Franken's Anti-Rape Amendment May Be Stripped By Senior Dem, Sources Say

[AllentownJake]

An amendment that would prevent the government from working with contractors who denied victims of assault the right to bring their case to court is in danger of being watered down or stripped entirely from a larger defense appropriations bill.

Multiple sources have told the Huffington Post that Sen. Dan Inouye, a longtime Democrat from Hawaii, is considering removing or altering the provision, which was offered by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and passed by the Senate several weeks ago.

Inouye's office, sources say, has been lobbied by defense contractors adamant that the language of the Franken amendment would leave them overly exposed to lawsuits and at constant risk of having contracts dry up. The Senate is considering taking out a provision known as the Title VII claim, which (if removed) would allow victims of assault or rape to bring suit against the individual perpetrator but not the contractor who employed him or her.

"The defense contractors have been storming his office," said a source with knowledge of the situation. "Inouye either will get the amendment taken out altogether, or water it down significantly. If they water it down, they will take out the Title VII claims. This means that in discrimination cases, they will still force you into a secret forced arbitration on KBR's (or other contractors') own terms -- with your chances of prevailing practically zero. The House seems to be very supportive of the original Franken amendment and all in line, but their hands are tied since it originated in the Senate. And since Inouye runs the show on this bill, he can easily take it out to get Republicans and the defense contractors off his back, which looks increasingly likely."


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/frankens-anti-rape-amendm_n_329896.html

Fuck the democrats in the Senate. They are a minor bit better than their GOP counterparts.

[Eric J in MN]

1. Congress should say that every worker has a right to go to court...

...instead of tying the issue to who gets federal funding.

[Lucy Goosey]

19. That's a really good point.

Why should any company be able to deny a victim of rape, other assault or discrimination his or her day in court, whether or not the government contracts with them? Seriously.

[roguevalley]

106. bury inouye in emails:

inouye.senate.gov/Contact/Email-Form.cfm

[Kermitt Gribble]

116. Thanks for the link. Message sent.

"Keep the Franken amendment in the defense appropriations bill - we don't need any pro-rape Democrats."

[dmr]

125. And tell both Senators from our states to tell Inouye to pound sand

This is unbelievable.

The poor, poor war profiteers; and how sad for poor, poor Inouye for getting all those phone calls from those pitiful profiteers, and Republican enablers. He has such a difficult life.

So sad, so very sad .... NOT!

:grr:

[green917]

131. My email to Senator Inouye

Senator Inouye,

I understand that I am not your constituent but I am writing you any way. My newly-minted Senator, Senator Al Franken authored an Amendment that was passed last week regarding defense (and other) contractors denying victims of sexual abuse or rape who work for them their day in court by forcing them to litigate all disputes through binding arbitration (which unfairly skews the proceedings in favor of the contractors). This is an important piece of legislation and, as someone who fought long and hard to get Senator Franken installed in his seat on the hill, I would hate to see my Senator's first piece of legislation (an important piece of legislation) watered down or removed because you want to make financial or political hay with the defense contractors who donate to your campaign coffers. As a father of 2 daughters and a veteran myself, I would like young women who choose to serve their country by working for KBR or Parsons, etc. to have the same legal recourse that any other young woman in this nation has in her work place. I'm sure that, as a veteran and a father yourself, you feel the same way. Please, work for the health and well being of young women all over the nation rather than for KBR or Parsons. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, Christopher G*********

[bobbolink]

159. sent--thanks! Will call tomorrow, also.

Senator, I am deeply appalled that you are working so hard to leave raped women with no recourse.

Is that the Aloha Spirit?

SHAME!

Please bury him in phone calls!
Toll-free Capitol Hill Numbers:


1-800-828-0498 1-866-388-1015 1-866-220-0044 1-877-851-6437

[Taverner]

2. Inouye carried water for Stevens too long

He is not on our side

[AllentownJake]

6. The Senate is a nasty little club

of a bunch of oversized ego and criminals.

[SammyWinstonJack]

108. +1 nt

[Mister Ed]

138. Inouye

I was a tourist in Washington this past spring. I was standing with my little tour group in the very center of the capitol rotunda when a somewhat frail, dark-haired man with a cane passed within arm's length of me, making his way from the House chambers to the Senate.

After the man passed, the tour guide said softly, "And there goes perhaps the most powerful person in the Senate, Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii." When we asked what made him so powerful, the guide explained that it was his position as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

"He controls the money", the guide said. "There's not much of anything you can get done without his blessing."

I infer from this that it's difficult or impossible for other Senators to fight him on this matter. If they cross him, they're pretty much screwed. Instead, We The People will have to take up the fight. The bad publicity and bright spotlight that could be brought to bear on Senator Inouye might make him reconsider.

[bluestateguy]

3. Here we go

In my personal fantasy world, I'd be a multi-billionaire who would get elected to the Senate by 100% paying for my own campaign, and then refuse to meet with or even talk to any lobbyist from any group whatsoever.

[Blue_Tires]

29. you're not alone -- i have that dream, too....

except in my dream i'm also senate leader

[AllentownJake]

39. In my dream I'm President

and I call the Republican Senate and House leaders everyday, just to tell them to go fuck themselves.

