The Democrats Have A Plan
The Democrats have rolled out their plan for national security and it looks pretty good, and the best part is, it’s short. The brochure is comprised of ten pages, but that includes the title pages and both an English and Spanish version. The actual plan is only three pages long and it’s filled with easy to digest, specific solutions to security problems that have stumped the GOP. There are a few good swipes at the Republicans as well, even the title, “Real Security: The Democratic Plan to Protect America and Restore Our Leadership in the World” is a reminder of what Bush and the Republicans haven’t been able to do.
There is no wind bagging, no unnecessary words or complicated concepts, just clear-cut objectives and specific dates. Energy independence by 2020, securing loose nukes by 2010, screening of 100% of cargo containers, a promise to eliminate Bin Laden, finish the job in Afghanistan and make significant progress in Iraq this year so that troop redeployment can begin. Reading this plan I get the sense that the Democrats are not as clueless as they’ve led us to believe, a pleasant surprise for sure.
Read the rest
Taken from: The (liberal) Girl Next Door (Thank you very much LG)
27 comments:
you're right. short and to the point. i like it. all this stuff looks good, as long as the 'how' they end up accomplishing this stuff doesn't cause more problems than solutions. i support the stuff they want to do, and again as long as 'how' they do it makes sense and doesn't make shit worse, then fuckin' hell yeah and high-fives to them for finally waking the fuck up and having something to say and the beginnings of a damn plan.
MESHUGGAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The devil is in the details. It's fine to start off with a list of general goals, but they should also have to explain how they plan to acheive these goals.
A personal note; I'd prefer the to see them concentrating on decreasing dependence upon oil, rather than the gerneric term "energy independence?" Why? Because we use oil for far more than Just the production of gasoline. Fertilizers and pesticides contain il products. make-up, skin and haircare products contain oil. Plastics and rubbers contain oil. synthetics for clothing and other textiles contain oil. I'm sure that there are other items I am unaware of as well.
So the focus has to be on eliminating or at least seriously decreasing the need for oil, not just energy consumption.
If the Dems can sell their plan for energy independence to the voters, they should be able to clean house.
The energy independence issue is so much more important than anything else right now. Our petroleum trade deficit is inflating the dollar worldwide, and putting the lifeblood of our economy in the hands of nations that generally hate us (Libya, Venezuela, Iran, etc.).
I really don't understand how people can still be sold on the terrorism issue. I really believe this election will swing on whatever the #1 issue is to voters. If there's enough puppets out there that think we still need more security, then the GOP might actually gain seats. If Dems can sell energy independence (and actually MEAN it, no more lipservice), I think they have a shot to clean house.
I feel so much better knowing the have also inserted the Spanish translation to the goals they outlined.
And that is what that is, a list of goals, however good that is there is no indication of how they plan to achieve them.
Well, maybe that is in the Spanish version.
Democrats are really living up to the Document referred to!
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Capitol Hill police plan to issue an arrest warrant today for Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.).
The warrant is related to the incident Wednesday when McKinney allegedly slapped a Capitol Hill police officer.
Charges could range from assault on a police officer, which is a felony carrying a possible five year prison term, to simple assault, which is a misdeamenor.
McKinney has canceled a news conference that she had scheduled for this morning to discuss the incident.
McKinney issued a statement yesterday saying she "deeply regrets" the confrontation with the police officer.
The six-term congresswoman apparently struck a Capitol Police officer when he tried to stop her from entering a House office building without going through a metal detector. Members of Congress wear identifying lapel pins and routinely are waved into buildings without undergoing security checks. The officer apparently did not recognize McKinney, she said in a statement.
Asked on-camera Thursday by Channel 2 Action News whether she intended to apologize, McKinney refused to comment.
"I know that Capitol Hill Police are securing our safety, and I appreciate the work that they do. I have demonstrated my support for them in the past and I continue to support them now," she said in the statement on her Web site.
Man, what is wrong with her? Breaking the law is the job of the Republicans!
CRIME STATS
- Number of individuals and businesses associated with the Clinton machine who have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to crimes: 47
- Number of these convictions during Clinton's presidency: 33
- Number of indictments/misdemeanor charges: 61
- Number of imprisonments: 14
- Number of congressional witnesses who have pled the 5th Amendment, fled the country to avoid testifying, or (in the case of foreign witnesses) refused to be interviewed: 124
CAMPAIGN FINANCE INVESTIGATION
- As of June 2000, the Justice Department listed 25 people indicted and 19 convicted because of the 1996 Clinton-Gore fundraising scandals.
- According to the House Committee on Government Reform in September 2000, 79 House and Senate witnesses asserted the Fifth Amendment in the course of investigations into Gore's last fundraising campaign. [These figures are included in the larger figures elsewhere].
-James Riady entered a plea agreement to pay an $8.5 million fine for campaign finance crimes. This was a record under campaign finance laws.
RECORDS SET UNDER CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance
- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates*
- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation
- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify
- Most number of witnesses to die suddenly
- First president sued for sexual harassment.
- First president accused of rape.
- First first lady to come under criminal investigation
- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case
- First president to establish a legal defense fund.
- First president to be held in contempt of court
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions
- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad
- First president disbarred from the US Supreme Court and a state court
"A federal jury Wednesday convicted the head of this city's Democratic Party and four others of scheming to buy votes with cash, cigarettes and liquor last November to try to get key Democrats elected."
Chicago Sun Times about St. Louis, MO
I could probably find similar stats for many Republicans.
I love it when Conservatives can't address an issue at hand, and instead find other issues to discuss. So what, Clinton made some mistakes, but at least he didn't lead us into an illegal war that has cost us the lives of over 2000 of or servicemen and women. In the process, actually increasing our risk of terror attacks. Oh yeah, Bush is a great president. NOT!!!!
