Pope petitioned to excommunicate Pelosi

Catholic Group Petitions Pope to Excommunicate Nancy Pelosi

Friday, February 20, 2009

By Michael Chapman House

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (AP Photo) (CNSNews.com) – Human Life International (HLI), a Catholic pro-life group based in Front Royal, Va., had a letter from its Rome office delivered to the Vatican this week, in which it called upon Pope Benedict XVI to “formally excommunicate” from the Catholic Church House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). The pope met with Pelosi on Wednesday. Experts in Canon Law, the rules that govern the Catholic Church, said this action is not unprecedented and noted that similar appeals for excommunication were made against Catholic judges who were enforcing racially discriminatory laws during the civil rights era. They also said that regular Catholics have a right to petition their pastors, bishops, and the pope in matters that pertain to the well-being of the church. “The reason we called for the pope is because so many people have called on the bishops in the jurisdictions she lives in, who could possibly do it—and they won’t,” HLI President Rev. Thomas Euteneur told CNSNews.com.

Pelosi has a home in the archdiocese of San Francisco, headed by Archbishop George Niederauer, and works in Washington, D.C., the archdiocese overseen by Archbishop Donald Wuerl. Pelosi describes herself as “pro-choice,” and has voted for laws that promote abortion and artificial contraception, both of which are contrary to church teaching. For example, she voted against banning partial-birth abortion, against the Hyde Amendment, which prohibited federal funding of abortion in most circumstances, and against the Mexico City policy, which denied U.S. tax dollars to organizations that perform or promote abortion abroad. She also voted against a complete ban on human cloning and in favor of using tax dollars for research that kills human embryos.

The church’s catechism states: “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception…. Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.” On Aug. 24, 2008, Pelosi was asked by Tom Brokaw on NBC’s “Meet the Press” about how she would advise then-Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama if he asked her about when human life begins. She answered by claiming that the question of when life begins has been a long-running controversy within the Catholic Church. “I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time,” said Pelosi. “And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition. And Senator--St. Augustine said at three months. We don't know. The point is, is that it shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose. Roe v. Wade talks about very clear definitions of when the child--first trimester, certain considerations; second trimester; not so third trimester. There’s very clear distinctions. This isn't about abortion on demand, it's about a careful, careful consideration of all factors and--to--that a woman has to make with her doctor and her god. And so I don't think anybody can tell you when life begins, human life begins. As I say, the Catholic Church for centuries has been discussing this, and there are those who've decided-” Brokaw interrupted her at this point to point out that the “Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly that it … begins at the point of conception.” “I understand,” said Pelosi. “And this is like maybe 50 years or something like that. So again, over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy. But it is, it is also true that God has given us, each of us, a free will and a responsibility to answer for our actions. And we want abortions to be safe, rare, and reduce the number of abortions. That's why we have this fight in Congress over contraception. My Republican colleagues do not support contraception. If you want to reduce the number of abortions, and we all do, we must -- it would behoove you to support family planning and, and contraception, you would think. But that is not the case.”

After this broadcast, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement on Aug. 26 that said, “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi misrepresented the history and nature of the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church against abortion. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, ‘Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.’” Archbishop Wuerl also issued a statement, correcting Pelosi’s statements about Catholic teaching, as did Archbishop Niederauer. Pelosi did not retract her comments made on NBC. But her spokesman Brendan Daly issued a statement about Pelosi that partly reads: “She [Pelosi] was raised in a devout Catholic family who often disagreed with her pro-choice views. “After she was elected to Congress, and the choice issue became more public as she would have to vote on it, she studied the matter more closely. Her views on when life begins were informed by the views of Saint Augustine, who said: ‘…the law does not provide that the act [abortion] pertains to homicide, for there cannot yet be said to be a live soul in a body that lacks sensation…’ (Saint Augustine, On Exodus 21.22) “While Catholic teaching is clear that life begins at conception, many Catholics do not ascribe to that view. The Speaker agrees with the Church that we should reduce the number of abortions. She believes that can be done by making family planning more available, as well as by increasing the number of comprehensive age-appropriate sex education and caring adoption programs.”

Dr. Edward Peters, who holds the Edmund Cardinal Szoka Chair at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Mich., and is one of the most widely known canon lawyers in North America, said Nancy Pelosi is in violation of Canon 915 and likely other canon laws that would prohibit her from receiving communion at Mass and potentially face other penalties. “I think Nancy Pelosi is in violation of Canon 915 because of her advocacy of abortion and abortion-ism,” Peters told CNSNews.com. “Under Canon 915, she’s ineligible to receive the Eucharist, and if someone wants to contact her bishop, Niederauer, and express that opinion, they are perfectly within their rights to do so--and I also think they happen to be correct.”

Peter Vere, professor of Canon Law at Catholic Distance University and the author of “Surprised by Canon Law: 150 Questions Laypeople Ask About Canon Law,” said that Pelosi is in violation of Canon 915 and that her pastor should not allow her to receive communion. On Aug. 25, The Hill newspaper quoted Pelosi as saying that she had not been denied communion. “[F]ortunately, for me, communion has not been withheld and I’m a regular communicant, so that would be a severe blow to me if that were the case,” said Pelosi. Peters added that “Pelosi is also in danger under Canon 1369--those who use public shows and speeches to advocate against good morals. Nancy Pelosi does that all the time. But the penalty here is not excommunication. It’s a sort of generic, appropriate penalty, tailored to fit the circumstances.”

Peters, as well as Vere, however, said that HLI and Fr. Euteneur were certainly within the rights granted under Canon Law to petition the pope to excommunicate Pelosi. It is not “unprecedented,” even though it is “not a common event,” Peters said of HLI’s actions. Church law “protects the rights of the faithful to raise questions about things that concern the good of the church,” he said. “A group is within their rights to present their arguments on the Nancy Pelosi issue. I think their arguments are going to fail, but they are within their rights to ask for it.”

Maurice Healy, spokesman for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, confirmed to CNSNews.com that Archbishop Neiderauer met with Pelosi in private on Feb. 8. While details of that “pastoral-private” meeting cannot be disclosed, said Healy, he added that it would be correct, in this matter, to reference the bishop’s Sept. 5 statement that publicly corrected Pelosi’s comments about the church’s position on abortion – a statement in which the archbishop also invited Pelosi to meet with him to discuss the issue. Inquiries to Pelosi’s office on this story were not answered before this story went to press. Questions to Maurice Healy about HLI’s appeal for Pelosi’s excommunication and the topic of prohibiting her from receiving communion were also not returned as this story went to press. Fr. Euteneur told CNSNews.com that “when people call for excommunication it’s not because they’re just angry or have some political ax to grind against some political officials who call themselves Catholic. These are real serious concerns for the faith of millions of people, and a real cause to do so, according to church law, but we can’t do it ourselves because we’re not bishops.”

