GOP senators demand explanation for Benghazi talking points

Three leading Republican senators are calling on the Obama administration to identify who briefed former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice in advance of her Sunday show appearances where she blamed a video for the Benghazi attack.
Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and John McCain, R-Ariz., wrote to leaders on the House and Senate Foreign Relations committees asking them to compel the administration to explain the "taking points."
In the letter first obtained by Fox News, the senators cite the recent testimony of former CIA acting and deputy director Michael Morell before the House Intelligence Committee, where he said it was Rice, not the CIA, who connected the obscure Internet video to the deadly Sept. 11, 2012 attack. 
"How could former Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, during the five Sunday talk shows on Sept. 16, 2012, claim that the attacks on our compounds were caused by a hateful video when Mr. Morell testified that the CIA never mentioned the video as a casual factor and made no reference to the video in any of the multiple versions of the talking points?" the senators wrote.
Given the CIA was not the source of the video explanation, according to Morell, lawmakers want to know whether State Department or White House personnel were involved in the Rice briefings in advance of the 2012 talk shows. 
Rice is now the president's national security adviser. Some lawmakers believe it would be difficult for Rice to now assert executive privilege because her previous job as U.N. ambassador required Senate confirmation.
In the letter, the lawmakers also questioned Rice's statements about security at the Benghazi compound that were "clearly misrepresentations of the facts."
"Ambassador Rice also falsely asserted that Al Qaeda was decimated. Who briefed her about Al Qaeda's activities in Libya?" the lawmakers wrote. 
"If we are to avoid future terrorist attacks like the one in Benghazi, we must answer these and many other unanswered questions," the senators added. 
Fox News' Catherine Herridge contributed to this report.

Sanctions

Affirmative action lawyer calls Supreme Court decision on Michigan schools 'racist'

The civil rights lawyer who argued unsuccessfully before the Supreme Court to end Michigan’s affirmative action ban repeated Sunday that the high court’s decision was “racist.”
“This is a racist decision that takes us back to an era of state’s rights,” civil rights attorney Shanta Driver told “Fox News Sunday.” “This decision cannot stand.”
The high court’s 6-2 decision Tuesday upheld a voter-approved change to the Michigan Constitution in 2006 that forbids the state's public colleges to make race, gender, ethnicity or national origin a factor in college admissions.

“The old Jim Crow [law] is now the new Jim Crow.”- Shanta Driver

The basis of the case was the 1995 decision of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor to reject the application of Jennifer Gratz.
Gratz, who is white, told “Fox News Sunday” that she found it “unbelievable” that a decision that prohibits race discrimination could be perceived as “racist.”
She also said she challenged the school’s decision because it was based on “skin color,” not because her enrollment application was rejected.
Driver argued that minorities typically attend under-performing schools, which put them at a disadvantage compared to students at better, suburban schools. And minority students have less power, compared to athletes or children of alumni, for example, to get accepted into universities, she said.
“The old Jim Crow [law] is now the new Jim Crow,” Driver said.

Will Rogers

Will Rogers once said "A remark generally hurts in proportion to its truth."

Mia Love wins GOP nomination for Utah seat

Rising Republican star Mia Love comfortably secured her party’s nomination to replace retiring Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, on Saturday, putting her one step closer to becoming the first black female Republican elected to Congress.
TheHill.com reports that the former Saratoga Springs, Utah, mayor brought in over 78 percent of the vote at the local Republican convention, with competitor Bob Fuehr coming second with approximately 22 percent of the vote.
"Mia Love has been a tireless advocate for hardworking Utah families throughout her career and will bring this same dedication to Congress,” said National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Greg Walden in a statement Saturday evening.
“With Jim Matheson's retirement, Republicans are poised to pick up this congressional seat and there is no better candidate to lead the charge than Mia Love,” the statement read.
Love, who became a national party favorite after her speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention, will face off against Democrat Doug Owens – who picked up 98 percent of the vote at the Democrat convention.
The suburban Salt Lake City district is seen by many as a likely pickup for the GOP, with presidential nominee Mitt Romney carrying the district by 37 points in 2012.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/04/26/mia-love-wins-gop-nomination-for-utah-seat/?intcmp=HPBucket 

Ronald

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/

Outgoing Air Marshals director signed 'settlement agreement' with TSA

Click It   http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/04/26/outgoing-air-marshals-director-signed-settlement-agreement-with-tsa/

Union leader takes aim at Obama administration over Keystone delays

Click It!

Holder cancels graduation speech amid protests

Attorney General Eric Holder canceled a speech to a graduating class of police cadets in Oklahoma City on Thursday, after crowds of Oklahomans flocked to the ceremony to protest his appearance. 
Protest organizers said Holder's planned speech to the law enforcement graduates was "inappropriate," and argued that the attorney general has failed to uphold the law himself. 
"A lot of people just felt that it was very inappropriate for this man, with his track record, to speak to law enforcement officers that demand and expect to be backed up by the government working on behalf of the citizens, not against the citizens," State Rep. Mike Turner (R.), who is running for U.S. congress, told theWashington Free Beacon. 
Turner said Holder has flouted the law when it comes to illegal immigration, the "Fast and Furious" gunrunning scandal, and the Second Amendment. 
The U.S. House of Representatives held Holder in contempt of Congress in 2012, on the grounds that he was impeding investigations into Fast and Furious. 
The Oklahoma City protest made national news Thursday afternoon, after Holder backed out of the speech shortly before the graduation ceremony began.
Holder's office told the Washington Times that the last-minute cancelation was due to a scheduling issue. 
"The attorney general had been looking to addressing the cadets, and regrets he cannot attend in person," spokesman Brian Fallon told the Washington Times. "He extends his heartfelt congratulations to the cadets and their families."

Student claims community college rejected application because of Christian faith

Brandon Jenkins was denied entry to a radiation therapy program at the Community College of Baltimore County because of his Christian faith and was advised to not wear his religion on his sleeve, a lawsuit filed in federal court alleges.
Now, I have to admit to being a bit skeptical when I first heard about Mr. Jenkins’ plight – seeing how this is the age of tolerance and diversity. But any doubt I had melted away after his attorney showed me the proverbial smoking gun.
David French, an attorney with the American Center for Law and Justice, has an email written to his client by Adrienne Dougherty, the director of the college’s radiation therapy program.
In the email Ms. Dougherty explains why Jenkins was denied entry into the program. She wrote that while his grades were good, there were other students with higher grade point averages. Applicants had to have a 2.5 overall GPA to be eligible. Still, it seemed plausible that there were other candidates with higher averages.

It sounds to me like the Community College of Baltimore County has a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” religion policy.

The college also took issue with his desire to stay in Maryland after he got his degree.
“I feel that I would be doing you a disservice if I allowed you into the program and you are not able to find a job based on your past,” she wrote.
Mr. French acknowledged that his client had a single criminal charge on his record – dating back more than 10 years. Early in the admission process, Mr. Jenkins asked if that would be a problem, and he was assured it would not hamper his effort.
But then – Ms. Dougherty dropped the bombshell, the lawsuit alleges.
“I understand that religion is a major part of your life and that was evident in your recommendation letters, however, this field is not the place for religion,” she wrote. “We have many patients who come to us for treatment from many different religions and some who believe in nothing at all.”
And then, Ms. Dougherty offered what I imagine in her mind must have been helpful advice in this age of tolerance and diversity.
“If you interview in the future, you may want to leave your thoughts and beliefs out of the interview process,” she wrote.
This field is not the place for religion.
“I was astonished by the email,” Mr. French told me in a telephone conversation. “While colleges routinely discriminate against Christians, rarely do they state their discrimination so explicitly.”
In a letter to the ACLJ, a law firm representing the community college, defended Ms. Dougherty’s statement.
“Stated bluntly, that is not bad advice,” attorney Peter Saucier wrote. “Mr. Jenkins was not advised to ignore, change or deny his religious views. The suggestion simply was that he not wear them on his sleeve as his best qualification.”
So you might be wondering -- how the college knew that Mr. Jenkins is a Christian?
Well, during the interview process he was asked the following question: what is the most important thing to you? According to the lawsuit, Mr. Jenkins replied, “My God.”
Mr. French said there were no follow up questions and his client did not mention his religious beliefs. But that brief mention of God, coupled with recommendation letters that made references to faith, were enough to disqualify Mr. Jenkins from the program.
Still, the college denied they discriminated against the man. Instead, they argue they were just trying to help him refocus and succeed.
“Her words may have been inartfully stated, but the fact is that in any secular job or program interview it is better to have a concrete reason for wanting to undertake the training at hand than to say only that God directed one to do it,” Mr. Saucier wrote to the ACLJ. “That is true for every job from astronaut to attorney.”
It sounds to me like the Community College of Baltimore County has a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” religion policy.
The ACLJ’s lawsuit alleges the college violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution and they want their client granted admission to the radiation therapy program. A college spokesperson told me they have not yet seen the lawsuit.
In fairness to the college – it’s not like they are kicking him out of the school. Ms. Dougherty’s email clearly shows that she was offering him alternative degree paths. She went so far as to suggest he could work on a degree in mental health study – and noted in her email that he would make a “great candidate.”
I’ve never met Mr. Jenkins, but he sounds like a stand-up guy. Based on the court documents I’ve read, it sounds as if he took a wrong turn in life. But through his faith in God, he made amends and got back on the right path.
Here’s a man who’s trying to better himself with a college education. Here’s a man trying to live the American dream only to be told he can’t do that because he believes in God. That should spark a furious fire in the heart of every red-blooded, freedom-loving American.
The ACLJ lawsuit names four administrators: Sandra Kurtinitis, Mark McColloch, Richard Lilley and Adrienne Dougherty as defendants. Should they be found guilty of discriminating against this man because of his faith – they should be fired. American tax dollars should not be used to fund the salaries of religious bigots.
Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard on hundreds of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter, be sure to join his Facebook page, and follow him on Twitter. His latest book is "God Less America”.