Open thread

Why is it always the holier-than-thou "family values" politicians who are always caught up in scandal? Read the rest of this post...

Former top Huckabee aide: He DID try to influence parole board to set rapist free

This directly contradicts what Huckabee told ABC News, CNN, and every other network (and the American people). And now one of his former top aides is speaking out. An aide who was at the parole board meeting with Huckabee. And aide who the Huckabee campaign recommended the Huffington Post people speak to. Big mistake, that one.

From the Huffington Post:

Directly contradicting Mike Huckabee's claims, his former senior aide tells the Huffington Post that, as governor of Arkansas, Huckabee indeed told the state's parole board that he supported the release of a convicted rapist.

The senior aide, Olan W. "Butch" Reeves, personally attended a controversial parole board meeting with Huckabee in Oct. 1996.

"The clear impression that I came away with from the meeting was that he favored Dumond's release," Reeves said, referring to convicted rapist Wayne Dumond. "And I can understand why board members would believe that to be the case."

This stands in stark contrast to Huckabee's assertion, repeated at a press conference today that he "did not ask [the board] to do anything." When asked directly about trying to influence the board, Huckabee responded: "No. I did not. Let me categorically say that I did not."

But, according to Reeves, Huckabee actually told the parole board members that the prison sentence meted out to Dumond for his rape conviction was "outlandish" and "way out of bounds for his crime." Huckabee believed there "was something nefarious" about the how the state's criminal justice system had treated Dumond, Reeves said.

Reeves's admission comes as a surprise since the interview was encouraged by Huckabee's presidential campaign. Reeves served as chief counsel to then-Gov. Huckabee until 2003, and was subsequently appointed by Huckabee as chairman of the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission. Reeves has donated to Huckabee's presidential campaign.

Something nefarious? That's Huckabee's code for saying that he thought Bill Clinton was responsible for trumping up false charges against the rapist, since that's what all of Huckabee's good buddies on the far right kept telling him. And Huckabee believed it. Huckabee let his hatred for Bill Clinton cloud his judgment and it resulted in the rapes and murders of two women.

And now he's lying about it. Makes Rudy Giuliani lying about illegally using government funds to enable his extramarital affairs seem downright quaint. Read the rest of this post...

Huckabee let lots more criminals off the hook

A friend passed me the following white paper on the other criminals Huckabee helped, to the detriment of society when they struck again.

MIKE HUCKABEE, THE KING OF CLEMENCY:
THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF HUCKABEE'S LENIENCY

9 Percent of Prisoners Whom Huckabee Gave Clemencies Ended Up Back in Prison. According to state records, at least 9 percent of the prisoners who benefited from Huckabee's clemencies ended up in prison again. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/1/04]

HUCKABEE ON THE REBOUND

EUGENE FIELDS: JAILED FOR DWI IN 2003, SENTENCE COMMUTED IN 2004, ARRESTED FOR DWI IN 2006

2003: Eugene Fields Sentenced to Six Years For Fourth-Offense DWI. Eugene Fields was originally sentenced in August 2001 for his fourth DWI and began serving his six year sentence in May 2003, after the state Court of Appeals upheld his conviction. Previous convictions against Fields were in 1996, 1998 and 1999. [www.myeyewitnessnews.com, 4/13/06; Associated Press, 4/14/06, 2/25/04, 2/27/04]

2004: Huckabee Commutes Fields' Sentence, Saying Keeping Fields in Prison "Serves No Further Purpose." Huckabee said through a spokesman, "Eugene Fields requested clemency before going to prison. He deserved to spend time in jail. He has completed an alcohol rehabilitation program and has been a model prisoner. There's a critical shortage of prison bed space. Keeping him there serves no further purpose." [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2/28/04]

