They could ask Nbadan...

[Yonivore]

...if, of course, he's had time to layer it in various dark tones.

http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/Cartoons/05-22-2006.gif

[turambar85]

Hey man, whatever makes you sleep better at night, it is good to bring things like this out into the air lest we all forget the magical ride of Tom Delay.

[Vashner]

No freedom without Kooks and spooks.

It's good to have at least 2-3 declared Al Queda in the polical forum.

Dan can't even go to the bathroom without someone in NSA recording when and how many sheets of paper used.

[Nbadan]

From the DailyKoS on the William Jefferson 'scandal'...

NYTimes LiberaL?

Today's New York Times has an interesting article on Democratic politican Representative William J. Jefferson (not to be confused with W.J. Clinton) and his bribery scandal. It looks like Jefferson is as guilty as any of the hundreds of republican corruption scandal perpetrators, and so should be condemned if found guilty.

This diary entry isn't about Jefferson's crimes. It's about yet another example of the placement of the words "DEMOCRAT" and "REPUBLICAN" in the first sentence reporting of the various kickback and bribery scandals by the New York Times and its reporter, Philip Shenon. Lets take a look at how these slugs work their "bipartisan" scandal magic in their reporting:

Here's Mr. Shenon in today's NYT reporting on the scandal:

F.B.I. Contends Lawmaker Hid Bribe in Freezer
By PHILIP SHENON
Published: May 22, 2006


WASHINGTON, May 21 -- The F.B.I. accused Representative William J. Jefferson, Democrat of Louisiana, on Sunday of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from a Kentucky businessman and stashing $90,000 from the scheme in his home freezer in Washington.

First sentence. Booyah!!

There it is, directly connecting the associations of the word "Democrat" with "bribes" and "scheme." But as we've seen time and again, the reporting of such scandals involving Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Duke Cunningham and the dozens of republicans falling under ethics and corruption scheme never mention "republican" until way down in the 3rd and 4th paragraphs (if at all).

Well how about yesterday's article on the same subject by the same reporter, Philip Shenon?

F.B.I. Searches Official's Office in Ethics Inquiry
By PHILIP SHENON
Published: May 21, 2006


WASHINGTON, May 20 -- The F.B.I. raided the Congressional offices of Representative William J. Jefferson, Democrat of Louisiana, on Saturday night as part of a corruption investigation focused on the lawmaker and on a Kentucky businessman who has pleaded guilty to trying to bribe him.

Hmmm.

Well surely that's just part and parcel of normal reporting on ethics and bribery scandals, right? Well lets take a look.

Here's the article on Tom Delay's indictment, by Philip Shenon:

DeLay Goes on Radio and TV to Proclaim Innocence
By PHILIP SHENON
Published: September 30, 2005


WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 - Representative Tom DeLay went on a media blitz on Thursday, a day after his indictment on charges of conspiracy in his home state, Texas, angrily proclaiming his innocence and saying that Democratic leaders in Congress were working with a Democratic prosecutor in Texas to try to destroy his career.

Mr. DeLay went on radio and television as his lawyers claimed their first procedural victory in the case. They said a trial judge had agreed not to issue an arrest warrant for Mr. DeLay and would let him appear voluntarily at a court hearing next month in Austin, the Texas capital.

The decision spared Mr. DeLay a potentially awkward encounter with the police in Travis County, where the indictment was issued, and the possibility that he might be handcuffed in front of cameras. A lawyer for Mr. DeLay, Dick DeGuerin, said in a telephone interview that the decision by Judge Bob Perkins of the 331st Judicial Criminal District Court, a Democrat, was "the right thing to do."

Mr. DeLay, who is usually far more reluctant than some of his Congressional colleagues to submit to broadcast interviews of any sort, granted several on Thursday.

"I've never seen more support of my colleagues for me, and they want to see me continue the work that I've been doing," Mr. DeLay said on Fox News Radio. "It was obvious to me that what the Democrats have done has united us stronger than we ever have been."

"This indictment is so over the top and so political, people immediately see it as such," said Mr. DeLay, who was forced under House Republican rules to give up his post as majority leader as a result of the indictment. "When this is over, I go back to being majority leader automatically."

Mr. DeLay said in an interview on CNN that he had evidence to show that the House Democratic leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, and other prominent Democrats had pressured the Travis County district attorney, Ronnie Earle, also a Democrat, to pursue the indictment.

So lets contrast this wonderful "reporter," Philip Shenon's in depth "reporting" by reprinting and leaving unchallenged allegations made by Tom Delay, his lawyer and Fox News.

Note that Mr. Shenon never mentios Delay is a republican, yet mentions democrats as well as implied democratic "affiliation" throughout the opening grafs of the article. Note that the very first time the word "republican" appears it is to confirm that it was "House Republican Rules" that forced Delay to step down.

You're shocked, I know.

The liberal New York Times you've read so much about jumps at the chance to print the word "democrat" and "democratic party" in articles about William J. Jefferson but nary a mention with Tom Delay.

Lets look at some more "reporting" by Shenon:

2 in Congress Face Ethics Investigations
By PHILIP SHENON
Published: May 18, 2006


WASHINGTON, May 17 -- The House ethics committee agreed on Wednesday to open investigations of a pair of lawmakers -- one Democrat, one Republican -- who are the focus of criminal investigations by the Justice Department.

The committee, virtually shut down by partisan deadlock for 16 months despite swirling accusations of illegality involving several House members, also plans to examine whether other lawmakers took part in a bribery scheme led by a former House member, Randy Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham, a California Republican, resigned from Congress this year after pleading guilty to accepting illegal gifts from military contractors.

The lawmakers who were identified by name as the focus of the committee's investigations -- Representatives Bob Ney, an Ohio Republican who has been close to the House Republican leaders, and William J. Jefferson, a lesser-known Louisiana Democrat -- have said they are innocent of wrongdoing.

Lookit this example of excellent, potentially award winning "reporting." I'm thinking Shenon should be up for the Fox News Excellence in Journalism Award for this one, dontcha think? It's got that beautiful "they both do it" aroma of spineless hackdom, followed up nicely with blaming the demise of the ethics committee on "partisan deadlock", and containing a masterful propagandist flourish -- the "several house members" accused of crimes without any mention of party affiliation. Yep. "They both do it" false equivalency. You go, Philip!! He does mention Cunningham was a "california republican" so thank heavens for small favors, I guess.

Here's some quality reporting from May 4th:

Businessman Pleads Guilty To Bribing a Representative
May 4, 2006, Thursday
By PHILIP SHENON (NYT); National Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 14, Column 5, 720 words


A Kentucky technology executive pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of bribing a member of Congress in an investigation that has centered on Representative William J. Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting the feeling that William J. Jefferson is a Louisiana Democrat. How about you?

Ex-DeLay Aide Pleads Guilty In Lobby Case
April 1, 2006, Saturday
By PHILIP SHENON (NYT); National Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 1, Column 5, 1424 words


DISPLAYING FIRST 50 OF 1424 WORDS -A former top aide to Representative Tom DeLay pleaded guilty on Friday to charges that he accepted thousands of dollars in illegal gifts, including money funneled through a consulting firm he set up with his wife and travel by private jet to California, in return for influencing legislation on...

Hmmm, "Represenatitve Tom DeLay." Well that's all I got to go on here. So I guess I'll assume Tom DeLay is a Democrat from Louisiana.

Well surely Shenon reported Tom DeLay is a republican elsewhere in his first sentence, right?

Former Top Aide to DeLay Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy
November 22, 2005, Tuesday
By PHILIP SHENON (NYT); National Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 21, Column 1, 1085 words


DISPLAYING FIRST 50 OF 1085 WORDS -Michael Scanlon, a former business partner of the lobbyist Jack Abramoff and a former top aide to Representative Tom DeLay, pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiring to bribe a member of Congress and other public officials. Mr. Scanlon also agreed to repay $19.6 million to his former Indian tribe...

Hmm. Tom DeLay is a "representative." Well that's for certain. But what political party does he belong to? Gotta dig down into the lower grafs for that info, right Shenon?

This isn't meant to just pick on Shenon, who's actually done some okay reporting on other stories. Only to note the systemic tendencies of the media to rush to mention "democrat" scandals while failing to identify republicans involved in scandals. Why they do this is something a psychologist would be better equipped to answer than I would. Deep fear of career ruination by the wingnut brigade is one possibility. The braindead feeling that branding both "democrats" and "repblicans" as "both doing it" somehow makes them fairer journalists is also probably part of the mentality.

But reading today's article by Shenon on Jefferson is a freaking joke. An embarrassment. The fact they're wetting themselves over Jefferson giving them a "democrat" taking bribes tells you all you need to know.

[Spurminator]

Everyone knows Tom Delay is a Republican. No one knew who William J. Jefferson was before this week.

This guy is making the same ridiculous claim about the Media hiding the party affiliations of a congressperson involved in a scandal... except he's arguing from a Republican perspective.

http://newsbusters.org/node/4861


Truth is, neither side complains when it's the other party getting called out in the first line of a news article and they're the first to parade the story as evidence of the enemy party's corruption.

[Nbadan]

Well, then let's see how the NYTimes reported a less-known Republican, Duke Cunningham's, bribary scandal...

