The biggest banks in the country—the ones that wrecked our economy and cost millions of Americans their jobs—pay next to nothing on the debt they owe the government, while students pay nine times as much. That isn’t right.
That’s why I’ve introduced the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act to let students take advantage of the same low rates offered to banks for one year while Congress finds a fair, long-term solution on student loan interest rates.
The interest rate on federal subsidized Stafford student loans is set to increase from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1st. If Congress doesn’t act soon, millions of college students will see their student loan payments jump.
Some argue that it’s too expensive to keep government loans at low interest rates, but the federal government makes low interest loans all the time—just not to everyone. Big banks can borrow money through the Federal Reserve discount window at a rate of about 0.75%.
That’s why I started a petition on MoveOn‘s petition site which says:
Wall Street banks—the ones that wrecked our economy—should not be getting a better interest rate on their government loans than young people trying to go to college.
This petition was created on MoveOn’s online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Senator Elizabeth Warren didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.
Incredible! More than 325,000 MoveOn members have signed on in support of Senator Elizabeth Warren’s first bill—the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act. Will you join them? Click here to sign.
This month, a shocking Department of Defense report estimated that 26,000 sexual assaults took place in the military last year. This is disgraceful: one sexual assault is too many.
But still thousands of rapes in the military are never reported, let alone brought to trial. There is a dangerous deafness to sexual assault in the military and many survivors suffer in silence.
Democrats in Congress are taking a stand to better protect our service men and women — but they need our support to ensure that independent prosecutors are deciding whether to prosecute sexual assault cases.
Will you step up and add your name in support of the Military Justice Improvement Act?
democracynow.org – On the heels of a new military survey that the number of reported violent sex crimes jumped 30 percent 2011, with active-duty female soldiers ages 18 to 21 accounting for more than half of the of the victims, we speak with Trina McDonald and Kori Cioca, two subjects of “The Invisible War,” a new documentary that examines the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the U.S. military, which won the Audience Award for U.S. Documentary at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
“Not only was I astounded by the numbers, but when I started talking to the women and men who had experienced this, I was just so devastated by their stories,” says the film’s Academy Award-nominated director, Kirby Dick. “These are women and men who are very idealistic, they joined the military because they wanted to serve their country, they were incredible soldiers and then, when they were assaulted, they had the courage to come forward — even though many people advised them not to,” Dick says.
A groundbreaking investigative documentary about one of America‘s most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. The film paints a startling picture of the extent of the problem–today, a female soldier in combat zones is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire. The Department of Defense estimates there were a staggering 19,000 violent sex crimes in the military in 2010. Twenty percent of all active-duty female soldiers are sexually assaulted. The Invisible War exposes the epidemic, breaking open one of the most under-reported stories of our generation, to the nation and the world.
The Invisible War Part 1
Published on Jan 10, 2013
An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.
The Invisible War is a 2012 documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick about sexual assault in the United States military. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the U.S. Documentary Audience Award.
The Invisible War Part 2
Published on Jan 16, 2013
An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.
The Invisible War is a 2012 documentary film written and directed by Kirby Dick about sexual assault in the United States military. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the U.S. Documentary Audience Award.
The Invisible War – Interview with Directors Kirby Dick & Amy Ziering on BYOD
Published on May 22, 2012
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering from the documentary “The Invisible War,” which sheds light on the endemic problem of sexual assault in the US military.
The film has been shaking viewers into action with it’s heart wrenching illumination of the great military shame of sexual violence in its ranks.
Kirby Dick – is an Academy Award-nominated documentary director, one of the most prolific and eclectic filmmakers working in the field today. Dick has been a regular contributor at Sundance Film Festival over the years. His films have screened at the Venice, Berlin, Toronto, San Sebastian, Locarno, Edinburgh, Yamagata Film Festivals and many others as well. His latest film “The Invisible War” received this year’s coveted Audience Award: Documentary at Sundance 2012. Dick is also one of the founders and creative directors of Chain Camera Pictures, a Los Angeles-based company that produces critically acclaimed documentaries for international theatrical and television release.
