take19 - TAKEN!!!

Welcome to Congress, John Hall!

2007-01-04T23:09:00.000-05:00

We haven't posted in awhile, but we couldn't let today's events -- the swearing in of John Hall to the 110th Congress -- pass without a brief comment. All of us here at Take19 are incredibly proud of our new Congressman. Go get 'em John!

Finally!

2006-11-16T17:43:00.000-05:00

After nine long days, Sue Kelly has finally conceded. For more on that news see here and here.

In honor of this auspicious occasion, Take19 is sponsoring a little contest for the person who can come up with the most clever haiku. The winner will receive one of our soon-to-be redesigned t-shirts with the new phrase, "Fired Sue Kelly!" Post your entries in the comments section or send them via email to take19 (at) gmail.com.

Stay tuned for where Take19 goes from here. Though we're clearly just one of the reasons John Hall won last Tuesday, many of us are tired from working so hard for the past year and a half and need to spend some quality time with our family and on our professional endeavors. Happy Thanksgiving, a few days early!

UPDATE Keep those haikus coming. There's already a bunch posted in the comments.

Meet Sue's supporters...

2006-11-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

As noted in both the The Daily Politics and the The New York Observer blogs today, one of Sue Kelly's supporters, Seth Arluck, who owns New Hampton Lumber in Orange County, seems a bit distraught over last week's results. If you can't make out the sign, it says "Congrats Al Qaeda and KJ", a reference to the village of Kiryas Joel, which voted for John Hall over Sue Kelly. As noted on Daily Kos this morning, Arluck has a long history of supporting Sue.

Now, we can understand Mr. Arluck being upset over the results of the election since Sue lost (even if she still refuses to concede). But comparing a voting bloc to a terrorist group seems a tad bit over the top.

Where's the correction, Sue?

2006-11-13T18:10:00.000-05:00

Earlier today, the Daily News had an interesting story about Adam Rose, a real estate developer and Lewisboro resident who spent $500K to help get the word out about Sue Kelly's true record. The money, which was given to a 527 group called Majority Action, funded a radio, television and direct-mail campaign that heavily targeted the large group of unaffiliated voters in the district.

Sue, of course, complained relentlessly about Majority Action's campaign, even going so far to allege that John Hall was orchestrating it, which was about as truthful as Sue's Kim Jong Il ad. She also sent out a nasty letter to her supporters decrying, "who opened their checkbooks to fund this filth remains to be seen." Now that Hall has won -- no matter how many times Sue clicks her heels -- Adam Rose has chosen to make his involvement known.

But here's the real rub: last we checked, Lewisboro is located in NY-19. That would make Adam Rose a constituent -- one who felt that Sue was not representing his interests, and who like many other constituents, we're guessing couldn't get the time of day from Sue.

Calling Sue Kelly

2006-11-10T17:50:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, more than 100 residents of the 19th CD descended on Katonah to demand Sue Kelly acknowledge what we all already know, that John Hall won the election fair and square.

Sue Kelly's campaign has retained attorney John Ciampoli, who, as attorney for the Westchester County Republicans, filed a last-minute challenge to the registrations of thousands of voters before Tuesday’s hotly contested race for the 35th Senate District between State Senator Nick Spano and County Legislator Andrea Stewart-Cousins. He filed close to 6,000 pre-election challenges to voters in that race. Ciampoli is also the same attorney who represented Nick Spano in the 2004 recount of the 35th State Senate District race.

We marched and will continue to march to demand Sue Kelly stop these tactics and honor the will of the voters. It's time she finally learned to listen to her constituents.

Speaking at the press conference were Doni Belau, a Bedford mother of two, Zara Jackson, a senior from Somers, Anthony Merante, a veteran from Phillipstown, and Michelle Cooper, a small business owner from Peekskill.

More photos are here and the full release will be posted shortly.

An open letter to Sue Kelly

2006-11-09T12:04:00.000-05:00

Dear Sue,

It should be apparent to you (as it is to CNN, MSNBC, The Journal News, etc. etc.) that John Hall defeated you fair and square on Tuesday and is now our Representative Elect.

But no, you can't go quietly into retirement. You couldn't show some dignity or class like President Bush did today when he welcomed the new Congressional leadership to lunch. Instead of ending your career in public service on a high note, you've stooped to lawyering up and throwing out accusations and innuendo.

Sue, we've known you for a long time and honestly, while we've had our disagreements, we respect you for your public service and dedication to at least some of your constituents. We're sorry you can't show the same respect and dedication in defeat.

For the sake of the voters of the 19th Congressional District who expect to have their voices count and for the sake of our Country, stop this nonsense Sue. It's beneath you.

A picture is worth 1,000 words

2006-11-08T00:28:00.000-05:00

link to article here

And if you didn't make it to the victory party last night, there's video here. If you're like some of us, you may find yourself crying when John starts singing.

WE FIRED SUE KELLY!

Hall ahead with 92% reporting.

2006-11-07T23:59:00.000-05:00

Hall 86,281 51%
Kelly 83,375 49%
92% Reporting

NYTimes reporting.

Dutchess:

Sue W Kelly 20,761
John Hall 19,79
100% reporting

Putnam:
Sue W Kelly 14,714 52%
John Hall 13,448 48%
100% reporting

Westchester:
Sue Kelly 19,336 43%
John Hall 25,196 57%
87% reporting

Orange:
Sue W Kelly 28,525
John Hall 28,618
100% reporting

So thats the reporting for now.
I'm not saying we are going to win.

All im saying is we are ahead right now.

To the voters of the 19th CD ... It's time for Sue Kelly to go

2006-11-06T21:20:00.000-05:00

For the past year and a half, a band of dedicated volunteers have kept this web site alive, documenting the shortcomings and incompetence of our Representative Sue Kelly. Her faults are too numerous to recount here now, just look on the left sidebar and you can read our releases and look up her voting record. But don't just take our word for it -- all four papers that cover this district -- The Journal News, Poughkeepsie Journal, Times Herald-Record and New York Times (behind a wall)-- all endorsed John Hall over Sue Kelly.

Here's what it all comes down to - if you support the war in Iraq, if you believe the Administration did all it could to hunt down Osama Bin Laden or help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, or build strong schools and safe communities and support the growth of the middle class - then vote for Sue Kelly.

On the other hand, if you believe as we do that this Administration and the Republican Congressional Leadership have failed us, have failed to fight terrorism and instead dragged us into the quagmire of Iraq where 2,800 brave Americans have died, failed to support strong schools and safe neighborhoods, failed to protect our weakest from the ravages of poverty and failed to help the victims of Katrina. If you believe this Administration's tax policies have favored the weathly at the expense of the public good and have hurt the middle class - then tomorrow cast your vote for John Hall, our next Representative.

UPDATE John Hall is posting GOTV volunteer opportunities throughout the day here. If you can help out, please do!

Who's the real hypocrite, Sue Kelly?

2006-11-05T19:35:00.000-05:00

If you only listened to Sue Kelly's laughable radio ad or received one of her flyers, you'd think that John Hall was the one in bed with big business. And while it's true that Sue has told numerous lies, particularly over the past few weeks as the race has grown tighter, this one is a real whopper.

That's because nearly 60% of the $1.94 million that Sue has raised during this campaign cycle comes from big businesses based outside the district. Now why would companies like Bank of America, Pfizer, and United Parcel Service pony up $10,000 (and more in the case of Bank of America) just to get Sue re-elected? We're not sure, but we're pretty confident they expect something in return. Or perhaps it's a reward for Sue's vote on the bankruptcy legislation. And Medicaid Part D(isaster).

Indeed, this morning's NY Times had this article which started like this, "For big drug companies, the new Medicare prescription benefit is proving to be a financial windfall larger than even the most optimistic Wall Street analysts had predicted." Remember: this is the legislation that Sue voted for back in 2003 -- legislation that passed by only 1 vote -- Sue's vote for Pfizer and other big drug companies and against seniors who live here in NY-19.

Come to think of it, where have we seen this kind of quid pro quo from Sue before? That's right -- none other than Donald Trump, which according to this group, gave Sue a hefty campaign contribution and got a $2 million gift from Kelly in return in the form of a highway subsidy to lower the Westside Highway. So who's the real hypocrite, Sue Kelly?

Sue Kelly, stop the robocalling

2006-11-05T17:24:00.000-05:00

Sue Kelly obviously doesn't think the voters of the 19th Congressional District are very bright, otherwise she would have come up with something a little smarter than robocalls (listen here) that claim to be from the Hall campaign but are only designed to annoy and cut into his lead.

We're on to you Sue. And according to Talking Points Memo, even your own people are embarrassed by it.

I was handing out leaflets for John Hall yesterday at a grocery store. There were two tables, a democratic one and a Republican one.

When I was handing out palm cards, several people said to me something like, "I WAS going to vote for John Hall, until I got all those phone calls. I got seven or eight, right at dinner time."

The guy from the Republican table, who was a local district leader-- friendly and chatty, actually came over to me and said, "You know, most of those are coming from Sue's office, but don't tell anybody."

Nice. Real classy.

Enjoy these next few days, they'll be your last as our Representative.

Where does Sue Kelly stand on Rumsfeld?

2006-11-05T07:28:00.000-05:00

The Army Times, the leading independent publication read by military leaders, is calling for Donald Rumsfeld to resign over his mis-handling of the Iraq quagmire. According to CNN:

The editorial will be in four independent publications that serve the four main branches of the U.S. military, according to the senior managing editor for Army Times Publications, the papers' parent company.

Curious what Sue Kelly's stand on this important issue? So are we. Why don't you call her and ask? 202.225.5441 in DC or 845.291.4100 (Orange County), 845.897.5200 (Dutchess County) or 914.962.0761 in Westchester. We'd certainly like to know.

Three days to go: Sue Kelly starts changing her tune!

2006-11-04T15:43:00.000-05:00

With election day just three days away, Sue Kelly seems to have had a change of heart when it comes to Mess-o-potamia (to borrow Jon Stewart's phrase about Iraq), which seems a bit surprising, considering that just a few weeks ago, Sue actually said that "Iraq is mostly pacified now". Of course, that was before more than 100 members of the military were killed in Iraq in October. As you can see in this clip from New York 1, Kelly says, "I think we need a new paradyme in Iraq." We wonder if that means firing Donald Rumsfeld as the four newspapers serving America's armed forces are now calling for.

One more thing about that NY1 tape. A John Hall supporter was coming out of Turco's on Thursday as the tape was rolling. Here's what he sent us about his interaction with Sue:

so I'm running an errand at the supermarket (Turcos in Yorktown) about an hour ago, when I see half a dozen people with Kelly campaign literature and a TV crew (New York 1) near the entrance. Since leafleting in front of supermarkets is common practice in Yorktown campaigns, I think nothing of it - but prepare for some friendly ribbing as I walk by with a John Hall button on my parka. Suddenly this skinny blonde woman swings around and in a superior tone - like she's yelling at her gardener - says "You must be in favor of ..." and runs through a list of Republican talking points, finishing with higher capital gains taxes. I'm thinking this is one volunteer the Kelly campaign should find a back office assignment for - but respond in a friendly fashion (no need to act like her) that I'm not rich, so Republican tax cuts for the top half a percent don't help me out much. She appears to take this personally and gets more hostile: "I'm not rich, I've worked for everything I own since I was 18," she yells. I'm looking for an escape route from this crazy lady when it finally strikes me that her voice sounds familiar - but I can't believe an elected official on the campaign trail would talk to a voter this way! But sure enough it was HER - I ducked into Turcos and hid from my Congresswoman in the produce section.

Maybe that explains why she's been in hiding. Her people skills don't seem to be so good.

Sue Kelly blows off seniors in Orange....

2006-11-03T17:07:00.000-05:00

Cranking out negative campaign literature and ads that distort your competition must clearly take a lot of time. How else to explain why Sue Kelly would blow off senior citizens today in Orange County at a "Congressional Forum" organized by the New York State Alliance For Retired Americans and the New York Statewide Senior Action Council, Inc..

Why would Kelly, who despite her athletic prowess, blow off her fellow senior citizens? Good question. Then again, she's been MIA for much of the ~~past few months~~ past 12 years, though she seems to have plenty of time to hang out with has beens (see here and here).

We're sure today's absence had nothing to with the fact that the Alliance gave Sue a big fat zero rating on her voting record. Or the fact that both groups -- as are many seniors -- opposed to Sue's vote on Medicare Part D (for Disaster). Then again, Sue doesn't exactly have the same healthcare worries that most seniors do: she gets the best medical care and it's absolutely free!

Sue Kelly's desperate lies start to backfire!

