FISA Discussion Reveals Sharp Republican Contrast

Here is the latest volley in the NC-11 GOP primary from Dr. Carl Mumpower:

–PRESS RELEASE–

FISA Discussion Reveals Sharp Republican Contrast
Armor, Campbell and Shuler in political lockstep

Recent heated communications from each of the 11th District congressional campaigns have illuminated a key policy difference among Republicans vying for that seat, finding both John Armor and Spence Campbell in support of legislation that would, in effect, cover-up illegal wiretapping.

Carl Mumpower, a self-proclaimed “independent Republican,” opposes a controversial component of the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) which would grant additional retroactive immunity to large telecommunications companies (such as Verizon and AT&T). It has been recently revealed that – without warrants or legal authority – these “telecoms” bugged phone calls, intercepted e-mails, and monitored the internet traffic of untold numbers of American citizens.

“The Democrats – with the exception of Heath and a few others – are right on this one, plain and simple,” commented Mumpower. Incumbent Heath Shuler (D-11) is one of only a handful of Democrats to agree with Armor and Campbell in his support of the additional immunity.

Mumpower has held firm in his stand that providing additional immunity to big companies for spying on Americans “dangerously sidesteps the Constitution,” even the face of his opponents’ various characterizations of his position as “garbage,” “irresponsible,” and “foolhardy”.

“If Congress wants to do something real, they should start by doing financial and performance audits on our intelligence agenies and by securing our porous borders,” said Mumpower. “The greatest problem the intelligence community faces is effectively processing and acting on the information they already have. Any additional telecom immunity beyond what they enjoy already is not only a blank check, but a decoy issue that lock-step politicians use to pander to voters’ fears.”

An excerpt from testimony before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on October 31, 2007 by Edward Black, President of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, offers information in support of Mumpower’s position:

“…Retroactive immunity for participation in the recent secret government surveillance program is premature at best, since this Congress has yet to become well-informed enough to determine whether in fact the NSA surveillance program exceeded legal boundaries established under FISA. If immunity for past activities is granted prior to full disclosure and accountability from the Executive Branch, Congress and the public may never understand the nature of the NSA warrantless wiretapping program.”

“If the rule-of-law, limited government, and the truth are not your priorities, then I’m not the guy to vote for,” cautioned Mumpower. “I try hard to land on the right thing and hold the line…until the right thing wins or new information helps me to reconsider. This is not a time to surrender to pressure…from my own party or my own supporters.”

He continued: “Armchair patriots” who support these new FISA immunities and who are willing to sacrifice the Constitution for illusionary security initiatives are, in fact, enabling our enemies. I will not join the herd just for the sake of doing so, no matter what the personal price.”

(For the full transcript of Edward Black’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, click here.)

—End Press Release—

Campaign Website

Commentary

I guess that puts me in the armchair general category. It is my opinion that we cannot allow an openly hostile 5th column in our country to openly practice lawfare in pursuit of our defeat in World War IV. Go read the testimony of Edward Black and form your own opinion.

A Substantial Difference Emerges in the GOP NC-11 Primary

Well, the primary between the three hopefuls in NC-11 has finally stumbled upon some issue of divergence, FISA.

From Dr. Carl Mumpower:

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Separates
Republican Congressional Candidates

A Monday press release by Republican Congressional Carl Mumpower has stimulated strong reactions from 11th District challengers John Armor and Spence Campbell. “I am not in favor of the immunity found in recent FISA legislation for telecoms or anyone else and I continue to believe that the pervasive bureaucratic dysfunction of America’s intelligence agencies offers few incentives for more hidden powers,” said Mumpower. “Securing our borders, enforcing existing laws, and both financial and productivity audits of our intelligence agencies will do more than allowing the government to expand its veil of secrecy.”

Campbell and Armor share a common ground with a majority of Republican legislators, the President, and even 11th District Representative Heath Shuler. Shuler has come out in support of immunity to telecom companies and made a request of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that future FISA legislation support that goal. Campbell has said that Congress should grant the telecoms immunity, while Armor stated, “I could not disagree with (Mumpower) more – this is garbage.”

