Christie Confirms It's All About Him

Earlier this week, I wrote that NJ Gov. Chris Christie faced a national test on the decisions he needed to make to fill the vacancy of deceased Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Apparently, Christie decided to audit the class. Instead, he chose the path most traveled by politicians and made decisions that solely benefit himself. Good short term politics? No doubt. Leadership the nation needs to meet its challenges? Not so much. 6 Jun 2013

NSA Scandal: Paul Introduces 4th Amendment Restoration Act

Once patriots were called on to defend our Constitutional rights. Today, we are called on to reinstate them. In the wake of the latest Obama scandal, i.e. the seizure of phone records for millions of Americans, Sen. Rand Paul has introduced legislation to "restore" the 4th Amendment. That Amendment, for well over 200 years, has protected Americans from unreasonable searches from the government. That protection was nice while it lasted. 6 Jun 2013

Obama Operative Cutter Must Testify Under Oath on IRS

On Thursday, the House wrapped up its third hearing this week on scandals at the IRS. It has been almost a month since the news of IRS targeting conservatives broke, and there are even more unanswered questions today. Among the more curious is the fact that then-IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman visited the White House more than 150 times. More curious is the revelation that Obama campaign operative Stephanie Cutter attended some of the meetings with Shulman. Cutter should be called to testify under oath about the nature of these meetings. 6 Jun 2013

Polls: Obama Is Losing the Public's Trust

As scandals engulf the Obama Administration, Democrats and the media have consoled themselves that Obama's overall approval numbers have remained steady. That is certainly true and, for many, suggests that Obama is evading political fallout from the scandals. A number of recent polls, however, show potentially dark clouds on the horizon. Obama is losing the public's trust. 6 Jun 2013

Romney Guru Stevens Scrubs Name From Firm

On Wednesday, Politico ran a fawning profile of chief Romney strategist Stuart Stevens. The article notes that Stevens has been defending the conduct of the Romney campaign, but buries the priceless nugget that he is "rebranding" his firm and changing its eponymous name. The firm, Stevens and Schreifer Group will now be known by the generic Strategic Partners and Media. 5 Jun 2013

IRS Chief Campaigned With Tax Cheat Rangel

As allegations of tax fraud swirled around Rep. Charlie Rangel, then-IRS Commissioner appeared with him at a campaign-style event in Harlem. The PR event at a local food bank was ostensibly to discuss tax credits for low-income workers, but the presence of Shulman gave a powerful boost to Rangel, just months after the New York Times called for him to step down. 5 Jun 2013

Payroll Report Misses, Casts Shadow Over Friday Jobs Report

On Wednesday, payroll firm ADP reported that the economy added 135,000 jobs in May. Economists had expected an increase of 165,000. ADP also lowered its previously reported April number to 113,000 jobs added, from 119,000 originally reported. While ADP uses a different measurement than the Labor Department, the two's trends are consistent. ADP's number suggests Friday's Jobs Report will disappoint. 5 Jun 2013

Obama Operative Cutter Met With IRS Chief at the White House

The curious case of former IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman's 157 meetings at the White House is now more curious with the revelation that he attended meetings with Stephanie Cutter, Deputy Campaign Manager for President Obama's 2012 reelection campaign. While she technically served a stint as a White House advisor to the President, her role has always been that of an aggressive political operator. That their meetings coincided with the IRS targeting of conservative and tea party organizations raises many questions. 4 Jun 2013

Christie Calls for October Special Election

Gov. Chris Christie has made his first decision on replacing former Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who died on Monday. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Christie plans to call a special election in October to fill the unexpired term. The decision prevents the election occurring in November, which could have complicated Christie's reelection effort. The decision is likely to be controversial. 4 Jun 2013

'Secret Donors' Critical in Civil Rights Struggle

Democrats have tried to blunt the political fallout of the IRS scandal by raising suspicions about the laws governing tax-exempt organizations. The laws allow these organization to engage in public advocacy on issues, with some limited ability to do political work. They also have the right to keep membership lists and donors anonymous. During the IRS hearings, Democrats have suggested these laws allow "secret donors" to effect policy and should be curtailed. Our nation's struggle for civil rights, however, is evidence for why groups need this anonymity. 4 Jun 2013