After Pelosi met with Pope Benedict in Rome on Wednesday, the Vatican released the following statement about the meeting: “His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church’s consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in cooperation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development.” Speaker Pelosi’s office also issued a statement on Feb. 18 about the meeting, which read: “It is with great joy that my husband, Paul, and I met with his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI today. In our conversation, I had the opportunity to praise the Church’s leadership in fighting poverty, hunger and global warming, as well as the Holy Father’s dedication to religious freedom and his upcoming trip and message to Israel. I was proud to show his Holiness a photograph of my family’s papal visit in the 1950s, as well as a recent picture of our children and grandchildren.”

Thanks to "Taoiseach" at the ESFLEA Forum for making this available

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Reykjavik-on-Liffey

The Irish economy Reykjavik-on-Liffey
Feb 5th 2009 DUBLIN

From The Economist print edition

The Irish government struggles with the effects of a deep recession
THE difference between Ireland and Iceland, so the current joke goes, is one letter and six months. A Dublin economist responds that the real difference lies in a four-letter word: euro. Ireland is in, and Iceland is not. A former European commissioner from Ireland, Peter Sutherland, thinks that Europe’s single currency has kept Ireland afloat. Even so, GDP is expected to contract by 5% and the unemployment rate to rise to over 9% this year. And Ireland is bracing itself for a credit downgrade on its sovereign debt.

Much will depend on how the rating agencies judge the latest efforts by the prime minister, Brian Cowen, to stabilise the public finances. On February 3rd he made a poor start, before recovering. After weeks of talks, he failed to win trade union support for his budget cuts. Yet hours later he imposed the measures the unions had rejected, including a pension levy on public-service workers. His unilateral action signalled the end of two decades of social partnership, based on a consensus approach to wage bargaining between government, employers and unions.

Mr Cowen’s cuts are the first steps in a five-year austerity programme meant to close a huge budget deficit. But they come at a hard time. The economy has been hit by the global credit crunch, a burst property bubble and collapsing tax revenues. This year’s estimated budget deficit will be some 10% of GDP, even after the latest cuts. The government hopes to restore balance by 2013, but that will take spending cuts and tax increases worth €16 billion (equivalent to 8% of GDP).

The rapid deterioration in the public finances has unnerved bond markets and raised Ireland’s borrowing costs. In recent weeks Irish bond spreads over German bonds have widened by over two percentage points. Yet Mr Cowen’s political problem is that he is ill-placed to sell acceptance of five years of austerity. His government has struggled with its banking crisis. Morale has been dented by a succession of economic shocks. Last month Waterford Wedgwood, a maker of luxury glassware and china, went into receivership; and Dell, a computer maker, announced it was closing its manufacturing plant in Limerick, with the loss of 1,900 jobs, and moving to Poland.

The government’s public standing could hardly be lower. In a recent poll three out of four respondents said its handling of the economy had been poor. Fianna Fail, which leads the coalition and has been in power since 1997, is trailing in the polls. Mr Cowen’s only consolation is a favourable shift in views of the European Union’s Lisbon treaty. There is expected to be a second referendum on this in the autumn, and recent polls show a two-to-one majority in favour. Ireland’s euro membership during the recession may make all the difference at the ballot box.

Pete King points the way

The Survivor

Rep. Peter King points the way for Republicans in the Northeast

By Mark Hemingway

National Review

February 23, 3009

Rep. Peter King’s Washington, D.C., office is stuffed full of New York memorabilia. Every wall is covered with framed photos of actors and baseball players (King’s allegiance lies with the Mets). In terms of décor, the Long Island congressman’s office is reminiscent of one of the Big Apple’s touristy delis. There’s one thing about his office that makes it unusual for a New York politician: It belongs to a Republican. As the 111th Congress begins, New York’s congressional delegation has 29 seats. Only three belong to Republicans (one is vacant), and King’s district is the only Republican district in the entire southern half of the state, which encompasses more than three-quarters of the population. “It’s about 300 miles before you get to the next Republican district,” observes King, now in his ninth term.

Even more remarkable, his political career is thriving. In 2006 and 2008 he beat his Democratic opponents by 12 and 28 points, respectively, in election cycles that saw Republicans take heavy losses nationally. Even King is surprised by the level of support he’s received. “In the last two elections, my hard reelect numbers are as high as they’ve ever been,” he says, employing the political term that describes the percentage of voters who say they’ll vote for a candidate regardless of his opponent. His profile in New York, as well as nationally, is also on the rise. One of the more intriguing subplots to Caroline Kennedy’s failed bid to be appointed to Hillary Clinton’s vacated Senate seat was that King was her presumed opponent in 2010. With Kennedy out, King says he’s still tentatively interested in running against Kirsten Gillibrand, the one-term congresswoman from upstate who eventually received the appointment. In fact, while he was still deciding whom to appoint to the Senate seat, New York’s Democratic governor, David Paterson, floated King’s name. “I didn’t rule out any Republicans; they ruled me out because they never asked,” Paterson told reporters. “Peter King and I are great friends. We go to dinner often. He should have called.” Asked about Paterson’s comments, King laughs and replies, “We put a call in to his office.” He explains that he met Paterson in the green room of a television show over a decade ago. They’ve been friends ever since. King maintains remarkably good relations with his Democratic colleagues. Former New York mayor Ed Koch practically tumbles over himself to praise the congressman. “I think he’s one of the greatest public servants and we’re lucky to have him in New York. I’ve supported him, crossing party lines, for his position as a member of Congress, and he’s done a superb job there,” Koch raves. “He is a person I can only say good things about.”

