Stephen Colbert's Latest Lesson in Campaign Finance Absurdity ...

In his deepest dive yet into the intricacies of campaign finance?law, Stephen Colbert blazed through a series of open-ended questions about super PACs last night, and even schooled at least one seasoned political reporter.?The Comedy Central host's sketch was prompted by a simple question: What can he and super PAC conspirator Jon Stewart get away with without technically breaking the law? Here's what they came up with.

One-way coordination with super PACs The whole question of illegal campaign coordination between Stewart and Colbert was first raised by former Politico reporter and current BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith, who noticed this week that Colbert seemed to be illegally coordinating with his super PAC when he released his "Vote Cain" ad. Colbert highlighted Smith's line of questioning on his show:

"Stephen Colbert begins taping at around 7:30 p.m., and he detailed his 'Vote Cain' strategy ... on last night's show. Meanwhile, The Colbert Super PAC released a slick 60-second 'Vote Cain' ad before that Colbert Report episode even hit the air. How did both production-intensive video segments get made within hours of each other without illegal coordination?"

"To some in the media, this smells fishy," noted Colbert. In reality, what Colbert did was perfectly legal. Stewart simply told Colbert about the ad campaign ahead of time. And according to Colbert's trusty lawyer Trevor Potter, that's OK:

You see it's perfectly legal, according to former FEC chairman and my and Jon's lawyer Trevor Potter. Evidently, non-coordinating just means I can't help them or?approve?what they're doing. But I can know in advance know what they've done. That's not coordinating. That's just ... ordinating. Information can go one way but not the other. It's like a one-way membrane. Basically, a money placenta. I give him nothing and Jon nourishes me in a warm amniotic bath of strategy and cash until I slide out all wet and electable. All true, All true. We checked. Jon and I don't even need to be psychic.?

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Hilarious fetal?description?aside, the point comes away loud and clear: A super PAC can send messaging and strategy planning to the candidate it supports, it just can't receive instructions back from the candiate. Or can it?

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Public super PAC coordination?On Jon Stewart's program, the issue of coordination was delved into even further, showing that legal super PAC coordination can go beyond simple one-way discussions. Stewart began the discussion by highlighting Mitt Romney's statements that super PACs can't coordinate in any way. ?I?m not allowed to communicate with a super PAC in any way, shape or form," he said on MSNBC. "My goodness, if we coordinate in any way whatsoever we go to the big house."

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Not true, however. To explain the legal loophole that allows coordination between super PACs and candidates, he brought on Colbert to discuss, as he put it, the" loop-chasm." "I can't tell you but I can tell everyone through television," Colbert said. Though the legal technicality that Colbert was explaining may not have been completely clear, he was referring to?federal election law that states that coordination between candidates and super PACs is legal if it comes from a "publicly available source." In this case, that public source is television and he and Stewart talked to each other to great comedic effect:

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The super PAC safety net Last of all, Stewart asked lawyer Trevor Potter what would happen if he ever had to pay a fine in the event where he actually did illegally coordinate with Colbert. As Potter notes, it could be in the "four to six figure" range. That was a terrifying prospect to Stewart until he realized he could just use super PAC money to pay the fine. Voila!

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Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at jhudson at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Source: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2012/01/stephen-colberts-latest-lesson-campaign-finance-absurdity/47547/

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George Lucas Is Ready to Retire

[unable to retrieve full-text content]He talks about how tough it was to get "Red Tails" made, responds to irate "Star Wars" fans, and says he's done with blockbusters.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1924329/news/1924329/

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jmb247: Astonishing how Corbin/Jazz have put this streak together. No stars, just a bunch of guys contributing. Like a hot team in the NCAA tourney.

Astonishing how Corbin/Jazz have put this streak together. No stars, just a bunch of guys contributing. Like a hot team in the NCAA tourney. Il y a environ 14 heures via web

Source: http://twitter.com/jmb247/statuses/159520526291836928

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Man guilty of killing Ga girl; body found in trash (AP)

CANTON, Ga. ? A maintenance man quietly detailed in court how he lured a 7-year-old girl into a vacant apartment, molested her, beat and stabbed her to death and stuffed her body into a trash bin. The admission Tuesday as the girl's family sobbed in the front row brought an unusually rapid conclusion to a murder case that frightened a north Georgia community just over a month ago.

