona Abortion Ban, Arizona Abortion Law, Politics News

 

 

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in a file photo, Wednesday, April 25, 2012. 

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) 

 

 

A federal judge in Arizona decided on Monday to allow a law that bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy to go into effect on August 2. The law, which Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed in April, includes a narrow exception in cases where the life of the mother is at risk, but no exception for non-fatal threats to the woman's health.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law in court on behalf of three Arizona physicians, argued that it violates the 1992 Supreme Court decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that says states cannot ban abortion before the fetus is viable outside the womb. Fetuses are considered viable around 22 or 23 weeks of gestation.
U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg sided with the state and denied the ACLU's request to block the law, ruling that the 20-week ban is just a restriction on abortion, rather than a full ban, because it includes an exception for the life of the mother.
"H.B. 2036 does not purport to ban all abortions past 20 weeks gestational age. Further, the statute allows for abortions up to and including 20 weeks gestational age," Teilborg wrote in his decision. "As such, H.B. 2036 is not a ban on previability abortions, but is rather a limit on some previability abortions between 20 weeks gestational age and viability."
The ACLU plans to file an emergency appeal of the decision immediately to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, the ACLU attorney who argued the case, said Teilborg's interpretation of Casey is "just wrong on its face."
"For almost 40 years, the law has been that you cannot ban previability abortions, and that's exactly what Arizona did," she told The Huffington Post. "We are very confident that the court will see it that way."

Also on HuffPost:

Star-News reader questions validity of McIntyre's 'conservative' voting record.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster /  July 30, 2012

 

 

 

Letters to the editor, July 12, 2012J

Published: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 8:20 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 8:20 p.m.

McIntyre’s true colors

Over the next few months we the voters will be hearing a lot about an issue that needs some insight. That is Rep. Mike McIntyre’s “conservative” voting record. The first vote members of Congress will take next January says more about a Congressman’s ideology than anything they can try to convince you of. That vote will be for their choice of who wields the gavel of the speaker. That vote is for their choice for the direction of this country over the next two years.

McIntyre likes to talk conservative and vote like it when granted permission but his vote for Speaker Nacny Pelosi in 2013 (should he get away with another election) means that he’d rather side with one of the most socially liberal and fiscally reckless members of the U.S. House than the conservatives he claims to align with.

Should McIntyre win a ninth term, his vote for Speaker translates into higher taxes, more bureaucratic red tape on small business and more debt. McIntyre has had his chances in the past to switch party affiliations and he has had eight chances to cast a vote for conservative leadership.

He has conned us with his conservative disguise far too long. Vote David Rouzer in November and at the very least cast Southeastern North Carolina’s vote for conservative leadership and a sustainable economically social future for our children. McIntyre may not support Obama but Obama will support McIntyre. Your vote for McIntyre or against Rouzer tells us about which direction you want the country to go.

John Martin, Wilmington NC

Letters to the editor, July 12, 2012

Published: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 8:20 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 8:20 p.m.

McIntyre’s true colors<.b>

Over the next few months we the voters will be hearing a lot about an issue that needs some insight. That is Rep. Mike McIntyre’s “conservative” voting record. The first vote members of Congress will take next January says more about a Congressman’s ideology than anything they can try to convince you of. That vote will be for their choice of who wields the gavel of the speaker. That vote is for their choice for the direction of this country over the next two years.

McIntyre likes to talk conservative and vote like it when granted permission but his vote for Speaker Nacny Pelosi in 2013 (should he get away with another election) means that he’d rather side with one of the most socially liberal and fiscally reckless members of the U.S. House than the conservatives he claims to align with.

Should McIntyre win a ninth term, his vote for Speaker translates into higher taxes, more bureaucratic red tape on small business and more debt. McIntyre has had his chances in the past to switch party affiliations and he has had eight chances to cast a vote for conservative leadership.

He has conned us with his conservative disguise far too long. Vote David Rouzer in November and at the very least cast Southeastern North Carolina’s vote for conservative leadership and a sustainable economically social future for our children. McIntyre may not support Obama but Obama will support McIntyre. Your vote for McIntyre or against Rouzer tells us about which direction you want the country to go.