Barack Obama and Intimidation

Intimidation

"I won."

Barack Hussein Obama

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Note:	The following items are archived chronologically and/or in order of discovery
Obots Swarm	Obama supporters, alerted by campaign emails, made hundreds of telephone calls to WGN Radio, when conservative Stanley Kurtz appeared on Milt Rosenberg's WGN radio program in Chicago. Kurtz had been researching Obama's relationship with unrepentant Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers in Chicago Annenberg Challenge papers in the Richard J. Daley Library in Chicago -- papers that were closed off to him for some days, apparently at the behest of Obama supporters. Obama fans jammed WGN's phone lines and sent in hundreds of protest emails. They effectively shut the show down. The message was clear to anyone who would follow Rosenberg's example. We will make trouble for you if you let anyone make the case against The One.
State Apparatus To Censor Political Speech	Obama is striking back fiercely and swiftly to stamp out an ad that links him to a 1960s radical, eager to demonstrate a far more aggressive response to attacks than John Kerry did when faced with the 2004 "Swift Boat" campaign. Obama not only aired a response ad to the spot linking him to William Ayers, but he sought to block stations the commercial by warning station managers and asking the Justice Department to intervene. The campaign also planned to compel advertisers to pressure stations that continue to air the anti-Obama commercial. Obama's target is an ad by the conservative American Issues Project, a nonprofit group that questions Obama's ties to Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground organization that took credit for a series of bombings, including nonfatal explosions at the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol four decades ago. "It seems they protest a bit too much," American Issues Project spokesman Christian Pinkston said. "They're going all of these routes -- through threats, intimation -- to try to thwart the First Amendment here because they don't have an argument on merit."
Criminal Prosecution	In September, 2008, St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCulloch and St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce warned citizens that they would bring criminal libel prosecutions against anyone who made statements against Obama that were "false." I had been under the impression that the Alien and Sedition Acts had gone out of existence in 1801-02. Not so, apparently, in metropolitan St. Louis. Similarly, the Obama campaign called for a criminal investigation of the American Issues Project when it ran ads highlighting Obama's ties to Ayers.
Dead Rabbits	Blogger, Textdude, was also working on proving Obama's "Certification of Live Birth" (COLB) a forgery until dead mutilated rabbits were hung on his doorknob along with a note, "Stop what you’re doing or this will be your children." Textdude’s wife made him stop working on it. They got the message.
Annapolis Grad Intimidated	Freeper RaceBannon just heard from Freeper Flightline, a personal friend and mutual acquaintance of Walt Fitzpatrick. Walt, an Annapolis graduate (1975), just got a visit from 3 to 4 Police Cruisers and one unmarked Government car from Knoxville, Tennessee. Walt was informed that his most recent column, which he filed as a criminal complaint in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Knoxville, Tennessee, was being responded to as a criminal complaint against Walter himself; that the complaint he filed was ignored and was the basis for the complaint against himself. The criminal Complaint against Walt specifically stated that Walter's complaint was considered a threat against the President of the United States. Walter was interviewed by these officers in his yard and house and openly stated his belief of his criminal complaint along with his own personal documentation to defend his complaint and why he believed it to be true. Walter was not arrested and the officers who visited his home responded by telling him the apparent threat against Obama was unfounded and they left the premises without incident. Walter was not arrested, no search of his home was done and the officers were professional. So much for the 1st Amendment. I read the guy's blog. I wouldn't have written it, but he certainly didn't threaten anybody. These folks never got a visit from the Secret Service, and if you don't think there's a double standard, Google "kill Bush." I guess "free expression" only applies to Democrats, illegal aliens, ACORN and the folks at the Daily Kos.
Justice Department to San Francisco Police: Shut Up!	Allegations that Obama's pal Bill Ayers was involved in the murder of a San Francisco policeman appear to be running into something of a gag order from at the Department of Justice. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Justice Department and the San Francisco Police Department have contacted the San Francisco Police Officers Association and told them not to talk about the Ayers case. Boy, that was fast!