* Huckabee Was Heavily Criticized By MADD and Families of Drunk Driving Victim For Giving Fields Clemency. In 2004, Teresa Belew, state president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, sent Huckabee a letter asking him to change his mind about giving clemency to Eugene Fields of Van Buren. "It is important that the process begun by law enforcement officers such as those we honored today be supported," Belew wrote in to Huckabee. "As our governor, your decision at this point in the process is strategic to ensuring that the process works." She wrote that Fields was to blame for making "continued choices to drink and drive." Paul Leopoulos, whose 17-year-old daughter, Thea, was a youth activist for MADD before her death in a car crash, said he was "blown away" by the governor's intentions in the Fields case. "I'm sorry. That's saying to everybody else ... 'you can continually do it and they'll slap your hand,'" said Leopoulus. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2/28/04; Associated Press, 2/27/04]

* Huckabee's Motives Questioned by Prosecutor. Prosecutor Marc McCune questioned Huckabee's motives in the Fields case. "[Fields] has not served one-sixth of his time, and the governor is already trying to give him clemency," McCune said. "It may be because he's a wealthy businessman in Van Buren or the governor is taking a light stand on DWI's. I don't know." Fields owned a shopping center in Van Buren, Arkansas and was involved in real estate developments in Rogers and in Texas. [Associated Press, 2/25/04, 2/27/04]

* Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Editorial: Huckabee Sent An "Unmistakable" Message with Drunk Driving Clemency.: "Drive Drunk And He'll Commute Your Sentence." According to an editorial in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Governor Mike Huckabee "commuted the sentence of a Van Buren man-Eugene Fields.a shopping center developer-who'd been convicted of drunk driving four times. When the Guv does something like this, his message is unmistakable: Drive drunk and he'll commute your sentence. At least if you're a shopping center developer from Van Buren. It's a message he shouldn't be sending." [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/17/04]


2006: Fields Arrested Again. In April 2006, Eugene Fields pleaded guilty to driving drunk again. Barling Police Chief John Roth said Fields was arrested on a driving-while-intoxicated charge on the evening of April 4 after almost crashing head-on into police officer Kevin Dugan on Arkansas 59. When Fields was arrested again in 2006, Huckabee said he was disappointed with Fields' actions. "Mr. Fields has broken all trust and deserves the full penalty the law allows," the governor said. "Not everyone does right, but when a person fails a second chance he forfeits a future one." [www.myeyewitnessnews.com, 4/13/06; Associated Press, 4/14/06, 2/25/04, 2/27/04; Arkansas Democratic-Gazette, 4/14/06]

WAYNE DUMOND: JAILED FOR RAPE IN 1984, PAROLED IN 1997, MURDERED AGAIN IN 2001

1984: Wayne DuMond Sentenced to Life Plus 20 Years For the Rape Of Ashley Stevens.

* DuMond Had A Long History of Criminal Activity. In the 1970s, DuMond avoided prosecution in an Oklahoma killing after agreeing to testify for the state, he pleaded guilty in an attack on a Washington state woman, and he admitted raping a woman but wasn't convicted because the victim wouldn't testify. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/1/01]

1997: DuMond Paroled On Condition That He Not Live In Arkansas. Dumond was serving a sentence of life plus 20 years for the 1984 rape of 17 year old Ashley Stevens, whom he threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone. He also admitted that he sent Stevens a Christmas card "Because I wanted her to remember what she did to me." In January 1997, the Arkansas state Post Prison Transfer Board voted 4-1 to parole DuMond on the condition he not live in Arkansas. "The governor believes that this does satisfy the request of people on both sides in this case and accomplishes his wish to ensure that Mr. Dumond gets out of prison," said Huckabee spokesman Rex Nelson. [The Commercial Appeal, 1/10/97; Associated Press, 1/16/97; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/27/97]

* Huckabee Supported Prison Board Decision, Saying "My Desire Is That You Be Released." Huckabee said he supported the Prison's Board decision, writing in a letter to DuMond, "My desire is that you be released from prison. I feel now that parole is the best way for your integration into society to take place." [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/17/97, 7/1/01; Kansas City Star, 6/30/01]

