Its Not A 1st Amendment Issue

1st Amendment to the Consitution of the United States:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

4th Amendment to the Consitution of the United States:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The Justice Dept's seizure of the phone records of AP reporters did not violate those reporter's 1st Amendment rights. No one at the AP was restrained or restricted in what they can print or say. The JD violated their 4th Amendment rights. If the JD wants to justify the seizure under the Patriot Act, then let them say so up front and defend that in court. Illegal wiretaps and requests for phone records fall under the 4th Amendment, not the 1st.

The IRS did not violate the 1st Amendment rights of anyone associated with a conservative advocacy group. No one was prohibited from associating, and no printing presses were seized. If you want to try and make the case that was the intent, you're gonna need a whistleblower to step forward and say, "We had a meeting. Our superiors told us if we make it harder for these conservative groups to get a tax-exempt staus, they might feel intimidated and stop what they're doing." That aint gonna happen.

They did however, violate numerous Tax Code regulations by releasing personal information they had no business asking for in the first place. They also violated about a half dozen Federal laws regarding privacy and definitely violated the 4th Amendment rights of the people submitting the applications for tax-exempt status and we know it was done for partisan reasons. It was politically motivated.

The IRS decides who is and who is not a tax exempt organization. They have criteria they use depending upon whether you're asking for a c3 or c4 exemption. Most advocacy groups fall under the c4 designation. Groups like CWTT, Soldiers Angels, Wounded Warrior Project, the USO and Fisher House are c3 charities because we take donations and pass that money thru to directly assist veterans and wounded. Gathering of Eagles is a c4 organization because it advocates for veterans rights and lobbies Congress for improvement of legislation affecting veterans and wounded.

The IRS is not guilty of violating TEA Party groups rights, an individual is. Someone had to compile the information and send it to ProPublica. Someone had to hit the SEND button. That someone needs to go to jail and anyone involved in the transfer, anyone who approved the release of the information needs to go to jail.

Last 9-11 Cookout at Walter Reed

This past Friday I was in Washington DC for the Restore Honor Rally. It was amazing. 500,000 people showed up to hear Glenn, Sarah Palin, Dr Alveda King and various ministers, rabbis, and imams encourage America to turn back to God and get right.

The rally was on Saturday. On Friday, as I always do when I am in DC, I went to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to join my Freeper friends as they show appreciation for the sacrifices made by this generation of Warriors.

I had sent an email the week before to the CSM of WRAMC asking for permission to hold another cookout on 10 September. I say another, because we have been doing this every year since 2007. He called me on Friday afternoon to tell me it looked as if we would be able to do it. Friday night, after spending two hours downtown with Marcus Luttrell , I made my way to WRAMC.

After the usual greetings, hugs, high fives, and catcalls to the SEIU protesters down the block, (Medea Benjamin of Code Pink fame is no longer involved and is facing felony intimidation charges on a seperate incident involving the family of Blackwater CEO Erik Prince. More on that later) I made my way to the tent the Freepers have set up in the church parking lot across the street from the Main Gate at Elder Street and Georgia Ave. I noticed a soldier in ACU's kneeling in front of a young man in a wheelchair. When he stood up, I saw the black eagle of a full bird Colonel. It was the Garrison Commander. Colonel McHugh, who had come out to tell us how much he appreciated us being there.

I introduced myself and asked if the CSM had mentioned the cookout. He said "no, but thats nothing new. The CSM never tells me anything. Why involve the brass?" I explained who we are and what we do. He said he thought it sounded like a great idea and if the CSM knew and had approved, he wasn't about to intefere.

So here is the plan. Walter Reed is closing. On 15 September 2010, the countdown to closure begins. On 11 September 2011, WRAMC will be turned over to the State Department and all wounded and hospital staff will be split between the new Walter Reed being built at Bethesda Naval Hospital and the newly renovated hospital facility at Ft Belvoir in Virginia.

This will be the last 9/11 Memorial Cookout at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. We need your help. Cooking with the Troops is a not for profit corporation dedicated to providing hot nutritious meals to wounded Warriors, their families, staff and caregivers. It is the combination of the efforts of C. Blake Powers, our CEO (Laughing Wolf on Blackfive) and the informal impromptu cookouts I've held over the last 5 years. We'd like to make this last event one for the history books. In order to do that, we need help with funding. If you can spare even 5 bucks, I promise you it will be put to good use. We have donation links at www.cwtt.org.

Today Is USO Day

On this day in 1941 the United Servicemen's Organization was formed.
H/T to Johnboy and Billy and the Big Show.