Put simply, the obvious question is: What is King doing right at a time when northeastern Republicans are an endangered species and partisan acrimony threatens to engulf national politics? Some aspects of King are inimitable. His retail political skill comes naturally; he has a genial nature and a mercurial mind, both hallmarks of his proud Irish heritage. The son of a police officer, raised in Queens, King has developed an intuitive grasp of New York’s labyrinthine politics and thrives in the state’s hostile media environment. King’s success is hard-earned. He slugged it out in the trenches of local politics for over two decades before rising to the national stage. After graduating from Notre Dame Law School in 1968, he went to work for the Nassau County district attorney’s office. In 1977 he won his first elected position, on the Hempstead town council, with the help of Long Island’s once-formidable Republican machine. Following that, he went on to win three consecutive terms as the Nassau County comptroller. King had an unusual amount of political experience under his belt, as well as a reputation as an independent thinker, long before he ran for Congress in 1992.

Through a combination of shrewdness and principle, King appears to have found exactly the right political balance to prosper as a blue-state Republican: “I call myself a blue-collar conservative, so on key conservative issues I never change. I’m strong on defense, I supported the war in Iraq all the way, supported the surge, I’m very strong on homeland security, Islamic terrorism. I’m pro-life; on all the social issues I’m 100 percent conservative.” Economically, King diverges from conservatism in ways that help strengthen his blue-collar appeal: “I have a very strong relationship with the building-trades unions. On issues like Davis-Bacon, I would vote with the unions. So did Ronald Reagan for that matter,” King says, referring to the Depression-era “prevailing wage” law that’s a cornerstone of union legislation. Indeed, even the Teamsters union — usually an enemy of Republicans — has praised and supported King.

When King commits to an issue politically, he’s tenacious. He is perhaps best known as a congressional advocate of homeland-security measures. When the House Committee on Homeland Security was established in the wake of September 11, King lobbied hard to be on the committee before taking over the chairmanship in 2005. (He remains the ranking member.) In 2006, the Bush administration tried to slash New York’s homeland-security funding by 40 percent. King said the cuts amounted to “declar[ing] war on New York,” and he was instrumental in making sure his state received the second-largest homeland-security funding increase the next year, after Washington, D.C. New York City police commissioner Ray Kelly calls King “our fiercest defender.” King, one of whose hobbies is writing novels, is so obsessed with homeland security that Vale of Tears, the latest of the three page-turners he’s written, is about a congressman named Sean Cross who valiantly attempts to head off an Islamic terrorist attack. “I’ve been very aggressive about what I believe in. I just think it’s easier to get it out there and have people agree or disagree rather than spending a few months trying to make my message sound better than it is or try and disguise it somehow,” King says. “Even in ’06 during the worst of times, I never backed off supporting the necessity of the war in Iraq. I never backed off supporting the Patriot Act, FISA, Guantanamo, interrogations — all of that I believe is absolutely essential.”

King’s outspokenness occasionally gets him in trouble. In 2007, he ignited a firestorm when he was quoted as saying America had “too many mosques.” (King says he was referring to the number of mosques that don’t cooperate with the FBI in fighting Islamist terrorism.) His fierce support of Irish nationalism — his uncle fought in the Tan War — has occasionally aligned him with the some of more unsavory proponents of that cause, though in recent years he has toned down his support for the Irish Republican Army. Yet, despite the occasional stumble, few Republicans have his deft touch with the media. To say King doesn’t shy away from the press would be an understatement; Politico.com calls him a “quote machine.” And he knows where to find a congenial outlet: “I try and take advantage of television and radio as much as I can to go over the heads of the print media, especially since I have [the liberal] Newsday as the main paper in my district.”

King is dismayed by the criticism he endures from Republicans who don’t share his particular Irish Catholic view of the world. “I believe in original sin and that people have human failings. That also is the basis of conservatism and why you don’t want to give too much power to any one person or entity, because we have these failings,” he says. At the same time, he cautions against “always trying to sound self-righteous,” and here King practices what he preaches. Last year, when fellow New York Republican Congressman Vito Fossella was arrested for drunk driving and later revealed to have a mistress and love child, King penned an op-ed for the New York Post defending Fossella’s record as a public servant and excoriating the media for continuing to push the story after Fossella announced he would not seek reelection. “We can be for very strong social values, be very pro-life, be very supportive of the military, and not be always be passing judgment on others with a moral tone,” he says.

For King, a lack of empathy explains why Republicans are out of touch on any number of issues. “I think we need to find ways to identify with people’s everyday life from a conservative point of view,” he points out. “Often I see Republicans go on television and it’s the same talking points and it’s a Washington-oriented or — and I don’t mean to start a civil war or anything — maybe it’s focused more on what people in rural areas are focused on, as opposed to the Northeast.” Perhaps King’s diagnosis of the GOP’s ills isn’t unique. But his proven ability to fly the Republican flag in challenging circumstances certainly makes him a rarity, as does his optimism. “I think that the New York that elected Jim Buckley and voted for Ronald Reagan twice and elected D’Amato and Pataki is still there. I know the demographics are changing, but close to, if not more than, 50 percent of the state could vote ‘blue-collar conservative.’” Should King decide to run for the Senate in 2010, it won’t just be his own hopes — it may well be the hopes of his entire party — that get put to the test.

Mrs. Sheila Kelly, RIP

www.independent.ie
Mourners salute wife of arms trial captain
By Jason O'Brien

Tuesday February 17 2009

THE funeral Mass of the wife of a leading figure in the arms trial that rocked the nation took place yesterday -- with the chief celebrant criticising the couple's "victimisation" by the government over a period of 30 years.

Sheila Kelly was predeceased in 2003 by Captain James Kelly. Capt Kelly was an Irish Army intelligence officer and in 1970, together with former Taoiseach Charles Haughey and two others, faced arms import charges. All were acquitted, but Capt Kelly had to leave the army and said the affair destroyed his life.

His wife, a mother of six, who lived in Athlone, Co. Westmeath, died last Thursday from lung cancer. She was in her 70s. "Nothing of Sheila is lost," Fr Martin Kelly, a brother of James, told mourners at St Mary of the Angels Church, in Dublin, yesterday morning. "Nothing of her love and dedication to family . . . nothing of her strength of character shown during the 30 years of victimisation when Jim was framed by government action, and so shabbily treated by the upper echelons of the Army."

The comments drew a round of applause from the congregation, which included junior minister Conor Lenihan, writer Tim Pat Coogan and journalist David Davin Power. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore attended the removal service on Sunday.

Fr Kelly said that it was appropriate that her funeral Mass was taking place in St Mary's, "near where Jim and Sheila's ordeal began nearly 39 years ago in the Four Courts".