2001: Wayne DuMond Murdered a Woman In Missouri After Being Paroled in Arkansas. In 2003, Wayne DuMond was convicted of the first-degree murder of Carol Shields, 39, in Parkville, Missouri. The woman was suffocated 11 months after DuMond left prison in Arkansas and seven weeks after he moved to the Kansas City area. Shields' body was found in an apartment about 10 miles from DuMond's home. DuMond was also the main suspect in the 2001 murder of a 23-year old woman named Sara Andrasek, but was never charged. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 9/1/05; Dallas Morning News, 7/3/01]

2001: After DuMond's Arrest, Huckabee Tried to Backtrack. After DuMond was arrested in the Shields case, Huckabee tried to distance himself from granting clemency, saying, "The only action I have taken in relation to Wayne DuMond is that I denied a commutation request that I considered." [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/1/01]

2001: Prison Board Said That They "Did Exactly" What Huckabee Wanted With DuMond. However, two members of the prison board said Huckabee was the one who raised the subject of a parole for DuMond when he met with the board in October 1996. In July 2001, Prison Board member Deborah Suttlar said Huckabee had made it known he wanted DuMond released: "I think the board did what he wanted and, if he is saying that they didn't, he's wrong about that. The board did exactly what he wanted. He wanted DuMond free, and that's what he got." [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/1/01; Scripps Howard News Service, 7/4/01]

SAMUEL TAYLOR: JAILED FOR DRUG CHARGES IN 1992, GRANTED CLEMENCY IN 1998, CONVICTED AGAIN IN 2001

1992: Samuel Taylor Convicted Of Drug and Theft Charges. Samuel Wayne Taylor was convicted of drug and theft charges in 1992 of burglary, two counts of delivery of a controlled substance and theft. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/22/99]

1998: Huckabee Granted Taylor Clemency. Taylor was granted clemency by Mike Huckabee in 1998. He was released in December of 1998 and was scheduled to be under parole supervision until February 2005. Law enforcement officials said Taylor told them his sister was a friend of Huckabee's. Huckabee denied this. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/22/99; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/18/02]

2001: Taylor Convicted On Another Drug Charge. In 2001, Samuel Taylor was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing more than five grams of ephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. [Associated Press, 8/31/01]

MARTY ALLEN SOUTHERLAND: PARDONED BY HUCKABEE IN 2003, ARRESTED FOR MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS IN 2006

2003: Huckabee Pardoned Marty Allen Southerland on Theft and Other Charges. In December 2003, Huckabee pardoned Marty Allen Southerland for a conviction of possession of an instrument of crime and theft. [Associated Press, 4/14/06]

2006: Southerland Arrested Again. Marty Allen Southerland, a Paron High School janitor who was pardoned by Huckabee in 2003 was arrested allegedly threatening the superintendent of the Bryant School District. Southerland allegedly had a .40-caliber weapon in his vehicle on school grounds when he was arrested. He was charged with making a terroristic threat and possessing a firearm on a school campus and using another person's property to facilitate a crime. All were felonies. [Associated Press, 4/14/06]


COMMUTED MURDERERS

ROYCE MURPHY: Huckabee Commuted Sentence, Murphy Was Freed. On November 18, 1996, Mike Huckabee commuted the sentence of Royce Murphy, who was convicted in 1969 of killing another prisoner while serving time for burglary. Huckabee commuted the sentence to 159 years and 11 months. Murphy was released and was under parole supervision until March 2050. His location is unknown. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/22/99; Arkansas Criminal History Records, accessed 4/19/06 ]

GEORGE SMITH: Huckabee Commuted Death Sentence, Smith Was Freed. On January 22, 1997, Mike Huckabee commuted the sentence of George Smith from life to 127 years and five months. He was released in April 1997 and was under parole supervision until July 2039. Smith was convicted in March 1975 for the death of David Powell. His location is unknown. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/22/99; Arkansas Criminal History Records, accessed 4/19/06]

JOHN DEGLER: Huckabee Commuted Death Sentence for Murderer. On August 6, 1999, Mike Huckabee commuted the death sentence of John Degler. Degler was convicted in February 1974 for the death of Curtis M. Turner. Huckabee commuted Deglers' sentence and he was immediately eligible for parole. His location is unknown. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/22/99; Arkansas Criminal History Records, accessed 4/19/06]

