Marathon Pundit: August 2007

Friday, August 31, 2007

Welcome Townhall.com readers

The Hillary Clinton International Profit Associates post can be found here.

Thanks for the link!

Craig to flush away his Senate seat on Saturday

He's still "not gay," but by September 30, he won't be a US Senator from Idaho, according to media reports.

A couple of times this week I wrote "quit now" about Larry Craig. Yes, the Republican governor has to find a replacement for the "not gay one," but to me, by saying he's leaving office at the end of September, it's just a way for Craig to collect two more paychecks.

But beginning October 1, Craig will have a lot of free time available. I wonder how he'll spend it?

Related post:

Craig should can himself for his act in the can

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republicans

Idaho

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My Kansas Kronikles: My return to western Kansas

After a brief detour into panhandle country, Texas and Oklahoma, I've returned to western Kansas. The green grass of the Flint Hills are hundreds of miles in my rear view mirror at this point.

Both of these photographs were taken near the town of Lakin in Kearney County, about 40 miles from the Colorado border. That's the Arkansas River on the right. As the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trails roughly parallel the Platte River in Nebraska, the Santa Fe Trail meanders along the Arkansas River. Horses and people need a reliable supply of water for cross country wagon trips. Although that requirement is no longer a pressing need.

It's Fred's turn

After months of speculation, hints, flirtations (but not the Larry Craig kind), Tennessee Republican Fred Thompson is going to announce that he's running for president on September 6.

Sadly, this means he will miss the pleasure of appearing on debate floors with departed candidates Jim Gilmore and Tommy Thompson, but the Republican Party is better for it now he's finally in.

Good news: Fred Thompson has a lot of grass roots support.

Bad news: Many, maybe most of the endorsements from major and minor and politicians have already been offered, most of them going to Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and John McCain. State legislators and the like have organizations, many of them small, but little by little, these endorsements can turn into a sizable number of votes.

Thanks for the link:

Rogers Park Bench

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Craig, still not gay, quitting today?

Sen. Larry "Not Gay" Craig (R-ID), may be quitting today, according to CNN. If he doesn't, look for more calls for his resignation.

The Friday before a holiday weekend is the perfect time for such an announcement. Let the story fade away, Senator. Once again, resign now.

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gay

Hillary "full of it" on vetting: UPDATED

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was forced to answer questions earlier today while appearing with her fellow Democrat, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, at an event on yesterday in Midtown Manhattan.

Here's what she said about the Norman Hsu, a major HRC fundraiser who has a warrant for his arrest dating back from 1991 in California.

Obviously we were all surprised by this news and we have a procedure that we follow and upon verifying it we returned his money and continue to analyze all contributions and take action if that's warranted.

What a crock of hooey. To see what I'm talking about, scroll down one post.

UPDATE 11:50 AM: Norman Hsu turned himself in to authorities this morning in California.

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law

Hsu

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Hillary returns Hsu money, but what about International Profit Associates cash?

Besides Sen. Larry Craig, see below post, the other major political news story is Norman Hsu. A major Democratic fundraiser for many campaigns, Hsu was to be a co-host for a September 30 Hillary Clinton fundraiser.

That was until it was revealed that Hsu is wanted on a 1991 California grand-theft charge. He's out, and the Clinton campaign is donating $23,000 in Hsu money to charity. Cash Hsu raised from other donors for Hillary is not being returned, however.

There's more tainted cash in Hillary's coffers. International Profit Associates is a Buffalo Grove, Illinois consulting firm. Here what the New York Times had to say about them in 2006:

Federal authorities are pressing a sexual harassment suit against the company on behalf of 113 former female employees.

The Illinois attorney general is investigating accusations of deceptive marketing tactics, officials say, and the company has been the subject of 470 complaints to the Better Business Bureau across the nation in the past three years.

Alleged victims of IPA sexual harrasment appeared on Oprah in 2005.

Executives and associates of International Profit Associates have donated $130,000 to Hillary Clinton's Senate campaigns.

That same NYT article noted that a Clinton spokesperson would be "reviewing the contributions"

But two months ago, Chris Fusco reported that none of that IPA-tied cash has been returned or donated to charity.

In June, Myron "Mike" Cherry was one of twenty "chairs" at a Chicago Hillary Clinton fundraiser. Although not accused of any crime and said to be cooperating with authorities, Cherry is believed to be the "Individual H" referred to in the federal indictment of Tony Rezko, the longtime Barack Obama political contributor.

Cherry has also done legal work for International Profit Associates.

Are you looking for a lawyer? If so, read this Myron Cherry 2007 article, 16 things you need to know...When hiring and managing a lawyer. It's found on the IPA Business Today site.

So Hillary donated her HSU money, all $23,000 of it, to charity. Big deal.

What is she going to do about the $130,000 in IPA-tied money she's collected over the years?

Or are they still, more than a year later, "reviewing the contributions."

A major hat tip to Dan Curry of Reverse Spin, who has posted extensively on this topic.

One final note, and this comes from Curry's web site. Finding IPA stories, negative ones at least, is quite difficult. Curry raises the possibility that the roadblocks on the IPA information highway may not be accidental creations.

Thanks for the link:

Political Pistachio

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International Profit Associates

law

Hsu