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Volume 2 www.obamabidenwatch.org Issue 7 July 2010 www.citizensunited.org Blagojevich & Defense Team Fold

For the last year and a half, disgraced for- The defense even went as far as to request a mer Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been subpoena for President Obama himself, a request promising that he would testify at his corruption that was denied by U.S. District Judge James trial in order to clear his name. The intrigue built Zagel. The judge said that he would reconsider and built as the country waited to hear what the ruling if Blago’s lawyers presented more evi- Blagojevich would say on the stand and who else dence indicating the need for Obama’s testimony. he might implicate along the way. Such evidence arguably was presented – by the

The Blago defense team also put the White prosecution – but curiously no request was re- House and national Democrat establishment on issued to compel the President’s testimony. notice that they were going to call several promi- According to The Wall Street Journal, “The nent members of their leadership as witnesses. night before he was elected president, Barack Subpoenas were issued for White House Chief of Obama told an emissary to suggest that former Staff Rahm Emanuel, Senior Adviser Valerie Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appoint Mr. Jarrett, U.S. Senators Harry Reid and Dick Obama’s close friend to fill his U.S. Senate seat… Durbin, and Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. Tom Balanoff, an official with the Service Em- ployees International Union and Mr. Obama’s purported emissary, testified that Mr. Obama told him on the telephone that he had two criteria for the Senate appointment: He wanted someone who was good for the residents of Illinois and someone who could hold onto the seat in 2010. Mr. Balanoff also said Mr. Obama told him he wouldn’t publicly support any particular person but that he believed Valerie Jarrett, now a senior adviser in the White House, would meet those criteria.”

This revelation sent shockwaves around the country because in December 2008, an official The Good Ol’ Days: Governor Blagojevich and Then- Obama staff report did not disclose Mr. Balan- Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel off’s information. Continued on the next page...

The report stated, in pertinent part that Mr. Obama “had no contact or communication with Governor Blagojevich or members of his In this Issue staff about the Senate seat.” The statement, while technically accurate, obviously left out critical parts regarding Obama’s involve- Blagojevich & ment. At the time, Obama also publicly stated that “I have never Defense Team Fold spoken to the governor on this subject. I’m confident that no repre- Pg. 1 sentatives of mine would have any part of any deals related to this seat.” This statement, while also perhaps technically accurate, is a Fighting Federalism — One far cry from the candidate who swore he would change the way poli- Lawsuit at a Time ticians do business and swore off “Chicago-style” politics. Pg. 3

Obama Opposes Majority

of Americans on Illegal

Immigration

Pg. 5

Citizens United

Productions Presents

Pg. 7

Final Thoughts Pg. 8 President Obama walks to a meeting with Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett ______

As the prosecution turned the case over to the defense, the stage in Chicago was set for an unforgettable round of questioning Published By by Blago’s legal team. The media covering the circus was con- Citizens United sumed with speculation about which high level witnesses from the Editor White House would be called and what the political fallout might David N. Bossie be. Would it be Emanuel? Would it be Jarrett? What will Blago- jevich say about President Obama? Managing Editor

Then an interesting sequence of events started. On Monday J.T. Mastranadi July 19th it was reported that it was unlikely the defense would call Valerie Jarrett. Then on July 20th, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Contributors Chris Berg that Blagojevich probably wouldn’t take the stand either. Finally, st Robert Vandervoort on July 21 , the defense stunned America by resting their case without calling any witnesses at all! Publication Design

Closing arguments are due to begin next week with Blago- Kirk Risinger jevich’s fate hanging in the balance. Regardless of what the jury ul- Julie Drinkard timately concludes, questions about why the defense team would Copyright © 2010 by th pull a complete u-turn at the 11 hour will be asked for a very long Citizens United time. It is Chicago after all. At the very least, the Obama White House should amend their incomplete report and re-release it.

Fighting Federalism—One Lawsuit at a Time the vanity of many Members of Congress.

The legislative mandate that Americans The Obama Administration, and its legal maintain health insurance was so far beyond the team lead by Attorney General Eric Holder, has understood relationship between the states and declared war on several states. Though the fed- federal government that to date 19 states have eral government has not physically invaded the filed lawsuits challenging the legislation. One states it is currently working to subvert the rights suit was filed by Attorney General Bill of citizens and their states to be secure within McCollum and was joined by 17 other states. their borders and free from compulsory health- care mandates.

