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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: d[-_-]b who wrote (371455)	2/20/2008 12:51:17 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 1573902

It must make you happy that there are other disturbed people in the land just like you. Can't present logical arguments - stumped as usual? Your thinking is so messed up its not worth my time. Eventually kharma will kick you in the butt. Just because you choose not to exercise all of your rights doesn't mean others must follow in your fascist thinking. If you only understood the words you are posting.

To: d[-_-]b who wrote (371455)	2/20/2008 1:11:42 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1573902

Defense Contractor Sentenced to 12 Years for Bribery GOP Campaign Contributor Wilkes Linked to Former Representative Cunningham By Dan Eggen Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, February 20, 2008; Page A02 Brent R. Wilkes, a California defense contractor and prominent GOP campaign contributor, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison yesterday for lavishing a Republican congressman with money, prostitutes and other bribes in exchange for nearly $90 million in work from the Pentagon. Wilkes, 53, was convicted in November of 13 felony crimes including bribery, conspiracy and fraud for giving the gifts to former representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.), who is serving an eight-year prison term for accepting millions in bribes from Wilkes and others. The sentence by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns in San Diego was far smaller than the 25-year term federal prosecutors had sought or the 60-year term urged by federal probation officers. U.S. Attorney Karen P. Hewitt said nonetheless that Wilkes "has earned every day of the sentence he received" and that the prison term "reflects the egregiousness of the corrupt conduct." Wilkes has steadfastly maintained his innocence since being charged a year ago, saying his dealings with Cunningham were legitimate and blaming wrongdoing on others. "I am a man who cares deeply for this community, for my family, for my country," Wilkes said in a brief statement to the court, the Associated Press reported. The judge said he was troubled by Wilkes's failure to accept responsibility for his crimes. "If you were to do the right thing about this, today is the day to own up," the judge told Wilkes, according to the AP. "You have no sense of contrition. You had this corrupt relationship with the congressman and you profited from it." Wilkes's sentencing marks the latest milestone for federal prosecutors as they continue to piece together the sordid corruption scandals surrounding Cunningham, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and eight-term congressman who pleaded guilty in 2005 to accepting $2.4 million in bribes from Wilkes and others. Cunningham was not called as a witness by either side in the Wilkes case. In sharply worded court papers filed in advance of the sentencing hearing, prosecutors portrayed Wilkes as a debauched "war profiteer" and "overgrown frat boy" who plied Cunningham -- a "broken old soldier" -- with prostitutes and other temptations in exchange for lucrative contracts for Wilkes's company, ADCS Inc., scanning documents for the Defense Department. The government said Wilkes showered Cunningham with more than $700,000 in perks -- including $500,000 for a mortgage, $100,000 for a yacht he never purchased, submachine-gun shooting lessons and the services of two prostitutes during a stay at a Hawaiian resort. "There can be little doubt that Wilkes was the spider, and Cunningham the fly, in this web of corruption," prosecutors said. Prosecutors also described Wilkes himself as "a frequent and enthusiastic patron of prostitutes" and said he kept a tape of himself having sex with two prostitutes in his office safe. "Wilkes coldly and successfully exploited the simplemindedness of one of this country's war heroes, now a tortured shadow of his former self," prosecutors wrote. "Wilkes stands now revealed as a war profiteer, a thug, a bully, a lecherous old man who preyed on his young female staffers and hired prostitutes." Wilkes's attorney, Mark Geragos, did not respond to a telephone message requesting comment yesterday. Wilkes is a Republican Party "Pioneer" who raised more than $100,000 for President Bush's reelection in 2004 and donated -- in concert with his business colleagues -- $656,396 to 64 other Republican lawmakers and the national Republican Party committees in Washington from 1995 through the third quarter of 2005, according to campaign finance records. Wilkes was separately charged in a corruption case involving his childhood friend Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, a former executive director at the CIA who allegedly received meals, trips and other goods from Wilkes. But Burns approved a deal yesterday in which Foggo's prosecution will be moved to Alexandria, while Wilkes will be dropped from the case. Prosecutors have reserved the right to indict Wilkes again, although sources familiar with the case say that is unlikely. Foggo's attorneys had been seeking a transfer for months, arguing that most key witnesses and documents are in Northern Virginia, but prosecutors had resisted. Last week, however, the government said in a court filing that it had uncovered new evidence to support additional charges against Foggo, some of which could only be brought in Alexandria. Staff writer Jerry Markon and staff researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report. washingtonpost.com

To: d[-_-]b who wrote (371455)	2/22/2008 2:02:09 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1573902

Can't present logical arguments - stumped as usual? He's ALWAYS been this way. You can lead the j**k@$$ to the truth step by step with evidence to back each statement by the nose and he still can't see it.

To: d[-_-]b who wrote (371455)	2/22/2008 7:30:32 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1573902

Attorney-General prepared to limit Taser use by police By John Bermingham, The Province Published: Monday, February 18, 2008 VICTORIA - B.C. Attorney-General Wally Oppal is prepared to limit or even ban the use of Tasers if a new commission into their use recommends it. Oppal announced a pair of probes yesterday to look into the controversial weapons, headed by retired judge Thomas Braidwood. One will look at Taser use by B.C. law enforcement officers, the other at the death of Robert Dziekanski, who died at Vancouver airport last October after being Tasered by the RCMP. Oppal said it's premature to consider a ban, but if Braidwood recommended it, he would give it thought. "We would be prepared to look at anything and everything," he said. "A lot of police forces across North America are having second thoughts about the use of Tasers, given some of the medical opinions out there," he said. "We want a full and comprehensive opinion as to what our police should be doing in this province." Oppal said he expects the RCMP to co-operate with the inquiry. Oppal said the evidence has been building around Taser use in B.C. for some years. He ruled out a moratorium saying there's evidence in favour of the Taser's continued use. "The police keep telling us it saves lives," said Oppal. "We want the police to have all the tools at their disposal that they think are useful." Meanwhile, NDP justice critic Leonard Krog called for a moratorium on the use of the weapons. "I think the government has to look at a temporary ban," said Krog, citing public safety. Braidwood will report back by the end of June. A coroner's inquest into Dziekanski's death is set for May 5 to 16. canada.com