Ex-Lawmaker Is Unhelpful In Bribe Case, Official Says


May 11, 2006, Thursday
By PAUL VON ZIELBAUER; MARK MAZZETTI CONTRIBUTED REPORTING FROM WASHINGTON FOR THIS ARTICLE. (NYT); National Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 32, Column 6, 706 words


DISPLAYING FIRST 50 OF 706 WORDS -Randy Cunningham, the former congressman who pleaded guilty last year to taking bribes from military contractors, has refused to talk with Pentagon investigators about the bribery scheme and other people involved in it, a Pentagon official said Wednesday. Rick Gwin, the agent in charge of the western regional office...


Part of Ex-Congressman's Ruined Life on Auction Block
Monica Almeida/The New York Times

Antique furniture and Oriental rugs were among the items auctioned off that belonged to former Representative Randy Cunningham of California, who is in prison for taking bribes.

By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: March 24, 2006

[QUOTE]RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, Calif., March 23 -- In a final indignity after a stunning fall, pieces of the ruined life of former Representative Randy Cunningham were auctioned off in a government warehouse here on Thursday morning.

and..

Lawmaker Quits After He Pleads Guilty to Bribes (November 29, 2005)
Monica Almeida/The New York Times


A pair of candlesticks, a dozen Oriental rugs, three mirrored armoires, a marble-topped commode and a cedar-lined lingerie cabinet, 35 items in all, went under the auctioneer's gavel. They brought the government $94,625, about two-thirds of the $150,000 that the military contractors who gave the items to Mr. Cunningham as bribes reportedly paid for them.

Well, we know that Duke Cunningham was a "representative" and a "lawmaker." Thanks New York Times!!

[Yonivore]

I hope you're saving for the latest model, Dan.
http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/kutcherside.jpg

[Spurminator]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-California-Special.html


SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The millions spent, the nasty ads and the big-name outside help are a testament to the tight, high-stakes California special election to replace Republican Randy ''Duke'' Cunningham, the disgraced former lawmaker doing time for accepting millions in bribes.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C16F73C5A0C718DDDAC0894DE4044 82


DISPLAYING FIRST 50 OF 703 WORDS -Federal investigators are examining the activities of several members of the House Appropriations Committee, including Representative Jerry Lewis, the California Republican and chairman of the panel that wields influence over government spending, government officials said Thursday. The officials said the inquiry was focused on the often-murky relationships among lobbyists

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404E3D8113FF931A35756C0A9609C8B 63


Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader, called for a Congressional ethics investigation into accusations that former Representative Randy Cunningham had been provided prostitutes by a military contractor. A spokesman for Speaker J. Dennis Hastert said any decision on an inquiry should be left to the ethics committee. Mr. Cunningham, a California Republican, resigned last year after pleading guilty to bribery charges.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA091EF63B5B0C738FDDAD0894DE4044 82


DISPLAYING FIRST 50 OF 554 WORDS -The authorities who are investigating the bribery scandal involving former Representative Randy Cunningham are looking into whether a defense contractor helped provide prostitutes for him, federal officials said Saturday. Mr. Cunningham, a California Republican, resigned from Congress in November after pleading guilty to taking bribes. Now investigators are trying...


Ooh, and you'll love this one...

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20710FB3B5B0C7A8EDDAD0894DE4044 82


DISPLAYING FIRST 50 OF 1228 WORDS -In a race that may signal the impact of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal on Republican fortunes in Congress, an influential California conservative is facing the toughest re-election campaign of his 13-year House career. The Republican congressman, Representative Richard W. Pombo, is one of a handful of lawmakers described...

[Yonivore]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-California-Special.html

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30C16F73C5A0C718DDDAC0894DE4044 82

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404E3D8113FF931A35756C0A9609C8B 63

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA091EF63B5B0C738FDDAD0894DE4044 82

Ooh, and you'll love this one...

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20710FB3B5B0C7A8EDDAD0894DE4044 82
Well, I'm glad somebody took the time to show Dan the other side of the coin.

[DFW Spurs]

REPUBLICANS... DEMACRATS... They’re all in the pockets of corporations or special interest groups. They don't care for the average American. It’s a plutocracy. The more money you have the more of a voice you have. Argue all you want there's not difference really. What we are witnessing is the Average American not really paying attention to our basic rights or what’s in our best interest.

[Nbadan]

Well, I'm glad somebody took the time to show Dan the other side of the coin.

I noticed that Sperminator didn't post any articles from the NYT describing Jefferson as a merely a 'representative' or as a 'law-maker' like Delay or Cunningham. Moreso, the media spent a lot of time because they found some money in Jefferson's freezer, but we have a scandal involving the FBI/Porter goss/ Hookers/Cronyism all wrapped up into a nice little Christmas package and hardly a peep from the M$M. Yeah, that's good reporting.

[Nbadan]

Even staunch conservative Newt Gingrich is criticizing the FEDs action...

FBI's Saturday night Capitol Hill raid raises alarms
By Susan Davis, CongressDaily


The unprecedented FBI raid Saturday night of the Rayburn House Office Building office of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., has stoked tempers on Capitol Hill as some past and present lawmakers and legal experts criticized the Justice Department's actions.

