A U.S. Appeals Court in New Orleans has upheld the conviction and lengthy sentences of Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean.
Refusing to overturn the convictions, the 3-judge panel stated that 'a jury has spoken.'
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators and Congressmen led by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO), and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) had called on President Bush to commute the sentences of the two men, releasing them from prison.
Rohrabacher had even presented evidence in Congress of corruption within the U.S. Justice Department involving U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, who had prosecuted the case.
Yet so far nothing has been done to correct an obvious wrong on the part of the U.S. Government in this case.
Read all about this outrageous new development on the Border Patrol scandal HERE.
Showing posts with label Rep. Duncan Hunter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rep. Duncan Hunter. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Smoking Gun Leads to Oval Office
Important and shocking facts have surfaced within the last few days that may indicate high level corruption at the Bush White House. These facts may well lead straight to the Oval Office itself.
This major scandal has nothing to do with 9/11. The 9/11 attack was not an 'inside job' no matter what wackos such as Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell have to say.
More importantly, it also has nothing to do with the present Democratic hissy-fit over the firing of eight U.S. prosecuting attorneys. The President was well within his Constitutional authority to fire those attorneys at will.
The scandal that may well lead to the unraveling of the Bush White House revolves around the prosecution and imprisonment of the two Border Patrol agents who were sent to jail for over a decade for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler in the buttocks.
We know, for example, that the two men are not guilty of the charges brought against them. Their supervisors were present when the incident took place. We also know that U.S. Attorney and Bush crony Johnny Sutton hid evidence from the court and charged the two men under statutes that were not appropriate for their alleged crimes, for the single purpose of putting them away for a long, long time.
Why was Sutton so determined to get these men out of the way for over a decade?
We know, further, that members of the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security lied to Congress about this case. Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacker, R-California, can recount in minute detail each time a member of the Administration lied to him and his committee that was charged with investigating this case.
These Administration officials even admitted to that committee that they had lied.
What were their lies intended to hide?
People do not lie to Congress unless they are engaged in a cover up of some sort.
In addition, when Rep. Rohrabacker attempted to get the White House to agree to release the two Agents on bond pending the appeal of their sentence, even then the White House refused.
Why?
Part of the answer lies in formerly classified documents that were released under the Freedom of Information Act. Not only did Johnny Sutton grant the Mexican drug smuggler immunity in exchange for providing testimony against the two Agents, but he provided him with unlimited border pass privileges, even though Sutton knew he had engaged in more drug smuggling AFTER the incident in which he was shot in the buttocks by the Agents.
My friends, this kind of gross malfeasance occurs only when there is more beneath the surface than one can readily observe. Johnny Sutton, President Bush, and others involved in this case would not engage in such activity unless there were much more to hide.
The two Border Patrol agents were merely the tip of the iceberg. Under the surface lies a massive cauldron of corruption involving the Mexican government, the Bush administration, shady deals with criminals to appease Mexican government thugs, and heavy-handed attempts to suppress law enforcement at our southern border, while publicly claiming that 'we need to make sure our borders are secure.'
Sutton and others like him in the DOJ and the DHS would not be conducting these kinds of dirty deals unless they were part of an overall policy implemented by the Administration.
Rep. Rohrabacker has stated repeatedly that he is not 'out to get President Bush.' He has made it clear that he is not the enemy, even going as far as personally inviting the White House to come clean about the situation so that steps can be taken to correct it without soiling the President's reputation.
Yet at each and every juncture, Rohrabacker has been met with rudeness and stonewalling. Not even holding out an olive branch could sway the Bush White House.
As we have stated many, many times before on The Liberty Sphere, the President made what could be a politically fatal mistake when he refused to cooperate with Rep. Rohrabacker, Rep. Duncan Hunter, Rep. Tom Tancredo, and others within the Republican Party who were never the President's enemies.
Now he is facing a totally hostile environment in the Senate as the President's sworn political enemies are clearly attempting to grab at straws--anything to destroy him.