[BrklynLiberal]

144. I think that is exactly what Alan Grayson did...only he started in the House..

Wikipedia on Grayosn

Grayson was born in the Bronx, New York and grew up in the tenements. He graduated from Bronx High School of Science and worked his way through Harvard University, graduating in three years, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He worked as an economist for two years, but then returned to Harvard for graduate studies. Within four years, he earned a law degree with honors from Harvard Law School, a masters in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and completed the course work and passed the general exams for a Ph.D. in government.<3><4>

After writing his master's thesis on gerontology, Grayson founded the Alliance for Aging Research, and served as an officer of the organization for more than 20 years.<1>

Grayson was employed as a law clerk at the Colorado Supreme Court in 1983, and at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals from 1984 to 1985, where he worked with such judges as Abner Mikva, Robert Bork, and two judges who later joined the U.S. Supreme Court: Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia. He was an associate at the Washington D.C. firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson for five years, where he specialized in contract law. In 1991 he founded the law firm Grayson, Kubli which concentrated on government contract law. He was a lecturer at the George Washington University government contracts program and a frequent speaker on the topic.<4>

Grayson also was the first President of IDT Corporation, a publicly traded billion-dollar telecommunications company.<1><5> Grayson was ranked as the 12th-wealthiest member of Congress based on financial disclosure forms with a minimum net worth of $31.12 million, according to Roll Call.<6>
Whistleblower cases

<7><8><9><10>

In recent years, Grayson specialized in war profiteer and whistleblower cases aimed at Iraq war contractors who allegedly overbilled the U.S. government. One contractor, Custer Battles, allegedly billed the government $15 million for inspecting allegedly non-existent civilian flights at Baghdad Airport, and $10 million on a time and materials contract that had cost $3.5 million. The contractor received payment in newly printed cash direct from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.<4> Grayson was enabled to prosecute fraud through the False Claims Act and its qui tam provisions.<11>

While pursuing the whistleblower cases, Grayson worked from a home office in Orlando where he lived with his wife and five children. In 2006, a Wall Street Journal reporter described Grayson as "waging a one-man war against contractor fraud in Iraq" and as a "fierce critic of the war in Iraq" whose car was "emblazoned" with bumper stickers such as "Bush lied, people died".<11>

[John Q. Citizen]

156. In my dream, we have a democratic republic instead of an empire run by an entrenched oligarchy.

That's why, in the real world, I'm not going to vote for or sustain those who promote an empire run by oligarchs.

You can if you want to though. That's your own decision to make.

I've made mine, and I'm good with it.

[Ian David]

4. Sen. Dan Inouye (D-HI)

Washington D.C.
722 Hart Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-1102
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Honolulu
300 Ala Moana Boulevard
Room 7-212
Honolulu, Hawaii 96850-4975
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Hilo
101 Aupuni Street, #205
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

http://inouye.senate.gov/Contact/Email-Form.cfm

[leftynyc]

10. Thanks for the link

I sent an email asking how he can look into the face of any of the women in his family and explain this? And I would give money to whoever he faced in a primary. It's an insult to all women.

[Whisp]

23. thanks for doing that - powerful and simple message.

I can't believe this. along with all the other horrifics this is just unbelievable where corporations are protected and the law can't help an individual.
:cries:

[leftynyc]

28. I was literally shaking with anger

while typing the email. Surprised I didn't break the keyboard as I was pounding it so hard. We need EVERYONE to contact his office about this and shame him into doing the right thing.

[beac]

61. I felt the same when I called. It was hard not to SCREAM at his staffer.

:mad:

I emailed him too. Now I need to take a walk to cool down.

[leftynyc]

76. Did the staffer mention

if the office was getting many calls? I'm in the office or I'd call - don't think everyone needs to hear me screaming at a Senator.

[beac]

81. Of the 3 offices, two said they were getting a lot of calls. The one in Hilo had "no idea" what I

was talking about (could have been an act, of course.)

Remember that Hawaii is six hours behind Eastern time, so you could still call the HI offices after work tonight. Send an email too!

[Mojorabbit]

111. That pretty much

sums up the email I sent also.

[KamaAina]

18. Chief of staff's name is Patrick DeLeon

remember, right up through this summer, I was in the game out there. :-)

[louis-t]

136. REALLY??? That's so weird, I have a friend named

Pat DeLeon.

[tridim]

22. I'm not sure Inouye wants to be known as Sen. Dan Inouye (D-Rape Supporter)

But I've been wrong before.

[beac]

69. Called all 3 numbers AND sent an email.

The woman in Hilo had no idea what I was talking about, FYI, so THAT office clearly needs more calls. The two other staffers (both women) were defensive and evasive. Disgusting.

[Tx4obama]

77. Thanks for the addy, I emailed Inouye. n/t

[otohara]

86. His Office Is Denying

I just called.

[berni_mccoy]

5. W!T!F!

[w4rma]

7. So, he doesn't mind if his office gets stormed by anti-rapist lobbyists, then. (nt)

[Hepburn]

8. That is total bullshit to do that...

...ignoring rape is NOT an option!

