12 Dec 2011

Weekly Video Address: Defense Authorization Bill

By Nicholas Depew

Advisory for Iowa Reporters and Editors

Friday, December 2, 2011

During his weekly video address, Senator Chuck Grassley discusses an amendment he cosponsored to give the National Guard a seat at the table when major decisions are made, including how Defense Department resources are allocated. During the debate to authorize Pentagon spending, Senator Grassley also cosponsored an amendment to the defense authorization bill to contain runaway spending on direct contractor salary reimbursements.

 

Click here for audio.

Here is the text of the address:

As part of a bill debated this week to authorize Pentagon spending, the Senate approved an amendment I cosponsored to give the National Guard a seat at the table when major decisions are made, including how Defense Department resources are allocated.

I'm a member of the National Guard Caucus in the Senate, and this amendment will build on reforms achieved in 2008.  The total force concept adopted by the Defense Department in 1970 made the Guard and Reserves integral to any extended campaign by U.S. forces, but the culture at the Pentagon has been slow to adopt the reality.

Last year, Iowa was ranked 15th in the nation for the percentage of our population serving in the National Guard.  Recently, we welcomed home the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, which had more than 2,800 soldiers serving on combat duty in Afghanistan.  It was the largest single unit deployment of the Iowa National Guard since World War II.  It's time to give the Guard and Reserves support that's on par with that dedicated to active forces.

I cosponsored another amendment to the defense authorization bill to contain runaway spending on contractor salary reimbursements.  A large portion of government contracts actually reimburse the contractors directly for costs, including the salaries of their employees.  These cost-reimbursement type contracts are used extensively by the Defense Department.  The amendment I introduced with Senator Barbara Boxer of California limits unreasonable expenditures under these types of contracts.  We can't afford to waste increasingly limited defense dollars.

-30-

12 Dec 2011

Facts are STUBBORN Things...Having their Cake and Eating it, Too.

By Grassley Press

Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing with Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer Questions for the Record received December 2, 2011 and letter from Attorney General Eric Holder, October 7, 2011

The February 4th Response - The Justice Department can't have it both ways

  • Attorney General Holder letter to Senator Grassley, Congressman Issa, October 7, 2011: "Senator Grassley has suggested that I was aware of Operation Fast and Furious from letters he provided to me on or about January 31, 2011 that were addressed to the former Acting Director of ATF.  However, those letters referred only to an ATF umbrella initiative on the Southwest Border that started under the prior Administration -- Project Gunrunner -- and not to Operation Fast and Furious."
  • Senator Grassley: "Did your Deputy Assistant Attorney General (DAAG) Jason Weinstein review the Department's February 4, 2011 letter to me?"

Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, December 2, 2011: "Yes, DAAG Weinstein reviewed the letter; he also participated in its drafting."

"Based on the documents being produced by the Justice Department, I understand that two emails attaching drafts of the letter were sent to me by DAAG Weinstein on February 2, while I was in Mexico (February 1-3), and that I forwarded one of those emails to my personal email account on that day; I also understand that on February 4, after I had returned from Mexico, I received two emails attaching signed versions of the letter, including the final version, and that on February 5, I forwarded both emails to my personal email account. However, as I testified, I cannot say for sure whether I saw a draft of the letter before it was sent to you."

FACT

The letter which Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jason Weinstein participated in drafting, and which Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer was sent drafts of, stated: "ATF makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transportation to Mexico."  Weinstein knew this was clearly false because he knew about gunwalking in Operation Wide Receiver, which he brought to Breuer's attention in April 2010.  Had Breuer read this letter (he is unclear if he read it), he would have known this sentence was false as well.

Like Senator Grassley's January 27 letter, the Justice Department's February 4 letter applied to all of Project Gunrunner, of which both Operation Wide Receiver and Operation Fast and Furious were a part.  The Attorney General can't simultaneously claim that Senator Grassley's January 27 letter was too broad for him to be aware that Grassley was talking about of Fast and Furious but that their response was so narrow as to only apply to Fast and Furious, which is never specifically named in the Justice Department's February 4 letter.

