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FILE - In this March 15, 2013,
file photo, former Massachusetts Gov., and 2012 Republican presidential
candidate, Mitt Romney acknowledges the crowd prior to speaking to at
the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference in National
Harbor, Md. Romney is warning congressional Republicans against forcing a
government shutdown in their quest to stop President Barack Obama’s
health care law in a speech to more than 200 donors at a Tuesday night,
Aug. 6, 2013, fundraiser for the New Hampshire Republican Party, set
just four miles from Romney’s vacation home. The event is closed to the
media, but his office released his prepared remarks. (AP Photo/Manuel
Balce Ceneta, File)
WOLFEBORO, N.H. (Associated Press) -- Former
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney jumped into the debate over
the GOP's future Tuesday night, warning congressional Republicans
against forcing a government shutdown in their quest to stop President
Barack Obama's signature health care law.
Romney addressed more
than 200 donors on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee at a fundraiser for
the New Hampshire Republican Party, staged just four miles from the
vacation home where he has spent much of the summer with his family. The
event was closed to the media, but his office released his prepared
remarks.
Romney, 66, warned congressional Republicans against letting emotions drive their decisions.
"I
badly want Obamacare to go away, and stripping it of funds has appeal.
But we need to exercise great care about any talk of shutting down
government," Romney said in the first speech of its kind since his
November election loss to Obama. "What would come next when soldiers
aren't paid, when seniors fear for their Medicare and Social Security,
and when the FBI is off duty?"
He continued: "I'm afraid that in the
final analysis, Obamacare would get its funding, our party would suffer
in the next elections, and the people of the nation would not be happy. I
think there are better ways to remove Obamacare."
Romney did not
criticize anyone by name, but he dismissed the very strategy employed by
some of his party's biggest names _ potential 2016 presidential
candidates among them. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas
and Mike Lee of Utah are urging Republicans to swear off voting for any
year-end spending bill that includes money for the president's health
care law. Parts of the federal government would shut down on Oct. 1 if
Congress doesn't approve a short-term funding bill before then.
Several
Republicans on Capitol Hill have attacked the plan to strip health care
funding from the spending bill in unusually harsh language, although
Romney has been silent on this _ and virtually every other public debate
_ for much of the last nine months.
It's unclear what role the
former Massachusetts governor hopes to play for the GOP. He has hinted
at a desire to remain an active voice on major policy debates, and he
maintains ties to a powerful national fundraising operation.
His
presence at the New Hampshire GOP fundraiser Tuesday night helped raise
tens of thousands of dollars, according to organizers, which is
considered a large haul for a state party so long before the next
election. Donors paid between $100 and $1,500 and traveled from as far
as California to attend the event, which was held at a lakeside mansion
used in 2007 as a vacation home for French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
In his speech, Romney acknowledged that some Republicans may not care for his perspective given his recent loss.
"I'm
probably not the first person you'd ask for advice," he said. "But
because we all learn from our mistakes, I may have a thought or two of
value."
He called on Republicans to "stay smart," in part, by
backing candidates who can win. And as the pool of potential candidates
for the 2016 presidential contest begins to grow, Romney suggested that
most are not electable.
"My guess is that every one of the
contenders would be better than whoever the Democrats put up," he said.
"But there will only be one or perhaps two who actually could win the
election in November."
Tyndale
was strangled and burned at the stake in 1536 in Brussels. "Lord, open
the King of England's eyes" were Tyndale's last words.
Thus, having laid a Biblical
foundation, it should be obvious to you by now that Satan's ministers aren't
what they APPEAR to be. They have transformed themselves to look
exactly like the ministers of Christ. The obama looks like a righteous man
to the naive, and talks like righteous man to the ignorant; BUT when compared to
the inspired WORD OF GOD, obama is quickly revealed as a man of sin, a liar,
and an antichrist. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the
Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son" (1st John
2:22). But you say, "Doesn't the Pope believe that Jesus is the Christ,"
i.e., the Savior? No, he doesn't. What?
2nd Corinthians 11:14 warns us that
Satan himself appears as a good guy, i.e., as a divine messenger of truth.
We hear much talk from the heathen world about "the light," such as in the
Poltergeist movies, and from psychics like Char Margolis. However, the
"light" which the Bible warns of is a counterfeit of the true Light. What
is the Light? The Word of God is the Light, "Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).
The Gospel is the Light, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2nd
Corinthians 4:4).
Jesus is the Light, "Then spake Jesus again unto
them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). John
9:5 states, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Christians shine with the Light of Jesus, "Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid" (Matthew 5:14). John 1:4
sums it all up with the statement... "In him (Jesus Christ) was life;
and the life was the light of men." The Light is the Truth, and
Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
Satan tries to imitate the Light, and
is a master counterfeiter. Satan's spirit works in the unsaved (Ephesians
2:2) and some of them even become Satan's ministers, "For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles
of Christ." Oh! but they're NOT of Christ, they are demonic, sold
out to the Devil. These are the followers of Lucifer, the prince of
darkness. Carefully notice the phrase "transforming themselves."
The Greek word for "transforming" is metaschematizo, which means, "to
change self." Hence, there are many ministers today who have never
been changed by the saving power of the Gospel; rather, they have only changed
themselves to look like genuine men of God. This is very
interesting, and a powerful Biblical truth to teach others.
OST religious
people today have only changed themselves, in their own self-righteousness.
They have never submitted to the righteousness of God found only in Christ
Jesus. There can be NO salvation apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
which absolutely forbids any self-righteousness whatsoever! Ye must be
born-again!!! Many ministers and priests today are IMPOSTERS! Roman
and Orthodox Catholic priests are ALL liars and imposters, because they are
going about to establish their OWN righteousness, instead of the righteousness
which is of God... "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Here we see
the opposite response of changing ourselves--SUBMITTING OURSELVES.
Do you
see the difference? The foolish person tries to change their OWN SELF to
please God, going about to establish their OWN righteousness (Isaiah 64:6).
However, the wise person submits in obedience to the Gospel (2nd Thessalonians
1:8)--by coming to Jesus Christ as a sinner under the condemnation of God's Law
(Romans 3:10,19), deserving of Hellfire (2nd Thessalonians 1:8), trusting upon
the finished work of redemption ( i.e., the shed blood of Jesus Christ) to take
away their sins (1st Peter 1:18-19). "For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Have you submitted to
the righteousness of God, which is Christ Jesus?
Be warned! -- This book is written by an unbeliever who dares to question the MESSIAH. Read at your own peril!
Yes, Barack had worked tirelessly on behalf of the American people, especially those who elected him in 2008. His
followers needed to re-elect him to a second term, so that he could
continue to accomplish the promises he made, thus, realizing his vision
of America as a more perfect political union or “heaven here on earth.”