:mad:

[coffeenap]

9. So very wrong--call or write him--I just did--kicking!

kick

[Solly Mack]

11. k/r

[Altoid_Cyclist]

12. Un-be-freaking-lievable???!!!

So he doesn't mind America being portrayed (rightly so evidentally) as a warmongering, financially corrupt AND rapist friendly country?

Any chance that he can be voted out of office or is he set for life like so many of our ?? leaders ??

[AllentownJake]

15. He's over 80

and a Democrat in Hawaii.

He's been in congress since Hawaii became a state and in the Senate since 1963.

[valerief]

20. He's got too much healthcare, I say. nt

[dflprincess]

110. He's 85

and a WWII vet who was a member of the 442nd (one the government decided Americans of Japanese descent could serve). He lost his arm during the war and I recall him telling a story of going into a barbershop in California, in his uniform, one arm missing and being told that they didn't serve "Japs".

I'd expect a person who had expirienced discrimination at a time when there wasn't much he could do about it, to be a bit more sensitive when others are treated badly.

I'm off to find an empty meeting room so I can call his office.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

25. Why do we treat so many politicians as royalty?

Mea Culpa: I meant to reply to Jake's reply to me.

Granted, sometimes good people get to hold office, but it seems as though a lot of these people would have to commit a murder to be voted out. Well, that might not even be enough in some cases.

We need some sort of grading system that would put every politician in a position of having to justify being able to run for re-election when it's time.

Of course, we'd have to educate the voters, eliminate corporate influence, have real debates.... never mind.

As award winning journalist Kent Brockman says:


I've said it before, and I'll say it again: democracy just doesn't work.

[Lance_Boyle]

13. I'm not sure the amendment is a good one.

Should rape victims be able to sue the parents of their attackers, because the rape would never have happened if those parents had never procreated? Should they be able to sue GM if the rapist drove a Chevy to the scene of the attack? I'm just not sure I understand the point of the proposed amendment. Rape as a crime has a victim and a perpetrator. Unless a company is one of those, I see no reason why it should be involved in liability for the crime. Unless maybe the company conspires to cover up the crime. In which case the company should be prosecuted for conspiracy. Not sued over some imagined liability for the crime.

[AllentownJake]

16. You have to understand the context of the reason the amendment was passed

A woman was gang raped in Iraq working for a contractor by fellow employees and than the contractor locked her in a shipping container for a day till they could figure out what to do. The company than forced the woman to settle with the company through an arbitrator.

[Lance_Boyle]

45. So the company should be charged with illegal imprisonment

and whatever other criminal charge apply. Illegal imprisonment is not a civil offense. Why would the victim settle for a civil suit?

[blondeatlast]

48. Why did the Brown and Goldman families go civil? nt

[Lance_Boyle]

50. Because the criminal case failed (or was sabotaged).

There has not yet been a criminal case in this matter.

[blondeatlast]

53. And there may never be--but she has a right to pursue justice in two ways and I support hers (or

anyone else's) right to do so.

[AllentownJake]

57. Actually you are wrong

Her recourse is in civil court. The state is the one that files charges in criminal charges.

If I'm mugged, I still have the option of suing my mugger. The state files charges for the crime based on the fact that mugging is bad for society.

[Lance_Boyle]

78. But her civil suit alleges a crime

and no criminal case has been brought with regard to the alleged crime. This is essentially the same as me saying "Person X jumped me on the street and assaulted me, but I'm not going to the police. I'm going to sue him for money instead." In the absence of criminal charges, is there really a civil case that could make it through discovery?

[AllentownJake]

83. You have the right to sue and present your case to a judge

I don't know why you hate the constitution so much.

[Lance_Boyle]

95. Nice post, Mussolini.

Say you're the judge. The case comes before you. The plaintiff says "the company illegally imprisoned me and now they must pay." Are you not even the slightest bit interested in whether the CRIMINAL matter of illegal imprisonment is dealt with? You think it's A-OK to move straight on to the "pay me now" bit without establishing that the criminal act that is the basis of the claim ever happened?

[AllentownJake]

103. That is for a Jury to decide

Any case over a certain dollar threshold has the right to a trial by jury in a civil case. You obviously know absolutely nothing about the law.

[DireStrike]

129. You are claiming that the lack of a criminal conviction implies so strongly that no crime took place

that a related matter cannot even be brought before a civil court?

No, it is the place of the court to decide a) whether proof of a criminal activity is relevant and necessary to the civil case(it may not be!) b) whether such activity can be proven in the context of the civil case without a criminal conviction.

All of this is to be determined AFTER the case enters civil proceedings, not before. We do not remove peoples' right to remedy because some observers think that the case is dubious.

[zoff]

151. Good point.

Also, doesn't the act of arbitration establish that the crime occurred?

[noiretextatique]

26. Victim: Gang-Rape Cover-Up by U.S., Halliburton/KBR

A Houston, Texas woman says she was gang-raped by Halliburton/KBR coworkers in Baghdad, and the company and the U.S. government are covering up the incident.
Leigh Jones, now 22, says that after she was raped by multiple men at a KBR camp in the Green Zone, the company put her under guard in a shipping container with a bed and warned her that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she'd be out of a job.