“As an Independent Republican, I support conservative principles with full heart and action,” said Mumpower. “I am not, however, obligated to a Republican power structure that continues to betray those values and take short-cuts around the Constitution with actions like this. The rule of law, accountability, and liberty should not be for sale – especially to people who are quick to use the “terror card” to justify or conceal misbehavior.”

“I am fond of Ben Franklin,” said Mumpower. “He said that “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” I’m sure it could be argued that there are practical justifications for immunity – one can always find a reason to take small steps away from the right thing. This is one of those times when a politician faces the temptation to fall into line with what’s popular or take a principled position and the heat that results. I’ll leave political conformity to others – and keep my eye on the Constitution.”

Carl Mumpower
11th District Republican Congressional Candidate

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From Col. Spence Campbell (Ret.):

March 18th, 2008

CAMPBELL RELEASES STATEMENT
ON FISA REAUTHORIZATION

Hendersonville—US Republican Congressional Candidate Spence Campbell released the following statement on the FISA Reauthorization bill:“As a former career U.S. Army intelligence officer, I know firsthand how important it is that we have solid, reliable intelligence in order to protect this great country and its citizens from harm. We must do all we can to ensure the safety of Americans and the citizens of western North Carolina.“We must not forget that we are a nation at war. There are people who actively seek to harm America, and we must ensure that our government has the tools and resources needed to ensure the safety of us all. “It is the height of irresponsibility for anyone to seek to undermine or try to prevent our government from doing all it can to protect its citizens, especially in a time of war. By criticizing portions of this bill, which allows companies to work together with our government to provide them with critical information and intelligence, is more than irresponsible. It is in fact, foolhardy, and dangerous. Anyone that seeks to put Americans in harm’s way should not be allowed the privilege of representing the citizens of western North Carolina in Congress.”

From John Armor, Esq.:

Mumpower Misunderstands FISA Issues,
Misquotes Ben Franklin

Carl Mumpower, Republican candidate for Congress from the 11th District, has put out a press release saying that the efforts in the US House to extend the FISA Act “demonstrate sharp differences between him and the other candidates.” He is right, but has the wrong conclusion, based on a gross misunderstanding of the subject.

FISA stands for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The ACLU (the American Civil Liberties Union) is using American civil courts in an effort to gut-shoot the government’s efforts to stay ahead of the terrorists seeking to kill Americans in America. It seems that Carl Mumpower has not done his homework before taking a position on this subject.

The quote that Carl Mumpower uses in the name of Benjamin Franklin in his latest News Release is a false quote, although with an ancient pedigree. Mumpower quotes Franklin as writing: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” This comes from the title page of An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania (1759).

However, anyone with a little skill in using an Internet search engine, like Google, can quickly find that the accurate Franklin quote is: “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” It is both better written, and has a different meaning, than the bad quote used by candidate Mumpower.

“More importantly, Carl Mumpower seems blissfully unaware of what brought about the immunity provisions in the original FISA Act,” said John Armor. He pointed out that lawyers for the ACLU had filed several damage claims against several telecom companies, seeking damages for their cooperation with international security searches as sought by the federal government.

Commentary

I am afraid that Mumpower has chosen the wrong side of this issue. My impression of the whole FISA argument is that the attempt to deny immunity to the telecoms is part of a lawfare technique used by the enemies of America to weaken, and ultimately destroy her ability to defend against attacks from Islamofascism and Progessivism.

I lump Progressives together with the Islamofascists because both would rather that America not participate in World War IV. They have become allies of convenience at this point.

In a different category, I place “the honest civil-libertarians”: Mumpower, through good intentions (like the libertarians), has found himself trapped by applying a misunderstanding of the issue.

Both Spence Campbell and John Armor understand the necessity of immunity for the telecoms.