Documents supporting the FACTS.
12 Dec 2011

Salvation Army Volunteer Bell Ringers Needed

By Holly Nomura
Businesses, Club, Churches are Asked to Step Up to the Plate Quad Cities, IA/IL: Hundreds more Red Kettle Campaign volunteer bell ringers are needed to help collect donations at all fifty Quad Cities Red Kettle Locations.

In order to cut costs now and in the future, The Salvation Army needs to have an "army" of volunteer bell ringers. Major Gary Felton states, "The 5-year plan is to reduce our paid bell ringers by 20% each year. Last year, 1,000 hours of bell ringing was covered by volunteers, if we can increase it another 3,000 - we could eliminate the paid bell ringers and save thousands and thousands of dollars. I've been in appointments, namely Green Bay, where volunteers do all of the bell ringing, and we need the Quad Cities can do it."

Louie Alongi of KKJW Engineering Consultants has been coordinating his company's bell ringing activities for years had this to say, "I hope more business leaders will step up to the plate to volunteer and also make a donation on behalf of their employees. Each year, while we are bell ringing, community members will tell us that more businesses and their employees should participate with the Red Kettle efforts of The Salvation Army."

Churches, Service Clubs, Businesses, and other clubs are asked to Adopt a Kettle for a day. Please go to www.ringbells.org for easy sign-up. 82 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army is used to sustain year-round programs that foster hope, and help change lives.

***
12 Dec 2011

2012 National Guard FLW Walleye Tour Schedule Announced

By Julie Huber

2012 NATIONAL GUARD FLW WALLEYE TOUR SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Championship event returns to Mississippi River at Quad Cities

MINNEAPOLIS (Dec. 2, 2011) - FLW today announced the 2012 National Guard FLW Walleye Tour schedule and the return of the Walleye Tour Championship to the Mississippi River at Quad Cities. The 2012 season will feature four nationally televised regular-season events on America's premier walleye fisheries as well as the no-entry-fee, nationally televised championship event on NBC Sports as part of the "FLW" show that airs every Sunday. Priority registration is now open.

Kathy Fennel, President of FLW Operations Division stated: "We've listened to our walleye anglers and are confident that the 2012 schedule features fisheries that will provide quality fishing opportunities and exciting weigh-ins. We are also pleased to be able to add significant money to the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour Championship purse."

Date                           Fishery                        Location
April 19-21                    Mississippi River                       Red Wing, Minn.
May 10-12                     Lake Erie                           Port Clinton, Ohio
July 12-14                     Lake Oahe                           Pierre, S.D.
Aug. 2-4                        Bays de Noc                            Escanaba, Mich.

Championship
Oct. 25-28                     Mississippi River                       Quad Cities, Iowa and Ill.

The four Walleye Tour qualifying events will be three-day, cumulative-weight tournaments. Pro anglers will compete for a top award of up to $63,500, and co-anglers will vie for a top prize of up to $10,500 in each tournament. Paybacks will be based on paid entries from 110-boat fields. First-place, however, is guaranteed regardless of field size. The paybacks will be $2,000 through 30th place on the pro side and $400 through 30th place on the co-angler side. For complete payout tables visit FLWOutdoors.com. Entry fees for 2012 are $1,250 per tournament for pros and $350 per tournament for co-anglers. Pros and co-anglers will be randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight.

The 2012 Walleye Tour Championship will be a four-day cumulative-weight event that will consist of the top 40 pros and 40 co-anglers in the point standings plus the 2011 FLW Walleye Tour champion and Angler of the Year in both the pro and co-angler divisions. Pros will be competing for as much as $100,000, while co-anglers will be competing for as much as $15,000. Pros and co-anglers will be randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight.

"We couldn't be happier to be hosting the 2012 Walleye Championship tournament in the Quad Cities," said Joe Taylor, president and CEO of the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We are proud of our region, and to be able to showcase our cities and this fishery is an honor we don't take lightly. We have worked very hard with FLW to ensure that we can meet and fulfill all of the requirements that this caliber of tournament brings to the area. We are looking forward to October and can't wait for the championship to begin."