BYOD is co-hosted by Ondi Timoner, director of “DIG!,” “JOIN US” and “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC,” and has the rare distinction of winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance twice, and Vladimir Radovanov, entertainment attorney, and executive producer of “WE LIVE IN PUBLIC.” Each week the show explores a different documentary filmmaker or aspect of filmmaking, with special guests and a live Q&A– diving deep into creative process and the business realities of producing and distributing films. Ondi and Vladimir share their insider views, opinions, and personal stories, welcoming audience participation. BYOD aims to entertain, inform, and elevate documentaries in general by bringing attention to films and film makers that deserve exposure.
FACT SHEET ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ANNUAL REPORT ON
SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY FOR FISCAL 2011
APRIL 13, 2012
The men and women of the U.S. military deserve an environment that is free from the
threat of sexual assault. Service members and their families must feel secure enough to
report this crime without fear of retribution and commanders must hold offenders
appropriately accountable. Under the leadership of the secretary of defense and the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the department is actively pursuing additional
policy and training changes to help address this challenging issue.
The Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 requires the
Department of Defense to submit to the Committees on Armed Services an annual report
on sexual assaults involving members of the armed forces. The report ensures
transparency on sexual assault reports, investigations, and case dispositions of those
accused of the crime. It also provides department and Congressional leadership with
information to evaluate and help address the problem. The reporting period spans from
Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2011.
Reporting Data
The military services received a total of 3,192 reports of sexual assault during fiscal
2011. Of the 3,192 reports of sexual assault, 2,439 were unrestricted reports and 753
were restricted reports. This represents a one percent increase since fiscal 2010, when
there were 3,158 reports of sexual assault, consisting of 2,410 unrestricted reports and
748 restricted reports.
The department uses the term “sexual assault” to address a range of crimes including
rape, aggravated sexual assault, wrongful sexual contact, non-consensual sodomy,
abusive sexual contact, aggravated sexual contact, and indecent assault. The annual
report includes case synopses, case dispositions, and punishments imposed in cases
involving unrestricted reports.
Unrestricted reports result in notification to the victim’s command, the initiation of a law
enforcement investigation, and the provision of care and services to the victim.
Restricted reports of sexual assaults are made to specific parties within the department
(e.g., a sexual assault response coordinator, victim advocate, or medical personnel) and
allow the victim to receive care and services; however, at the victim’s request, these
reports are not investigated because of the victim’s desire for confidentiality. A restricted
report, however, may later be changed by the victim to an unrestricted report.
Investigation Data
The military criminal investigative organizations (MCIOs) such as Criminal Investigation
Division, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, completed a total of 2,449 investigations involving 2,933 individuals in fiscal
2011. Of the 2,933 subjects of investigations, case outcomes were completed and
reported on 2,353 subjects during the fiscal year. Case dispositions for the remaining
subjects will be reported in forthcoming years.
Based on the completed investigations, the MCIOs provided cases on 1,518 subjects to
commanders to review for possible disciplinary action. The remaining 486 subjects were
found to be outside of the department’s legal authority (e.g., U.S. civilians, foreign
nationals, military subjects prosecuted by civilian or foreign authority, or unidentified
subjects). During the investigation process, the MCIOs determined that allegations
against 349 subjects were unfounded.
Disciplinary Actions
Commanders had sufficient evidence to take disciplinary action against 989 of the 1,518
subjects. Of these, 791 were disciplined for a sexual assault offense: 489 subjects had
courts-martial charges preferred against them, 187 subjects received non-judicial
punishment, 48 subjects were administratively discharged, and 67 subjects received other
adverse administrative actions. In addition, commanders took action against 198 subjects
for non-sexual assault offenses discovered during the investigation.
The remaining subjects were involved in cases that could not go forward because the
victim declined to participate, there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, the statute of
limitations expired, or the cases were determined by the commander to be unfounded.
Non-judicial punishment and administrative action remain important forms of discipline
in cases where the available evidence or nature of the offense would not warrant criminal
charges in a civilian setting.
DoD Safe Helpline
In April 2011, the department launched the DoD Safe Helpline as a crisis support service
for victims of sexual assault. For the first time, the annual report on sexual assault
includes usage statistics of this important service. The helpline is available 24 hours a
day via web, phone, or text message and is operated by the non-profit Rape, Abuse, and
Incest National Network through a contractual agreement with the department. Between
its launch in April 2011 through Sept. 2011, the Safe Helpline assisted more than 770
individuals.
My son Alex was murdered when a gunman opened fire in a crowded movie theater in Aurora, CO. Alex was shot and killed while shielding his fiancée from the gunfire.
