Posts Tagged richard blumenthal

Dem AG Says Dem AG Candidate Not Qualified

Feb 3

Posted by Parched in In the states, Rising Stars, That's Odd | No Comments

A quick follow up on the saga of whether or not Connecticut Democrat Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz is qualified to seek the office of attorney general – an office for which she is actively campaigning.  The current occupant of the office, Democrat Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is running for United States Senate, with Chris Dodd out of the way he can finally do something, has essentially stopped Bysiewicz’s candidacy in its tracks.

During a news conference in his office, Blumenthal said Bysiewicz, who recently dropped a bid to run for governor and, instead, run for attorney general, does not have enough years as a practicing attorney.

Blumenthal said Bysiewicz, of Middletown, has not accumulated 10 years in the legal profession. In a formal opinion, Blumenthal said that the requirement for “active practice” means more than retaining a law license.

“Active means something more than being a member of the bar,” Blumenthal told reporters.

The Connecticut Post has the full story. You can imagine that Democrat former legislator George Jepsen and current Democrat State Representative Cameron Staples are gleefully pushing this story around Connecticut. And, a story like this makes for a better February day for Republican State Senator Andrew Roraback, Republican former prosecutor John Pavia, and GOP State Representative Arthur O’Neill – who are all reportedly mulling or exploring the race.

Susan Bysiewicz might be toast.

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2 Democrat AGs Who Need to Speak Up on the Cornhusker Kickback

Jan 6

Posted by Parched in DC, U.S. Senate | No Comments

Massachusetts Democrat Attorney General Martha Coakley has been remarkably silent on the constitutional issues raised by the Cornhusker Kickback.  State attorney’s general across the country no doubt are hearing about this issue not only from their colleagues, but also from the taxpayers in their states.  Since A.G. Coakley is running for the United States Senate, where this kickback was originally cut, shouldn’t she be stepping up and speaking out on this issue.  Folks in Massachusetts should be asking candidate Coakley if elected, if she will let these type of deals happen on her watch in the U.S. Senate.  And then they should ask A.G. Coakley if she thinks the Cornhusker Kickback is constitutional or even smells legally right.

And why we’re at it, why not pose the same questions to Connecticut Democrat A.G. Richard Blumenthal.  He’s the guy who just announced today that he’ll be running for U.S. Senate in Connecticut to replace Chris Dodd.  No doubt candidate Blumenthal will invoke words like ethics, transparency, and reform throughout his campaign.  Those are words that A.G. Blumenthal has used through out his career as his state’s top cop.

If these two sitting state attorneys general want to be in the United States Senate – what do they think about the issue that is shining a bright light on the deal making that occurs in the United States Senate – the Cornhusker Kickback?

Saying it’s just politics isn’t going to get the job done.

A bipartisan effort is being made to all state A.G.s to completely address the Cornhusker Kickback.  Martha Coakley and Richard Blumenthal need to let the citizens of their states know where they stand on this matter.  From the Associated Press:

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Two top state prosecutors are asking attorneys general across the country to let Washington know if they oppose the health care reform bill they say includes a political deal for Nebraska.

South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster and Oklahoma top prosecutor Drew Edmondson asked their colleagues Wednesday to call on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to remove the provision.

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Pressure on Democrat AGs increases on Cornhusker Kickback

Jan 4

Posted by Parched in DC, In the states | 1 Comment

Maybe some of these Democrat state attorneys general will start to see the real issue here, and join their fellow state attorneys general, now both Democrat and Republican, in the effort to protect ALL of America’s taxpayers from the Cornhusker Kickback.

From Arizona’s KTAR radio for Democrat Attorney General Terry Goddard:

Terry Goddard, this is your moment. Arizonans need you to step-up.

As the formulating of healthcare “reform” legislation secretively continues in the U.S. Senate, Attorney’s General from multiple states have begun to announce that they are launching investigations into the legality, and constitutionality of the Senate healthcare bill. Arizona’s Attorney General Terry Goddard should be calling for his own investigation, because based on what little is known about this highly secretive legislation, it appears that the bill places Arizonans at a significant disadvantage, financially and otherwise, to residents of the state of Nebraska.

South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, along with the Attorneys General in the states of Washington, Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Alabama and North Dakota – have joined forces to consider, among other things, if the Obamacare bill in the U.S. Senate violates the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The 10th Amendment stipulates that powers not granted to the national government nor prohibited to the states by the constitution of the United States, are reserved to the states or the people.

From the Las Vegas Review Journal questioning Democrat A.G. Catherine Cortez Masto:

To win Sen. Nelson’s vote, Sen. Reid agreed to have the federal government forever pay full freight for Nebraska’s Medicaid expansion, mandated by the bill. Every other state gets only three years of full federal coverage under the plan. After that, every state but Nebraska will be required take on huge, new, unfunded Medicaid burdens. Nevada’s alone will be at least $600 million per year.

A conference committee will begin meeting in the new year to work out a compromise between House and Senate versions of the bill. Mr. McMaster says if the bill goes through with the benefit for Nebraska, taxpayers in the other 49 states will have to cover their own unfunded mandates in addition to Nebraska’s share.

The 13 attorneys general signing the letter are all Republicans. But the danger of such a precedent, once set, is surely not limited to states adhering to one party. Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto should join the action on Nevadans’ behalf.

Some will hold that unlikely, since it might be seen as a challenge to Sen. Reid, the presumed godfather of Nevada Democrats.

The question is, does Ms. Masto represent the Nevadans who will have to pay “more than their share” under Sen. Reid’s Nebraska payoff scheme … or someone else?

Kansas state house and senate leaders are asking Democrat A.G. Stephen Six to take a closer look at the constitutionality of it all. From the Lawrence Journal World:

“With luck and a little persuasion, perhaps a majority in Congress will come to its senses and conclude that our nation’s health care can be reformed without disregarding the Constitution,” the four legislators wrote in a letter to Six. “But if they don’t, then it will be up to you and to us to protect the Constitution we are sworn to uphold and to preserve the liberties of the Kansans we represent.”

They cited what is being called either the “Cornhusker Kickback” or the “Nebraska Compromise,” and a requirement that every person have health insurance coverage.

Governors in Connecticut and Georgia have asked their attorney general to actively look into the constitutionality of Cornhusker Kickback.  Tennessee’s Lt. Governor wants his state attorney general to look into the health care deal also.

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