Then, as I began to contemplate ways to assist Barack in his 2012
re-election bid something miraculous happened. I felt God’s (His) Spirit
beckoning me in my dreams at night. Listening, cautiously, I learned
that Jesus walked the earth to create a more civilized society, Martin
(Luther King) walked the earth to create a more justified society, but,
Apostle Barack, the name he was called in my dreams, would walk the
earth to create a more equalized society, for the middle class and
working poor. Apostle
Barack, the next young leader with a new cause, had been taken to the
mountaintop and allowed to see over the other side. He had the answers
to unlock the kingdom of “heaven here on earth” for his followers. The
answers were repeated – over and over – in speeches Barack had made from
his presidential announcement to his inaugural address. Those speeches
or his teachings contained the answers to the middle class and working
poor people living in a “heaven here on earth.” For when the answers were unlocked and enacted, Apostle Barack’s vision of America would be realized.
Until this week, the most newsworthy thing Kimberly Miale
ever did was marry her Suffolk University Law School sweetheart, John Kelley. The two got hitched last August in Newport, R.I., and the wedding announcement made the New York Times.
Now? The 34-year-old attorney from Johnson, R.I., has left a lot of
NFL agents crying foul, while wondering if she and her new business
partner will revolutionize and dominate the league’s agent community.
Miale’s business partner, of course, is the real headline-grabber — famed rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z,
whose entertainment company, Roc Nation, has gotten into the sports
agency business this spring. His company, which also has a partnership
with powerful sports agency CAA, lured Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano away from Scott Boras, gave Skylar Diggins a new Mercedes-Benz recently after she was taken third overall in the WNBA draft, and now has signed Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith after he dumped his agent earlier this month.
Jay-Z’s appeal as an agent is obvious — he has all the top
connections in the entertainment world, and has amassed a fortune
estimated at around $500 million.
“It’s the rock-star thing,” former NFL All-Pro
Trevor Pryce told USA Today last week. “If you’re one of his guys, it affords you a lot of opportunity to do things off the field.”
But Jay-Z’s involvement in the NFL has many in the agent community up in arms. And that’s where Miale comes in.
Jay-Z hasn’t been certified as an agent by the NFL Players
Association, and probably won’t be any time soon — certification
requires studying the minutiae of the league’s collective bargaining
agreement and passing a two-day test.
In the eyes of several agents we spoke to last week, that makes Jay-Z
a “runner” — someone who helps secure clients for an agent but isn’t a
certified contract negotiator. In 2012, the NFLPA passed a resolution
banning the use of “runners,” with the threat of fine, suspension or
permanent banning for any agent who uses one.
Miale, though, is a certified NFLPA agent — just not one who has much
experience. Before signing on with Roc Nation, her only two clients
never played an NFL snap or even signed a contract — former University
of Florida linebacker Brandon Hicks and current Arena Football League kicker Carlos Martinez.
But Miale, listed as an associate at Heifetz Rose LLP in Needham,
gives Roc Nation a legitimate pretense to recruit and sign NFL players.
She will be listed as Smith’s official agent, not Jay-Z. And if CAA
doesn’t want to sign one of Jay-Z’s clients, Miale allows Roc Nation to
sign them on its own.
How Miale even connected with Jay-Z remains a mystery. She didn’t return multiple messages from the Globe seeking comment.
Of course, the idea that Miale is doing the recruiting and not Jay-Z
is a bit hard to believe. Smith’s adviser, former NFL player John Thornton,
even told CBS Sports recently that when Smith was looking for a new
agent, “I was in those meetings, and Jay-Z connected with him on many
levels.”
Jay-Z’s involvement is a big no-no, and Thornton later backtracked,
saying he was misquoted. But many agents are wondering if Jay-Z and Roc
Nation are getting preferential treatment from the NFLPA. The
organization declined a request for comment.
The NFLPA has already stated that it is OK with Jay-Z’s recruitment of Giants receiver Victor Cruz,
given that the two had a “preexisting relationship.” But there’s little
reason to think that Smith had any sort of relationship with Jay-Z
prior to the pre-draft process.
Of course, if the NFLPA were to come down on Roc Nation, Miale would
likely be the one in trouble, not Jay-Z — she’s the regulated agent,
after all, while he’s just the “runner.”
From what we can tell, most agents aren’t too threatened by Jay-Z. Roc Nation figures only to pursue the choicest clients.
But Jay-Z could put a dent in the business of high-profile agents such as Joel Segal or Drew Rosenhaus, who often represent multiple first-round picks.
And if the NFLPA doesn’t look at the Jay-Z/Smith relationship
closely, what’s to stop Rosenhaus from partnering with, say, Miami
rapper Rick Ross?
“The process is being made a mockery of,” said one agent who spoke
under the condition of anonymity. “If the PA doesn’t regulate it, it
opens a Pandora’s box. They’d have to throw out the runner rule.”
The real head-scratcher in all of this, though — why does Jay-Z even want to get into the NFL agent business?
There’s little money to be made in the NFL, where player contracts
aren’t guaranteed and agent commissions are capped at 3 percent.
Even if Jay-Z charges 15-20 percent on marketing commissions, he’d
likely only make a couple hundred thousand dollars a year on a stable of
rookie clients. The 3 percent commission the agent will get from Smith
will net $148,110 — and that’s over four years.
“He makes that in one night of performance,” another agent pointed out. “Unless he gets a Tom Brady or an Aaron Rodgers, he’s never going to see the kind of money he’ll get in the NBA or baseball.” ONE-STOP SHOPPING
Easy to defend going with Rutgers players
The Patriots’ draft class drew a few chuckles when three of the seven players were from Rutgers. If Bill Belichick was going to raid a college program, wouldn’t he choose a school like Alabama or Florida instead of Rutgers?
But Belichick’s fondness of current Buccaneers, and former Rutgers, coach
Greg Schiano is no secret, and upon further inspection,
maybe it’s not the worst idea that the Patriots have become a landing
spot for former Scarlet Knights.
Of the six first- and second-year players from Rutgers on the Patriots’ roster, five are defensive players — tackle
Justin Francis, linebacker
Steve Beauharnais, and defensive backs
Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon, and Brandon Jones.
And Rutgers has been pretty darn solid on defense the last two
seasons, particularly against the pass. The Scarlet Knights’ schedule
wasn’t too daunting, but their defense was stingy and featured players
with good versatility.
In 2012, the Scarlet Knights were 10th out of 124 FBS teams in total
defense, fourth in points allowed, 17th in opposing passer rating, and
tied for 12th in interceptions. In 2011, they were 12th out of 120 teams
in total defense, eighth in scoring defense, fifth in opposing passer
rating, and tied for sixth in interceptions.