The President has refused to cooperate with the very people who have supported him through thick and thin. Now he must face hostile enemies who smell blood.
If the Democrats find out that the investigation of the firing of eight attorneys gets them nowhere, and that the dozens of other investigations they have opened all lead to dead-ends (and this most definitely WILL be the outcome), then they will gradually hop on the issue of the two innocent Border Patrol agents with a vengeance.
Of all of the investigations the Democrats hoped would lead to the demise of the Bush White House, this is the ONLY one that has the facts to back up the suspicions.
Dianne Feinstein has already sniffed out a coup. She has sent the President a memo calling for the release of Agents Ramos and Compean.
But the President is highly naive if he thinks she and her colleagues will stop there.
They will simply keep snooping around until they uncover the vast corruption involving our southern border and the country of Mexico--and the President's stubborn refusal to deal with it.
Whoever has been giving the President advice on this issue should be fired and sued for the return of their government salaries. It is obvious they are about three cards shy of a full deck and have done nothing but allow the President to become vulnerable to political suicide. In fact, their ineptitude is alarming.
Any political advisor who allows this to happen is nothing but a numbskull.
Even so, the President still has a chance to salvage his reputation, his Administration, and his Party, by coming clean, clearing out the sleaze that has infested the DOJ and the DHS, and setting the two Border Patrol agents free.
This major scandal has nothing to do with 9/11. The 9/11 attack was not an 'inside job' no matter what wackos such as Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell have to say.
More importantly, it also has nothing to do with the present Democratic hissy-fit over the firing of eight U.S. prosecuting attorneys. The President was well within his Constitutional authority to fire those attorneys at will.
The scandal that may well lead to the unraveling of the Bush White House revolves around the prosecution and imprisonment of the two Border Patrol agents who were sent to jail for over a decade for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler in the buttocks.
We know, for example, that the two men are not guilty of the charges brought against them. Their supervisors were present when the incident took place. We also know that U.S. Attorney and Bush crony Johnny Sutton hid evidence from the court and charged the two men under statutes that were not appropriate for their alleged crimes, for the single purpose of putting them away for a long, long time.
Why was Sutton so determined to get these men out of the way for over a decade?
We know, further, that members of the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security lied to Congress about this case. Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacker, R-California, can recount in minute detail each time a member of the Administration lied to him and his committee that was charged with investigating this case.
These Administration officials even admitted to that committee that they had lied.
What were their lies intended to hide?
People do not lie to Congress unless they are engaged in a cover up of some sort.
In addition, when Rep. Rohrabacker attempted to get the White House to agree to release the two Agents on bond pending the appeal of their sentence, even then the White House refused.
Why?
Part of the answer lies in formerly classified documents that were released under the Freedom of Information Act. Not only did Johnny Sutton grant the Mexican drug smuggler immunity in exchange for providing testimony against the two Agents, but he provided him with unlimited border pass privileges, even though Sutton knew he had engaged in more drug smuggling AFTER the incident in which he was shot in the buttocks by the Agents.
My friends, this kind of gross malfeasance occurs only when there is more beneath the surface than one can readily observe. Johnny Sutton, President Bush, and others involved in this case would not engage in such activity unless there were much more to hide.
The two Border Patrol agents were merely the tip of the iceberg. Under the surface lies a massive cauldron of corruption involving the Mexican government, the Bush administration, shady deals with criminals to appease Mexican government thugs, and heavy-handed attempts to suppress law enforcement at our southern border, while publicly claiming that 'we need to make sure our borders are secure.'
Sutton and others like him in the DOJ and the DHS would not be conducting these kinds of dirty deals unless they were part of an overall policy implemented by the Administration.
Rep. Rohrabacker has stated repeatedly that he is not 'out to get President Bush.' He has made it clear that he is not the enemy, even going as far as personally inviting the White House to come clean about the situation so that steps can be taken to correct it without soiling the President's reputation.
Yet at each and every juncture, Rohrabacker has been met with rudeness and stonewalling. Not even holding out an olive branch could sway the Bush White House.
