The Angel Whispered... "Guilty" 3 Sisters Scandal

Once again, damning emails surface to send otherwise stealthy offenders to the slammer, in a curious tale of questionable family values.

3 Sisters Convicted:  Devoutly Catholic Political Family Rocked by Scandal

Three members of a devoutly Catholic Pennsylvania political family are headed for prison, convicted of campaign corruption.  The first of the Orie sisters,  state Senator Jane Orie, was already in state prison for political corruption when her siblings, state Supreme Court Justice Jean Orie Melvin and her sister Janine Orie were convicted of campaign corruption charges.

Prosecutors brought up emails regarding messages sent to the "angel lady," an $85/hour Philly psychic who claimed to receive whispered revelations from an angel.  The sisters apparently were seeking assurances that their ongoing investigation would not result in criminal charges.

Thus proving once again that, because the psychic answer is technically from an angel, that's still Catholic enough for government work.

History, the Right-Wing Way

Some right-wingers ignore facts as they rewrite U.S. history

Nope, not an April Fools joke.

It's propaganda on the level of the Holocaust deniers, and it's invading your kids' minds like a seeping, brown-shirted virus.

So, all of the sudden, they're eating away at American history's icons, trying to make sense of their own mixed-up philosophy. According to an article by Steven Thomma in the April 1st issue of McClatchy Newspapers, there's a bunch of conservatives in Texas (surprised?) who are rewriting high school texts - again. They're out to challenge such basics as the founders' intentions with separation of church and state, along with an apparent roasting of such historical standouts as Thomas Jefferson, the Jamestown settlers, and Alexander Hamilton. And somehow, they're managing to paint the villainous Joe McCarthy as a hero, and claiming that FDR actually caused the Great Depression (despite his having taken office after the economy was already in trouble).

"We are adding balance," Texas school board member Don McLeroy said. "History has already been skewed. Academia is skewed too far to the left." M'kay...

Certainly history has been up for re-interpretation before, but this is pretty sweeping, seemingly without basis in fact, and geared toward the convenience of the same nuts who've been shoveling this anti-American poop for the past decade. Worse, they're starting, not by web articles or publishing learned papers at the collegiate level - but by altering school books. The school books that parents pay for; that children read.

Of course, the same revisionist information is spreading nationwide via radio, TV and the web, proffered by the more pungently conservative politicians and pundits. Some of the things being said are so far to the right that even conservative intellectuals scoff.

What to do? Save your old school books. They may be the only place to find the truth...

And You Thought Polk Street in SF was WILD...

Down in Polk County, Florida, the school board found themselves in a pickle -- or more precisely, a noodle. Seems most of the school board professed a belief in Creationism, and had set its sights on introducing this religiously based theory into science classes in the school district. That is, until the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (a satirical blog) stepped in. The Pastafarians, as they call themselves, demanded their God-as-noodle theory be taught as yet another alternative explanation of life on Earth. When the press stirred up a public outcry against religious theory being taught in science classes, the school board Creationists quickly retreated, egg-noodle on their faces.

Read for yourself: Polk Needled, Noodled in Evolution Flap

And then there was this: in that same school district, a Polk County elementary school principal is arrested for possession of child pornography, as photos were found of two adult nude women, with two of his students' faces pasted on. The pictures were on his home computer, and apparently, not wishing to be without his fair ladies, he took prints with him in his briefcase. The article cites vital details such as his home address and his principal's salary, presumably so we can get good and mad at him for making so much money, then march right to his house, pitchforks and torches at the ready.

Then there is this statement about other nude pictures in his possession: "Those pictures did not rise to the level of criminal pornography." Rise? I suppose they know their porno when they see it.

Read the full article here: Principal Faces Porn Charges

Prostitute Testimony Figures in Cunningham Associate's Trial

Dirty politics in a Hawaii hot tub cost a lot more than anticipated for a Poway businessman, Brent Wilkes, as he argued with North county Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham over two prostitutes hired by Wilkes for the occasion. Apparently it's poor form to choose the prettier one for one's self, while offering the less attractive hooker to one's guest. After the tubbing faux pas, the businessman's government contracts quickly dried up.

See the North County Times article for all the hot bubbling details.

http://nctimes.com/articles/2007/10/18/news/top_stories/1_02_4910_17_07.txt

Staunch Republican Suicide after Resignation

Here's a tragic story, involving a city councilman who seemed to have some terrible secrets involving child molestation.

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ST. PETERSBURG - City Council Chairman John Bryan walked into City Hall just after 1 p.m. Friday and handed in his resignation letter.

Less than five hours later, he was slumped over in a golf cart in the garage of his Floral City house, dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. He was 56.

Bryan's suicide came after news spread Friday that authorities were investigating allegations that he had sexually abused three girls, including two of his adopted daughters, ages 12 and 15. Ron Stuart, a spokesman for the Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court, said the third alleged victim was a nanny for Bryan years ago and no longer lives in the area.

For city officials, the allegations were as jarring as they were sickening. Bryan was a hometown business hero, a pillar of the community, a powerful voice on the City Council and a fierce ally of Mayor Rick Baker.

See the entire story here: Suicide and Scandal

Haggard vs. Jesus Camp

As many of you know, a documentary film called "Jesus Camp" has just been released. While critics have called the film surprisingly even-handed, it reveals the activities of an Evangelical Christian children's camp.

Ted Haggard (see previous post) appeared in this film. It seems that, of all the people depicted in this film, only Haggard has complained about how he is characterized. Having seen a clip of him from the film, we were astonished at the apparent contradiction between his demeanor in the film and the current accusations of promiscuity and drug use, to which he has recently admitted.

This film reportedly contains footage of Ted Haggard emphatically lecturing children against homosexuality, in a manner that accurately foreshadowed recent events.

To see the trailer for the documentary, just go to Jesus Camp and click on "VIDEOS." This trailer does not contain the Haggard clip in question, but does illustrate the overall content of the film.



You may judge for yourselves whether this film portrays Evangelicals evenhandedly, and whether Evangelicals themselves continue to represent traditional conservative values. According to the film's web site:

"A growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement.

"JESUS CAMP... follows Levi, Rachael, and Tory to Pastor Becky Fischer's 'Kids on Fire' summer camp in Devil's Lake, North Dakota, where kids as young as 6 years old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in 'God's army.' The film follows these children at camp as they hone their 'prophetic gifts' and are schooled in how to 'take back America for Christ.' The film is a first-ever look into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America's political future."

By the way, if anyone has seen this film, please feel free to review it here by commenting on this blog post.

Scandals Stack Just Like Cord Wood

If readers are looking for some relief from the mounting scandals plaguing family-values conservatives and the Republican party, there's little hope for a let-up.

Take for example this story by the Associated Press, concerning Ted Haggard, leader of the 30 million-member National Association of Evangelicals and pastor of the 14,000 member New Life Church:

Key Evangelical quits amid gay sex claim

The claims by 49-year-old Mike Jones were first aired on KHOW-AM radio in Denver. Jones said Haggard paid him to have sex nearly every month over three years. (If you're into math, that's about 36 times.) Jones also said Haggard snorted methamphetamine before their sexual encounters to heighten his experience.

Do conservatives bring these situations upon themselves, simply by their outspoken views on such things as who will get into Heaven (a discussion Haggard had with Barbara Walters in a 2005 interview)? Or, if the stories are true, is one of the most revered evangelists in this country, an outspoken opponent to gay marriage, paying for gay sex and using illegal drugs in the process?

Wait, There's More:

Add to the woes of hard-hit Republican candidates across America this announcement that Pennsylvania Republican Representative Don Sherwood, accused of abusing his ex-mistress, Cynthia Ore, agreed to pay her about $500,000 in a settlement last year that contained a powerful incentive for her to keep quiet until after Election Day.

Rep. paying ex-mistress about $500K

The title of this AP article doesn't do this sordid story justice. It seems that Sherwood, a 65-year-old married father of three who is considered a family-values conservative, had one of the safest seats in Congress. That is, until Cynthia Ore sued him in June 2005, alleging he physically abused her throughout their 5-year affair. Ore aggreed to the terms of the settlement, which includes keeping silent about the details.

According to police, in 2004 Ore called 911 on her cell from the bathroom of Sherwood's Capitol Hill apartment to report that Sherwood had choked her while giving her a back rub. Sherwood admitted having the affair with Ore, but vehemently denied hurting her. Criminal charges were never filed. Ore, now 30, sued for damages, hence the $500,000 settlement.

What Does It Mean?

These are just two stories. The news is filled with similarly unsavory accounts. Does it illustrate the growing chasm between deep seated conservative beliefs and the actions of those who profess to share those beliefs? Are these people merely posing as conservatives, in order to gain lofty, responsible, well-paid positions in our society?