While the current illegal immigration crisis along our Southern border, and the government mandated purchase of health insurance are an af- front to the federal system, they are each disturb- ing in their own unique way. One is a case of the federal government failing to do its job, while the other involves the federal government going far beyond the power granted to it under the Consti- tution. In both instances the federal government has failed the people, and is looking for the judiciary to vindicate its action or lack thereof. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum filed First, let’s recall March 21, 2010, the date one of the first suits challenging the legislation when the House of Representatives passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more The other suit was brought by Virginia At- euphemistically known as Obamacare. For those torney General Ken Cuccinelli. The Virginia liti- who don’t know the particulars of the legislation, gation proceeded under a unique set of facts and don’t worry – neither did the Members of Con- circumstances – Virginia had recently enacted gress who voted for it. As Speaker Nancy Pelosi legislation which provided that “No resident of so eloquently stated: “we have to pass this bill so this Commonwealth… shall be required to obtain that you can find out what is in it.” As she or maintain policy of individual insurance cover- whipped the Floor vote, not a Member could be age.” There is a clear conflict between the fed- found who had read, much less understood, the eral and state laws which will need to be ad- contents of the Bill. Unfortunately, this rough- dressed by the courts. While each suit is pro- shod abuse of the legislative process resulted in a ceeding under divergent legal theories, the core monstrous 906 page piece of legislation, which principal of federalism resonates in both. mandates individuals maintain health insurance The Obama Administration has however or face stiff financial penalties, radically expands vigorously defended its broad overreach. Unfor- the Medicaid commitments of the various states, tunately their story keeps changing. First the and even places a federal tax on tanning sa- Obama Administration sought to justify passage lons. The bill also included a tax on cosmetic of the law under a broad reading of the commerce surgery, including botox, which did not survive Continued on the next page...

clause. When this theory did not appear to hold

water, the Obama legal team refashioned its de-

fense of the legislation to argue that it was noth-

ing more than a permissible tax. These justifica-

tions for an unprecedented expansion of govern-

ment power trample the rights of the states and

the people by requiring citizens of the various

states to maintain insurance coverage.

Were that the only legal action brought by

U.S. Department of Justice the Obama Administration to infringe on state’s rights it would have been troublesome. Unfortu- Attorney General Eric Holder nately it is only part of an established pattern of federal government aggrandizement under the Arizona Governor Brewer more accurately leadership of President Obama. Litigation was described the situation: “"As a direct result of filed this July by the Obama Justice Department failed and inconsistent federal enforcement, Ari- to prevent the State of Arizona from protecting its zona is under attack from violent Mexican drug people and securing its borders. and immigrant smuggling cartels. Now, Arizona is under attack in federal court from President As Citizens United chronicled in the film Border War illegal immigration is a problem that Obama and his Department of Justice." must be addressed --the safety, economy and way Were the federal government to live up to of life for U.S. citizens depends on it. The people its mandate under the Constitution and “provide of Arizona had finally had enough and their legis- for the common Defence and general Welfare of lators enacted a law, which among other things, the United States” legislation such as that spon- requires law enforcement to verify the citizenship sored in Arizona would be unnecessary. How- of individuals they reasonably suspect to be living ever, where the federal government cannot guar- in the United States illegally. The legislation in antee the safety of the citizenry the duty must fall question is less than 20 pages long. Yet this tome to the states and the people. appears to have been too long for the Obama Ad- The federal system envisioned by our na- ministration’s representatives to digest. Both At- tion’s founding fathers reserved far more power to torney General Holder and Department of Home- the states than the federal government. Each had land Security Secretary Janet Napolitano opined their own realm of power and influence. The fed- that the legislation was unconstitutional, without eral government is bounded by those powers enu- having bothered to read it. merated in the Constitution, while all other rights were reserved to the states and the people under The Holder Justice Department filed suit on July 6, 2010 - two weeks after Secretary of State the Ninth and Tenth Amendments. Over the past Hillary Clinton prematurely announced to foreign century we have however seen unchecked expan- press that the lawsuit was forthcoming. Attorney sion of the federal government. Where once its General Eric Holder, proponent of the litigation, powers were restrained, it now may regulate what argued that “seeking to address the issue through one may grow in their own back yards. The a patchwork of state laws will only create more Obama Administration, through its litigation, problems than it solves." aims to take this power even further.

Obama Opposes Majority of Americans on conservative journal Human Events: “We now Illegal Immigration have been left as the gateway for all illegal immigration, drug cartels, and gangs coming into the On April 19th, the Arizona state legislature Americas.” (Readers who are interested in learn- passed the “Support Our Law Enforcement and ing more about America’s illegal immigration Safe Neighborhoods Act” in an attempt to handle should see the Citizens United documentary Bor- its illegal immigration problem. The law gives der War). local law enforcement the authority to check a Not long after Gov. Brewer signed the new person’s immigration status during routine stops law, the Obama administration came out against if they have a reasonable suspicion to do so. It it. President Obama met with Mexico’s President also strengthens enforcement provisions against Felipe Calderon in May at the White House to employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens. discuss the law (among other issues). As conser- The legislation was signed into law on April 23rd vative columnist Pat Buchanan noted, Calderon by Gov. Jan Brewer (R.) attacked the Arizona law publicly in the Rose

Garden in front of the press while Obama stood in silent support, not defending an American state from this criticism. It is particularly ironic the Left and the Obama administration should take the Mexican side on this debate, since Mexico’s treatment of illegal immigrants from Central America is far tougher than anything in America. In Mexico, illegal immigrants face stiff jail time, steep fines, and deportation. President Obama asked Attorney General Holder to review the Arizona law. After questioning before the House Judiciary Committee by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Holder admitted he hadn’t Governor Jan Brewer (R-AZ) with officials after the yet read the law he criticized. Congressman Poe bill signing ceremony responded to this by saying, “It’s hard for me to th understand how you would have concerns about The law is set to go into effect July 29 of this year. Contrary to what its critics assert, the something being unconstitutional if you haven’t even read the law.” law does not allow for racial profiling and it th merely enforces existing federal laws, it does not On July 6 , the Department of Justice filed change them. a lawsuit against the Arizona law, arguing that enforcement of immigration policy is with the fed- Arizona currently faces a monumental problem with illegal immigration, and Arizona’s eral government alone. Holder has stated this problem is also America’s problem, as many il- month he would also consider additional lawsuits legals pass through the state to the rest of the against the Arizona law. country. There are an estimated 450,000 illegal Though the Obama administration opposes aliens in the state, and as Gov. Brewer told the this law, the Ameri- Continued on the next page...

© Citizens United ~ 1006 Pennsylvania Ave SE ~ Washington D.C. 20003 Page 6 can public does not. According to polls done by seeing the political problems the DOJ lawsuit the Rasmussen polling group, voters oppose the presents them, and are backing away from it. DOJ law suit by a margin of two-to-one. And Sen. Harry Reid (D-NM), opposes Arizona’s new 61% favor passage of a law like Arizona’s for law, but declined to take a position on the DOJ their own state. Among likely voters, 55% say lawsuit. Democratic congressmen and governors immigration is “very important” to them, and of have expressed “deep anxiety” according to the this group 72% disagree with the DOJ lawsuit. New York Times over this direction by the Obama Gov. Jan Brewer was facing a difficult re- administration. “We’ve got to talk about jobs,” election battle this year, however, she has turned Gov. Phil Bredesen (D-TN) said, “And all of a her polls around with her tough stand on immi- sudden we have immigration going on.”

gration. On the lawsuit Obama’s DOJ filed

against her state, she told Human Events: “I would much prefer for them not to file suit, given

the fact that they could take the money and help

me build a fence on my border.”

One wonders why the Obama administra-

tion has challenged Arizona at this time, while leaving similar laws on the books in Missouri,

South Carolina, and Virginia unchallenged. Fur-

ther, why is the Obama administration not chal-

lenging the so-called “sanctuary” laws of many cities and states? These sanctuary laws do the

opposite of the Arizona laws. Instead of working

with the federal government to stop illegal immigration, sanctuary laws instruct state and local government employees not to report the illegal Citizens United Production’s film Border War immigration status of people they come across to documents illegal immigration in even further detail the federal government. States like Maine and Oregon, and cities like Boston, New York, Wash- Why this push by Obama against Arizona? ington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles have Partly because they see illegal immigration as a sanctuary laws like these, yet they go unchal- source for future Democratic voters, via their lenged by Obama’s DOJ. continuous push for amnesty. And as conserva- In response to federal inaction on border tive columnist Michelle Malkin writes, “It is be- enforcement, 17 states have laws similar to Ari- ing driven by open borders extremists who have zona’s in the works. Nine states have filed dedicated their political careers to subverting amicus briefs in support of Arizona’s law, as well homeland security policies in the name of com- as the Northern Mariana Islands. passion and diversity.” Among the many other problems illegal In the end, though, Governor Brewer has immigration creates, it puts a strain on the al- declared, “I think Arizona will win, and we will ready high unemployment in this country. Al- take a position for all America.” ready, vulnerable Democrats in Western states are

Citizens United is proud to announce that we have four new films in production that will be released in the coming months. These films will be hosted by the likes of Dick Morris, Rep. Michele Bachmann, as well as Newt and Callista Gingrich.

America at Risk Newt and Callista Gingrich explore our current national security concerns and what is necessary to safe- guard our country and our future. The tone of America at Risk is not to scare but to awaken—it is our civic duty to be aware and to be vigilant. This film will look at the problems we have experienced, current and future areas of concern, and potential solutions.

America Again America Again creates a patriotic, inspiring, and moving message that rekindles our belief in America’s greatness and the people’s capacity to forge meaningful change. Dick Morris hosts a documentary indictment of the left and its efforts to turn America into a second-class country.

Fire from the Heartland Congresswoman Bachmann (MN-6) and other conservative women give their ideas about the root causes of our crisis; how our country got into its current economic predicament; what impact the crisis will have on Americans today and future generations; and what steps our country must take in order to solve its daunt- ing problems.

Bill of Indictment Bill of Indictment is a no-holds barred look at the “Imperial Congress” and what it has to done to the United States. This film is a call-to-action to bring America back to the great nation it once was by restoring government into the hands of responsible legislators. Bill of Indictment will explore the decline of America during sixty years of Democrat rule from 1932-1994 and remind viewers how government needs to have limits in order to function effectively. The film will further detail how The Contract with America and the Gingrich Revolution took the nation by storm and led to one of the most profound changes in the Ameri- can political landscape.

Please visit www.citizensunited.org for the latest updates!

Check out the websites for our two latest releases available for purchase:

www.generationzeromovie.com www.ninedaysthatchangedtheworld.com

© Citizens United ~ 1006 Pennsylvania Ave SE ~ Washington D.C. 20003 Page 8 A FINAL THOUGHT FROM off limits for legiti- mate, professional CITIZENS UNITED PRESIDENT journalists. DAVID N. BOSSIE This is evi-

Dear Friend, denced by recent re- ports in The Daily I think it’s important at this moment to take Caller illustrating an some time to write about how destructive bias in unprecedented coordi- the media can be to our society. In our American nated effort by many political system, we rely on the media to tell us liberal journalists to the truth about our government and leaders. Citi- limit the harm the zens are dependent upon journalists to be objec- Jeremiah Wright story tive in their reporting – we want them to give it to and other headlines were causing the Obama us straight – no matter how hellacious the subject presidential campaign: “According to records ob- matter may be. Most of the time, hardworking tained by The Daily Caller, at several points dur- folks and families just don’t have the time to go ing the 2008 presidential campaign a group of lib- out and find out the truth on their own. We in- eral journalists took radical steps to protect their stead have to turn on the television or radio, go on favored candidate. Employees of news organiza- the internet, or read the newspaper. tions including Time, Politico, the Huffington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Guardian, Salon and That being said, anyone paying attention the New Republic participated in outpourings of knows that all people, even journalists, have per- anger over how Obama had been treated in the sonal political views. But in years past, we just media, and in some cases plotted to fix the dam- expected journalists to do the right thing at the age.” end of the day and not let their personal views get in the way of honest reporting. However, it ap- In all the years of our democracy, the free pears this optimistic way of thinking is gone for press has been part of what makes America great. good. People from around the world are envious that our government allows the press to report the truth – It’s no big secret that the vast majority of no matter how embarrassing it might be to our media organizations and journalists in this coun- leaders or how hurtful it could be to the fabric of try tilt to the left. That’s just the way it is, and our society. The truth sets us all free. However, that’s the way it will be for a long time. Sure, Fox when we find examples of journalists’ personal News has helped give Americans a different op- political beliefs trumping objectivity, we must re- tion than the liberal tendencies we are accustomed double our efforts to make sure we find out who to at CBS, NBC, ABC, The New York Times, and we are really listening to when they speak. In the The Washington Post. The internet and radio words of Ronald Reagan, “trust, but verify.” has also been extraordinary helpful in allowing other viewpoints to be heard. But what Fox News Sincerely, and other outlets have also done is scare the living daylights out of wide swaths of the liberal me- David N. Bossie dia establishment into doing things once thought