The Icicle Creek Chamber Players' Spring Finale Concert

Posted By CotoBlogzz


Leavernworth, WA - Still time to catch a Spring Concert at the brand-spanking new Snowy Owl Theater, 7409 Icicle Road.  The Icicle Creek Chamber Players' Spring Finale Concert takes place this Saturday May 25 at 7:30 pm

Brand New Snow Owl Theater

Featuring: Jennifer Caine, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Kimberly Russ, piano; Sean Osborn, clarinet; Melissa Plagemann, mezzo - soprano; Maria Sampen, violin; Sally Singer Tuttle, cello Mozart, Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, K. 493 Respighi, Il tramonto for Voice and String Quartet Brahms, Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115

The Icicle Creek Center for the Arts is dedicated to celebrating excellence in the lively arts and inspiring generations of students, artists and audiences through exceptional educational experiences, live performances, and special events - all in the breathtaking, natural setting of the mountain meadows

                        

Obama’s IRS Cesspool: Schulman, IRS, Madoff, DNC, MediaMatters, Soros

DOUGLAS SHULMAN WAS MADOFF’S REGULATOR

By Chriss Street

 Douglas H. Schulman, prior to his now scandalous reign as the former Commissioner of the IRS Commission, served as the Vice Chairman of the agency that regulated “Bernie” Madoff, who is now serving 150 year prison sentence for embezzling $18 billion from clients in America’s greatest Ponzi scheme.

Shulman testified to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that while serving as IRS Commissioner, he had inadvertently ignored 132 letters from members of Congress, was unaware and 42 major press stories on the issue, and never discussed any IRS discrimination of conservatives when he visited the White House on average once every two weeks.  When Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan reminded Shulman that he told Congress last year, “I can give you assurances nothing is going on, everything is wonderful, we’re not targeting conservative groups”.  Shulman answered: “I am absolutely telling you the truth today.”

For someone with such a poor memory, Mr. Shulman has an impressive background.  He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center.   In 1997 at the age of 30, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the National Commission on Restructuring the Internal Revenue Service, where he pushed the implementation of mandatory electronic filing of all tax returns.  In 2000, he moved to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., the private organization assigned governmental powers to perform regulatory oversight of securities dealers to protect investors from fraud.

As a computer whiz-kid, Shulman made a name for himself modernizing NASD technology to facilitate the explosive growth of commercial bank trading of derivatives and junk bonds.  In the NASD’s 2006 Annual Report, Vice Chairman Shulman highlighted his leadership in developing the NASD’s computerized system to monitor for fraudulent trading practices: “We engineered our revolutionary TRACE system to shine light on formerly opaque market.”

Douglas Shulman would also have worked closely with Bernie Madoff, former Chairman of National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ), who served as Chairman of the powerful NASDAQ Trading Committee and key developer of their computerized trade dissemination technology that allowed NASDAQ firms to compete with NYSE members.  With the support of the NASD, on November 1, 2006 NASDAQ merged with the Bond Market Association in 2006 to form SIFMA.

In July 2007, FINRA became the successor to the NASD and took over rulemaking authority for the New York Stock Exchange.  As Vice Chairman and in charge of technology, Douglas Shulman would have been directly involved with “professional and contract services” agreement that outsourced “operation of TRACE and the OTC Equities business by NASDAQ on behalf of FINRA.”

The Madoff family dominated SIFMA with multiple Boards seats, donated $56,000 to SIFMA directly and paid tens of thousands of dollars to sponsor SIFMA industry meetings in support of expanding OTC risk trading.  Madoff’s niece Shana was a persuasive voice on the Executive Committee of SIFMA’s Compliance & Legal Division.

In 2004 Genevievette Walker-Lightfoot, a lawyer in the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, informed her supervisor, Branch Chief Mark Donohue review of Madoff found numerous inconsistencies and recommended further questioning.  However, no action was taken.  Shortly thereafter Donohue’s boss, Assistant Director of the SEC Eric Swanson, married Shana Madoff.

Given encouragement from FINRA and lax SEC enforcement, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities by 2008 was siphoned off 9%, about $740 million, a day of the 2008 daily New York Stock Exchange trading volume by paying rebates to other brokerage firms for their customers’ orders in hopes of profiting from the spread between bid and asked prices.

Despite being a donor to the Democrat National Committee, Douglas Shulman was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate as IRS Commissioner on Friday March 14, 2008.  Four day later, the legendary Bear Stearns Brokerage firm collapsed and the U.S. Federal Reserve was forced to take responsibility for $29 billion of its toxic sub-prime assets.  Then Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy on September 15, 2008 with another $29 billion in losses.  On December 11, 2008, Bernie Madoff notified the FBI that his investment firm was all “one big lie” and a Ponzi scheme.  Although Madoff had reported over $65 billion in trading profits to FINRA, he pleaded guilty to 11 felonies and actually embezzling $18 billion for hundreds of investors.

Banks, the federal government and investors suffered horrific losses associated with Douglas Shulman’s tenure as Vice Chairman of FINRA.  At a 2010 IRS  seminar Shulman said: “To borrow an expression whose roots date back to the Middle Ages, Time and tide wait for no man,” to explain that some things were beyond his control.  He continued on that theme this week when he refused to apologize to Congress for IRS wrong-doing.  But Shulman did acknowledge that he was “dismayed” and “saddened” after reading the inspector general’s report.  For Madoff victims and now IRS victims, “saddened and dismayed” does not make restitution.

CHRISS STREET & PAUL PRESTON
Present: “The Agenda 21 Radio Talk Show”
Streaming Live Monday through Friday at 10 to Noon http://www.kcnr1460.com/
Follow Blogs: www.chrissstreetandcompany.com & www.agenda21radio.com

Lawyers’ Prayers Answered in Mire-Plagued DC

SCANDAL IS WASHINGTON DC LAWYER BONANZA

Director of the Internal Revenue Service Tax-Exempt Organization Division, Lois G. Lerner, will pay her attorney  $2000 per hour.

By Chriss Street

 Premier Washington DC criminal attorney William W. Taylor III of the ethics and government investigations firm, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, just announced that his new client Lois G. Lerner, the now infamous Director of the Internal Revenue Service Tax-Exempt Organization Division, will exercise her right against self-incrimination by pleading the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution in order to avoid answering questions when she testifies today before the House Oversight Committee.  

With multiple scandals raging and Friends of Obama having to “lawyer-up” at hourly rates of $600 to $2000 per hour, Washington DC is now the boom town for lawyers. After evidence emerged from the Treasury Inspector General’s Report and Congressional testimony, the Washington Post’s “Fact Checker” awarded Ms. Lerner “Four Pinocchio’s” for maximum lack of truth in her statements regarding discriminatory treatment by the IRS against conservative organizations since 2010.  As I pointed out earlier this week in Did Executive Branch Violate IRS Code 6103, the punishment for each individual disclosure of tax information is up to 5 years in prison and $5,000 in fine per disclosure.  committing wrong-doing, are enormous.

 With the IRS staff and members of the Executive Branch appearing to have discriminated against at least 471 conservative organization and tens of thousands of their members, the civil and criminal risks to members of the Obama’s Executive Branch who are accused of 

William W. Taylor III has an outstanding legal reputation for handling high profile cases and Ms. Lerner will pay $2000 per hour for the privilege of using his services.  Taylor obtained dismissal of all criminal charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who was accused of sexual assault in a New York City hotel.  He also quietly settled Mr. Strauss-Kahn related civil suit.  He obtained a full exoneration for the former chief of the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice in independent counsel and internal investigations of prosecutorial misconduct related to the prosecution of the late Senator Ted Stevens. He also led a team of attorneys who obtained dismissal of all claims brought by New York Attorney General Elliott Spitzer against Kenneth Langone, the former Chair of the New York Stock Exchange Compensation Committee, relating to $140 million golden parachute paid to NYSE President Richard Grasso as the market crashed in 2008.

The average compensation for law firm partners in Washington D.C. and Northern Virginiarose from $702,000 in 2010 to $798,000 in 2012.  According to the survey of 74,000 law firm partners in more than 70 U.S. cities, D.C. now ranks third behind Silicon Valley at $1.2 million and New York at $1 million in average partner pay.  Average billing rates for D.C. lawyers were up 9% from $608 per hour in 2010 to $662 per hour in 2012.  DC legal billing rates are now the fourth-highest in the U.S., only trailing New York at $760 per hour, Silicon Valley at $732 per hour and Boston at $687 per hour.

According to Economic Modeling Specialists Inc., Washington DC had the highest ratio of job openings for lawyers versus the number graduating from local universities and passing the bar of any city in the United States.  Last year, there were 618 new jobs opening, but only 273 bar-passers.  Nationwide, the National Center for Education Statistics estimates there were 44,159 new law grads passing the bar last year and only 26,239 job openings.

High level Obama Administration executives caught up in the scandals are facing millions of dollars in legal costs that will economically destroy them.   With demand high and supply low, the burgeoning number of scandals spinning out of Washington DC will surely drive legal billing rates much higher.  Unemployment and stagnant wages may be a national problem, but scandal represents a new bonanza for Washington DC lawyers.

CHRISS STREET & PAUL PRESTON
Present: “The Agenda 21 Radio Talk Show”
Streaming Live Monday through Friday at 10 to Noon http://www.kcnr1460.com/
Follow Blogs: www.chrissstreetandcompany.com & www.agenda21radio.com

Save the Date: Icicle Creek Announced Plays for the 2013 Festival

By CotoBlogzz

Leavenworth, WA – Save the dates.  Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, in partnership with ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, announced  the two new plays that will be presented in August 2013 as part of its renowned The Icicle Creek Theatre Festival (ICTF) program. This will be the first professional theater event to be presented by the Icicle Creek Center for the Arts on the stage of the brand-new venue the Snowy Owl Theater

Brand New Snow Owl Theater

Since its inception in 2007 the Icicle Creek Theatre Festival has played an innovative role in advancing the American theater. Recognized by the Seattle press as a “prestigious incubator of new plays,” the ICTF offers playwrights the opportunity to develop their new work in collaboration with professional actors and directors.

The Icicle Creek Center for the Arts is dedicated to celebrating excellence in the lively arts and inspiring generations of students, artists and audiences through exceptional educational experiences, live performances, and special events - all in the breathtaking, natural setting of the mountain meadows

Selected from this year’s submissions are THE PRIVATE SECTOR by Cory Finley, and A PERFECT ROBOT by Sarah Saltwick.

The playwrights will arrive in Leavenworth on August 12 and begin a week of intensive workshops of their plays, in collaboration with a company of professional actors and directors. The workshop week will culminate in performances for the public on Sunday, August 18, at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. in.

