DiNardo caught in a BIG FAT LIE

Seems like someone at State Central has some explaining to do...

Two weeks ago the CT Post reported Nancy DiNardo ruling out a possible Lamont run.

Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate, is apparently not interested in running for Congress, she said.

"After reading that Ned would be considering it, I spoke with him and he said it was not true,” DiNardo said.

A few of us here at CTLP were skeptical about DiNardo’s version of events.

I disagree. I’d bet money that Lamont is at least considering a run, actually I’d go as far as to say he’s sowing the seeds for an ‘08 campaign. Last week Lamont sent out an email to his supporters, he’s hired back TParty part time to do online work with him, and this weekend he took questions via live blog at FireDogLake. During the FDL chat several people asked Lamont about running and he never responded to the question. I feel like if Ned wasn’t at least considering it, he’d have said so.

I’d like to know one way or the other, and frankly I don’t trust Nancy DiNardo’s say-so.

This afternoon I spoke to Ned Lamont at the COW meeting in Wesport. He has no recollection of speaking with DiNardo about running in the 4th district. She certainly didn’t call him to ask about it. Lamont also told me that while he is disinclined to run in the 4th, he also hasn’t ruled it out. My impression is that he’s waiting to see if someone else steps up to the plate.

Perhaps Nancy DiNardo was just confused. I’d hate to think she was actively trying to squash a potential Lamont run, especially since Democrats have a pressing need for a candidate to challenge Shays.

Could someone in the media ask DiNardo the obvious question please.

PPM baby!

Immigrant supporters in Danbury lash out against Mayor Boughton, announce immigration forum

On Thursday afternoon, Stop the Raids, a Danbury-based immigrant rights' group held a news conference to comment on their upcoming immigration forum this Sunday as well as the recent arrests by the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) at the Office of Adult Probation over the past few weeks.

Since the presser, a spokesperson for ICE disputed the number of individuals arrested stated by Maria-Cinta Lowe, executive director of the Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury.

Paula Grenier, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement, confirmed Thursday that ICE recently arrested three people on immigration law violations at Danbury's probation office.

She could not provide the dates the arrests were made.

Rhonda Stearley-Hebert, spokeswoman for the state Judicial Branch, which oversees probation offices throughout the state, also said there were three, not 12, arrests at the Danbury office.

"(ICE) was notified by probation. Now, these three individuals are in ICE custody and will have a hearing before a judge," Grenier said. "There were not 12 arrests."

Lowe responded by reiterated her statement about the arrest.

Lowe, executive director of the Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury and supporter of Stop the Raids, said family members of those arrested have contacted her over the past several days, and she is aware of at least nine cases that occurred at the Main Street probation office and at least three other arrests made elsewhere in Danbury.

"I don't make accusations without proof," she said. "(ICE) may want to minimize what they are doing."

Lowe released the names of five people she claims were arrested but declined to release more because she needed to time notify family members.

Questions surrounding Mayor Boughton's role in the entire immigration matter was a big topic of conversation and claims of Danbury turning into a "police state" with the probation department acting as federal immigration officers dominating the presser.

Several individuals such as Common Councilwoman Lynn Taborsak had no problem letting her feelings known about the mayor's activities and it's fair to say that I'll hear more comments about Boughton throughout the forum.


One thing is for certain, with the arrests of the individuals at the probation office as well as the recent arrest of Tereza Pereira, the level of emotion among those in the Hispanic and Latino immigrant community regarding this issue has intensified to a level I've not witnessed since the start of this site.

You quickly get a sense of anger and raw emotion among the supporters as you watch and listen to the tales of individuals who went through the ICE process in the following videoclip (run time aprox. 28 mins).


Over this weekend, in the lead up to the upcomming forum, I'll re-broadcast several immigration events that I've attended over the last two years as well as provide a brief timeline to how Danbury reached this point.

The Lieberman (D/I-CT) agony continues...

Hey kid, it does make sense...HE LIED.

As the press was called off by Lieberman’s handlers, a Wesleyan student who had attended the “No Child Left Behind” discussion that brought Lieberman to Hartford Friday, asked him why he changed his stance on the war after the election.

Mike Pernick said during his campaign Lieberman promised to bring the troops home as soon as possible and now he supports a plan to increase troop levels. “It doesn’t make sense,” Pernick said.

We told ya so.

Echoes of Lieberman in Clinton campaign

TParty thinks so and I'm in complete agreement.
Howard Wolfson=DANGERStein.

Vote for Joe

...Courtney.

Russ Feingold is kicking off another of his "Pick a Progressive Patriot" contests. Each of the candidates in the contest are individuals in Congress who won their elecion by small margins and will probably be involved in tough re-election fight in '08.