As we have stated many, many times before on The Liberty Sphere, the President made what could be a politically fatal mistake when he refused to cooperate with Rep. Rohrabacker, Rep. Duncan Hunter, Rep. Tom Tancredo, and others within the Republican Party who were never the President's enemies.
Now he is facing a totally hostile environment in the Senate as the President's sworn political enemies are clearly attempting to grab at straws--anything to destroy him.
The President has refused to cooperate with the very people who have supported him through thick and thin. Now he must face hostile enemies who smell blood.
If the Democrats find out that the investigation of the firing of eight attorneys gets them nowhere, and that the dozens of other investigations they have opened all lead to dead-ends (and this most definitely WILL be the outcome), then they will gradually hop on the issue of the two innocent Border Patrol agents with a vengeance.
Of all of the investigations the Democrats hoped would lead to the demise of the Bush White House, this is the ONLY one that has the facts to back up the suspicions.
Dianne Feinstein has already sniffed out a coup. She has sent the President a memo calling for the release of Agents Ramos and Compean.
But the President is highly naive if he thinks she and her colleagues will stop there.
They will simply keep snooping around until they uncover the vast corruption involving our southern border and the country of Mexico--and the President's stubborn refusal to deal with it.
Whoever has been giving the President advice on this issue should be fired and sued for the return of their government salaries. It is obvious they are about three cards shy of a full deck and have done nothing but allow the President to become vulnerable to political suicide. In fact, their ineptitude is alarming.
Any political advisor who allows this to happen is nothing but a numbskull.
Even so, the President still has a chance to salvage his reputation, his Administration, and his Party, by coming clean, clearing out the sleaze that has infested the DOJ and the DHS, and setting the two Border Patrol agents free.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Rohrabacher: Bush Arrogant, Shows Contempt
Washington, DC (TLS). Using his strongest language yet to lash out at President Bush, U.S. House Representative Dana Rohrabacher, R-CA, described the President as 'arrogant' and exhibiting an utter 'contempt' for Congress in the Border Patrol scandal.
Rohrabacher made his remarks in a speech before the U.S. House on Monday afternoon.
Claiming that in response to the outcry of Congressmen such as Rohrabacher, Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, and others, who have all but begged the President for a pardon for the two falsely accused agents, Bush instead 'dug in his heels' and stubbornly refused to hear the mountain of evidence concerning Johnny Sutton's lies, the lies of the Department of Homeland Security, and the pain suffered by the two agents and their families.
The Department of Homeland Security, said Rohrabacher, is raging out of control with nobody truly at the helm to make sure justice is done. The Department has just now released transcripts of the Ramos-Compean trial, a full two years after the incident at the Border took place, despite persistent requests from Congress that the documents be released.
Rohrabacher further described other incidents of foot-dragging on the part of Homeland Security in providing much-needed information on the case--a case in which the Department admitted it lied.
The Congressman points the finger directly at Johnny Sutton, Alberto Gonzalez, and President Bush in fixing the blame for the debacle. In spite of written documentation proving that the government violated the chain of custody in handling vital evidence of bullet fragments in the case, and in spite of the fact that a Homeland Security official allowed the illegal alien drug smuggler to stay overnight at his personal residence after his release from the hospital, the government doggedly pursued the prosecution of agents Ramos and Compean, suppressing evidence that most assuredly would have changed the opinion of the jury.
In a display that shows just how passionately Rohrabacher feels about this case, the Congressman angrily suggested that Bush has become a puppet of the Mexican government when it comes to our southern border and that law enforcement agents are prosecuted at Mexico's bidding.
Rohrabacher stated that a Congressional investigation would ensue into charges of undue influence-peddling by the Mexican government in the U.S. judicial system--illegal activity that has been met with no objection from the Justice Department, Attorney-General Gonzalez, or President Bush.
The Liberty Sphere reported many weeks ago that this one case could spell the unraveling of the Bush Presidency. In the midst of ridiculous and laughable saber-rattling by Democrats on such insignificant matters as the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys (because the Dems are afraid their replacements will investigate in earnest the ample corruption of Congressional Democrats), the one thing that could legitimately bring down the Bush Presidency has been conspicuously ignored by Democrats.