Obama Fires GM CEO	The Obama administration asked Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, to step down and he agreed, a White House official said. The White House confirmed Wagoner was leaving at the government's behest after The Associated Press reported his immediate departure, without giving a reason. General Motors issued a vague statement Sunday night that did not officially confirm Wagoner's departure. "We are anticipating an announcement soon from the Administration regarding the restructuring of the U.S. auto industry. We continue to work closely with members of the Task Force and it would not be appropriate for us to speculate on the content of any announcement," the company said. The surprise announcement about the classically iconic American corporation is perhaps the most vivid sign yet of the tectonic change in the relationship between business and government in this era of subsidies and bailouts. I love the "soft" language -- "Obama administration asked" -- "at the government's behest." White House officials say that this action is "not extraordinary."
No Word From The White House	This March 29th item tells of actor Bob Basso, who has two runaway successful YouTube videos, being summoned to the White House "to discuss the disturbing nature of the videos." In a statement released by Basso's associate, he said he had not yet been informed when he should appear at the White House. Jesse Edwards, a Jerry Doyle Show producer, said it appears that when the "invitation" became public, the White House has let the issue drop. "We went on the air with it. Now he hasn't heard anything."
Obama Attorney Threatens Sanctions	After the flippant dismissal by U.S. Circuit Court Judge James Robertson of the lawsuit to attempt to determine whether Barack Obama is constitutionally eligible to occupy the Oval Office, D.C. attorney John Hemenway received a letter from a lawyer representing Barack Obama and Joe Biden. (Hemenway had enjoined the suit launched by Hillary Clinton's ally, Philip Berg, the former Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania and attorney Lawrence Joyce of Arizona, in an attempt to force Obama to disclose his birth records, currently being protected against public scrutiny by the Obama legal team at a reported cost of as much as one million dollars.) The letter, written by Obama attorney Robert F. Bauer, states the following: "I represent President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden. I write to request that, in light of the District Court’s March 24, 2009 Rule 11 order in Hollister v. Soetoro, No. 08-2254, you withdraw the appeal filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, No. 09-5080. For the reasons stated in Judge Robertson’s order, the suit is frivolous and should not be pursued." "Should you decline to withdraw this frivolous appeal, please be informed that we intend to pursue sanctions, including costs, expenses, and attorney’s fees, pursuant to federal Rule Appellate Procedure 38 and D.C. Circuit Rule 38." Mr. Hemenway's response to the letter was a promise to "write and protest and attack those against the demand that Obama show proof of his birth, and I will continue to do anything I can think of doing that might perhaps deter or injure those who are opposed to "transparency" and "openness" and honesty in governmental operations -- all those good and vague promises that Obama threw out in speeches read from his teleprompter." There's more here . . .
Obama's Banana Republic	On Thursday, PowerLine's John Hinderaker wrote about the banana republic capitalism that we are experiencing under the Obama administration. In connection with the Chrysler bankruptcy, Obama, ignoring laws that assign priority to secured creditors, has tried to bully lenders into abandoning their legal rights in favor of the United Auto Workers Union. To my knowledge, there is no precedent for this sort of arrogant lawlessness in American history. (Germany, Italy and Argentina are familiar with it.) Now, bankruptcy lawyer Tom Lauria adds more: Lauria: "Let me tell you it's no fun standing on this side of the fence opposing the President of the United States. In fact, let me just say, people have asked me who I represent. That's a moving target. I can tell you for sure that I represent one less investor today than I represented yesterday. One of my clients was directly threatened by the White House and in essence compelled to withdraw its opposition to the deal under the threat that the full force of the White House Press Corps would destroy its reputation if it continued to fight. That's how hard it is to stand on this side of the fence." Beckman: "Was that Perella Weinberg?" Lauria: "That was Perella Weinberg." There is a pattern here. Financial institutions holding billions of Chrysler's secured debt are being held hostage by the TARP loans they are not permitted to pay back. They are being forced to accept just pennies on the dollar for loans they made in good faith less than two years ago. Just like mob loan sharks, the administration wants them under its thumb so they can extort more and more concessions. I drew the same analogy to organized crime loan sharking in my "banana republic" post. Sadly, I'm afraid it is apposite. Once again, the Obama administration has steered us into uncharted waters: we