In THE PRIVATE SECTOR, four new hires at an elite hedge fund endure an increasingly strenuous wilderness training retreat, fighting to assert their worth as human assets before a strange and ruthless managing director. A fascinating new play which examines the competing forces of sex, power, ethics, and ambition.

Cory Finley's work has been produced and developed at Ars Nova, Ensemble Studio Theater, Theater for the New City (with Less Than Rent), Prospect Theater Company, the Flea, and the Brick. He is a member of Youngblood at Ensemble Studio Theater, and a graduate of Yale University. His is work as a journalist has been featured in the Arizona Republic and New Haven Advocate.

In A PERFECT ROBOT, playwright Sarah Saltwick introduces the extraordinary "Mollybot," a female robot who may well pass the Turing test for humanness; her creator has gone missing, and there's only one chance left to convince investors of her worth - The phrase “The Turing Test” is most properly used to refer to a proposal made by Turing (1950) as a way of dealing with the question whether machines can think – This is an up-to-the-minute examination of the implications of robotics’ rapid advancement, which will soon take mankind into completely uncharted territory.

Ms. Saltwick writes love stories between people, places, and things. Her adaptation of The Scarlet Letter premiered this year at the University of Texas; She Creatures was produced by Nouveau 47 and will be produced shortly at Weber State University. Her fiction has been published by Escape Into Life, and will soon be seen in Timber Magazine.

Kurt Beattie, Artistic Director of Seattle's ACT Theatre, will direct THE PRIVATE SECTOR. Anita Montgomery, freelance director and Literary Manager/Director of Education at ACT Theatre, will direct A PERFECT ROBOT.

Both plays will be presented on Sunday, August 18th at Icicle Creek’s Snowy Owl Theater in Leavenworth. The plays will be re-mounted on Tuesday, August 20 and Wednesday, August 22 at Seattle’s ACT-A Contemporary Theatre. All play presentations will be followed by talkback sessions between the audience and the playwrights.

WARNING!  THE PRIVATE SECTOR contains very adult language. A PERFECT ROBOT is appropriate for mature audiences, 16 and older. Tickets: www.icicle.org, or 509- 548-6347 extension 41, or toll-free 877-265-6026 extension 41.

For further information, contact Lilia Grundy at lgrundy@icicle.org or (509) 548-6347 extension 42.

                                                        

Obama’s Empire Drunk On Power, Now Under Siege

 OBAMA IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY UNDER SIEGE

By Chriss Street

President Obama directing the arm of a Marine to hold an umbrella to protect him while he spoke to the press seemed to ooze with the symbolism of an Imperial Presidency. 

The common thread of the Associated Press Scandal, IRS Scandal, Benghazi Scandal, and now a revival of the Fast and Furious Scandal all speak to an Administration exercising unlimited power in the pursuit of their agenda, while also exercising unlimited power in punishing anyone that gets in their way.  The Obama Imperial Presidency reminds me of the attitude of British King George III about the American colonies: “A traitor is everyone who does not agree with me.” In the latest scandal, the Inspector General of the U.S. Justice Department, who despite reporting directly to Attorney General Eric Holder, published a new report

confirming that former U.S. Attorney for Arizona Dennis Burke secretly leaked a confidential document  to Fox News that was intended to smear ATF agent John Dodson, the whistleblower who publically exposed Operation Fast and Furious as government-sanctioned “gunwalking” to Mexico, to Sharyl Attkisson of CBS News in February, 2011.  The Inspector General found: “Burke’s conduct in disclosing the Dodson memorandum to be inappropriate for a Department employee and wholly unbefitting a U.S. Attorney.”  The IG referred this extremely unethical and potentially criminal behavior to the Office of Public Responsibility for determination if Burke’s actions and subsequent cover-up should result in his disbarment as an attorney and Federal prosecution.

When the Justice Department failed to respond to requests by rank and file ATF and Border Patrol Agents for an investigation, they became whistleblowers to motivate Congressional inquiries.  Attorney General Holder claimed he had no knowledge of Fast and Furious, but e-mails later showed that his office was regularly informed on the program authorized the ATF to solicit straw buyers to purchase about 2,000 AK 47s and other weapons for resale in Mexico to Drug Cartels.  The ATF lost track of the guns and many were found at crime scenes on both sides of the Mexican border

The Inspector General’s report confirms that during the Congressional Investigation, senior Justice Department officials under Attorney General Eric Holder enlisted the George Soros funded leftwing-advocacy group Media Matters for America to smear whistleblowers and members of Congress to prevent further exposure of Operation Fast and Furious.  The Daily Caller, through a Freedom of Information Act obtained emails sent between September and November of 2010.  In the heat of the 2010 Congressional elections, dozens of pages of emails were sent by the Justice Department’s Office of Public Affairs Director Tracy Schmaler to Media Matters staffers to coordinate efforts to attack reporters covering the scandal.  Targets included Townhall’s Katie Pavlich, Sipseystreet’s Mike Vanderboegh, Daily Caller’s Matt Boyle, and CBS’ Sharyl Atkisson.

Schmaler also emailed Matt Gertz of Media Matters to request that they attack Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips, because she didn’t appreciate Phillips asking for an investigation of Fast and Furious on Fox News.  Even though Ms. Schmaler knew what Mr. Phillips said was true, she asked Media Matters to call him a liar and blame President George W. Bush.  Chris Brown of Media Matters wrote a piece denying Fast and Furious had anything to do with gun control and dredging up old statements to smear Mr. Phillips a “right-wing extremist.”