Do you have any other issues that you would rather discuss besies the actual issue we are discussing on this thread? More blame-shifting? More irrelevant stats?
is that you, spooky1 from Blabbermouth? i recognize that type of string of posts, and the pro-Bush people's usual tactic of spitting out Clinton references and the old and tired 'blaming it all on Clinton' move every time Bush is criticized or in serious shit.
so what? there are incidents in all parties. i'm sure if someone wanted to cut-and-paste statistics like that of number of convictions, etc. on the Bush Administration, George H.W. Bush, and Reagan as well. i'm sure the numbers for all of them compare equally for the most part, or dare i say probably way fuckin' more than those Clinton numbers.
whatever.
MESHUGGAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hear you Molotov. It's funny that when statistics are cited showing what they don't want them to show, then they always say "statistics can be made to prove any point you want", then they turn around and do just that. I hope they aren't wanting us to take them seriously, because if they are, they have drastically failed.
In other news, Tom DeLay's Deputy Chief of Staff pleads guilty to fraud charges
Oh, so we're talking about politicians and the criminal behavior today. OK, chew on this one:
Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.
Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted rape of a juvenile.
Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.
Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
Republican racist pedophile and United States Senator Strom Thurmond had sex with a 15-year old black girl which produced a child.
Republican pastor Mike Hintz, whom George W. Bush commended during the 2004 presidential campaign, surrendered to police after admitting to a sexual affair with a juvenile.
Republican legislator Peter Dibble pleaded no contest to having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
Republican activist Lawrence E. King, Jr. organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
Republican lobbyist Craig J. Spence organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
Republican Congressman Donald "Buz" Lukens was found guilty of having sex with a minor and sentenced to one month in jail.
Republican fundraiser Richard A. Delgaudio was found guilty of child porn charges.
Republican activist Mark A. Grethen convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children.
Republican activist Randal David Ankeney pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child.
Republican Congressman Dan Crane had sex with a minor working as a congressional page.
Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter.
Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had sex with a 16 year old when he was 28.
Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.
Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped.
Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. "Republican Marty"), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a juvenile and one count of delivering the drug LSD.
Republican legislative aide Howard L. Brooks was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.
Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media.
Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded a return to traditional values, was arrested after allegedly offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him.
Republican talk show host Jon Matthews pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals to an 11 year old girl.
Republican anti-gay activist Earl "Butch" Kimmerling was sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting an 8-year old girl after he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her.
Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison.
Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl.
Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy.
Republican politician Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to minors under 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children). Committed suicide.
Republican anti-abortion activist John Allen Burt was charged with sexual misconduct involving a 15-year old girl.
Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to molesting a child.
Republican activist John Butler was charged with criminal sexual assault on a teenage girl.
Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his two daughters.
Republican Councilman and former Marine Jack W. Gardner was convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl.
Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined $18,000.
Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state representative, Larry Jack Schwarz, was fired after child pornography was found in his possession.
Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet.
Republican businessman Jon Grunseth withdrew his candidacy for Minnesota governor after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter.
Republican director of the "Young Republican Federation" Nicholas Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, Richard A. Dasen Sr., was charged with rape for allegedly paying a 15-year old girl for sex. Dasen, 62, who is married with grown children and several grandchildren, has allegedly told police that over the past decade he paid more than $1 million to have sex with a large number of young women.
Republican Party Chairman Sam Walls, who is married, was urged to drop his candidacy for Congress when it was found he likes to dress up in women's clothing
Republican activist Matthew Glavin, who preached family values, was caught masturbating in public and fondling an undercover park ranger
Republican Congressman and family values advocate Edward Schrock resigned from Congress after he was caught seeking sex on adult telephone lines for homosexuals
Republican Congressman Bob Livingston was about to vote for impeaching President Clinton for sexual improprieties until it was disclosed he was an adulterer
Republican Congressman Henry Hyde denounced President Clinton's extramarital affair until his own marital infidelities were revealed
Republican Senator Bob Packwood resigned from Congress after 29 women accused him of sexual harassment
GOP = Grand Old Pedophiles and Grand Old Perverts
Douche Nugent would be so proud!!
Speaking of corrupt Politicos:
"President" George W. Bush: President Bush has spent the past year dodging ethics questions surrounding his party and his Administration. His Interior Department has become mired in the Jack Abramoff investigation, one of his White House aides was arrested for making false statements to an ethics officer, and another is accused of lying in connection to the investigation of the leaking of a CIA agent's name in the time of war. Many of his top fundraisers have either been accused of or plead guilty to corruption charges including Jack Abramoff, Tom Noe, and Ralph Reed. Bush also spent the early part of 2006 denying that he ever knew Abramoff, all the while knowing that he had met with him and his clients on multiple occasions. [Vanity Fair, 4/06; CBS, 10/28/05; Time, 2/11/06; DOJ Release, 9/19/05; Columbus Dispatch, 02/13/06]
"Vice" President Dick Cheney: Referred to by the USA Today as the "Velcro veep" because of his central role in most all of the Administration's problems, Vice President Cheney has been implicated in the leaking of a CIA agent's identity during a time of war. Cheney is also a central figure in the effort to manipulate pre-war intelligence, has triggered great concern because of his ongoing ties to Halliburton, and spearheaded a secret energy task force that recommended huge tax cuts for Cheney's friends in the oil and gas industry. [USA Today, 12/5/05; New York Times, 1/30/01; New Yorker, 10/27/03; Associated Press, 7/18/02]
Former Cheney Chief of Staff Scooter Libby: Former Cheney protege and chief of staff for his White House office, Libby was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice late last year, in connection with the special counsel's investigation into the West Wing's leaking of the identity of a CIA agent during a time or war for political purposes. [CBS, 10/28/05]
Former White House Procurement Chief David Safavian: The Bush Administration's chief contracting and procurement official at OMB, David Safavian, was arrested on charges of making false statements to an ethics official, making false statements to the General Services Agency's Inspector General, and obstruction of a GSA-IG investigation. Safavian's made false statements when asked about a golf trip he took to Scotland with Republican mega-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Republican Congressman Bob Ney. [DOJ Release, 9/19/05]
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay: DeLay was forced to resign his position as Republican House Majority Leader after being indicted for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. DeLay was involved in a scheme to launder $190,000 in corporate contributions through an arm of the Republican National Committee in Washington to Republican candidates in Texas, where the use of corporate money in political campaigns is strictly prohibited. DeLay has also come under scrutiny in the Abramoff investigation, traveling to Scotland, Russia, and the Marianas Islands with Abramoff, and helping his clients with various Congressional actions in return. [Washington Post, 10/03/05].
