Major nPR Underwriter's criminal behavior.

How long will nPR ignore the story?

ProPublica Catches Ally Financial Making It Up : CJR:

"ProPublica has a terrific report today nailing Ally Financial (the former GMAC) for faking mortgage documents in order to foreclose on a homeowner.

Paul Kiel gets hold of internal documents that show Ally (ProPublica refers to it throughout as GMAC for some reason) wanted to foreclose on a mortgage originated by Ameriquest, but couldn’t find the paperwork showing that it really owned the loan. So it just made one up"

A reminder, . . .

NPR's top Washington reporter has been working for FOX News for more than eleven years now, . . .

The Firing of Juan Williams: NPR Got It Right | CPB Ombudsman Report:

"I have commented here before that one of the questions frequently asked of me as CPB's Ombudsman is why NPR allows Juan Williams and Mara Liaison to appear regularly on Fox News. I have never had a good answer for that, but always believed that the credibility they bring to Fox was acquired and paid for by the regular reporting and research they do for NPR."

Same As It Ever was, . . .

NPR's policy of "No Right Wing Talking Point Left Behind" since 2000, continues. Per Dean Banker at CEPR:

Tell NPR, It's a Debt Ceiling Crisis, Not a Debt Crisis | Beat the Press

"NPR misrepresented the nature of the crisis in a comment introducing a Morning Edition segment on the pending default of Jefferson County, Alabama. It referred to the country suffering a debt crisis. This is not accurate.

The problem is one of Congress refusing to raise the debt ceiling. This would be comparable to someone losing their checkbook even if they had still had $20,000 in their account. They may face a problem getting money out of their account until they get more checks (or learn on-line banking), but there is no problem of a lack of a funds."

Well, that didn't take very long, less than 24 hours.

"After initially telling reporters that it's "fine with me" if states like New York legalize same-sex unions through their own legislature, Perry is pulling a 180 and calling for a Federal Marriage Amendment.

Perry, who is flirting with a presidential bid, clarified his position to Family Research Council president Tony Perkins in an interview.

"I probably needed to add a few words after that 'it's fine with me' and that it's fine with me that a state is using their sovereign rights to decide an issue," he said. "Obviously gay marriage is not fine with me. My stance hasn't changed."

Rick Perry Flip Flops On Gay Marriage, Backs Federal Ban | TPMDC

Once again, Gov. Good Hair demonstrates he'll say anything to get elected.

The Deficit is Obama's Fault

okHere's the party of "Personal Responsibility" after voting for the biggest contributors to the debt — the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Bush tax cuts, and President Bush’s Medicare prescription drug plan — which helped to double the debt over the past decade:

GOP Leaders Voted For Three Of The Biggest Debt Drivers, Costing $3.4 Trillion | ThinkProgress

"a Bloomberg News analysis shows, these initiatives added $3.4 trillion to the nation’s accumulated debt and to its current annual budget deficit of $1.5 trillion. [...]

There’s plenty of blame to go around,” for the debt, said Robert Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, an Arlington, Virginia-based group that advocates for balanced budgets. “If there had been no Barack Obama, we would still be bumping up against the debt limit."

Birthers and bigots and crooks - Oh My!

SC Tea Party Leaders Arrested For Selling Pirated Computer Software | TPMMuckraker

"A Tea Party (or Tea P-Arrrrrr!-ty) leader in South Carolina was arrested Tuesday for allegedly selling pirated versions of Microsoft software, Photoshop, and the Rosetta Stone language programs.

Anthony and Michael Trinca, 61 and 23 respectively, were arrested after a witness claimed that in May he purchased six copies of Rosetta Stone from Anthony Trinca through Craigslist for $125 each, but then discovered they were fake when tried to resell two of them. After refunding his own customers, the victim said he tried to get his money back from Trinca, who refused."

Uncover fraud by banks, get fired, . . .

well that is how the GOP operates.

FYI the Florida Attorney General is Pam Bondi, a Republican.

Prosecutors Say Florida AG Fired Them For Going After Mortgage Lenders | TPMMuckraker: "Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi"

Former nPR Ombudsman waits until she left nPR to do her job.

Over at Poynert.org nPR's former (not an)Ombudsman, Alicia Shepard, writes about her former emplyer: Former NPR Ombud fact checks new Juan Williams book, ‘Muzzled’ | Poynter.: "NPR selectively used its ethics code with him."

It curious, and sad, that Ms. Shepard waits until after she is no longer on the nPR payroll, to act like an Ombudsman:

"Sometimes I was told that because he was a contractor, NPR’s ethics code didn’t apply. Other times, I was told he had more leeway with the ethics code because he was a senior news analyst."

"NPR selectively used its ethics code with him. "

These two facts where never shared by Ms. Shepard with any of nPR's listners. While the "listeners' representative" to nPR she steadfastly defended nPR's management, with the exception of minor mistakes and ignored listeners' repeated inquiries about Mr. Williams' unprofessional behavior. I know, I was one of the listeners she ignored.

I wrote to Ms. Shepard repeatedly asking for an explanation of why Mr. Williams was permitted violate nPR's Code of Ethics and never got anything but a form email back. Numerous times, I formally requested on her blog an explanation citing the specific sections that Williams (and Mara Liasson) were clearly violating.

