I found this to be rather amusing:
Early last year, Wall Street traders somehow found out that the Obama administration planned to make a policy change to Medicare before the news was even announced.
The flurry of stock trades in major health care companies that followed has since caught the eye of federal law enforcement as well as Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who has made investigating the matter one of his pet projects on the Senate Finance and Judiciary committees. In his search, Grassley has gone as far as to cast suspicion on the Obama administration as the source of the leak.
But in a twist, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that federal regulators and law enforcement officials have now focused their attention on a Republican health policy staffer in the House. A lawsuit filed on Friday by the Securities and Exchange Commission, first reported by the Journal, said investigators believe the staffer “may have been” the source of the leak. It also sought to force the staffer to turn over records to investigators, something he and the committee have reportedly refused to do despite being handed subpoenas.
The SEC lawsuit alleges that the House staffer, Brian Sutter, spoke with a lobbyist — identified by the Journal as Mark Hayes, who happens to be a former aide to Grassley — on the day of the leak. The suit alleges that Sutter was in touch with Hayes by both email and phone and that they discussed the upcoming Medicare policy change. Hayes then allegedly gave the information to a research firm, which distributed the flash that set off the trading, according to the SEC. A 2012 law, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, prohibits government officials from disclosing non-public information that could affect stock prices, the Wall Street Journal reported.
I assume Grassley will soon lose interest in these sorts of investigations.
JPL
Unfortunately, so will the MSM so no one will know the truth.
Baud
I still blame Obama.
Mnemosyne
I’m assuming Grassley didn’t know the true source of the leak before he made his accusations, because now he looks like a fucking idiot.
Of course, he’s now going to claim that the Obama administration, like, totally set Sutter up for a fall to cover up their own malfeasance.
Baud
BENGHAZI!
Tim C.
Never seen a more perfect example of IOKIYAR in the media, watch the whiplash as the story disappears from the media.
JPL
@Mnemosyne: Do you think he cares? The media is not going to cover it. Although I heard about it initially, there has been no mention since.
JPL
OT Will someone please like me on the Amazon book review for Blood Feud? I’m under the one star because I have standards. link
I didn’t mention Vince Foster, the dogs or the girls because I have certain standards.
MikeJ
@Mnemosyne:
I’m assuming he did know the true source of the leak and now he can make it a he said/she said/this is all just political persecution/Obama is seeking revenge on me for trying to keep him honest.
max
@Baud: BENGHAZI!
YEAH! It’s obviously a deliberate distraction designed by the Obama administration – they leak the info to the House Committee, the staffers talk about it and they had some donors pay some money to this Hayes dude to stand around and listen for the leak.
max
[‘I betcha Hayes met Vince Foster at some point.’]
NotMax
All information, whether public or non-public (and regardless of being true, false or, for that matter, rumored), could affect stock prices.
Betty Cracker
Hilarious!
JPL
@Betty Cracker: A close friend mentioned that her son might work for Scott. I was not kind. I mentioned that he should not wear a hoodie even if it rained. It really sickens me because although I knew they were big repubs, that is over the line.
SiubhanDuinne
@JPL:
Done!
elmo
The excerpt doesn’t capture the rich irony of the next steps, though. As soon as law enforcement started sniffing around Republican Congressional aides, they started screaming Separation of Powers! Speech and Debate Clause! Executive overreach!
Anoniminous
Early innings (18% reporting) and Cochran’s ahead by ~3,000 votes. These are rural voters who I think would be more likely to vote Cochran than McDaniel. (correction requested)
SiubhanDuinne
@MikeJ:
You forgot “out of context.”
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
This is good news for John McCain.
catclub
@Tim C.:
It already had disappeared, and still has. Unless you think TPM is the big show.
JPL
@SiubhanDuinne: Oh thank you. I was getting a complex. US News and World Report panned the book but with so many good reviews, I wanted to go over the top. I just couldn’t mention the horrific conspiracies.
Baud
@JPL:
Yet here you are.
Betty Cracker
@JPL: Hopefully it will prove a miserable, demoralizing experience. Perhaps it will even be such a crushing defeat that the son will rethink his political loyalties!
Anoniminous
27% reporting and Cochran is ahead 55% to 45% (~ 6,000 votes.)