The Angler of the Year title will be awarded to the top point earner in both the pro and co-angler divisions. The top pro will receive $10,000, and $2,500 will go to the top co-angler at the end of the fourth regular-season event.

Priority registration is now open for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from the 2011 FLW Walleye Tour. Deposits for all four tournaments must be received by Jan. 30, 2012, in order to secure their priority entry position. For Ranger boat owners (Ranger owners with current registrations who will use their Ranger boat in FLW Walleye Tour competition) and sponsor entries (FLW Outdoors may reserve sponsor spots in each qualifying tournament), deposits will be accepted to hold spots for tournaments beginning at 8 a.m. CT Jan. 31, 2012.

For other entries, deposits will be accepted to hold spots for tournaments beginning at 8 a.m. CT Feb. 1, 2012. Pros entering all four tournaments by Feb. 29, 2012, who provide co-anglers (with membership numbers) will be given top priority. Co-anglers entering all four tournaments by Feb. 29, 2012, who provide pros (with membership numbers) will be given top priority. Pro and co-angler priority are granted when matching pro and co-angler entries (listing each other's name and membership number) are received by the priority deadline and are contingent on both anglers competing in the tournament entered. Pros and co-anglers who enter all four tournaments by Feb. 29, 2012, will receive the next highest entry priority. All other entry priority will be assigned by the date and time of entry.

Complete details regarding rules and registration requirements are available at FLWOutdoors.com, or by calling (270) 252-1000 for more information.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the FLW Walleye Tour on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWWalleyeTour and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWOutdoors.

ABOUT FLW
FLW is the best in fishing, on and off the water. Anglers worldwide can compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW has taken fishing mainstream with the world's richest fantasy sports game, FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk, where competitors can play for free as well as sign up for Player's Advantage to gain an edge. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com.

12 Dec 2011

Nova Singers Presents: A Nova Christmas

By Nova Singers
nova-christmas-2011-7625.jpg

Top row: Laura Lane, Keri Bass, Erika Thomas, Curtis Fischer-Oelschlaeger  Bottom row: Joel Kolander

Nova Singers, under the direction of Dr. Laura Lane, presents two performances of A Nova Christmas, Friday, December 16 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, IA, and Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 pm, at First Lutheran Church, Galesburg.

Nova Singers' most popular concert of the year is just around the corner!  This year's program features songs on our newly recorded Christmas CD, including  Lauridsen's captivating O Magnum Mysterium and Moses Hogan's thrilling Glory, Glory, Glory to the Newborn King. We also have several new pieces that will take your breath away, such as Kesselman's arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter and Stanford Scriven's Christ the Appletree.  These concerts also feature the world premiere of Daniel Godsil's newest Christmas arrangement, Choral Meditation on "Once in Royal David's City." And it wouldn't be A Nova Christmas without an audience sing-along!

A major highlight at these concerts is the release of Nova Singers' newest Christmas CD.  Artistic Director Laura Lane says, "I'm thrilled with our new Christmas CD, Mystery and Light, and can't wait for people to hear it.  I am very proud of the 7 CDs that Nova Singers has professionally recorded, and this eighth one is every bit as good.  In terms of the quality of sound, the expressiveness of the singing and the variety and beauty of the songs themselves, this may be our best one yet!"

Nova Singers, a professional vocal ensemble under the direction of Dr. Laura Lane, hopes to share our musical holiday spirit with you.  Nova Singers is known for bringing a wide variety of choral music to its audiences, and for the beauty and charm the singers impart to their music.  Dr. Lane has been serving the greater Galesburg and Quad-Cities communities since 1986, bringing her passion for music and expressive singing to audiences and singers alike.