LEE WALKER: Huckabee Commuted Sentence of Murderer Denied Clemency by Two Other Governors. On January 2, 1998, Mike Huckabee commuted the life sentence of Lee V. Walker, who was convicted of first-degree murder in February 1966. Huckabee commuted the sentence from life, making him eligible for parole. Walker was denied clemency once by Governor Bill Clinton in 1992 and twice by Governor Jim Guy Tucker in 1994 an 1996. His location is unknown. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/6/98, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/16/98, Arkansas Criminal History Records, accessed 4/19/06]

BOBBY RAY FRETWELL: Huckabee Commuted Sentence of Man Who Murdered 81-Year Old Man. On March 8, 1999, saying that he had "prayed and sought God's help with the decision," Governor Mike Huckabee said he would stick to his plan of commuting the death sentence of murderer Bobby Ray Fretwell to life in prison without parole in 1999. Family members of Fretwell's victim, 81-year-old Sherman Sullins, had appealed to Huckabee to reconsider clemency for Fretwell. Fretwell was driving a stolen pickup truck when it broke down. Fretwell picked his victim's house at random, killed Sullins with a shot to the head, stole his truck and money. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 3/6/99]

JAMES MAXWELL: Huckabee Granted Clemency Over Family's Objections; Maxwell Was Freed. On October 30, 2000, despite objections from the victim's family, Governor Mike Huckabee decided to grant clemency to convicted murderer and robber James Maxwell making him eligible for parole in 2003. Huckabee was criticized because Maxwell spent three years assigned to work detail at the governor's mansion. The governor declined to discuss his acquaintance with the inmate. Angela McCoy, one of the victim's daughters, said Huckabee repeatedly referred to Maxwell as "Jim" during a meeting. "It was obvious there was a personal relationship between the two of them," she said. "That hurt us to the bone." Maxwell told police he pulled out a stolen .22-caliber pistol and ordered Reverend Billy Price Bennett to get out of the car. When Bennett resisted, police said Maxwell shot him three times and stole the car. His location is unkown. [The Commercial Appeal, 10/28/00; Associated Press, 10/31/00; Arkansas Criminal History Records, accessed 4/19/06]

WILLIE WAY: Huckabee Commuted Sentence of Murderer, Way Was Freed. On May 14, 2001, Mike Huckabee commuted the sentence of Willie Way Jr., who was convicted of first degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and three counts of robbery in 1974. Way pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the July 13, 1973 killing of James V. Carter, owner and operator of a grocery store. Carter was robbed and fatally shot. Way also pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the December 17, 1973 killing of 14-year-old Reginald Mack. Mack was shot in Way's home. Way worked as a trusty at the Governor's Mansion. His location is unknown. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/12/01; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/29/01; Associated Press, 5/15/01; Arkansas Criminal History Records, 4/19/06]

ELIZABETH HAGAR: Huckabee Granted Clemency to Woman Convicted of Killing Husband, Hagar Was Freed. On December 10, 2003, Mike Huckabee ordered the release of Elizabeth Diane Hagar who was convicted of manslaughter in the 1997 shooting death of her husband, Mark Hagar. Her location is unknown. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/1/04; Arkansas Criminal History Records, 4/19/06]

DON JEFFERS: Huckabee Granted Clemency to Murderer Who Bludgeoned Victim to Death with Prosthetic Leg. In 2004, Governor Mike Huckabee granted clemency to convicted murderer Don Jeffers, who pleaded guilty in 1980 to the bludgeoning death of William Hash. Jeffers allegedly hit Hash with his own prosthetic leg. A year after he initially granted clemency to Jeffers, Huckabee rejected the request after Attorney Robert Herzfeld successfully challenged Huckabee's original decision in court. [Associated Press, 1/23/04; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/26/04; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/15/05]

* Governor Laughed At Prosecutor's Concern About Clemency. When prosecutor Robert Herzfeld asked the governor to "re-evaluate" his clemency policies, he received a three-sentence reply from Cory Cox, the governor's deputy legal counsel and adviser on criminal justice. "The governor read your letter and laughed out loud. He wanted me to respond to you. I wish you success as you cut down your caffeine consumption." [Associated Press, 1/23/04; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/26/04]