Former Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham: After the revelation of an astonishing corruption scheme, Cunningham recently began an eight year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes in return for political favors on behalf of a defense contractor. [AP, 3/4/06]
Ohio Congressman Bob Ney: Ney has the honor of being named in Jack Abramoff's indictment, as "Representative Number 1". Ney has come under scrutiny for accepting a trip for himself to golf in Scotland, trips to Florida and the Pacific for his staff, and donations in his name to the NRCC. In exchange, Ney awarded a contract to an Abramoff client after a questionable process, made floor statements favorable to an Abramoff business deal, and attempted to insert language helping an Abramoff client into a voting rights bill. [Washington Post, 9/28/04; Washington Post, 12/26/04; The Hill, 3/3/05; Washington Post, 11/18/04]
Florida Congresswoman Katherine Harris: Harris was recently identified as "Representative B" in the plea agreement of Mitchell Wade CEO of MZM corporation and one of the individuals who bribed Congressman Duke Cunningham. In the plea agreement Harris is said to have met with Wade personally after receiving a large number of illegal donations from him and his employees. Harris then attempted to win federal appropriations for MZM Corp. at the behest of Wade. [Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 2/26/06; Justice Department Release, 2/23/06]
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist: The U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are both investigating whether or not questionable stock sales by Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist amounted to illegal insider trading. Frist has claimed that he was not involved in managing his vast holdings in the health care company his father founded, since he entered the Senate. But it turns out Frist ordered the sale of his holdings just weeks before the company's stock price plummeted. Frist's brother controlled up to $1.5 million more of Frist's company stock in a previously undisclosed partnership. [New York Times, 9/27/05; AP, 10/12/05]
Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum: Besides being the Republican's point man in the Senate on the K street project, the Republican effort to install their allies in key lobbying positions, Santorum has run into personal ethics problems. Santorum received a $500,000 loan for his home in Virginia from the bank of one of his campaign donors. The bank advertises itself as a independent private bank that only loans to its affluent investors; however, Santorum has never had an investment portfolio with the bank. It was also revealed that Santorum's Political Action Committee has spent only 18.1 percent of the money it has raised on candidates, the rest of the money going to unusual charges - mostly to fast food restaurants, Starbucks, and retailers. [phillynews.com, 2/21/06; Roll Call, 3/1/06]
Montana Senator Conrad Burns: Conrad Burns was the largest single benefactor of Jack Abramoff's generosity. Burns' most high-profile action for Abramoff was securing funding for a school for an affluent tribal client of Abramoff's, through a grant program that was designed for poor tribes. [AP, 3/1/05; tray.com]
Arizona Senator John McCain: A reputed champion of campaign finance reform, John McCain just hired the middleman in Tom DeLay's money laundering scheme. McCain hired Terry Nelson, the deputy chief of staff for the Republican National Committee when DeLay allegedly conspired to launder corporate money to Texas political candidates through the RNC, as a senior advisor to McCain's Straight Talk America PAC. Nelson is alleged to have negotiated the transfer of funds with Texans for a Republican Majority executive director John Colyandro and Jim Ellis, who ran Americans for a Republican Majority. McCain, who launched an investigation into Jack Abramoff's lobbying practices, declared he would not look into the obviously questionable actions of Republican Members of Congress or Senators. [AP, 11/17/05; Roll Call, 3/10/05; Austin American-Statesman, 9/14/05; Travis County District Court Bill of Indictment, Thomas Dale DeLay, 9/28/05; CQ Weekly, 3/20/2004; San Antonio Express-News, 3/15/2004; Austin American-Statesman, 2/26/2004; FEC,4/8/2004; Texas Ethics Commission, 4/8/2004]
Jack Abramoff: Bush Pioneer and former Republican mega-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, recently plead guilty to a range of federal and state corruption and fraud charges. Abramoff confessed to contributing to and directing donations to Republican Members of Congress, in exchange for Congressional action on behalf of his clients. Abramoff also used his status as a major Bush fundraiser to gain access to the Bush Administration, including access to the White House and its staff. [Vanity Fair, 4/06]
James Tobin: Bush Ranger and former NRSC regional political director James Tobin was convicted of conspiring to illegally jam the phone banks of the Democratic Party and labor organizations on Election Day during the 2002 Senate race between former NH Governor Jean Shaheen (D) and John E. Sununu (R). [Manchester Union Leader, 8/13/05]
Tom Noe: Bush pioneer Tom Noe has been indicted on 53 felony counts stemming from his involvement in a scheme that bilked the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation out of $13 million. The charges, including 11 counts of theft, 11 counts of money laundering, 8 counts of tampering with records, and 22 counts of forgery, could carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. [Toledo Blade, 02/13/06]. These follow Noe's indictment last year on federal charges of illegally funneling $45,400 to President Bush's 2004 campaign. [Columbus Dispatch, 02/13/06]
Georgia Lt. Gov. Candidate Ralph Reed: Not only has Reed been subpoenaed by the Senate Indian Affairs committee as part of its investigation into Jack Abramoff, federal investigators are also looking into a $4 million payment that Abramoff made to Reed. Reed was a key player in the president's reelection operation and raised more than $300,000 for Bush's two presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2004. [Washington Post, 4/27/05; 4/22/05]
and how about the various crimes and fuck-ups of the Bushista regime?