2006-11-03T10:27:00.000-05:00

The blistering press that Sue Kelly has received over the past 24 hours can't be good for the sixth-term incumbent. Just watch this clip, which aired on RNN last night -- the same station that captured Sue running away:

But that's not the only gotcha moment for the woman who likes to describe herself as a teacher, despite her paltry five-month tenure. Today's Times-Herald Record also pokes at Kelly for her disgusting, hateful faux mushroom cloud ad, which has already made its way around the blogosphere. Speaking of the blogosphere, Kelly's distortions of John Hall's investments has even attracted ridicule from Republican bloggers who wonder why she's suddenly against Capitalism.

And there's also this: two influential members of the League of Conservation Voters resigned over the group's decision to endorse Kelly -- something she's been touting relentlessly. We're guessing Cynthia Brill's comments that Kelly's environmental "record and positions are clearly inferior" won't be used in Kelly's soft-core ads.

With four days to go, maybe Sue should start talking about the things she's actually done during her 12 years in Congress. Then again, with a record like hers, its easy to see why she keeps resorting to desperate lies.

Sue Kelly -- caught in another lie!

2006-11-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

An AP story that hit the wires a short time ago includes Sue's latest explanation for why she ran away two weeks ago from an RNN news crew:

Says Sue: "I was running to get out of the rain."

Take a look at the video again. Do you see any rain? Do you see anyone with umbrellas, or even trying to cover their head?

Why on earth would someone lie about something that's easily visable on tape? Makes you wonder what else she's lying about? Like her resume. Or her own questionable investments. Or John Hall's ties to Kim Jong Il.

Sue Kelly, You Should Be Ashamed!

2006-11-02T11:19:00.000-05:00

It seems as if Sue Kelly's implosion is nearly complete. She's so desperate and unglued at this point that she's letting her nutjob handlers take the campaign to a new low, while at the same time whining about how outside groups are twisting her record. Her latest mailer, a complete insult to the intelligence of her constituents, is a disgusting attack on John Hall and has a clearly manipulated picture of him with Kim Jong Il of North Korea and various mushroom clouds. She really is so shameless that it's breathtaking. Anyone who lives in this district, be they Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green, or whatever, should be embarrassed to have this woman represent us.

Of course, most of us know that it's rubber-stampers like Sue Kelly that have allowed North Korea to continue with its' nuclear ambitions. So now she's saying that is a reason to support the money-pit missile defense system? Is Sue saying that North Korea's nuclear program was nurtured to support and justify Star Wars?

As for supporting the troops, isn't bringing them home and keeping them alive the best way to support them? Or at least having a decent plan to resolve the Iraq situation? What's the plan, Sue? Stay the course, right? Just two weeks ago, Sue Kelly actually told the Times-Herald Record that Iraq was "mostly pacified". Kelly takes a 15 year-old vote of Hall's from the Ulster County about "praying to God" to watch over our military as an asinine justification that John Hall doesn't support our troops. Pretty obvious that Sue's handlers are old Pat Buchanan staffers, huh who are willing to do anything to try and win. Problem is that you can't play the kindly grandmother and mail out stuff like this.

Sue Kelly, you have no shame. The voters of the 19th district deserve an apology from you for littering their mailboxes with this absolute garbage.

PoJo endorses Hall over Kelly

2006-11-01T04:17:00.000-05:00

Hot the off press:
The Poughkeepsie Journal has endorsed John Hall over Sue Kelly. For those who are keeping score, that means the four major newspapers that cover the area all chose Hall. None endorsed Kelly, a shocking turn of events for the 12-year incumbent. Here's a few snips:

Hall is particularly strong on environmental issues. He makes the compelling and important point this nation needs to start weaning itself off oil and other fossil fuels; the government should start backing more alternative forms of energy.

[kelly] has been overly and relentlessly optimistic about the situation in Iraq, from the misguided reasons to go to war to the strategy employed thereafter.

Hall has the intelligence and depth to make quite a difference in Congress if given the opportunity. If he doesn't veer too far to the left and shows a willingness to work with those across the political aisle, he could accomplish a lot for the district and bring fresh ideas to Washington. Voters should give him that chance.

The bottom line is that even as Sue Kelly tries to spin, deflect and even run away, the people who call NY-19 home are planning her retirement party.

Sue Kelly against investing in mutual funds!

2006-10-31T17:44:00.000-05:00

Sounds kind of crazy, huh? Like something only a desperate person might say, instead of a 12 year veteran of Congress. After all more than 90 million Americans own mutual funds, including many of Sue Kelly's constituents. But judging by this video clip, Sue Kelly seems to think you're not a responsible investor if you don't know what stocks your mutual fund manager owns. And studies routinely show that most Americans have no idea what the funds they own invest in.

Of course, if Sue really wants to change the subject from her own unremarkable 12-year record and that of the Bush administration that she actively supports, and poke around into John Hall's financials, she probably should have made sure that her own much larger holdings were sparkly clean first. Yet as we can see by a quick scan of opensecrets.org, Sue has plenty of the very same investments that she wags an accusing finger at John Hall for owning. Of course, there is a key difference: Kelly and her husband, Ed, own these stocks directly, which is a bit different than owning Fidelity Magellan.

So what's in Sue portfolio? A number of companies that Sue has subpoena power over, as chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, assuming she was actually doing her job. Here's a quick run-down of a few major scandals in Sue's portfolio:

American International Group Earlier this year, AIG reached a $1.64 Billion settlement with Eliot Spitzer over accounting fraud and other issues. Kind of makes one wonder why Sue never poked around in AIG, but perhaps it had something to do with the fact that she owns as much as $100,000 of AIG stock, according to her latest financial disclosure form.

Bed, Bath & Beyond Sue also owns as much as $100,000 worth of Bed, Bath & Beyond stock, which on Oct. 10, announced that the federal Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the company over its stock options practices dating back to 1993. Oddly enough, Sue's committee has yet to hold a hearing on this growing problem, even though the Wall Street Journal first disclosed the problem back in March.

Then there's Ed's $50,000 investment in Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae has been the subject of multiple federal investigations, though none launched by Sue Kelly.

There's lots of different stocks that Sue and Ed could have bought. Either they have a knack for buying into scandals or they're just lucky that way. Come to think of it, maybe they should have bought some plain-vanilla mutual funds like John Hall did.

Routing around through someone's portfolio isn't particularly enjoyable for anyone. And it doesn't really tell you anything about the type of Congressman that someone will be, which is why John Hall's folks aren't spending their time on this. But Sue Kelly started this game with her ridiculous charges that she's blasting on local airwaves. And, if she wants to continue playing, there's plenty more examples to choose from.

Bill Clinton hearts John Hall!

2006-10-30T20:05:00.000-05:00

Earlier this afternoon, former President Bill Clinton came to town to stump for John Hall and he laid out in point-by-point detail why Sue Kelly is the wrong person to continue representing NY-19.

"They have tried to push America in places it has never been and doesn't want to go. They have left us democrats being both the traditional progressive and conservative party. Think about it. I gave them 3 surpluses. We never had a social security problem. The president says he wants to quote revisit social security after the election. When I was in college we called that a euphemism. Stick a fork in him after the election," Clinton said.

And then: "They can say cut and run all they want. Cut and run is not what we're for, we're for stop and think."

"This is basically a contest between the politics of special interests and the politics of the common good, a contest between government based on evidence and argument and their way based on assertion and attack."

Sue Kelly may try to spin yet another tale, hoping voters don't check opensecrets.org, which shows all the PAC money she receives, not to mention all of the oil company stocks she owns, but it's pretty easy to fact-check that stuff now. Still, she's lied about her resume, she's lied about her investments. She's lied about John Hall's record. There's only 1 week left. What will Sue Kelly lie about next?

Was Sue Kelly really a teacher?

2006-10-29T23:48:00.000-05:00

Questions about whether Sue Kelly was really a teacher have been floating around for a long time -- ever since Sue was elected back in 1994. After all, she routinely cites her experience as a former teacher (just search for Sue Kelly and teacher to see how often it comes up). Yet, as this new video shows, Sue's teaching career was pretty short and unspectacular.

That's right: Sue Kelly spent an unremarkable semester at John Jay High School starting in September 1962 and ending in January 1963, according to a 1963 yearbook. And while she was a math and science teacher during those five months, that hardly seems like a tenure worth mentioning at practically every turn, including during the controversy over Sue's role in the Mark Foley mess.

All of this kind of makes you wonder what else Sue Kelly is stretching the truth about.

Talk about the weather...

2006-10-29T13:04:00.000-05:00

We've always known that Sue Kelly isn't known for being the sharpest card in the deck. Of course, we're not the only ones. Sue's fellow conservatives over at Redstate.com routinely describe her as "the dimmest bulb in the New York state Republican delegation". Indeed, that's the primary reason why she has refused to debate John Hall publicly, other than on farm issues -- because as Stephen Colbert noted two weeks ago, just like Velveeta, Kelly "melts at the first sign of heat".

But a tidbit contained in today's Journal-News endorsement of John Hall (that's 3 major newspaper endorsements for Hall; zero for Kelly) really drove it home for us. Apparently Sue, who sits on the House Financial Services Committee, which regulates banks, credit card companies and other financial services firms, blamed record-high deficits on the weather. We thought it was bad enough when, during an editorial board meeting at the Times Herald Record two weeks ago, she didn't seem to understand the difference between the national debt and the federal deficit. But blaming the mushrooming deficit -- a deficit that is financing the "strong economy" that the Bush Administration routinely touts -- on bad weather is clearly a whole new level of stupidity.

The people of NY-19 deserve someone who can think on their feet -- someone who doesn't continually make excuses for the Bush Administration's failed policies. Sue Kelly is not that person.

More signs of desperation from Sue Kelly...

2006-10-26T16:10:00.000-04:00

While Sue Kelly likes to tout her years of experience of key committees, we couldn't help but laugh over something she said during last night's debate on Cablevision. Upset that John Hall is questioning the $65,000 that she has taken from big oil companies to finance her campaign (not to mention investing in their stocks), Sue fired back that Hall invests in a mutual fund that apparently owns some oil company stock. By bringing this up, we can only assume that Sue, who sits on the House Committee on Financial Services doesn't understand how a mutual fund actually works. In a nutshell, the mutual fund manager picks the stocks that the fund invests in and the individual investor has no say-so in those choices. Maybe Sue needs to read up on mutual funds before making baseless charges.

But that was just one sign of the Kelly camp's growing desperation. The other came in the form of these two (#1 and #2) letters to the editor -- both from the same man who lives in Albuquerque. As in New Mexico. Which puts him a bit far afield from NY-19. Does Sue really need to recruit someone from 2,500 miles away to drum up support in the district? Can't she just rely on the local Conservative party kingpin and other party hacks who have been writing already and are a bit more local?

Just how desperate will Sue get? Now that John Hall has made it onto the DCCC's Red to Blue list, we're guessing that Laura Bush will be making an appearance sometime soon.

Sue Kelly

RNN asks some tough questions about Sue Kelly

2006-10-25T18:48:00.000-04:00

Three new videos from RNN don't mince many words when it comes to Sue Kelly's ability to duck and cover (except when invited to break bread with Republican hacks).

In this video, shot earlier today, RNN anchor Rich French says Sue Kelly's behavior is "truly bizarre" and questions why she won't answer any questions about her role as Chairwoman of the Page Board from 1999 to 2001. He also asks why Sue Kelly has to sneak into a local cable television station for a face-to-face with John Hall earlier today.

The second video includes a rebuttal from RNN Real Politics Anchor Rich French who calls Sue out for the coward that she is. The third video (below) puts Sue Kelly on a milk carton, explaining that formula has helped locate missing children.

Looks like we have our own Keith Olbermann here in NY-19.

Quite a threesome: Sue Kelly, Mike DeWine, and Pamela the wingnut!

2006-10-24T20:24:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly runs away from the cameras, runs away from debates with John Hall, and Tuesday night, she ran away from the district to fundraise with Republican senator Mike DeWine. Maybe Sue needs to commiserate with another conservative-hiding-as-a-moderate who is in a tough fight against a great opponent? Birds of a feather, they say. Maybe Sue thinks she’s so popular here that she doesn’t need to fight for votes? (My canvassing in a conservative area in Orange County last weekend debunks that one.)

Maybe Sue and Mike (and heck, even Pamela) are making plans to get together once the two politicos are forced into retirement in January? Maybe Sue really enjoys hanging out with wingnut blogger Pamela from AtlasShrugs, even if it made for an awkward threesome that noted Vanity Fair blogger James Wolcott calls a "halfway house for halfwits". At last night's soiree, Geller was singing Sue's praises and touting her conservative qualifications. Which just goes to show you that Sue pretends to be an "independent" here in NY-19, but as this picture shows, it's easy to see where she really stands when she thinks nobody is watching.

On a lighter note...

2006-10-24T13:31:00.000-04:00

There's lots of funny anti-Sue Kelly videos popping up on YouTube. This one caught our eye.

Sue Kelly's Paranoia Deepens...

2006-10-23T18:27:00.000-04:00

Today's Times-Herald Record released some information from the editorial board meeting they had last week with Sue Kelly and her challenger, John Hall. In this article headlined, "Sue Kelly Strikes Back Part Deux", the THR describes two fits that Kelly had during the debate.

First up:

Kelly set the tone before the camera even started rolling by objecting to the debate's format, which required two-minute opening statements.

Should be an easy feat for a six-term congresswoman, right?

"I was not told that," she said. "I was not told that there were opening or closing statements. We actually checked. They indicated that that was not going to happen."

Hmmmm, and then she continues to lose her grip a little later:

Times Herald-Record Executive Editor Mike Levine was framing a question about the Iraq war. His hands were fumbling with a highlighted piece of paper.

"Is that a John Hall release you have there?" she probed.

"No, this is the Times Herald-Record."

"Just checking."

None of this sounds like "Striking Back" to me. And, of course, we know she totally freaked over the Mark Foley connection during this debate as well. Plus, in her Journal-News interview video, Sue looks about to cry and mirrors her boss George W. Bush by talking about "working hard."

Out with the old...

2006-10-22T20:27:00.000-04:00

Election Day is a mere 16 days away and as the Times Herald-Record's endorsement of John Hall notes, Sue Kelly isn't just living in the past as evidenced by her hob-knobbing with President Bush's first press secretary Ari Fleischer in Dutchess County on Friday night. She embodies old thinking. Here's a snippet from their editorial:

Kelly came into Congress a dozen years ago with the Newt Gingrich-led GOP sweep and its famous "Contract With America" that promised reform of how the House of Representatives was run by Democrats. For her part, Kelly reserved the right to pick and choose on the contract, but pledged to work for "a smaller, smarter government which is more accountable to the American people." The GOP-led federal government may be many things, but smaller, smarter and more accountable are not among them. Kelly's sin is not necessarily that her vision has not been realized, but that she almost unfailingly defends what has been delivered instead.

Asked in a debate at the Record's offices about the various scandals, excessive spending and botched White House efforts in Iraq all attributable to Republicans Kelly insisted that's "not where my focus should be." Rather, she said, "My focus is on the 19th Congressional District. I've helped bring jobs here. I've helped to make sure our environment is safe. I've helped bring money to schools, hospitals. I've done a great deal of work for the people here. That's where the focus should be."

Sorry, congresswoman, the I've-brought-home-the-bacon argument is not enough this year. Not when Americans are demanding accountability for a costly botched war and are anxious about a federal government that seems to operate without any checks and balances. She says looking back at Iraq, on which she has supported the president, is "second-guessing." Hall more accurately describes it as "avoiding responsibility."

Ouch! The take-down is particularly sweet because the paper has endorsed Kelly repeatedly in the past. Which brings us back to Ari Fleischer. Just as Fleischer spun tales about the war in Iraq (among other things), Sue Kelly keeps spinning stories about John Hall's plans to raise taxes (among other things). If you can't get by on the facts, you have to make stuff up. And Sue Kelly is showing once again that, as the old saying goes, you are the company that you keep.

NY Times says: Sue Kelly is go-along, get-along..

2006-10-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow's NY Times has endorsed John Hall for Congress. And while the paper had plenty of nice things to say about John, it's the stuff that they said about Sue Kelly that was particularly biting:

She has mostly been a go-along-to-get-along party member, supporting the Bush administration's tax cuts, stoutly defending its handling of the Iraq war and voting this month for President Bush's dangerous bill on military commissions...She is a rank and file loyalist in a party that is tired and fiscally reckless.

The endorsement isn't available online until tomorrow. We'll post a link then. In the meantime, if you haven't seen John's performance on the Colbert Report on Thursday night, be sure to check it out. .

Runaway Sue Kelly

2006-10-19T12:16:00.000-04:00

We think this speaks for itself....

New independent poll shows Sue Kelly's days are numbered!

2006-10-18T19:19:00.000-04:00

A new independent poll conducted by Majority Watch shows that Sue Kelly may soon have plenty of free time to spend being a "wife, mother and grandmother" as she indignantly shouted the other day. This new poll shows that John Hall is leading Kelly 49% to 40%. The crosstabs (pdf) are given and can be evaluated by those wanting the data -- it just shows that this race is one to look at. There's also these numbers from the latest NBC/WSJ poll, which while not local, show that the public thinks Congress is doing a lousy job.

Now, a few weeks ago, before Sue's ties to former Congressman Mark Foley were clear, John Hall released an internal poll that showed him and Kelly running neck and neck, with Kelly at 49% to Hall's 45%. But as this story in the Times Herald Record noted, Kelly's folks didn't give the poll much credence because it wasn't independent. Kelly spokesman Jay Townsend said of the poll results: "No independent source has released anything close to this. It is at variance with what we've done internally."

How will Jay spin this one? Post your guesses in the comment section.

Sue Kelly's empty chair...

2006-10-18T12:59:00.000-04:00

As we've noted here and here, Sue Kelly only comes out of her bunker to talk to real voters when she's guaranteed a friendly audience. Need evidence? Just look at these images from last night's debate at RNN TV.

Just more evidence that Sue Kelly has no new ideas. And she can't defend the ones she already has. During the editorial board meeting at the Times Herald Record on Monday, Kelly actually said that "Iraq is mostly pacified now". Really? Wonder what the families of these 10 soldiers would have to say about that.

Sue Kelly is feeling the heat

2006-10-17T12:49:00.000-04:00

And obviously she can't stand it.

Nationally renown blogger Joshua Marshall has caught Sue Kelly in what is either a lie or at the very least a significant bending of the truth. Sue Kelly was head of the House Page Board from 1999 to 2001 but she claims to have been such a bastion of morality that Mark Foley either suspended his predatory ways, or didn't start until she stepped down from the Board in 2002.

So which is it Sue? A lie or another lie? Or do you want to tell us again that you just work there, you have nothing to do with the actual running of the place.

Marshall's article is here.

Sue Kelly loses it on camera over Mark Foley!

2006-10-16T21:56:00.000-04:00

Well, now we know why Sue has been in hiding. Because when the hard questions start flying about Pagegate, Sue doesn't know how to answer other than to say that she's a wife, a mother and a grandmother. So are a lot of people, Sue. But none of those wives, mothers and grandmothers happened to have served as Chair of the Page Board when the first pages began complaining about Mark Foley's creepy behavior.

To watch the video of Sue unraveling, head here and click on the "You have no shame" link. Doesn't it kind of remind you of the scene in the Wizard of Oz where the bad witch melts before your very eyes?

And to learn more about what Sue knew, check out SueKnew.com, a new site that should help Sue refresh her memory.

The bottom line is this: Sue either knew about Mark Foley and did nothing. Or she wasn't doing her job.

Sue Kelly declares Oct. 16 Groundhog Day!

2006-10-16T13:26:00.000-04:00

Later today, Sue Kelly will come out of her hole to appear at a Farm Forum at Warwick Town Hall in Orange County. Though seats are extremely limited, this is the only public forum that Kelly has agreed to, despite the fact that her spokesman, Jay Townsend, continues to lie about the number of debates Kelly has agreed to.

Need evidence about just how hard Kelly is hiding? Well, she's already blown off invites from the League of Women Voters not once, not twice, but three times. We'll note that while some extremists on Kelly's side claim that the League is partisan, there's plenty of other members of Congress, including Sue's fellow Republicans, who are participating in debates sponsored by the group (see here and here and here).

But Kelly's not just blowing off the League of Women Voters. She's also blowing off RNN -- the only channel available to people who get their television via cable or a satellite dish. Here's a snippet from the letter RNN hand-delivered to Kelly on Friday:

As you and your campaign are aware, despite repeated requests by the Westchester County chapter of the League of Women Voters, you have failed to respond to a non-partisan invitation to participate in a regionally televised debate with your 19th District Congressional Seat opponent John Hall.

As a result, RNN-TV is left with no alternative but to proceed without the auspices of the League. So, we will continue with plans to air a debate with or without your presence as scheduled on Tuesday, October 17th at 8pm originating from the RNN-TV studios in Rye Brook, NY. Your absence will be represented by an empty chair.

Meanwhile, as the Journal News reported yesterday, many Republicans are beginning to have concerns about Kelly's cover-up of the Mark Foley scandal, otherwise known as Pagegate.

How much longer can she really continue to hide? Even the groundhog makes an appearance once a year, Sue. It's time to come out of your hole and meet the voters of the 19th district!

Sue Kelly's alternate reality...

2006-10-14T10:24:00.000-04:00

Late yesterday, Sue put out a laughable response to the ad that Majority Action put out. Here's a snippet:

Majority Action is dumping half a million dollars into this race-money that is being used to air a filthy, scurrilous attack on my character and integrity. What is Majority Action? One of those mysterious democrat shadow groups called a "527," funded by well-healed fat cats who can cut six and seven figure checks and operate outside the rules imposed on federal candidates.

So let's get this straight: putting out a commercial that takes a close (albeit critical) look at Sue's massive campaign donations is filthy and scurrilous. But attacking former Sen. Max Cleland for being in bed with Osama bin Laden as the Republican 527 Progress for America did back in 2002 or as "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" -- another 527 that was active in 2004 -- is perfectly fine in Sue's book.

If that's Sue Kelly's idea of reality, than she really is more out of touch than we thought!

Sue Kelly needs to start working for us!

2006-10-13T11:50:00.000-04:00

We caught this latest ad on YouTube and think that it speaks for itself. As Michael Schiavo said yesterday: Sue Kelly deserves to go. No questions.

Michael Schiavo weighs in on Sue Kelly...

2006-10-12T12:02:00.000-04:00

Early in the morning of March 21, 2005, Sue voted to intervene in Michael and Terri Schiavo's personal lives. Fast forward a year and a half and Michael Schiavo notes with more than a bit of irony how Sue Kelly and other members of Congress should have been paying more attention to a far more serious problem in Florida: Mark Foley's abuse of teenage pages. Schiavo writes:

It wasn't that long ago that the same cast and crew who are now claiming to be misinformed, uninformed or in denial went to great and extraordinary lengths to interject themselves into my life. And it hasn't escaped my attention either that most of the people on the Foley hot seat are the same ones who voted to put Congress in Terri's hospice. People like Tom Reynolds, Sue Kelly, Dennis Hastert, Don Sherwood, Mike Fitzpatrick, Mark Kirk and, yes, even Mark Foley voted to put the Congress in my personal life when they should have been looking at his.

Michael Schiavo goes on to say this: "Sue Kelly deserves to go. No questions."

We couldn't agree with him more.

Sue Kelly has some explaining to do

2006-10-12T07:09:00.000-04:00

ABC News is reporting that former Republican Congressman Mark Foley was reportedly cruising the pages' dorm in the summer of 2000, a time when our own Sue Kelly was in charge of the House Page Board.

What does Sue Kelly have to say for herself now? Why don't you call her and ask? 202.225.5441 in DC or 845.291.4100 (Orange County), 845.897.5200 (Dutchess County) or 914.962.0761 in Westchester. We'd certainly like to know.

Sue Kelly huffs and puffs but still no responsibility on Mark Foley.

2006-10-11T00:52:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly isn't having a very good week -- and it's only Wednesday!

First the LA Times reported that a former page was approached by Foley in 2000 (while Ms. Kelly was Page Board Chair).

Then the Washington Post wrote about how fellow Page Board member, Jim Kolbe, learned about the Foley situation back in 2000 (while Sue Kelly was Page Board Chair).

Then, yesterday, Kolbe issued this press release stating that he notified the Page Board clerk and Mark Foley's office.

Remember that Sue Kelly was the Chair of the program and she was responsible for supervising it during this time.

Then CQPolitics upgraded her congressional race moving it in a more competitive category. (Now it is listed as 'leans' republican from republican favored)

So apparently all of these questions swirling around Ms. Kelly are taking a toll. The Journal News reports:

U.S. Rep. Sue Kelly angrily denied this afternoon that anyone informed her in 2000 when she was chairman of the [page board and] that a former page had complained about an e-mail message he received from then-U.S. Rep. Mark Foley that made him feel uncomfortable.