The Fast and Furious Scandal seemed to end abruptly, a week after Attorney General Eric Holder became the first sitting Cabinet Secretary in American history to be held in contempt of Congress, when President Obama invoked Executive Privilege for the first time on June 20, 2012.

With Justice Department wrong-doing now confirmed by the Inspector General, Eric Holder will have to recuse himself and allow the U.S. Office of Special Counsel that is charged with investigating alleged misconduct in the U.S. Executive Branch take over any further investigations. The current Special Counsel is Patrick Fitzgerald, who was appointed by Deputy Attorney General James Comey in 2003.  Mr Comey was the second-highest ranking Justice Department official during the Bush Administration.

Although advisors to King George III counseled him to negotiate a settlement with the colonies in 1780, he continued to exercise Imperial Power over Americans, because his armies had inflicted heavy defeats on the Continental forces at the Siege of Charleston, the Battle of Camden and the Battle of Guilford Court House.  But in late 1781, Lord Cornwallis and 7000 Red Coats surrendered at the Siege of Yorktown.  The defeat was so humiliating King George III drafted an abdication notice, which was never delivered.

The Imperial Presidency of Barack Obama is now under siege by the multiplying forces of scandal are surrounding him.  His enemies are becoming emboldened and some of his former allies in the press are now traitorously attacking him.  When President Clinton found himself in similar dire circumstances, he took Dick Morris’ advice to politically “triangulate” to favor deregulation, balanced budgets and declaring the “era of big government is over.”  Barack Obama’s advisors will increasingly want him to triangulate toward his opposition.  But it would seem very challenging for him to relinquish any of the power of the Imperial Presidency?

Did President Obama Commit Impeachable Offense? Join the call for Impeachment.

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – Regardless of your political persuasion, the fact that All The President’s Man and Gals claim to not know much about Benghazi, the IRS scandal, Fast and Furious, the APA scandal and others, has to defy logic, if not common sense.

Clearly, the latest scandals have invigorated not only conservatives but even the most radical liberals are now crying foul. Consequently, multiple Orange County Tea Party Groups will participate in a National Day of Protest, Tuesday, May 21 at 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m 801 Civic Center Drive, Santa Ana intendent to  highlight the abuse of power perpetrated by  the IRS  when it targeted conservative, patriotic or  TEA Party organizations  for increased scrutiny and administrative harassment.

 

Deposed 1st vice chair, Republican Party of Orange County councilwoman, City of Villa Park

Deborah Pauly highly recommends those interested on the issue to make signs and join the protest and "Signs should focus on IRS abuse of power; targeting of specific groups based on their political beliefs; government tyranny; attempts to abridge 1st Amendment Rights, and so on. Bring American and Don't Tread On Me Flags"

Did President Obama Commit Impeachable Offense?

DID EXECUTIVE BRANCH VIOLATE IRS CODE 6103

By Chriss Street

 The Congressional probe into determining who was responsible for the Internal Revenue Service’s multi-year policy of discriminatory audits and examinations of conservative organizations applying for tax-exempt status moved up into the United States Treasury Department today  when J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, disclosed that that he informed the Treasury General Counsel on June 4, 2012 and Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin “shortly thereafter” about the details of his investigation.  

We now have another confirmation that former Treasury Secretary “Timothy Geithner Is the Key to the IRS Scandal” and any  involvement by President Barack Obama of using the IRS against an Enemies List. Last week in Breitbart’s Big Government, I published IRS WARNED EMPLOYEES NOT TO TARGET 501(C)4 DONORS IN 2011.  The report featured a July 7, 2011 memorandum written and hand signed by Acting IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller that appeared to call into question the truthfulness of at least two separate days of his testimony under oath to Congressional Committees last year regarding his denials that Tea Party and other conservative groups were not being targeted for extra investigative scrutiny by the IRS.

  Mr. Miller has since tendered his resignation effective in June, but he did agree to testify to the House Ways and Means Committee today.

Mr. Miller, who is a career civil servant at the IRS, holds a Juris Doctorate law degree Master of Laws in taxation and worked as an attorney in the IRS Chief Counsel’s seemed to have an extremely very poor memory today regarding what he knew and when did he know it.  But under laser like questioning from Congress, he did recall that he was aware the IRS Tax Exempt Department, managed by Lois Lerner, applied more rigorous standards for determining the eligibility of conservative organizations with the names Tea Party, Patriot and 9-12.   Mr. Miller termed the IRS extra scrutiny by the IRS to be “inappropriate, but not illegal.”

Mr. Miller blamed the delay for determining the tax exempt status on the flood of new application by organizations following the January 21, 2010 Supreme Court 5-4 decision inCitizens United v. Federal Election Commission that overturned the McCain-Feingold Act limitations on the rights of Americans to band together and make independent political expenditures.  Mr. Miller blamed the poor customer service on the IRS only having a small staff of 140 to handle the increase in applications from 1500 in 2009 to 3500 in 2010.  But under blistering questioning, Mr. Miller admitted that all the 140 man IRS Tax-Exempt and Government-Exempt Department is located in Cincinnati along with their key manager during the audits, Sarah Hall Ingram.  When confronted with revelations Ms. Hall had received over $100,000 in discretionary bonuses in the last four years and was promoted within the IRS to manage data under Obamacare, Mr. Miller referred to Ms. Hall as an “outstanding public servant.”

