The Grimm Reality

Through his irresponsible and thoughtless actions, Grimm proves to the public yet again that he thinks the rules don’t apply to him. Most recently, he has violated House ethics law with an e-mail he’s sent out to his supporters. The e-mail, titled, “Not On My Watch,” heralded his opposition to the elimination of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn. The e-mail contained a YouTube link to a speech he made on the floor of the House. The inclusion of this link is not only a misstep, but also a blatant violation of the law. The House Ethics Manual clearly states that, “Broadcast coverage and recordings of House floor proceedings may not be used for any political purpose.” Grimm’s use of his speech for campaign purposes shows a brazen disrespect for both the professional proceedings of the House and its code of ethics. Grimm has commented that the use of the YouTube link was an “accident,” that it “wasn’t done on purpose” and that it was “inadvertent.” But what this “accident” really demonstrates is someone who abuses his power. It is still unknown whether the House Ethics Committee will penalize Grimm for his supposed blunder - but here’s hoping that Grimm is finally shown that he can’t get away with doing whatever he wants.   

State Supreme Court Justice Anthony I. Giacobbe has ruled against Grimm’s appeal to regain the Independence Party line - an endorsement Grimm once touted would be a “game-changer” in his campaign. Grimm originally lost his spot on the ballot when he was 52 signatures short of the 419 required to qualify. He appealed on the grounds that the Board of Elections had unjustly inflated the number of signatures needed, and that it failed to promptly provide a map of the newly-redrawn 111th district. Judge Giacobbe dismissed both arguments, and ultimately denied the Grimm campaign’s appeal because the necessary order to show cause paperwork was not filed by the stipulated deadline.

Grimm may still decide to press his case to the federal court, but as of now it seems that he will remain off the Independence Party ballot in the November election against Democratic challenger Mark Murphy. 

“Hopefully, this ruling will end Michael Grimm’s sloppy and doomed effort to stay on the Independence line by wasting the court’s time and the taxpayers’ money.  And regardless of this ruling, no amount of fancy legal footwork by Mr. Grimm to save his so-called ‘game-changer’ could change the fact that he votes against his own constituents, voted against Social Security and against Medicare; and has ongoing scandals that have eroded what little trust the voters had placed in him.” - Nathan Smith, a spokesman for Mr. Murphy’s campaign.

“Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story” should have been the subtitle of Congressman Michael Grimm’s April 3 letter.

Congressman Grimm writes, “Since taking office, gas prices have more than doubled.”

Fact: Gas prices were over $4 a gallon during the President Bush’s last year in office.

Congressman Grimm writes, “This administration has imposed such stringent Environmental Protection Agency regulations that our refineries are being forced to shut down.”

Fact: The EPA has not established any refinery regulations since President Obama took office.

Congressman Grimm writes: “Since taking office, this president continues to limit our capacity to tap into American energy, whether it be by announcing a moratorium on deep-sea drilling in May 2010 (which was lifted only this month), blocking permits for the Keystone XL pipeline.”

Fact: The moratorium was lifted in October 2010.

It was the Republican governor of Nebraska who urged President Obama to reject the Keystone pipeline permit application, raising concerns about the proposed route would cross Nebraska’s Ogallala Aquifer. The pipeline company did not submit a revised route application for review until May 4.

A fact he omitted is that Republicans continue to support multi-billion dollar tax subsidies for oil companies.

Source: http://bit.ly/KFZvFF

Grimm is against the Obama Administration’s budget proposal for decreased military spending in the fiscal year 2013 and will be holding a press conference today in Brooklyn to voice his outrage.

Read more:

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/grimm_speaks_out_against_plan.html

Rep. Rush Holt, a New Jersey Democrat, introduced an amendment to a Justice Department appropriations bill that would have blocked spending on police programs found to violate the U.S. Constitution or federal antidiscrimination laws. The measure, Holt made clear, was part of his broader push to stop the NYPD’s counterterrorism and surveillance efforts focused on Muslims.

“My amendment would ensure that no federal funds are flowing to any law-enforcement entity that the [Justice] Department has identified as engaging in racial, ethnic, and religious profiling,” he said in introducing the measure.

It failed Wednesday night in a largely party-line vote, 232 to 193. Almost all of New York City overwhelmingly Democratic House delegation voted in favor of the amendment.

Only Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm, the city’s lone Republican, voted against it. Two Long Island lawmakers, Republican Rep. Peter King and Democrat Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, also opposed the amendment.

The NYPD’s counterterrorism tactics have come under scrutiny as the result of an Associated Press probe into efforts targeting Muslim groups in the city and across the region, including in New Jersey.

Read the full story: http://on.wsj.com/KTlpA2

Republican Rep. Michael Grimm has lost what his campaign once crowed was his “game-changing” appearance on the Independence Party line.

Read more: http://nydn.us/JCVCiJ

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 (S. 1925) enables women to be protected from all forms of violence - domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Yet many Republicans are opposing the Act because of new protections for LGBTQ individuals and immigrants. VAWA is a success, and has reduced violence against women by 63% since the law’s inception in 1994 and saved  tens of billions of dollars in social costs. VAWA addresses the discriminatory practices women face when it comes to housing, age, ability, and immigration status, making it possible for immigrant women to file for legal status for themselves and their children without their abuser knowing. In the case of tribal communities, VAWA helps Native American women in changing the criminal justice tribal laws that only benefit men and protects victims of violence in the LGBTQ community. Failing to reauthorize VAWA would be disasterous for victims of violence across the country. We must save S. 1925’s  important provisions that provide better access to law enforcement for women in Indian country, better access for immigrant women who fear deportation if they report violence, and better access for  LGBT victims who are finding doors to shelters and programs closed to them.

Take Action NOW By Urging Your Representative to Support VAWA:
Please call and email your Congressional Representative and urge them to to support a “clean” VAWA, with no harmful amendments. You can say something like: “We won’t go back to the tragic days before VAWA passed in 1994.  We won’t abandon girls and women, boys and men, just because they have special needs and special circumstances that have not been addressed previously.  There are no ‘bad’ victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, only humans who need and deserve our embrace and help.  Pass S. 1925.” Learn more about this bill.