Tickets will be available at the door. Admission is $16 for adults and $12 for seniors. Students are admitted free of charge. Nova Singers season tickets will still be available through this performance. Season ticket holders receive four concerts for the price of three. For information about group rates, tickets, recordings, or other Nova Singers events, call 309-341-7038, or e-mail nova@knox.edu.  Also, please take the opportunity to visit our Facebook page under the keywords 'Nova Singers.

 

A Nova Christmas is sponsored by Miller Dredge Insurance and the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.  Nova Singers' 2011-2012 season is partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.
12 Dec 2011

Iowa Supreme Court issues orders denying or granting applications.

By Iowa Judicial Branch

The Iowa Supreme Court recently issued orders granting or denying applications for further review in 42 cases.

FURTHER REVIEW RESULTS

November 29, 2011

 

DENIED:

 

NUMBER

COUNTY

CASE NAME

 

 

09-1230

Worth

State v. Benjegerdes

10-0047

Dallas

Belling v. City of Urbandale

10-0824

Polk

Negrete-Ramirez v. State

10-0892

Harrison

Rudyard Group, LLC v. Dingle

10-0956

Johnson

State v. Latsa

10-1084

Marshall

McKeag v. State

10-1116

Black Hawk

State v. Horak

10-1158

Black Hawk

State v. Demery

10-1231

Story

State v. Balderas

10-1302

Polk

Perry v. State

10-1375

Buchanan

Bd. of Dirs. v. Wall

10-1447

Harrison

Rudyard Group, LLC v. Dingle

10-1496

Polk

Harms v. State

10-1593

Scott

State v. Slater

10-1643

Monroe

State v. See

10-1676

Lyon

Peoples Bank v. Driesen

10-1748

Black Hawk

State v. Bennett

10-1840

Black Hawk

State v. Burt

10-1880

Polk

Trustees of the Iowa Laborers Dist. Council Health & Welfare Trust v. Merchants Bonding Co.

10-1904

Muscatine

Reyes v. State

10-2109

Clinton

Borgstede v. State

10-2113

Polk

W. Provisions, Inc. v. Betz

11-0020

Franklin

In re Marriage of Meyer

11-0130

Scott

State v. Coker

11-0171

Polk

Quaker Oats Co. v. Dobbe

11-0255

Polk

Bensley v. Dee Zee Mfg.

11-0519

Polk

State v. Guadarrama

11-0804

Johnson

In re L.M.W.

11-0897

Madison

In re C.E., C.S., J.R., J.R., and C.R.

11-0951

Dubuque

In re H.E., M.E., and J.E.

11-0954

Dubuque

In re D.S.

11-1138

Woodbury

In re D.S. and J.W.S.

11-1195

Polk

In re T.C. and N.C.

11-1201

Polk

In re L.B.-F.

11-1254

Polk

In re N.N., Q.N., A.P., and J.P.

11-1257

Wright

In re. M.S.R.

11-1302

Polk

In re S.M.

11-1323

Polk

In re V.W.

11-1360

Woodbury

In re C.C., N.R., L.R., K.P., and Y.P.

 

 

 

GRANTED:

 

 

NUMBER

COUNTY

CASE NAME

 

 

10-0293

Henry

Kolzow v. State

10-1315

Marshall

Perez v. State

10-1384

Polk

Pierce v. State

 

 

 

 

 

12 Dec 2011

Braley Column: Working to get our veterans back to work

By Jeff Giertz

The best way to thank our veterans and tell them 'good job' is to help them find a good job when they return home.

Federal law requires employers to re-hire National Guard servicemembers when they return from active duty service.  I've always been proud of how seriously Iowa employers take their duty to help re-integrate our returning soldiers back into normal day-to-day life.  But what about those veterans who were out of work when they were called up?

Late this summer, 2,800 members of the Iowa National Guard returned from a deployment to Afghanistan.  In a survey conducted after they returned home, more than 600 of these men and women reported being out of work.  That's the equivalent of an unemployment rate of over 21 percent in this group - nearly four times the Iowa unemployment rate.

Unemployment among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans isn't just a problem unique to Iowa.  Nationally, these vets are unemployed at a rate nearly twice the national average.