After Alex’s death, I wrote to Senator Jeff Flake and urged him to support common sense gun reform, including background checks for private gun sales. His response: “Strengthening background checks is something we agree on.”
But when it came time to vote, Senator Flake kept his promise to the NRA, not to me.
Senator Flake voted against expanding background checks to include gun shows, Internet sales, and classified ad sales. He went back on his word to me and refused to stand with the overwhelming majority of Americans.
Mayors Against Illegal Guns today announced a new television ad holding Senator Jeff Flake accountable for not keeping his word to Arizonans Caren and Tom Teves, whose son Alex was killed in the Aurora theatre shooting while shielding his fiancée. The Teves, who voted for Senator Flake in 2012, sent a letter to their Senator asking him to vote for background check legislation and he responded that, “strengthening background checks is something we agree on.” Just one month later, Senator Flake voted against bipartisan legislation proposed by NRA A-rated Senators Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin — and supported by Senator John McCain — that would have closed loopholes that make it easy for dangerous people to get guns.
Cartoonists Demand Action
Published on Apr 25, 2013
Some of the nation’s best loved cartoonists are calling on Congress to not back down and take action to enact common sense gun laws that will prevent violence and save lives.
Senator Jeff Flake voted to block legislation that would strengthen background checks, and went back on his word to Caren Teves, the mother of a gun violence victim.
Watch and share our new ad, and make sure your friends and family know where Senator Flake really stands.
A vote against background checks is a vote against 90% of Arizonans who support requiring background checks for all gun sales.
It’s shocking that Senator Flake went back on his word to me, but it’s even more shocking that he would ignore the will of the people he promised to represent.
Please share this ad today, and make sure your friends and family know where Senator Flake really stands:
Today, President Obama is headed to Baltimore, Maryland to talk early childhood education, infrastructure and ensuring hard work leads to a decent living.
Watch the video below to learn more about what the President is doing in Baltimore, and check back on this post for updates from the trip – we’ll post them all here together. If you’re interested, tune in to wh.gov/live at 1:20 pm ET to watch the President’s remarks at Ellicot Dredges, which manufactures innovative dredges and dredge equipment being sold for infrastructure projects across the country and around the world.
Previewing the President’s trip to Baltimore
Published on May 16, 2013
On Friday, May 17, the President will travel to Baltimore, Maryland in his second Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour. While in Baltimore, the President will visit an elementary school that provides comprehensive early childhood services. Then, the President will visit Ellicott Dredges, which manufactures innovative dredges and dredge equipment being sold for infrastructure projects across the country and around the world. He will also be visiting a community center that helps families by ensuring parents have the skills they need to earn a decent living.
President Barack Obama left behind scandal-focused Washington on Friday to focus on the country’s slowly improving jobs picture. Obama stopped at an elementary school that provides early childhood education. (May 17)
In Case You Missed It
Here are some of the top stories from the White House blog:
David Simas: “A gesture that means something”
Deputy Senior Advisor David Simas sends a message to the White House email list, asking people to speak out in support of the Affordable Care Act.
On Friday, May 17th at 10:00am MT (12:00pm ET), Dr. Biden will give the commencement address to the 33rd graduating class of Navajo Technical College (NTC) — one of two tribal colleges serving the Navajo Nation.
Many of the programs at NTC are designed to help create new jobs and economic opportunities on or near the Navajo Nation, while equipping their students with the skills they need to succeed in those jobs.
President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with Secretary of Defense Hagel, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dempsey and the service secretaries, service chiefs, and senior enlisted advisors to discuss sexual assault in the military.
President and First Lady to Host Concert Honoring Carole King in the East Room
Wednesday, May 22 * White House – As part of their “In Performance at the White House” series, the President and First Lady will host a concert in the East Room honoring singer-songwriter Carole King, who will be awarded the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. President Obama will present the award as he did when the Library of Congress honored Stevie Wonder (2009), Sir Paul McCartney (2010), and the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David (2012). The program will include performances by King, as well as Gloria Estefan, Billy Joel, Jesse McCartney, Emeli Sandé, James Taylor and Trisha Yearwood.
The President’s remarks will be pooled press and the entire event will be streamed live on www.whitehouse.gov/live starting at 7:00 PM ET. “Carole King: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize In Performance at the White House” will be broadcast Tuesday, May 28 at 8:00 PM ET on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings). The program will also be broadcast at a later date via the American Forces Network to American service men and women and civilians at U.S. Department of Defense locations around the world.