This is because they share culpability with the President over our nation's despicable practice of deliberately failing to enforce federal law on illegal aliens.
Once more, I would like to remind the President, Attorney-General Gonzalez, Johnny Sutton, and at least 300 Democrats that the U.S. Code plainly states that aiding and abetting illegal aliens is a FELONY.
I am almost at the point of charging ALL of them with committing felonies and getting rid of the entire lot.
The nation can be most thankful that 2008 is on the way!
Rohrabacher made his remarks in a speech before the U.S. House on Monday afternoon.
Claiming that in response to the outcry of Congressmen such as Rohrabacher, Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, and others, who have all but begged the President for a pardon for the two falsely accused agents, Bush instead 'dug in his heels' and stubbornly refused to hear the mountain of evidence concerning Johnny Sutton's lies, the lies of the Department of Homeland Security, and the pain suffered by the two agents and their families.
The Department of Homeland Security, said Rohrabacher, is raging out of control with nobody truly at the helm to make sure justice is done. The Department has just now released transcripts of the Ramos-Compean trial, a full two years after the incident at the Border took place, despite persistent requests from Congress that the documents be released.
Rohrabacher further described other incidents of foot-dragging on the part of Homeland Security in providing much-needed information on the case--a case in which the Department admitted it lied.
The Congressman points the finger directly at Johnny Sutton, Alberto Gonzalez, and President Bush in fixing the blame for the debacle. In spite of written documentation proving that the government violated the chain of custody in handling vital evidence of bullet fragments in the case, and in spite of the fact that a Homeland Security official allowed the illegal alien drug smuggler to stay overnight at his personal residence after his release from the hospital, the government doggedly pursued the prosecution of agents Ramos and Compean, suppressing evidence that most assuredly would have changed the opinion of the jury.
In a display that shows just how passionately Rohrabacher feels about this case, the Congressman angrily suggested that Bush has become a puppet of the Mexican government when it comes to our southern border and that law enforcement agents are prosecuted at Mexico's bidding.
Rohrabacher stated that a Congressional investigation would ensue into charges of undue influence-peddling by the Mexican government in the U.S. judicial system--illegal activity that has been met with no objection from the Justice Department, Attorney-General Gonzalez, or President Bush.
The Liberty Sphere reported many weeks ago that this one case could spell the unraveling of the Bush Presidency. In the midst of ridiculous and laughable saber-rattling by Democrats on such insignificant matters as the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys (because the Dems are afraid their replacements will investigate in earnest the ample corruption of Congressional Democrats), the one thing that could legitimately bring down the Bush Presidency has been conspicuously ignored by Democrats.
This is because they share culpability with the President over our nation's despicable practice of deliberately failing to enforce federal law on illegal aliens.
Once more, I would like to remind the President, Attorney-General Gonzalez, Johnny Sutton, and at least 300 Democrats that the U.S. Code plainly states that aiding and abetting illegal aliens is a FELONY.
I am almost at the point of charging ALL of them with committing felonies and getting rid of the entire lot.
The nation can be most thankful that 2008 is on the way!
Duncan Hunter on Gun Issues
Knoxville, TN (TLS). Ever since U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, R-CA, announced his candidacy for the Republican Presidential nomination, The Liberty Sphere has been taking a periodic look at the candidate's stand on various issues.
Today we look at Hunter's stand on gun issues, the Second Amendment, the use of firearms, and the freedom of Americans to manufacturer and use ammunition.
Very few politicians in Washington or anywhere else can match Duncan Hunter's record on the issue of gun-and-ammo rights. As we have mentioned before, our favorite 2nd Amendment advocacy group, Gun Owners of America, has given Hunter the rare grade of 'A+' on gun issues.
In addition, the NRA has also given Hunter the rating of 'A+.'