Saw a report this thing will most likely be decided by a couple of thousand. Not looking like that at the moment. Still, it’s early.
Baud
@Anoniminous:
They’re saying turnout is higher than last time, so maybe Cochran will pull this off.
p.a.
@Mnemosyne: those admin Obots- NO ONE uses a time machine better than them.
JPL
@Betty Cracker: I really can’t explain in this forum why this bothers me but it’s right up there with Carson’s comments about his mother being deserving. In other words I got mine and fu.
Anoniminous
@Baud:
Wonder what the AA vote is doing. Cochran was pushing for them to cross-over and vote in the GOP primary. May be it worked?
38% reporting 53/47 Cochran.
rats
JPL
@Anoniminous: I don’t know what districts are Cochran’s or McDaniels so it’s to early to tell.
Mike in NC
John Oliver noted on his last show how Senators Hatch and Harkin have spent 20 years fighting the FTC and FDA on behalf of the lobbyist snake oil salesmen pushing diet supplements and other bogus products. Whores.
SiubhanDuinne
@Anoniminous:
There’s that number again!
catclub
@Anoniminous: where are you getting reports from? Only one I found was Clarion Ledger
Baud
@Anoniminous:
It’s probably too much to hope that if Cochran wins, the tea party faithful will stay home in the general.
Anoniminous
@JPL:
I don’t know either. Why I was hoping somebody from Mississippi would jump in.
45% reporting. 53/47 Cochran with a ~6,000 vote difference. So the percentages look bad for McDaniel but the vote difference means Cochran isn’t running away with it.
SiubhanDuinne
@Baud:
That is just amazing to me, that turnout would be higher in a runoff than in the primary it’s running off from. I suppose it’s not totally unprecedented, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such a thing.
Anoniminous
@catclub:
AP
JPL
I can’t believe that I’m watching Cochran’s returns. WTF has happened to us that we are hoping that Cochran wins.
Baud
On the plus side, if Cochran pulls it out, Eric Cantor is that much more of a loser.
Roger Moore
@Mike in NC:
In fairness to Hatch, Utah is the center of the supplements business, so he’s just looking out for the local industry when he’s supporting them. So he’s only guilty of parochialism at the expense of the health of the rest of the country rather than outright corruption.
NotMax
The Palin- and Cruz-endorsed candidate in the OK Republican Senatorial primary goes down in flames.
The Dangerman
@Baud:
SECURE THE BORDER!!
ETA: I wish I knew what “secure the border” meant; unless you hire enough border patrol agents such that they’d practically be able to touch hands or turn the border into a landmined field, there is no way to “secure the border”. Fence? Give me a fucking break.
Baud
@SiubhanDuinne:
It’s called voter fraud. Perfectly kosher when Republicans do it.
WaterGirl
@SiubhanDuinne: When I try to reply to JPL, it jumps me to the amazon review page. Oh well
@JPL: I took you from 7/14 to 8/15 people found this helpful.
Anoniminous
@JPL:
If Cochran wins the seat stays GOP. If McDaniel wins it throws it into doubt.
That’s why I care.
JPL
@WaterGirl: Oh Thank you. I’m now at the top vs a five star. Since it’s my first
review, I’m honored.
haha
Anoniminous
whoo-whoo!
53% reporting 52/48 Cochran with a ~5,000 vote difference.
Come on McDaniel (you f——g loon.) You can do it!
SiubhanDuinne
@WaterGirl:
Yes, it did the same for me but then when I checked the “reply” box it had JPL’s coordinates all nicely set up. I either blame Obama or FYWP.
catclub
@Anoniminous: Plus, I think the next guess is that Cochran resigns in a few (one) years and Haley Barbour gets appointed. Childers may have a chance against McDaniel
JPL
@Anoniminous: I’m confused. The Repub will win and McDaniel will move the party further to the right. There is now overton window.
Morzer
If you want to follow the ongoing tallies for the Mississippi Battle of the Loons, you can find them here, with a map of individual counties linked to votes cast:
http://www.clarionledger.com/longform/news/politics/2014/06/24/election-results-gop-runoff/11330947/
Latest figures: 58% reporting,Cochran up by roughly 7,300 votes.
catclub
60k-54k in favor of Cochran is now 82k-74k
srv
If Obama could have kept his hands off of Medicare this wouldn’t have happened.
Kurds join the ranks of leaders bummed about Obama:
NotMax
@efgoldman
In that it erases another bit of the media-perceived worth of their endorsements, yes.
JPL
So 63 percent have reported and Cochran is still ahead but it hasn’t been called.
Tommy
@The Dangerman: My family came here in 1867. They braved an ocean to get here. Pretty sure if it is just a long walk, desert, a few rivers, they will keep coming. And to be honest I don’t blame them in the least.
Belafon
@srv: They were the only group benefiting from the no-fly zones.
The Dangerman
Mississippi returns also here:
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/06/thad_cochran_vs_chris_mcdaniel.html
Morzer
62.7%, Cochrane’s lead down to ~6,900.
Anoniminous
@catclub:
Cochran is one BBQ and Hush Puppy dinner away from a coronary. If he lasts six years he’ll be gone in 2020. Otherwise there will be a GOP appointee until 2020, making it tougher to swing the seat.
@JPL:
yeah. Fun isn’t it?
GregB
@efgoldman: But T.W. Shannon was going to lead the Repubs to a glorious victory.
Morzer
67.1% Cochrane’s lead back up to ~9,200
JPL
@srv: Actually Wolfowitz said if we only joined with the Kurds, every thing would be great. He didn’t use those words but it was close.
Baud
If Cochran wins, it will prove that insinuating rape of farm animals is a winning message.
SectionH
@JPL: “Liked.” Trying to reply to your comment kept taking me back to Amazon.
catclub
@Morzer: I have checked and some counties still at zero. Jones for instance, I rate as 60% McDaniel
Morzer
JPL
@Baud: You missed the message, were they black or white animals. That’s McDaniels campaign.
Anoniminous
@Morzer:
damn. It’s looking bad for the Loon.
ETA: @catclub:
I am heartened. ;-)
Morzer
@catclub:
I make no claim to know the political geography of Mississippi. I’d be delighted if someone (hint, hint) would supplement my lack of knowledge here.
Apparently Jones County is crucial, as that might give Loon enough votes to edge out Goatfucker.
Morzer
69.3% Cochrane’s lead holding at ~9,200.
Morzer
@JPL:
Miscegenating animals, natch.
JPL
uhoh.. Politico has Cochran up by 4,000 with 72.7 reporting.
Morzer
72.7% Cochrane’s lead plummets to ~4,200.
That’s with 68% of the key Jones County reporting.
srv
@Belafon: No No Fly Zones For Them! Ingrates.
Actually, back in the day, a classmate’s bro-in-law flew F-16’s out of Incirlik. On the NATO side, they took off and patrolled the NFZ. On the other side, the Turks took off and bombed the Kurds.
WaterGirl
@JPL: I see that you are the most helpful critical review! :-)
Hill Dweller
OT: I know Gary Oldman’s wingnuttery was covered last night, but I saw a new excerpt from the same interview where he said Charles Krauthammer was “incredibly smart, fair, very savvy and politically insightful”.
WTF?
JPL
Phew.. My man Cochran is up by 7,000 now. It might time to shower after saying that.
Anoniminous
@JPL: @Morzer:
Yippie!
Morzer
75.8% and Cochrane’s lead is ~7,400, but Jones County still hasn’t reported fully.
Apparently Hinds County may be saving Cochrane’s booty.
catclub
@JPL: yeah, looks like we will be up all night.
@Morzer: The Delta Counties and Hinds county would be likely to give extra (i.e. courted Democrats) votes to Cochran. I guess if you go to the Politico page and compare the results from June 3 you could get some idea of changes. Given that Political Animal has basically been saying that the underdog does better and better in runoffs, (and so had almost written off Thad) this looks like Cochran is doing pretty well.
WaterGirl
@JPL: I thought we were supposed to hope for the wing nut in the hopes that the Democrats could win the seat against him, but not Cochran.
WaterGirl
Anyone know what’s happening with Crist in Florida?
Morzer
76.6% and Cochrane moves to a ~7,600 lead.
Looking good for Senator Man-on-Farm Animal
JPL
Holy crap.. McDaniel is within 3500 … ugh 80 percent
Morzer
79.1% and it tightens again. Cochrane leads by ~3,600.
Farm animals all over Mississippi are calling the U-Haul company as we type.