This will be the first time the Gershwin Prize honor has been awarded to a woman. The Gershwin Prize commemorates George and Ira Gershwin, the legendary American songwriting team whose extensive manuscript collections reside in the Library of Congress. The prize is awarded to musicians whose lifetime contributions in the field of popular song exemplify the standard of excellence associated with the Gershwins.
The White House concert caps off two days of events celebrating the recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. On Tuesday, May 21st at 7:00 PM ET, the Library of Congress will host an invitation-only concert at their Coolidge Auditorium in honor of Carole King. The all-star tribute will include performances by Patti Austin, Colbie Caillat, Michael Feinstein, Siedah Garrett, Louise Goffin, Shelby Lynne, Gian Marco, Arturo Sandoval and a special performance by honoree Carole King. This event will be open to press, but space is limited. Members of the media who wish to cover this event must contact Sheryl Cannady at 202-707-6456 or scannady@loc.gov.
“Carole King: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize In Performance at the White House” will be the eleventh “In Performance at the White House” program hosted by the President and Mrs. Obama. Starting in February 2009, these events have honored the musical genius of Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and Hal David; celebrated Hispanic musical heritage during Hispanic Heritage Month; marked Black History Month with events featuring music from the Civil Rights Movement, Motown, Memphis Soul and the Blues; spotlighted Broadway and the unique spirit of the American musical; and explored the rich roots and resiliency of Country Music.
A class of third graders from North Philadelphia recently wrote to Vice President Biden about reducing gun violence. This week, the Vice President sat down to share some of these children’s words with you — and an expression that belonged to his mom: “out of the mouths of babes come gems of wisdom.” Take a listen.
Vice President President Joe Biden reads letters from children about reducing gun violence, in his Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. May 15, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)
Secretary Ray LaHood and Sylvia Burwell
May 17, 2013
10:28 AM EDT
President Obama today signed a Presidential Memorandum that will shave months, and even years, off the time it takes to review and approve major infrastructure projects. This means that states, local governments, and private developers will be able to start construction sooner, create jobs earlier, and fix our nation’s infrastructure faster.
On March 22, 2012, the President issued an Executive Order launching a government-wide initiative to improve the efficiency of federal review and permitting of infrastructure projects. Since then, agencies have expedited the review and permitting of 50 major projects, including bridges, transit , railways, waterways, roads, and renewable energy projects.
Federal agencies have also identified a set of best practices for efficient review and permitting. Those range from expanding information technology (IT) tools to strategies – like simultaneous review – for improving collaboration. Today’s Presidential Memorandum directs all relevant agencies to put these best practices into effect.
Cutting red tape and streamlining the process for making permitting decisions will help us meet the President’s goal of cutting in half the timelines for major infrastructure projects, while creating better outcomes for our communities and for the environment.
We also recently expedited Federal approval for the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project in New York. By speeding up the approval process, Federal agencies trimmed up to three years off the timeline for this multi-billion dollar project that will help put Americans back to work.
Issa is a self-made millionaire with a net worth estimated at as much as $450 million, making him the wealthiest currently-serving member of Congress.
Early life, education, and military service
Issa, the second of six children, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Martha (née Bielfelt) and William Issa, who sold trucks and grinded valves. His father was Eastern Orthodox and his mother was a Mormon. His paternal grandparents were Lebanese immigrants who both belonged to the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch known as the “Antiochian Orthodox” community and his mother is of German and Bohemian (Czech) descent. The family moved to the predominantly Jewish suburb of Cleveland Heights in the later years of his childhood. Many of his friends were Jewish, and Issa reportedly worked for a rabbi at one point. He became very familiar with Jewish culture.
Issa dropped out of high school, and on his 17th birthday he enlisted for three years in the Army. He became an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician, trained to defuse bombs.
He said his unit provided security for President Richard Nixon, sweeping stadiums for bombs prior to games in the 1971 World Series. A May 1998 investigation by Lance Williams of the San Francisco Examiner said Nixon had not attended any of that year’s World Series games. His unit did perform security sweeps for the World Series. The investigation said that Issa was transferred to a supply depot after Issa received poor ratings and after the World Series. According to Issa, the Examiner reporter misunderstood an anecdote he had related. A fellow soldier, Jay Bergey, said that Issa stole his Dodge Charger in 1971, and that “I confronted Issa…I got in his face and threatened to kill him, and magically my car reappeared the next day, abandoned on the turnpike.” No charges were ever filed. Issa has denied any theft.