Perhaps in her next column she can explain why she defended nPR's Management unprofessional and unethical treatment of Harry Shearer? While also ignoring Mr. Shearer's direct questions:

http://www.npr.org/templates/community/persona.php?uid=5935964

I guess the most important thing you learn after "thirty years of journalism" is keep management happy.

I won't be torturing, er "harshly interrogating" myself waiting for an answer.

Yum, . . .

I wonder why nPR didn't broadcast this story? Were they worried that their agribusiness underwriters (Cargill, Conagra, et al) would get upset?

Got Enhanced Meat? USDA Rule May Make It Easier To Tell : Shots - Health Blog : NPR

"About 30 percent of poultry, 15 percent of beef, and 90 percent of pork are injected with some kind of liquid enhancement before sale, USDA says, and it's usually something high in sodium. Yet consumers are often unaware that a solution has been added."

Texas Brawl: Pickens The Swift Boater vs Koch Brother Birchers

Here in Texas this is may be the political equivalent of King Kong versus Godzilla, I only pray that the Texas GOP is downtown Tokyo.

As reported by Politico:

"An increasingly bitter personal rift between billionaires T. Boone Pickens and Charles and David Koch has morphed into an expensive political battle that is testing the commitment of House Republicans to the tea party principles many of them have publicly embraced.

The fight centers on legislation backed by Pickens that would grant tax breaks to the natural gas industry, and it is forcing Republican members to choose sides between a traditionally GOP-allied industry and the free-market purism of many conservatives."

T. Boone Pickens-Koch brothers feud tests Republican principles - Kenneth P. Vogel - POLITICO.com

Best Description of FOX News ever, . . .

In Murdoch scandal reveals exactly what Fox News isn’t | Leonard Pitts - The News Tribune Leonard Pitts Jr. a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Miami Herald, hits it out of the park:

"Fox’s failure to report – and allow viewers to decide – speaks volumes and offers definitive answer to the question of what Fox is.

It is the nation’s leading manufacturer of false outrage and fake fury – War on Christmas! War on Christmas! – the top supplier of bogeymen for those who need to feel terrorized in order to feel alive.

It is America’s No. 1 distributor of misinformation – Hide Nana! The death panels are coming! – a warehouse of conspiracy theories, junk history and dubious “facts” given credit by virtually no one who does not watch Fox.

It is a noisemaker, a box of cacophony from which reason will seldom emerge unscathed. And it is a bovine excreta machine.

But a news organization? No. That is a designation you have to earn."

Who would have guessed, . . .

that a news organization run by Rupert Murdoch would engage in unethical, criminal behavior?

November 16, 2007

"In the latest twist in a long-running New York story, publisher Judith Regan says she was pressured to lie about former lover Bernard Kerik (the former police commissioner) by executives at News Corp. — the owner of Fox News and the HarperCollins publishing house — who are intent on protecting the political viability of former mayor Rudolph Giuliani."

"Kerik was indicted this month on criminal federal charges of conspiracy, tax fraud and making false statements. The story raises questions about Giuliani's judgment when it comes to his calling card, national security. But it's also a headache for Fox News and NewsCorp. A NewsCorp spokeswoman did not return messages seeking comment."

Publisher Regan Says News Corp. Urged Her to Lie : NPR

Heh, . . .

When the National Catholic Report says you suck, you really, really suck.

"When was the last time you heard anything except the most pedestrian conventional wisdom issue from Juan Williams? He shouldn't have been fired from NPR because he said something impolitic. I do think he should have been offered the chance to quit Fox or quit NPR. But, I also have no idea why he was hired in the first place and paid for all those years when his commentary is so stale and boring. And, why would anyone buy his book?"

Juan Williams: Muzzle Him Some More | National Catholic Reporter: "It was a mistake for NPR to fire Juan Williams because of something he said while serving as a commentator on Fox News. It was a bigger mistake to hire Williams in the first place."

Don't you wish your Congressman sucked like mine?

House Republicans Look To Privatize Social Security

Republican leaders left Social Security untouched in their House budget this year, but a group of GOP lawmakers are looking to fill the gap themselves with legislation that would create a voluntary privatized version of the program.

Introduced by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), who also chairs the House's campaign efforts at the NRCC, the "Savings Account For Every American Act" would allow people to immediately opt out of Social Security in favor of a private "S.A.F.E." account. Eventually the program would expand to let employers send their matching contribution to workers' Social Security to a "S.A.F.E." account as well.

House Republicans Look To Privatize Social Security | TPMDC

No Comment

Texas Congressman Pete Sessions separates from wife of 27 years, Juanita | Mail Online

"Texas Republican Senator Pete Sessions is seperating from his wife after 27 years.
The 56-year-old member of the House Republican leadership issued a statement saying that he and his wife, Juanita, decided to separate after much thought and discussion.
He said: 'After a great deal of thought and discussion, a decision has been made that my wife and I are separating.

'I am grateful for many years of marriage, and the blessing of two wonderful sons.
'I ask for respect for my privacy and for that of my family, and I do not intend to comment any further.'"

A world without Rupert Murdoch would have truly been "A Wonderful Life" . . .

How Dallas Works

Excellent analysis by Jim Schutze in the print edition of The Dallas Observer on how Dallas City government works (or why it doesn't) and how endemic corruption is, . . .

Mike Rawlings Vowed to Clean Up Dallas, But the Feds Are Spilling Dirt Everywhere - Page 1 - News - Dallas - Dallas Observer

Read it and weep.