Still roughly 1/3 of Jones County to go….
JPL
@WaterGirl: The Democrat can’t win.
catclub
Amusing note: There is a Forrest, Jeff Davis, Lee and Lincoln County in Mississippi
Three traitors and liberator.
The Dangerman
@JPL:
Well, perhaps if the Republican candidate gets caught with a dead girl AND a live boy.
ETA: Nahhhhhhh,,,
Morzer
81.4% and Cochrane’s lead is up to ~6,200 again.
Morzer
catclub
@WaterGirl: Many of us are, but that is definitely a ‘Heighten the contradictions’ approach if McDaniel wins in the fall anyway. Thad is a devil we know.
Morzer
82.6% and Cochrane slips back to ~4,900 lead.
1/3 Jones still to come, but also 1/6 Hinds.
Anoniminous
@JPL:
In 2010 Mississippi had a 37% voter turnout. Given an amp’ed AA and Democratic turn-out and a slightly depressed GOP vote it’s possible for a Dem to win. Note I said “possible.”
Morzer
83.4% and Cochrane still ~4,900 lead.
Morzer
84.4% and Cochrane slips back to ~3,300 lead.
Lost a little ground in Hinds county.
divF
@Morzer:
Cochran has nothing to worry about. Haley Barbour is stuffing ballot boxes even as we type.
Morzer
@divF:
I can see the record showing that A.N. Ass voted for Cochrane 75 times, while S.U.M. Goat voted for him 113 times.
Morzer
86.6% and Cochrane slips back to ~2,600 lead.
william
Grassely’s integrity is inversely related to ideological affiliation.
Morzer
Morzer
89.0% and Cochrane gallops to a mighty ~4,300 lead
Starting to look as if Bestiality will just about hold off Lunacy.
Tommy
@Morzer: If this trend of the returns continues can you say recount.
Morzer
@Tommy:
Well I can, but whether either of the Republicans can spell it without being spotted 6 letters I am not so sure.
Morzer
92.0% and Cochrane surges to a ~4,500 lead.
I am telling you, he’s going to capture Baghdad any day now.
Morzer
92.3% and Cochrane leads by ~4,700.
Morzer
Still waiting for the last tranche of votes from Jones County, which might swing this back towards Lunacy.
Morzer
92.6% and Cochrane leads by ~4,900
Tommy
@Morzer: This is what I fear. Cochrane seemed to have called for African Americans to vote for him. I can only assume if the numbers you are posting hold McDaniel will assume those shifty “negros” changed the election. Want a recount. Rail that people voted twice. Then things will go sideways and get really ugly.
TaMara (BHF)
@JPL: I hate you just a little right now for making me wade into the septic tank, but for you, anything.
Kay
It’s even better.
This is the STOCK Act.
That’s the congressional ethics law that Eric Cantor watered down and his Tea Party opponent used that against him.
They hoped to pin the whole corruption thing on Obama, I bet, because the Tea Party are breathing fire on insider trading in Congress.
Now it’s back on them.
satby
@JPL: Also done.
satby
@Baud: I always laugh, even when you use that line on me.
WaterGirl
@satby: Up to 19/30 now. We were at 8/15 when I “liked” it 30 minutes ago. That seems like a lot of action for a book review, especially this late in the evening. But at least we’re gained ground and seem to be winning the fight for now.
Kay
Grassley promoted the STOCK Act and when Cantor removed a provision Grassley said the House GOP were “doing Wall Streets bidding” (he meant Cantor).
Then Cantor got beat (partly for watering down the STOCK Act) and so now Republicans have to prove it’s Obama who is insider trading and not them.
But that isn’t going too well, apparently.
Especially for Grassley :)
danielx
I
assumepredict Grassley will soon lose interest in these sorts of investigations.Fixed.
Mike in NC
Why does anybody give a flying fuck what happens in a shithole backwater like Mississippi?
boatboy_srq
@The Dangerman: They’re looking for a piranha-filled moat, minefield, and 150′ high wall capped with razor wire and machine gun emplacements, all the way from San Diego to Brownsville. Think 38th Parallel, and add big gates on the west end so the tourists can get to Tijuana.
Exactly what they’ll do for agro/menial labor if it’s ever built doesn’t seem to have occurred to them.