"Don't plan on working back in Iraq. There won't be a position here, and there won't be a position in Houston," Jones says she was told.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court against Halliburton and its then-subsidiary KBR, Jones says she was held in the shipping container for at least 24 hours without food or water by KBR, which posted armed security guards outside her door, who would not let her leave. Jones described the container as sparely furnished with a bed, table and lamp.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=3977702&page=1&page=1

[Q3JR4]

38. Fortunately a ruling by the fifth circuit

http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/08/08-20380-CV0.wpd.pdf">court of appeals means that Jamie Leigh Jones will have her day in court. http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/09/halliburton-loses-jamie-leigh-jones">Mother Jones has more information.

Q3JR4.
Down with http://consumerist.com/search/arbitration/?refId=0">Manditory Binding Arbitration.

[Lance_Boyle]

46. Definitely sounds like a criminal, not civil, offense -

illegal imprisonment. Why would she settle for a civil suit against them?

[blondeatlast]

51. Because she can do both under the law. Just like the Browns and Goldmans.

And why shouldn't she do both if she can?

[Lance_Boyle]

54. The Browns and Goldmans never pursued criminal charges - the DA did

on behalf of the State.

Have criminal charges ever even been filed in this matter? Has a criminal complaint even been filed?

[RaleighNCDUer]

64. Who would have jurisdiction for a crime committed by a corporation

in another country?

It may be that the civil court is her only recourse. Unless, of course, she pursues it in an Iraqi court.

[blondeatlast]

66. Exactly... nt

[Lance_Boyle]

68. The state in which the corporation is based would have jurisdiction

unless they fell under either military or federal jurisdiction by virtue of their contract.

Has this matter been pursued in any criminal venue? I can't imagine civil courts being very receptive to a civil case stemming from a criminal case that was never filed...

[RaleighNCDUer]

101. Do you really think the state of Texas is going to file criminal charges

against Halliburton?

[blondeatlast]

122. Why, Texas is all about justice, honey! We all know that, right? So was our dear GWB--and hey,

wasn't he governor? And didn't he giggle over killing a woman?

[pdefalla]

34. Lance, corporations have to be accountable

for their actions, which include the actions of their employees. Remember, corporations are treated as persons under the law. We punish corporations for allowing discrimination, unsafe working conditions, harrassment...why do you think that kidnapping and rape should somehow be exempt?
This contractor has fostered an atmosphere that condones rape and sexual abuse, because historically they have not punished the rapists that work for them. In this case, it appears that they punished the victim, locking her in a shipping container for 24 hours with no food or water or bathroom facilities.
No "imagined liability" here, these guys are clearly liable.

[Lance_Boyle]

47. So if I am assaulted by someone who works for IBM, I should sue IBM?

Sorry - this is just making the kind of sense that's not. The victim asserts she was criminally violated by a rapist and then again by his employer who illegally imprisoned her. Both assailants should face criminal charges. Although in the illegal imprisonment case, it would be against the individuals who committed the offense, not against their employer. This just seems like she is going after the deepest pockets, not justice.

[blondeatlast]

65. Yes, under Vicarious Liability and Respondeat Superior. Google them. nt

[ManiacJoe]

150. That would be a hard case to win.

It would require that one could show that the criminal act was remotely related to the duties or job description of the workers. I have never seen an instance where rape would fall into that.

The crimes were independent of their jobs and should be tried as such.

[noiretextatique]

89. she was raped by several co-workers while on the job

the corporation is liable for the actions of its employees.

[Bjorn Against]

153. If they lock you in a storage crate, post armed guards outside the crate...

And use company resources to cover up the crime as Halliburton did then yes, you should absolutely sue.

[RaleighNCDUer]

37. The suit brought by the victim was not because KBR allowed the rape to happen -

there are (or should be) criminal proceedings to deal with that crime. The suit was because KBR prevented the woman from pursuing those criminal proceedings against KBR employees - the company interfered with a criminal matter and forced her to settle, without holding the rapists accountable. THEY INTERFERED WITH A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR THE SAKE OF THE CRIMINALS. That is not just covering up - that is complicity in the crime itself. It is driving the fucking getaway car.

That makes them liable. It would be like having a co-worker beat you with a baseball bat, then your boss comes along and says 'Tell you what, I'll make him pay your hospital bills. OK? Oh, and if you object, you're fired and all the costs will be on you.' Even if the boss has never done this before, it sets up an expectation on the part of the perpetrators that they can do this and get away with it.

[Lance_Boyle]

49. Interference with a criminal investigation is a criminal offense, not civil.

You said so in your post. It is a criminal offense. A civil suit seeks money, not criminal justice.

[booley]

62. Can't really arrest a company, can you?

Only actual people can be be put in jail.

However, Corporations tend to feel it when money is at stake. Indeed, it seems that's the only kind of punishment they feel.

[Lance_Boyle]

70. you'd go after the individuals (criminals) within the corporation for a criminal matter

going after the corporation just means she's after money, not justice.