(emphasis added)

Uh oh, sounds like Sue is losing her cool!

The Journal News Continues saying:

"I'm pretty angry at Jim (Kolbe)," Kelly said

Why? Because Kolbe refuses to cover up the facts that you either covered up for a fellow Congressman who was preying on teenage boys or that you weren't doing your job as Page Board Chair? Whether or not you knew about Foley back in 2000 is almost irrelevant now: It was YOUR JOB to know about Foley.

It's fact:
You should have known -- knowing about this was the whole reason the Page Board was created!
The biggest purpose of the job, the job of the Page Board is: To oversee and make sure of the well being of the Congressional Pages in all aspects.

Breaking Story: CQ Upgrades NY-19 to 'leans' republican!

2006-10-10T02:59:00.000-04:00

Because of increased activity, a great opposition candidate (John Hall) and

the question of whether Kelly herself knew about Foley’s lewd behavior during her tenure as Republican chairwoman of the House Page Board

CQPolitics.com has upgraded the NY-19 to 'leans' republican from republican favored.

There are only 18 races that CQ rates as more competitive for democractic pickup over the 'lean' category.

The article is written here .

-- MrMacMan

Is Sue Kelly lying about Mark Foley?

2006-10-09T19:19:00.000-04:00

For the past week, Sue Kelly has been sticking to her story that she knew nothing about Mark Foley's predatory behavior or messages until Pagegate broke on Sept. 29.

But this story in the Washington Post shows that one of Kelly's colleagues on the Page Board -- indeed the person that Kelly replaced as chair of the Page Board in February 1999 -- knew about Foley's explicit emails as early as 2000 and personally confronted Foley about the emails to young male pages.

C'mon Sue: are the voters here in the Hudson Valley really supposed to believe that you knew nothing? As each day passes and new facts come out, it's getting harder and harder to swallow that story!

Meanwhile... in the Reality-Based world

2006-10-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

We now know beyond any doubt that North Korea is a nuclear power.

For a little perspective, we suggest reading Joshua Marshall's Talking Points Memo this morning:

The origins of the failure are ones anyone familiar with the last six years in this country will readily recognize: chest-thumping followed by failure followed by cover-up and denial. The same story as Iraq. Even the same story as Foley.

That's right. Once again, tough talk and swagger is the substitute for acting smart and protecting the American homeland. Sue Kelly and the Republican-controlled Congress have failed to secure our ports, or ensure our troops in Iraq have adequate body armor. They prefer swagger to doing real work, and we can't afford it anymore.

The bomb-grade plutonium that was on ice from 1994 to 2002 is now actual bombs. Try as you might it is difficult to imagine a policy -- any policy -- which would have yielded a worse result than the one we will face Monday morning.

The policy of the Clinton administration - containment backed up not only by the threat of sanctions but the promise of rewards for good behavior - has been replaced by the aforementioned tough talk and swagger. And now another nation has joined the nuclear club.

Talking tough is great if you can make it stick and back it up; it is always and necessarily cleaner and less compromising than sitting down and dealing with bad actors. Talking tough and then folding your cards doesn't just show weakness it invites contempt. And that is what we have here.

We couldn't agree more. We can't afford another two years of Republicans like Sue Kelly telling us "don't blame me, I just work here."

Sue Kelly continues spinning on Mark Foley...

2006-10-08T21:01:00.000-04:00

Earlier today, the Los Angeles Times reported additional details on the Mark Foley/Pagegate scandal during the time that Sue Kelly chaired the Page Board. Here's a snippet from the Times story:

The exchanges quickly became provocative. In one 2000 message, Maf54 inquired about the length and direction of the youth's erection. "He clearly has used his position, but who hasn't?" the former page said.

Meanwhile, Sue Kelly continues to try to spin the story and minimize her involvement in the whole sorry mess. In the past week, we've seen her claim that she doesn't remember when she was chair of the Page Board (the correct answer is February 1999 to early 2001). And we've seen her say that nothing "had been brought to my attention" which kind of sounds like Condi Rice's excuses about 9-11 because "If we had known an attack was coming against the United States, we would have moved heaven and earth to stop it." Duh!

Has Sue been subpoenaed yet? Why not give her office a call and ask? Here's how to reach her (well, her office, since she seems to be in stealth mode, particularly on this issue): 202.225.5441 in DC or 845.291.4100 (Orange County), 845.897.5200 (Dutchess County) or 914.962.0761 in Westchester.

The election is now less than a month away. Voters deserve to know the truth about what Sue knew. And if she really knew nothing despite being Chairman of the Page Board, why the heck not?

Will Sue Kelly get subpoena over Mark Foley mess?

2006-10-06T15:37:00.000-04:00

Now that ABC News is reporting that three former pages were being harassed by Mark Foley when Sue Kelly was Chairwoman of the Page Board , it seems like only a matter time before Sue is hauled before the House Ethics Committee. Here's a snippet from the ABC News report:

The second page who talked with ABC News, a graduate of the 2000 page class, says Foley actually visited the old page dorm and offered rides to events in his BMW.

"His e-mails developed into sexually explicit conversations, and he asked me for photographs of my erect penis," the former page said.

Despite the fact that Kelly claims she can't remember exactly when she served as Chairman of the Page Board, various sources put the date at Feb. 11, 1999 through early 2001. That would put her in charge during the dates that this particular page was being harassed by one of her colleagues.

And there's also this as reported in today's Charleston (W.V) Gazette: Sue Kelly collected around $12,000 from her PROM date/fundraiser with Mark Foley on Sept. 26, just two days before Foley resigned from Congress.

The bottom line is that Sue Kelly either knew what was going on with Mark Foley and covered it up, or she wasn't doing her job as Chairwoman of the Page Board by protecting vulnerable teenagers. Which one is it Sue?

Sue Kelly runs from Mark Foley, but she can't hide...

2006-10-05T18:26:00.000-04:00

There's little doubt that Sue Kelly spent much of today trying to run from her involvement in what's now being called Pagegate. But unfortunately for Sue, the facts can be stubborn things. That's because as both Roll Call and the Times-Union blog are reporting, just last week, Sue Kelly stood side-by-side with Mark Foley to collect money from a group called PROM, or Physicians to Retain our Majority. Here's the official invite, which conveniently omitted Kelly's name. Not to mention Foley and NY-20's John Sweeney. But here's what the Times-Union blog had to say about the event:

Members of the PROM committee include two New Yorkers - John Sweeney (20th CD) and Sue Kelly (19th CD) - as well as Shelley Moore Capito, of West Virginia, who is a member of the House Page Board and was not told of the Foley emails when the issue came up earlier this year.

The name of this committee, which helps candidates tap new donor bases, is doubly unfortunate when you consider this passage from yesterday's Washington Post:

"The pages did, however, receive a lot of attention from Foley. He attended one of their parties in a tuxedo. He donated to the fundraiser that helps pay for their prom and spoke admiringly about them in floor speeches. He learned their names and asked them about themselves. For many, it was welcome attention."

Will Sue Kelly return the money she collected that night? Or will she continue to hide?

Sue Kelly's memory lapse on Mark Foley...

2006-10-05T12:08:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly's excuses on what she knows about the Mark Foley scandal are beginning to sound a lot like "the dog ate my homework" to many people who live in the 19th. From this morning's JoNews story:

Kelly said she couldn't remember the exact years of her service, but Salley M. Collins, a spokeswoman for the Committee on House Administration, said in an e-mail yesterday that Kelly served as chairwoman from 1998 to 2000.

Hmmm...where else have we heard about a politician not being able to remember important things about this case? How about Speaker of the House Denny Hastert, who can't remember when he was told about Foley's behavior? Or NRCC Chair Tom Reynolds, who also seems to have a memory lapse when it comes to details about this case?

And why are the dates that Kelly served as Chair of the Page Board changing by the hour? As we've noted in several posts, Kelly just can't seem to get her story straight on this one. So now she's simply saying she just doesn't remember.

Don't the voters in the 19th deserve more from their Congresswoman than lame excuses about events that didn't even happen all that long ago?

Sue Kelly on Mark Foley ... "I just work here."

2006-10-05T08:18:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly loves to tell us what a power player she is in Washington, but when push comes to shove, when the rubber hits the road, or a scandal hits the Republican leadership, the story suddenly (and predictably) changes to "who, me?"

According to this document, Sue Kelly chaired the House Page Board from the 106th to the 108th Congress. But when asked by the Times Herald Record, Sue Kelly apparently didn't know or wasn't there or didn't hear a thing.

So let's take her at her word. When she gets to Washington, Sue Kelly just keeps her eyes closed and does what she's told by the right-wing Republican leadership. But we knew that all along.

What did Sue Kelly know about the Mark Foley cover-up?

2006-10-04T16:49:00.000-04:00

A short time ago, John Hall urged Sue Kelly to come clean about her time as Chair of the House Page Board:

John Hall Questions Sue Kelly About Scandal

BEACON, NY Democratic congressional nominee John Hall today called on Rep. Sue Kelly to answer relevant questions about the unfolding scandal regarding Rep. Mark Foley and the sexually explicit messages he exchanged with teenaged congressional pages. "It is critical for Rep. Kelly to be as forthcoming as possible about her time as the Chair of the Page Board," said Hall. Rep. Foleys perverse actions may have taken place under Sue Kellys watch. When it seems that so many others knew of Foleys lewd and entirely inappropriate behavior, why didnt Sue Kelly? And if she did know, why didnt she do anything to protect these children?

Lots of questions are beginning to surface about exactly what Kelly, who depending on the source either served as Page Board Chair in the 106th-108th Congresses (2000-2004) (see this report (pdf)) or was there from 1999 to 2001.

Two versions of this AP story (early and later) also give slightly different dates.

And then there's the question of her official spokesman, Kevin Callahan, sounding more than a bit shrill when a THR reporter began asking some questions for this article. Said Callahan: ""I don't see where you're going with this, other than on some witch hunt," Callahan told the Times Herald-Record. "I don't see what you're trying to do other than connect her to a sick man. All I can tell you is that no incidents came to her attention while she was chair."

Was Kelly part of the Foley cover-up? Why not give her office a call and ask: 202.225.5441 in DC or 845.291.4100 (Orange County), 845.897.5200 (Dutchess County) or 914.962.0761 in Westchester. Don't we deserve to know the truth about what Kelly knew and whether she was doing her job protecting our children?

Can we trust Sue Kelly?

2006-10-03T23:32:00.000-04:00

John Hall's new TV ad. We thought we'd share....

Vets speak out against Sue Kelly

2006-10-03T21:18:00.000-04:00

We think this speaks for itself.

What's Sue Kelly's problem with Westchester?

2006-10-03T11:56:00.000-04:00

As this article in the Journal News noted over the weekend, Sue Kelly refuses to debate with John Hall in Westchester. She never even responded to three separate invites from the League of Women voters in Somers. Though her spokesman, who happens to be Pat Buchanan's former campaign manager, tried to dismiss concerns over the debates in this item that ran in yesterday's Times Herald Record, you have to wonder what's going through their heads. Is Westchester really that scary for Sue, even though she has under-represented the area for the past 12 years and who claims in her campaign literature to be a "47 year resident of Hudson Valley" (sic)?

According to the latest numbers from the state, there are 121,919 voters in Westchester who live in NY-19, which makes it the largest part of the district after Orange County. Don't those 121,919 people -- few of whom we're assuming will be invited to Sue's newspaper editorial board meetings that she is trying to pass off as actual debates -- deserve to hear what Sue Kelly has to say? Not to mention that one of those editorial board meetings is set for West Nyack, which last time we checked, is located in Eliot Engel's district.

If you live in Westchester, call Kelly's office in Washington (202.225.5441) and demand a public debate in Westchester. Come to think of it, Putnam County residents deserve a public debate too. After spending the past 12 years in Congress, the 121,919 voters who live in Westchester deserve more than lip-service and lame excuses from their Representative in Congress!

UPDATE: Apparently, Sue doesn't have a problem taking money from Westchester residents. She just has a problem with an open debate in Westchester. According to this item on the JoNews blog, Sue will speak for $55 a plate at LeChateau in South Salem on Oct. 19.

Do Nothing Republican Congress Does Something: Sue Kelly & Co Vote for Torture

2006-10-02T14:50:00.000-04:00

The ignominious 109th Congress, dubbed the "Do Nothing Congress", unfortunately got active and passed the Military Commissions Act in the days just before going on recess to campaign for our votes. And what did they accomplish with this? Let the New York Times (Rushing Off a Cliff, published: September 28, 2006) tell you:

Here’s what happens when this irresponsible Congress railroads a profoundly important bill to serve the mindless politics of a midterm election: The Bush administration uses Republicans’ fear of losing their majority to push through ghastly ideas about anti-terrorism that will make American troops less safe and do lasting damage to our 217-year-old nation of laws — while actually doing nothing to protect the nation from terrorists. Here are some lowlights--the worst of the worst parts of this abominable bill:

Enemy Combatants: Legal residents of the United States, as well as foreign citizens living in their own countries, could be subject to summary arrest and indefinite detention with no hope of appeal. The president could give the power to apply this label to anyone he wanted.

