RNC fires finance director & deputy director following spending scandals

By GottaLaff

Heads are rolling... because, hey, that's how the RNC, well, rolls:

The Republican National Committee has fired Finance Director Rob Bickhart in the wake of a two embarrassing scandals that originated in the committee's fundraising department.

Deputy Finance Director Debbie LeHardy has also been removed from her post.

Remember that powerpoint presentation to Republican donors that stooped to the usual fear tactics, calling Obama a socialist, blahblah spewspew? That would be the same powerpoint in which they referred to GOP donors as "ego-driven". Bickhart was reportedly the one behind it.

Fox Fires Liberal Analyst Marc Lamont Hill

By GottaLaff

Hill on O'Reilly's show last week:




Here's your opening Lou Dobbs. Anyone else want to defect from CNN/MSNBC? This could be your big chance:

Mediaite has confirmed Marc Lamont Hill has been fired from Fox News Channel. The liberal commentator was a regular on the network, most recently appearing as a guest on The O’Reilly Factor one week ago, according to TV Eyes. [...]

Murdoch made the announcement after a shareholder asked about Hill’s “reputation of defending cop killers and racists.”

Hill, who is also currently a professor at Columbia University, recently got into a nasty back-and-forth with conservative author David Horowitz, who called him a “an affirmative action baby.”

The Vicks VapoRub Channel strikes again.

Jindal Fires State Employee Day After She Criticized Him, Blames It on Katrina

By GottaLaff

Ruh-roh! Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby did someone wrong:

A state worker fired the day after publicly criticizing state government last week was actually told she was terminated because of problems pertaining to Hurricane Katrina four years ago, her attorney said.

Melody Teague, a state Department of Social Services contract grants reviewer, was informed she was fired because of problems with the disaster food stamps program that she was drawn into during the Katrina aftermath, her attorney, Mark Falcon said.

Teague will go through the Civil Service appeals process to undo her firing, Falcon said.

He called it a “secondary” matter that she was fired one day after criticizing state privatization efforts and Gov. Bobby Jindal during an Oct. 1 state Commission for Streamlining Government forum in Jefferson Parish.

Of course it was. Secondary, that is. One always fires someone for something they did four years ago, as opposed to, you know, what they did the day before.

So what's an unfairly fired state worker to do?

Don't expect an outspoken political appointee to go quietly. That's the lesson Gov. Bobby Jindal's learning after he tried unsuccessfully to force out one of his picks for the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Tammie McDaniel not only refused to leave the job, she coalesced support from other board members, education officials and community leaders to stay in the post.

As the episode unfolded, McDaniel made the Jindal administration look secretive, heavy-handed and engaged in the kind of back-room dealing the governor decried when he took office.

Wait. Don't tell me. Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby comes off as a ... hypocrite? Again? A guy with a face like this?

But he looks so sincere!

The problem is Jindal can't remove her from the position because the appointment runs concurrent with the governor's four-year term, and McDaniel has refused to step down. [...]

Jindal said he was disappointed with McDaniel's decision -- but he's never explained why he wanted her to resign. He's repeatedly insinuated she didn't support his "reform agenda," saying recently, "The members that we appoint to any commission or board, we expect to support our reform agenda. If they don't, they can certainly expect to hear from us."

But he hasn't described what that agenda might be or which votes she cast that conflicted with the governor's views.

The Great Communicator.

"We obviously don't comment on private meetings or conversations," Jindal said.

The matter's not exactly private when McDaniel, other BESE members, north Louisiana education leaders and lawmakers are talking about it -- and speculating publicly.

Bobby, Bobby, Bobby... See, "private" means "not public" and "public" means "not private". Got that? I knew that you would.

Since the governor isn't talking, all that's available is speculation the governor's trying to muzzle an appointee with an independent streak who questions Jindal or the education superintendent he supports.

That's not the message a governor who talks about transparency in government should want to convey. And it might not even be the whole truth. But no one knows since the Jindal administration is keeping its decision-making under wraps.

Never fear, Bobby's poor reputation is intact. The inability to muzzle an employee is just one of a long list of failures... right after wrongful termination. See? Consistent epic fail.

H/t: Hippie_Cyndi

Emails Implicate Rove in Prosecutor Firings

By GottaLaff

From the Department of Tell Us Something We Don't Know:

"Political adviser Karl Rove and other high-ranking figures in the Bush White House played a greater role than previously understood in the firing of federal prosecutors almost three years ago, according to e-mails obtained by the Washington Post, in a scandal that led to mass Justice Department resignations and an ongoing criminal probe."

Emptywheel has more.

Civil rights group threatens to fire local leader for gay marriage endorsement

By GottaLaff

People love each other. Some are gay, some are straight. Get. Over. It.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a civil rights group partly founded by Martin Luther King Jr., has threatened to fire the president of its Los Angeles chapter because he supports same-sex marriage.

The Rev. Eric P. Lee, president of the local SCLC chapter for two years, became an outspoken advocate of same-sex marriage during the recent campaign against Proposition 8, an amendment to the state Constitution that banned such unions.

The SCLC national board notified Lee on May 27 that he would have to attend a hearing at its Atlanta headquarters on June 4 to explain his stance on same-sex marriage. If he did not show up, they said, they would suspend and fire him.

Lee did not attend the hearing. He told the board he could not afford the last-minute trip but could participate via conference call. He said he never heard back from the board.

When Lee failed to appear for the hearing, he received an e-mail warning him to set a date to appear or face removal. [...]

But Lee said he was driven to support same-sex marriage by the teachings of King, who helped found the SCLC to champion civil rights 50 years ago.

"Any time one group of people are denied the same rights as other people, it is unequivocally a denial of civil rights," Lee said. [...]

Lee said he is not waiting for approval to continue his advocacy for same-sex marriage.

"I'm not going to let their inaction handcuff me from fighting for justice," he said.

We need about 4 million more like Lee.

The 'Fire David Letterman' campaign-- Update: Letterman apologizes

By GottaLaff

Yeah, like that's gonna happen:

From the New York Daily News:

A Web site called FireDavidLetterman.com is organizing a rally outside Letterman's show at the Ed Sullivan theater on Tuesday June 16 at 4:30 p.m.

And while Letterman has repeatedly reminded viewers his comments were jokes, the campaign's organizers seem dead serious about getting the late-night stalwart canned.

The chances of Letterman getting fired is less than the chances of Sarah Louise Palin delivering a coherent speech. Puh-leeze.

Knowing Letterman, he'll make mince meat of the protesters. And they'll look like the nitwits they are.

No, seriously?? Tweeted from Breaking News:

CNN: David Letterman has taped a lengthy apology to Palin family, will air on tonight's Late Show.

UPDATE:

Letterman Apologizes To Palin: "I Told A Joke That Was Beyond Flawed"

David Letterman apologized to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on Monday night's show, saying he takes "full responsibility" for a "beyond flawed" joke in which he had quipped that Palin's daughter had been "knocked up" by Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez.

Just after his monologue, Letterman sat behind his desk and apologized to Palin's two daughters, Bristol and Willow, Palin and her family and "everybody else who was outraged by the joke."

Letterman continued, "I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception."

Despite the apology, Palin supporters tell the Los Angeles Times that they still plan to hold a protest rally today outside the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City, where Letterman tapes his show. [...]

[Transcript, via] TV Week:

"All right, here - I've been thinking about this situation with Governor Palin and her family now for about a week - it was a week ago tonight, and maybe you know about it, maybe you don't know about it. But there was a joke that I told, and I thought I was telling it about the older daughter being at Yankee Stadium. And it was kind of a coarse joke. There's no getting around it, but I never thought it was anybody other than the older daughter, and before the show, I checked to make sure in fact that she is of legal age, 18. Yeah. But the joke really, in and of itself, can't be defended. The next day, people are outraged. They're angry at me because they said, 'How could you make a lousy joke like that about the 14-year-old girl who was at the ball game?' And I had, honestly, no idea that the 14-year-old girl, I had no idea that anybody was at the ball game except the Governor and I was told at the time she was there with Rudy Giuliani...And I really should have made the joke about Rudy..." (audience applauds) "But I didn't, and now people are getting angry and they're saying, 'Well, how can you say something like that about a 14-year-old girl, and does that make you feel good to make those horrible jokes about a kid who's completely innocent, minding her own business,' and, turns out, she was at the ball game. I had no idea she was there. So she's now at the ball game and people think that I made the joke about her. And, but still, I'm wondering, 'Well, what can I do to help people understand that I would never make a joke like this?' I've never made jokes like this as long as we've been on the air, 30 long years, and you can't really be doing jokes like that. And I understand, of course, why people are upset. I would be upset myself.

"And then I was watching the Jim Lehrer 'Newshour' - this commentator, the columnist Mark Shields, was talking about how I had made this indefensible joke about the 14-year-old girl, and I thought, 'Oh, boy, now I'm beginning to understand what the problem is here. It's the perception rather than the intent.' It doesn't make any difference what my intent was, it's the perception. And, as they say about jokes, if you have to explain the joke, it's not a very good joke. And I'm certainly - " (audience applause) "- thank you. Well, my responsibility - I take full blame for that. I told a bad joke. I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception. And since it was a joke I told, I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke. It's not your fault that it was misunderstood, it's my fault. That it was misunderstood." (audience applauds) "Thank you. So I would like to apologize, especially to the two daughters involved, Bristol and Willow, and also to the Governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke. I'm sorry about it and I'll try to do better in the future. Thank you very much." (audience applause)

Just shoot me: Rifle maker bounces boss who announced Obama support

By GottaLaff

I cannot tolerate intolerance:

Montana gunsmith Dan Cooper has been ousted as chief executive of the rifle company that bears his name after pressure from gun owners who are angry that he is supporting Democrat Barack Obama.

Cooper, founder and part owner of Cooper Firearms, told USA TODAY in a story published Tuesday that he has voted for Republicans for most of his life, but he is backing Obama "probably because of the war. And also because the Republican Party has moved so far right in recent years." Cooper said he was attracted to the Democrat's message about "the retooling of America, which involves the building of middle-class jobs and helping American small business be competitive with those overseas." [...]

Many gun enthusiasts believe Obama will try to restrict their right to bear arms, although he has said he respects the Second Amendment.

In a portion of the interview that was not included in Tuesday's story, Cooper said, "I don't believe that what's being said about Obama and his policies about guns are accurate. I have had a conversation with the senator … he is a stanch supporter of the right to hunt and the right to bear arms."

The company posted a statement Wednesday night on its website that said:

"The employees, shareholders and board of directors of Cooper Firearms of Montana do not share the personal political views of Dan Cooper. Although we all believe everyone has a right to vote and donate as they see fit, it has become apparent that the fallout may affect more than just Mr. Cooper. It may also affect the employees and the shareholders of Cooper Firearms. The board of directors has asked Mr. Cooper to resign as President." [...]

"It's a really McCarthyism at its worst," said Bob Ricker, executive director of the American Hunters and Shooters Association, which has endorsed Obama. "That's really why our organization was formed, was to deal with this craziness. If you're a gun owner, but you have a contrary view to some of these wackos, they will go out and try to destroy you."

Who turned back the clock to the '50s? Free country, my ass. Your turn.

Another Controversy for Sarah Palin: Police chief fired

By GottaLaff

I could have sworn the McCain campaign had sworn that there were no more surprises about Sarah Louise Palin. Well guess what? Surprise!

Gov. Sarah Palin is already facing ethical questions over her firing of the Alaska public safety commissioner, and now she faces questions over the firing of a longtime local police chief.

After taking over as Mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Palin fired the longtime local police chief. The former police chief, Irl Stambaugh says he was fired because he stepped on the toes of Palin's campaign contributors, including bar owners and the National Rifle Association.

He wasn't shot, so we could consider that a plus. Oh, but I kid the NRA.

Stambaugh's lawyer, William Jermain, says the chief tried to move up the closing hours of local bars from 5 a.m. to two a.m. after a spurt of drunk driving accidents and arrests.

"His crackdown on that practice by the bars was not appreciated by her and that was one reason she terminated Irl," said Jermain.

How very un-vice presidential of her.

In his 1997 lawsuit, Stambaugh also alleged that his stand on restricting concealed weapons upset the NRA.

"Mayor Palin has stated on several occasions that the National Rifle Association encouraged her to fire Chief Stambaugh because of his stance against the concealed weapons legislation," the lawsuit claimed.[...]

A federal judge later ruled the mayor, under city law, had the right to fire the police chief for any reason she wanted.

Palin is now facing similar allegations in the state capitol, that politics played a role in her firing of the Alaska public safety commissioner, Walter Monegan.

Anyone else see a pattern developing?

"It has every possibility of giving the Governor an ethical black eye in an area where she's touted herself as being particularly strong," said Alaskan State Senator Hollis French, a Democrat. [...]

The Governor has denied any wrongdoing or involvement in the matter, but Senator French, who is leading the investigation has his doubts.

"The Governor first issued a blanket denial," said Sen. French, "and now she's had to back down and that's a problem."[...]

"The idea that there had been no contact and no pressure doesn't stand up," said Sen. French. "Her credibility I think was damaged in that blanket denial."

Her credibility was damaged three scandals ago, but what the hell. Let's give this one to Senator French.

High-Ranked Navy Commander for Nuclear Reconnaisance Squadron Dismissed

By GottaLaff

Add this guy to the list of sex scandals and firings:

The officer in charge of a Navy flight squadron that provides the president and the defense secretary the airborne ability to command and control the nation's nuclear submarines, bombers and missile silos has been relieved of duty, FOX News has confirmed.

Cmdr. Shawn Bently allegedly had an inappropriate personal relationship with a woman also in the Navy, a source told FOX News.

That's not all that scandalous, but take another look at his job description.

A Navy official told FOX News that about a half dozen other commanding officers are released for similar reasons every year. A temporary replacement for Bentley has already been assigned.

Officially, Bentley was relieved of duty Monday by the Navy for loss of confidence in his ability to command, only three months after assuming the position.

I've seen Fox news parody shows that last longer than that.

So the Navy had no confidence in the person in charge of our commander in chief's "airborne ability to command and control the nation's nuclear submarines, bombers and missile silos".

Who exactly does have their confidence now? And why exactly should we have any confidence in their confidence?

With all the precarious, volatile global predicaments that this administration has relished creating, how ironic that one of their highest ranking military types got canned before they could even start their next war.