<http://electionconfidential.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/guess-who-filed-suit-to-halt-troopergate/>http://electionconfidential.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/guess-who-filed-suit-to-halt-troopergate/
<http://electionconfidential.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/guess-who-filed-suit-to-halt-troopergate/>Guess Who Filed Suit to Halt TroopergateĊ . On September 16th ABC News reported, "A group of Alaska Republican lawmakers, with the support of a Texas-based conservative legal group, has filed suit to stop the Alaska Legislature's "Troopergate" probe into Gov. Sarah Palin." The ABC coverage was not untypical of mainstream media coverage generally and is not being singled out for scrutiny. This "Texas-based conservative legal group" is generally referred to as LLI (Liberty Legal Institute). Their website, which is very open and honest, may be found <http://www.libertylegal.org/cases.aspx>here. To describe the LLI as a "conservative legal group" is like describing O. J. Simpson as a "well-dressed African-American". Both are true, as far as they go. LLI describes themselves as, "a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in 1997 to protect religious freedoms and First Amendment rights for individuals, groups and churches." This self-description is from the front page of their website. The site also quickly makes clear that the First Amendment Rights they defend are those of the religious right. The banner of one page proudly displays this quote, "Group is the flip side to ACLU. [sic]" - Dallas Morning News A quick click on the "Cases" tab reveals 14 cases under the headline of "Recent Cases". Briefly looking through the summaries, 11 are plainly related to religion. In the other three cases a connection to religion is unclear. One has to do with a high school student's political tee shirt, one has to do with a political contribution and one has to do with the wording on a town monument. All case were based in Texas. The question the list raises is what interest does this firm have in the firing of a Police Commissioner in Alaska? Nothing in their past or in their charter shows an interest in such cases. They have no offices outside the state of Texas and work only pro bono cases related to civil liberties. Enter the Arlington Group. LLI is a member of the 75-member "Arlington Group", a Washington-based, religious-right consortium which seeks to influence government policy on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. The Arlington group was founded in 2002 through the joint effort of powerful members of the religious right including Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Chuck Colson, D. James Kennedy, Gary Bauer and Rod Parsley. The group's first director was James Dobson. Although very influential then and now, the Arlington Group famously stubbed it's toe when they threatened, in 2005, to oppose President George W. Bush's Social Security Reforms if he did not come out strongly against same-sex marriage. The media was angered and the compliance of the Bush administration failed to stem the tide of same-sex marriage legislation. The Arlington Group effectively limits its self to what its members agree on. Pooled resources go toward the election and appointment of judges with anti-abortion and anti-same-sex marriage records. The group does discuss the possibility of getting behind a particular candidate, but it is not necessary that they agree. They are very effectively tied into a couple of very narrowly defined issues with which all members totally agree. The election of politicians is basically a means to the end of those politicians appointing judges who share their agenda. So why is the LLI in Anchorage using words like "McCarthyism" to halt a bipartisan investigation of the Alaskan State Legislature into the Governor of that State? Here are a few possibilities: 1. It really is McCarthyism. The Alaskan Legislature wants to prove that Governor Palin is a communist plant for the now defunct Soviet Union. 2. The LLI believes that for a State Legislature to investigate the firing of a Commissioner by a Governor impinges upon the Governor's right to the religious expression required in such a firing. 3. The LLI believes there are no competent attorneys in Alaska, the RNC or any of the considerable number of states separating Texas and Alaska to help the embattled Governor. 4. The LLI believes that fired commissioner Walt Monegan and the State Senator heading the investigation, Hollis French are betrothed. 5. The LLI wants to pervert justice to perpetuate the strongest anti-abortion candidate ever. A candidate bold enough to strike rape kits from her city's budget because they contain emergency contraception (the equivalent to a "morning after pill"). Wouldn't it be a shame to find out that they are doing all of this based on number four, only to find out later that Monegan and French were divorced a year ago? --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