[AllentownJake]

72. Good for you to judge the intent of a rape victim

Civil penalties are a form of justice. When the woman who had her son murdered by the KKK sued the KKK and took their land do you think she wanted their land or do you think she wanted justice.

[Lance_Boyle]

79. Were there actual criminal charges filed in the KKK case? n/t

[AllentownJake]

80. Yes

and I don't see why you are so against someone having access to civil recourse.

[Lance_Boyle]

87. I'm abolsutely not against civil recourse, although I realize my line of questioning here

may make it appear so. My question is whether a civil case that hinges on an alleged crime can (or should) have any chance in civil court when no criminal case was ever even filed. Filed and defeated (like the OJ murder rap) I can see. But not when criminal charges are never filed. That sort of solidifies the "alleged" part.

[AllentownJake]

93. I don't see your logic

There are lots of mitigating circumstances the prevent "crimes" from going on trial. Right now there are many shareholder lawsuits for fraud when the SEC or the AG have never filed any criminal charges. The preponderance of evidence standards maybe one of the stumbling blocks or in the case of a federal issue, find a willing federal prosecutor to adopt your case maybe the issue.

Everyone has their right to civil court in this country. If my neighbor breaks my nose in a fight, I can still sue him. I can even choose to avoid criminal charges and sue just for lost economic opportunity. However, the state who is the Plaintiff in a criminal manner, could still decide to charge my neighbor with or without my consent. This has been done during domestic violence cases.

The choice on whether or not to pursue a criminal trial never fully rest with the victim of a crime. The state makes the determination to pursue charges, and in some cases pursues charges without the consent of the crime. Murder is a good example, as a dead person cannot really give consent to pursuing charges.

[Lance_Boyle]

97. My point is that the civil case is damaged by the absence of a criminal case

when the civil case alleges a crime that is never brought to criminal court. If the DA declined to prosecute, what were her reasons? Case not strong enough? That can't help the civil suit at all.

[AllentownJake]

99. I'm not arguing the strength of cases

I'm arguing the right of citizens to sue their employers. If someone's boss rapes them, and than threatens to fire them if they tell...at the minimum there is a sexual harassment suit and the company is liable.

How the hell do you think sexual harassment got any traction if company's own asses weren't on the line for it.

[blondeatlast]

123. He wants special rights for corporate citizens as opposed to us lowlife citizens.

I don't like corporate citizenship, but hey, if they are citizens, they are subject to the same justice I am, right?

[blondeatlast]

141. No, it isn't. If a criminal case exists, it helps--but the civil case is not damaged in the least by

the fact that no criminal charges were filed.

[noiretextatique]

94. there is nothing "alleged" about it

if you read the story, KBR/Halliburton threatened to fire the victim if she pursued legal action.

[blondeatlast]

140. It happens all the time. nt

[blondeatlast]

121. While you are reading "Civil Law for Dummies," look up equity.

Really, the legal concepts are pretty easy to understand.

If you care to really understand, instead of just trying to prevent corporate citizens (another legal AND political concept) from being treated like the rest of us.

You're so damn easy to figure out.

[blondeatlast]

44. It's called "respondeat superior." And KBR/Halliburton is guilty of it in spades. nt

[robinlynne]

63. How about the company should make sure their employees obey the law!

They (kbr) are sending people over to war at 1,000.00 per person per day. That
s what they pay. We probably pay five times that. Seems to me they can make a no rape policy. That's pretty much all it would take.

[Lance_Boyle]

71. So my employer should be held responsible for any law I may break?

I don't think so.

[AllentownJake]

82. If your an officer of that company

I think so, they can be legally held for you signing a contract.

[Lance_Boyle]

90. So if it can be proven that ANYONE in the company ordered her illegally imprisoned,

then file criminal charges against that person. If that person was an executive operating on behalf of the company, then THAT opens the company to civil liability. But the criminal case has to be brought and proved. You can't just skip the justice bit and go straight to the "pay me now" part.

[AllentownJake]

96. Yes you can

see my examples. The State of California is currently suing State Street bank for fraud. They are not suing them in criminal court they are suing them in civil court. No criminal charges have ever been filed.

[Lance_Boyle]

100. They are suing for damages from an alleged criminal act that was never proven to have happened?

I can't see that suit going very far. Either fraud was committed or it wasn't. How can damages resulting from fraud be awarded in the absence of a finding that fraud transpired?

[AllentownJake]

102. It happens all the fucking time

How do you think most of the corporate bullshit gets uncovered? There is a much difference evidence standard in civil court than there is in criminal court.

[PSzymeczek]

149. The company wouldn't

ALLOW her to pursue criminal charges. KBR/Halliburton said she HAD to go through arbitration, which is naturally baised toward the employer. BTDT.

[RaleighNCDUer]

104. If your employer abets the law breaking by enacting policies that prevent

application of justice and by covering up the crime

fuck yeah.

[blondeatlast]

124. It's called Vicarious Liability and fucking yeah, it DOES happen all the time.

And I am damn glad of it.

[robinlynne]

128. If they train you to kill and ship you to a war zone in the name of our country, damn straight!

Do you represent the United States in your job? If you do, I think there are some rules to follow...