NFL Films guru Greg Cosell, who watches countless
hours of film of hundreds of prospects for producing various draft
shows, pointed out that Ryan (third round, 83d overall) is a versatile
zone or man-to-man cornerback who is also an aggressive tackler and good
blitzer off the corner.
Beauharnais (seventh round) can play defensive end as well as inside
and strong-side linebacker, while Harmon (third round, 91st overall)
often played man-to-man coverage against tight ends, in addition to his
safety duties.
“I thought this kid was a really intriguing prospect, and he was
utilized in multiple ways, which again is a Belichick factor,” Cosell
said of Harmon. “When I watched him on film I thought to myself, ‘This
kid’s a Belichick kind of player.’ ” FRESH APPROACH
Patriots get creative following the draft
The Patriots have taken an interesting approach to this year’s rookie
class. Thanks to trading out of the first round, they have the
fourth-lowest rookie pool in the NFL — their seven rookies will count
just over $3.75 million against the salary cap if they all make the
team. Only the Saints, Buccaneers, and Redskins have lower rookie pools.
But as initially pointed out by Yahoo! Sports, the Patriots spent
more money on undrafted free agents than any other team — $140,000 on 19
players.
Teams were allowed to spend only $78,170 on signing bonuses for
undrafted players this year, but the Patriots were one of several teams
to get creative.
Specifically, they were willing to guarantee a small portion of
several players’ salaries, even if they don’t make the team. Wide
receiver T.J. Moe got $30,000 guaranteed — $22,000 of his base salary, plus an $8,000 signing bonus. Tight end Zach Sudfeld, offensive lineman Elvis Fisher, guard Josh Kline, fullback Ben Bartholomew, and linebacker Kanorris Davis
also received five-figure guarantees. That money is a drop in the
bucket for the Patriots, but helps them land the undrafted rookies they
desire.
The Patriots’ approach seems prudent for this year’s draft, which was short on elite players.
How much of a better value are non-first-round rookies in the new CBA?
The Dolphins offer a perfect example. Defensive end Dion Jordan, taken No. 3 overall, will eventually sign a four-year deal worth just over $20.5 million, fully guaranteed. Cornerback Jamar Taylor,
taken in the second round (54th overall), will sign a four-year deal
worth about $3.6 million, and it won’t be fully guaranteed.
Seventh-round picks, meanwhile, make about $2.2 million over four years.
Second-round pass rusher Jamie Collins, the Patriots’ top draft pick, is expected to sign a four-year deal worth approximately $3.75 million. ETC.
Some of their money was not well-spent
Speaking of the Patriots and the salary cap, they’ve got $8.5 million
in space and little to worry about for this year. But they’re also
carrying $8.35 million in “dead money” from players who were cut but
still count against the cap. Jonathan Fanene is still on the books for $2.56 million, Chad Johnson counts for $1.583 million, and cutting Kyle Love last week cost the Patriots $250,000 in cap dollars.
The biggest dead weight, though, is
Brandon Lloyd, who will count $3.5 million against the
cap this year. But his dead money comes with an asterisk — the Patriots
are taking on an extra $1.5 million this year from Lloyd’s option bonus,
and will be given a $1.5 million credit in 2014.
No spike in his attendance
Consider us not surprised to see Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes absent from voluntary organized team activities last week. He often played by his own rules under Urban Meyer at
the University of Florida, which the coaching staff tolerated when he
earned All-America honors and helped lead the team to a BCS
championship.
But when the Gators celebrated their 2008 championship in The Swamp
in January 2009, who was the only player from the entire team not in
attendance? Yup, Spikes, who decided to celebrate in Miami that weekend.
But many NFL veterans, especially those confident with their roles,
train on their own in the offseason. Spikes’s absence only becomes a
real story if he skips the mandatory minicamp June 11-13, which seems
unlikely.
Now seating the negotiating table
This year’s draft may test which agents are truly the most skilled
negotiators. Several second-round picks will be “underpaid,” so to
speak, because of two vacated second-round picks — the Browns used
theirs on receiver Josh Gordon in last year’s supplemental draft, and the Saints lost theirs in the Bountygate scandal.
The Patriots’ Jamie Collins, for instance, was the
52d player drafted but will be paid like the 54th pick — a difference of
about $45,000 per year. It will be interesting to see if any agents can
convince teams to kick in a few extra dollars.
Another area in which the owners beat the NFLPA at the negotiating
table during the 2011 lockout — rookie contracts have largely remained
unchanged for the last three years.
The minimum salary has increased by $15,000 each year, but the
signing bonuses are exactly the same. The $5,234,328 signing bonus
received by Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro is the same signing bonus received by last year’s 15th overall pick, Bruce Irvin, and the same as 2011’s No. 15 pick, Mike Pouncey.
Dolphins ready to dive into season
Speaking of Pouncey, he and some of his Dolphins teammates are
brimming with confidence after the team spent more than $98 million
guaranteed on 13 free agents, and then traded up to No. 3 overall to nab
Dion Jordan.
“I think our football team is going to be great this year,” Pouncey
told NFL Network earlier this month. “We added a lot of key additions to
our football team. We look good on paper right now, but it takes
chemistry to get where we want to be, and that’s in the playoffs.”
Receiver Brian Hartline also said that the Dolphins, who added Pittsburgh speedster Mike Wallace and St. Louis possession receiver Brandon Gibson this offseason, “absolutely” have the best receiver corps in the AFC East.
“Add Dustin Keller in there, Lamar Miller’s a great back, and Daniel Thomas is a great back out of the backfield. The whole passing game is an advantage of ours,” Hartline said.
That’s not exactly Broadway Joe guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory,
but the Dolphins might want to keep quiet until they actually accomplish
something on the field.
The Dolphins have had a losing record for four straight seasons, a
feat they haven’t matched since their first four years as an expansion
franchise (1966-69). And ask the Eagles and Redskins how much it means
to be the offseason free agency champs.