While we have all the respect in the world for the NRA, it is actually much more difficult to attain Gun Owners of America's grade of A+ than it is to get the same rating from the NRA. We support both groups, but Gun Owners of America's standards are very tough when it comes to their perfect rating of A+.
What this means, of course, is that among citizens elected to public office within the United States, Duncan Hunter is part of an elite group of fierce defenders of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which recognizes and protects the right of individual citizens to keep and bear arms.
An important adjunct in the support of the 2nd Amendment is the support of the right to purchase ammunition for firearms without restriction. The Second Amendment is rendered null and void if politicians load up the U.S. Code and local laws with needless restrictions on the manufacturers of gun ammunition.
The politicians know this. Thus, their attempt to negate the 2nd Amendment by making it nearly illegal or impossible to manufacture and buy ammo is an underhanded, sleazy attempt to subvert the U.S. Constitution by the 'backdoor method.' This is one of the reasons why the forces of anti-freedom, such as the Brady Bunch and N.Y.C. Mayor Bloomberg, are targeting the manufacturers of ammunition.
Duncan Hunter is one politician that understand this and has a clear voting record of opposing attempts by the Left to pass restrictions on the manufacture and sale of bullets and other ammo.
Here is a small sampling of Hunter's votes on gun-related issues:
*Voted YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers. (Oct 2005)
*Voted YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse.(Apr 2003)
*Voted YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1. (Jun 1999)
The Liberty Sphere still views Duncan Hunter as the most attractive candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination. We are encouraged that over the past few weeks two high-profile conservatives have indicated the willingness to consider entering the race--Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich. Both of these candidates would be formidable against Democrats.
However, we still think that Duncan Hunter's views best represent ours and the majority of most Reagan conservatives. The only hurdle he faces is the monumental task of fund-raising. This is due to nothing more than the lack of name recognition.
Although the name recognition issue can be overcome in short order if one has the funds, Hunter will need to raise 100 million dollars by January 1, 2008 in order to overcome this handicap and mount a viable and competitive campaign against the heavy war-chests of Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Mitt Romney.
The Liberty Sphere is willing to give Hunter a shot in order to see if the candidate gains the broad-based appeal to raise that 100 million bucks. It's still a long way to Jan. 1, but this is a lot of money. It is time for Hunter's financial supporters to break out the checkbooks so that the candidate can take his campaign up to the next level.
Today we look at Hunter's stand on gun issues, the Second Amendment, the use of firearms, and the freedom of Americans to manufacturer and use ammunition.
Very few politicians in Washington or anywhere else can match Duncan Hunter's record on the issue of gun-and-ammo rights. As we have mentioned before, our favorite 2nd Amendment advocacy group, Gun Owners of America, has given Hunter the rare grade of 'A+' on gun issues.
In addition, the NRA has also given Hunter the rating of 'A+.'
While we have all the respect in the world for the NRA, it is actually much more difficult to attain Gun Owners of America's grade of A+ than it is to get the same rating from the NRA. We support both groups, but Gun Owners of America's standards are very tough when it comes to their perfect rating of A+.
What this means, of course, is that among citizens elected to public office within the United States, Duncan Hunter is part of an elite group of fierce defenders of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which recognizes and protects the right of individual citizens to keep and bear arms.
An important adjunct in the support of the 2nd Amendment is the support of the right to purchase ammunition for firearms without restriction. The Second Amendment is rendered null and void if politicians load up the U.S. Code and local laws with needless restrictions on the manufacturers of gun ammunition.
The politicians know this. Thus, their attempt to negate the 2nd Amendment by making it nearly illegal or impossible to manufacture and buy ammo is an underhanded, sleazy attempt to subvert the U.S. Constitution by the 'backdoor method.' This is one of the reasons why the forces of anti-freedom, such as the Brady Bunch and N.Y.C. Mayor Bloomberg, are targeting the manufacturers of ammunition.
Duncan Hunter is one politician that understand this and has a clear voting record of opposing attempts by the Left to pass restrictions on the manufacture and sale of bullets and other ammo.