Memogate: The Senate Computer Theft
The scandal: From 2001 to 2003, Republican staffers on the Senate Judiciary Committee illicitly accessed nearly 5,000 computer files containing confidential Democratic strategy memos about President Bush's judicial nominees. The GOP used the memos to shape their own plans and leaked some to the media.
The problem: The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act states it is illegal to obtain confidential information from a government computer.
The outcome: Unresolved. The Justice Department has assigned a prosecutor to the case. The staff member at the heart of the matter, Manuel Miranda, has attempted to brazen it out, filing suit in September 2004 against the DOJ to end the investigation. "A grand jury will indict a ham sandwich," Miranda complained. Some jokes just write themselves.
Doctor Detroit: The DOJ's Bungled Terrorism Case
The scandal: The Department of Justice completely botched the nation's first post-9/11 terrorism trial, as seen when the convictions of three Detroit men allegedly linked to al-Qaida were overturned in September 2004. Former Attorney General John Ashcroft had claimed their June 2003 sentencing sent "a clear message" that the government would "detect, disrupt and dismantle the activities of terrorist cells."
The problem: The DOJ's lead prosecutor in the case, Richard Convertino, withheld key information from the defense and distorted supposed pieces of evidence - like a Las Vegas vacation video purported to be a surveillance tape. But that's not the half of it. Convertino says he was unfairly scapegoated because he testified before the Senate, against DOJ wishes, about terrorist financing. Justice's reconsideration of the case began soon thereafter. Convertino has since sued the DOJ, which has also placed him under investigation.
The outcome: Let's see: Overturned convictions, lawsuits and feuding about a Kafkaesque case. Nobody looks good here.
Dark Matter: The Energy Task Force
The scandal: A lawsuit has claimed it is illegal for Dick Cheney to keep the composition of his 2001 energy-policy task force secret. What's the big deal? The New Yorker's Jane Mayer has suggested an explosive aspect of the story, citing a National Security Council memo from February 2001, which "directed the N.S.C. staff to cooperate fully with the Energy Task Force as it considered the 'melding' of ... 'operational policies towards rogue states,' such as Iraq, and 'actions regarding the capture of new and existing oil and gas fields.'" In short, the task force's activities could shed light on the administration's pre-9/11 Iraq aims.
The problem: The Federal Advisory Committee Act says the government must disclose the work of groups that include non-federal employees; the suit claims energy industry executives were effectively task force members. Oh, and the Bush administration has portrayed the Iraq war as a response to 9/11, not something it was already considering.
The outcome: Unresolved. In June 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court sent the case back to an appellate court.
The Indian Gaming Scandal
The scandal: Potential influence peddling to the tune of $82 million, for starters. Jack Abramoff, a GOP lobbyist and major Bush fundraiser, and Michael Scanlon, a former aide to Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), received that amount from several Indian tribes, while offering access to lawmakers. For instance, Texas' Tigua tribe, which wanted its closed El Paso casino reopened, gave millions to the pair and $33,000 to Rep. Robert Ney (R-Ohio) in hopes of favorable legislation (Ney came up empty). And get this: The Tiguas were unaware that Abramoff, Scanlon and conservative activist Ralph Reed had earned millions lobbying to have the same casino shut in 2002.
The problem: Federal officials want to know if Abramoff and Scanlon provided real services for the $82 million, and if they broke laws while backing candidates in numerous Indian tribe elections.
The outcome: Everybody into the cesspool! The Senate Indian Affairs Committee and five federal agencies, including the FBI, IRS, and Justice Department, are investigating.
Halliburton's No-Bid Bonanza
The scandal: In February 2003, Halliburton received a five-year, $7 billion no-bid contract for services in Iraq.
The problem: The Army Corps of Engineers' top contracting officer, Bunnatine Greenhouse, objected to the deal, saying the contract should be the standard one-year length, and that a Halliburton official should not have been present during the discussions.
The outcome: The FBI is investigating. The $7 billion contract was halved and Halliburton won one of the parts in a public bid. For her troubles, Greenhouse has been forced into whistle-blower protection.
Halliburton: Pumping Up Prices
The scandal: In 2003, Halliburton overcharged the army for fuel in Iraq. Specifically, Halliburton's subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root hired a Kuwaiti company, Altanmia, to supply fuel at about twice the going rate, then added a markup, for an overcharge of at least $61 million, according to a December 2003 Pentagon audit.
The problem: That's not the government's $61 million, it's our $61 million.
The outcome: The FBI is investigating.
Halliburton's Vanishing Iraq Money
The scandal: In mid-2004, Pentagon auditors determined that $1.8 billion of Halliburton's charges to the government, about 40 percent of the total, had not been adequately documented.
The problem: That's not the government's $1.8 billion, it's our $1.8 billion.
The outcome: The Defense Contract Audit Agency has "strongly" asked the Army to withhold about $60 million a month from its Halliburton payments until the documentation is provided.
The Halliburton Bribe-Apalooza
The scandal: This may not surprise you, but an international consortium of companies, including Halliburton, is alleged to have paid more than $100 million in bribes to Nigerian officials, from 1995 to 2002, to facilitate a natural-gas-plant deal. (Cheney was Halliburton's CEO from 1995 to 2000.)
The problem: The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits U.S. companies from bribing foreign officials.
The outcome: A veritable coalition of the willing is investigating the deal, including the Justice Department, the SEC, the Nigerian government and a French magistrate. In June, Halliburton fired two implicated executives.