Capt Kelly oversaw the procurement of an arms consignment from Germany, which prompted the trial, but always claimed he had government authorisation for the mission. After his death in 2003, the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, said that "Captain Kelly acted on what he believed were the proper orders of his superiors. For my part, I never found any reason to doubt his integrity". However, Sheila Kelly dismissed the statement as "mild-mannered" and called for a gesture from government to exonerate her husband.
That call was repeated at her funeral Mass yesterday.
- Jason O'Brien

Dissident 'Catholic' Pelosi

What the Pope Should Know about Nancy Pelosi
By Deal W. Hudson
February 16, 2009

(Inside Catholic.com) - This week, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will meet with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican. With the debilitating illness of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Pelosi has become the de facto leader of dissident Catholic members of Congress. It's only appropriate that Pelosi should take Kennedy's place. When she became Speaker in January 2006, she chose Rev. Robert Drinan, S.J., as the celebrant of the Mass held in her honor. The late Father Drinan, a longtime professor of law at Georgetown University, had been the architect of the arguments now used as cover by Catholic politicians who wish to dodge the abortion issue. This effort began in 1964, when Father Drinan was among a small group of theologians who visited Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, to school the Kennedy clan on how to finesse the abortion issue in politics.

Pelosi's 100 percent voting record on abortion, according to NARAL, is commonplace among Catholic Democrats in the House, but Pelosi is, perhaps, the most vocal among them. For example, millions of dollars for contraceptives were cut from the first version of the stimulus package; only Pelosi, rather incoherently, defended the funding. In August, she made such outrageous comments about the Church on Meet the Press that she single-handedly endangered President Barack Obama's outreach to Catholic voters. When, to support her pro-abortion stance on when life begins, she asserted, "Over the centuries, the doctors of the Church have not been able to make that definition," Pelosi elicited a rebuke not only from her own Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco, but also from dozens of other bishops.

Thus, the news that Pelosi will meet with Benedict spread like wildfire through the Catholic blogs last Thursday. Many Catholics, disgusted with her rabid pro-abortion politics, were outraged that the pope would agree to meet with her at all. They forget that the Holy Father is a head of state and regularly meets with political leaders from every nation, regardless of their positions on issues important to the Church. It's a good idea for Benedict to meet with Pelosi, because one can never underestimate the impact of being in his presence. It's also worth remembering that, if the protocol of past meetings remains the same, the Holy Father will make formal remarks in front of the media before any private meeting. Benedict will very likely make comments criticizing the Obama administration for ending the Mexico City Policy and warning the new Congress against passing the Freedom of Choice Act. When Pope John Paul II, meeting President George W. Bush for the first time in July 2001, made mild remarks critical of his position on embryonic stem cell research, the media talked about nothing else. It will be interesting to compare the media reaction to anything Benedict may say about Pelosi and Obama.

Just as important as Pelosi's meeting with the Holy Father is all that will surround her visit to the Vatican. Will she attend Mass? Will she receive communion? How many from the media will be present? How widely will the photos and videos of her reception be spread around the world? How many of her fellow pro-abortion Catholics will be at her side? You can be sure that Pelosi will choreograph her visit to get maximum exposure of her Catholic identity -- down to a photograph of her entering St. Peter's Basilica in a veil, no doubt. Pelosi, of course, should be denied communion, but it is unlikely to happen. Any priest who celebrates Mass with Pelosi present will be carefully chosen beforehand in order to avoid embarrassment to the Speaker and her entourage. But I wouldn't rule out some sort of protest from orthodox Catholic students and seminarians studying in Rome.

Given the publicity Pelosi will receive during this trip, Archbishop Niederauer should issue another public statement reiterating his criticism of her position on abortion -- and that, furthermore, if she presents herself for communion, he will deny it to her. If he were to remain silent, he would experience the embarrassment of having other U.S. bishops responding to Pelosi, in his place, on behalf of the Church. Rev. Tom Euteneuer has already taken a bold stand, expressing his belief that Pelosi should be publicly and formally excommunicated. Unfortunately, his public statement makes it less likely to happen: Bishops don't want to appear to do what they are told by the head of Human Life International, or any other Catholic apostolate for that matter. But our good friend at HLI is right on the mark.

Courtesy of New York United Irish Counties Officer

Uncle Teddy - Icon of the Irish establishment

As soon as cancer was found, I noticed the immediate attempt to canonize old Teddy by the mainstream media. They are saying what a "great American" he is. For my part, I say let's get a couple of things clear and not let the facts about the "Lion of the Senate" be changed to reflect a phony legacy.

1. Teddy was caught cheating at Harvard when he was a student there. He was expelled twice, once for cheating on a test, and once for paying a classmate to cheat for him.

2. While expelled, Kennedy enlisted in the Army, but mistakenly signed up for four years instead of two. (What - the man can't count to four?) His father, Joseph P. Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to England (A slight promotion for him from bootlegging liquor into the U.S. from Canada during prohibition), pulled the necessary strings to have Teddy's enlistment shortened to two years, and to ensure that he served in Europe, not Korea, where a war was raging. (No preferential treatment for him like he charged President Bush received!)

3. Teddy Kennedy was assigned to Paris, never advanced beyond the rank of private, and returned to Harvard after his discharge. (Imagine a person with his "education" NEVER advancing past the rank of private.)

4. A few years later, while attending law school at the University of Virginia, Teddy was cited for reckless driving four times, including once when he was clocked driving 90 miles per hour in a residential neighborhood with his headlights off after dark. Yet his Virginia driver's license was never revoked. Coincidentally, he passed the bar exam in 1959. Amazing!!!

5. In 1964, he was seriously injured in a plane crash, and hospitalized for several months. Test results done by the hospital at the time he was admitted had shown he was legally intoxicated. The results of those tests remained a "state secret" until the 1980s when the report was unsealed. Didn't hear about that from the unbiased media, did we?