Jorelys Rivera (JOR'-ih-lees ruh-VEHR'-uh) disappeared when she left the complex's playground to head to her apartment to get sodas for her friends. Speaking softly and with little emotion, 20-year-old Ryan Brunn told a judge he used her lost roller skate to coax her into the unit in the complex where he had worked for about a month and forced her to undress in a bathtub.

"I didn't want her to go home and tell her mom or dad on me," Brunn said. "So I cut her."

A judge swiftly sentenced him to life in prison without parole after making him tell the packed courtroom what happened.

"I would like to apologize for everything I've done," Brunn said, turning to the girl's family. "Lo siento," he said, which means "I'm sorry" in Spanish.

Prosecutors read a statement from the girl's mother, Joselinne Rivera, who said she hopes he suffers as much as her family has.

"The rest of my life I am going to feel terrible and destroyed because of the harm you did to my daughter," Rivera said in the statement. "I desire this man the worst possible of the world, and that they do to him the worst so he suffers."

She and the family didn't comment after the hearing.

The guilty plea to murder, child molestation and other charges spares Brunn from possibly facing the death penalty ? and Rivera's family from the prospect of an emotionally devastating trial. Law enforcement officers said the speed of the case even caught them by surprise.

"It's not often that we get to see a monster appear in court and make a full admission. And certainly we don't get to see justice done this fast," said Vernon Keenan, the head of Georgia's Bureau of Investigation. He said Brunn showed at the hearing that he was a "sociopathic killer."

"He has no remorse. And he deserves no sympathy," said Keenan. "He is a cold and calculated killer."

Page Pate, an Atlanta defense attorney who has worked on murder cases, said he was surprised by the speed of the conclusion. Brunn was indicted on the charges just a week ago. He pointed to two possible reasons that led to Brunn's decision.

"The lawyers representing him realized early on they had an uphill battle and I expect they were looking for the fastest resolution possible. Their number one objective was to save him from the death penalty," said Pate. "And the district attorney's office realized this would be a very costly trial."

Brunn said he chose Rivera after he found her skate outside her apartment building. He snapped a photo of it and then used it on Dec. 2 to persuade the girl to follow him into a vacant unit he had earlier unlocked.

"I thought to myself, I was going to lure her. I don't know why," he said, adding: "I asked her if it was hers. And she came."

When they got to the apartment, he first forced her to lie on a mattress and undress, he said. When she wanted to use the bathroom, he said he followed her in there and forced her to lie on a bathtub. He said she never asked to leave, but only if she could go home when he was finished. He said he soon grew fearful of the consequences of the assault.

"I got scared in there from what I was doing and I didn't want her to go home and tell on me," he said.

So he bound her arms with plastic ties, stuffed her mouth with a cloth dishrag and then wrapped her face in tape, Brunn said. He said he then took a razor used for slicing carpet and slit her throat. When she struggled for a few minutes, he said he hit her about five times with the skate and then stuffed her body in a garbage bag, which he then dumped in a trash compactor.

That night, he said, he helped search for the missing girl for about an hour, went to Wal-Mart with two friends and came home to smoke marijuana and meth. Two days later, though, he said he began "freaking out" as the search for the girl intensified.

He said he took a McDonald's receipt from his car and scrawled a note saying the girl's body was in the trash compactor, which he taped to the device. When pressed by the judge why he did that, he responded simply: "I was high."

Brunn insisted he never had sex with the girl, and prosecutors agreed to reduce charges against him from aggravated child molestation to child molestation. He also pleaded guilty to a range of other charges, including assault and abandonment of a dead body.

Keenan, the GBI director, said after the hearing that investigators uncovered evidence that Brunn had molested other children. He said Brunn's speedy guilty plea gives investigators a chance to delve into Brunn's pathos to uncover what makes him tick.

"If he were on death row, we wouldn't have the opportunity to talk to him and learn and perfect our skills," he said.

Brunn, who is being transferred to state prison, said nothing else as he was escorted from courtroom but his attorney offered brief remarks.

"A child's life was lost and he was sentenced," said his attorney, David Cannon. "And that's the bottom line ladies and gentlemen. It's over."

___

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_re_us/us_playground_abduction

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Politico expands print distribution to New York (Reuters)

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) ? Politico has exited the Washington beltway.

The political news organization is expanding the distribution of its physical newspaper to New York City, adding more than 4,000 copies to its base of more than 30,000 in the D.C.-area.

