A private fundraising group associated with Cal State is raising questions about the group’s clout and lack of financial transparency. A story in Tuesday’s Los Angeles Times about an invitation to GOP right wing star Sarah Palin to speak at Cal State Stanislaus’ 50th anniversary gala notes that the non-profit refuses to reveal how much they are paying for Palin’s appearance. While the foundation raises considerable funding for programs and provide important campus services, it is also housed on campus and uses the public university’s resources. But, The Times reports, it is not subject to the California Public Records Act: “Concern about the foundations comes amid broader questions about how public universities spend taxpayers’ dollars. This includes recent disclosures about the use of funds meant for classrooms and students to cover real estate and construction costs and other business pursuits.”
State Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), who is sponsoring a bill, SB 330, to require such groups to adhere to the Public Records Act, has asked Attorney General Jerry Brown to investigate Cal State Stanislaus for refusing to turn over documents about Palin’s fundraising appearance. Yee said: “The larger issue is that I believe the state universities have been shifting some of their state responsibilities over to the foundations for the sole purpose of hiding transactions involving millions of dollars from the public.”
As expected, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential election and a parallel star on Saturday Night Live, was a huge hit at the first Tea Party convention in Nashville, Tenn. Saturday night.
I watched on C-SPAN as the largely white, older crowd facially fawned over every mention of “the Constitution” and “the people,” as if they were insiders watching the run-up to a presidential bid. — Please click inside to read the rest of my quick thoughts on the event.
I am a huge fan of Media Matters for America. It is a “progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.”
Media Matters was launched in 2004 by David Brock, the one-time closeted conservative writer who went after Anita Hill and Bill Clinton – which he wrote about inBlinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative. Media Matters is basically his response to the right wing’s concerted effort to control the message delivered to America by the media. He details this (with tons of footnotes) in The Republican Noise Machine: Right-Wing Media and How It Corrupts Democracy. One of Media Matter’s latest reports is about the serious and “inflammatory” antigay record of Sarah Palin’s co-author Lynn Vincent. Click inside to read their report.
Oh, boy – this is going to be interesting. Sarah on Levi Johnston on Oprah on Monday? Hmmmm. Well, if you’re going to sell books – and that’s what this Queen Tea Party cheerleader is trying to do – the former Alaska Governor’s book is “Sarah Palin: Going Rogue” - it’s all up for grabs. Time magazine’s Mark Halprin has some details about what’s inside the book and Palin’s book tour. Click inside for more.
“The Devil screams the loudest just before leaving the room.”
After last night’s devastating loss of marriage equality in Maine 52.84% – 47.16% – an almost exact mirror of the loss of constitutionally protected same sex marriage rights with Prop 8 in California – it’s time to call out the “Devil” cleverly disguised as the antigay forces of the Religious Right. Click inside to read my analysis and challenge to those who call themselves Christians.
The Palm Center reports that Army Secretary John McHugh thinks the military is ready to lift the gay ban. But there is an interesting twist to this important announcement. There is a HUGE battle within the Republican Party over who will replace MCHugh in a special election in the conservative 23rd District Congressional seat from upstate New York. Could the timing indicate who McHugh wants to be the GOP candidate? Click inside to see the Palm Center’s press release and possible context for the statement.
A private fundraising group associated with Cal State is raising questions about the group’s clout and lack of financial transparency. A story in Tuesday’s Los Angeles Times about an invitation to GOP right wing star Sarah Palin to speak at Cal State Stanislaus’ 50th anniversary gala notes that the non-profit refuses to reveal how much they are paying for Palin’s appearance. While the foundation raises considerable funding for programs and provide important campus services, it is also housed on campus and uses the public university’s resources. But, The Times reports, it is not subject to the California Public Records Act: “Concern about the foundations comes amid broader questions about how public universities spend taxpayers’ dollars. This includes recent disclosures about the use of funds meant for classrooms and students to cover real estate and construction costs and other business pursuits.”
As expected, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential election and a parallel star on Saturday Night Live, was a huge hit at the first Tea Party convention in Nashville, Tenn. Saturday night.
I am a huge fan of 
Oh, boy – this is going to be interesting. Sarah on 
There’s an old saying:
The Palm Center reports that Army Secretary John McHugh thinks the military is ready to lift the gay ban. But there is an interesting twist to this important announcement. There is a HUGE battle within the Republican Party over who will replace MCHugh in a special election in the conservative 23rd District Congressional seat from upstate New York. Could the timing indicate who McHugh wants to be the GOP candidate? Click inside to see the Palm Center’s press release and possible context for the statement. 
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