DENVER WITHAM: Huckabee Granted Clemency to Man Convicted of Murder, Witham Was Freed. On July 6, 2004, Mike Huckabee gave clemency to Denver Witham, who had been sentenced to life in 1974 for the beating death of Stanley Wells. Huckabee commuted the sentence, making him eligible to seek parole. Witham was convicted of beating Wells with a lead pipe after a disagreement at a bar. His location is unknown. [Associated Press, 8/4/04; Arkansas Criminal History Records, accessed 4/19/06]

WADE STEWART: Huckabee Granted Clemency to Killer Who Had 35 Disciplinary Marks on Prison Record. On December 17, 2004, Governor Mike Huckabee granted clemency to Wade Stewart despite Department of Correction records that showed that Stewart had 35 disciplinary marks on his prison record including battery, lying to the prison staff, possession of money, using abusive language, possession of gambling paraphernalia, unauthorized contact with the public, destruction and taking of state property, disrupting or breaking into a line, possession of contraband and throwing or spitting fluid. His location is unknown. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/18/04; Arkansas Criminal History Records, accessed 4/19/06]

HUCKABEE'S HYPOCRISY ON CLEMENCIES

Huckabee Cut Prison Time to Five of 44 Mansion Trustees. Statistics suggest that Mike Huckabee showed preferential treatment in granting clemencies to prisoners who were trustees at the Governor's Mansion. Huckabee gave time cuts to five of the 44 mansion trustees during his tenure. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/1/04]

Huckabee Commuted Sentence of Stepson of Staff Member. In 2001, Mike Huckabee commuted the 40-year prison burglary sentence of Donald L. Clark, the stepson of Huckabee staffer Nancy Clark, to time served. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/18/02]

Reverend: I've Helped with "Many, Many" Clemencies from Huckabee. The Reverend Charles Williams, a pastor of Covenant at Zion Church and a Huckabee appointee to the state Claims Comission who helped promote the Republican governor in the black community said he had helped with "many, many" clemencies from Huckabee. Huckabee's pastor at the Church at Rock Creek, the Rev. Greg Kirksey, interceded on behalf of a repeat burglar, Donnie Clark. Huckabee also cited the input of the Reverend Johnny Jackson, a 30-year friend and former president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, who issued a notice to free Glen Martin Green, who murdered an 18-year-old pregnant woman. Huckabee issued a notice saying he intended to grant clemency to Green even though the Parole Board unanimously rejected the clemency application. Huckabee later announced he had changed his mind after drawing profound criticism for his decision. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 8/1/04]

BE AFRAID, BE VERY, VERY, VERY AFRAID

Huckabee Traveled to Guantanamo to Teach Department of Defense How to Run Prison System. Governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabe planned to visit the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay for a tour of the detention center and an intelligence briefing. "It's obviously a learning experience for the governor, but it's also a chance for the DOD to learn how the state corrections facilities are run," Stewart said. "It's an opportunity for them to learn how we run our prison system." [Boston Globe, 4/21/06; Associated Press, 4/21/06]

Huckabee Gave Money from Near Defunct PAC to Pol Who Worked for Huck on Clemency Applications. While Mike Huckabee's national Healthy America PAC, reported receiving $63,900 during the most recent filing period, his state PAC, CLAPAC, reported no contributions. However, he did make a $1,000 contribution to Chris Morris-who worked as an extradition officer for Huckabee on executive clemency applications and was running for state treasurer. [Associated Press, 4/5/06; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/5/06; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/20/06]

Read the rest of this post...

I agree with President Bush

A government should indeed explain its "past actions," especially when those actions serve to "continue on a path of isolation that is not in the best interests" of the nation's people.

On a related note, a Google search for all of the Bush administration spokesmen (and spokeswoman) and the phrase "old news" turns up about 85,000 hits, including such gems as Iraq WMDs, the Plame outing, all sorts of 9/11 stuff, and plenty of various events during the Iraq war.