Creating jobs for these veterans will not only help them, but it will also address the greater unemployment problem in our country.

That's why for several months, I've worked to promote the idea of cutting taxes for employers who hire unemployed veterans who are returning from active duty service.

In August, I introduced the Combat Veterans Back to Work Act, a bill that provides tax credits for employers that hire unemployed veterans.  This idea, which attracted some rare bipartisan support in Congress, was  incorporated into two new tax credits that were signed into law by President Obama last month.

The first, known as the Returning Heroes tax credit, provides up to $5,600 in tax credits for every unemployed veteran hired by an employer.  The second, called the Wounded Warrior tax credit, doubles the existing tax credit for firms that hire unemployed veterans with service-connected disabilities.

The bottom line is that these tax credits will help the bottom line of businesses and help get veterans back to work - a win-win for our economy and many brave men and women.

If you're a veteran or a business interested in learning more about these tax credits, I encourage you to contact my Waterloo office at (319) 287-3233.

by Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01)

12 Dec 2011

In Case You Missed It: Michele Bachmann's (Really) Tough Week

By Rick Martin
#TweetFail, Iran tidbit, curious VP picks,
'borrowing without asking,' and missed SarbOx vote
hinder clean execution - especially in Iowa
ANKENY, Iowa - Campaigning for our nation's highest office is difficult, and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is experiencing a really tough week that isn't even over yet.

On Tuesday, Bachmann's Iowa campaign chairman Tweeted an under-140-character mini-gaffe, writing that there were moving trucks outside pizza baron Herman Cain's Iowa headquarters, assumedly for a quick exodus from the first-in-nation voting state.  The offending Tweet even included a photo of the trucks.  The trouble is, the trucks were delivering thousands of campaign signs, requiring Bachmann's Iowa campaign manager to apologize.

On Wednesday while in Iowa, Bachmann told supporters that if elected President she would close the U.S. Embassy in Iran as a gesture of her firm stance against the nation.  The only problem is, the U.S. hasn't had an embassy in Iran since 1980, the year when Blondie's hit single "Call Me" filled the airwaves, Mt. St. Helens erupted, and Ted Turner launched CNN.

Also Wednesday, Bachmann floated some names of those who might have the high honor of serving as her Vice President, should she be elected.  Names include such stalwarts as her strategic competitor Rick Santorum, and U.S. Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Marco Rubio (R-FL).  The list also includes real estate developer and reality TV host Donald Trump.  Uh-oh.  Is this the same Donald Trump that left the Republican Party of Iowa holding the bag by backing out of the party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner?

On Thursday, Bachmann's name came up yet again.  This time it was for pilfering a list of homeschool family emails from the well-regarded Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators (NICHE), and using that list to send two communiques to this "niche" market.  The misuse of the email list was traced to a NICHE board member who is a paid Bachmann staffer, necessitating a multi-pronged email response to members from NICHE President Justin LaVan.  The email included the requisite apology to members, an assurance of corrective measures, and an interesting list of FEC compliance actions including giving other campaigns an equal opportunity to use this listserv for the same purpose.

Lastly, again on Thursday, Bachmann made what smaller and newer publicly traded business owners might call a fatal error in missing a key vote on the House Financial Services Committee.  Congressman Paul adjusted his New Hampshire campaign schedule to vote for a SarbOx compliance exemption for businesses of this kind.  Yet, Bachmann missed the committee vote and therefore she delayed a step toward regulatory relief for businesses already burdened with the kind of overregulation that prevents hiring, even during these trying economic times.

"Campaigning for the presidency is challenging and this fact is one of the reasons why my admiration for Ron Paul grows with every stop along the campaign trail.  On behalf of the whole Iowa campaign team, I'd like to wish Rep. Bachmann a future schedule free of hiccups," said Ron Paul 2012 Iowa Chairman Drew Ivers.
###
12 Dec 2011

Why DIDN'T Holder and Napolitano Know about the Connection between Fast and Furious and Agent Terry's Murder?

