USA

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102

Gareth Porter: US must acknowledge that Iran has a broad influence that no US policy can alter Pt3/4

Was Mike Connell, the Computer IT Guru for Rove and Bush, plane crash an accident? Connell’s private plane crashed while attempting to land at the Akron-Canton, OH airport the evening of Friday, 12/19/2008. Connell received threats from Karl Rove according to friends close to Connell prior to the 2008 election when Connell was subpoenaed to testify about his role in the Ohio 2004 election. Plaintiffs Attorney, Cliff Arnebeck, sent letters to John Conyers, Dennis Kucinich, Attorney General Mukasy and the Ohio Sec. of State, Jennifer Bruner, July 2008, warning them that Connell needed their protection. Connell knew things that others might not want revealed.

Was Connell’s plane crash an accident due to bad weather? Are other colleagues of Connell potentially in danger for their knowledge about missing white house emails that might reveal inside information regarding the U.S. Attorney scandals, election manipulation, and more?

The facts: Mike Connell was compelled to testify in Ohio on Nov. 3, 2008 about his role in assisting the former Ohio Sec. of State Kenneth Blackwell in the 2004 Ohio presidential election. Evidence shows that the Ohio live election results in Nov. 2004 went to Connells Smartech servers in Chattanooga, TN before going to the Ohio Sec. of State website. This man-in-the-middle arrangement could have resulted in massive election fraud.

Mike Connell, according to some sources, was scared. Even though he had been a loyalist for the Bushes and Karl Rove for many years and for the 2000 & 2004 elections, Connell thought he might be thrown under the bus by Cheney and Bush.

Was Connells plane crash an accident? There must be a thorough investigation into the circumstances of Connells demise.

Links:

CBS INVESTIGATES:
Republican IT Guru Dies in Plane Crash:
Was Sought in Controversies Over E-Voting And Missing White House E-Mails: His Death Sparks More Controversy
Dec. 23, 2008
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/23/cbsnews_investigates/main4684431.shtml

Republican IT Strategist Dies in Plane Crash
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/12/22/republican_it_specialist_dies_in_plane

OH Election Fraud Attorney Reacts to the Death of Mike Connell
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6768

‘Karl Rove’s IT guru’ Mike Connell dies in plane crash
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Karl_Roves_IT_guru_Mike_Connell_1220.html

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SMARTech_Corporation

http://markcrispinmiller.com/2008/12/vr-on-mike-connells-death.html

Bush Insider Who Planned To Tell All Killed In Plane Crash: Non-Profit Demands Full Federal Investigation
http://markets.on.nytimes.com/research/stocks/news/press_release.asp?docKey=600-200812201124PR_NEWS_USPR_____DC54094-477UNBF8U5NRSARMF39355DDGV&provider=PR%20Newswire&docDate=December%2020%2C%202008&press_symbol=undefined&scp=8&sq=Michael%20Connell&st=cse&scp=1&sq=Mike%20connell%20killed&st=cse

Karl Rove threatened him, and now the witness is dead.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/20/115123/56/832/675467

http://www.velvetrevolution.us/

The closing moments of the ITV News (UK) coverage of the US Presidential election - including great montage of the night.

This just fun video that cute and if like farts you love this video!
www.peoplestandup.ca

At the top of the news, a brutal attack on a man in Brooklyn who was perceived as being gay because he was walking arm and arm with his brother has left Jose Sucuzhanay, 31, brain dead and has been taken off life support. We incorrectly reported that he had actually died based on published reports on Tuesday and he indeed may have by the time you see the show.

This week we explore an outrage in New York where police are falsely arresting gay men for prostitution. The scandal was exposed by Duncan Osborne of the Gay City News and he will join us for our last twenty minutes along with Robert Pinter, one of the gay men arrested in this disgusting abuse of police power. You can read Duncan’s story at:

http://www.gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20213303&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6

Mr. Pinter has started a group called the Coalition to Stop the Arrests, You can contact him at STOPTHEARRESTS@aol.com

There will be a town hall meeting for the Coalition to Stop the Arrests on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009 at 7 PM at the LGBT Community Center in NY at 208 W. 13th St. The meeting is co-sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project and the Center’s Office on Public Policy and Governmental Relations.