have no experience with this lack of respect for the rule of law. By the way: does anyone doubt that Barack Obama can mobilize, as he threatened, the "full force of the White House press corps" against any political opponent? No doubt there would be an honorable exception or two, but the threat is obviously credible. Here is the audio of Frank Beckman interviewing Tom Lauria, bankruptcy attorney at White & Case, who represents a group of lenders that object to the Chrysler sale. Update: Here is a New York Times article that describes, in detail, Obama's intimidation of "a small group of speculators," as Obama called them -- who helped bankrupt Chrysler -- that, anyway, is Obama's argument. In fact, the individuals Obama smeared have sparkling Wall Street pedigrees, are the epitome of white-shoe investment bankers, and their boutique investment bank, a latecomer to Chrysler, played only a small role in the slow-motion wreck of the Detroit carmaker. But now the two men, along with a handful of other financiers, are being blamed for precipitating the bankruptcy of an American icon. As Chrysler’s fate hung in the balance Wednesday night, this group refused to bend to the Obama administration and accept steep losses on their investments while more junior investors, including the United Automobile Workers union, were offered favorable terms. In a rare flash of anger, the president scolded the group as Chrysler, its options exhausted, filed for bankruptcy protection. "I don’t stand with those who held out when everyone else is making sacrifices," Obama said. So, why is there any question about the veracity of Thomas Lauria's charges? 0bama did exactly what he is accused of threatening to do. Obama publically attempted to start a smear campaign, against these people, in the media. He's a sonofabitch! Has been since his first campaign. Afterthought -- Why would anyone lend money to heavily unionized companies knowing that if things went wrong, Obama and his merry men could trash their security interests by executive decree, hold them up to public vilification, and subject them to future retribution by regulators? The fate of Chrysler and its workers pale in comparison to the wrecking ball that would be taken to economic order if bankruptcy judge Arthur Gonzalez approves the administration’s plan to give Chrysler’s secured creditors the shaft.
Obama's Gangster Tactics Corroborated	Creditors to Chrysler describe negotiations with the company and the Obama administration as "a farce," saying the administration was bent on forcing their hands using hardball tactics and threats. Conversations with administration officials left them expecting that they would be politically targeted, two participants in the negotiations said. Although the focus has so been on allegations that the White House threatened Perella Weinberg, sources familiar with the matter say that other firms felt they were threatened as well. None of the sources would agree to speak except on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of political repercussions. The sources, who represent creditors to Chrysler, say they were taken aback by the hardball tactics that the Obama administration employed to cajole them into acquiescing to plans to restructure Chrysler. One person described the administration as the most shocking "end justifies the means" group they have ever encountered. Another characterized Obama was "the most dangerous smooth talker on the planet -- and I knew Kissinger." Both were voters for Obama in the last election. One participant in negotiations said that the administration's tactic was to present what one described as a "madman theory of the presidency" in which Obama is someone to be feared because he was willing to do anything to get his way. The person said this threat was taken very seriously by his firm. The White House has denied the allegation that it threatened Perella Weinberg. Last week Obama singled out the firms that continue to oppose his plan for Chrysler, saying he would not stand with them. Perella Weinberg says it was convinced to support the plan by this stark drawing of a line between firms that have his backing and those that did not. They didn't want to be on the wrong side of Obama. Privately, administration officials have expressed confidence that other firms will switch sides for this reason. These allegations add to the picture of an administration willing to use intimidation to win over support for its Chrysler plans -- and then categorically deny it. So, who's surprised?
A Bully In the White House	Barack Obama's lawless conduct in connection with the Chrysler bankruptcy is sending shock waves through the business community. It is important to understand what is happening here. Many think that Obama is merely engaging in crony capitalism, favoring his political supporters (most notably the Auto Workers Union) at the expense of others. That's true, of course, but it is much worse than that: Obama has tried to bully those who have not bought his favor -- Chrysler's non-TARP secured creditors -- into giving up their legal rights by threatening to use the powers of the White House to damage their businesses. This sort of lawlessness is common in some of the more corrupt Third World countries, but it is brand new to the United States. Continue reading here . . .