Twice that year, he was arrested. In the first incident he was indicted by a grand jury for an alleged theft of a Maserati, but prosecutors dropped the charge. In the second incident, he was stopped for driving the wrong way on a one-way street, and a police officer noticed a firearm in his glove compartment. Issa was charged with carrying a concealed weapon. He pled guilty to a charge of possession of an unregistered firearm, and was sentenced to six months’ probation and a small fine. Issa has said he believes the record has since been expunged.
Issa attended Siena Heights University, a small Catholic college in Adrian, Michigan, followed by Kent State University at Stark, where he enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Issa served in the Army Reserve from 1976 to 1980 and was promoted to the rank of captain. While serving on active duty for training with the 1/77th Armor Battalion as an Assistant S-1 from September 9 to September 26, 1980, he received an evaluation report by then-Lt. Col.Wesley Clark, who wrote “This officer’s performance far exceeded that of any other reserve officer who has worked in the battalion” and “Promote ahead of contemporaries. Unlimited potential.”
Shortly before his discharge, Issa was again indicted for grand theft auto, but Issa insisted he was innocent and by August, 1980, the prosecution dropped the case.
Business career
Quantum/Steal Stopper
After leaving the military, Issa and his second wife, Kathy Stanton, moved back to the Cleveland area. They pooled their savings, sold their cars, and borrowed $50,000 from his family to invest in Quantum Enterprises, an electronics manufacturer run by a friend from Cleveland Heights that assembled bug zappers, CB radio parts and other consumer products for other companies. One of those clients, car alarm manufacturer Steal Stopper, would become the path to Issa’s fortune. It was struggling badly, and he took control of it by foreclosing a $60,000 loan he had made to it when its founder, Joey Adkins, missed a payment. Adkins remained as an employee.
Issa soon turned Steal Stopper around, to the point that it was supplying Ford with thousands of car alarms and negotiating a similar deal with Toyota.
But early in the morning of September 7, 1982, the offices and factory of Quantum and Steal Stopper in the Cleveland suburb of Maple Heights, caught fire. The fire took three hours to put out. The buildings and almost all inventory within were destroyed. An investigation of the cause of the fire noted “suspicious burn patterns” with fires starting in two places aided by an accelerator such as gasoline. Adkins said that Issa appeared to prepare for a fire by increasing the fire insurance policy 462% three weeks previously, and by removing computer equipment holding accounting and customer information. Adkins said that he thinks Issa set the fire on purpose. The insurance company was suspicious of arson and paid only about one-tenth the insured amount.
Reporter Ryan Lizza writes that the fire insurance was increased by Issa from $100,000 to $462,000 but that only about $45,000 was paid out: $25,000 at first and then an out-of-court settlement of about $20,000.
Ethics complaint
In September 2011, the liberal advocacy group American Family Voices filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics against Issa, alleging he had repeatedly used his public office for personal financial gain. Issa’s office rejected the allegations.
However, the year before that the Project on Government Oversight, a government watchdog group, awarded Issa with its Good Government Award for his contributions to government oversight and transparency. These included publicizing documents produced by the New York Federal Reserve Bank in response to a congressional subpoena, publicly exposing the New York Federal Reserve’s secret “back-door bailout” of AIG‘s counterparties, and cofounding a Transparency Caucus dedicated to “promoting a more open and accountable government through education, legislation, and oversight.”
Oversight committee Chair
After becoming Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Issa has become a vocal advocate for investigations into the Obama administration, including the Troubled Assets Relief Program, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, corruption in Afghanistan, WikiLeaks, and the Food and Drug Administration, among other issues. In 2010 he told the press that he wanted the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to hold investigative hearings “seven hearings a week, times 40 weeks.”
On February 16, 2012, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services’s regulation requiring insurance plans to cover birth control, which Issa believed was a violation of the religious freedom of people who oppose the use of birth control. Sandra Fluke was submitted as a witness by Democratic members, but Issa did not permit her to testify, saying that her name was submitted too late, a claim Democrats challenged.
In February 2011, the Watchdog Institute, an independent nonprofit reporting center based at San Diego State University, published an investigation alleging that as leader of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Issa built a team that included staff members with close connections to industries that could benefit from his investigations. The Huffington Post also published the Institute’s investigation.