As an accomplished lawyer, Steven T. Miller’s testimony to Congress was almost successful in painting himself as an incompetent manager that led an organization that although institutionally biased against conservatives that wanted to shrink the size and power of government, was probably not criminally punishable.

Mr. Miller is aware that until 1977, taxpayer information was considered public record and the rules regarding disclosure were left to the Executive Branch of government.  But after the Nixon IRS scandal, Congress passed Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Tax Code in 1976, which eliminated any Presidential discretion regarding IRS public disclosure of tax records or sharing tax information between different Executive Branch Departments.  There are very limited national security and federal agency criminal investigation exceptions to the law, but none would seem to apply to Tea Parties.

But Inspector General J. Russell George’s revelation that he disclosed the details of his investigation to the Treasury General Counsel on June 4, 2012 and Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin “shortly thereafter,” may mean that the Executive Branch may have committed a crime.  A stunned Steven Miller looked at Inspector General George and said: “We are limited in what we can supply to local law enforcement.”

The disclosure of potential violations of Section 6103 of the IRS Code has already motivated Darrell Issa as Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to call Mr. Wolin to testify next Wednesday.  It is very probable that Mr. Wolin will testify that he told his former boss about the audits of conservatives on or about June 4, 2012.  If Mr. Geithner told President Barack Obama about any of this IRS activity before the 2012 Presidential election, America may be on the verge of a Constitutional crisis.

CHRISS STREET & PAUL PRESTON
Present: “The Agenda 21 Radio Talk Show”
Streaming Live Monday through Friday at 10 to Noon http://www.kcnr1460.com/
Follow Blogs: www.chrissstreetandcompany.com & www.agenda21radio.com

Tim Geithner Smack in the Middle of IRS Scandal

 TIMOTHY GEITHNER IS KEY TO IRS SCANDAL

By Chriss Street

 Acting IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller was forced by to resign today, predominantly due to the July 7, 2011 memorandum that I discovered and published last weekend in my report, IRS HAD ENEMIES LIST IN 2010 & 2012. The document is written on U.S. Treasury Department stationary and demanded senior IRS management terminate attempts to force donations to selected tax-exempt be fully-taxed as gifts. The IRS admitted the groups examined were conservative, such as Tea Parties. 

The Miller memo appeared to confirm that he knowingly lied to Congress while under oath at least twice last year about predatory audits of conservative organizations. But Mr. Miller has told the press he is only resigning when his “acting assignment ends in early June.” I was suspicious Mr. Miller’s resignation was an effort to prevent him from being required to testify again under oath this Friday to three Congressional Committees. But if Mr. Miller is staying until June, he must testify on Friday. With the President throwing the IRS Commissioner “under the bus,” Mr. Miller may be ready to throw former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and President Obama under the bus.

Steven T. Miller is a career civil servant at the IRS. He holds a Juris Doctorate law degree from George Washington University and a Master of Laws in taxation from Georgetown University. He has held several senior positions at the IRS and worked for a number of years as an attorney in the IRS Chief Counsel’s office. He also served as a Congressional staff member for the Joint Committee on Taxation. Holding prestigious law degrees and having given harsh warnings to senior IRS staff in 2011 to ban predatory, it is doubtful Mr. Miller would have authorized continued examinations unless ordered to by his direct boss, former IRA Commissioner Douglas H Shulman.

Douglas H. Shulman was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate as IRS Commissioner on Friday March 14, 2008 at the youthful age of 41. Mr. Shulman formerly served as the Vice Chairman of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), at an even more youthful age, where he made a name for himself working closely with New York Federal Reserve Bank Chairman, Timothy Geithner pioneering over-the-counter trading of derivatives by banks. As IRA Commissioner, he reported directly to Timothy Geithner as U.S. Treasury Secretary.

Over the next four days after his confirmation, the legendary Bear Stearns Brokerage firm collapsed, heralding the beginning the worst recession since the Great Depression. The U.S. Federal Reserve was required to take responsibility for $29 billion in toxic sub-prime assets from Bear Stearns’ portfolio. As the FINRA whiz-kid he was the regulatory architect that championed banks and brokerage firms’ taking on sub-prime asset leverage. Douglas Shulman again showed incredible timing for avoiding horrific personal blame for scandal by resigning on November 9, 2012, a day after the reelection of President Barack Obama.

By the time Barack Obama came into office in January of 2009, real estate was collapsing, the stock market was down by 40% and unemployment was about to vault to over 10%. President Obama summed up his opinions of leveraged banks on CBS’s “60 Minutes” stated: “I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street.” Mr. Obama went on to say: “They’re still puzzled why it is that people are mad at the banks. Well, let’s see. You guys are drawing down $10, $20 million bonuses after America went through the worst economic year that it’s gone through in—in decades, and you guys caused the problem. And we’ve got 10% unemployment.”

It was always baffling to me that IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman had managed to convince the President to not demand his resignation as punishment for his dubious leadership at FINRA that contributed to the financial crisis. As IRS Commissioner, Mr. Shulman must have received a copy of Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement Steven T. Miller’s memo of July 7, 2011 that screamed the audits and examinations had: “significant legal, administrative and policy implications with respect to which we have little enforcement history.” It is fully documented President Franklin Roosevelt used the IRS to investigate and intimidate his political enemies, so IRS Commissioner Shulman must have known that Mr. Miller was concerned the retaliation against conservative groups exceeded FDR’s using the IRS against political enemies.