Halliburton: One Fine Company
The scandal: In 1998 and 1999, Halliburton counted money recovered from project overruns as revenue, before settling the charges with clients.
The problem: Doing so made the company's income appear larger, but Halliburton did not explain this to investors. The SEC ruled this accounting practice was "materially misleading."
The outcome: In August 2004, Halliburton agreed to pay a $7.5 million fine to settle SEC charges. One Halliburton executive has paid a fine and another is settling civil charges. Now imagine the right-wing rhetoric if, say, Al Gore had once headed a firm fined for fudging income statements.
Halliburton's Iran End Run
The scandal: Halliburton may have been doing business with Iran while Cheney was CEO.
The problem: Federal sanctions have banned U.S. companies from dealing directly with Iran. To operate in Iran legally, U.S. companies have been required to set up independent subsidiaries registered abroad. Halliburton thus set up a new entity, Halliburton Products and Services Ltd., to do business in Iran, but while the subsidiary was registered in the Cayman Islands, it may not have had operations totally independent of the parent company.
The outcome: Unresolved. The Treasury Department has referred the case to the U.S. attorney in Houston, who convened a grand jury in July 2004.
Money Order: Afghanistan's Missing $700 Million Turns Up in Iraq
The scandal: According to Bob Woodward's "Plan of Attack," the Bush administration diverted $700 million in funds from the war in Afghanistan, among other places, to prepare for the Iraq invasion.
The problem: Article I, Section 8, Clause 12 of the U.S. Constitution specifically gives Congress the power "to raise and support armies." And the emergency spending bill passed after Sept. 11, 2001, requires the administration to notify Congress before changing war spending plans. That did not happen.
The outcome: Congress declined to investigate. The administration's main justification for its decision has been to claim the funds were still used for, one might say, Middle East anti-tyrant-related program activities.
Iraq: More Loose Change
The scandal: The inspector general of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq released a series of reports in July 2004 finding that a significant portion of CPA assets had gone missing - 34 percent of the materiel controlled by Kellogg, Brown & Root - and that the CPA's method of disbursing $600 million in Iraq reconstruction funds "did not establish effective controls and left accountability open to fraud, waste and abuse."
The problem: As much as $50 million of that money was disbursed without proper receipts.
The outcome: The CPA has disbanded, but individual government investigations into the handling of Iraq's reconstruction continue.
The Pentagon-Israel Spy Case
The scandal: A Pentagon official, Larry Franklin, may have passed classified United States documents about Iran to Israel, possibly via the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a Washington lobbying group.
The problem: To do so could be espionage or could constitute the mishandling of classified documents.
The outcome: A grand jury is investigating. In December 2004, the FBI searched AIPAC's offices. A Senate committee has also been investigating the apparently unauthorized activities of the Near East and South Asia Affairs group in the Pentagon, where Franklin works.
Gone to Taiwan
The scandal: Missed this one? A high-ranking State Department official, Donald Keyser, was arrested and charged in September with making a secret trip to Taiwan and was observed by the FBI passing documents to Taiwanese intelligence agents in Washington-area meetings.
The problem: Such unauthorized trips are illegal. And we don't have diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
The outcome: The case is in the courts.
Wiretapping the United Nations
The scandal: Before the United Nations' vote on the Iraq war, the United States and Great Britain developed an eavesdropping operation targeting diplomats from several countries.
The problem: U.N. officials say the practice is illegal and undermines honest diplomacy, although some observers claim it is business as usual on East 42nd Street.
The outcome: Little fuss here, but a major British scandal erupted after U.K. intelligence translator Katherine Gun leaked a U.S. National Security Agency memo requesting British help in the spying scheme, in early 2003. Initially charged under Britain's Official Secrets Act for leaking classified information, Gun was cleared in 2004 - seemingly to avoid hearings questioning the legality of Britain's war participation.
The Boeing Boondoggle
The scandal: In 2003, the Air Force contracted with Boeing to lease a fleet of refueling tanker planes at an inflated price: $23 billion.
The problem: The deal was put together by a government procurement official, Darleen Druyun, who promptly joined Boeing. Beats using a headhunter.
The outcome: In November 2003, Boeing fired both Druyun and CFO Michael Sears. In April 2004, Druyun pled guilty to a conspiracy charge in the case. In November 2004, Sears copped to a conflict-of-interest charge, and company CEO Phil Condit resigned. The government is reviewing its need for the tankers.
The Medicare Bribe Scandal
The scandal: According to former Rep. Nick Smith (R-Mich.), on Nov. 21, 2003, with the vote on the administration's Medicare bill hanging in the balance, someone offered to contribute $100,000 to his son's forthcoming congressional campaign, if Smith would support the bill.
The problem: Federal law prohibits the bribery of elected officials.
The outcome: In September 2004, the House Ethics Committee concluded an inquiry by fingering House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), saying he deserved "public admonishment" for offering to endorse Smith's son in return for Smith's vote. DeLay has claimed Smith initiated talks about a quid pro quo. The matter of the $100,000 is unresolved; soon after his original allegations, Smith suddenly claimed he had not been offered any money. Smith's son Brad lost his GOP primary in August 2004.
Tom DeLay's PAC Problems
The scandal: One of DeLay's political action committees, Texans for a Republican Majority, apparently reaped illegal corporate contributions for the campaigns of Republicans running for the Texas Legislature in 2002. Given a Republican majority, the Legislature then re-drew Texas' U.S. congressional districts to help the GOP.
The problem: Texas law bans the use of corporate money for political purposes.
The outcome: Unresolved. Three DeLay aides and associates - Jim Ellis, John Colyandro and Warren RoBold - were charged in September 2004 with crimes including money laundering and unlawful acceptance of corporate contributions.