Papantonio and Ed Schultz Discuss Darrell Issa’s Criminal Record
Uploaded on Jan 5, 2011
Congressman Darrell Issa, the man with the nerve to call the Obama Administration “corrupt,” knows a thing or two about corruption. After all, the man has been arrested at least 3 times over the years for things like possessing an illegal weapon and stealing cars. That’s right – the man in charge of investigations for the House is a former car thief. Watch as Mike Papantonio and Ed Schultz uncover Issa’s criminal past.
REPORT: Media Ignore Rep. Issa’s Alleged Criminal Past
By MATT GERTZ & ROB SAVILLO
Rep. Darrell Issa’s past includes arrests for weapons charges and auto theft, suspicions of arson, and accusations of intimidation with a gun, but you’d hardly know it from the media’s recent coverage of the new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. While Issa was substantially mentioned in 15 articles in the nation’s largest newspapers since the last election — including several major profiles — only one of those articles mentioned any of these allegations. Likewise, interviewers did not ask Issa about his alleged criminal past in any of the cable or network interviews he sat for during that period.
Network and Cable Interviewers Won’t Ask Issa About Criminal Allegations
In 11 Interviews Since Election Day, No Network Or Cable Anchor Has Asked Issa About The Allegations Against Him.
Print Media Largely Overlooks Issa’s Alleged Criminal Past
Only One Of 15 Articles Substantially Mentioning Issa Referenced Any Of The Allegations.
The Real Issa: Suspected Arson
1982: Issa Suspected, But Never Charged, In Arson Incident At Manufacturing Plant. According to the Los Angeles Times: “A suspected arson fire ripped through [Issa's Ohio] manufacturing plant in 1982. No one was ever charged in the fire, but authorities were troubled by a dramatic escalation in the facility’s fire insurance just weeks earlier. Even before the blaze was put out, investigators began peppering Issa and his partner with ‘crazy questions’ regarding their whereabouts before the fire, Issa recalled.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis, emphasis added]
Prior To Fire, Issa “Boosted” Fire Insurance And Removed A Computer From The Premises. According to the Los Angeles Times: “Weeks before the fire, Issa and [business partner Miles] Hunsinger boosted their fire insurance from $ 100,000 to $ 462,000 on property stored for other companies…At the same time, a separate company that contracted with Quantum to outfit bug zappers increased its insurance to $ 400,000, and, according to an insurance report, one investigator was ‘concerned about the coincidence.’ Fire investigators also noted that a computer was taken off the site eight days before the fire, ‘allegedly to be reprogrammed’ by Issa’s lawyer, and that business blueprints were put away in a safe — which was ‘not previously done before.’” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis]
“Suspicious Burn Patterns” And “Out Of Normal Practice” Behavior Alerted Investigators. The Washington Post reported: “Investigators reported ‘suspicious burn patterns’ and said the fire may have been set. A company bookkeeper, Karen Brasdovich, also told them that computers and records had been removed from the site days before the fire for no clear reason. ‘It was totally out of normal practice,’ she said in a telephone interview last week.” [Washington Post via FTLComm.com, 7/8/03]
AC Custom Fire: Flammable Liquid Had “Been Poured On The Only Area Not Covered By Fire Sprinklers.” The Los Angeles Times reported that “seven months after Issa took control,” a fire broke out at the “Quantum manufacturing plant.” “Case files from Maple Heights, the Ohio fire marshal and insurers pointed repeatedly to the likelihood of arson in the blaze, which officials estimated caused $ 800,000 in damage. Although an accident could not be ruled out, the uneven and unnatural burn patterns made the blaze ‘suspicious in nature,’ the state concluded two months later. Flammable liquid appeared to have been poured on the only area not covered by fire sprinklers, investigators found.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis, emphasis added]
The Real Issa: Intimidation With A Weapon
Former AC Custom Executive Claimed Issa Intimidated Him With A Gun.According to the Los Angeles Times: “One of Issa’s first tasks as the new boss [of AC Custom] was to remove an executive named Jack Frantz. According to Frantz, Issa came into his office, placed a small box on the desk and opened it. Inside, he said, was a gun.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis]