As you know, Congressman Courtney won his eleciton by the smallest of margins, which means that the Republicans are going to fight like hell to get that seat back. The winner of the contest will receive 5,000 from Fiengold's organization towards their re-election campaign.

Please take a monent, go to Feingold's site and vote for the good Joe.

So they support the troops?

SHAME!

Why did it take a Washington Post story to bring these problems at Walter Reed hospital to light?
Will the "Gun-ho" republcians in Congress care to explain themselves? AND HOW COULD SENATORS ON THE ARMED SERVICES COMMMITTEE DROP THE BALL and have our soilders living in such disgusting conditions!

...fucking insane.

Olbermann loves the drunk from New Milford

I just love it when the mainstream media picks up on a story which received it's buzz from the blogs.

It's even better when the blog that started it all is from Connecticut.


Here's where it all started. My favorite town drunk from New Milford picked up on an interesting story on a big-time Republican donor who was slapped with terrorism charges...well, I'll let him tell the story.

Ok... So the terrorism part first:

Terrorism charges brought Friday against the administrator of a loan investment program claimed that he secretly tried to send $152,000 to the Middle East to buy equipment such as night vision goggles for a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan.

Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, 53, of Ardsley, N.Y., pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Manhattan to an indictment accusing him of terrorism financing, material support of terrorism and other charges. The charges carried a potential penalty of 95 years in prison.

But would you really believe me if I told you he was a Republican?

CBS News has confirmed that Alishtari is a donor to the Republican Party, as he claims on his curriculum vitae. Alishtari gave $15,500 to the National Republican Campaign Committee between 2002 and 2004, according to Federal Election Commission records. That amount includes $13,000 in 2003, a year when he claims to have been named NRCC New York State Businessman of the Year.

Alishtari also claims to be a lifetime member of the National Republican Senate Committee's Inner Circle, which the NRCC describes as "an impressive cross-section of American society – community leaders, business executives, entrepreneurs, retirees, and sports and entertainment celebrities – all of whom hold a deep interest in our nation's prosperity and security."

The Republican party needs to be placed on "The List" of terrorist related organizations and watched very carefully.

It is pretty apparent that the FBI and Homeland Security are wasting their time watching us liberal/peacenik/Quaker/progressive/etc. types. Just ask Ken Krayeske...

The blogger does a follow-up on how the conservative media covered the story.

Late Update: Funny. TPM Reader B points out that the New York Post chose a rather different way of reporting this story. Their lede: "A Westchester businessman and purported peace activist was nabbed by the feds for allegedly plotting to funnel more than $150,000 to terrorists at training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan."

No mention of Republican ties. Let me know when they follow up ...

Don't' hold your breath, it's the New York Post.

Over the last 48 hours, that particular blog posting from received a great deal of attention from such national blogs as Crooks and Liars, Talking Points Memo, and Raw Story, which in turn gave this New York Story a great deal of national attention. Last night, Keith Olbermann grabbed the ball and gives this blog posting new legs. Take a look.

Make no mistake about it, the blogs pushed this story hard and it all started from a blogger from New Milford. As we approach the 2007 and 2008 elecitons, you'll see more blog postings from progressive blogs popping into the mainstream media. If the 2006 elections told bloggers anything, it's that if blogs generate loud enough of a buzz, the mainstream media will take notice.

Once again, People Powered Media strikes again...I'm buying that drunk a shot!

The forgotten war

Remember who brought down the towers (and remember how this president took his eye off the ball by going to Iraq)...

Feeling the love from Ohio

This governor from Ohio is a class act.

Gov. Ted Strickland delivered a message to President Bush Wednesday - don't send any refugees from the war in Iraq to our state. We also have a message for the governor - show a little compassion...

Strickland said Ohioans can't be expected to welcome these refugees with open arms...Though the state's economy is struggling, we don't think these refugees will place an undue burden on Ohio...

Besides, our country has a moral obligation to help foreigners who have helped us in time of war.

[...]

Strickland's comments are puzzling and downright uncharitable. If Ohio can't absorb a small number of refugees looking to escape war and find a better life for themselves and their children, then we've truly reached a sad state of affairs here.

Incredible.

New blog on the scene

The Hartford Independent Media Center just unleashed a new blog entitled "Undercurrents" Give it a read...it's pretty good.

Republican donor charged with assisting terrorists

Oh my. That drunk from New Milford hits a homerun.

Terrorism charges brought Friday against the administrator of a loan investment program claimed that he secretly tried to send $152,000 to the Middle East to buy equipment such as night vision goggles for a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan.

Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, 53, of Ardsley, N.Y., pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Manhattan to an indictment accusing him of terrorism financing, material support of terrorism and other charges. The charges carried a potential penalty of 95 years in prison.

But would you really believe me if I told you he was a Republican?

CBS News has confirmed that Alishtari is a donor to the Republican Party, as he claims on his curriculum vitae. Alishtari gave $15,500 to the National Republican Campaign Committee between 2002 and 2004, according to Federal Election Commission records. That amount includes $13,000 in 2003, a year when he claims to have been named NRCC New York State Businessman of the Year.

Alishtari also claims to be a lifetime member of the National Republican Senate Committee's Inner Circle, which the NRCC describes as "an impressive cross-section of American society - community leaders, business executives, entrepreneurs, retirees, and sports and entertainment celebrities - all of whom hold a deep interest in our nation's prosperity and security."

Let's take a look at how the conservative media is covering the story.

Late Update: Funny. TPM Reader B points out that the New York Post chose a rather different way of reporting this story. Their lede: "A Westchester businessman and purported peace activist was nabbed by the feds for allegedly plotting to funnel more than $150,000 to terrorists at training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan."

No mention of Republican ties. Let me know when they follow up ...

Sunday funnies

I'm taking a little time away from pposting to catch up on some video processing. While I'm off to the CTBloggerlab, here a videoclip I think you'll like.

Bloggers forum

I wanted to join this forum but I can't make it on the date. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that the event will be recorded...

(Yeah Colin, I stole this from you. I'm too tired to type this up morning).

Blog Nation, A Key Issues Forum

When:
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28, 08:00 AM - 09:30 AM

Where:
45 Church Street
Hartford, CT

Summary:
Hosted by the Hartford Courant, the discussion will feature: Matt Stoller of MyDD.com, a Washington-based blogging expert; Colin McEnroe, freelance columnist and blogger who teaches a course in blogging at Trinity College; and well-known Connecticut bloggers Caffeinated Geek Girl (CGG) and Genghis Conn. Tom Condon, The Courant’s Place editor and an admitted old-media type, will moderate the forum.

Description:
To reserve a seat at $20 per person, make check payable to The Hartford Courant and mail to: Key Issues Forum, The Hartford Courant, Corporate Affairs Department, 285 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115. There are several parking garages and lots within walking distance of the cathedral. Call The Courant at (860) 241-3614 with any questions.

Once dismissed as geeks in their pajamas, bloggers have blasted out of the basement to become a force in politics, fundraising and public policy.
Conservative bloggers caught Dan Rather using a phony military document about President George Bush's war record. Liberal bloggers drove the Howard Dean campaign in 2004, and are credited with pushing unknown candidate Ned Lamont to victory in last summer's Connecticut Democratic Senate primary. The Hartford Courant will explore this phenomenon at the next Key Issues Forum.

Curry raises excellent points regarding Gov. Rell budget proposal

Bingo!! Give Bil Curry the big prize for his analysis (take sepcial note of the items I highlighted in bold).

...Rell's plan isn't property-tax reform. To pay for repealing the car tax, she repeals the property-tax credit, thus raising taxes on homes. Some break. Knowing what we do about climate change and cities, do we really want to make it easier to own a car and harder to own a home?

Democrats think doing Rell's plan means sacrificing health care reform. One of their plans raises health care spending $450 million. Besides raising taxes, Rell pays for her plan by cutting, of all things, health care. Democrats fear she's digging them a deep hole.

Democrats don't see the money for health care and property-tax reform this year, and not within the present spending cap. How do we afford later what we can't afford now? If we don't change systems, whichever reform we do first will be the only one we ever do.

Tackling property-tax and health care reform together makes sense. Health care's the biggest item in state budgets, as education is in local budgets, which, if you haven't heard, are financed mostly by property taxes. To address either, legislators must cut costs and define "spending" under the constitutional cap.

I've argued for opening up the state employee health care plan to small businesses and the self-employed. Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards recently proposed doing it at the federal level. He'll do well. People are desperate to fix a system whose waste and inefficiency are literally killing them.

The idea costs taxpayers nothing; the state's but a broker lending its clout to small buyers. It gives government a chance to show what it can do, in contrast to a dying employer-based system. In the end, it will lead to lower costs for everyone, government included. If not, it will die.

To do it right, we must do it all: property-tax relief, a better bargain on health care, an honest spending cap. Want to end isolation of schoolchildren by race and class? Fix the tax that's strangling cities and towns. Want health care for all? Stop wasting a fortune on overhead. Want to fix the spending cap? Cut costs and cut taxes and the public will consider it.

Well said.