RAPID RESPONSE: Alito, Abramoff, Tom DeLay and American Family Assoc.

[Ian David]

From: Rapid Response Network [e-mail]
Date: Jan 11, 2006 6:54 PM
Subject: RAPID RESPONSE: Wednesday 1/11/06

----------------------------
ISSUE: Doctor! We need a psych consult, stat!
----------------------------

American Family Association Action Alert
1/10/06
http://tinyurl.com/bjg32

** THOUGHTS **

The conservative fundamentalist American Family
Association has issued an action alert to its email
network calling on members to contact their Senators
demanding an up or down vote on Sam Alito.

That's their right to do so.

What isn't within their rights is to make up $#!™
about the patriotic organizations they label as
"liberal" (which represent millions of average
American workers, moms, dads and others)
<http://www.afa.net/judgealito_list.asp>.

In the alert, AFA Chairmam Don Wildmon claims
mainstream groups like the AFL-CIO, EarthJustice, and
American Association of University Women (among
others) somehow favor "legalizing child pornography".

Huh???

More thoughts can be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/dybqw

** ACTION **

Why isn't the media reporting on this radical
accusation being spewed out in the name of advocating
a nominee who hasn't even been through the Senate's
Constitutionally required vetting process?

Have they no shame?

Contact your local and national media to ask that they
look into this matter and learn what these groups like
the American Association For Affirmative Action,
Hispanic National Bar Association and Brady Campaign
To Prevent Gun Violence among others think about their
supposed interest in "legalizing child pornography".

If you'd like to also write a cheeky letter to the
editor or call in to a radio or tv show, please
consider whether or not Harriet Miers received her
*upperdown* vote or a fundamentalist filibuster...


----------------------------
ISSUE: ...of whackos, troglodytes and morons
----------------------------

DeLay Tried, Failed to Aid Abramoff Client
By SUZANNE GAMBOA,
Associated Press Writer
1/10/06
http://tinyurl.com/7b72o

** THOUGHTS **

++ After reading this I wonder what Cornyn's angle was
as Texas State Atty General (before winning his Senate
seat). Did he receive $/loot from Abramoff's Crew in
exchange for making legal motions in this case? (Texas
Rapid Response, any volunteers want to look into
this?)

++ Also, note toward the end how Abramoff wanted his
client to shift 10% of their tribe's gaming revenues
to a "foundation" -- more circumstantial evidence of
Abramoff's sham charities racket.

++ I wonder if Ralph Reed or other Fundamentalist
Conservatives promoted letter writing campaigns
against Abramoff's client's "competition".... they've
been known to do so in other cases (and Reed and
Abramoff go back to their Reagan days together).
<http://tinyurl.com/dxqxc> &
<http://tinyurl.com/7jjlh>

++ Bigger picture: this isn't just a lobbyist scandal.
100s of lobbyists do legit, legal work with clients
and politicians of all stripes each and every day.

Abramoff was brought into the conservative elites'
power structure because DeLay, Ney and the others
**let him in** -- a lobbyist has no power unless an
elected official gives him some. The conservatives
appear to have allowed themselves to be bought off and
BROKE THE VOTERS' TRUST in our system of democracy
where it's supposed to be "We the People" not "Them,
the Influence Peddlers". The tentacles of Abramoff's
influence peddling monster reach in so many directions
it's staggering.

Mark Schmitt of TPM Cafe has more thoughts along those
lines here:
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2006/1/9/14932/78999

** ACTION **

Are your local media reporting on the ever-expanding
nature of revelation after revelation in this
monstrous scandal?

If not, what are you waiting for?


----------------------------
ISSUE: The boys in the newsroom have a running bet
----------------------------

Democrats Say Alito's Answers Inconsistent
By JESSE J. HOLLAND
Associated Press via Netscape News
01/11/06
http://tinyurl.com/anwpp

Money quote: "If I had to do it over again there are
things that I would do differently,"' Alito said.

** THOUGHTS **

If, as he says now, Alito pumped up his resume in
order to win favor for a political appointment...

How can we trust him to be telling the truth today?

If, as he says now, Alito would've done things
differently (ie, hindsight's 20/20)...

How can we trust him to do things "differently" once
he's in a lifetime seat on the Highest Court in the
Land?

MOREOVER, if, as conservatives say now, the left has
"already made up their minds about Alito"...

Have the conservatives like James Dobson, Don Wildmon,
Jon Kyl, John Cornyn, Orrin Hatch and others not done
the same, but with a conclusion that favors giving
Alito a lifetime appointment to our extraordinary
Supreme Court?

All progressives want (and all average Americans truly
want) is for our Supreme Court nominees to be
thoroughly vetted and to answer legitimate questions
reasonably and honestly. Asking questions is, quite
simply, the Senators' Constitutional duty (voting is
not).

Again, Armando has the Daily Kos "Alito Beat":
http://armando.dailykos.com/

** ACTION **

- Be sure to politely add your two cents to the debate
by writing letters to the editor and calling in to
radio and tv shows.

- Also, keep your eyes and ears open for instances of
bias against the left or in favor of conservatives
(and remember it may not be consciously biased, but
simply lazy journalism). Media Matters for America
shares this report with its readers:
<http://mediamatters.org/items/200601110007>


----------------------------
ISSUE: Gag order on free speech
----------------------------

Channel 13 pulls TV ad linking DeLay, lobbyist
By SAMANTHA LEVINE
Jan. 10, 2006
Houston Chronicle
http://tinyurl.com/d9vq4

** BACKGROUND **

The two groups funding the pulled ad are the Public
Campaign Action Fund <http://www.pcactionfund.org> and
Campaign For America's Future
<http://www.ourfuture.org/>. View the ad here (on the
left): <http://tinyurl.com/9xu84>

** THOUGHTS **

This is rank intimidation by a scared man who needs to
hide the truth from the voters he's supposed to serve.
The issue isn't about him or any alleged crimes, it's
about serving the public and conducting fair business
in their name.

** ACTIONS **

#1.
Politely call or write KTRK to ask that they at least
discuss the pulling of the ad during their nightly
news. Make sure to point out that -- in addition to
interviewing the DeLay legal team (including DeLay
attorney Don McGahn) -- they ought rightly to talk
with the groups funding the ad.

KTRK Contact Page: http://tinyurl.com/cyayr
KTRK News Line phone: [phone]
Phil Grant -- News Operations Manager
Chris Hanson -- Managing Editor
Dave Strickland -- News Director

Also bear in mind it's ok for news organizations to
label one group or another as liberal or conservative
so long as they are consistent in their definitions
(ie, all groups are labeled no matter what
philisophical background and all labels are neutral in
tone).

#2.
Politely call the station manager to ask what
specifically in the ad the DeLay Legal Defense Team
believed was untrue.

Phone: [phone]





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[cantstandbush]

1. Right on!!!! n/t