Issa Allegedly Used Intimidation To Fire Executive Frantz. According to the Los Angeles Times, Frantz claimed, “‘He just showed [the gun] to me and said ‘You know what this is?’ Issa invited Frantz to hold the gun at one point and told him he had learned about guns and explosives during his military days, Frantz said. Because he was about to be fired, Frantz said he saw it as ‘pure intimidation.’” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis]
Former AC Custom Bookkeeper: “It Was Pretty Terrifying.” According to the Los Angeles Times: “The bookkeeper, [Karen] Brasdovich, also recalled Issa having a gun at the company that day. ‘It was pretty terrifying,’ she said.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis]
Issa On The Incident: “Shots Were Never Fired.” The Los Angeles Timesreported: “Issa said, ‘Shots were never fired. If I asked Jack to leave, then I think I had every right to ask Jack to leave…I don’t recall having a gun. I really don’t. I don’t think I ever pulled a gun on anyone in my life.’” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis, emphasis added]
The Real Issa: Auto Theft & Weapons Charges
Issa “Twice Arrested In 1972 On Weapons Charges.” According to the San Francisco Chronicle: “Issa was twice arrested in 1972 on weapons charges — once in Ohio, once in Michigan.” [San Francisco Chronicle, 7/2/03]
Issa Was Convicted Of “Possession Of An Unregistered Handgun,” Paid Fine, And Served Probation. According to the San Francisco Chronicle: “[W]hen Issa was attending college in Michigan, was fined $100 and put on three months’ probation after being arrested for possession of an unregistered handgun, Michigan court records show.” [San Francisco Chronicle, 7/2/03]
1972: Issa Was Arrested For Auto Theft. According to the New York Times: “In 1972, [Darrell Issa] and his brother William were arrested in the theft of a Maserati from a Cleveland car dealership.” [New York Times, 7/23/03]
1972: Issa Also Charged With “Carrying A Concealed Weapon.” According to the San Francisco Chronicle: “Court records…show that in March 1972, one month after getting out of the Army, Issa was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and auto theft. The court file doesn’t indicate the type of weapon involved.” [San Francisco Chronicle, 7/2/03]
Auto Theft, Concealed Weapons Charges Were Ultimately Dropped.According to the San Francisco Chronicle: “In May 1972, a grand jury indicted Issa on a larceny charge in connection with the car theft but dropped the weapons charge. Two weeks later, a prosecutor dropped the car theft charge as well.” [San Francisco Chronicle, 7/2/03]
Charges Were Dropped Despite Witness Reports. According to the Los Angeles Times, “a witness reported seeing [Darrell and William Issa] pushing the sports car down the street just before midnight, records and interviews show. But the charges were dismissed — months before the older brother, [William], was convicted of stealing another car amid a string of offenses.” [Los Angeles Times, 5/23/98, via Nexis]
Methodology
Media Matters for America searched the Factiva database for news articles fromThe Wall Street Journal and the Nexis database for news articles from the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, USA Today, and The Washington Postand all network and cable news programming* from ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News, MSNBC, and NBC between November 2, 2010 and January 10, 2011 for mentions of Darrell Issa. From cable, only interviews were included — news packages and short clips were excluded. From print, any article substantially mentioning Issa — beyond merely reporting his new position in Congress or other brief mentions — was included.
*ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox Broadcasting, and NBC transcripts include all news programming; Fox News and MSNBC transcripts include prime-time and select daytime interviews.
You want a real scandal: No vote in 2 years on The American Jobs Bill, that would put millions of Americans to work.
You want a real scandal: No vote or solution on the Sequestration, which was created by Congress.
You want a real scandal: No vote on the Universal Background Checks bill…..that ends in a result that 91% of Americans want.
You want a real scandal: Lets all celebrate The 5 Month Anniversary Of 28 Deaths In Newtown, Connecticut By Doing Exactly What Congress Has Accomplished Since The Sandy Hook Elementary Massacre…… N.O.T.H.I.N.G. Jack Shit. Oh Wait…..My Bad…..Congress HAS Taken 4 Breaks in 151 Days Since 12/14/12.
You want a real scandal: Today, the 16th of May, 2013, A TeaTardedRepubliCANT House voted For The 37th Time To Repeal ObamaCares…229 to 195, at a cost of $55 Million to American taxpayers.
I’m sick and disgusted with Darrell Issa AND his muthafuckin ilk.
Vice President President Joe Biden reads letters from children about reducing gun violence, in his Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. May 15, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)
Jueseppi B.