Extra points
The NFL struck a partnership with Microsoft last week to provide
exclusive interactive gameday content on Xbox One and Surface, the
company’s tablet offering. The league hopes that in the near future
coaches will use tablets on the sidelines to view still photos and call
plays, replacing the laminated call sheet. Bill Belichick might be willing to adapt, as long as he can still hold the Surface up to his face when calling plays . . . In light of Jovan Belcher’s murder/suicide last November, and the ex-wife of Mario Williams claiming in a messy divorce settlement that he was addicted to pain pills and contemplated suicide last season, Giants owner John Mara said
the NFL has “made a lot of improvements” in terms of offering players
assistance with their problems, either through counseling or anonymous
hotlines. “We’re going to continue to be very conscious of those issues,
because it affects all of us, and you never know until the second it’s
going to happen,” Mara said . . . The NFL’s version of Groundhog Day: Mark Sanchez threw three interceptions at the Jets’ OTAs last week, and an anonymous player later ripped on Sanchez to CBSSports.com. Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenVolin. Material from interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
Singer, songwriter, businessman, and aspiring sports agent Jay-Z knows a lot of people well -- including President Obama. "I've spoken to him on the phone and had texts from Obama," he told New York radio station Hot97.
And what do they talk about?
One thing is the same topic many men discuss: Sports.
Noting
that it's "amazing" to be friends with a president, Jay-Z said Obama
likes use sports analogies in his conversation, and he cited an example
from last year's re-election campaign against Mitt Romney. "I
don't know if this is breaching national security," Jay-Z said. "But
when he was getting elected the second time, he was like, 'Hey, you
know, fourth quarter, just give me the ball.' "I said, 'word.'" Jay-Z has performed at Obama fundraisers, including a memorable twist last year on his hit song "99 Problems." In the 2012 version, Jay-Z sang that "I've got 99 problems -- but Mitt ain't one." The Obama discussion begins shortly after the 1:20 mark of the video.
Jay-Z has
an outstanding balance of $227,115 on his American Express Card, and has
a Cox cable bill for $892 that's been turned over to a collections
agency.
Obama to call for mortgage overhaul against backdrop of Phoenix's improving housing market
08-06-2013 12:14 PM PDT
|By JULIE PACE, AP White House Correspondent
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer greets
President Barack Obama on his arrival in Phoenix, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013.
In Arizona the President is expected to tour a construction project and
speak about housing, before heading to Los Angeles where he will tape
an episode of the “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” (AP Photo/Jacquelyn
Martin)
PHOENIX (Associated Press) -- President
Barack Obama is proposing to overhaul the nation's mortgage finance
system, including shutting down government-backed Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac _ a plan with bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.
Obama will
also insist that popular 30-year mortgages be widely available to
borrowers, even in a system that would rely more on the private sector
than the government to guarantee loans.
The president was to
outline his proposals Tuesday at a construction company in Phoenix, once
the epicenter of the housing crisis following the 2008 economic
collapse. The housing market in the region, as in much of the country,
has rebounded in recent months, buoyed in part by low interest rates.
Arriving
midday in Phoenix, Obama spent time on the tarmac chatting with Arizona
Gov. Jan Brewer before greeting Phoenix's mayor and other officials.
Unlike last year, there was no finger-wagging from the Republican
governor, who made international headlines with the gesture during
Obama's stop here last year.
The president's trip marks the latest
stop on his summertime economic tour aimed at refocusing his agenda on
middle-class Americans still struggling to recover from the recession.
The collapse of the housing market in particular had a dramatic impact
on people's lives and the economic viability of communities nationwide.
"So
many Americans across the country view their own economic and financial
circumstances through their homes and whether they own a home, whether
their home is underwater, whether they feel like they have equity in
their homes," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday.
Senior
administration officials said Obama would focus in Phoenix on shifting
more of the burden for supporting the nation's massive mortgage market
to the private sector. A centerpiece of that effort is winding down
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage finance operations that
received a $187 billion taxpayer-funded bailout in 2008.
The White
House has previously lauded efforts to achieve that goal spearheaded by
Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. While Obama will
outline his own proposals Tuesday, his plans are largely in line with
the Senate overhaul.
"He's encouraged by the bipartisan progress
we've seen on Capitol Hill," Housing and Urban Development Secretary
Shaun Donovan told reporters traveling with Obama aboard Air Force One.
He said that like the immigration overhaul Congress is pursuing, Obama
doesn't expect to agree on every detail.
Obama's plan would phase
out Fannie and Freddie, replacing them with a system that relies on the
private sector to buy mortgages from lenders. Officials said the
government would only step in to pay out mortgage guarantees after
private capital has been exhausted and said private capital would bear
the substantial majority of any losses.
Built into that system
would be a guarantee that 30-year mortgages would still be available.
Officials said that would involve some type of government guarantee for
lenders, though they did not detail what that would entail.
Obama's
advisers did not outline a specific timeframe for winding down Fannie
and Freddie. The Corker-Warner legislation would shutter the operations
within five years.
Fannie and Freddie don't make loans directly,
but buy mortgages from lenders, package them as bonds, guarantee them
against default and sell them to investors. The enterprises currently
own or guarantee half of all U.S. mortgages and back nearly 90 percent
of new ones.
Against the backdrop of Phoenix's reinvigorated
housing market, Obama will also tout refinancing proposals that gained
little traction on Capitol Hill when he first unveiled them last year.
Among his proposals is a call for expanding refinancing eligibility for
homeowners who do not have government-backed mortgages.
The
president will also look to link his housing proposals to immigration
reform, his top second-term legislative priority. Officials said he will
argue that legal immigration can stimulate the housing market.
According to the administration, immigrants accounted for 40 percent of
new homeowners nationwide between 2000 and 2010.
The officials insisted on anonymity in order to preview the president's remarks ahead of his trip.
The
nationwide housing recovery has been providing critical support to the
economy at a time when manufacturing and business investment have
stagnated. Steady job growth and low mortgage rates in the past year
have also fueled more home sales. The increased demand, along with a
tight supply of homes for sale, has pushed home prices higher. That's
encouraged builders to start more homes and create more construction
jobs.
The recovery in Phoenix is emblematic of the larger improvements happening in many parts of the country.
Just
two years ago, the region was in the throes of the worst housing
collapse in the country, with prices down nearly 60 percent from their
June 2006 peak and banks foreclosing on 70,000 homeowners a year. While
the current median home price remains below peak, the levels have risen
66 percent from September 2011. Buyers are plentiful and homes for sale
scarce, leading to bidding wars for resale homes.
___
Associated Press writer Bob Christie contributed to this report.
"And no marvel;
for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." -2nd Corinthians 11:14
The Devil himself professes to be a
Christian in order to deceive his victims. Satan never appears in true
form, lest he be exposed for the evil person he is (John 8:44). Revelation
2:12,13 tells us that Satan dwells in the Church, "And to the angel of the
church in Pergamos... where Satan dwelleth." Satan works
relentlessly to CORRUPT the church, the Word of God, and our young people--to
kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).
The ecumenical movement is one of
Satan's major influences today upon the world. Ecumenism is the doctrine
of the ecumenical movement which promotes cooperation and better understanding
among different religious denominations; aimed at universal Christian unity.