John Armor Discusses DC v Heller with Jerry Agar

The Supreme Court of the United States has decided to take on the DC v. Heller case, and one of our candidates for Congress recently discussed the case with Jerry Agar, and you can listen in below:

Its always good to see someone from this area get recognized nationally.

John Armor is running for Congress in the NC-11 district.

Here are two of the places I have been frequenting to keep up with this very important case, SCOTUSblog, and The Volokh Conspiracy, although the Bench Memo and the blogfather have been following it as well.

Welcome FReepers! Thanks for the shout out.

Welcome Jerry Agar Listeners! Thanks for noticing.

Mad Mumpower: Road Warrior

Videos of yesterday will be up soon.

Press Release from the Mumpower Capmpaign:

Mumpower Barnstorms the 11th District
on “Super Saturday”

Republican Congressional Candidate Carl Mumpower crisscrossed the 11th Congressional District today, meeting and speaking with hundreds of voters in Henderson, Haywood, Transylvania, Swain and Rutherford Counties, and picking up two more overwhelming straw poll victories in Swain and Rutherford Counties. Mumpower came in a distant second in a similar poll in Henderson County.

The one-day blitz was occasioned by a total of seven back-to-back Republican Party county conventions and fundraising dinners held throughout the district today. Mumpower made personal appearances and spoke at all but one of them in Madison County, but his campaign had its trademark overwhelming presence there despite his absence. “I just ran out of time,” smiled an exhausted Mumpower. “I really could have used that extra hour of Daylight Savings Time today…in advance.”

By contrast, his challengers for the Republican nomination, Spence Campbell and John Armor, appeared at only three of those same events today: those in Haywood, Henderson, and Madison Counties.

The 11th congressional district is geographically immense, comprising nearly 7,000 square miles of winding roads and mountainous terrain. Mumpower and his campaign staff drove from one end of the district to the other, starting off in Asheville this morning at 7:00 am and stopping in Hendersonville at 8 a.m. before driving to Clyde, Brevard, Bryson City, Marshall, and finally Rutherfordton. He returned to Asheville at 11 p.m. to the news of his straw poll victories in Swain (Mumpower: 44, Campbell: 1, Armor: 0) and Rutherford (Mumpower: 20, Campbell: 6, Armor: 2) This marks the fourth and fifth such electoral victories for the veteran Asheville City Councilman, who won decisive
victories among the Buncombe and McDowell County Republican Party and the Henderson County Republican Men’s Group late last month.

Campbell soundly defeated Mumpower in the straw poll taken at the Henderson County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Lunch today, his first such victory, with the final tally at 94 votes for Campbell, 33 for Mumpower and 15 for Armor. “I congratulate Spence on his victory today,” said Mumpower. The road-weary candidate speculated that had he adequate time, staying to formally address the gathering (he left before the lunch began) the outcome might have been closer. “But Spence did a great job turning out his friends. He should be very proud.” Campbell is the former Chairman of the Henderson County Republican Party and ran his father-in-law’s insurance agency in Hendersonville for nearly a decade.

Armor, who historically speaking has not done well in straw polls among Republicans, challenged former Congressman Charles Taylor for his party’s nomination two years ago. He lost substantially to Taylor, and Taylor, who held the office for sixteen years, was in turn routed by Democrat Heath Shuler. The winner of the republican Primary, to be
held on May 6, will go on to face Shuler in the general election this fall.

For further information on straw poll results, including North
Carolina’s upcoming gubernatorial races, please contact Mike Clampitt, Chairman of the Swain County Republican Party at (828) 736-6222,
Robert Danos, Chairman of the Henderson County Republican Party at (828) 606-6232,
and Mike Hager, Chairman of the Rutherford County Republican Party Chair at (828) 429-0857.

A Post-Debate Interview with John Armor

Here is the latest from Richard Bernier of “Sound Off Buncombe,” a local program airing on URTV.

John Armor’s Campaign Website.