Habeas Corpus [established in the year 1215 AD] is no longer available: Detainees in U.S. military prisons lose the basic right to have a court (and not George Bush) determine the lawfulness of his imprisonment (i.e., habeas corpus would provide some protection from Bush and his cronies randomly pulling an individual off the street and throwing him into jail to show the world how “tough” they are on terrorism).

Judicial Review: The courts would have no power to review any aspect of this new system, except verdicts by military tribunals. All Mr. Bush would have to do to lock anyone up forever is to declare him an illegal combatant and not have a trial.

Coerced Evidence: Coerced evidence [evidence obtained by torture] would be permissible if a judge considered it reliable — already a contradiction in terms — and relevant.

Offenses: The definition of torture is unacceptably narrow, a virtual reprise of the deeply cynical memos the administration produced after 9/11. The bill would effectively eliminate the idea of rape as torture.

The Republicans made it clear that they’d use any opportunity to brand anyone who votes against this bill as a terrorist enabler. Which brings us, as ever, to SUE KELLY. Voting in lockstep, rubber stamp in hand, Sue helped the House pass this Un-American and probably unconstitutional bill. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll491.xml . Not a very "moderate" or "independent" act, as the Times sums it up:

. . .Americans of the future won’t remember the pragmatic arguments for caving in to the administration. They’ll know that in 2006, Congress passed a tyrannical law that will be ranked with the low points in American democracy, our generation’s version of the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Sue Kelly, Mark Foley and the G.O.P. leadership

2006-10-01T10:50:00.000-04:00

Ever since the primary, Sue Kelly has been running scared. She's been telling voters in the 19th CD how the election of John Hall to Congress would mean the elevation of Nancy Pelosi to Speaker of the House.

Since Sue already brought it up, let's take a good look at the current House leadership. The same leadership, which according to today's New York Times:

knew for months about e-mail traffic between Representative Mark Foley and a former teenage page, but kept the matter secret and allowed Mr. Foley to remain head of a Congressional caucus on children’s issues, Republican lawmakers said Saturday.

Full article here.

And Speaker Hastert? The same Speaker Hastert who Sue Kelly wants to keep in office? According to Roll Call, Hastert is running for cover faster than you can say Representative John Hall.

Hastert's staff insisted Friday night that he was not told of the Foley allegations and are scrambling to respond to Reynolds' statement.

Full article here.

And while we're on the subject of online predators, both in Congress and otherwise, how long do you think it will be before Sue Kelly once again claims credit for the Online Sexual Predator legislation she had little or nothing to do with?

Just some food for thought...

Sue Kelly's slap down in Somers...

2006-09-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

As most people know, the League of Women Voters is a non-partisan group. Indeed, it's the very first thing you see when you Google the group. For the past few weeks, the Somers chapter of the LWV has been trying to get Sue Kelly to commit to a debate at the Somers Library on Oct. 16. Though they've sent three invitations, Sue hasn't had the courtesy to respond, according to this item on the Journal News's political blog.

As the JoNews noted, local LMV members are miffed at Kelly's rudeness. "It's disgusting," said Carol Fox, who serves as voter services chairwoman. So how do Kelly's folks respond? By anonymously attacking LMV members as "bitties" (we think the poster meant to say biddies) who are a "bunch of rich and/or retired self important busy body do-gooders." Needless to say, Sue's valiant defender declined to provide his real name.

A word from Sue Kelly's sponsors

2006-09-28T14:50:00.000-04:00

From a reader in Garrison. We thought we'd share.

Sue Kelly - Hear that Groundswell Building?

2006-09-28T12:07:00.000-04:00

Hey! Looks like we are in a Red to Blue moment here in the 19th Congressional District. John Hall, the Democratic candidate running against Sue Kelly, has been identified by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a candidate who has taken a traditionally non-competitive district, and through the strength of his campaign, put himself in a position to win in November!

Sue, better duck and cover - that's the sound of CHANGE that you are hearing!

Sue Kelly is running scared

2006-09-27T09:30:00.000-04:00

So says Journal News political observer Phil Reisman.

Reisman has this to say about our favorite "independent"...

(S)ince the days of Newt Gingrich and "The Contract With America," Kelly has long been considered to be a loyal, lock-step Republican. That's why her proud disavowal of the so-called "party leaders" should raise a few amused eyebrows with the opposition.

Yep, Sue Kelly is slowly realizing that being a loyal, lock-step Republican might not be the best tactic for re-election in 2006 which is why she's trying to pull the wool over the eyes of 19th CD voters by claiming to be "independent" of her G.O.P. overlords

But we're not falling for it Sue. We know who you are and we know come January you'll be looking for a new job.

Kids, Smoking and Sue Kelly’s Dirty PAC Dollars

2006-09-26T08:54:00.000-04:00

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids tells us this:

Recently, the major cigarette companies were found GUILTY in federal court of being racketeers who have never stopped lying to the American people about the health risks of their products and about their marketing of addiction to children. Tobacco companies claim to have stopped their illegal conduct, but U.S. District Court Judge Kessler reveals Big Tobacco’s lying ways: "Defendants have not ceased engaging in unlawful activity" and have "marketed and sold their lethal product with zeal, with deception, with a single-minded focus on their financial success and without regard for the human tragedy or social costs."

The verdict is in. It is time for our political leaders INCLUDING SUE KELLY to stop accepting campaign cash from an industry full of guilty racketeers. Big Tobacco's deep pockets are still influencing Congress and members of Congress who take Big Tobacco's campaign cash should not breathe easy. Congress has been sitting on the sidelines while Big Tobacco marketed deadly and addictive products to our kids. Could this lack of action be the result of campaign cash?

A survey of Big Tobacco contributions to New York State representatives in our general locale shows who is representing us and our children and who is serving the tobacco industry – which do you prefer?

Tobacco industry contributions to current Senators and U.S. Representatives(1997-2006)

District/Name:
18/Lowey, Nita (D) $0
19/Kelly, Sue (R) $13,000
20/Sweeney, John (R) $32,500
21/McNulty, Michael (D) $0
22/Hinchey, Maurice (D) $0
23/McHugh, John (R) $5,000
24/Boehlert, Sherwood (R) $14,500
25/Walsh, James (R) $-1,000
26/Reynolds, Thomas (R) $41,000
27/ Higgins, Brian (D) $0
28/Slaughter, Louise (D) $0
29/Kuhl, John (R) $12,000

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/doj/

Life inside the bubble...

2006-09-23T17:42:00.000-04:00

Only inside the bubble that is Washington D.C. could Sue Kelly dust off a piece of legislation that's been sitting around since March 2005 and hold it up as an achievement in September 2006. Here's the details:

Back on March 3, 2005, Sue Kelly introduced this legislation designed to improve safety at public dams. The legislation, which seems innocuous enough and has 33 co-sponsors, went nowhere for a full year and a half, despite the fact that the Republicans control the House. Then, on Thursday, the bill passed the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Sue held it up as a bona fide accomplishment. Keep in mind that Republicans control both Houses of Congress, so they set the schedule, which makes the lack of action seem even stranger. Also remember that this legislation still has a long way to go: it has to pass the full House and get out of the Senate. Indeed, at the rate it's going, that should happen around 2010!

Now apply this to your own life: let's say you told your boss you'd do something back in March 2005. By September 2006, you're only a quarter of the way there. Still think you'd have a job?

Sue Desperately Seeking Independence

2006-09-21T00:32:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly is trying desperately to be viewed as ANYTHING BUT A REPUBLICAN.

She even went so far as to get an endorsement from the "Independence Party of New York." This is not to be confused with "independent" voters, who are unaffiliated with any political party.

But, there is a problem here. Doesn't a candidate of a party run on the platform of that party?

Uh, oh!, one of the planks of the NY State Independence Party's platform is twelve-year term limits for House members. That's right, and Sue Kelly is completing her twelfth year in office! You would think that Kelly devoutly believed in this plank because she also signed Newt Gingrich's so-called "Contract With America", which was gung-ho about twelve-year term limits. That is, until she and her buddies got elected and dropped the idea altogether...

But I digress. Kelly is using the IP ballot line as a fig leaf to bolster her claims that she is "an independent voice in Congress." That's the biggest sham of them all. An 85% voting record allied with her Republican leadership doesn't sound too independent to me. If Sue Kelly is an independent, then I'm the tooth fairy.

Voters, don't be fooled by Sue Kelly's shell game. The true independents I know -- some who are even registered in the Independence Party -- have at least one thing in common: NONE support Sue Kelly. As one Independence Party member said to me about Kelly, "She's a Republican through and through. Her attempt to repackage herself would make Houdini blush."

While we hope the Independence Party realizes the error of its ways in endorsing a candidate who doesn't share its values, we call on the voters of the 19th Congressional District to help Sue Kelly truly "live the platform" and end her service in Congress at 12 years!

Sue Kelly Gets Nervous

2006-09-20T10:14:00.000-04:00

From Sue Kelly's latest missive to her supporters and cash cows:

We now know that John Hall is the kind of Congressman Moveon.org wants. I don't think he'd be the kind of Congressman the Hudson Valley wants.

Oh really Sue? Would YOU even know what the Hudson Valley wants and deserves in a Representative?

Certainly we want and deserve more than a rubber stamp which is the best Sue Kelly has ever done. Of course, rubber stamps leave impressions and Sue Kelly can barely do that, but you get the idea.

Sue's Latest Doubletalk

2006-09-19T14:48:00.000-04:00

I emailed my Congresswoman, Sue Kelly, urging her support of HR676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, and all I got back was this robo-response:

“I agree that we must do more to make quality health care accessible and affordable for all Americans…” writes Sue, while fondling a statement from her own gynecologist with “$00.00 Patient Responsibility Balance” highlighted in pink.

“….Taxpayers’ costs associated with a government run health entitlement program would require a substantial increase in taxes…” Sue continues, blithely ignoring the fact that cutting out the insurance company-middleman would save her middle class constituents zillions.

“…I have supported the creation of Association Health Plans (AHP), which would allow small businesses to join together to purchase health insurance…” - Let’s see, with Group Discounts, small business owners and minimum-wage employees will now share only a $19,500 annual family premium – instead of $20,000?

“….I’m also pushing for medical malpractice reforms that will help rein in the cost of junk lawsuits that contribute to skyrocketing health costs…” - So, if I go in with a strep throat and end up with my left leg sawed off I should go: “Oh, well, I still have my right one, and I’m grateful to help keep down health costs!”

“…Improving America’s health care system will continue to be a top priority for me. As your representative in Congress, please know that I will keep your views in mind as I work on this issue.”

Thanks, Sue, for keeping my views in mind – and for motivating me to triple up on vitamins, exercise and health food. I will NEVER get sick. And, then, where will your pharmaceutical, HMO and medical insurance PAC money come from? HMMMMMM????

Sue Enables Pork (Part II)

2006-09-18T16:09:00.000-04:00

When is a reform not a reform? When Sue Kelly and her colleagues decide to build the rule-making equivalent to a “bridge to nowhere”.

Sue helped pass a new House rule that purports to make public the names of members requesting “earmarks” (special projects which often benefit only a single entity). Problem is (and with these guys you always have to read the fine print) this rule will last only until the end of 2006, and would not eliminate a single earmark.

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) pointed out in the floor debate that this was a “deceptive bill that is riddled with loopholes… you could drive a truck through.”

But what do you expect from the folks who have more criminals than statesmen (dare I say Tom DeLay/Bob Ney/Duke Cunningham for starters?) in their midst. You certainly wouldn’t expect anything that smelled like ethics reform.

In contrast, the Democratic bill (yes, Virginia, there is a difference between Democratic values and Republican corruption) would have banned Congressional travel on corporate jets, prohibited lobbyist gifts, slowed the revolving door between Capitol Hill and the lobbying firms, shut down the trading of jobs in lobbying firms in exchange for legislative favors, and exposed earmarks to the light of day so that they couldn’t be slipped into bills without public scrutiny, including disclosure whether the Member proposing the earmark has a financial interest in it.

Sue voted "yes" which was a vote to kill the Democrat's comprehensive ethics reform.