[blondeatlast]

130. If you want to be taken seriously, instead of just shilling for corporate cizens having special

privileges we mere mortal Americans don't; read this:

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Respondeat+superior

In the KBR/Haillburton case, it applies.

In your case, I have no idea.

[robinlynne]

158. cool. end of discussion. (although he should have agreed on moral grounds.)

[lobodons]

105. Contractors facilitated pro-rape environment

The Contractors facilitated a pro-rape environment by not taking incidents seriously, not holding rapists accountable for their actions, and by not allowing victims reasonable justice.

[Uncle Joe]

14. The mercenary military industrial complex should be under constant risk of having their contracts

dry up.

This is just one of many validations as to why former Supreme Allied Commander and President Eisenhower was wise in warning against allowing the military industrial complex to have too much power whether sought or unsought.

If they can't be responsible for protecting their own workers from each other, how can they be responsible for protecting the nation from it's enemies?

In the name of cold blooded profit, they can't do either very well and as such are a dysfunctional institution with the same leech like affect on the nation's defense as for profit "health" insurance corporations are to the nation's health care.

Thanks for the thread, Allentown Jake.

[abelenkpe]

17. WTF?

How do we stop that from happening?

How do we get the funding of KBR and Xe withdrawn?

Any suggestions?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

21. Color me surprised - NOT.

:shrug:

[hedgehog]

24. It strikes me that Hawaii has a relatively small media market;

it shouldn't cost too much to place ads on the local television stations and in the local newspapers.

[KamaAina]

113. Not only that, nearly everyone there has cable

it might be even cheaper to buy ads on Oceanic (Time Warner), maybe targeting the news* channels, and women's channels like Lifetime and Oxygen. And Oceanic runs the entire cable system statewide.

edit: spelling

[ProSense]

27. Sure are a lot of sources in that piece

Let me get this straight: Inouye voted for the amendment and now wants to strip it from the bill?

[AllentownJake]

30. Well ProSense

If you've been around long enough, Congress critters have this odd tendency to vote for something, and than find a way to undo their very vote in a committee. It's a beautiful quirk of our republic. You can go on the record supporting something, than undo the very thing you said you supported in a back room.

[Lochloosa]

31. Maybe if the Rapist stormed his office thanking him

he would get the message.

[Tippy]

32. Contractors in Iraq have been running amuck since the beginning

"Franken amendment would leave them overly exposed to lawsuits and at constant risk of having contracts dry up."

Contractors in Iraq have been running amuck,since the beginning of Bush's War and the taxpayer has footed the bill...They have did so many underhanded and vile things They need to be held accountable....We need to let Sen. Dan Inouye know this is unexceptable....

Here is his DC # 1-202-224-3934

[marlakay]

33. The problem was outsourcing our military to begin with

I know they still have problems with rape in the military but at least you can try to fight the system.

It has never been right from day 1 for those outsourced folks to make bank money while our military was doing the same thing. Bush did this so he didn't have to do a draft.

Obama should end the contracts.

[KarenS]

35. K&R !! I just sent an email too!!! n/t

[condoleeza]

36. He knows who he owes his career to

Check out his main contributors: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?CID=N00001762

[AzDar]

40. K & R

:kick:

[BolivarianHero]

41. People who oppose/waterdown this legislation deserve the feeling of being raped...

Maybe then they'll be more sympathetic to women and less sympathetic to the military-industrial complex.

[MajorChode]

58. To paraphrase George Carlin...

They deserve to be strangled in front of their children.

But I wouldn't seriously suggest either.

[Hekate]

42. My email--not as good as it could be, but off the top of my head

IN SUPPORT OF FRANKEN AMENDMENT/ GANG RAPE OF HALLIBURTON EMPLOYEE

Dear Senator Inouye:

I simply do not understand how you could be thinking of stripping the "rape amendment" (Franken Amdt. No. 2588 ) from the DOD Appropriations Act.

Your office says you have been besieged "by contractors" (i.e. their lobbyists). In God's name, who do you work for? And if you do this, how can you look at the young women of your family in the eye ever again?

I write this more in sorrow than in anger, because I am a kama'aina and you were one of my Hawai'i heroes. You spoke at my high school graduation back in the 1960s, and I always looked to you for honorable leadership in the Senate.

