More Vaporous Threats on the Left - Patrick Murphy Earning Murtha's Seat

Greg Sargent challenges whether Rep. Eric Cantor "jumped the gun" in referencing a bullet shot through his campaign office window during a press conference on Thursday.  Sargent questioned Cantor's spokesperson Brad Dayspring making continual reference to a police report that concluded the incident was an "act of random gunfire."  Sargent presses Dayspring on details of Cantor's statement in light of the conclusions from the police investigation in a "what did he know and when did he know it" report including whether details of the bullet's trajectory had been discussed with police prior to Cantor's press conference.  This is the hard-line investigative journalism that gave Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford the opportunity to portray Woodward and Bernstein in "All the President's Men" after all.

Contrast Sargent's hard-hitting investigative reporting with that of The Philadelphia Inquirer" report on "threats" to Congressman Patrick Murphy (D PA-8) after he voted for the health care legislation last week:

U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy has received threats since voting for the health-care overhaul last Sunday night but there have been no acts of vandalism against his home or his district offices, a spokeswoman for the congressman said today.

Kate E. Hansen declined to disclose details of the incidents, which she said are under investigation by the FBI and the Capitol Police, the agency charged with protecting members of Congress.

"It's being handled," Hansen said.

 The very last line of the Inquirer report adds, "Local police said they had no recent reports of vandalism at Murphy's district offices in Bristol Borough and Doylestown Borough, nor at his home."  Funny how that works out, no police report, no hard-hitting investigative journalism.

The report goes on to mention the "flurry of threats" and includes a quote from Rep. Bob Brady (D PA) who is "a little worried about people going home now - there are going to be a lot of town hall meetings."  It will come as no surprise to Patrick Murphy's constituents there would be no quote from Murphy let alone one referencing town hall meeting.  Murphy only conducts town halls via telephone with the able assistance of  the AARP.  Still, one wonders, did the Inquirer attempt to obtain a quote from Murphy and why the inclusion of one from Brady.  Is Brady an easier "get" now that Murphy has been given the nod for a seat on the Appropriations Committee vacant since the death of his mentor John Murtha?

It would be shocking had there been  any credible reports to police of acts of vandalism or violence to Congressman Murphy's offices or  residence.  His constituents fully expected him to vote with Speaker Pelosi as he always does.  Still, Congressman "Patlosi," as he is known locally, mentioned listening to thousands of his constituents when announcing his decision to vote for the bill despite the obstructionist strategies by national tea party groups evidently designed solely to prevent Murphy from hearing from constituents who opposed the health care bill. Murphy's spokesperson Kate Hansen  explained their phones were jammed with tea party phone calls when pressed for an explanation why constituents who opposed the bill were unable to get through to voice concern:

 "These calls are not organic and are being organized by a number of different national tea party activist groups that are executing an obstructionist strategy to deliberately prevent offices from functioning as they're supposed to (and) be able to accept feedback from constituents."

We are asked to believe then only pro-reform calls and inorganic tea party calls got through to Murphy's office.  These are the pro forma explanations Congressman Murphy's constituents have come to expect and are rarely disappointed.

Further complicating Murphy's ability to listen to his constituents was a power failure that forced his Doylestown PA office  to close for several hours the Monday prior to the vote.  You can read this on the sign posted on the door to his office quite plainly thanks to the light shining behind the sign.  I guess tea party folks in Florida and Texas were behind that obstruction as well.

To say that Hansen and Murphy have something of a credibility problem is a bit of an understatement.  Still, Murphy's alleged threats get none of the scrutiny that Cantor's statement enjoys.   Cantor's office had a bullet penetrate the window at some trajectory and the left all but calls on Arlen Specter to reassemble the Warren Commission.

Congressman Murphy, through his spokesperson, advances another vaporous threat, without a shred of evidence, as contribution to the growing liberal narrative those who oppose health care are dangerous.  The media laps it up and regurgitates without question.  Never let it be said Murphy isn't doing his part for the cause.    This is a fact that is widely known locally.  Murphy doesn't concern himself with local opinion, however, his loyalty is saved for Nancy Pelosi.  Murphy will be richly rewarded after having proven himself loyal and every bit as worthy as John Murtha to fill that coveted seat on the Appropriations Committee.   It would be a pity if Democrats "jumped the gun" and presumed Murphy re-elected before voters have their say in November.

Elizabeth Warren: Geithner Spreading $2 Bets All over the table in Vegas

Elizabeth Warren, Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel charged with inspection of the bank bailout funds through TARP appeared on "Morning Joe" today. Warren described the initial half of the bailout funds $350 billion spent by Paulson as the "Don't Ask Don't Tell," funding meaning the money was given to the banks without requiring financial institutions to report how it was being spent. Geithner is spending the second half spreading it around in smaller doses to cover potential threats in many different facets of the financial industry. The bottom line, however, financial institutions are still holding much of the troubled assets on their books rather than selling them and taking the losses that would necessarily follow the assets being sold at their more realistic market value.

"By and large, the toxic assets that brought us to this point are still on the books of the banks," she said.

Warren makes it clear the threats arising from these assets are far from over. Watch the video; it is rather long but an interesting and often disturbing exchange.

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Warren seems concerned the larger threat still looming is in the commericial mortgage market which is largely held by mid-sized and smaller financial institutions. Should a small bubble begin to emerge in the market, we could easily end up where we were last Fall. When pressed by Scarborough as to whether the bailouts saved the economy from a complete collapse, Warren appears somewhat reluctant to give an opinion. She does finally admit that though there would have been some pain and some large institutions would no longer be in business, it seemed unlikely the death spiral would have occurred.