Throwing stones, glass houses, etc... Read the rest of this post...

Huckabee was on first-name basis with convicted rapist

As Joe writes in the post below, Huckabee just went on CNN in an effort to portray himself as the hero in the double rape double murder that he facilitated. Huckabee is now claiming that he denied the commutation for the convicted rapist. Cute. What he doesn't tell you is that he was planning on granting the commutation until a public uproar ensued. Huckabee even admits this fact in his press conference earlier today:

That request for commutation to time served awaited me. I originally considered it, indicated even an intention I that might grant it. There was and incredible outcry over that, I ultimately requested to deny it.

So claiming credit for denying the commutation, when he was in fact planning to commute the rapist's sentence, is beyond cute.

But what's more, at the same time that Huckabee tries to portray himself as the hero who was opposed to helping this vile rapist, why did Huckabee write to the rapist and say that he wanted the rapist paroled? And worse yet, why was Governor Huckabee on a first-name basis with a convicted rapist?

“Dear Wayne,” Huckabee wrote in a letter to Dumond. “My desire is that you be released from prison. I feel that parole is the best way for your reintroduction to society to take place.”.

Did Huckabee ask for the letter back? Did he write a second letter to the rapist, or the parole board, rescinding his support for the rapist's parole? I mean, Huckabee writes "Wayne" a personal letter saying he thinks Wayne should be paroled, but we're to believe that a short time later Huckabee meets with the parole board and doesn't express the same opinion to them? Especially when the parole board says that that is exactly what Huckabee did?

It's not clear that there are any heroes in this case, but Huckabee, most assuredly, is not one of them. Read the rest of this post...

Huckabee to CNN: Parole Board members not telling the truth about Dumond case

Mike Huckabee was just on CNN disputing the claim that he pushed for the parole of Wayne Dumond.

When Wolf Blitzer asked what Huckabee's responsibility was in the tragedy, he actually portrayed himself as a hero, "Wolf, my only official action in this was I denied his commutation."

Then, Huckabee basically said the three parole board members who said Huckabee pushed for Dumond's parole were liars. When Wolf asked if those members were telling the truth when they said that the Governor "influenced them in a significant way to let the guy go," Huckabee said, "Wolf, they're not."

Read the rest of this post...

Huckabee rape defense: BIll Clinton made me do it

That's the Republican equivalent of the dog ate my homework. GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee spoke today at a press conference about the growing controversy over his role in releasing a convicted rapist who then went on to rape and murder two more women. Huckabee has been giving conflicting answers for days now about the incident, and today came up with a novel excuse: It's Bill Clinton's fault. Six times during the press conference Huckabee invoked Clinton's name, trying to pin the blame on him for helping release the man who raped his cousin. Now, you can throw a lot of hurt at Bill Clinton, but suggesting that he'd help free the guy who raped his cousin, that's pretty far out there even for the far-right Clinton haters. And in fact, Bill Clinton had recused himself from the case because the victim was his cousin.

But even if Bill Clinton helped Huckabee enable the rape and murder of two women (which he didn't), that's the best Huckabee can come up? Clinton helped me do it? Read the rest of this post...

Openly-gay US ambassador steps down, blasts Rice/Bush for discrimination

I honestly thought this was going to be a gay-marriage article or something. In fact, our ambassador, Michael Guest, raises some pretty horrific concerns that Condi Rice outright refused to address:

“For the past three years, I’ve urged the Secretary and her senior management team to redress policies that discriminate against gay and lesbian employees. Absolutely nothing has resulted from this. And so I’ve felt compelled to choose between obligations to my partner — who is my family — and service to my country. That anyone should have to make that choice is a stain on the Secretary’s leadership and a shame for this institution and our country,” he said.

Among the inequities cited by Mr. Guest and other gay diplomats: unlike heterosexual spouses, gay partners are not entitled to State Department-provided security training, free medical care at overseas posts, guaranteed evacuation in case of a medical emergency, transportation to overseas posts, or special living allowances when foreign service officers are assigned to places like Iraq, where diplomatic families are not permitted.