By Grassley Press

Prepared Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley

Why Didn't the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security know about the Connection between Fast and Furious to Agent Terry's Death?

Thursday, December 1, 2011

 

***Click here for video of Grassley's speech.***

 

For nearly a year, I have been investigating the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Operation Fast and Furious.

 

I have followed up on questions from that investigation as the Senate Judiciary Committee held oversight hearings over the past few weeks with both Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder.

 

Each of them testified about the aftermath of the shooting of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.  And I have sought to clarify with FACTS some of the half-truths that were said during those hearings.

 

Each claimed that they were ignorant of the connection between Agent Terry's death and Operation Fast and Furious until my letters with whistleblower allegations brought the connection to light.

 

However, documents that have come to light in my investigation draw those claims into question.

 

I'd like to address a couple of those discrepancies.

 

Secretary Napolitano went to Arizona a few days after Agent Terry's death.

 

She said that she met at that time with the FBI agents and the assistant U.S. attorneys looking for the shooters.

 

She also said that at that point in time, nobody knew about Fast and Furious.

 

Yet documents show that many people knew about Fast and Furious on December 15, the day Agent Terry died.

 

Secretary Napolitano referenced the FBI agents looking for the shooters.

 

The head of that FBI field division was present at the December 15 press conference about Agent Terry's murder.  At that very press conference, the FBI head told a chief Assistant U.S. Attorney about the connection to an ongoing Phoenix ATF investigation.

 

That same night, U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke confirmed that the guns tied back to Fast and Furious.

 

These connections were made days before Secretary Napolitano's visit.

 

The very purpose of her visit was to find out more about the investigation.

 

That leaves a very important question.

 

The Department of Homeland Security oversees the Border Patrol.  Why wouldn't the Phoenix FBI head have told Secretary Napolitano that the only guns found at the scene of Agent Terry's murder were tied to an ongoing ATF investigation?

 

And let's not forget the U.S. Attorney's office.

 

Secretary Napolitano said she met with the assistant U.S. attorneys looking for the shooters.

The chief assistant U.S. attorney for the Tucson office, which coordinated the Terry investigation, found out about the ATF connection directly from the FBI.

 

So, a very important question comes up.  Why would they conceal the Fast and Furious connection from Secretary Napolitano days later?

 

The Tucson office was overseen by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, Dennis Burke, who confirmed to Tucson that guns came from Operation Fast and Furious.

 

When Ms. Napolitano was Governor of Arizona, Mr. Burke served as her chief of staff for five years.  Secretary Napolitano acknowledges that she had conversations with him about the murder of Agent Terry.

 

So, a very important question comes up.  Why would Mr. Burke conceal the Fast and Furious connection from Secretary Napolitano?

 

Even before Secretary Napolitano came to Arizona, emails indicate Mr. Burke spoke on December 15 with Attorney General Holder's Deputy Chief of Staff, Monty Wilkinson.

 

Before finding out about Agent Terry, Mr. Burke emailed Mr. Wilkinson that he wanted to "explain in detail" about Fast and Furious when they talked.

 

So, a very important question comes up.  On that phone call, did U.S. Attorney Burke tell Mr. Wilkinson about the case's connection to a Border Patrol agent's death that very day?

 

The next day, the Deputy Director of the ATF made sure briefing papers were prepared about the Fast and Furious connection to Agent Terry's death.

 

He sent them to individuals here in Washington, D.C., in the Deputy Attorney General's office at the Justice Department.

 

Within 24 hours, they were forwarded to the Deputy Attorney General.

 

They were accompanied by a personal email from one of the Deputy Attorney General's deputies, explaining the situation. Two weeks later, that Deputy Attorney General, Gary Grindler, was named the Attorney General's Chief of Staff.

 

Yet a month and a half after Agent Terry's death, Attorney General Holder was allegedly ignorant of the Fast and Furious connection.