Here is a small sampling of Hunter's votes on gun-related issues:
*Voted YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers. (Oct 2005)
*Voted YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse.(Apr 2003)
*Voted YES on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1. (Jun 1999)
The Liberty Sphere still views Duncan Hunter as the most attractive candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination. We are encouraged that over the past few weeks two high-profile conservatives have indicated the willingness to consider entering the race--Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich. Both of these candidates would be formidable against Democrats.
However, we still think that Duncan Hunter's views best represent ours and the majority of most Reagan conservatives. The only hurdle he faces is the monumental task of fund-raising. This is due to nothing more than the lack of name recognition.
Although the name recognition issue can be overcome in short order if one has the funds, Hunter will need to raise 100 million dollars by January 1, 2008 in order to overcome this handicap and mount a viable and competitive campaign against the heavy war-chests of Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Mitt Romney.
The Liberty Sphere is willing to give Hunter a shot in order to see if the candidate gains the broad-based appeal to raise that 100 million bucks. It's still a long way to Jan. 1, but this is a lot of money. It is time for Hunter's financial supporters to break out the checkbooks so that the candidate can take his campaign up to the next level.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Surprise! Hunter 3rd in Important Straw Poll
Washington, DC (TLS). South Carolina has become an extremely important destination for candidates in both Parties this year, as Party leaders designated the early South Carolina primary as a pivotal first test that could make or break a candidate. The state has received multiple visits from Republican and Democrat presidential candidates such as Duncan Hunter, R-CA, John McCain, R-AZ, Rudy Giuliani, R-NY, Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, Barack Hussein Obama, D-Ill., and Chris Dodd, D-CT.
A dark horse candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination is well on his way to receiving a major boost from this week's straw poll of the Spartanburg County Republican Party. U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, R-CA, has emerged from the back of the pack to take third place in the important Republican straw poll.
Only a few months ago pundits had totally written off the candidacy of Duncan Hunter as a long-shot at best. Lacking in the name recognition and campaign funds of front runners Giuliani and McCain, Hunter was viewed as hardly a blip on the radar screen.
Hunter's sudden rise to the top three in the Republican race has raised eyebrows among the Party elite and enlivened the hopes of conservatives who feared that there would be no one in the race to represent them in either Party. As we have reported previously on The Liberty Sphere, Duncan Hunter has resonated with the voters in the upstate of South Carolina.
As a conservative Republican stronghold, the Greenville-Spartanburg area of South Carolina is beginning to embrace the message of Duncan Hunter, who speaks of peace through strength, the sanctity of human life, including the unborn, the need for a secure border and tough immigration reform, fair trade with countries such as China which have used the millions we send their way to oppose us, and low taxes. These 'Reagan Ideals' appeal to a broad cross-section of voters in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, who still consider President Ronald Reagan as perhaps the best U.S. President of the 20th century.
Hunter was first elected to Congress during the 'Reagan Revolution' in 1980, when Reagan trounced Jimmy Carter in a landslide and swept dozens of conservative Senators and Congressmen into office with him. Reagan turned right around the did the same thing in 1984, pummeling Walter Mondale in one of the largest landslides in the history of American politics.
Since that time, Duncan Hunter has not wavered from his conservative values.
While Hunter at this point stands in third place in the Spartanburg County Straw Poll, the count is not over. Bad weather in the area Thursday and Friday forced a cancellation of the vote count before all precincts were counted. The remaining 10 precincts will be counted next week.
Here are the results of the straw poll so far, with 81 out of 92 precincts counted:
John McCain--164
Rudy Giuliani--162
Duncan Hunter--158
Sam Brownback--85
Mitt Romney--80
Newt Gingrich--33
Mike Huckabee--21
Tom Tancredo--10
John Cox--4
Ron Paul--4
Condoleeza Rice--2
Several candidates tied with one vote.
As you can see by the results, Duncan Hunter is now competitive with both Giuliani and McCain, in spite of the previous lack of name recognition and the lack of a deep war chest of campaign donations. This will most definitely change.