6. On July 19, 1969, Kennedy attended a party on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts. At about 11:00 PM, Teddy took the keys to his Oldsmobile limousine from his chauffeur, and offered to give a ride home to Mary Jo Kopechne, a campaign worker. Leaving the island via an unlit bridge with no guard rail, Kennedy steered the car off the bridge, flipped, and ended up in Poucha Pond. Teddy managed to get out of the car, swam to shore, and walked back to the party, passing several houses and a fire station along the way. Two friends returned with Teddy to the scene of the accident. According to their later testimony, they told Teddy what he already knew - that he was required by law to immediately report the accident to the authorities. Instead, Teddy made his way to his hotel, called his lawyer, and went to sleep. Teddy called the police the next morning and by then the wreck had already been discovered. Before dying, Kopechne is believed to have scratched at the upholstered floor above her head in the upside-down car. The Kennedy family began "calling in favors", ensuring that any inquiry would be contained. Ms. Kopechne's body was whisked out-of-state to her family, before an autopsy could be conducted. Further details are uncertain. Kennedy says he repeatedly dove under the water trying to rescue Kopechne, and he didn't call police because he was in a state of shock. It is widely assumed Kennedy was drunk, and he held off calling police in the hopes that his family could fix the problem overnight. Since the accident, Teddy's "political enemies" have referred to him as the distinguished Senator from Chappaquiddick. Teddy pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, and was given a SUSPENDED SENTENCE OF TWO MONTHS. Kopechne's family received a small payout from the Kennedy's insurance policy, and never sued. There was a later effort to have her body exhumed and autopsied, but her family successfully fought against this in court, and Kennedy's family paid their attorney's bills... a "token of friendship"?

7. Kennedy has held his Senate seat for more than forty years, but considering his longevity, his accomplishments seem scant. He authored or argued for legislation that ensured a variety of civil rights, increased the minimum wage in 1981, made access to health care easier for the indigent, and funded Meals on Wheels for fixed-income seniors and is widely held as the "standard-bearer for liberalism". In his very first Senate role, he was the floor manager for the bill that turned U.S. immigration policy upside down and opened the floodgate for immigrants from third world countries. (Editor's note: A bill that effectively ended legal Irish immigration to the United States.)

8. Since that time, Teddy has been the prime instigator and author of every expansion of, and increase in, immigration, up to, and including, the latest attempt to grant amnesty to illegal aliens. Not to mention the pious grilling he gave the last two Supreme Court nominees, as if he were the standard bearer for the nation in matters of right and wrong. What a pompous ass.

9. He is known around Washington as a public drunk who is loud, boisterous and very disrespectful to ladies. JERK is a more fitting sobriquet for Teddy than "The Great American" or "The Lion of the Senate".

Editor's note: With all the corruption in the Irish establishment, is it any wonder that it fawns over Uncle Teddy.

Thanks to "Chieftain" at the ESFLEA Forum for making this available

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Fears - Irish Government will default on debt

Irish Government faces growing fears of debt default

Elena Moya

Monday, Feb 16, 2009

The Guardian

Fears are growing that Ireland could default on its national debt after the cost to insure against possible losses on loans to the country rose to record highs at the end of last week.

Credit ratings agency Moody's recently followed rival Standard & Poor's in warning it might downgrade Irish debt, amid fears that one of Europe's former success stories is falling into a deepening recession. The cost to hedge against losses on Irish debt tripled last week to a record 355 basis points - meaning that for every £100 of debt, investors have to pay £3.55 to insure against default, according to data firm CMA Datavision. It was about 262 basis points at the end of January.

Moody's has warned there is a more than 50% chance Ireland will lose its triple A rating within 12 to 18 months. The spread between Irish and German debt rose last week to 203 points, meaning Ireland has to pay 2% more interest than Germany to borrow in the financial markets because of its perceived higher risk.

Ireland last week announced an additional €7bn (£6.3bn) injection into its top banks, Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks, which are suffering from an increase in bad loans. Thousands of Irish citizens are struggling to pay their mortgages which they arranged at the peak of the country's real estate bubble. Unemployment is at a 15-year high.

The IMF tried to calm investors by saying the country, once known as the Celtic Tiger because of its economic growth, did not need any financing from it.

Courtesy of Irish American GOP activist, Virginia

&

Irish American activist & unrepentant deviant, Queens

Irish American GOP Event - Feb 19

The Irish American Republicans
“The GOP’s Delta Force”
- Sean Hannity

Cordially invites you to our

12th Annual Awards Reception

Honoring:

William Flynn
Chairman Emeritus, Mutual of America

Congressman Peter King
3rd Congressional District, New York

Ranking Member, House Homeland Security Committee

Alana Sweeny
Member, 2008 GOP Platform Committee



Thursday, February 19th, 2009
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Langan’s Restaurant
150 West 47th Street
New York, New York

$100 per person
Open Bar
RSVP: irishamericangop@aol.com

Checks should be made payable to the Irish-American Republicans
And mailed to Post Office Box 11256, Albany, NY 12211
For more information call: (518) 210-1200


www.IrishGOP.com


- - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - - - - -


RESPONSE CARD

Irish American Republicans – 12th Awards Reception
Thursday, February 19th 2009, 6-8PM
Langan’s
150 East 47th Street
New York, NY


______I will attend the reception. Please reserve _____seat (s) @ $100 per person. Enclosed please find a check made payable to “IAR”.


______I am unable to attend the February 19th event. Enclosed please find a contribution to the Irish-American Republicans made payable to “IAR”.


NAME:______________________________________

ADDRESS:__________________________________

_____________________________________________

CITY:_______________________________________

STATE:_____________________________________

PHONE:____________________________________

E-MAIL:____________________________________


Please mail Response card and checks to:

The Irish American Republicans
PO Box 11256
Albany, New York 12211

Brave Garda

Click below

Brave Garda tackles petrol protester

Quote
"Please have a look at this. I've posted the link as this really is one of those 'picture says a thousand words' things. As a firearms officer I trained to deal with situations like these.......it was all done at a distance....usually involving shots. This shows that if you don't have access to firearms you just have to deal with it anyway........a very brave man."

- Contributor to ESFLEA Forum

Courtesy of Emerald Society of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies

www.esflea.org

A word from the SDLP

Dear Patrick:

Thank you for your ever welcome News Sheet. It is important that all aspects of Irish America are promoted and that when erroneous claims or statements are made that someone has the courage to challenge them. We need someone like you here in the North of Ireland to take on the amount of false propaganda that is spouted from the extremes on both sides. I hope to be in New York . . . and I would welcome the opportunity to say hello. . . You may not remember me but we did exchange emails some years ago but somehow that was allowed to drift. I am an SDLP Member of the NI Assembly. . . I look forward to hearing from you. . .