More Obama Intimidation	The march of corporatism continues today as the Obama administration’s "stress tests" for TARP-funded financial institutions await release. Now the Obama administration has heavily hinted that it will expect these institutions to change management if they don’t do well on these mid-term exams, apparently aiming for the decapitation of CEOs at companies like CitiGroup and BankAmerica just as Obama did with Genetral Motors. As has been leaked (of course) the banks will have 30 days to come up with a plan once the results are made public. One very interesting note, which David Zaring picked up on, is that in this 30 day period "…firms will need to review their existing management and board in order to assure that the leadership of the firm has sufficient expertise and ability to manage the risks presented by the current economic environment." In other words, if you’re on the least-favored CEO list -- we’re looking at you Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit and BankAmerica CEO Ken Lewis -- it’s time to start talking about succession, planning for the future and resignation. Once again, Obama sticks his fingers into the boardrooms, through the facility of TARP funding. Under normal conditions, of course, the US government would have absolutely no say in the hiring decisions and compensation practices in the private sector, leaving those policies to stockholders. This White House has shown itself adept at using TARP as a lever to force companies to bend to their will and dance to their tune.
Obama Threatens California	Obama is threatening to rescind billions of dollars in federal stimulus money if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers do not restore wage cuts to unionized home healthcare workers approved in February as part of the budget. Schwarzenegger's office was advised this week by federal health officials that the wage reduction, which will save California $74 million, violates provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Failure to revoke the scheduled wage cut before it takes effect July 1 could cost California $6.8 billion in stimulus money, according to state officials. The news comes as state lawmakers are already facing a severe cash crisis, with the state at risk of running out of money in July. The wages at issue involve workers who care for some 440,000 low-income disabled and elderly Californians. The workers, who collectively contribute millions of dollars in dues each month to the influential Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the United Domestic Workers, will see the state's contribution to their wages cut from a maximum of $12.10 per hour to a maximum of $10.10. The SEIU said in a statement that it had asked the Obama administration for the ruling. Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that SEIU PAC Spent $27 million supporting Obama’s election. (Source: FEC Filing)
Coercion	Obama's Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood told a group of reporters at the National Press Club on Thursday that he wants to "coerce people out of their cars." Ray Lahood says he has joined a transformational administration: "I think we can change people's behavior." Lahood has become a champion of using the Department of Transportation and federal transportation spending to get people to take trains, busses, and ride bikes instead of driving cars. "We want to really...the idea of creating opportunities for people to get out of their cars -- and we're working with the secretary of HUD, Shaun Donovan, on opportunities for housing, walking paths, biking paths," said Lahood. "If somebody wants to ride their bike, if -- to work or to the place of employment or to other places -- mass transit, light rail -- creating opportunities for what we call livable communities." The moderator of the press club event asked Lahood: "Some in the highway-supporters motorist groups have been concerned by your livability initiative. Is this an effort to make driving more torturous and to coerce people out of their cars?" Lahood answered: "It is a way to coerce people out of their cars." Lahood then made a joke about the fact that some conservatives believe that the way he wants to use the Department of Transportation represents an increased government intrusion in people’s lives. "Some conservative groups are wary of the livable communities program, saying it's an example of government intrusion into people's lives," said the moderator. "How do you respond?" "About everything we do around here is government intrusion in people's lives," said Lahood.
Obama Pressures Intelligence Agencies	Military intelligence officials have quietly told Congress they advised against transferring 25 of the 60 Guantanamo Bay terror detainees deemed eligible for relocation by the Obama administration, including five who are considered to be highly dangerous and likely to return to the battlefield. But the Defense Intelligence Agency officials did not raise any formal objections with the administration because they concluded the decision to move prisoners already had been made, according to a letter Sen. Tom Coburn, a member of the intelligence committee, sent Tuesday to Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair. In the letter, obtained by The Washington Times, the Oklahoma Republican senator questions whether Obama put political considerations ahead of national security. "The DIA told the committee that DIA has not objected to the release of many rank-and-file members of terrorist organizations 'due to an explicit understanding that many detainees were destined to be transferred out of Gitmo regardless of intelligence-based objections,'" Mr. Coburn wrote. "DIA's admission that it is not objecting to the release of some members of terrorist organizations due to a belief that policy considerations will outweigh intelligence concerns is highly troubling and highlights the need for the committee to hear from your office about the judgments of all agencies on this matter," Mr. Coburn wrote. Continue reading here . . .