Sue Kelly and her ethically-challenged gang are a clear and present danger to honest government.

Sue Kelly to Pound Ridge Voters: "Thanks for the chili; no pictures please!"

2006-09-16T15:36:00.000-04:00

A beautiful late summer weekend. Perfect for a country fair. And our operative, let's call him PoundRidge Dem, spent today with his family at the Pound Ridge Community Fair. Unbeknownst to him, Sue Kelly and her personal army of handlers were there as well and they would not suffer anyone to bother poor Sue Kelly as she wolfed down a bowl of chili and ignored Pound Ridge voters.

We'll let PoundRidge Dem take it from here:

I was enjoying a beautiful day in the park with my family when who should I see rushing by us but Sue Kelly and two men - one older and in a t-shirt and another much younger, maybe college age, in a suit and dark sunglasses.

Sue Kelly and her entourage, if you could call it that, zipped right by the community booths, the games, the families and the rest and headed right to the food stand. Sue and the older man then walked even further away from the crowds, to the bleachers near the playground, while the kid in the suit stood guard behind them.

I was shooting a few pictures of my kids, who happened to be behind Sue and her buddies, in the playground. Predictably enough, she was sitting alone, talking to the other guy while real live voters were sitting five feet away.

There's Sue, her bowl of chili and her friend on the right, and real live voters on the left.

No sooner had I realized who was in my viewfinder than I felt a cold clammy hand on my shoulder and found the younger goon standing right over me. "Who are you and who are you with?" he demanded.

"I'm taking pictures, is that allowed?" I asked.

"I just want to be sure you aren't with the media." he said. And continued to stare at me with a slightly exaggerated (and very amusing) air of menace. As if he were trying to scare me I suppose.

"Am I still allowed to take pictures?" I asked.

He started to say something and I guess he thought better of it because he then stomped off back to his position immediately behind Sue Kelly and her chili and her other friend. Here's his picture. If you run into Sue and have a camera, be ready for an inquisition.
At this point I rounded up the brood and left figuring it was a good time to head home. But I'm sure if you ask anyone who was there, they wouldn't even know Sue Kelly came by today. And if Sue Kelly's staff is willing to harass a guy with his six year old son standing right next to him just for the sin of carrying a camera too close to her, imagine what they would do to someone who actually has a question for her.

There you have it folks. Whatever you do, don't get between Sue Kelly and her bowl of chili.

Tired, but untrue...

2006-09-16T13:21:00.000-04:00

A friend of Take19 was surprised to find this frantic email from Sue Kelly cluttering her inbox only a day after John Hall won the primary on Sept. 12:

In Congress I fought to ease the tax burden on those who call the Hudson Valley home. I voted to cut the federal income tax, worked to abolish the capital gains tax for middle class homeowners, voted to double the child tax credit, abolish the marriage penalty tax, the death tax and am working now to increase the federal deduction for property tax payers to ease the onerous property tax burden imposed on New York's families.

And Mr. Hall? He wants to raise taxes and repeal income tax cuts passed by Congress after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center . He's endorsed a bill that would impose a new 'transaction' tax on anybody who buys or sells a stock, (which New York City officials say would cost the region thousands of jobs) and create a new payroll tax.

Judging from his past and the promises he's made, it's clear to me that Mr. Hall thinks you should pay more taxes and send more to Washington. I don't. As long as I'm in Congress, I will continue working to keep your taxes down.

And our friend, who happens to be a registered Republican, thought to herself: "They're rolling out this tired old chestnut again? In fact, Here's what she wrote:

"Well, here's a news flash for Sue: The REPUBLICANS are in charge in Washington AND in Albany AND in Orange County AND in my little town and guess what? My school taxes just went up another 7.7% this year! And you want us to be afraid of the Democrats, Sue? Are you kidding?"

In her missive, Sue actually wrote this: "As long as I'm in Congress, I will continue working to keep your taxes down." To which our friend said, "Huh? Sue, I beg you, please don't work so hard, all your hard work is killing my family!"

Try as Sue might to play the tired but untrue tax fear card -- even trying to co-mingle it with the tragedy that happened on Sept. 11 -- we're betting that most voters know which direction taxes have been going for the overwhelming majority of people who live in NY-19: up.

The GOP just can't stop itself...

2006-09-14T10:17:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly and her GOP overlords are addicted to pork.

Not even embarrassed in the least by the wave of bribery scandals overtaking their leadership, they are moving forward to gut a bill which would require full disclosure of pork-barrel set-asides.

The New York Times has the details on how the House GOP leadership (you know, Sue Kelly's best friends forever) is gutting a bill which would require Members to disclose funds earmarked for their districts.

Maybe a little fresh air in Washington is too much for Sue Kelly and her friends. Maybe it's time for a change.

Quick! Sue Needs an Environmentalist Award!

2006-09-14T00:14:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly needed something to divert attention from her abysmal voting record on the environment (only 17% pro-environment on significant votes, according to the League of Conservation Voters).

Her latest environmental misstep related to the Highlands Conservation Act. Not only did Sue fail to increase (as she had promised to do) the paltry $2 million for 2006 that the Administration was willing to fund for this (supposedly) $10 million program but she didn't stop her own Republican colleagues from reducing that amount to $1 million.

But what to do? This was a dilemma.

What about the centerpiece of her Faux Environmentalist credentials - preserving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?

That's it! Give her the newly-minted, made-for-Sue, Alaska Defender Award, for her "efforts to keep Alaska wild". So that's what happened at a local "Renewable Energy Exhibition".

The only fly in that ointment - her bad report card from the LCV included embarrassing votes she made, supporting drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge...

Could this be why the organization giving the award kept a low profile on the event (no press, minimal publicity), issuing a canned "news" report on the event, in the hopes that this all blows over without anyone digging into the real facts? We bet Sue hopes no one blogs about this....

Florida on the Hudson...

2006-09-13T00:53:00.000-04:00

On the day that Democrats in NY-19 chose John Hall to take on Rubber Stamp Sue Kelly, it was somewhat surprising to see a bunch of Sue's lackeys waving their signs at the Peekskill train station. But there they were as we got off of the 5:12 from Grand Central, getting in the way of two of the candidates that were actually on the ballot on Tuesday: Darren Rigger and Ben Shuldiner.

One has to wonder how desperate Sue's folks must be to try and disrupt an official election. Then again, perhaps they're getting some tips from Sue's neighbor to the north, John Sweeney, who according to this article in Slate has some expertise in this area.

Don't the people in NY-19 deserve better than some party goons intent on disrupting an election? We think so. Unfortunately, Sue's primary day tricks are probably just the beginning. With the Republicans desperate to hang on to Sue's seat, we're betting that today's Florida on the Hudson moment is just the beginning.

Vote!

2006-09-12T12:25:00.000-04:00

So today is primary day and the polls are open until 9 p.m. If you haven't voted already, please be sure to make it to the polls because no matter who you support, it's all about beating Sue Kelly in November.

If you're interested in where the four candidates will be later this evening once the polls close, here's a list (in alphabetical order):

Judy Aydelott will be at her Beacon campaign HQ at 464 Main St.

John Hall will be at the Courtyard Marriott in Fishkill.

Darren Rigger will be at his campaign office on Division street in Peekskill.

Ben Shuldiner will be at his campaign HQ directly across from Cortlandt Town Center at 1 Baker St.

Remember: no matter who wins today, defeating Rubber-Stamp Sue remains the ultimate goal. We'll be posting information about a unity event set for Thursday.

"Sue Kelly" appeals to "supporters." Protect me from the "bloggers."

2006-09-10T21:53:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly's latest missive to her supporters is out and it's a hoot. Sue's all afraid of the big bad "liberal" "bloggers" (the air quotes are hers, you can't make this stuff up folks).

And of course, we'll need your financial support to counter what
promises to be a hard-hitting campaign. Thanks to the concerted
effort of the 'bloggers' to 'nationalize' this race, I fully expect
my democratic opponent to be the best funded Democrat I have ever
faced. As thousands of dollars pour into their coffers from Howard
Dean Democrats from around the country, I'll need your help to fight
back.

"Nationalize??" Do you think she might be referring to the failure of her political bosses who took a surplus and turned it into trillions in debt, a robust economy and turned it into recession and took us into the quagmire of Iraq while failing to secure the Homeland and capture the real perpetrator of 9/11?

Could be.

Another day, another lie...

2006-09-08T19:11:00.000-04:00

While we realize that many politicians tend to stretch the truth a bit, the story spun by Sue Kelly in this story headlined "The Politics of Terror" really goes above and beyond.

Sue told the JoNews that she "recently struggled to enlist Democratic support for a bill that renamed a post office in her district." Sounds pretty compelling, right? That partisan politics had spiraled so far out of control that Congress was even fighting over renaming post offices, a very routine non-event.

Too bad it doesn't appear to be true. A search of the 31 pieces of legislation sponsored by Kelly during the current session -- we'll assume that's what she meant by the word recently -- only turns up this post office legislation, which attracted 27 co-sponsors, or essentially the entire New York delegation, with the exception of Charlie Rangel, who is indeed a Democrat, but given that he's only one person, hardly represents a lack of Democratic support.

Remember: when your Congresswoman lies about the small things that are easy to fact-check, chances are that she's telling even bigger tales about the more complicated stuff too.

Talk about whiplash...

2006-09-06T19:59:00.000-04:00

It seems like the folks over at Sue Kelly's campaign website can't seem to make up their minds on exactly what her involvement was with H.R. 5319, which seeks to protect children from online predators.

First, they called the legislation Kelly's Bill. Then, when Take19 pointed out that she was one of 39 co-sponsors, they fixed the mistake and noted that she had only co-sponsored the legislation. But a quick skim of her site shows that it's back to being called Kelly's bill.

Talk about whiplash! When your Congresswoman lies about the small stuff -- the stuff that's easily checkable -- you have to start to wonder about what else she is lying about!

Sue Kelly Goes Down the River

2006-09-06T09:48:00.000-04:00

Sue and her buddies, the National Marine Manufacturers Association have been having lots of fun on luxury cruises lately.

Here's how the Chicago Tribune describes it:

lovely evenings on a luxury yacht complete with "two large staterooms ... a deluxe entertainment center and an airy comfortable salon."

Wouldn't you love to get Sue Kelly's attention? Better go offer her a trip on a 38 foot yacht.

Sue Kelly calls up her inner-Pinnochio

2006-09-03T10:50:00.000-04:00

Last week, we noted how Sue was greatly exaggerating her role in crafting a piece of legislation that few people can find fault with: making it harder for online predators to prey on children.

Though Sue made it seem like this was her very own legislation, going so far as to call this "Kelly's bill" on her cheery campaign site, the fact is that she was only one of 39 co-sponsors.

Well, we're glad to report that Sue's folks have fixed the lie on her site. They're now accurately describing this as legislation that Kelly co-sponsored. We're happy to keep Sue and her loyal band of whitewashers honest and plan to be doing a lot more of this going forward.

So, if you catch Sue in a big-fat lie, or even a weasel (as Al Franken might say), be sure to send us a note. After all, Pinnochio is a fine children's story, but it doesn't make for a particularly appealing voice in Congress.

Our "Independent" Voice?

2006-09-02T07:56:00.000-04:00

Here's a fun game, try as hard as you can to find Sue Kelly describing herself as a Republican.

Sue Kelly's new TV ads describe her as our "independent voice" in Washington. But a quick examination of her voting record shows she's anything but independent. Again and again, when faced with any issue of importance to the voters of the 19th CD, Sue Kelly votes the way her political bosses tell her to vote.

Here's a better tagline... Sue Kelly, our out of touch voice in Washington. Out of touch with everyone except her political bosses.

Name that district...

2006-08-28T22:03:00.000-04:00

For the past few weeks, Sue Kelly's campaign site has had this interesting tagline:

Kelly, Sue for Congress (NY - 25)
The official website of the Sue Kelly for Congress campaign.
www.suekellyforcongress.com/ - 22k - Cached - Similar pages

The problem, of course, is that Sue is running in NY-19. Hence the name Take19. Maybe Sue forgot or maybe one of her lackeys just isn't good at paying attention to detail. Still, if you're running for Congress, and spent all of that time and money sprucing up your website, this seems like the type of detail that you'd expect Sue to get right. After all, she claims to have represented this district since 1995.

After all, if she can't be trusted with the small stuff, how can the voters of the 19th trust her on the big things, like say, reforming the health insurance mess?

There she goes again...