NC-11 GOP Candidates Give 2 Minute Sales Pitches

Each of the candidates were given about 2 minutes each to speak to the crowd, and here are the Republican primary candidates for the NC-11 seat currently held by Congressman Heath Shuler:

Here are their websites:

John Armor

Spence Campbell

Carl Mumpower

NC-11 GOP Candidates Debate 02-21-2008

This was recorded Thursday, February 23, 2008 at the YMI Cultural Center at the corner of Eagle and Market St. in Asheville, NC:

This is the 11th Congressional Debate for the GOP Candidates. This event is sponsored by the Black Republicans of Western North Carolina.

Contact the Producer

Background on the panelists for context:

Gary Shoemaker [copy of profile]
Johnnie Grant
Ron Ballard

Stealing Delegates, Stealing Nominations by John Armor

Guest Commentary

Stealing Delegates, Stealing Nominations

By John Armor

The first state results to be reported on Super Tuesday came from the Republican Caucus in West Virginia. The result was that Mike Huckabee got all the delegates from that state to the Republican Convention. What makes the story really interesting is, HOW he got those delegates.

From the report I have, here’s how the delegates voted in round one:
* Romney 464
* Huckabee 375
* McCain 176
* Paul 118

Ron Paul, who got the fewest votes, was dropped from the ballot for the next round of voting. The results then became:
* Huckabee 524
* Romney 479
* McCain 11

Anyone who can count to twenty without removing his socks can see what happened. McCain’s operatives saw that they were going nowhere in West Virginia. So they instructed their people to give the state to Huckabee. And most of their delegates obeyed that order.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ran this title on the story: “Wild and Wonderful Win for Huckabee.” That title is false. This was a “Down and Dirty Win for McCain.” Huckabee is going nowhere. Eventually, at the Republican Convention if not before, Huckabee’s candidacy will fold like a cheap lawn chair. At that point, who will get those West Virginia delegates?

If you guessed Mitt Romney, I’ll allow you another guess. John McCain has just stolen the votes of West Virginia by giving them, temporarily, to his ally in the theft, Mike Huckabee. By the way, national convention delegates must vote as they were pledged when elected, depending on state laws. I understand that none remain bound beyond the third roll-call vote.

As the saying goes, politics ain’t beanbag. What was just done in West Virginia is entirely legal. But it smells as bad as a dumpster full of day-old crab shells behind Phillips Crab House in Ocean City, Maryland, in mid-July. Believe you me, that is REALLY rank.

If the delegates from West Virginia are enough to put McCain over the top, then McCain has just stolen the nomination. Right in front of God and everybody.

Well, has anything similar happening among the Democrats? Just by coincidence, it has.

In order to preserve the special status of the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, the Democratic National Committee required that no other state conduct its Democrat primaries before a certain date in 2008. Democrats in Florida and Michigan decided to move their primaries up in violation of that limit.

The DNC then “stripped” the delegates from both states for the Convention. No delegates were then elected in the “beauty contest primaries” in those two states. Democrat candidates had also pledged not to campaign in those states, and in Michigan, Hillary Clinton was the only major candidate to leave her name on the state ballot.

Well, Hillary Clinton won both of those states. After those non-delegate elections, she wrote a letter to the DNC demanding that delegates for her from those states be seated at the Convention. The rest of this discussion is somewhat obscure, but I guarantee it is correct. I speak as the former Parliamentarian for a national political convention. (The convention was for Ross Perot’s Reform Party. But the principles of operating a convention are the same, regardless of the candidate’s chance of winning the coming election.)

When the Democrats meet in Convention in the summer, initially no delegates from Florida or Michigan will be seated. But let’s say at that point that Hillary Clinton has a majority of the seated delegates, but not the absolute majority of all authorized delegates which is required for nomination. You with me so far?

Who gets to decide whether Hillary Clinton delegates from Florida and Michigan get seated? Why, it’s the delegates who are already seated, that’s who. In that circumstance, Hillary can use her plurality on the floor to steal the delegates from those two states. Having done that, she will have stolen the nomination. Right in front of God and everybody.