Please rethink this, and throw your support toward the young woman whose patriotism was so violently abused, and toward untold others who have been silenced by corporate giants who have done wrong and who have placed themselves entirely above our system of laws and justice.

~~~~~~~~~~~

[beac]

74. I think it's a VERY good email...

and it's a lot more polite than mine was. I didn't curse, but 'DISGUSTED' 'SHAME' and some other strong words got capitalized. :mad:

[Blue_In_AK]

43. Daniel Inouye?

Ted Stevens' best friend. Enuf said.

[Nikki Stone1]

52. Phone, Fax, and Snail Mail info

Washington D.C.
722 Hart Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-1102
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Honolulu
300 Ala Moana Boulevard
Room 7-212
Honolulu, Hawaii 96850-4975
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Hilo
101 Aupuni Street, #205
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[Q3JR4]

55. I sent him an email,

and I cced the Hawaii republican party as well as every Hawaii based news service I could find.

Don't know if it will do any good, but here's hoping.

Q3JR4.

[asdjrocky]

56. Just emailed.

Calling now.

[bergie321]

59. "would leave them overly exposed to lawsuits and at constant risk of having contracts dry up"

Just how many gang rapes and false imprisonments are they covering up?

[beac]

60. I called. The staffer claimed she had no idea where this info was coming from b/c "conference

meetings are supposed to be private." She kept trying to appease me with the fact that he voted for the amendment.

But, when pressed, she categorically refused to deny that Inouye won't strip the Franken amendment from the final bill.

I hope he's getting bombarded with calls/emails from Dems. If he does this, he's as bad as those 30 Repukes.

[Brickbat]

107. After I said my piece, the staffer told me that they were "looking into these allegations of Sen.

Inouye stripping the provision" and said she would log my objection.

After I hung up, I was like, wait a minute, "allegations"? WTF?

[Deep13]

67. If Ds are not willing to protect people from rape...

...what the fuck good are they?

[FiveGoodMen]

85. VERY important question!

The pukes became the monsters they are today by putting group loyalty above all other considerations.

It was often mentioned here in the vein of, "Bush could eat a live baby on TV and they'd still like him!"

Democrats are in danger of doing the same thing.

DU is full of examples where the poster doesn't give a rat's ass about anything except the D beside someone's name.

[asdjrocky]

73. Something must be going on because every number is busy. nt

[sixmile]

75. Call Sen. Inouye's office at [phone] or [phone]

Call now. It only takes a minute.

[beac]

84. Call his offices in Hawaiit too:

Honolulu
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Hilo
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Hawaii is six hours behind Eastern time, so people can call those numbers after work tonight too.

[TheKentuckian]

88. Utter bullshit and cowardly bullshit at that.

Voting for this amendment and then slinking to the office to kill a sliver of protection for someone's daughter, sister, mother, or wife to polish the nob of the MIC is fucking putrid.

This is more shameful than the disgusting Republicans who at least had the fortitude to do it in front of God and everybody because it is a crystal clear indicator that he knows better but is eager to sell out not just American values, not only Western civilization, but literally basic human society.

[Ian David]

91. Huffington Post has two separate sources confirming the same information. n/t

[Triana]

92. SO - protecting the a$$es of defense contractors is MORE IMPORTANT than human rights abuses

...to the United States?

INTERESTINK. :mad:

[madokie]

98. Sources Say, hell even Multiple sources say.

I can't get past that little bitty part right there, sorry. sources say :rofl:

[sudopod]

109. This is why Knox County, TN has the Sunshine Law.

It is illegal for county commission members to discuss county business among each other in private. It's done in meeting or not at all.

This should be done on a national level, IMHO.

[winyanstaz]

112. Sen. Dan Inouye has long been a traitor to true democratic ideals...

He votes against the interest of the people time and time again.
What we have here is a failure to communicate with our Democrats and republicans...they don't get it that their days in power are numbered if they don't get off their asses and do the right thing for the people.
The people want public options...and I don't think they will seattle this time for anything less.

[KamaAina]

114. Now you know why so many out there call him Senator "In-Your-Way"

:eyes:

[Lerkfish]

115. anyone who votes against this bill is saying its ok if their daughters or wives are gangraped

i mean, seriously, that's what they are saying.

[FiveGoodMen]

160. I think they're saying it's okay if YOUR daughter or wife is gang-raped

They seem pretty sure that it'll never happen to them.

And if it does, they'll find someone else to blame.

[PretzelWarrior]

117. you know what to do. CALLL THAT OLD MAN!!

let him know that despite his age and seniority in the Senate, he can be taken down by WE THE PEOPLE!

FUCK THESE SLIMY CROOKS!

[Brickbat]

118. Apparently Inouye had his own harassment problems several years ago -- I did not know this and while

it's all allegations because no one brought charges, IT PISSES ME OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/congress.htm

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)
In October 1992, Republican Senate nominee Rick Reed began running a campaign commercial that included a surreptitiously taped interview with Lenore Kwock, Inouye's hairdresser. Kwock said Inouye had sexually forced himself on her in 1975 and continued a pattern of sexual harassment, even as Kwock continued to cut his hair over the years. Inouye, seeking a sixth term, denied the charges. And Kwock said that by running the commercial, Reed had caused her more pain than Inouye had. Reed was forced to pull the ad, and while many voters took out their anger on the Republican, Inouye was held to 57 percent of the vote – the lowest total of his career. A week later, a female Democratic state legislator announced that she had heard from nine other women who claimed Inouye had sexually harassed them over the past decade. But the women didn't go public with their claims, the local press didn't pursue the story, and the Senate Ethics Committee decided to drop the investigation because the accusers wouldn't participate in an inquiry.