 

So, a very important question is unanswered.  Why wouldn't Mr. Grindler bring up these serious problems with Attorney General Holder, either as his Deputy Attorney General or as his Chief of Staff?

 

It's clear that multiple highly-placed officials in multiple agencies knew almost immediately of the connection between Operation Fast and Furious and Agent Terry's death.

 

The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security have failed to adequately explain why Attorney General Holder and Secretary Napolitano allegedly remained ignorant of that connection.  Whether it's the Attorney General or the Secretary, or members of their staff, somebody wasn't doing their job.

 

In the case of Secretary Napolitano, either she was not entirely candid with me and others, or this was a gross breach on the part of those who kept her in the dark.

 

The Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security lost a man.

 

It was their right to know the full circumstances surrounding that.

 

No one likes the unpleasant business of having to 'fess up, but the FBI, ATF, and U.S. Attorney's Office owed it to Agent Brian Terry and his family to fully inform the leadership of the Department of Homeland Security.

 

This was the death of a federal agent involving weapons allowed to walk free by another agency in his own government.

 

Let me explain walking guns.  The federal government operates under the rule of law just like all of us have to live under that rule of law.  There are licensed federal gun dealers.  Federal gun dealers were encouraged to sell guns illegally to straw buyers and supposedly follow those guns across the border to somehow arrest people who were involved with drug trafficking and other illegal things.  And, two of these guns showed up at the murder scene of Agent Terry.

 

And, if that's not serious enough to brief up to the top of the department, then I don't know what is.

 

-30-
12 Dec 2011

U.S. Soybean Farmers Mark 20 Years of Checkoff Work

By United Soybean Board
United Soybean Board Sets Sights on Next 20 Years at December Annual Meeting

ST. LOUIS (December 1, 2011) - U.S. soybean farmers aren't spending much time recognizing the first 20 years of the United Soybean Board (USB) and the national soybean checkoff. They're too busy planning for the next 20 years.

As the national checkoff's 20th anniversary passes, the board will meet Dec. 6-7 in St. Louis to set its sights on making sure the checkoff reaches its goals and helps maximize U.S. soybean farmers' profit opportunities in the future.

The 69 farmer-leaders who serve on USB will observe the national checkoff's 20th anniversary during their December meeting; they will also continue their focus on the checkoff's new Long Range Strategic Plan.

"Now is no time to sit on our laurels and focus only on the past," says USB Chairman Marc Curtis, a soybean farmer from Leland, Miss., whose successor will be elected at the December meeting. "Instead, we are focused on meeting our strategic objectives aimed at supporting our fellow U.S. soybean farmers' profitability in the decades to come."

Those four strategic objectives involve increasing the value of U.S. soybean meal and oil; ensuring U.S. soybean farmers have the freedom and transportation infrastructure to operate; and renewing the board's focus on meeting customer needs.

Meeting those objectives will be nothing new for the soybean checkoff, which has accomplished much on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers in the last two decades. During that time, USB has helped grow global demand for U.S. soy, helped create and grow the use of biodiesel and Bioheat® markets, funded many new industrial uses for U.S. soy, and helped fund the research that eventually achieved the sequencing of the soybean genome.

Since the national checkoff's inception in 1991, when U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Madigan appointed 63 soybean farmers from 30 states and two regions to serve as the checkoff's first farmer-directors, U.S. soybean demand has grown by greater than 140 percent around the world, more than any other U.S. major crop. Since 2010, as agriculture leads all U.S. economic sectors in the balance of trade, U.S. soy has topped the list in agriculture.

"We are a global economy; there are other competitors around the world, not only for our soybeans but for other oilseeds that would like to have some of the market we currently enjoy," said Sandy Ludeman, the soybean checkoff's founding chairman and soybean farmer from Tracy, Minn. "So if we want to make sure we have a good share of the market for U.S. grown soybeans, we very much need the checkoff to invest farmer dollars in the research and promotion that will help get us there," Ludeman said.

USB is made up of 69 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of animal utilization, human utilization, industrial utilization, industry relations, market access and supply. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

###

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