2006-08-25T15:55:00.000-04:00

While we're pretty used to Sue Kelly taking credit for all sorts of things she barely has anything to do with, this item which currently leads her campaign website really sinks to a new low. Why? You don't need to look much further than the headline:

"Kelly Bill to Protect Children from Online Predators Passes House"

Sounds pretty terrific, huh? Exactly the type of legislation you'd expect a mom and a grandmother like Kelly to fight hard on. The only problem is that it isn't exactly a Kelly bill. She was one of 39 co-sponsors, which hardly gives her the right to take full credit, as if she single-handedly shepherded the legislation. Indeed, one wonders what the actual sponsor of the legislation, Michael Fitzpatrick would think about Kelly stealing the credit he took last month.

We'll also note that the legislation passed by a vote of 410-15, so Kelly wasn't exactly tackling a controversial subject. That fact was also conveniently missing from Kelly's site.

As the campaign heats up, we expect Kelly's finely oiled PR machine -- led by Jay Townsend, a former staffer for Pat Buchanan -- to really kick into high gear. But the voters in the 19th deserve more than Townsend's smoke and mirrors. Being one of 39 co-sponsors does not make it Kelly's bill. Not even close!

Sue Kelly's SBA Drowns Small Business!

2006-08-23T13:41:00.000-04:00

We're glad to see that Sue is spending her time trotting around the district with the new head of the Small Business Administration. But we wonder if she took time to ask Steven Preston about the SBA's poor record of providing low cost funding to small businesses in general – and to those impacted by Katrina in particular.

With the one-year anniversary of Katrina days away, various reports show how federal dollars never reached those in need. The failure of the SBA to do its part - and the resounding silence of Sue Kelly, a member of the Small Business Subcommittee who never seems to stop talking about her small business roots, was made even more apparent in the report (PDF) released by the Democratic members of this subcommittee. Too bad that Sue seems oblivious to all of this.

We’ve noted Sue’s failure to address the real issues confronting small business many times, including here and here. So while Sue trotting around Port Jervis is a nice touch, it's only another photo-op for our Congresswoman who loves to look like she's doing something, even when she's doing nothing.

This is Sue on the job...

2006-08-21T22:08:00.000-04:00

More than a year ago, a Take19er sent a letter to Sue Kelly expressing concern over the events in Darfur. After all, Sue claims to care deeply about women and children, which happens to be the overwhelming majority of those impacted by the crisis. In the letter, Sue gave her usual non-response response and assured the constituent that she "would continue to monitor the situation and investigate methods of relief the U.S. could provide."

Fast forward more than a year and a newly released scorecard shows just how closely Sue has been monitoring the situation: not at all. According to Darfur Scorecard Sue received the failing grade of D because she voted against such things as providing $50 million in humanitarian aid, even though the legislation was co-sponsored by fellow Republican Henry Hyde.

Maybe if those poor people in Darfur had some big fat checks -- the type Sue routinely pockets from PACs as detailed in this article -- they'd get more than platitudes from Sue. Of course, that still doesn't explain why Sue routinely promises her constituents that she is doing something, when in fact, she does virtually nothing.

Sue walks on by...

2006-08-18T00:07:00.000-04:00

We couldn't help but hum a few bars of Walk On By after reading about Sue's recent visit to Warwick. Though according to the Record, Sue was in town to seek "input on various issues affecting Warwick small businesses", Sue walked right past a bookstore that will soon close its doors. Wouldn't you think that someone who claims to be a "leading advocate" in Congress for small business owners, would take five minutes to find out why The Bookstore was closing after eight years?

Of course, as we already noted last month, Sue doesn't really care about small businesses. She just cares about looking as if she cares. On June 27, the House voted to add $40 million to the Small Business Administration to replace some of the money that the Bush administration has cut from the SBA. Though the measure was approved by a close vote of 214 to 207 as a result of 17 Republicans crossing party lines, Sue showed yet again that when push comes to shove, she's not the moderate that she claims to be.

They say a picture tells a thousand words. Sue saw the problems facing one small business owner in Warwick and instead of offering to help, or even just listen, she just walked on by.

Just click your heels three times...

2006-08-14T15:16:00.000-04:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Kansas, here in NY-19. Not just because of Sue's radical positions on various social issues, but because Sue's folks seem to think that if they continue to click their heels and keep repeating the words "Moderate" and "independent" people will actually believe them.

The latest evidence comes from this story that ran today on Fox News' site. Kelly's newly appointed soundbiter, Jay Townsend, who last pitched in on Kelly's campaign in 2000, managed to use the words independent and moderate in the same quote. Hey...at least Townsend knows how to stay on message! There's also Sue's new TV ads which mention the word "independent voice" over and over again. And her new site which never mentions that she's a Republican.

Just keep clicking your heels, Sue!

Sue Overlooked Her Oversight

2006-08-10T00:14:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly often espouses a true affinity to small business people - claiming to have been one herself in a former life. But, as we’ve pointed out before, she can’t be trusted to watch out for small business, even though her position on the House Small Business Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform and Oversight, puts her in the position to actually do something to protect shopkeepers, small manufacturers and service providers in our district – by making sure that the Small Business Administration (SBA) does its job. Her subcommittee’s job is “oversight and investigative authority over the regulatory and paperwork policies of all Federal departments and agencies.”

Not surprisingly, recent reports show that Sue has been asleep at the wheel.

For example, by law, at least 23% of federal contracting money should be awarded to small businesses, but a research study has found that nearly $5 billion of contracts went to 13 of the largest government contractors – Microsoft, Wall-Mart, Lockheed-Martin, Exxon Mobil, Northrup Grumman – each one a struggling mom and pop shop that needs the protection of Federal legislation. If those major corporations are taken out of the list, the 23% minimum is not met. This pattern of abuse has happened on a yearly basis during the Bush/Cheney years. The SBA money goes to big business for a variety of reasons related to incompetence and fraud, but the primary responsibility rests on the Small Business Administration (SBA), which is helping carry out the Bush/Cheney Administration’s preference for the large, well-connected corporations.

So Bush/Cheney is using the SBA to rob small business on behalf of big business.

And Sue Kelly, who is in charge of making sure SBA does what it is supposed to do – help small business – has been at best oblivious, or at worst, complicit in this.

Fortunately someone in New York is watching out for small business. Rep. Nadia Velazquez, Democrat of New York, is also on the Small Business Committee and is asking the GAO, as well as watchdogs at State, Treasury, Defense and Transportation, to investigate. She is also contacting about 2,500 big companies, asking them to remove their names from the SBA’s list of approved small businesses. Rep. Velazaquez, as a member of the minority party doesn’t have the power of subpoena and can’t hold Small Business Subcommittee hearings on this. The Republican “leadership” – i.e., Sue Kelly - have refused to exercise oversight, saying that to hold firms like Exxon Mobil and Microsoft accountable for improperly taking the taxpayer’s money would be “penalizing” a firm for success. Amazingly, Sue Kelly and her Republican co-conspirators believe that the SBA should be patted on the back for taking a risk with these “small businesses”.

People, it is time for a change

Come Fly With Sue!

2006-08-09T01:29:00.000-04:00

In the latest installment of Sue Kelly’s series of press releases on non-events, Sue extols her plans to make Stewart International Airport the next “international reliever airport”. Turns out that, in fantastizing that Stewart could be the “4th” airport for the NY metropolitan area, Sue blithely blows by little details like, uh, location.

If we dig a little deeper, and listen to people who actually know what they are talking about, like the folks at the Port Authority, we find that the “serious discussions at the highest levels” about reliever airports only reference the “possibility” of Stewart. Just a few things seem to doom this idea, things that starry-eyed Ms. Kelly ignores – like, $300 million for an expansion project, $200 million for a rail link (which someone – meaning the taxpayers - has to pay for) – and the fact that the Port Authority’s entire charter would have to be changed, to overcome its existing “25 miles from the Statue of Liberty” area of jurisdiction.

But scariest of all – Sue has visions of transforming Stewart into Orlando. Like she thinks that’s a good thing.

Earth to Sue…..

Why Won't Sue Kelly Support Labor?

2006-08-07T22:25:00.000-04:00

The labor movement has been under constant attack from the Republican agenda, thanks in large part to folks like Sue Kelly. You may have heard the ad campaign that touts unions as the people who brought you the weekend and the 40 hour work week. Well, organized labor fights for alot more than that. Aside from legislation that affects them directly, labor also fights hard for laws to benefit and protect every American worker. Laws regarding workplace safety, ergonomic standards, minimum wage increases, affordable health care for all, affordable prescription drugs and other vital subjects have been supported vigorously by labor unions.

There is currently legislation in Congress that would help level the playing field for unions. Titled the Employee Free Choice Act, this bill would allow employees to organize by a simple majority of workers signing authorization cards, provide for mediation and arbitration when an impasse is reached as well as provide workers more protections from employers who punish them for trying to organize. This Act currently has 200 co-sponsors in the House including every single member of New York's congressional delegation, Democrats and Republicans - with one exception, our very own Sue Kelly.

I sent an email to Sue Kelly specifically asking her to join New York Representatives Ackerman, Bishop, Boehlert, Crowley, Engel, Fossella, Higgins, Hinchey, Israel, King, Kuhl, Lowey, Maloney, McCarthy, McHugh, McNulty, Meeks, Nadler, Owens, Rangel, Serrano, Slaughter, Sweeney, Towns, Velasquez, Walsh and Weiner as co-sponsors of this bill. To my surprise, I did receive a response from Sue's people. However, I wasn't surprised at the mealy mouthed wording of the email written by someone obviously has no interest in helping organized labor. Her email mentioned nothing about my request for her to sign on as a co-sponsor and was about as non-committal as can be.

As also evidenced by the way Sue sold out the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Sue Kelly is no friend of organized labor and all Democratic primary candidates in NY-19 would be wise to contact all labor leaders in the district and point this out to them.

Sue and Rudy Sitting in a Tree

2006-08-06T20:44:00.000-04:00

Sue says she's an independent voice, not beholden to her Conservative bosses in Washington.

So why does Rudy G., her new best buddy, call her a loyal Republican?

Which is it Sue?

Sue hits the small screen...

2006-08-03T16:06:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly is running new TV advertisements on Cablevision with the campaign slogan "an independent voice in Congress." Nothing could be further from the truth, and these ads are an exercise in deception. Sue Kelly has voted consistently with the Republican majority and is responsible for supporting the horrific domestic and foreign policies of the Bush administration. She is clearly worried to be advertising this early and in this manner.

This particular ad focuses on her so-called environmental record. In fact, Sue Kelly has a dismal 17% rating by the League of Conservation voters. On her own campaign website, she claims that this is just because of some missed votes (see this post for more details on that excuse), but the fact remains that she voted to allow drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge (at least twice!), to allow mining on Federal lands (HER 4241), and to weaken the Clean Air Act (HER 3893). These were all very close votes in which many Republican "moderates" switched sides, but not Sue Kelly. She voted right along with the Republican majority.

Don't let Sue Kelly fool you with these ads. She is no "independent voice."

Let's take back the 19th!

Thanks to Sue, Working People Held Hostage to Paris Hilton Estate Tax Cut

2006-08-01T23:48:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly and her Republican Leadership had a problem - how to avoid the prospect of unpleasant campaign ads in the fall that compare the pay raise Congress gave itself to its failure to grant the first increase in the minimum wage since 1997?

In a cynical political ploy to deal with that “problem”, while simultaneously serving her “real” constituents - the super-rich - Sue Kelly voted on July 29 to couple minimum wage legislation with a permanent estate tax reduction. The minimum wage legislation would provide a gradual increase in the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour (in 2009) - an average annual benefit of $1200 for an estimated 6.6 million people. The massive reduction in the estate tax would give an average tax break of $1.3 million to a comparatively small number of multi-million dollar estates (about 8,200 estates in 2011), plus other tax “sweeteners” and have a total cost of $309 billion plus interest costs over the first 10 years!

Sue Kelly provided proof positive that her vote to increase the minimum wage was not the result of her sudden realization that it was "the right thing to do", when she voted against a Democratic effort to pass the minimum wage bill as a stand alone bill without the estate tax and other tax cuts.

Additional proof is that the minimum wage “increase” that was passed will actually decrease wages for restaurant workers and other tipped employees because it invalidates state laws providing a minimum wage for those workers. (Whatever happened to States Rights?)

And then there is GOP Rep. Mike Castle who said, in talking about the minimum wage increase “There’s a general agreement among Republicans [opposing the raise] that ‘maybe we don’t like it much, but we need to move forward with it just for political reasons.’”

Raising the minimum wage to a living wage is good for ordinary people, good for business, and good for the economy. Severely reducing the estate tax means a benefit for a few thousand very wealthy, while saddling our children and grandchildren with more debt and with cuts in vital federal programs like Veterans programs, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, and unemployment insurance.