Regardless of your position on gay marriage, refusing to provide the partners/spouses of gay ambassadors security training, medical care, and evacuation if the entire country blows up? These people are putting their lives down on the line for our country, in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Condi Rice should know better. Our country should do better. Read the rest of this post...

Huckabee issues fake passive-voice CYA apology to dead rape victims' families

Huckabee today is saying that he's "sorry for what they've been through." But that's not a real apology. He's saying he's sorry that they've been through hell, but he's clearly not taking responsibility for the hell that he personally put the families through. In fact, Huckabee is denying any involvement at all in the release of the rapist who then raped and murdered their daughters even though he met with the parole board on the rapist's behalf. The appropriate apology, the real apology, isn't "I'm sorry for your pain (that someone else caused)" - that's what you say when a friend's kid dies and you had nothing to do with it. The appropriate apology when you aided and abetted the rape and murder of two people's daughters is "I am responsible for your daughters' deaths, it was a terrible error in judgment, I was wrong, and I am sorry. What can I do to set things right?"

Huckabee is also saying today, “Nothing I can do or say can reduce their level of grief.” Actually, a real apology, and not a passive-voice CYA non-apology, would be a good start. Read the rest of this post...

Huckabee in August 2007: I felt sorry for rapist

No, sir, you don't feel sorry for a man who raped a 17 year old high school girl and numerous other women before that. That's not "Christian," that's crazy. And it's not the notion of justice or wisdom that America looks for in a president.

From the conservative National Review Online:

Last August, Huckabee told me he had his doubts about Dumond’s guilt, and also felt sorry for him over the castration attack. On September 20, just weeks after taking office, Huckabee announced that he intended to set Dumond free, saying that there were “serious questions as to the legitimacy of his guilt.” On October 31, Huckabee met with the parole board. Not long after, the board voted to free Dumond, but on the condition he move to another state. Huckabee was pleased, in part because — given that the board had voted to free Dumond — there was no need for Huckabee to commute the sentence or pardon him. So Huckabee denied Dumond’s now-irrelevant pardon application while at the same time congratulating him on his soon-to-come freedom. “Dear Wayne,” Huckabee wrote in a letter to Dumond. “My desire is that you be released from prison. I feel that parole is the best way for your reintroduction to society to take place.”.....

A political storm erupted [after the man raped and murdered two more women]. Huckabee sought cover by saying that all he had done was to deny Dumond’s pardon application. But some Democrats [NOTE FROM JOHN: That's a lie, see next note] claimed that Huckabee had pressured the parole board to free Dumond. What actually happened between Huckabee and the board remains unclear to this day [NOTE FROM JOHN: That's flat-out wrong - 4 of the 5 parole board members say that Huckabee met with them to support the rapist getting paroled, the 5th isn't talking], but there is no doubt that Huckabee wanted Wayne Dumond set free. And today, he knows he was terribly wrong, but he still defends his actions. “My only official action was to deny his clemency,” Huckabee told me in Iowa. [NOTE FROM JOHN: Again, that's a lie. Huckabee met with the parole board, as governor, to plead for this man's parole.] As we talked, Huckabee spread the blame around, not only to Tucker, who originally commuted Dumond’s sentence, but to Bill Clinton as well. “Tucker could not have done that without Clinton’s full knowledge and approval,” Huckabee said.

Oh yeah, it's Bill Clinton's fault. Uh huh. Considering that's how Huckabee got into this mess, by doing the bidding of Clinton-haters who didnt' want to believe that a cousin of Bill Clinton was really raped, it does Huckabee no favors to be now proving that he's a member of the blame-Clinton posse, more interested in bashing Clinton than looking after the welfare of rape victims.

Yet another pass-the-buck Republican presidency, that's all America needs. Read the rest of this post...

Bush is a Prez with not a shred of cred

McClatchy:

Asked at a news conference if he was maintaining his threat to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, Bush replied, "The best diplomacy, effective diplomacy, is one of which all options are on the table."

He said that the new intelligence finding provides a "rare opportunity for us to rally the international community" behind new sanctions and that he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had been "working the phones" with foreign leaders.

