black…MYstory

Jesse Jackson, Jr. has come out swinging on the heels of him being named as “Senate Candidate Number 5″ in the criminal complaint against Illinois Governor Rod Blagejovich, who was arrested yesterday for allegedly trying to “sell” the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

Investigators tapped Blagejovich’s phone and, in one conversation, was heard alleging that Jackson Jr. had offered to raise up to $1,000,000 for him.

Jackson has soundly denounced these accusations, stating that neither he or anyone representing him had made any such offers to the governor (basically, he is saying that the governor is lying).

Obviously, this political drama is going to play out heavily over the next several weeks (and possibly months) ahead.

The video of the Jackson press conference is below:

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As you have likely heard, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, was arrested by the FBI yesterday, under a complaint that he was attempting “sell” President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated senate seat in exchange for personal gain.

In the complaint, the unnamed “Senate Candidate Number 5″ is mentioned as someone who would be willing to raise as much as $1,000,000 for Gov. Blagojevich in exchange for being appointed to the Senate seat.

Today, sources are saying that congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. could be this mystery candidate.

To be clear — to date, there is no evidence of conversations between Jackson’s camp and the governor.  Instead, the on the wiretap, the governor is heard repeating highlights from an alleged conversation he had with a Jackson representative.

So far, ABC News, NBC News and the Chicago Sun-Times say that Jackson Jr. is the candidate in question.  If true, this not only ruins his chance at the Senate but would likely torpedo his congressional career, should he escape criminal charges.

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Last week, I shared with you how some on the right are still trying to push a story questioning Barack Obama’s status as a natural-born citizen of the United States in order to block him from ever taking office as President.  In fact, many had gone so far as to actually sue to block him from assuming his elected duty.

One case in particular, Donofrio v. Wells, was placed before U.S. Supreme Court for consideration (in all fairness, I have since found out that Donofrio also challenged McCain’s citizenship because he was born in Panama (his father was stationed there in the military).  The case challenged whether or not Obama could be considered natural-born since Obama’s father was a British national.  Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961 but, according to Donofrio, this gives Obama dual-citizenship, thus invalidating his status as a “natural-born” citizen.

Well, the Supreme Court has turned away this appeal.  I would like to believe that this is the end of the madness but, apparently, there are two other suits be appealed to the Supreme Court over this same issue, as well as various other suits in the lower courts.

So, I guess were in for more fun. *groan!*

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Whether it’s his color, his name, his family heritage or just his political affiliation, some people still can’t stand the fact that Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States and, even at this late date, are trying to block him from taking office.

The U.S. Supreme Court will be meeting to decide whether or not to take up a case challenging whether or not Barack Obama is a natural-born U.S. citizen.  President-elect Obama (I like saying that but, I’ll like PRESIDENT Obama more) was born in Hawaii, a fact that is backed up by Hawaiian officials.  Also, when this issue first popped up, FactCheck.org looked into it and verified that Obama was indeed born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

So, why do we keep rehashing this?  I go back to my opening sentence.  You have people from the unknown to the infamous pushing for this because they fear an Obama presidency.  The common thread appears to be thatthey seem to represent various right-wing interests.  I guess by bringing suit-after-suit, they want to create the “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” thought in the minds of people.  Excuse me but, aren’t those on the right always harping about the “frivolous” lawsuits flooding our country’s court dockets?  Not surprisingly, the Supreme Court Justice that put this forward for consideration was none other than Clarence Thomas.

Here’s to hoping the Court won’t shame itself by considering such a silly lawsuit.

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People that know me and, some who read this blog, might know that I hold a special contempt for people who harm and neglect children.  I believe that if you murder a child, the death penalty should be automatic.

Over the weekend, we heard the terrible news about the murders of the mother and brother of Oscar-winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson.  We also heard about the Amber Alert being issued for her 7-year-old newphew Julian King.

Today, the family’s worst fears may have been confirmed.

A boy’s body has been found in the white Chevy Surburban that is allegedly related to these crimes.

The police have the boy’s stepfather, William Balfour, in custody and are questioning regarding the slayings of the mother and brother.  Balfour has denied any wrongdoing and has since stopped talking with police.  However, Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister, Julia Balfour, had been said to have recently threatened to take Julian away.

Balfour’s alibi has been contradicted by his current girlfriend and police say that they tracked his whereabouts on Friday via his cell phone.