Working families shouldn't be blackmailed into mortgaging their future in order to earn a decent wage. Could we please elect a Congress in 2006 that has the people of the United States as their priority? Let's start with the 19th Congressional District.

Here, Piggy Piggy...

2006-07-31T13:34:00.000-04:00

The Conservative Club For Growth has released its rankings of the porkiest Members of Congress and it found that our own Sue has quite an appetite for pork. Unfortunately, none of the projects detailed in the list happen to be in the district Sue claims to represent.

Way to go Sue! Not quite as bad as John Sweeney's 100% batting average in neighboring NY-20, but pretty close.

Capitalist Pundit, a local blogger, has more details on some of Sue's porkier moments. Maybe next time Sue will take a pass on $1 million for tourism development in Kentucky and actually pay attention to things that are going on in this district.

R: The New Scarlet Letter

2006-07-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

Apologies to Nathaniel Hawthorne, but it appears that there's a new scarlet letter in town and it begins with the letter R. Earlier this week, The Hill poked at suburban Buffalo Congressman Tom Reynolds, who is leading the Republican attempt to retain control of Congress, because he conveniently forgot that he was a Republican in his campaign literature, in his TV ads, and on his website.

So we decided to take a look at Sue Kelly's new campaign site and shock of shocks, the word Republican is MIA on her site too. It's not on this page, or this one or even this one.

Are things really so bad for Republicans in New York that they have to pretend that they're not Republicans? And exactly how do they plan to get rid of the Republican label on the ballot come November?

Rudy to the rescue!

2006-07-26T08:56:00.000-04:00

We knew that Sue would eventually turn to Rudy Giuliani, who uses the catchy moniker "America's Mayor", to inject life into her tired campaign. We just expected him to come here in mid-October. Rudy will be here next Wednesday at a $250 a plate fundraiser for Sue in Fishkill. The event even features an open bar, which ought to make all of those beer companies that contribute to Sue's coffers (as we noted here) pretty happy. The event is being hosted by Dutchess Co. developer David Stenger and his brother, Kenneth, a partner at a Wappingers Falls law firm.

Now why would someone like Sue who already has a significant fundraising advantage need to call in such a big gun like Rudy? In August, no less? After all, John McCain already came to the district in April. Perhaps she needs the money to continue paying for the dirty campaigning that's already going on in the district. After all, Swift-boating someone doesn't come cheaply.

Of course, Rudy isn't just stumping for Sue in person. He's also stumping for Sue here on his website. Indeed, Sue's picture appears just above another endangered New York Congresscritter: John Sweeney of NY-20. Be sure to take a close look at all of Sue's accomplishments -- a list worthy of the fiction best-seller list!

Coming Soon to a Milk Carton in your fridge

2006-07-22T14:30:00.000-04:00

The middle-class is disappearing. Overwhelmed by the skyrocketing cost of living, more and more American families are struggling to keep up and many are falling by the wayside. Health care, housing, gasoline, heating oil, interest rates, groceries and other essential items just keep getting more expensive. Income for all, except big business and the very wealthy, just can't keep up with the rising expenses. The evidence of Sue Kelly's complete disregard for middle-class America is overwhelming and well documented in this blog and is further proven in a report card just issued by the Drum Major Institute.

DMI tallied key votes on issues that directly affect the middle class and I'm sure that those familiar with Sue Kelly wouldn't be surprised to hear her report card grade. 13%. Wow. If you ever scored 13% on anything - be it a social studies exam, work evaluation or anything else - would you expect to be rewarded? Well based on her voting record on issues such as bankruptcy, tort reform, estate tax, medicare, student loans, free trade agreements and energy policy, Sue Kelly failed miserably yet expects to be rewarded with re-election.

What do you think? Should Sue Kelly be rewarded for failing the middle class while serving the interests of big business and the wealthy? You'll have your chance to answer these questions come November 7th.

Something to crow about?

2006-07-21T16:04:00.000-04:00

Apparently, the Republicans in Washington D.C. were so proud of the vote that Sue took the other day on outlawing the possibility of gay marriages that they've been busy calling around to local reporters here in the 19th trying to get them to nail some of Sue's democratic challengers on this critically important issue that apparently ranks right up there with affordable health insurance and a deteriorating economy for middle class Americans. Perhaps it's part of the Republican's so-called suburban strategy. Except that Mark Kirk, the Chicago area Congressman who is credited with that strategy actually voted against adding a constitutional amendment.

Are national Republicans really that worried about Kelly losing that they're already making calls for her? And how does that square with Kelly spokesman Kevin Callahan's repeated comments that the Congresswoman doesn't plan to start focusing on the race until the fall? That must be why Sue was the star of yet another Republican fundraiser on Wednesday night with the catchy name "Retaining our Majority IV". (We missed the invites to ROMPs 1, 2 and 3 now that Sue no longer lists her fundraising events on the NRCC website).

Why not give the fine folks at the NRC a call (202.863.8500) and tell them just how wrong they are on this issue? And while you're at it, tell them that Sue's own lackeys ought to be able to do their own dirty work!

Sue Kelly Desires a Second Class of Citizens

2006-07-20T05:51:00.000-04:00

Sue Kelly voted on Tuesday to permanently create a second class of citizens who, if the legislation passed, would not be able to enjoy the same rights that most others do. In another attempt to divide America, the Republican Party proposed an amendment to the Constitution that would prohibit some United States citizens from marrying their chosen partner. Thankfully, there are still enough rational members of Congress who voted 'no' on this legislation and kept it from passing.

We celebrated Independence Day a couple of weeks ago. It was a holiday created to honor the courage of those who signed the Declaration of Independence and led the American rebellion against tyrannical rule. Republican hucksters like Sue Kelly like to wrap themselves in the American flag and label themselves as patriots. Deriding those who disagree with their rhetoric as traitors, these disengenuous Republicans love to talk about how others in the world "hate us for our freedoms." Well, Sue Kelly and those of her ilk have no clue what freedom really means. Their idea of freedom is to force Americans to abide by their conservative Republican ideals of morality. For Kelly, and those like her, allow me to refer them to an historic document that was written and signed 230 years ago.

Do we remember this sentence from the Declaration of Independence? Sue Kelly doesn't.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Freedom indeed.

Sue Kelly Doesn't Care About Our Children

2006-07-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

Once again, Sue Kelly has shown she doesn't care about the welfare and safety of our children and grandchildren. This time, she voted to reject a motion by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)to prohibit interstate gambling by minors on the internet. Conyer's proposal would have amended the INTERNET GAMBLING PROHIBITION AND ENFORCEMENT ACT, H.R. 4411.

What merit could Sue Kelly possibly see in permitting gambling by children?

Conyers' motion, which failed by a 167-243 vote essentially along party lines, would have required a “secure and effective customer identity verification system to assure compliance with applicable age and residence requirements.” Rep. Conyers said in support of his motion - "It makes sure that underage kids cannot gamble on the Internet, whether it is connection to interstate or intrastate betting...[T]o me, protecting children from being taken advantage of on the Internet is one of the most important things we can do as Members of the Congress."

You may recall from our recentpostthat Sue Kelly voted to remove the requirement that all handguns be equipped with safety trigger locks. Now she continues her theme of "Let Every Child be Left Unprotected" (is this going to be one of her campaign slogans?) by voting against the Conyers proposal.

Is Sue Kelly dangerous to families?

Desperado (again!)...

2006-07-18T10:51:00.000-04:00

Back in April, we poked at Sue for needing to turn to Arizona Senator John McCain for help with her fundraising. Well, the second quarter numbers are now out and Sue is looking even more desperate. Why? Because the actual people that she depends on to vote for her here in the 19th aren't exactly lining up in droves to contribute to her campaign.

Indeed, a quick look at the second quarter numbers shows that Kelly is increasingly relying on big money PACs to fund her campaign. In the latest quarter, Kelly raised nearly $400,000. What's surprising is that nearly $250,000 of it (about 63%) is from PACs. This is up from the 54% that PAC donations previously represented. With very few exceptions, these PACs aren't located here in the 19th, which begs the question: exactly what do these PACs expect from Kelly in return?

Moving on to the indivdual donations, a quick skim shows that only around half of her individual contributions came from people who live in the district. Not that there's anything wrong with collecting money from people who live outside the district. But between the PACs and the people who don't live in the district, you have to wonder exactly who Sue is working for.

What a Difference A Week Makes...

2006-07-13T00:55:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, Sue appeared to be very, very concerned about not being briefed about a Bush administration program that tracks financial transactions worldwide. After all, she's chair of the House Financial Services subcommittee that theoretically, at least, oversees exactly this sort of thing.

Said Sue: "Many in Congress who should have been briefed by this administration were not. What else is it that we don't know?". What indeed! As Rep. Barney Frank pointed out neither he nor Sue would have been briefed about this program at all if the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times hadn't been preparing stories on it.

Of course, the hearing on Tuesday was particularly surprising given that only a week earlier, Sue voted to condemn media leaks of what Republican leaders said was classified information -- the very same information Sue appeared to be upset over not knowing about on Tuesday. The pre-vote debate gave Republican hacks a chance to appeal to their conservative base by chastising the New York Times.

What changed from one week to the next? Perhaps Sue got a poll that showed that bashing the New York Times in its own backyard may play well in rural Alabama or other Conservative strongholds, but not in NY-19. How else to explain the sudden about-face?

So, she shuffles a few papers on national TV and makes it look like she's challenging the Bush administration. That might make great theater, but we're betting that people in the district see Sue for the hardcore conservative lackey that she really is.

Voting with the radical fringe...

2006-07-11T13:27:00.000-04:00

Last week, Sue showed yet again just how moderate she ~~really is~~ claims to be by voting with the radical fringe of the Republican party on a piece of legislation so crazy, so out-there, that even "the pit bull of the House" on immigration issues, James Sensenbrenner, voted against it. Despite Sue's vote, the legislation failed by a vote of 90 to 318.

So what was Sue's big idea? Requiring passports to enter the U.S. from Canada. Never mind that Canada is a top tourist destination for many Americans and that while statistics vary on exactly how many Americans currently have passports (the low is 5%; the high is around 30%), it's pretty clear that requiring someone to spend nearly $100 just to see Niagara Falls (after all, the better view is in Canada), is a pretty stupid idea. So stupid that even a pit bull didn't fall for it!

Sue Kelly Stiffs Small Business

2006-07-07T09:07:00.000-04:00

Seems like Sue Kelly is telling us almost every day what a champion of small business she is. So you’d think that when a proposal is introduced that provides support to small business by making access to financing more available – a proposal supported by 20 small business groups - she’d be right up there, front and center, cheering it on and making sure it gets passed. Right?

Wrong.

Sue voted against this legislation! Sue Kelly voted to continue the burden of additional up front fees – ranging from $1500 to $50,000 - on Small Business Administration loans. Thank goodness the votes of Democrats, augmented by 17 of Sue’s fellow Republicans, foiled the attempt by Sue and her Republican Leadership to prevent passage of this legislation.

So, over Sue’s objections, the House approved an amendment (214 to 207) to an appropriations bill, HR 5672, vote #327, that lowers the cost of the Small Business Administration’s 7(a) loan program, by restoring $40 million to the program that had been cut by the Bush Administration. The Bush administration eliminated funding for the program two years ago, forcing small businesses to shoulder the cost of the loan program. As a result, entrepreneurs have had to pay additional upfront fees just to use the program – greatly restricting access to capital that small businesses need to remain the main job creators in the nation.

If you are a small business person, wouldn’t you want your member of Congress to help you get access to the capital you need to build your business?

Well, if that’s what you need, Sue Kelly is not your friend. And we think she knows that – maybe that’s why this vote wasn’t announced in one of her almost daily press releases!

Given Sue's political philosophy, it isn't any surprise that The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy found only 17% of Sue's votes favored the middle class.

Sue's run for the border!

2006-07-06T12:57:00.000-04:00

While we didn't know that Sue was such a big fan of Tex-Mex cuisine, we do know that she rarely misses a photo-op that makes her look like she's actually doing something other than taking checks from lobbyists. Which is why we should expect to see pictures of Sue looking tough and donning night-vision goggles, no less -- memories of Michael Dukakis in a tank come to mind -- as she travels to Texas and goes out on a border patrol with two other Congressional show-and-tellers, according to this article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

As the Post-Dispatch delicately noted, the two-day "fact-finding" trip, which needless to say, we're all footing the bill for, is really just grandstanding and is unlikely to contribute anything substantive to the contentious immigration debate. But since when has that ever stopped Sue?