Posts Tagged ‘Nancy Pelosi’
Loudoun GOP depicts Obama with bullet hole in his head
Virginia statewide Republican leaders are universally condemning a mass e-mail sent to members of the Loudoun County Republican Committee that depicts President Barack Obama as a zombie with a bullet hole in his head.
The e-mail was meant to encourage supporters to gather for a Halloween parade. The graphic was in the Halloween theme and also pictures House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as a zombie. (the full email can be found after the jump.)
The email was first shared on the right leaning “Too Conservative” blog, which accused the LCRC of going “too far”. Since the picture was first posted, Virginia Republican leaders have been forcefully condemning its use.
“Governor (Bob McDonnell) believes this email is shameful and offensive,” said spokesman Tucker Martin. “He calls on those involved to apologize for their actions, and to immediately ensure that such imagery is never used again.”
McDonnell wasn’t alone in his criticism. Noah Wall, the political spokesman for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said the picture was something the A.G. does not support.
“We clearly regret the choice of images used by the Loudoun GOP,” Wall said.
But perhaps the most forceful rejection can from State GOP Chairman Pat Mullins. Mullins called for an immediate apology and claimed that he was in the process of informing Loudoun GOP leaders of his disappointment.
“The disgusting image used today on a mass email has no place in our politics. Ever,” said Mullins. “The Republican Party of Virginia condemns the image and its use in the strongest possible terms.”
Of course, Democrats were the first to pounce on the email’s revelation. They demanded apologies from GOP leaders and called for the Loudoun County officials responsible for the picture to be removed from their posts.
“This is a disgusting and violent portrayal of the President of the United States,” said party spokesman Brian Coy.
So far the only person not responding for comment on the issue is the Loudon County GOP Chairman Mark Sell has not returned inquires for comment.
UPDATE:
The LCRC Chairman Mark Sell released the following statement:
“The Loudoun County Republican Committee yesterday sent an email to its members that represented a light-hearted attempt to inject satire humor into the Halloween holiday. Apparently, some individuals have interpreted an image of Barack Obama that appeared within the email as intending to portray the President as a victim of a violent crime. Nothing could be further from the truth, and we deeply and sincerely apologize to the President and anyone who viewed the image if that was the impression that was left. The LCRC deplores any effort to display, suggest or promote violence against the President or any other political figure.”
The full email from the LCRC and statements from leaders from both sides can be found after the jump.
Rick Waugh won’t commit on Pelosi as Speaker
Rick Waugh is the Democratic nominee facing one of the most powerful people in Congress in this fall’s election. If Waugh is able to topple Eric Cantor, it would mean that his party was able to hold on to the House of Representatives. Given that scenario, Waugh could not say if he would vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House.
“I’ve never met Nancy Pelosi so I can’t answer that question,” said Waugh during an interview on NBC12 First at 4.
It’s not a surprise that Waugh didn’t feel comfortable pledging his support to Pelosi. Not only is her approval rating poor, especially in Republican leaning districts, but the Speaker has not been inclined to offer the Waugh campaign much support. Waugh has not received a cent from Democratic leaders in Washington. The vast majority of his $87 thousand in campaign donations have come from individual contributors. A tough fight to wage when your opponent is the 2nd most powerful Republican in the House and has taken in more than $5 million in campaign contributions. (As of the latest filing, Waugh has a little more than $2 thousand left to spend, Cantor more than $1 million)
But according to Waugh, the way campaigns are financed is part of the problem. His signs all over the district cry “end corporate welfare”. The candidate believes donations from corporations are a major part of the culture of corruption in Washington.
“They pander the votes towards those corporations,” said Waugh. ” I think what we need to do is we need to end the corporate influence on politicians as one of the reasons why we need campaign finance reform.”
Based on his answers it doesn’t appear that Waugh would’ve strayed much from the Democratic base were he already in Congress. He made the case for the federal mandate to buy health insurance, by comparing it to state law that requires car owners to have insurance while on the road. He also believes, despite his desire to rid the corporate influence in Washington, that the intent of the stimulus plan was the right one.
“I think we do need to invest in America,” said Waugh. “We need to make sure we’re doing all we can to provide incentives to create jobs.”
You can see the complete interview with Rick Waugh below. The transcript from our discussion can be found on NBC12.com.
Waugh’s two opponents in the 7th district will appear on First at 4 as well. Independent Floyd Bayne will appear on Oct. 21st. Republican Eric Cantor on November 1st.
Cuccinelli plans to sue if “deem and pass” is used to pass health care reform
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sent a letter warning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that the use of a little known legislative procedure could be unconstitutional. Cuccinelli sent a letter to the Speaker today, outlining his legal views of the procedure known as “deem and pass”. The tactic, known officially as a “self-executing” rule, has been tossed about as one of several options that the House could use to get health care reform passed.
In his letter to the Speaker, Cuccinelli warns that if the House decides to use that tactic, instead of a traditional up or down vote, the passed legislation could be subject to a constitutional challenge.
“A bill of this magnitude should not be passed using this maneuver,” writes the Attorney General, in a short 5 paragraph letter. ” As the President noted last week, the American people are entitled to an up or down vote.”
Cuccinelli cites a case-law example that he believes would render the move unconstitutional. He does not go as far as to say that he, on behalf of the people of Virginia would be willing to offer that challenge.
UPDATE: Cuccinelli spokesman Brian J. Gottstein confirmed for me that the Attorney General’s office will “definitely” file suit, if the reform measure passes via “deem and pass”
This is bound to be yet another, in a string of controversial moves, by the Attorney General.
The entire text of Cuccinelli’s letter can be found below:
————————————————————————–
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
Office of the Speaker
H-232, U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.
Dear Speaker Pelosi:
I am writing to urge you not to proceed with the Senate Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act under a so-called “deem and pass” rule because such a course of action would raise grave constitutional questions.
Based upon media interviews and statements which I have seen, you are considering this approach because it might somehow shield members of Congress from taking a recorded vote on an overwhelmingly unpopular Senate bill. This is an improper purpose under the bicameralism requirements of Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution, one of the purposes of which is to make our representatives fully accountable for their votes.
Furthermore, to be validly enacted, the Senate bill would have to be accepted by the House in a form that is word-for-word identical (Clinton v. City of New York, 524 U.S. 417 (1998)).
Should you employ the deem and pass tactic, you expose any act which may pass to yet another constitutional challenge.
A bill of this magnitude should not be passed using this maneuver. As the President noted last week, the American people are entitled to an up or down vote.
Sincerely,
Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II
Attorney General of Virginia
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