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14 Apr 2011 14:38

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Politics: New gig for Stanley McChrystal = Upsetting Pat Tillman’s mom

  • Mary Tillman furious at McChrystal’s new gig: President Obama appointed former General Stanley McChrystal to lead an advisory panel on military families, and the struggles they face when their kin are in combat. Mary Tillman, mother of Pat Tillman, the ex-NFL ranger famously killed by friendly fire (a fact the military, and allegedly McChrystal himself, had sought to hide) in Afghanistan, expressed outrage. “[McChrystal] deliberately helped cover up Pat’s death and he has never adequately apologized to us for doing that… I think it’s a slap in the face to all soldiers to appoint this man to be on this committee.” source

14 Apr 2009 10:16

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U.S.: The story that will not die, the Blago case, ropes in another guy

  • Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is on the hot seat now. Federal investigators have taken a larger interest in Jackson, son of a more famous Jesse Jackson and a Democratic congressman from Illinois. The day before former governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested, Jackson went to Blago in an attempt to sell him on appointing him to the seat. Whether that was through “I’m the right guy” truisms or through pay-for-play mechanisms, that’s what investigators hope to find out. Either way, he probably would’ve beat this guy any day of the week. source

26 Jan 2009 10:30

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U.S.: Russ Feingold: Senate appointments suck. Let’s kill them!

  • A new amendment Feingold, a beat-of-his-own-drummer Democratic Wisconsin senator noted for voting against the Patriot Act, has suggested that the recent New York and Illinois senate appointments have proven the idea to be antiquated. So, he plans to introduce an amendment later this week that ends senate appointments and replaces them with special elections.
  • “The will of the people” There is historic context to this, Feingold notes. “In 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution gave the citizens of this country the power to finally elect their senators,” Feingold said in a press release. “They should have the same power in the case of unexpected mid-term vacancies, so that the Senate is as responsive as possible to the will of the people.” source

09 Jan 2009 19:01

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U.S.: The other senator from Illinois isn’t happy about Burris

  • The rules of the United States Senate are clear. … At this point, we’ve clearly reached an impasse.
  • Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin • senior U.S. Senator from Illinois, on the appointment of Roland Burris without a signature from Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. Burris’ appointment by Rod Blagojevich was valid, according to the Illinois Supreme Court. • source