NOTE: I chastise our out gay elected officials and myself as an activist on the show for not doing enough to protest these false arrests. I should say that after taping our report, out gay State Senator Tom Duane of Chelsea and the West Side did indeed call me back and is looking into this outrage. We all have to get activated when police power is abused in this way because it makes us all targets of a tremendous injustice.

ALSO IN THE NEWS:

RIGHTWING FREAKS ACCUSE GAYS OF MOB VIOLENCE

NEWSWEEK COVER STORY MAKES RELIGIOUS CASE FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

IOWA HIGH COURT HEARS CASE FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

THE NEW DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY IN THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE IS IN TURMOIL, JEOPARDIZING THE MARRIAGE EQUALITY BILL (Since we taped, a deal with three renegade Democrats to vote for Malcolm Smith as Majority Leader was nixed by him and the Democrats may have to wait another two years to win a true and loyal majority.) Gay couples can go to CT, MA, or Canada to get legally married and it will be recognized in NY. Legislation is needed to open NY marriage bureaus to gay couples. To see how you can help, go to the Pride Agenda website at www.prideagenda.org

THE U.N. WILL CONSIDER RESOLUTIONS TO DECRIMINALIZE HOMOSEXUAL ACTS, BUT THE U.S. IS NOT ON BOARD AND THE VATICAN IS OPENLY OPPOSING IT. Go to www.gayusatv.org to see how you can help by contacting the outgoing and incoming administrations

ANDY REVIEWS LIZA

AND WE’LL REVIEW PROP 8: THE MUSICAL; which you can see at www.funnyordie.com

Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Barack Obama Speak to supporters on election night

Go to www.rulabrown.com.
An Iraqi television journalist hurled two shoes at President Bush on Sunday during a joint news conference Bush was holding with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki to mark the signing of a U.S.-Iraq security agreement.

Bush had just finished his prepared remarks in which he said the security agreement was made possible by the U.S. surge of troops earlier this year, whhen the journalist, Muthathar al Zaidi pulled his shoes off and hurled them at the president. “This is a goodbye kiss, you dog,” Zaidi shouted.

Bush dodged the shoes and was not struck. Bodyguards quickly wrestled Zaidi to the floor and hauled him, kicking and screaming, from the room. Two other Iraqi journalists were briefly detained after one of them called Zaidi’s actions “courageous.”

Honors for this video (5)
#12 - Most Responded (Today) - News & Politics
#18 - Most Responded (This Week) - News & Politics
#71 - Most Viewed (Today) - News & Politics - United Kingdom
#99 - Most Viewed (Today) - News & Politics - Ireland
#61 - Most Viewed (Today) - News & Politics - Poland

FINAL STRETCH OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN:

We focus this week on the upcoming election, particularly ballot initiatives in California, Arizona, Florida and Arkansas. In the most heavily contested initiative in California, your donations are closing the gap between us and our opponents and the polls are not closer, too. If you have not as yet donated, now is the time.

IN THE NEWS:

This week, we will show you a series of clips on the above campaigns and more from around the nation:

Joe Biden comes out against Prop 8 on “Ellen;” we have film

Controversy over whether the No On Prop 8 campaign ads are hard hitting enough

Newest No On Prop 8 TV spot

Margaret Cho’s Internet ad versus Prop 8

Focus on the Family ads in Florida and Arizona supporting anti-gay amendments

The “Wayne & Helene” TV spot versus the Florida amendment

Michael Schiavo does an ad versus the anti-gay amendment in Florida

Ad v. Arkansas Act 1 that would ban adoption and foster care by unmarried cohabitating couples

Linda Ketner, an out lesbian running for Congress in Charleston, SC

A Chapel Hill teen speaks out on Pam’s House Blend about anti-lesbian harassment she survived in her high school

Bill O’Reilly’s attack on Barney Frank

A new study finds big problems with AIDS “drug holidays”

Berclusconi supports McCain ‘because of his age’; Report and analysis by Nina De Roy of Bloomberg News

A U.S. Election Update! Greg Shapiro covers Obama’s trip to Europe.