Tom DeLay's FAA: Following Americans Anywhere
The scandal: In May 2003, DeLay's office persuaded the Federal Aviation Administration to find the plane carrying a Texas Democratic legislator, who was leaving the state in an attempt to thwart the GOP's nearly unprecedented congressional redistricting plan.
The problem: According to the House Ethics Committee, the "invocation of federal executive branch resources in a partisan dispute before a state legislative body" is wrong.
The outcome: In October 2004, the committee rebuked DeLay for his actions.
In the Rough: Tom DeLay's Golf Fundraiser
The scandal: DeLay appeared at a golf fundraiser that Westar Energy held for one of his political action committees, Americans for a Republican Majority, while energy legislation was pending in the House.
The problem: It's one of these "appearance of impropriety" situations.
The outcome: The House Ethics Committee tossed the matter into its Oct. 6 rebuke. "Take a lap, Tom."
Busy, Busy, Busy in New Hampshire
The scandal: In 2002, with a tight Senate race in New Hampshire, Republican Party officials paid a Virginia-based firm, GOP Marketplace, to enact an Election Day scheme meant to depress Democratic turnout by "jamming" the Democratic Party phone bank with continuous calls for 90 minutes.
The problem: Federal law prohibits the use of telephones to "annoy or harass" anyone.
The outcome: Chuck McGee, the former executive director of the New Hampshire GOP, pleaded guilty in July 2004 to a felony charge, while Allen Raymond, former head of GOP Marketplace, pleaded guilty to a similar charge in June. In December, James Tobin, former New England campaign chairman of Bush-Cheney '04, was indicted for conspiracy in the case.
The Medicare Money Scandal
The scandal: Thomas Scully, Medicare's former administrator, supposedly threatened to fire chief Medicare actuary Richard Foster to prevent him from disclosing the true cost of the 2003 Medicare bill.
The problem: Congress voted on the bill believing it would cost $400 billion over 10 years. The program is more likely to cost $550 billion.
The outcome: Scully denies threatening to fire Foster, as Foster has charged, but admits telling Foster to withhold the higher estimate from Congress. In September 2004, the Government Accountability Office recommended Scully return half his salary from 2003. Inevitably, Scully is now a lobbyist for drug companies helped by the bill.
The Bogus Medicare "Video News Release"
The scandal: To promote its Medicare bill, the Bush administration produced imitation news-report videos touting the legislation. About 40 television stations aired the videos. More recently, similar videos promoting the administration's education policy have come to light.
The problem: The administration broke two laws: One forbidding the use of federal money for propaganda, and another forbidding the unauthorized use of federal funds.
The outcome: In May 2004, the GAO concluded the administration acted illegally, but the agency lacks enforcement power.
Pundits on the Payroll: The Armstrong Williams Case
The scandal: The Department of Education paid conservative commentator Armstrong Williams $240,000 to promote its educational law, No Child Left Behind.
The problem: Williams did not disclose that his support was government funded until the deal was exposed in January 2005.
The outcome: The House and FCC are considering inquiries, while Williams' syndicated newspaper column has been terminated.
Ground Zero's Unsafe Air
The scandal: Government officials publicly minimized the health risks stemming from the World Trade Center attack. In September 2001, for example, Environmental Protection Agency head Christine Todd Whitman said New York's "air is safe to breathe and [the] water is safe to drink."
The problem: Research showed serious dangers or was incomplete. The EPA used outdated techniques that failed to detect tiny asbestos particles. EPA data also showed high levels of lead and benzene, which causes cancer. A Sierra Club report claims the government ignored alarming data. A GAO report says no adequate study of 9/11's health effects has been organized.
The outcome: The long-term health effects of the disaster will likely not be apparent for years or decades and may never be definitively known. Already, hundreds of 9/11 rescue workers have quit their jobs because of acute illnesses.
John Ashcroft's Illegal Campaign Contributions
The scandal: Ashcroft's exploratory committee for his short-lived 2000 presidential bid transferred $110,000 to his unsuccessful 2000 reelection campaign for the Senate.
The problem: The maximum for such a transfer is $10,000.
The outcome: The Federal Election Commission fined Ashcroft's campaign treasurer, Garrett Lott, $37,000 for the transgression.
Intel Inside ... The White House
The scandal: In early 2001, chief White House political strategist Karl Rove held meetings with numerous companies while maintaining six-figure holdings of their stock - including Intel, whose executives were seeking government approval of a merger. "Washington hadn't seen a clearer example of a conflict of interest in years," wrote Paul Glastris in the Washington Monthly.
The problem: The Code of Federal Regulations says government employees should not participate in matters in which they have a personal financial interest.
The outcome: Then White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, spurning precedent, did not refer the case to the Justice Department.
Duck! Antonin Scalia's Legal Conflicts
The scandal: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia refused to recuse himself from the Cheney energy task force case, despite taking a duck-hunting trip with the vice president after the court agreed to weigh the matter.
The problem: Federal law requires a justice to "disqualify himself from any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned."
The outcome: Scalia stayed on, arguing no conflict existed because Cheney was party to the case in a professional, not personal, capacity. Nothing new for Scalia, who in 2002 was part of a Mississippi redistricting ruling favorable to GOP Rep. Chip Pickering - son of Judge Charles Pickering, a Scalia turkey-hunting pal. In 2001, Scalia went pheasant hunting with Kansas Gov. Bill Graves when that state had cases pending before the Supreme Court.
AWOL
The scandal: George W. Bush, self-described "war president," did not fulfill his National Guard duty, and Bush and his aides have made misleading statements about it. Salon's Eric Boehlert wrote the best recent summary of the issue.
The problem: Military absenteeism is a punishable offense, although Bush received an honorable discharge.
The outcome: No longer a campaign issue. But what was Bush doing in 1972?