Of course, ecumenism is also Satan's attempt to corrupt the church by unequally
yoking Christians with unbelievers (2nd Corinthians 6:14-17).
How can
there be UNITY, when the Word of God commands us to SEPARATE? Romans 16:17
states, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and
offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
The True Light verses
Counterfeit light
2nd Corinthians 11:14 warns us that
Satan himself appears as a good guy, i.e., as a divine messenger of truth.
We hear much talk from the heathen world about "the light," such as in the
Poltergeist movies, and from psychics like Char Margolis. However, the
"light" which the Bible warns of is a counterfeit of the true Light. What
is the Light? The Word of God is the Light, "Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).
The Gospel is the Light, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2nd
Corinthians 4:4).
Jesus is the Light, "Then spake Jesus again unto
them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). John
9:5 states, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Christians shine with the Light of Jesus, "Ye are the light of the world.
A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid" (Matthew 5:14). John 1:4
sums it all up with the statement... "In him (Jesus Christ) was life;
and the life was the light of men." The Light is the Truth, and
Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
All that glitters is not gold.
Transforming verses
Submitting
Satan tries to imitate the Light, and
is a master counterfeiter. Satan's spirit works in the unsaved (Ephesians
2:2) and some of them even become Satan's ministers, "For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles
of Christ." Oh! but they're NOT of Christ, they are demonic, sold
out to the Devil. These are the followers of Lucifer, the prince of
darkness. Carefully notice the phrase "transforming themselves."
The Greek word for "transforming" is metaschematizo, which means, "to
change self." Hence, there are many ministers today who have never
been changed by the saving power of the Gospel; rather, they have only changed
themselves to look like genuine men of God. This is very
interesting, and a powerful Biblical truth to teach others.
OST religious
people today have only changed themselves, in their own self-righteousness.
They have never submitted to the righteousness of God found only in Christ
Jesus. There can be NO salvation apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
which absolutely forbids any self-righteousness whatsoever! Ye must be
born-again!!! Many ministers and priests today are IMPOSTERS! Roman
and Orthodox Catholic priests are ALL liars and imposters, because they are
going about to establish their OWN righteousness, instead of the righteousness
which is of God... "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of
the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Here we see
the opposite response of changing ourselves--SUBMITTING OURSELVES.
Do you
see the difference? The foolish person tries to change their OWN SELF to
please God, going about to establish their OWN righteousness (Isaiah 64:6).
However, the wise person submits in obedience to the Gospel (2nd Thessalonians
1:8)--by coming to Jesus Christ as a sinner under the condemnation of God's Law
(Romans 3:10,19), deserving of Hellfire (2nd Thessalonians 1:8), trusting upon
the finished work of redemption ( i.e., the shed blood of Jesus Christ) to take
away their sins (1st Peter 1:18-19). "For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Have you submitted to
the righteousness of God, which is Christ Jesus?
Things are Not as They Appear
to Be
Thus, having laid a Biblical
foundation, it should be obvious to you by now that Satan's ministers aren't
what they APPEAR to be. They have transformed themselves to look
exactly like the ministers of Christ. The Pope looks like a righteous man
to the naive, and talks like righteous man to the ignorant; BUT when compared to
the inspired WORD OF GOD, the Pope is quickly revealed as a man of sin, a liar,
and an antichrist. "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the
Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son" (1st John
2:22). But you say, "Doesn't the Pope believe that Jesus is the Christ,"
i.e., the Savior? No, he doesn't. What?
Catholics DO believe
that Jesus died on the cross: BUT, they are taught that THE CATHOLIC CHURCH is
the vehicle through which they must ride if they want to go to Heaven.
Catholics are deceitfully taught that the CHURCH is the way to Christ, who is
the way to Heaven. Nothing could be further from the truth of God's Word.
The Vatican has perverted the cross of Jesus Christ to mean that God's Salvation
is found THROUGH the Catholic Church, and not directly through Jesus Christ as
1st Timothy 2:5 states... "For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The Bible couldn't be any
plainer.
Satan's ministers
deceitfully come to us as ministers of righteousness. Matthew 7:15, "Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly
they are ravening wolves." Did you read that... BUT INWARDLY!
False prophets APPEAR to be of God on the outside, like
Benny Hinn and Pat Robertson,
but INWARDLY they are ravening wolves.
Pat Robertson's
Deception
According to Pat Robertson, Pope
John Paul II was a man of "deep spirituality"...
"Pat Robertson
Comments on Pope John Paul II's Passing
CBN.com – VIRGINIA
BEACH, Va., April 02, 2005 -- I am deeply grieved as a great man passes from
this world to his much deserved eternal reward. John Paul II has been the
most beloved religious leader of our age – far surpassing in popular
admiration the leader of any faith. He has been a man of great warmth, profound
understanding, deep spirituality, and indefatigable vigor. It was my great
honor to meet with him at the residence of my good friend, Cardinal
O’Connor, in New York, and to sit in the Consistory during the mass he
conducted in Central Park. I told him at the time how much the American
people loved him, and he merely smiled. That love was shared not only in
America but by millions all over the globe. He has been a steady bridge in the transition
of Eastern Europe from communism to freedom. His personal magnetism brought
together all Christians in new bonds of understanding. I pray for the Cardinals of the Catholic Church
that they might have God-given wisdom in selecting the successor to this
great man. Their task will not be easy, but with God all things are
possible." -SOURCE
You've got to be kidding Mr. Robertson.
And you call yourself a "Christian"? The Pope is the leader of the
biggest
false religion in the world, Catholicism! For Robertson to speak such
gleaming words of praise towards such a Satanic imposter as the Pope, reveals
that Robertson is in league with the Devil himself. No born again
Christian who loves the Lord would ever praise the Pope, who is leading one
billion people
straight into Hell.
Pat Robertson praises the Pope because he'd be off
TV very fast if he criticized the Pope, and because Mr. Robertson is a leader in
the demonic ecumenical movement. Satan uses man's love of money to
control the world. Mr. Robertson is exploiting the Gospel for personal
gain, and to promote ecumenism. Pat Robertson has sold out to Satan!
Clearly,
Pat Robertson is not what he
appears to be. So many false prophets are hiding behind a shallow Gospel
nowadays. I looked over www.cbn.com and
couldn't find a Gospel presentation anywhere. Although they give a
basic Gospel presentation on their show, they fail to explain what it really
means Biblically.
Every unsaved Catholic believes the good news (Gospel)
that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again three days later. Obviously a
person is not saved just because they claim to believe the Gospel.
If this were true, then EVERY Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Christian Scientist,
Mormon, and Seventh-Day Adventist is saved. The truth is that none of them
are saved.