SDLP Member
NI Assembly

The Death of Common Sense

Today, we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

· Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
· Why the early bird gets the worm;
· Life isn't always fair; and
· Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (e.g. adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility, his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 step brothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

From The London Times

Courtesy of an Irish American Activist and NY United Irish Counties' Officer

NY Cork Association St. Patrick's Banquet

County Cork Association of New York

Annual St. Patrick's Banquet

March 7, 2009

President Mary Power

The County Cork Association of New York invites you to join in celebrating the St. Patrick’s season at its annual banquet on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 at Antun’s, 96-43 Springfield Blvd., Queens Village, NYC. Cocktail hour will commence at 7:00 PM with dinner to follow; with music and dancing to the Black Velvet Band until 12:30 AM. This year we are delighted to honor three distinguished members of New York’s County Cork community.

Our 2009 Guest of Honor is Mr. Charles F. Murphy, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Turner Construction Company in New York. A 30-year construction industry veteran, Charles has spent his entire career at Turner at various positions until being named Senior Vice President in 2007. He continues in the tradition of his grandfather, also named Charles F. Murphy, who came to New York in 1881 from Barley Hill, Newmarket, Co. Cork and started a plumbing business. As did his great-uncle Jeremiah, who formed J.L Murphy Inc. and grew to one of the largest plumbing and heating contractors in New York working on such important projects as the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center. In the 1980’s his father, Edward was President of J.L Murphy Inc. and also President of the Mechanical Contractors Association of New York. Our Guest of Honor is a member of several prominent organizations including the Contractors Association of Greater New York and the Building Trades Employers Association and serves on the Board of the Salvadori Center and Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens.

Our Cork Woman of the Year is Barbara Cronin. Barbara hails from Queens County, New York and is married to veteran member Mike Cronin of Millstreet, Co. Cork. She has been a member of the County Cork Association for over twenty years and has served on various committees during that time. She was Financial Secretary of the association from 2007 to 2008. Barbara was an elementary school teacher with the Public School system in Long Island for many years, retiring in 2000. She and Mike have two children and several grandchildren.

Our Frank Carvill Distinguished Service Award honoree is Mary T. English, formerly O’Reilly, of Cootehill, Co. Cavan. Mary has been an active member of the County Cork Association for twenty-five years. She was married to Past President John English, RIP, who hailed from Mitchelstown, Co. Cork. John was a senior NYS court official and a highly regarded union leader within the court system. Mary and John have five children and numerous grandchildren. Mary has served the association as trustee, corresponding secretary, auditor, building committee member and is currently the Chairperson of Good & Welfare, a duty she has performed assiduously for many years. Mary is also active in numerous groups in her local community of Woodside and is a member of Community Board #2. She is also an active and respected member of the local Democratic Party.

We will be publishing a souvenir journal dedicated to our distinguished honorees. We invite you to include a greeting or advertise your business. Enclosed is a contract with details of the advertising rates. Please attach a copy of your advert/greeting and return to Journal Co-Chairperson Timothy Murphy at 64-56 60th Ave. Maspeth, NY 11378 by February 19, 2009.

Tickets are $80 and can be reserved by calling Mary Waters at (718) 899-6776.
Banquet Chairman, Michael Gubbins, (917) 416 - 7673; Journal Chairman,Timothy Murphy (718) 894 - 0844; Banquet Co-Chairperson, Deirdre O'Hea, (516) 398 - 6204; Reservations Chaiperson Mary Waters (718) 899 - 6776

Message from NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade

Grand Marshal & Aides Reception
St. Patrick's Day Parade & Celebration Committee
P.O. Box 295 Woodlawn Station,
Bronx, NY 10470
Telephone: 718-231-4400
Web Site: NYCStPatricksParade.Org

The New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration Committee

cordially invite you to attend the
Grand Marshal and Aides Reception
Honoring the 2009
Grand Marshal Michael J. Gibbons
and his Aides

Sunday February 22nd, 2009 at 3:00 pm.
Antun’s 96-43 Springfield Blvd., Queens Village, New York

For your convenience we have available
online reservations and payment.

You may click on the links below for more details plus make your reservations or place an advert of congratulations to the Grand Marshal or Aides.

For additional information, please contact the
office 718-231-4400 or Hilary Beirne 914-833-8363

RSVP Card
To Reserve & Pay online (click here)

Souvenir Journal Contract Reply ASAP (click here)

1762 RSVP CARD 2009
St. Patrick's Day Parade & Celebration Committee
P.O. Box 295 Woodlawn Station
Bronx, NY 10470
Web Site: NYCStPatricksParade.Org

I am pleased to attend the
“Grand Marshal & Aides Reception”
Honoring the Grand Marshal Michael J. Gibbons
and his Aides
On
Sunday February 22nd, 2009 at 3 pm
At Antun’s 96-43 Springfield Blvd., Queens Village, New York
Enclosed is $______ for the following reservations:
________ Table of 10........................@ $850.00
________ Tickets..............@ $85.00 Per Person
I am sorry I cannot attend. $_______ Enclosed is
my contribution to the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee

Please make check payable to:
The St. Patrick's Day Parade Inc.
Name___________________________________
Title ____________________________________
Company _________________________________
Address_________________________________
Telephone ______________________________
E-mail ___________________________________
The price of each ticket includes a non-deductible portion in the
amount of $55.00, representing the cost of the dinner and facility.
R.S.V.P. February 10th, 2009

Hilary Beirne Parade Executive / Corresponding Secretary Web Master

Make Your Income Tax Deductible Donation Today

Help Protect the Pride of Irish Heritage in New York and Its Traditional Family Values

Visit the St. Patrick's Parade Web Site to donate online or print donation form at NYCStPatricksParade.Org

First veep of NY Cork Assoc. in heroic rescue

First Vice President of New York County Cork Association, FDNY Lt. Tim Murphy is in right background, wearing light blue shirt.

Click below:

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6626397

Thank You Dubya & God Bless

www.irishexaminerusa.com

And Thank You President Bush

Before the pages of history are turned and President Obama begins his journey as our nation's Commander-in-Chief, we would also like to take a moment to thank former President Bush for his determination and grace over the last few years Read more...

Pete King for U.S. Senate 2010

Caroline Kennedy drops out

Dear Friends of Pete King,

The breaking news is that Caroline Kennedy is not seeking the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. Below is a link to a Newsday story - at the bottom you are given the opportunity to cast your vote for who Governor Paterson should appoint to the seat.