Politico is targeting business leaders "affected by the daily debate in Washington," and it will "target financial institutions, leading companies and national media organizations."

"Since our launch in 2007, we have worked tirelessly to become one of the fastest-growing and most-respected political news organizations in the country," Fred Ryan, CEO of Politico, said in a statement. "So it's only fitting that we celebrate this milestone by expanding our reach to New York's most influential leaders."

For its first few years of existence, Politico generated the vast majority of its revenue from selling advertising in its print product, which is available by subscription (another revenue source) as well as at newspaper boxers, Starbucks and prominent government buildings in and around D.C.

In the past couple of years, the organization has corrected that imbalance, picking up more advertising online and offering more premium content it can charge for.

Still, this expansion, if it puts the publication in the hands of the elites it is looking for, should help lure more lucrative advertising deals.

(Editing by Chris Michaud)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120117/media_nm/us_politico

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Ravens beat Texans 20-13, move into AFC title game

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice is stopped by Houston Texans outside linebacker Connor Barwin during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice is stopped by Houston Texans outside linebacker Connor Barwin during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed intercepts a pass intended for Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Houston Texans quarterback T.J. Yates, left, congratulates running back Arian Foster on his touchdown during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak reacts to a play during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed, right, celebrates his interception with teammate outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, left, during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Houston Texans in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. The Ravens won the game 20-13. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

BALTIMORE (AP) ? The Baltimore Ravens didn't just earn another home win. They stole it away from the Houston Texans.

Ed Reed sealed a 20-13 victory Sunday with Baltimore's fourth takeaway, and when he finally limped off the field, the Ravens were assured their second trip to the AFC championship game in four seasons.

Baltimore (13-4) will visit Tom Brady and the New England Patriots next Sunday, with the winner moving on to the Super Bowl.

"We know we have a big test next week," linebacker Ray Lewis said. "Tom is playing excellent up there, and what they did to the Broncos last night, I think they sent a message to whoever was coming up there. So, we've got our hands full."

The Patriots lead the series 6-1, but Baltimore's lone win came in the postseason.

The Ravens have been in the playoffs for four years running, but this was their first home game since 2006. It was anything but easy.

Baltimore forced two turnovers in the first quarter in building a 17-3 lead thanks to touchdown passes by Joe Flacco, and interceptions by Lardarius Webb and Reed in the fourth quarter helped the advantage stand up.

"We knew what was coming," Lewis said. "This young team, they are so freakin' fiery. They've got so many great pieces over there. I just take my hat off to them, just simply for the way they came out and fought today.

"More importantly, I take my hat off to my team, as well, because we came out and we knew it was going to be tough. We made some plays, they made some plays and at the end of the game, we made the plays that counted."

One week earlier, in the first playoff game in Texans history, Houston (11-7) didn't commit a turnover in a 31-10 home rout of Cincinnati. Against Baltimore, the Texans' couldn't hold onto the ball and quickly fell behind by two touchdowns.

Arian Foster ran for 132 yards, the first player to rush for 100 yards in the playoffs against the Ravens. But rookie quarterback T.J. Yates threw three interceptions.

Down 17-13 at halftime, Houston twice held the Ravens without a first down in the third quarter before driving to the Baltimore 32. From there, Neil Rackers' 50-yard field goal try hit the crossbar and dropped into the end zone.

Baltimore then launched a drive in which seldom-used Lee Evans made a sensational one-handed catch for a 30-yard gain on third-and-5 from the Houston 39. On fourth-and-goal inside the 1, Ray Rice was stuffed by linebacker Tim Dobbins for no gain.

The Texans couldn't move the ball, and the Ravens took the ensuing punt at the Houston 49. But three plays netted only 4 yards, and Sam Koch punted for the seventh time.

Minutes later, the Ravens went three and out for the fourth time in five second-half possessions. Fortunately for Baltimore, the defense compensated for the team's inability to add to its early lead.

Webb's second interception came with 7? minutes left and the Ravens clinging to 17-13 advantage. Baltimore moved 45 yards to get a field goal by Billy Cundiff with 2:52 left.

Reed ended the Texans' subsequent drive with his eighth career playoff interception inside the 5-yard line.