In short, there is a possibility that the 2008 presidential election may be unique in American history. Before 2008, nominations have been stolen. Elections have been stolen (recall the Hayes-Tilden race of 1876). But never before have two candidates, both of whom stole their nominations, faced each other in a general election.

If the vote tallies are tight at both the Republican and Democrat national conventions, it is possible we might see that unique circumstance, two election thieves facing each other with one guaranteed to win, between John McCain and Hillary Clinton.

Sorta makes you proud to be an American, don’t it?

John Armor is a GOP Candidate for the NC-11 Congressional District.

Visit Armor For Congress to find out more about this candidate.

The Honesty of a Cat’s Purr by John Armor

Guest Commentary

The Honesty of a Cat’s Purr by John Armor

We have two cats: Weasel, a grey female calico, and Orion, a male orange and white tabby. Orion is a big, lump of a cat, twenty pounds if he’s an ounce. He’s taught me a lesson for years that I finally realized today. He teaches by example.

Orion showed up at the door four years ago in the fall. He was obviously a house cat, not a feral or wild one. He had no collar. We brought him water and food. He wanted to come inside, but we didn’t let him. He was obviously someone else’s cat; we shouldn’t prevent him from going home.

Winter came. The wind chill dropped to its mean minus ten at night. Orion had apparently gone home. Then one morning in the snow, I saw little cat prints from the barn up to our door and back. We started putting out food and water, and changing the water every time it froze.

We kept watch. We saw the orange boy, much thinner, and with a cut on his cheek, from a fight with another creature. Eventually, we got Orion inside.

For more than a year, he was frightened of me, but not of females in the household. He would skitter and run when anyone attempted to hold him or pick him up. In time, we found he had a knot on one of his ribs where it had been broken, and healed badly.

So, we knew his story. He was abused where he used to live. He was kicked, probably frequently by a grown male in the house, and suffered a broken rib. We showed him nothing but kindness from then to now.

How has this sweet creature responded? He obviously has deep affection for his folks. He sleeps with us, usually on the far side of Michelle, nearest to the window. Especially on cold winter mornings, he wants to be first in line for the warming sun of dawn to wash over him, and warm his fur.

He no longer fears being touched or held. Quite the contrary, he will curl up within touching distance of one of his humans. And, when you scratch him under the chin, he will often respond by rolling over on his back, catch your hand with his paw, and encourage you to rub his belly.

Mind you, please don’t tell this to the President of the Cats’ Union. Orion will be drummed out of the Union if word about this leaks out.

The most telling thing that Orion does is a deep, rumbling purr whenever he is generally satisfied, which is most of the time. It is such a loud purr that, unlike most cats, when he is in full fettle his purr can be heard from way across the room.

It took years for Orion to reach that point of being at home and comfortable, so he will curl up close to his humans, invite rubs and scratches, and purr to beat the band. He was doing that this morning while I was reflecting on the political debates that I have watched (that have been inflicted on me recently).

I follow politics closely. As I listen to national politicians speak, I can spot about one bald-faced lie every 30 seconds.

Yes, I’m being charitable.

There is exactly one of the candidates for President whom I think is telling the truth all of the time. And that makes him all the more frightening, that he actually believes what he is saying. No, I won’t name him. And thanks be to Heaven he will never be elected to any nationwide office.

But this morning as I watched one more spectacular sunrise over the Blue Ridge Mountains, and over Michelle’s shoulder, and over the ears of an orange, purring cat, I thought of the difference between Orion and all those politicians.

Orion is honest at all times and in all ways. And every aspect of my relationship with him is based on trust.

Can you say that of any politician you know? I can’t. So, I suggest this standard to use when you are listening to, or reading, any speech by a politician: Is this as honest as a cat’s purr? The answer to that first question will be no.

So, you can follow up with mille-cats. Rating a politician at 400 mille-cat means he/she is 40% as honest as a cat.