(Editors Note: Newsday has changed their poll for who Gov. Paterson should appoint to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. Congressman King's name no longer appears as a choice. There is no longer an opportunity to vote for Pete. The poll "results" should be interpreted accordingly!)

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/politics/ny-pokenn0122,0,4578442.story


All the best,
Peter T. King
Member of Congress

This email was sent to pmhurley04@aol.com.

Paid for by Pete King for Congress

Pete King - America First - Defending the Homeland!

Pete King for U.S. Senate 2010

Bush's Real Sin Was Winning in Iraq

Bush's Real Sin Was Winning in Iraq
By WILLIAM MCGURN
Article

Courtesy of an unrepentant countercultural icon

Dubya refused to give the Left their Vietnam

Words of Wisdom from the Cavan Man

Talking Points - Bill O'Reilly

http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html

Change My Arse!

One perspective to be considered . . .

Click

Change... My Arse!

Courtesy of the Emerald Society of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Forum

www.esflea.org

Justice At Last!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/19/bush-commutes-sentences-border-patrol-agents/

Obama Mentor Ayers Excluded From Canada

Click below:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/19/ayers-turned-away-canada-immigration-officials/

Faction Fighting at Iveagh House

www.thephoenix.ie

THE NEXT IVEAGH
HOUSE MANDARIN

THE imminent retirement of
Department of Foreign Affairs
secretary general Dermot Gallagher
(DAG, as he is known among
mandarins) offers an opportunity to
foreign minister Micheál Martin and
Taoiseach Brian Cowen to impose their
own regime at the DFA.

Neither Martin nor Cowen are
especially enamoured with the notion that
the new general secretary should be either
DAG-lite, DAG-tarnished or Bertie’s pick.
As in most departments, there are always
factions and DAG’s supporters will go into
decline without him.

Such prejudices as Martin, in particular,
may have assumed on taking power last
April would have been encouraged by the
manner in which a news story broke in The
Irish Times last September concerning the
20,000 J1 visas that were agreed after
substantial talks in Washington between the
two governments.

That the story should
break just a few days before Martin was
due to sign the ‘historic, ground-breaking’
etc agreement was bad enough. That the
DFA should have been described, along
with DAG’s highly esteemed colleague,
Our Man in Washington, Ambassador
Michael Collins, as being the driving forces
behind successful negotiations to conclude
the agreement was even worse. But the fact
that the Minister for Foreign Affairs
received no mention at all was insufferable.

It did not go unnoticed that this particular
news story was broken by the same
journalist, Mark Hennessy, whose good
diplomatic sources had enabled him to offer
further insights into the rows about visas
for the undocumented Irish from the Bertie
Ahern/Collins perspective back in March.

Collins may now find that his prospects
of the top job will suffer as a result of his
association with the ancien regime. One to
watch is Brendan Scannell, currently
Ambassador to Japan. Another career
diplomat in the running is political director
in the Political Division, Rory
Montgomery.

www.thephoenix.ie

If her name wasn't Kennedy . . .

www.city-journal.org

January 13, 2009
Daniel J. Flynn

Like Uncle, Like Niece

Caroline Kennedy’s candidacy mirrors Ted’s 47 years ago.
In one corner stands the favorite, the child of one of America’s great political dynasties. With a globetrotting social life and a résumé that includes seats on charitable boards but excludes steady employment, the charmed candidate infuriates rivals but captivates the press. The underdog, also the scion of a famous political family, has trod another path. A state attorney general who has worked his way up the political ladder, he resents his neophyte rival’s start-at-the-top presumptuousness. Continue reading . . .

NO Means NIL - An dtuigeann tu?

www.irishexaminerusa.com

They STILL Don't Get It!

Ireland's "masters" in Brussels still don't seem to be getting this whole idea of democracy; indeed they seem to be so confused about the meaning of democracy that it might be worthwhile for President-Elect Obama to consider redirecting efforts at democracy promotion from the Middle East to Western Europe when he enters office in a few week's time Read more...

Irish 'No' Vote Should Be Respected - Charlie McGreevy

McCreevy: Irish No should be respected

Irish EU commissioner Charlie McCreevy has argued that the negative result of his country’s referendum on Europe’s Lisbon treaty should be respected, admitting that the No campaign had won the argument against “the might” of media and most politicians. More »

Well said Charlie!

The Celtic Tiger - Harsh reality impinges

The Irish Economy’s Rise Was Steep, and the Fall Was Fast
Derek Speirs for The New York Times

IT’S 3 a.m. at Doheny & Nesbitt, a favorite watering hole of Dublin’s political and business elite, and the property tycoon Sean Dunne stoops to retrieve a penny from the pub’s grimy floor.

One would think that Mr. Dunne, Ireland’s best-known building developer, would be in bed at this hour. It’s a weeknight, after all, and he has meetings that begin before first light. What’s more, the Irish economy, pummeled by the most severe housing bust in Europe, has collapsed. And the gossip around town is that Mr. Dunne, whose brazen deal-making and Donald Trump-like lifestyle epitomized the country’s euphoric boom, might be going bankrupt.

But, no matter, a penny is a penny.

Continue reading, click below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/business/worldbusiness/04ireland.html?th&emc=th

Courtesy of an unrepentant countercultural radical

The Phoenix - Nov 14, 2008

The Phoenix - Nov 14, 2008

Putting Ireland in perspective with a bit of craic!







Click below to read issue:


http://www.thephoenix.ie/phoenix/tour/sample-issue.do

The Economist - The Fastnet Rock

Light on a lonely rock
Dec 20th 2008
From The Economist print edition

On Ireland's south-western tip, at the mouth of the Atlantic, stands a monument of man's gift to mankind ... more

On 'The Streets of New York' and Beyond

Congratulations to Asst. Chief James Waters, who was recently promoted to command the NYPD’s Special Operations Division. Prior to his promotion, the, then, deputy chief was the NYPD commander on the elite FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorist Task Force. However, the chief’s real claim to fame is that he is the nephew of Past President Mary Waters of the County Cork Association of New York.

McShane Family Benefit - Jan 24th, 2009

Click on poster to read:

Jerome (Kilcar, Co. Donegal) & Catherine, RIP (Holycross, Co. Tipperary)

Donal, Nicole, Anita, Aisling & Catherine

Benefit:

Jan 24, 2009 - 2.p.m. to late

Connolly's Corner

71-17 Grand Ave.

