Something stinks in Nebraska!

From SPLINTER:

This week, what began as an innocent Facebook like ended with Ari Kohen, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, filing a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics against Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s Chief of Staff for threatening him over the phone.

It all started when Kohen liked a Facebook post featuring a hilariously defaced campaign sign in which Fortenberry was given googly eyes and his name changed to “Fartenberry.” Kohen was one of 130 people who liked the post.

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The Wild, Wild West

From THINK PROGRESS:

Republican Allen West was just elected to the House of Representatives in Florida’s 22nd district, defeating two-term Democratic Rep. Ron Klein. His first move since being elected is rather strange: he has hired a conservative talk radio host, Joyce Kaufman, to be his congressional chief of staff.

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The Macaca Awards! And the Winners Are…

In this last post about this round of the 1st Semi-Regular Macaca Awards, let’s remember what the award is all about.  Once again, I will borrow the words of my handsome and talented collaborator, Tengrain, of Mock, Paper, Scissors:

It seems so long ago that George Allen uttered the words that moved a generation (and sank his political career), and forever seared the word Macaca into our collective brain.
And so we honor all that is appalling in American Politics with the First Semi-Regular Macaca Awards.

(Image courtesy of Tengrain)

Welcome our special presenters who will be handing out the awards.

The Macaca Awards! Part IV

We continue with nominations for the Mock, Paper, Scissors–Hysterical Raisins 1st Semi-Regular Macaca Awards.

(Image courtesy of Tengrain)

Tonight’s category is Outstanding Achievement in Promoting Fundamentalist Christian Theocracy and Pooping on the First Amendment, and the nominees are:

Guffaw & Disorder: Special Victims Unit

From the Los Angeles Times (Editorial):

Who knew that Laura Schlessinger was so thin-skinned? After all, this is a woman who has relished her perch as a radio shock jock. In her 30 years on the air she has offended many, blaming women for their husbands’ affairs and referring to gay people as “biological errors.” Even friendly callers often get a piece of her mind. So it’s a bit surprising that a fairly predictable reaction to her enthusiastic use of a racial slur has sent her scurrying out of the kitchen, so to speak.

Schlessinger, better known as Dr. Laura, announced Tuesday that she was leaving her show because she wants her 1st Amendment rights back.

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Silly Season

From TALKING POINTS MEMO:

In a three-way Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary to be held this Thursday, two right-wing candidates have been splitting what Monty Python would call the “silly vote,” leaving Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam as the de facto “sensible candidate,” and thus making him the frontrunner.

A recent Mason-Dixon poll gave Haslam the lead with 36%, followed by Rep. Zach Wamp at 25% and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey with 20%. To be sure, Haslam has tacked right somewhat. For example, he used to be a member of New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s (I) Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition. But in early 2009 he left the group and joined the National Rifle Association.

But with that said, there’s nothing that Haslam has done or said that compares to the other two.

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Changing the Rule$

From The Miami Herald:

TALLAHASSEE –A federal appeals court in Atlanta turned Florida’s public campaign financing law on its head Friday, halting a critical provision that was expected to inject taxpayer cash into Attorney General Bill McCollum’s struggling campaign.

The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will put an immediate stop to the matching money McCollum thought he was entitled to when his Republican rival Rick Scott, a multimillionaire who is financing his own campaign, exceeds the state’s $24.9 million spending cap. Scott has rejected the spending limits under the so-called “millionaire’s provision.”

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