– 30 –

About the Author: John Armor practiced in the US Supreme Court for 33 years.

John_Armor AT aya DOT yale DOT edu

He lives in the 11th District of North Carolina.

– 30 –

John Armor
Highlands, NC
http://www.ArmorforCongress.com

Minor Civic Miracles by John Armor

Guest Commentary

Minor Civic Miracles
by John Armor
Highlands, NC

Two things happened last week that are minor miracles. We take such things for granted; they got merely local coverage, and not much of that. The first was the Highlands Christmas Parade on Saturday.

The Town is only four blocks long, but the parade was about eight blocks long. So, the first people to take part, had time to join the audience for the rest of the parade. In years past, Mayor Buck Trot would be in the first car as Mayor. Then he would rush back to the staging area, put on his red suit, and be at the end of the parade as Santa Claus.

Buck retired from being Mayor. But with his long white hair, his beard and mustache, and the fact that he is “a man of a certain girth,” he’ll remain as the Santa Claus forever.

Sounds like our parade was sorta lame. Not so. The new Mayor was in a lovingly restored late-model Model A Ford, with a rumble seat.
There were two other Model As in the parade. Folks hereabouts take their
vehicles very seriously. From the shine and perfection of the outsides of these
cars, I guarantee the engines were clean enough to eat your lunch off them.

There were also at least ten restored, early model Thunderbirds in the parade. And a vintage Mustang. And six fire trucks from Highlands, and the two nearest communities which support each other when any major fires occur.

There was the band from Highlands High School. They don’t have many musicians. They can’t afford uniforms. Their musical talents are not the same as the national champions who appear in parades like the Macy’s Thanksgiving one.

Why is it that the broadcast of the Macy’s Parade consists of two semi-celebrities announcing “the award-winning band from South Succotash,” and then talking over the band, telling lame jokes, and laugh over the parade. Wouldn’t it be nice to HEAR those musicians, who sold a lot of cakes and washed a lot of cars, to get to New York to play their hearts out.

Don’t TV producers pay any attention to what they are putting on the air?

Almost everyone watching our parade knew almost everyone IN the parade. Parents and children were calling and waving to each other. It was like the final, heart-warming scene in “The Music Man,” where the band begins to play. The parents’ cry out, “That’s our Tommy.” River City becomes a loving place where there really is a band – with 76 trombones and snappy uniforms.

This was a civic miracle for another reason. Almost very float (well, float is a high-fallutin word), they were John Deere and other equipment, decorated and carrying children, had a sign supporting a local charity. An immaculate black Corvette that I’d give my eye teeth to have, had a sign for the “Free Dental Clinic.”

What is the Clinic? Its chief fund raiser spoke at the Rotary Club last month. The Clinic provide millions of dollars in care to people who have no insurance and badly need dental care. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have provided first-class equipment and materials. That has attracted both practicing dentists, and ones who have retired to this area, to offer the free dentistry.

There is joy, there is caring, there is a community pulling together, all the things that any community should have, on display in Highlands on Saturday. That’s why I call it a minor civic miracle. We take it for granted, but it’s quite remarkable.

The other miracle took place in Hendersonville, last Wednesday. The Republican Men’s Club there invited all of the Congressional candidates for
the 11th District of North Carolina, to a debate. All three of us (yes, us)
Republican candidates showed up at 7:30 am for the debate. Because it’s going to be a hot election here in 2008, the room was packed, the press turned out, and we had an honest debate.

No question was steered or rigged, like the most recent Presidential
Debates for Republicans and Democrats. Ours was real questions asked by real people, and we had to come up with real answers.

Again, this was a small-town civic event. It was also a civic miracle, one that can and should be repeated a thousand times, all across this nation. Good things happen in small towns, so I thought I’d share the news.

– 30 –

About the Author: John Armor practiced in the US Supreme Court for 33 years.
John_Armor@aya.yale.edu
He lives in the 11th District of North Carolina.

– 30 –