"There is no excuse for the FBI for the first time in history searching a congressional office and apparently doing so in total regard of due process as it relates to the legislative branch," former Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., wrote Sunday night in an e-mail to several members and aides obtained by CongressDaily. Gingrich was particularly critical of what he described as the executive branch trampling constitutional lines of authority.

"The president should respond accordingly and should discipline (probably fire) whoever exhibited this extraordinary violation," he wrote. "The protection of the legislative branch from the executive branch's policing powers is a fundamental principle which goes all the way back to the English Civil War," he added, describing the incident as "the most blatant violation of the constitutional separation of powers in my lifetime."

House officials were given short notice of the FBI's intentions Saturday, and neither Jefferson's attorney, Robert Trout, nor the general counsel of the House were allowed to monitor the search, according to the Associated Press. "The government's actions in obtaining a search warrant to search the offices of a United States congressman were outrageous," Trout said in a statement, according to AP. "There were no exigent circumstances necessitating this action."

Gov. exec. (http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=34132&dcn=todaysnews)

The FEDS found the money over a year ago, but the government is just now getting around to accusing Jefferson of wrong-doing? guilty or not, the Republican spin machine doesn't really care because they get to spin this story as proof of 'bi-partisan corruption'.

[Yonivore]

Well, they're all wrong, Dan.

No one should be above the law. And, no one should be able to have a "safe" place to hide evidence.

If the search was related to some legislation or if it was intended to intimidate the Congressman into voting one way or another on a particular piece of legislation, all these people would have a point.

However, the search was conducted pursuant to a warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction and relative to a crime -- bribery.

Newt can kiss my ass on this one.

[Nbadan]

Guess your gonna have to kiss Hastert's ass too..


The FBI's raid on a Democrat's office rippled through Capitol Hill Wednesday, with Republicans demanding that the bureau surrender documents and other items its agents seized under what lawmakers said were unconstitutional circumstances.

"I think those materials ought to be returned," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, adding that the FBI agents involved "ought to be frozen out of that (case) for the sake of the Constitution."

A day earlier, the Illinois Republican complained personally to
President Bush about the Saturday night raid of Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record)'s legislative office, saying it violated the Constitution's separation of powers doctrine. Other House officials have predicted that the case would bring all three branches together at the Supreme Court for a constitutional showdown.

The raid also has united Democrats and Republicans in a rare, election-year accord. But while they stand together in opposition to an executive branch raid of a legislative branch office, party leaders are acting on different political agendas.

Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060524/ap_on_go_co/raid_on_congress;_ylt=AurGgyL9VoEpysIUzopTrAiyFz4D ;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--)

Dubya is a uniter!!

:hat

[boutons_]

"No one should be above the law"

The WH/Repugs pick and choose the laws they want to enforce, strictly for their own political survival.

[Yonivore]

Guess your gonna have to kiss Hastert's ass too..



Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060524/ap_on_go_co/raid_on_congress;_ylt=AurGgyL9VoEpysIUzopTrAiyFz4D ;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--)

Dubya is a uniter!!

:hat
I'm waiting on one of them to show me where, in the constitution, it says a Congressman's office can't be searched pursuant to a legally obtained search warrant in a criminal matter.

Until then, they're all just a bunch of whining elitists...who are wrong.

[Spurminator]

It's not all that surprising that congressmen would be against raiding congressman offices.

[Yonivore]

It's not all that surprising that congressmen would be against raiding congressman offices.
I think their constituents are gonna change their minds on this one. I've already told my congressman and senators where I stand. You should do the same.

[xrayzebra]

It's not all that surprising that congressmen would be against raiding congressman offices.

Boy isn't that the truth. Now they have to find a new hidie hole.
:lol

[Ocotillo]

Guess your gonna have to kiss Hastert's ass too..



Uh oh, seems Hastert is now being looked at more closely by the justice department for his invovlement with Casino Jack Abramoff.

Maybe that has something to do with his concern for the separation of powers.

[Nbadan]

Well, so much for the Jefferson investigation, for now...

Bush Orders Documents Sealed in FBI-Congress Case


WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush stepped into the Justice Department's constitutional confrontation with Congress on Thursday and ordered that documents seized in an FBI raid on a congressman's office be sealed for 45 days.

WTOL (http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=4950470)

[DarkReign]

Oh jeez! Here we go...

Politicians are slimy dregs of society applying to no other higher power than the almighty dollar, regardless of party affiliation.

Is this news?

[xrayzebra]

Uh oh, seems Hastert is now being looked at more closely by the justice department for his invovlement with Casino Jack Abramoff.

Maybe that has something to do with his concern for the separation of powers.

Guess you aren't going to retract you statement either, like ABC news.
When did Dan Rather move over to ABC? Anyone know?