The IRS continues to mislead the public, as Fox News reported that at least 471 tax-exempt organizations, not the 300 admitted to by the IRS, were examined with “extra scrutiny”. Then Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner must have received a copy of the 2011 Miller memo, because it was written on Department of Treasury stationary and Shulman and Miller reported to him. Therefore, to find out if the IRS has been running a massive enemies list for the White House, Congress must demand the Timothy Geithner testify under oath.

Harry Truman said that he took personal responsibility for the actions of his Administration’s by saying: “Buck stops here.” Barack Obama said at his Benghazi press conference “there is no there, there.” The question the American people want to know about any illegal use of the IRS for political purposes, “Is there any here, here.”

CHRISS STREET & PAUL PRESTON
Present: “The Agenda 21 Radio Talk Show”
Streaming Live Monday through Friday at 10 to Noon http://www.kcnr1460.com/
Follow Blogs: www.chrissstreetandcompany.com & www.agenda21radio.com

Anaheim Ducks at Bruxie to Honor Champs RSM HS Hockey Team

Anaheim Ducks  to Lead Fundraiser for the Anaheim Ducks Foundation & Santa Margarita High School Hockey Team while celebrating  RSM’s Bruxie’s One Year Anniversary

Posted By CotoBlogzz

 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – Bruxie will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its Rancho Santa Margarita location  (22205 El Paseo,) at El Portal with the help of the Anaheim Ducks from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Bruxie will donate 20% of the day’s sales to benefit both the Anaheim Ducks Foundation, which increases access to the sport of hockey and addresses the health and wellness needs of children and families throughout Southern California, and the Santa Margarita High School Hockey Team. Guests will also be able to purchase Bruxie and Ducks co-branded t-shirts for $10 each. 100% of proceeds of the shirts will benefit the Anaheim Ducks Foundation and Santa Margarita High School Hockey Team.

As part of an ongoing partnership between the authority on Gourmet Waffle Sandwiches and the Anaheim Ducks, the public is invited to come meet the Ducks Power Players and its mascot Wild Wing, and participate in activities, while enjoying Bruxie’s menu of savory and sweet gourmet waffle sandwich offerings.

During the event, the Santa Margarita High School Hockey Team will be honored for its achievement of winning USA Hockey Varsity High School Championship this season. In addition, an Anaheim Ducks Street Team will be on hand to giveaway prizes and coordinate fun games and activities. All guests will have the opportunity to enjoy $1 custards as well to celebrate Rancho Santa Margarita’s one-year anniversary.

In a prepared statement, Dean Simon, Managing Partner of Bruxie said:  “Since opening our restaurant in Rancho Santa Margarita one year ago, Bruxie has developed a great relationship with the local community, and it definitely shines through in our commitment to local charity fundraisers and reading programs.  For our anniversary, we were driven to create an exciting event the entire community could enjoy, while giving back to support important enrichment programs for youth in need.”

The Rancho Santa Margarita restaurant features more than 90 seats of combined indoor and outdoor seating. The menu mirrors its sister restaurants’ menus by offering Bruxie’s unique takes on authentic Belgian waffles, alongside salads, locally produced old-fashioned pure cane sugar sodas, real Wisconsin frozen custard, shakes, sundaes and floats. Bruxie proudly serves Peet’s Coffee & Tea products, and nothing on the menu exceeds $10.

For more information on Bruxie, including full menus, locations, directions, hours for each restaurant, please visit www.bruxie.com.

How ObamaCare Funded Massive IRS Data Collection Effort

OBAMACARE FUNDED IRS BIG DATA

Posted By Chriss Street

The Internal Revenue Service blamed “low-level” Cincinnati staff for “inappropriate” targeting of conservative political groups for audits and examinations.  I have established that the Cincinnati office is the largest of the five IRS Regional Processing Centers across the United States.  

Cincinnati has IRS authority over Delaware, where over one-million for-profit and not-for-profit entities are incorporated, and for approximately 80 million individual tax returns.  Cincinnati also has authority over Key Presidential Battleground States of Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Michigan that contained the 68 competitive electoral votes that determined the winner of the 2008 and 2012 Presidential election.  With the Obama Administration relentlessly expanding the IRS’ “Big Data” power, the opportunities for IRS wrong-doing with this potent weapon is vast.

The IRS in 2010 employed 92,577 full-time-employees, who earned an average of $90,427 of payroll and benefits.  Nearly half of these employees work in examinations and collections.  In 2014, the IRS is expected to hire an additional 16,500 agents, auditors, examiners, and administrative support personnel to enforce large portions of the Affordable Care Act healthcare reform, referred to as Obamacare.

Cincinnati Regional Processing Center is supported by one of the most powerful mainframe computing environments in the world by their Martinsburg, West Virginia Computing Center.  With Affordable Care Act funding to prepare for the IRS management of all healthcare and Social Security data when the Obamacare is implemented in 2014, the Martinsburg Computer Center upgraded its computer mainframes to the IBM zEnterprise™ 196 Systems.  At the time, the majority of applications designed for this level of capability were military.  

