NYC Tax Dollars at Work!

From Politico:

As New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons, according to previously undisclosed government records.

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The Reel Story?

From The American Spectator ( 😮 yeah, I said The American Spectator! I am just as surprised as you are!):

The tin-foil-hat crowd was almost immediately pushing a Jack Abramoff angle to the surprise resignation of Sen. Trent Lott. But a more recent scandal brewing — which has already ensnared Sen. Ted Stevens, among others — may also be playing on Lott’s mind.

Lott, Stevens, as well as Rep. Dennis Hastert all have ties to Bill Allen, a larger than life Alaskan businessman who owned Veco, an oil-field services company, and who was a huge benefactor of Republican politicians. Between 1980 and 2000, Allen, Veco executives and Allen’s friends generated more than $1 million in political donations.

From Think Progress:

Allen has pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska legislators, including Ben Stevens, the son of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK). The elder Stevens is currently the target of multiple federal investigation, including one on his ties to Veco.

Lott continues to stand by Stevens, donating $5,000 from his political action committee to Stevens’s re-election campaign. Lott also has ties to Allen, who accompanied him to the lavish annual “Waterfall Fishing Tournament” in Alaska. Since 1996, at least 10 current and former lawmakers have attended the trip, an opportunity for “the energy industry’s top brass” to influence lawmakers.

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Whole Lott-a Leavin’ Goin’ On

From The New York Times:

PASCAGOULA, Miss., Nov. 26 — Senator Trent Lott’s announcement on Monday that he would resign in a few weeks added to the growing Republican exodus from Congress, but may have strengthened Mr. Lott’s post-Senate job prospects.

By retiring before the end of the year, Mr. Lott, the 66-year-old minority whip and Mississippi dealmaker who fell from power with a remark touching on segregation but then bounced back, avoids new rules forcing senators to wait two years before lobbying former colleagues.

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Ain’t This Rich?

From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 — Confronting an enormous fund-raising gap with Democrats, Republican Party officials are aggressively recruiting wealthy candidates who can spend large sums of their own money to finance their Congressional races, party officials say.

At this point, strategists for the National Republican Congressional Committee have enlisted wealthy candidates to run in at least a dozen competitive Congressional districts nationwide, particularly those where Democrats are finishing their first term and are thus considered most vulnerable. They say more are on the way.

My secret source gave me a photo of some of the possible Republican candidates for the next election cycle.

Gunnin’ for Votes

From the Associated Press:

LADSON, S.C. (AP) — White House hopeful Fred Thompson called his trip down aisle of rifles, shotguns and pistols at a gun show “a day in paradise,” and said he wished he could come back to spend more time and money.

It was the former Tennessee senator and “Law and Order” actor’s second trip to a gun show since launching his late bid for the GOP nomination in September.

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But…but…but all of Chimpy’s buddies are getting rich!

From the Los Angeles Times:

WASHINGTON — As President Bush spoke about the state of the nation’s economy recently in the century-old Grand theater in New Albany, Ind., his words were as cheery as the vaudeville acts that once played there.

But the storyline beyond the stage is closer to film noir.

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Leftovers

Since it is the day after Thanksgiving, and we are probably all recovering from our feeding orgies , I am serving leftovers tonight. I was going to title this DINO-sores. I made it after Michael Mukasey was confirmed as Attorney General.

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Happy Turkey Day!!!

From the Raisin…

(With profound apologies to Norman Rockwell)
…and from Mighty Mikk0mouse: