Roger Stone sandbags Dems again

On Saturday, May 31 the Democratic National Committee (DNC) agreed to count all of Florida's Democratic delegates. However, each delegate will only get a half-vote. The decision came about after the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee rejected (15 to 12) a motion to seat the delegation at full voting strength. While the compromise is being touted by some party leaders as a win for Floridians, as well as a signal of unity in the Democratic Party, the wounds have not healed.

The decision to strip Florida of its delegates came in 2007 after the Republican-dominated Florida state legislature voted to move the primary date from February 5th to January 29th. Despite objections from the Florida Democratic Leadership, the bill was quickly passed through the Florida House and Senate--both of which are overwhelmingly controlled by Republicans. Republican Charlie Crist even praised the bill before signing it into law.

Urging Crist to ignore the objections of Florida Democrats and sign the bill quickly into law was longtime Republican hit man Roger Stone. Stone is best known for his role in fomenting the famous "Brooks Brother's riot" which closed down the 2000 Presidential recount in Miami-Dade County and handed the Presidency to George W. Bush.

Crist: Setting Dem rules

It is interesting to note that Governor Crist is now a potential Vice Presidential candidate for John McCain who Crist supported in the moved-up primary.

So, in other words, Hillary Clinton, who was the big loser when Florida Delegates were not seated, was the victim of a Roger Stone dirty trick.

Stone was suspected of leaking stories about Crist fathering an illegitimate child late in the 2006 election to counter rumors that the Republican candidate was gay. Stone partner, Scott W. Rothstein is among Crist's largest fundraisers and closest advisors.

Neither the Florida Democratic Party nor the voters of Florida are responsible for choosing the primary date which caused the violation of the DNC's primary rules. By punishing Florida, the DNC was hoping to prevent "chaos" in the primary election calendar. By discounting the will of the voters in Florida, the largest "swing" state, the DNC threatens to create a series of dirty tricks in which political operatives like Roger Stone create havoc by getting Republican legislatures in other states to pass similar bills in order to control the Democratic primary and choose a weak nominee.

By taking away the Florida Democratic delegates, but then giving them back with half-votes, the DNC essentially admitted that it initially misused its power and made a stupid mistake. They are disenfranchising Florida voters who turned out in record numbers in the Democratic primary January 29th.

The Democrats are handing Florida - a must-win state for John McCain to the GOP playing into the hands of a notorious Republican dirty trickster who cut his teeth as an operative for Tricky-Dick Nixon.

If the DNC wants to win, they should consider the 1.75 million hopeful Floridians who voted in the Florida Democratic primary. Do we want to tell them their votes don't count? In spite of the Democratic National Party has unfairly stripping the state's delegates based upon a bill passed by the Republican-dominated legislature, yet Florida Democrats turn out in record numbers.

Howard Dean had a chance to show that the DNC represents the will of the American voters. Instead, they set a precedent: if a Republican-controlled legislature and a Republican Governor in any state chooses to cause a Democratic Party violation, the Democratic votes will be thrown out, or at best be worth half of everyone else's.

The US Supreme Court handed Florida to the Republicans in 2000, now Roger Stone, Charlie Crist and the Florida Republicans are doing it to us again.

Charles Black

Progressives have long thought that the American political system seated in Washington DC really only features one political party as Federal rules governing elections are rigged for incumbents and establishment thinking really dominates both parties. No where is this more evident than in the Presidential campaign of maverick Republican of John McCain.

McCain campaign Senior Consultant Charles Black, who had a hand in Senator Jesse Helms early racist-tinged campaigns, actually works for a lobbying company, Black, Kelly Scruggs and Healey which is owned by Burson-Marsteller. Burson-Marsteller's CEO is Clinton Campaign Chief Mark Penn who appears to be in control of the Clinton campaign despite the fact that he stepped down as Chief Strategist two weeks ago.

So Mark Penn is Charlie Black's boss. In fairness, Black has taken a leave from his job, but there is no one who does not believe that post campaign he will return to Black, Kelly, Scruggs and Healey and reap millions in lobbying fees.

The Clinton campaign owes the Burson-Marsteller company $8 million for polling at a time that the Clinton campaign is virtually broke. In other words, WPP, a British conglomerate, which owns Burnson-Marsteller, which owns the polling firm Clinton uses, is extending credit to keep the campaign afloat. Now Hillary has put $4 million more of her own money for the campaign to stay alive underlining the value of the potentially illegal credit - or corporate contribution - that Burson-Marsteller is extending the campaign.

Meanwhile, Black's former partner, Paul J. Manafort, who figured prominently in the HUD scandals of the 1980's and went on to make millions advising Fernando Marcos, Jonas Savimbi and the Ukraine's Viktor Yanakovich has been passed over for the role of McCain Convention Director showing a new sensitivity towards lobbyist in the McCain camp.

McCain himself has had little problem with lobbyists like his Campaign Manager, Rick Davis, the heretofore mentioned Black and former campaign guru John Weaver. Davis reaped hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees for getting foreign clients meetings with Senator McCain. Weaver extorted thousands of dollars from the trial bar seeking McCain's help in killing tort reform.

In Washington DC, more things change, the more they stay the same.

by A.B. Stanley

Wayne Berman

The Denial by Washington Super-lobbyist Wayne Berman that he did not co-ordinate an effort on behalf of Former AIG Insurance Boss Hank Greenberg and others to investigate former-Governor Eliot Spitzer, was doubted in Progressive circles.

Berman was reportedly pressured by the McCain campaign, where he is serving as Finance Co-Chairman, to deny a report on the website Politics1.com that he authorized the research which linked Spitzer to a high-priced Call Girl ring.

Home Depot Founder Ken Langone has bragged about how he and his pals took Spitzer down, inadvertently confirming the report of Berman's key role. Berman is known to be close to veteran GOP black ops operative Roger Stone who told NY-1 News Monday that he referred information on Spitzer's involvement with prostitutes to the FBI over five months ago. Stone and Berman were partners in the 1980s in Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly, the power-house lobbying firm.

"Berman was the money man," said one GOP Insider. "His denials are a consistent with the secrecy of the effort to bring Spitzer to heel."