The truth is that the Biblical Gospel EXCLUDES all
self-righteousness, works, forsaking of sins, commitments, sacraments, church
membership, making Jesus your Lord, walking down a church isle, giving your all
to Christ, living for God, baptism, etc, etc, etc. The Only way to be
saved is by faith ALONE if Jesus Christ. We do good works BECAUSE
we are already saved, not to get saved (Romans 3:20; 4:3-5).
Satan's True
Nature, and the Sinister Ministers Who Serve Him
Satan does not appear
as a sinister demon, with horns, and a pitch fork. Such imagery originated
from the pagan god, Pan,
centuries ago. Although this certainly would fit the character of
Satan, it does not represent his appearance. Ezekiel 28:13-19
clearly makes reference to Lucifer... "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of
God ... Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till
iniquity was found in thee. ... Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty."
Though some Bible critics today claim that these Scriptures don't concern
Lucifer, verse 13 CLEARLY proves that they DO... "Thou hast been in Eden
the garden of God..."
Other than the Lord God, there are only 3
beings ever mentioned as having been in the Garden of Eden: Adam, Eve, and the
serpent (Satan). Ezekiel 28:12 reveals that Lucifer was "...full of
wisdom, and perfect in beauty." Lucifer was created upright; but sin
corrupted him as with all God's creation. Man was created upright.
Ecclesiastes 7:29 reads, "...God hath made man upright; but they have sought
out many inventions." God never created the Devil, demons, or fallen
man--sin is the culprit!
More ugly and sinister than any
artist's rendition of Satan, is the true nature of Lucifer. If you want to
see demonic horror, then you need only consider the mind of Satan, which many
earthly men posses today. 1st Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." Just as a
beautiful young whorish woman, who is as a whitened coffin filled with rotting
dead men's bones--so does Satan appear as an angel of light, deceiving the
masses of earth.
2nd Corinthians 11:13-15 states, "For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of
Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness..." Why is it that so many people today
don't comprehend these warnings from the Scriptures? It is because thy
don't place any value or authority upon the Bible as God's Word.
They are
following men--priests and ministers--instead of God... "It is better to
trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man" (Psalm 118:8). Jesus
stated in Mark 7:9, "Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that
ye may keep your own tradition." More than any other group of
unbelievers, people are going to burn in Hell because they followed men instead
of God's Word.
Satan claims to be a Christian, and
his demonic servants have changed THEMSELVES into ministers of righteousness.
They are of the Devil, liars, who will take you to Hell with them if you're
foolish enough to follow. Please don't follow them! Here is a list
of False Religions.
Also, beware of False
Christs, and False
Prophets. Make the Word of God, the King James Bible,
your Final Authority! One Book stands, and It's the precious Word of God!
Satan is a great deceiver, and is
deceiving billions today through false religion and ecumenism. Ecumenists
say, "God is Love. So let us lay aside our doctrinal differences, and
focus on loving and
helping one another, as Jesus taught. Let us show the world that love is
the answer." Tragically, the Gospel is perverted in ecumenism and
people are only converted over to religion instead of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Nothing could be more offensive to God. Although God is certainly a God of
love, it is never an excuse for sinful compromise with unbelievers.
2nd Corinthians 6:17 states, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive
you." "Unclean" refers to anything which is against Biblical teaching.
Christians are to SEPARATE from the ungodly, and from those who falsely claim to
follow the teachings of the Bible, but do not. Satan and his
ministers only APPEAR as being good; but they are evil. When you don't
know what you believe, it makes it all that much easier for the Devil to deceive
you.
Thus, every believer should study the Word of God, learning the truth
about various doctrines. The truth is not just for pastors or Bible
teachers, it is for every born-again believer.
So keep in mind as you see differing
faiths heading towards a one-world religious system, that even Satan claims to
be a Christian! Behind all the talk of love and diversity, a diabolic
agenda exists--the Beast system is being prepared to receive the Antichrist (2nd
Thessalonians 2:9-10). The best way to expose Satan's darkness is to shine
the Light of God's Word upon it.
“In whom the
god of this world (Satan)
hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
—2nd Corinthians 4:4
Officials in the Obama
administration's Internal Revenue Service came under fire after
revelations that workers in its Cincinnati office targeted for extra
scrutiny tea party and conservative groups applying for 501(c)(4)
tax-exempt status.
HIDE CAPTION
IRS targeting | 2013
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STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Howard Kurtz: AP phone records search, other stories have turned press on Obama
He says attention isn't just out of press self-interest; Obama's stuck in number of scandals
He says that for the first time, press started to think Obama misled them
Kurtz: GOP may overreach to damage Obama; still, scandal could drown out governing
Editor's note: Howard Kurtz is the host of CNN's "Reliable Sources."
(CNN) -- The press has turned on President Obama with a vengeance.
Suddenly, the White House
briefing room is filled with confrontational questions. Suddenly, the
news pages are ablaze with scandal, and the commentators -- even some of
the president's usual defenders -- are bemoaning his shortcomings.
Suddenly, Obama isn't getting the benefit of the doubt.
According to Obama's
longtime detractors, the denizens of the fourth estate are finally
climbing out of a tank in which they have been immersed since roughly
2007. But the reality is a bit more nuanced than that.
Howard Kurtz
There are a number of
unsavory allegations swirling around Washington, but do not
underestimate the importance of the Justice Department seizing two
months of Associated Press phone records without so much as a heads-up.
This not only seems like a case of prosecutorial overreach, even in a
case involving national security, it strikes at the heart of what
journalists do -- and has fostered feelings of betrayal. Does the
administration not understand the chilling effect on reporters and their
sources, they wonder, or simply not care?
It's easy to say that
news organizations recoiled from Obama only when their own special
interests were threatened, and maybe there's some truth to that. But the
media also have a deep, abiding love for scandal, and beyond the AP
phone records story, the administration is lately providing that scandal
in spades.
The battle over Benghazi
has mostly divided along partisan lines, with conservatives seeing a
sustained coverup and liberals perceiving a partisan attack on what was a
bungled operation and confused aftermath. But the report by ABC's Jonathan Karl alleging the scrubbing of the Susan Rice talking points (following a less-noticed report by Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard) transformed the tone of the coverage in a single stroke.
The Karl report turned out to be based on an inaccurate, misleading characterization of an email, but
for the first time, many journalists came to believe the administration
had something to hide—and that they had been personally misled in press
briefings. That is guaranteed to get the blood flowing.
IRS commissioner: I did not mislead
Carney defends Obama on IRS
Bringing Benghazi terrorists to justice
IRS admits it targeted tea party groups
The disclosure that the
IRS selectively targeted conservative groups for review brought
immediate condemnation from many across the media spectrum, including
Carl Bernstein, who investigated the Nixonian abuses, of which this
story carries an unmistakable echo. And it is the trifecta of these
scandalous sagas that will dominate coverage for months as media outlets
feast on the cycle of investigations, hearings, subpoenas, resignations
and denials.
Any doubt that scandal
trumps ideology in the media firmament can be dispelled with a glance
back at Bill Clinton's tenure, when what he called the "knee-jerk
liberal press" investigated Monica Lewinsky, Whitewater and other
allegations with a fervor that eventually put it on a virtual war
footing against the White House.
More troubling for the
current crew is that news outlets are starting to pivot to broader
questions about whether Obama is competent at the business of government
or a passive bystander in his own administration. That impression, if
it takes hold, cannot be Etch-a-Sketched away.
To be sure, some of
Obama's antagonists will overreach by framing every scandal as the next
Watergate and each revelation as an impeachable offense. That may
trigger a counter-reaction in which some of the president's liberal
allies shift their focus from the administration's missteps to the
opposition's overkill.
Some in the media rolled
over for Barack Obama in the 2008 campaign, though the record was
decidedly more mixed once he took office. But personal feelings toward
this president who has never courted the press no longer matter; nor do
personal predilections on gun control and immigration reform. The
scandal machinery has kicked into high gear, and its sheer noise may
drown out everything else.
by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley
The Obama administration is fighting a federal court ruling that
would free the remainder of the mostly Black prison inmates convicted
under now-defunct, viciously racially disparate crack cocaine laws. The
First Black President and his Black attorney general are determined to
keep “5,000 people in jail who have no reason to be there.”
Prison
time is the most serious barrier to employment for Wisconsin male
workers, making ex-offender populations the most difficult to place and
sustain in full-time employment. When driver's licensing history is also
considered, transportation barriers make successful labor force
attachment even less likely.
Yet, most of the recent state policy discussions about preparing the
Wisconsin workforce and debates over redistribution of government job
training dollars have largely ignored African-American men and relegated
ex-offender populations to a minor (if not invisible) place in
Wisconsin's labor force.
To assist in local workforce investment planning, the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute examined two
decades of state Department of Corrections and Department of
Transportation files to assess employment and training barriers facing
African-American men with a history of DOC offenses and DOT violations.
The results were alarming.
• State DOC records show incarceration rates at epidemic levels for
African-American males in Milwaukee County. More than half of
African-American men in their 30s and half of black men in their early
40s have been incarcerated in state correctional facil ities.
• Wisconsin's prison population has more than tripled since 1990,
fueled by increased government funding for drug enforcement (rather than
treatment), investments in prison construction, three-strikes rules,
mandatory minimum sentence laws, truth-in-sentencing replacing judicial
discretion in setting punishments, concentrated policing in minority
communities and state incarceration for minor probation and supervision
violations. Particularly affected were African-American males, with 40%
of black male prisoners showing drug offenses.
• Notably, 26,222 African-American men from Milwaukee County have
been or are currently incarcerated in state correctional facilities. A
third of those incarcerated have only non-violent offenses.
• Given the high levels of racial and economic segregation in
Milwaukee County, two-thirds of the county's incarcerated black men came
from six ZIP codes in the poorest neighborhoods of Milwaukee. The
ability of ex-offenders to help support their families is very limited
for many released inmates when ex-offenders return to inner city
neighborhoods with extremely large job gaps (i.e., 25 to 1 in May 2009)
between the number of active job seekers compared to available full-time
work.
• The driver's license is essential for getting to job sites and for
avoiding arrests for illegal driving, yet only 10% of African-American
men with DOC incarceration records showed a current valid Wisconsin
driver's license with no recent suspensions or revocations.
• From 1990 to 2012, the African-American men from Milwaukee County
were imprisoned for over 42.6 million days (or almost 117,000 years) at a
cost in 2012 prices of $91 a day, totaling $3.38 billion. In 2012, the
state was spending over a half-million dollars a day to incarcerate
African-American men from Milwaukee County.
Based on our research findings, I would offer the following recommendations for immediate consideration:
• Changes in laws contributing to mass incarceration of lower-risk
offenders and alternatives to imprisonment are critically needed with
the focus on increasing public safety, supporting employment and
strengthening families. Proposals brought forward by religious groups,
the Milwaukee County district attorney, The Sentencing Project and
others to reduce Wisconsin's levels of incarceration deserve serious
consideration.
• Technical violators of probation rules should be diverted,
whenever appropriate, to community supervision to allow employed
ex-offenders to continue working.
• Transitional jobs programs for released inmates and for offenders
diverted from incarceration are needed in communities with high
unemployment and job gaps.
• Programs, including Windows to Work, to address re-entry and
workforce needs are currently operated by the Department of Corrections,
Workforce Investment Boards and nonprofit organizations but serve only a
small portion of those in need. These should be expanded and tested for
their effectiveness.
• Recognizing that there is no quick fix for ex-offender
populations, the cost savings from reductions in the prison population
should be used to fund employment and training programs for those in and
out of corrections and to support programs to assist those without
driver's licenses, an essential employment credential.
• Restoration and repair of the driver's license for current
prisoners and released ex-offenders with fixable problems should be a
priority. Those unable to secure or repair their license should be given
assistance obtaining a state photo ID.
• Driver's license recovery programs also should be supported for
the 27,874 non-offender African-American men in Milwaukee County with
driver's license violations (many for failure to pay fines and civil
forfeitures) preventing them from legally driving to employment.
• Black male youth approaching adulthood should be a top priority
for employment training, job placement and driver's license programs.
Without such investments, the population incarcerated will likely only
increase and public safety problems escalate in the future.
• State aids funding free driver's education should be reinstated in
school districts where the families of more than half of the students
are poor or near poor to advance the engagement of low-income youth in
the labor force.
The levels of black male incarceration represent a huge loss of labor
force talent for the community and have devastating impacts on
Milwaukee children and families. Without effective workforce, driver's
license and education supports, we could lose yet another generation of
young black men. State and local officials need to address this largely
ignored workforce population. John Pawasarat is director of the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute. Read the ETI
study on "Wisconsin's Mass Incarceration of African American Males:
Workforce Challenges for 2013" at www4.uwm.edu/eti/2013/BlackImprisonment.pdf
Former Democratic pollster and Fox News contributor, Pat Caddell,
appeared on Fox News Channel over the weekend where he alleged that
there is a White House-led cover-up of the details surrounding the
Benghazi attacks. Furthermore, he added, that cover-up of information
regarding the White House’s response to that attack is being aided by
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).
“We have John Boehner, who has been purposely suppressing anything
about Benghazi because he knew what we found out this week,” Caddell
alleged. “And he approved it.” RELATED: Geraldo: Revelations About CIA In Benghazi ‘Not As Extraordinary’ As ‘It’s Being Made Out’
Caddell alleged that CIA agents were using Libya as a transit point
to move weapons from North Africa into Syria without congressional
approval. He added that the revelations surrounding
the large number of CIA agents on the ground in Libya in 2012 was part
of an operation that Boehner supported and approved.
Turning to the details of the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of
conservative groups, Caddell concluded by saying that he can
“guarantee” that the details surrounding that scandal go “directly into
the White House.”
Watch the clip below via Fox News Channel:
The secret unit was comprised of representatives from the FBI, CIA and NSA. Photograph: Michael Sohn/AP
The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into revelations that the Drug Enforcement Agency uses surveillance
tactics – including wiretapping and massive databases of telephone
records – to arrest Americans, amid growing concerns from lawyers and
civil rights groups over its lack of transparency. Reuters on Monday
detailed how the Special Operative Division – a unit within the DEA
comprising representatives of two dozen agencies including the FBI, CIA,
NSA,
Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Homeland Security –
passes tips from wiretaps, informants and a database of telephone
records to field agents to investigate and arrest criminals. Reuters
reports that, although such cases rarely involve national security
issues, the DEA agents using the tips are trained to "recreate" the
source of the criminal investigation to conceal its true origin from
defence lawyers, prosecutors and judges.
The revelations, which follow the Guardian's recent disclosures
of the National Security Agency's wholescale collection of US phone
data, have raised concerns among judges, prosecutors and civil rights
lawyers over a lack of transparency. Many said the SOD practice violates
a defendant's constitutional right to a fair trial.
James Felman,
vice-chair of criminal justice at the American Bar Association, said
the DEA story "connects the dots" over the government's potential abuse
of phone records collected by the NSA.
Felman, an attorney in
Tampa, said: "By the sound of it, this is a routine practice of using
masses of information on Americans, in an erosion of constitutional
protections of our citizens. This is clear evidence of things that
people have been saying they are not doing. Collecting data on ordinary
citizens and then concealing it officially. It is indefensible."
"I
don't think that most people would believe that our government would be
using these measures and using this excuse when they want to
investigate heavy offences," he said. "What is upsetting is that it
appears to be policy and practice to consensually conceal information
that should be disclosed."
While the NSA data collection is aimed
at thwarting terrorists, the SOD programme is focused on criminals such
as drug dealers and money launderers.
One former federal agent who
received tips from the SOD described the process to Reuters. He told
how he would instruct state police to find an excuse to stop a certain
vehicle on which they had information, and then have drug dogs search
it. After an arrest was made, agents would then pretend that the
investigation began as a result of the traffic stop, and not because of
the information the SOD had passed on.
A training document quoted
by Reuters described the practice whereby agents would "recreate" the
source of the investigation, as "parallel construction". A dozen current
or former federal agents interviewed by Reuters confirmed they had
relied on parallel construction.
Nancy Gertner, a Harvard Law
School professor who served as a federal judge from 1994 to 2011,
described the practice of "parallel construction" as "a fancy word for
phonying up the course of the investigation". It was one thing, she
said, to create special rules for national security, but creating rules
for ordinary crime threatened to undermine the bill of rights, set up as
a check against the power of the executive.
"The best way to describe it is the government is saying 'trust us'," said Gertner. "The bill of rights is clear that we don't."
Gertner said that defence attorneys had a right to know and examine the source of the information against their clients.
"Even
if a judge approved a wiretap, it doesn't mean there wasn't exculpatory
or tainted evidence," she said. "If the judge does not know the genesis
of the information there cannot be judicial review. When the DEA is
concealing what the source of the information is and pretending it came
from one place rather than another, there can be no judicial review."
Gertner
and other legal experts said that there was no need to conceal such
information in court, as there are already procedures by which judges
can examine sensitive information in private to determine whether it is
relevant.
The implications for existing cases, Gertner said, were difficult to assess. "There
needs to be an investigation and disclosure about the extent to which
this information was used in previous investigations."
Civil
rights campaigners said the latest revelations about surveillance
programmes were an indictment of how easily the NSA data collection can
be abused.
Ezekiel Edwards, the director of the American Civil
Liberties Union's criminal law reform project, said: "With the
uncovering of this massive surveillance programme, the government are
reassuring people that they are very selective, that they are not using
it on ordinary citizens.
"The opposite case is one of our concerns.
"What
you have here is the DEA tapping into the vast NSA spying programme and
using it to launch criminal cases on Americans. Not in national
security cases, but other cases."
Edwards said it was a case of
"mission creep", after the shift in the balance between civil liberties
and security that happened in the US in the aftermath of 9/11.
He
said that the concealing of information about the source of an
investigation was unconstitutional because it did not allow defendants
their right to confront and examine the evidence the government has
against them.
"Evidence can be flawed, people can lie, innocent
people can be convicted," Edwards said. "The reason we have trials is to
determine whether evidence is reliable, but if you don't know the
source of that evidence – that email or that phone call, it is
impossible to argue that it wasn't me on the phone or that person is an
invalid witness."
Henry Hockeimer, a former federal prosecutor,
said: "For the system to work, criminal cases should be built with a
high degree of transparency. Not built through covert means. To use this
in cases not involving national security and in routine drug cases is
troubling.
"Now it's getting into the realms of a law enforcement
tool, which is not what the normal person would have any degree of
tolerance for. What other cases could be potentially built in the dark?"
The
Department of Justice confirmed it was looking into the revelations,
but declined to provide details. In an email to the Guardian, a
spokesman said they were "looking into the issues raised by this story.
We'll decline to comment further at this time."
The SOD played a
major role in a DEA sting in Thailand against Russian arms dealer Viktor
Bout in 2008. He was sentenced in 2011 to 25 years in prison on charges
of conspiring to sell weapons to the Colombian rebel group Farc.
The
SOD also recently coordinated Project Synergy, a crackdown against
manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of synthetic designer drugs
that spanned 35 states and resulted in 227 arrests.
Officials in the Obama
administration's Internal Revenue Service came under fire after
revelations that workers in its Cincinnati office targeted for extra
scrutiny tea party and conservative groups applying for 501(c)(4)
tax-exempt status.
Former Democratic pollster and Fox News contributor, Pat Caddell,
appeared on Fox News Channel over the weekend where he alleged that
there is a White House-led cover-up of the details surrounding the
Benghazi attacks. Furthermore, he added, that cover-up of information
regarding the White House’s response to that attack is being aided by
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).
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