The report, though, has dealt another blow to Bush's credibility — which already was low over his false claims about illicit weapons in Iraq — because he was aware of the findings when he warned on Oct. 17 that Iran's quest for nuclear weapons could ignite World War III.

Yeah, you two keep working those phones.

Okay, let's be clear: Bush has no credibility because he is a liar. The media won't come out and actually say that. Today's articles about Iran dance all around it. But, the reporters seem to have clued in that Bush lies to them. Finally. They just need to keep in mind that he doesn't just lie about Iran and Iraq. He lies about everything. Read the rest of this post...

Huckabee was warned rapist would strike again, mom of murdered girl speaks out on ABC

Mike Huckabee is the darling of right wingers in Iowa. But, new reports from the Huffington Post and ABC News should put a serious dent in his momentum. Huckabee's now got Murray Waas and Brian Ross on the case.

First, at Huffington Post, investigative reporter extraordinaire Murray Waas has new documents that show Huckabee was warned about the dangers of Dumond -- from victims of Wayne Dumond. Huckabee's campaign has been trying desperately to spin its way out of this scandal -- but it gets worse every day. Bottom line is that Huckabee is not being honest about his role in the release of Dumond (isn't there a commandment about not lying?):

"There's nothing any of us could ever do," Huckabee said Sunday on CNN when asked to reflect on the horrific outcome caused by the prisoner's release. "None of us could've predicted what [Dumond] could've done when he got out."

But the confidential files obtained by the Huffington Post show that Huckabee was provided letters from several women who had been sexually assaulted by Dumond and who indeed predicted that he would rape again - and perhaps murder - if released.

In a letter that has never before been made public, one of Dumond's victims warned: "I feel that if he is released it is only a matter of time before he commits another crime and fear that he will not leave a witness to testify against him the next time." Before Dumond was granted parole at Huckabee's urging, records show that Huckabee's office received a copy of this letter from Arkansas' parole board.

At ABC News, investigative reporter Brian Ross interviewed the rape victim who confronted Huckabee -- and the mother of a woman killed by Dumond who never wants to see Huckabee as President:
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Wednesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

It is snowing in D.C. -- very light snow, but this area doesn't handle it well. Our weather pales in comparison to what's happening in the states of Washington and Oregon.

And, despite the winter weather, the campaigns are really heating up. We'll be doing another podcast on the elections later today.

Okay. Get it started. Read the rest of this post...

More fiscal responsibility by Bush and the GOP

Not unlike the taxpayer money that went missing in Iraq, this administration can't even control spending in the US. Have we ever witnessed such a pathetic bunch?

The Bush administration now acknowledges it is trying to recover nearly $500 million from people who improperly received federal aid money intended to help victims of two deadly hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, along the Gulf Coast two years ago. It said the amount may increase further.

“This is a moving target and not finite,” said James McIntyre, a spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The government’s newest estimate of improper aid represents $494 million FEMA paid to 134,000 people who were ineligible for the aid they received. More than half the money went to people who couldn’t prove residency, according to FEMA figures. Overpayments and duplicate payments account for most of the remainder.

The amount had exceeded $500 million, but the agency wrote off nearly $27 million because of appeals or hardship waivers. The $500 million figure would represent nearly $1 of every $10 in government aid intended to help storm victims.

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UK business now sees benefits to environmental regulations

What a difference a few years makes. From Kyoto to Bali...

Suddenly, there is a real change of tone. Last week, the Confederation of British Industry published a climate change report that called on the government to deploy the full policy and legal armoury of the state to cut emissions.

The next day, legal firm Clifford Chance published a survey of leading corporate executives, to reveal that more than four-fifths believe more regulation, not less, is needed for them to tackle climate change successfully.

Then, perhaps most importantly of all, came the initiative launched by the Prince of Wales's business leaders' group, pressing governments to collectively agree a tough, science-based and legally binding treaty to reduce emissions in Bali.

This is new and important. Ten years ago in Kyoto, governments wanted regulation, while companies demanded voluntary action. Now the reverse is true. Many governments seek market solutions, while companies are calling for new laws.

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