If William Balfour truly did this, may he burn for it.

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The picture you see here is of Ashley Todd being “perp-walked” out in front of the media after confessing that she made up a story about being robbed at an ATM by a “six-foot-four black man” who she said also beat, fondled and carved a backwards “B” in her face after he robbed her because he saw a McCain campaign sticker on her car.

Today, we know that this was all a lie but one that many right-wing bloggers and Fox News were all too willing to hype up.

However, in this, there is potential blowback for McCain.  According to TPM Election Central, a local reporter caught the attack story on the Drudge Report and called the campaign for comment and the Pennsylvania communications director for the McCain campaign was all too ready to play politics with the story.  The communications director went on to push a story out there that seemed to be even more wild than what Ashley Todd had been saying.  For example, this spokesperson allegedly told the reporter that the attacker said to Ashley Todd, “You’re with the McCain campaign? I’m going to teach you a lesson.”

Furthermore, it was allegedly this communications director that put out the story that the “B” on her face stood for Barack.

So, now that it’s been proven to be a hoax, the McCain spokesperson is now backpeddling, saying that the reporters got it wrong.  But, if you listen to a couple of clips, one from NBC news and another from Countdown with Keith Olbermann, you’ll hear that it was the campaign pushing out aspects of the story that the police had clearly stated were unconfirmed.

So, it looks like some in the McCain camp are willing to resurrect the ghost of Willie Horton to try to win an election.

Videos Below:

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Earlier this year, I posted about the possibility of Kwame Kilpatrick facing perjury charges, after lying under oath about his affair with his chief of staff.  At the time, Kilpatrick was testifying about his role in the firing of a police officer and one of his bodyguards.  The two fired men say that they were cooperating in an internal investigation that would have exposed the married Kilpatrick’s relationship with his chief of staff.

Shortly after the case was settled, it was revealed that the chief of staff, Christine Beatty, had been communicating with Mayor Brown via her city-owned pager.  Messages sent from and received by that pager clearly show that there was a romantic relationship there, including an exchange about a sexual encounter they had.

Fast-forward several months and, today, Kwame Kilpatrick, as part of a plea deal, has agreed to resign as mayor of Detroit.  He will also pay a $1 million fine and could serve jail time.

This closes a sad chapter for the city of Detroit.  I hope for a brighter future there.

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Anyone reading this blog regularly knows how I feel about people who hurt children.  I try hard to be compassionate to all people but, I have little of that for some who harms a child.  I feel that children are a blessing and you should should not do anything that would cause physical, mental or emotional harm to a child.

So, when I read about the alleged actions of Kena Ross and Christopher Gray, my blood began to boil.  Ross is the mother of boys, ages 4 and 5, as well as two other children.  Authorities say that the couple tortured these two young boys.  According to police, these children would have their hands and ankles bound by the couple on a regular basis and, in the case of the 4-year-old, on at least one occassion, he was denied medical treatment for his injuries.

Authorities were tipped off when one of the children was brought into Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati and medical staff noticed burns on his hands.  The couple was arrested and each is in jail on a $150,000 bond.  All four children are now in the custody of a grandmother.

In my opinion, they can stay in jail.

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If money is any indication of our troops’ approval of our current military policy, then Americans might want to pay attention to whom our troops are donating in the presidential race.

In analyzing to whom troops in the battlefield are making their donations, the Center for Responsive Politics got quite a surprise.  Among these troops, they are donating to Barack Obama’s campaign at six times the rate they are giving to John McCain’s campaign.  To further illustrate that the troops are clear in their desires, they are even donating to Ron Paul’s campaign at four times the rate for donations to McCain and Paul suspended his campaign some months back.

Additionally, Obama lead McCain in military donations, overall, with some 57% of presidential donations going to his campaign.

The message:  support our troops and vote for Obama.

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The remaining members of the ‘Jena 6′ still facing trial dates should, today, be thanking Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. Mauffray was removed from their trials after some disturbing remarks he made about the teens.

Mauffray referred to these young men as “trouble makers” and “a violent bunch”.

I say that these young men should thank Mauffray because he could have kept is biases silent. Obviously, he has shown that he can’t be impartial and would have presided over these cases with his preconceived notions about all these youths.

So, personally, I want to thank Judge Mauffray for showing his true colors. Now, at least he can’t abuse his authority.

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