The Liberty Sphere was impressed early-on with Duncan Hunter. He is one of the very few in either the U.S. House or Senate that has received a perfect grade of A+ from Gun Owners of America, which rates candidates and politicians based upon their support for Second Amendment rights.
We are pleased to see Mr. Hunter come from behind and move into a position of prominence. As we have said before, Hunter may well be THE candidate around whom conservatives and 'Reagan Democrats' can rally.
A dark horse candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination is well on his way to receiving a major boost from this week's straw poll of the Spartanburg County Republican Party. U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter, R-CA, has emerged from the back of the pack to take third place in the important Republican straw poll.
Only a few months ago pundits had totally written off the candidacy of Duncan Hunter as a long-shot at best. Lacking in the name recognition and campaign funds of front runners Giuliani and McCain, Hunter was viewed as hardly a blip on the radar screen.
Hunter's sudden rise to the top three in the Republican race has raised eyebrows among the Party elite and enlivened the hopes of conservatives who feared that there would be no one in the race to represent them in either Party. As we have reported previously on The Liberty Sphere, Duncan Hunter has resonated with the voters in the upstate of South Carolina.
As a conservative Republican stronghold, the Greenville-Spartanburg area of South Carolina is beginning to embrace the message of Duncan Hunter, who speaks of peace through strength, the sanctity of human life, including the unborn, the need for a secure border and tough immigration reform, fair trade with countries such as China which have used the millions we send their way to oppose us, and low taxes. These 'Reagan Ideals' appeal to a broad cross-section of voters in the Greenville-Spartanburg area, who still consider President Ronald Reagan as perhaps the best U.S. President of the 20th century.
Hunter was first elected to Congress during the 'Reagan Revolution' in 1980, when Reagan trounced Jimmy Carter in a landslide and swept dozens of conservative Senators and Congressmen into office with him. Reagan turned right around the did the same thing in 1984, pummeling Walter Mondale in one of the largest landslides in the history of American politics.
Since that time, Duncan Hunter has not wavered from his conservative values.
While Hunter at this point stands in third place in the Spartanburg County Straw Poll, the count is not over. Bad weather in the area Thursday and Friday forced a cancellation of the vote count before all precincts were counted. The remaining 10 precincts will be counted next week.
Here are the results of the straw poll so far, with 81 out of 92 precincts counted:
John McCain--164
Rudy Giuliani--162
Duncan Hunter--158
Sam Brownback--85
Mitt Romney--80
Newt Gingrich--33
Mike Huckabee--21
Tom Tancredo--10
John Cox--4
Ron Paul--4
Condoleeza Rice--2
Several candidates tied with one vote.
As you can see by the results, Duncan Hunter is now competitive with both Giuliani and McCain, in spite of the previous lack of name recognition and the lack of a deep war chest of campaign donations. This will most definitely change.
The Liberty Sphere was impressed early-on with Duncan Hunter. He is one of the very few in either the U.S. House or Senate that has received a perfect grade of A+ from Gun Owners of America, which rates candidates and politicians based upon their support for Second Amendment rights.
We are pleased to see Mr. Hunter come from behind and move into a position of prominence. As we have said before, Hunter may well be THE candidate around whom conservatives and 'Reagan Democrats' can rally.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Duncan Hunter Stumps in South Carolina
Washington, DC (TLS). U.S. House Representative Duncan Hunter, R-CA, has apparently found a receptive audience in the state of South Carolina. As a candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination, Hunter has been to the state twice in the last month, first to announce his candidacy, and then to campaign in the state on Friday of this week.
Hunter addressed a breakfast meeting at the luxurious Spartanburg Marriott Hotel at Renaissance Park Friday morning. Attendees at the breakfast included Spartanburg textile mogul Roger Milliken, who has endorsed Hunter.
The breakfast was sponsored by 'FreedomWorks,' a Washington-based issues-oriented group founded by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-TX. FreedomWorks has a strong presence in 10 states and employs a full-time staff in each of these states. The group's website states that the organization has over 800,000 members nationwide.