Iraq: The Case for War
The scandal: Bush and many officials in his administration made false statements about Iraq's military capabilities, in the months before the United States' March 2003 invasion of the country.
The problem: For one thing, it is a crime to lie to Congress, although Bush backers claim the president did not knowingly make false assertions.
The outcome: A war spun out of control with unknowable long-term consequences. The Iraq Survey Group has stopped looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Niger Forgeries: Whodunit?
The scandal: In his January 2003 State of the Union address, Bush said, "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."
The problem: The statement was untrue. By March 2003, the International Atomic Energy Agency showed the claim, that Iraq sought materials from Niger, was based on easily discernible forgeries.
The outcome: The identity of the forger(s) remains under wraps. Journalist Josh Marshall has implied the FBI is oddly uninterested in interviewing Rocco Martino, the former Italian intelligence agent who apparently first shopped the documents in intelligence and journalistic circles and would presumably be able to shed light on their origin.
In Plame Sight
The scandal: In July 2003, administration officials disclosed the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative working on counterterrorism efforts, to multiple journalists, and columnist Robert Novak made Plame's identity public. Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, had just written a New York Times opinion piece stating he had investigated the Niger uranium-production allegations, at the CIA's behest, and reported them to be untrue, before Bush's 2003 State of the Union address.
The problem: Under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act it is illegal to disclose, knowingly, the name of an undercover agent.
The outcome: Unresolved. The Justice Department appointed special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald to the case in December 2003. While this might seem a simple matter, Fitzgerald could be unable to prove the leakers knew Plame was a covert agent.
Abu Ghraib
The scandal: American soldiers physically tortured prisoners in Iraq and kept undocumented "ghost detainees" in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
The problem: The United States is party to the Geneva Conventions, which state that "No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever."
The outcome: Unresolved. A Pentagon internal inquiry found a lack of oversight at Abu Ghraib, while independent inquiries have linked the events to the administration's desire to use aggressive interrogation methods globally. Notoriously, Gonzales has advocated an approach which "renders obsolete Geneva's strict limitations on questioning of enemy prisoners and renders quaint some of its provisions." More recently, Gonzales issued qualified support for the Geneva Conventions in January 2005 Senate testimony after being nominated for attorney general. Army reservist Charles Graner was convicted in January 2005 for abusing prisoners, while a few other soldiers await trial.
Guantánamo Bay Torture?
The scandal: The U.S. military is also alleged to have abused prisoners at the U.S. Navy's base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. FBI agents witnessing interrogations there have reported use of growling dogs to frighten prisoners and the chaining of prisoners in the fetal position while depriving them of food or water for extended periods.
The problem: More potential violations of the Geneva Conventions.
The outcome: An internal military investigation was launched in January 2005.
And lets not forget:
The fraud committed by Abramoff and his business partner Adam Kidan involved a phony wire transfer they used to purchase a controlling interest in SunCruz from the company's founder, Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis, in 2001.
Abramoff and Kidan later fell out with Boulis in a bitter business dispute that turned violent. In February 2001, gunmen ambushed Boulis on a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., highway and shot him repeatedly. On Tuesday, Florida authorities arrested three New York men with mob connections for the Boulis killing. Two of the men - Anthony Moscatiello and Tony Ferrari - had received payments totaling more than $240,000 from Kidan and Abramoff. Moscatiello, a longtime associate of the Gambino Mafia family, and Ferrari were supposedly providing food and consulting services to SunCruz - or so Kidan claimed when questioned by prosecutors. There is no evidence, however, that Moscatiello and Ferrari provided any services to the company.
Connecting the dots isn't difficult here: Kidan and Abramoff want to get rid of Boulis, who won't go away. Kidan and Abramoff hire Moscatiello and Ferrari with SunCruz money. Moscatiello and Ferrari allegedly whack Boulis, without any motive of their own. If the Broward County state's attorney has sufficient evidence to win convictions for a capital crime, some people will probably be talking soon in hope of avoiding the hot shot.
The stunning fall of Abramoff, who has yet to hit bottom, is certainly the most colorful tale of Republican depravity. The corporate money laundering to Texas politicians that led to DeLay's conspiracy indictment, and the suspicious insider stock transaction that spurred investigations of Frist by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission, seem mundane by comparison. Outrage will be warranted if their misconduct is proved, but everyone sadly knows that these felonies are now common practice in our political and corporate culture.
Corporate misbehavior has also brought down right-wing publisher Conrad Black, neoconservative strategist and former Bush advisor Richard Perle and the entire corporate board of Hollinger Inc., the Republican-friendly media conglomerate formerly controlled by Lord Black - and that he and others are plausibly accused of illicitly looting for their own benefit. Furious shareholders forced Black to relinquish control of the company and are suing him, as well as Perle and former Black deputy David Radler, for $500 million. The SEC is also suing Black and Radler, and the Justice Department is investigating the former Hollinger directors.
US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who also happens to be the special prosecutor in the Valerie Plame case, accepted Radler's guilty plea to mail fraud and wire fraud. Radler is now believed to be cooperating in the prosecution of what former SEC chairman Richard Breeden, a Republican who investigated Hollinger on behalf of shareholders, termed a "corporate kleptocracy."
Kleptocratic morality evidently ruled at least two Republican statehouses in the Midwest as well. Currently under indictment are former Gov. George Ryan of Illinois, whose trial on bribery charges began last week, and Gov. Robert Taft of Ohio, who pleaded no contest last month to charges of accepting illegal gifts from a state contractor.
That contractor is Thomas Noe, a coin dealer who received lucrative investment deals with the state's Workers Compensation Fund and is now at the center of a gigantic scandal known as "Coingate." More than $12 million has disappeared from the fund, and former GOP official Noe stands accused of laundering money to various Republican politicians, including the Bush-Cheney campaign. Like Abramoff, Noe is a Bush "Pioneer," responsible for raising at least $100,000 for the president last year.
Still another Pioneer is currently under criminal investigation in a celebrated corruption case involving Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a prominent Republican representative from San Diego with a senior position on the House defense appropriations subcommittee. On Aug. 18, FBI and IRS agents raided the offices of defense contractor and Bush fundraiser Brent Wilkes.
Wilkes is reportedly a former business associate of Mitchell J. Wade, the head of a defense contracting firm called MZM Inc. who is under investigation in San Diego for alleged bribery of Cunningham. According to newspaper reports, Wade purchased a home owned by Cunningham at a price inflated by at least $700,000, and also permitted the congressman to use his 42-foot yacht free of charge. Federal agents searched Wade's offices in July.
Although prosecutors have brought no criminal charges in the case yet, they have filed civil court documents describing the home sale as a violation of federal bribery laws - and Cunningham, who has served in Congress for decades, has already announced that he will not seek another term next year.
The Republican National Committee's new treasurer, Robert Kjellander, is under investigation too. (Naturally, he is also a Bush Pioneer.) Not long after he assumed his new post at the party's Washington headquarters, Kjellander received a federal subpoena for records of his dealings with the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System, a state pension fund, and the Carlyle Group. Federal prosecutors are reportedly looking into alleged corruption at the fund, and have asked Kjellander to provide information about a $4.5 million fee he received from Carlyle for his role in arranging investments by the fund with the huge private equity fund. Carlyle, of course, is closely connected to the Bush administration, including the president's father, George H.W. Bush, who has worked for the firm as a rainmaker and advisor.
In fairness, it should be said that all these pols and parasites may be innocent (except for those already convicted), or at least not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It is also true that voters have historically been slow to evict politicians from office because of corruption charges.
But public opinion of congressional Republicans is hitting new lows, and Americans are growing furious about the war in Iraq, the government response to Hurricane Katrina and rising energy prices. The natural impulse to throw the rascals out can only be encouraged by the Gilded Age spectacles now unfolding in Washington and in cities across the country as the indictments continue to come down between now and November 2006.
This begs the question: Is there anyone associated with Bush and or the Neo-Con machine that isn't under investigation or indictment?
see, just as we've discussed and shown in the long lists, BOTH parties are equally full of scum, or have had a large amount of fucking idiots get caught red-handed with varying results at some point.
i'm obviously a liberal and hate Bush, but even though i support Democrats over Republicans anyday, i'll at least admit from time to time that both parties are equal scum or pretty close.
see? this is why the whole Blabbermouth Party idea on here the other day is a damn fine idea!!! cuz as far as all of us know, WE'RE nowhere near as corrupt as these motherfuckers in the parties, haha. the Blabbermouth ticket would be a funny and badass 3rd party!!!
MESHUGGAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"And the sad part is most people seem to believe bullshit only comes from certain predictable sources: advertising, politics, salesmen, and lawyers. Not true. Bullshit is everywhere. Bullshit is rampant. Parents are full of shit, teachers are full of shit, clergymen are full of shit, and law enforcement is full of shit. The entire country is full of shit- and always has been. From the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution to the "Star Spangled Banner," it's nothing more than one big, steaming pile of red white and blue, all-American bullshit."
George Carlin: Napalm and Silly Putty
i hope after bush gets out of office, everybody will learn a lesson. the lesson is never vote for a republican. i have a good feeling nobody will vote for jed bush if he runs for president. i hope the democrats win next time.
Anonymous = PWN3D by blsabob.
America = PWN3D by both parties.
Honest to God, when are we going to realize that you can't trust any of them? We can argue about the lesser of two evils (the "what's worse, fucking a secretary or fucking a whole country" idea), but what about talking about some good ideas?
Here's the issues that matter more than a (D) or an (R) next to your name:
-Fix Iraq
-Energy independence
-Restructure our tax system
-Fix our broke-ass immigration policy
-Turn the trade deficit around
The Blabbermouth party will fix all of this bullshit.
Everything from filing your taxes to getting your dick un-stuck from the Nintendo will be easier thanks to the Blabbermouth ticket.
Oh, and Cynthia McKinney is a racist bitch. Police brutality may be wrong, but it would make our world a better place if they had used it against that hateful bigot.
The Blabbermouth Party will scrap Many current policies such as the Iraq policy, the tax codes, the immigration laws, etc... and start from scratch using comon sense while remaining socially responsible. We will completely overhaul the way we view enegry policy. If Brazil can be completely energy independant, why the fuck can't the greatest nation in the world?
With Ken Hawk's advice column, we will all be kickass at doing job interviews, thus bringing more high-paying jobs right back home. We all know that good interviews are what really creates jobs, after all. Ken Hawk knows a thing or three about interviews.
BND,
You are dead-on about energy. Gas hit $2.55/gallon this morning. We're going to fix it for the economy's sake, we're going to fix it for the sake of the environment, and we're going to fix it for national security's sake.
Brother, gas is close to $2.70 here in the DFW area. This getting f**ked up!
i was watching a video the the other day. can't recall which one, because I'm on so many email lists and people send me all kinds of links. Anyway, one of the guys being interviewed on the vid said this about the two parties: "Its all organized crime. Just think of Democrats as the Genovese Family and the Republicans as the Gambinos.
Sounds about right to me. But he forgot to mention the Banking/Energy/Weapons/Media monster that funds and directs both of them. Seems to me that the goal here is to keep us all arguing about Dems and Reps while the financial powers rule and rob us blind from both directions.
Speaking of gasoline. I'm in the market for a new car, and I won't even look at something unless its a Diesel. Diesel engines can be converted to use biofuels. The era of cheap gas is over. Adapt or die.
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