"When we got up 17-3, the No. 1 thing I told them is: 'They're going to make a rally. Every great team makes a rally,'" Lewis said. "And this is what playoff football is all about. I mean, year after year and time after time, great competition going against each other, it really does get no better."

Houston's Danieal Manning muffled the record crowd of 71,547 by taking the opening kickoff 60 yards to the Baltimore 41. Yates then completed two straight passes, and after the Ravens stuffed Foster on a third-and-1, Rackers kicked a 40-yard field goal.

Baltimore failed to get a first down on its first possession and had to punt. Jacoby Jones inexplicably attempted to field the bouncing ball at the 13-yard line, was immediately hit by Cary Williams and lost the ball, which was recovered by rookie Jimmy Smith at the 2.

On third down, Flacco threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Kris Wilson ? the tight end's first catch of the season.

After a Houston punt, Flacco completed a 21-yard pass to Anquan Boldin to set up a 48-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead.

Later in the first quarter, Webb stepped in front of Andre Johnson for an interception at the Houston 35. Five plays later, Flacco tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Boldin in the right side of the end zone.

Yates then completed a pair of third-down passes in a 59-yard drive that ended with a field goal.

After Yates misfired on third down from the Baltimore 10, the rookie came off the field he was greeted by coach Gary Kubiak, who put a hand on the back of the quarterback's jersey while chatting.

Yates returned after a Baltimore punt to direct a 12-play, 86-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Foster, who accounted for 66 yards ? including 54 on the ground.

Yates went 17 for 35 for 184 yards. Johnson had eight catches for 111 yards.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-15-FBN-Texans-Ravens/id-06c257c0430a4170ab547eae7b993594

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Car bomb kills 8 in northern Iraq

Iraqi security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in front of a government compound in Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. Iraqi security forces on Sunday battled gunmen, who detonated a car bomb before blasting their way into a government compound, killing several policemen during a three-hour gunfight in a one-time Sunni insurgent hotbed in the country's west, police and local government officials said. (AP Photo)

Iraqi security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in front of a government compound in Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. Iraqi security forces on Sunday battled gunmen, who detonated a car bomb before blasting their way into a government compound, killing several policemen during a three-hour gunfight in a one-time Sunni insurgent hotbed in the country's west, police and local government officials said. (AP Photo)

BAGHDAD (AP) ? A car bomb killed at least eight people outside the northern city of Mosul on Monday, Iraq officials said, in the latest in a series of attacks to target the country's Shiites since the U.S. withdrawal last month.

Violence has surged across Iraq since the last American troops left the country, with a string of bombings that has left at least 150 people dead since the beginning of the year. Most of the attacks appear to be aimed at Iraq's Shiite majority, suggesting Sunni insurgents are seeking to undermine the Shiite-dominated government.

Monday's blast struck a Shiite district outside of Mosul, a predominantly Sunni city some 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad, a police official said.

An official at Mosul's Al-Jomhouri hospital confirmed the death toll, and said at least six people were wounded in the attack.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

A member of the city's local council, Qusai Abbas, said the car bomb blew up near a group of houses where members of the Shebek minority have settled since being driven out of Mosul by Sunni militants during fierce sectarian fighting a few years ago.

The Shebeks are ethnic Turkomen and Shiite Muslims who mostly live in villages east of Mosul, the provincial capital of the ethnically mixed Ninevah province that is predominantly Sunni Muslim.

Mosul has been a hub for al-Qaida in Iraq in past years. Other Sunni insurgent groups have battled Kurdish militias for control over the city, Iraq's third largest, killing thousands of civilians in suicide bombings and shootings.

Hundreds of Christians, Yazeedis and members of other minority groups have been driven out Mosul in recent years as militants used violence and intimidation to tip the ethnic and religious balance into their group's favor.

Iraq is also facing a political crisis after the Shiite-dominated government charged Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi with running death squads, issuing an arrest warrant against him just as the last U.S. soldiers crossed into neighboring Kuwait.

The sectarian crisis in the government and the spike in attacks ? such as a bombing Saturday that killed more than 50 Shiite pilgrims and an assault Sunday on government buildings in western Anbar province that killed seven ? has raised concerns Iraq could return to the sort of sectarian bloodshed that killed tens of thousands of civilians after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and brought the country to the brink of civil war in 2006 and 2007.

___

Associated Press writer Barbara Surk contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-16-ML-Iraq/id-f628121c93d8468294c01cb5748062c9

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