According to the organization's founding principles, FreedomWorks' objective is to support smaller government and lower taxes. Rep. Hunter fits the bill of the type of candidate FreedomWorks supports.
During the breakfast in Spartanburg, Hunter took questions from local citizens who attended the meeting. He reiterated his support for consistent, firm enforcement of the nation's immigration laws--a growing sore spot among a significant portion of the American population. In the wake of a near-20-year lack of attention to immigration law, resulting in the onslaught of millions of illegal aliens on American society, Hunter believes that it is essential to the nation's survival that we make a clear distinction between legal immigration and illegal entry into the country. Illegal aliens are law-breakers and not 'immigrants.' Hunter would stop the influx of illegals into the country by re-enforcing the security of the nation's borders, bolstering the strength of the Border Patrol, and strictly enforcing the immigration laws already on the books--laws that have been virtually ignored by both the Bush and Clinton administrations.
In addition, Hunter stressed the need for fair trade policies in order to protect the U.S. from unfair practices of nations such as China, who use current law to their benefit at America's expense.
Perhaps the most attractive quality exhibited by the candidate at Friday's breakfast is his insistence that no 'image consultants' be used in his campaign. Hunter believes in a 'what-you-see-is-what-you-get' approach to campaigning. Many at Friday's breakfast lauded Hunter for his stand, as the nation has been forced to endure a barrage of politicians in both Parties that appear to be more concerned with 'image' than genuineness.
Hunter is the genuine article--the real deal. The candidate quipped, 'I don't have to spend any money on image consultants. I already know what I stand for, and I just need to tell the people.'
It cannot be stressed enough that Duncan Hunter is one of only a handful of politicians in Washington who rates a grade of A+ from Gun Owners of America.
That sounds good to us.
Hunter addressed a breakfast meeting at the luxurious Spartanburg Marriott Hotel at Renaissance Park Friday morning. Attendees at the breakfast included Spartanburg textile mogul Roger Milliken, who has endorsed Hunter.
The breakfast was sponsored by 'FreedomWorks,' a Washington-based issues-oriented group founded by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-TX. FreedomWorks has a strong presence in 10 states and employs a full-time staff in each of these states. The group's website states that the organization has over 800,000 members nationwide.
According to the organization's founding principles, FreedomWorks' objective is to support smaller government and lower taxes. Rep. Hunter fits the bill of the type of candidate FreedomWorks supports.
During the breakfast in Spartanburg, Hunter took questions from local citizens who attended the meeting. He reiterated his support for consistent, firm enforcement of the nation's immigration laws--a growing sore spot among a significant portion of the American population. In the wake of a near-20-year lack of attention to immigration law, resulting in the onslaught of millions of illegal aliens on American society, Hunter believes that it is essential to the nation's survival that we make a clear distinction between legal immigration and illegal entry into the country. Illegal aliens are law-breakers and not 'immigrants.' Hunter would stop the influx of illegals into the country by re-enforcing the security of the nation's borders, bolstering the strength of the Border Patrol, and strictly enforcing the immigration laws already on the books--laws that have been virtually ignored by both the Bush and Clinton administrations.
In addition, Hunter stressed the need for fair trade policies in order to protect the U.S. from unfair practices of nations such as China, who use current law to their benefit at America's expense.
Perhaps the most attractive quality exhibited by the candidate at Friday's breakfast is his insistence that no 'image consultants' be used in his campaign. Hunter believes in a 'what-you-see-is-what-you-get' approach to campaigning. Many at Friday's breakfast lauded Hunter for his stand, as the nation has been forced to endure a barrage of politicians in both Parties that appear to be more concerned with 'image' than genuineness.
Hunter is the genuine article--the real deal. The candidate quipped, 'I don't have to spend any money on image consultants. I already know what I stand for, and I just need to tell the people.'
It cannot be stressed enough that Duncan Hunter is one of only a handful of politicians in Washington who rates a grade of A+ from Gun Owners of America.
That sounds good to us.
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