By October 2010, the Internal Revenue Service had the capability to sift through emailing patterns associated with millions of individual internet addresses and have already established 32,000 categories of metadata and 1 million unique “attributes.”  The IRS continues to collect tax data, but they also are now acquiring huge volumes of personal information on taxpayers’ digital activities, from eBay auctions to Facebook posts and, for the first time ever, credit card and e-payment transaction records.  Dean Silverman, who led the IBM zEnterprise™ 196 systems upgrade bragged: “Private industry would be envious if they knew what our models are.”

Privacy watchdogs and tax lawyers have voiced alarm that the Obama Administration empowering the IRS with the predictive power of “Big Data” was implemented without public hearings or publishing any privacy safeguards.  They have warned that the Service is now engaging in “social audits,” signaling out horse-racing enthusiasts or sailboaters for special audits based solely on their lifestyles.  By screening existing data for one million unique attributes, the IRS can develop profiles and target certain types of individuals by their behaviors.

IRS officials estimate that 80% of the 254 million tax returns it processes this year will be filed electronically.  U.S. Tax Court records reveal that information gathered from e-filers’ Facebook and eBay postings has already been used by the IRS to defend tax challenges.  Under aFreedom of Information Act, privacy advocates at the Electronic Frontier Foundation obtained and published a copy of the IRS’s 38-page manual used for training auditors to snoop in social media postings for enforcement opportunities.

Jeff Butler, IRS Director of research databases told the IBM TechAmerica conference last November said the Internal Revenue Service’s computers can load all 15 terabytes of data in 10 hours from the 254 million returns that will be filled this year, compared to four months eight years ago.  Despite this huge amount of complexity, the IRS is only using 1.5% of the new system’s storage capacity at this time.

Yesterday, I published a copy of a hand signed Memorandum from Steven T. Miller, IRS Acting Commissioner, revealing that on March 23, 2011 he Warned Employees Not to Target 501(c)4 Donors.  The funding from Obamacare allowed the Martinsburg Computer Center to receive a complete military level “Big Data” upgrade to IBM zEnterprise 196™ Systems.  The IRS could positively employ the predictive power of Big Data to improve cost efficiency and provide better customer service.  But the IRS also now has the equivalent “Big Data” cybernetic power of the Star Trek Borg hive that in the wrong hands could be used to mercilessly track and attack enemies.

CHRISS STREET & PAUL PRESTON
Present: “The Agenda 21 Radio Talk Show”
Streaming Live Monday through Friday at 10 to Noon http://www.kcnr1460.com/
Follow Blogs: www.chrissstreetandcompany.com & www.agenda21radio.com

IRS’ Racial Profiling: Seniors, Vets, Patriots, Christians, Need Not Apply

 IRS HAD ENEMIES LIST IN 2010 & 2012

By Chriss Street

The Internal Revenue Service admitted on May 10^th that “low level” staff in their Cincinnati office, supposedly “not motivated by political bias,” targeted 75 conservative tax exempt organizations for audit and investigation, because they used the names “Tea Party” and “Patriot.” 

I have obtained a copy of a hand signed memorandum (here) from  Steven T. Miller, IRS Acting Commissioner, dated July 7, 2011 revealing that he officially ordered similar activity terminated on March 23, 2011 while serving as Department of Treasury Deputy Commissioner for IRS Services and Enforcement.  Coupled with the resignation of IRS Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman the day after the 2012 election, IRS agents may have “knowing and willfully” retaliated against a conservative “Enemies List” during the 2010 Congressional election and continuing through the 2012 Presidential election.

Lois G. Lerner, IRS Director of Exempt Organizations, apologized for the “inappropriate” targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to “see if they were violating their tax-exempt status.”  Ms. Lerner stated that IRS agents singled out dozens of organizations for additional reviews, because they included the words “tea party” or “patriot” in their exemption applications.  She also stated in some cases, groups were asked for lists of donors, which violates IRS policy in most cases.  Ms. Lerner blamed low-level employees, saying no high-level officials were aware.

But prior to being appointed to her current position on August 15, 2012, Ms. Lerner served since 2005 as the Director of the Exempt Organizations Rulings & Agreements Division where she managed the “determinations letter program” for Exempt Organization, public guidance, and technical assistance for IRS agents conducting examinations of tax-exempt organizations.  Steven T. Miller’s “Guidance Memo” was sent directly to IRS TE/GE (Tax Exempt and Government Exempt) management.  As the head of “Tax Exempt” determinations, Ms. Lerner was the prime recipient of the hand signed July 7, 2011 memorandum (here) that reiterated the March 23, 2011 suspension of IRS examinations of applications for 501(c)(4) tax exempt entities.

IRS Commissioner Miller’s guidance memo clearly warned:

“This is a difficult area with significant legal, administrative, and policy implications with respect to which we have little enforcement history. My office will be coordinating with the Office of Chief Counsel to determine whether there is a need for further guidance in this area.”

The memo states the IRS: “should not expend examination resources initiating referrals or developing audits.”  This was meant to be a klaxon horn going-off in every IRS office across the nation screaming no IRS agent is allowed to be involved in this activity.

The IRS is wildly sensitive regarding the use of its powers to intimidate political opponents.  Despite a substantial lead in the 1972 polls, Richard Nixon’s Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP) created what became known as the “Enemies List” of 576 supporters of Democrat George McGovern’s 1972 Presidential campaign.   John W. Dean III, Counsel to President Nixon forwarded the list to the IRS for action:

“This memorandum addresses the matter of how we can maximize the fact of our incumbency in dealing with persons known to be active in their opposition to our Administration; stated a bit more bluntly—how we can use the available federal machinery to
screw our political enemies.”