[tomm2thumbs]

137. maybe Inouye is a cancer in our midst

[pnwmom]

119. Don't fuck the Democrats in the Senate. Call them, email them,

and tell them what you want them to do.

That's what I'm going to do.

[Hidden Stillness]

120. Sickening, and Scary

This Amendment was a response to the horrific incident a few years ago, of a woman working for Halliburton in Iraq, (and other cases like it), who was gang-raped, then held prisoner, under guard by the attackers, until finally one lone male human being snuck her a cell phone, and she called her Representative at home in Texas for help (I think it was Ted Poe, a Republican; and she was rescued). I heard Franken offer this Amendment and thought it was a fabulous, desperately needed addition. Now this. You might recall, a couple of years ago, Sen. Barbara Boxer tried to get strong regulations and punishments against rapists and batterers in the U.S. military, after many incidents of attacks against women in the military, by males in the military. Inouye killed that, too. Inouye has been against women's issues for as long as I can remember.

[dmr]

126. I hope Franken kicks Dan Inouye's ass

metaphorically speaking - well, seeing how angry I am right now, figuratively, too.

[ladywnch]

127. this is the email I've sent to all 30 pieces of shit who voted against + Inouye

with a little more about if he's worried about his office being stormed by defense contractors he should really be worried about being stormed by THOUSANDS of women!!!




Thank you, Senator!!!!!

Thank you for showing your true colors.

Thank you for showing women in America that they are nothing more than chattel and property to be owned by men and treated however it pleases men.

Thank you for demonstrating that rape is something that women just have to learn to live with if they want to have jobs outside the home. I mean really, it’s not like it’s criminal or anything like that, it’s just a natural consequence of men and women working to together, right?

Saying this is a ‘political issue’ is one of the more absurd things I think I’ve heard in some time. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard rape called a political issue before. You may have just come up with a new defense for rapists! Congrats on that! The last time I looked, rape is a Class 1 Felony. Check for yourself. Most states have very strict laws about rape. Or is that your problem with the Franken amendment; you don’t think is should be a crime to rape women? You believe men should be able to force themselves on any woman at anytime and then imprison them in shipping containers with no food or water till they promise to not speak of the assault and just wait around till the ‘boys’ feel randy again. Thank god I’m not a daughter of yours! Although, then, I’m sure, it would be an entirely different story – then again, probably not, you’d just take some blood money from your owners and tell your daughter to ‘get over it’.

Thank goodness we have staunch defenders of “Christian Family Values” like you good folks looking out for us. Lord only knows what would happen to us were it not for you good folks. We might end up with healthcare for all Americans – including rape victims and we wouldn’t want that now would we?

Thank you for providing incontrovertible proof that there is nothing you won’t do to protect your Corporate Lords and Masters and to deny American citizens their most basic rights.

I hope you are VERY satisfied with your vote on this matter because you’re going to get to relive it OVER AND OVER AND OVER again during your next election……’Senator Supports Rape’…..or how about, ‘Lock up your wives and daughters! Here comes the Senator who supports RAPE’

[glinda]

132. need to rout out these nuts from the Party

[DutchLiberal]

133. They don't listen to the people. They only listen to their Masters Of War.

[Ken Burch]

134. If Inoueye does this, he should be EXPELLED from the Democratic caucus

There's nothing he could ever do to make up for doing something evil like that.

[tomm2thumbs]

135. someone needs to run against Sen. Inouye, who gives dam about the (R) or (D)

if they are a moderate and not controlled by special interests.

This is nuts.

[ThoughtCriminal]

139. Dry up defense contracts?

Like that would really happen.

Does anybody really think that KBR would quit bidding on defense contracts if they couldn't continue to hire rapists? No, they would just be more careful about who they hire, the workplace environment and how they deal with their employees like any real American company should.

And the DoD is just interested in protecting revolving door employment by siding with the contractors.

[harun]

155. No kidding, it's laughable.

[Ardent15]

142. Another news item that makes me angry at the Senate...

Seriously, I'm beginning to think the Senate should be abolished.

[blondeatlast]

145. The Senate passed the amendment pretty handily. You want to destroy the Senate for

one doddering old sumbitch?

I'll look to Senator Franken and pass on that, thanks.

[BrklynLiberal]

143. hat is truly disgusting!! I hope his constituents let him know that he will lose a lot

more than he will gain by doing this.

[NikolaC]

146. K&R

I will be sending an e-mail to his office. If this is true, then it is reprehensible. This is just too mucvh, they have gotten away with too much for far too long and the Senate needs to step in and do something.

[GreenTea]

147. Disgusting Dem's giving in to fucking greedy war mongering corporate profiteers

weapons makers and republican corporations that Cheney filtered so thoroughly that they were indeed republican corporations making the money from wars of imperialism from OUR tax dollars...

[defendandprotect]

148. We had all best be calling and e-mailing Sen. Inouye tomorrow . . . I think !!!

[saracat]

152. This totally makes me sick.What is the Democratic Party becoming?

We are kissing the ass of banks and Goldman Sachs, criticizing the unions, opposing choice, sneering at the GBLTs! Who are we anymore?

[Odin2005]

154. What the hell? This is inexcusable.

I'd never thought he would be a pro-rape jerkwad. :grr:

[vkkv]

157. I called his office to express my anger [phone]

You should, too!

All senate contacts

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm