Contractor On Trial For Buying Porn, Prostitutes And $100K Flag Belt Buckle

The prostitutes? They were to boost morale. From the NYT:

His lawyers also defended the hiring of prostitutes for employees and board members, arguing in court papers that it represented a legitimate business expense "if Mr. Brooks thought such services could motivate his employees and make them more productive."

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/mil_contractor_on_trial_for_illegally_buying_porn.php

Visit http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com for breaking political news and analysis.

Blankenship’s Dirty Coal Money Pollutes West Virginia Congressional Races

Sent to you by Sadie via Google Reader:

Blankenship’s Dirty Coal Money Pollutes West Virginia Congressional Races

via Think Progress by Amanda Terkel on 7/27/10

Don Blankenship is notorious in West Virginia, and he's gained increased recognition nationally following the deadly explosion at his company's Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, WV, the worst U.S. coal disaster in 40 years. As the chairman and CEO of Massey Energy, Blankenship is an anti-regulatory, science-denying, unrepentant right-wing capitalist coal baron. Just as significantly, he wields tremendous political power in West Virginia and even bought a state Supreme Court seat in 2004. As Ian Millhiser explained last year:

When West Virginia coal overlord Don Blankenship's company lost a $50 million verdict to one of its competitors, Blankenship set out to buy a judge. Rather than appeal his case to a fair tribunal, Blankenship spent $3 million to elect a friendly lawyer to the West Virginia Supreme Court, even running ads accusing the lawyer's opponent of voting to free an incarcerated child rapist, and of allowing that rapist to work in a public school. Once elected by a Blankenship-funded campaign, the newly-minted justice cast the deciding vote overturning the verdict against Blankenship's company.

In 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court made clear that justice is not for sale, ruling that Blankenship's judge, Brent Benjamin, should have recused himself because the conflict of interest was so "extreme." (Justices Roberts, Alito, Scalia, and Thomas dissented.)
Blankenship is now trying to extend his control of the federal government by getting involved in West Virginia's congressional elections, via Republican candidates Spike Maynard and David McKinley. As the AP reported on Sunday:

Blankenship contributed $4,800 to Elliott "Spike" Maynard, the Democrat-turned-Republican running in the 3rd U.S. House District, during the three-month reporting period that ended June 30. David McKinley, the GOP's 1st District nominee, received $2,400 from Blankenship. [...]
Upper Big Branch, located in the 3rd District, is likely to play a role in the Rahall-Maynard contest. Around $21,000 of Maynard's money during the quarter came from Massey employees, Blankenship's family and former political operatives including [Greg] Thomas. All told, around one-third of Maynard's individual contributions came from the energy sector. That amount includes $15,200 from 19 executives or employees of International Coal Group.

Maynard's relationship with Blankenship is especially tight. In 2006, when Maynard was chief justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and Massey Energy had millions of dollars of cases pending before the court, Maynard and Blankenship went on an expensive vacation in the French Riviera together. A fellow justice said he was "outraged" by Maynard's impropriety. Later that year, Maynard voted with the majority in favor of Massey. Watch an ABC News report on their relationship here. (When ABC tried to talk to Blankenship for the story, he said, "If you're going to start taking pictures of me, you're liable to get shot," and tried to tear off the camera's viewfinder.)
McKinley has hired Greg Thomas to assist his campaign. Previously, Thomas "helped oversee that 2004 spending and other Blankenship-funded political campaigns" and has been described as the former "chief political consultant" for Blankenship. In the past, Thomas aided Maynard's Supreme Court re-election bid.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Think Progress using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

GIST: 39 of 365

1. Posting a GIST for the first time since... October.  Maybe I should start the numbering over?

2. The jambon buerre sammich I had for lunch was fantastic.  As was sitting in Dupont Circle watching the birds beg for food.

3. Dinner and drinks with Sarah & Jen at Ripple.

4. Devil in the White City

5. Subversive Cross Stitch

Oil touches down on Florida beaches - USATODAY.com

Oil touches down on Florida beaches - USATODAY.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

BP Truthfully Misrepresents How Much Oil they are Recovering » Sociological Images

BP Truthfully Misrepresents How Much Oil they are Recovering » Sociological Images: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Caught in the oil - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Caught in the oil - The Big Picture - Boston.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Op-Ed Columnist - An Unnatural Disaster - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - An Unnatural Disaster - NYTimes.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Oil or Nothing « Obalesque

Oil or Nothing « Obalesque: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

iota

It's dark. The only light is coming from the Xmas lights around the stage and the exit sign. It's been forever since I've been here. Maybe even longer. Right now I can't remember why.

Then it comes to me as I scan the crowd for him. It's the possibility that he will be here. That I will be confronted with the past that I yearn daily to obliterate. That perhaps just maybe after all this time he will recognize me and start to cross the crowd to say hi. How are you. And the hatred on my face will be visible or I will start to cry.

Or maybe, just maybe, I won't feel a thing.

And we will be civil, like adults should be in these situations.

Luckily the situation doesn't present itself.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33486372/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/27/california.gang.rape.investigation/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_13644237?nclick_check=1


A lot has been said about how to prevent rape. Women should learn self-defense. Women should lock themselves in their houses after dark. Women shouldn't have long hair and women shouldn't wear short skirts. Women shouldn't leave drinks unattended. Fuck, they shouldn't dare to get drunk at all.

Instead of that bullshit, how about:

If a woman is drunk, don't rape her. If a woman is walking alone at night, don't rape her. If a women is drugged and unconscious, don't rape her. If a woman is wearing a short skirt, don't rape her. If a woman is jogging in a park at 5AM, don't rape her. If a woman looks like your ex-girlfriend you're still hung up on, don't rape her. If a woman is asleep in her bed, don't rape her. If a woman is asleep in your bed, don't rape her. If a woman is doing her laundry, don't rape her. If a woman is in a coma, don't rape her. If a woman changes her mind in the middle of or about a particular activity, don't rape her. If a woman has repeatedly refused a certain activity, don't rape her. If a woman is not yet a woman, but a child, don't rape her. If your girlfriend or wife is not in the mood, don't rape her. If your step-daughter is watching TV, don't rape her.

If you break into a house and find a woman there, don't rape her. If your friend thinks it's okay to rape someone, tell him it's not, and that he's not your friend. If your "friend" tells you he raped someone, report him to the police. If your frat-brother or another guy at the party tells you there's an unconscious woman upstairs and it's your turn, don't rape her, call the police and report him as a rapist.

Tell your sons, god-sons, nephews, grandsons, and sons of friends that it's not okay to rape someone.

Don't just tell your women friends how to be safe and avoid rape. Don't imply that she could have avoided it if she'd only done/not done x, y, or z. Don't imply that it's in any way her fault. Don't let silence imply agreement when someone tells you he "got some" with the drunk girl. Don't perpetuate a culture that tells you that you have no control over or responsibility for your actions. You can too help yourself. Rape is not about sex, it's about control and power, and what kind of power comes from taking advantage of others? No power anyone should ever desire.