Maspeth, N.Y. 11378

(718) 565-7383

Donations on the day or may be sent to:

McShane Family Fund

P.O. Box 780006

Maspeth, N.Y. 11378

Pete King for U.S. Senate

http://www.peteking.us

Dear Friend,

Recent developments in New York have given us an important decision to make which is why I need your advice. In the coming weeks our current Senator Hillary Clinton will become Secretary of State and resign her seat in the US Senate. Governor Paterson will then appoint a successor to fill this vacancy.

Caroline Kennedy has begun actively campaigning for this seat. She has hired campaign consultants and, prior to Senator Clinton's confirmation and Governor Paterson making his decision, she is announcing her desire to get his appointment.

Many friends and supporters have urged me to consider running against Ms Kennedy Schlossberg. Needless to say it's a very important decision. This is why I need your advice.
For almost 2 decades I have represented my Long Island district and all New Yorkers. This work on behalf of working middle class men and women has earned me election and re-election 8 times. Most observers believe I would be re-elected to Congress again in 2010. However, many have said the stakes on behalf of New York and our Nation are too important for our future and that I should run instead for this Senate seat.

Will our children and grandchildren enjoy the same standard of living, freedoms and security, we do today? Will our nation be more secure and more prosperous! Many friends and New Yorkers are not sure. This is why we must meet the challenge.

Recently when THE HILL Newspaper (http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/king-girding-for-potential-battle-with-kennedy-2008-12-15.html) asked my reaction to Caroline Kennedy’s announcement that she is running, I said: "If anything, it makes me more definite that I want to run." No one has a claim on any seat in the US Senate except the people of New York.
With that in mind I'm asking you whether you think I should take up the challenge and run for the US Senate.

Please take the time to give me your opinion, advice and hopefully support. Thank you for the time you took to visit this site and let's stay in touch. If you don't mind, leave your email address as well for me to personally respond to you.

Sincerely,

Pete King

Pete King For Senate?

West Cork Man Makes Movie Debut

Skibbereen native, Ger Hurley makes movie debut at LA Irish Film Festival and at Woodstock

Click Below:

http://lairishfilm.com/

http://lairishfilm.com

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/woodstock_film_festival/WFF08program/2008092602/57.html

http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2008/11/Arts+&+Culture/From-the-Barroom-to-the-Big-Screen

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008811070317

http://www.woodstockfilmfestival.com/festival2008/details.php?id=17511
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OfE43b8UWo

Libertas to fight 2009 Euro elections

LIBERTAS LAUNCHES PAN-EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN FOR 2009 PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS

Brussels, 11 December - Libertas will contest the European elections in 2009 on a Pan-European basis, its chairman Declan Ganley announced today.

Speaking to a packed Press Conference at Libertas’ newly opened European Headquarters in Brussels, Mr. Ganley said that Libertas would field candidates across the European Union on a common pro-European platform of democracy, accountability and transparency. Mr. Ganley stated that Europeans have reached a crossroads: “If people want a strong and healthy Europe that is democratic and answerable to them, they should vote for a Libertas candidate. If they do not want Europe to succeed or if they are happy with the current undemocratic practises, then they should vote for an incumbent party. For those who weren’t given a vote on the Lisbon Treaty, this will be their referendum”.

Libertas will run candidates in every country where the candidates are of a high standard, committed to the Libertas’s pro-European stance and its platform of democracy, accountability and transparency aimed at bringing European back to the people. A detailed policy document will be published in the coming months, and candidates’ names will be unveiled over a similar time frame. The Libertas announcement coincides with the European summit where the Irish government will announce a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

According to Mr. Ganley: “The Irish government and the powerful elite in Brussels are showing utter contempt for the democratic decision of the Irish people in rejecting the Lisbon Treaty. Not one sentence will change in a “new version”. Some non-legally binding texts will be added in an attempt to fool the people. They tried this with the French, they tried with the Dutch, they are trying with the Irish. It’s time to put a stop to this bullying.”

www.libertas.org

Patrick Fitzgerald - New York Irish lad

"Let's hear it for Patrick Fitzgerald, admirable public servant, lawyer extraordinaire and an inspiration to us all . . . educated by the Jesuits . . .

Patrick Fitzgerald was born in Brooklyn. His parents were from Clare. They met in New York, where Fitzgerald's father was a doorman. Fitzgerald remembers a working-class home of straightforward values of right and wrong. He got a scholarship and worked as a doorman and a janitor to put himself through college.

After three years in private practice, he became a prosecutor in New York, where he took on the Gambino crime family. He convicted the terrorists who bombed two US embassies, and he put away those who bombed the World Trade Centre in 1993. Long before 9/11, he had prepared a case against Osama bin Laden.

In 2001, at the urging of a Republican senator, Fitzgerald was brought to Illinois to tackle the state's notorious corruption. By 2002, Governor Ryan of Illinois, a Republican, stood down, knowing Fitzgerald was on his trail. Four years later, ex-governor Ryan was jailed for corruption. With a staff of 300, Fitzgerald knew no one in Illinois, and owed no favours.

Fitzgerald annoyed the White House when he investigated the leaking of the identity of a CIA agent. He convicted Scooter Libby, top aide to Dick Cheney. He also jailed business tycoon Conrad Black for using a company as his personal ATM.

Last week, Fitzgerald laid corruption charges against the current governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat. As governor, Blagojevich had the power to appoint a senate replacement for Barack Obama -- so, he set about finding out what kind of money he might get from likely candidates. Did anyone, he asked, want to give his wife a good job? And Fitzgerald got it all on tape.

We can be certain that any foibles or quirks in Fitzgerald's personal life have been ruthlessly hunted down and assessed for purposes of smearing or blackmail. It wouldn't be surprising if his phone was illegally tapped, his home covertly searched, his associates bribed for morsels of scandal.

Fortunately, he seems to be quite boring. A workaholic, he lives on takeaways (someone found a lasagne in his oven, some weeks after he forgot to eat it). He recently married for the first time, at 47.

In short, Fitzgerald seems to have no political ambition, no greed, no fear. He doesn't care what party a suspect belongs to, how powerful they are or how rich. He believes the law must be respected, and that money and power confer responsibility, not invulnerability. He's fond of saying, "the facts will lead us where they lead us". It's as well his parents emigrated -- we don't encourage that kind of carry-on in this country . . . " - Gene Kerrigan writing in The Sunday Independent