Donald C. Alexander later refused to use tax audits and investigations to punish the Enemies List.  No evidence indicated that President Nixon was personally involved, but the combination of the IRS activity and a break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters became the “Watergate Scandal”.  Tape recordings later demonstrated President Nixon knowingly and willfully tried to conceal and cover-up wrong doing.  Facing impeachment, President Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.

Ms. Lerner told an American Bar Association conference the IRS practice was initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati and was not motivated by political bias.  Ms. Lerner said that Agency officials found out about the practice last year and moved to correct it:

“That was absolutely incorrect, it was insensitive and it was inappropriate. That’s not how we go about selecting cases for further review … The IRS would like to apologize for that.”  

But the hand signed July 7, 2011 from now IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller indicates Ms. Lerner was directed on March 23, 2011, just four months after the 2010 Congressional elections, to suspend the examinations of typically conservative SB/SE (Small Business and Self-Employed).  Based on this memo, IRS agents and their senior management appear to have retaliated against an Enemies Lists in 2010 and 2012.

CHRISS STREET & PAUL PRESTON
Present: “The Agenda 21 Radio Talk Show”
Streaming Live Monday through Friday at 10 to Noon http://www.kcnr1460.com/
Follow Blogs: www.chrissstreetandcompany.com & www.agenda21radio.com

Saddleback’s Speech & Debate Team Takes First in famed speech tournament

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA -  On the weekend of May 5th and 6th, Mt. San Antonio College hosted the premier speech tournament of the year, The American Readers Theatre Association (ARTA) Championship and Saddleback College capped off the speech season by once again making history.

 ARTA, a prestigious tournament, invites the best theatres from across the country to compete in front of professional actors, educators, Hollywood industry officials and other entertainment members. 

LR: Solano Price, Cece Melody, Carolina Beyer-Flores and Melissa Armstrong Photo:  Nina Welch

Each theatre must not exceed 25 minutes in length and must have a minimum of 3 students. Each show contains a theme and several components that complement the direction and/or vision of the director. The script is then used by the actors through blocking, singing and acting to demonstrate a cohesive piece of art. It is an extremely difficult but rewarding tournament for the students and coaches because of the celebration of different themes through performance.

Saddleback entered two shows into this year’s ARTA: Mouth of the Lion and Bellicose. Mouth of the Lion was directed by Co-Director Larry Radden and Bellicose was directed by coach, Lucas Ochoa. Bellicose won the Best Ensemble award, awarded to the theatre that had the best chemistry or unity on stage. Bellicose was also awarded the Audience Award, given to the theatre according the audience’s preference in the Final Round. Finally, Bellicose took 1st place and was awarded the ARTA Championship. Bellicose Readers Theatre starred: Carolina Beyer-Flores, Melissa Armstrong, Cece Melody and Solana Prince.  Mouth of the Lion placed 4th overall and garnered a Best Special Sound Effect Award.Mouth of the Lion was also recognized in an acting category by a nomination for Best Actor: Jackson Spencer. Mouth of the Lion Readers Theatre starred: Olivia Noceda, Dennis Meador and Jackson Spencer.

In the forensics world, placing (and winning) in Readers Theatre is an incredible feat as it is one of the most difficult speaking genres to advance and it requires more work and patience than any other event. Also, coaches directing Readers Theatre and students performing in them invest an additional 20-30 hours a week for approximately 3 months to their already heavy rehearsal and tournament work load. The Saddleback Team should be and is,  extremely proud that their efforts were rewarded at not one but three tournaments, two of which were of national caliber.

Each theatre provided unique and interesting themes that proved to be well received by the audience and judges. Mouth of the Lion, directed by Larry Radden, explored the theme of work related accidents and how employers and victims respond to these unfortunate incidents. Larry’s show provided a rich, balanced and thought provoking lens to view and ask, “Are we truly safe at work and if not, what do we do about it?” The second show, Bellicose, directed by Lucas Ochoa, offered compelling and frightening information on the current rise of female gang violence in the United States. Bellicose earned several nominations including two best Actress Nominations for Carolina Beyer-Flores and Solana Price. Bellicose also earned a Best Blocking nomination.

Coach Lucas Ochoa said, “I am so proud of the four young women who dedicated themselves to Bellicose. There are no words to describe the look on their faces when they won first place. I am deeply honored to have directed this show and I will never forget the impact these four women made on my life. This was truly the best year I have ever had as a coach. I’m happy to bring home the ARTA championship for Saddleback College and I look forward to creating more art next year. What a gift it was to coach alongside Larry Radden. I’m still learning from Larry and his brilliant direction. I’d also like to extend a huge thank you to Saddleback Popular Music faculty Ariel Alexander for helping with the singing and Saddleback Acting faculty Bill McGuire for his stage combat. I look forward to future collaborations.”

  

The Saddleback Forensics Team started in the 1970s and prides itself on offering students the ability to create innovative arguments for future writing and speaking engagements to strengthen their critical thinking skills and to better communicate with others. On the forensics team, students write, rehearse, and perform at 6-7 tournaments against students from Universities and Community Colleges to qualify for the national tournament. The students representing Saddleback at the national tournament have placed above several competitors representing institutions throughout the year, including: Concordia University, Point Loma, California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Long Beach, and UCLA.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.