On Capitol Hill, Lawmakers Talk About Security

Closed for Business: Members, aides undeterred
When we left the Capitol on Friday of last week, we were prepping for the coverage of the bickering that was going to ensue on the House floor this week. The GOP had decided on seven hours of debate on the "Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act" starting today and ending with a vote to repeal the bill tomorrow. It was going to be, as one Democratic congresswoman repeated multiple times, "political theater." And Journalists were already stocking up on Popcorn and Dr. Pepper to watch the fire...

Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to Congress: Leave Guns to Law Enforcement and We Need Fewer Guns
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: With at least two House members saying they intend to arm themselves at events in their districts in the wake of the Tucson tragedy, the man who may know more about Capitol Hill security than anyone else doesn’t think that’s a good idea. Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance W. Gainer - who oversees security for the Senate, and who previously served as chief of the Capitol Police - told us on ABC’s “ Top Line ” today that members of

House to honor Rep. Giffords as debate over rhetoric continues
The House on Wednesday will consider a resolution that honors Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) for her “service and leadership” and reaffirms the First Amendment rights of assembly and petition as “bedrock principles” of American Democracy.   In a four-page document to be posted online later Tuesday, the resolution “condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific attack” on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz. It also recognizes each of the Victims of the shooting and

Why Did The GOP Think It Had To Delay The Health Reform Repeal Vote?
As Republicans prepared to take over the House, they announced one of their first bills would be the Repeal of health reform because "that's what the American People want." If that's true, and repealing health reform is simply a sound policy decision called upon by the public, then why would Republicans have to indefinitely delay a vote that was scheduled for Wednesday in response to Saturday's attempted Assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords? Yes, a memorial service is scheduled for Wednes...

Infidel Bloggers Alliance
The Hill: Poll: Rhetoric, Arizona shooting unrelated By Jordan Fabian - 01/11/11 08:13 AM ET Almost 60 percent of the public believes that heated political rhetoric has nothing to do with an Arizona Shooting Spree that gravely wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) and killed a Federal Judge. Fifty-seven percent of respondents in a new CBS News poll said rhetoric is unrelated to the shooting, while 32 percent said they believe the two are connected. Many pundits and lawmakers have keyed in on ...

Congresswoman Giffords breathing on her own, doctors say
Arizonans leave offerings at a shrine to Victims of Saturday's shooting in Tucson, Arizona. Brad Poole, Reuters · Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords is breathing on her own and doctors on Tuesday were hopeful about her recovery from a head wound suffered in an Arizona Shooting Spree that killed six people. Ms. Giffords, a popular 40-year-old Democrat, remained in critical condition at a Tucson Hospital but is “holding her own,” re...

Giffords condition improves after shooting
TUCSON, Ariz - U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords is breathing on her own and doctors Tuesday were hopeful about her recovery from a head wound suffered in an Arizona Shooting Spree that killed six people. Giffords, a popular 40-year-old Democrat, remained in critical condition at a Tucson Hospital but is “holding her own,” responding to simple commands and breathing without aid of a tube although a bullet passed through her brain, doctors said. “She has no right to look th...

House GOP Retreat to Proceed as Planned
HOH's One-Minute Recess: Penn’s No. 1 Congressional Fan 11:58 a.m. Heard on the Hill: Freshman Sleeping on the Job? Rep. Sue Myrick waits to write a sympathy note in condolence books on Jan. 10 in the Cannon Rotunda. The books are for the 20 Victims of a deadly shooting in Arizona. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was targeted and critically wounded in the Jan. 8 attack, and six people were killed. Whether you're looking for a new job or looking to hire the perfect Candidate, turn to RCJobs.com &m...;

Surprise! Harry Reid Once Used Senate Floor to Heap Praise on AZ Sheriff Dupnik as a Man of Integrity
“Clarence Dupnik is known as a man of action, integrity and innovation,” Reid said. “These skills have been invaluable to his 50 years of service to Arizona, and the nation.” A number of media figures and lawmakers, including conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh, have criticized Dupnik for saying that a high level of political “vitriol” was connected to the incident that ended with Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (Ariz.) being shot in the head at clos...

Films About Films About Films
Today in Tablet Magazine, Eryn Loeb considers a new avant-garde film about (or rather about a film about) Shulamith Firestone, an early feminist icon. Click here to cancel reply. Your email has been sent. What are the 100 greatest Jewish songs ever? Tablet Magazine’s musicologists rank them all, from sacred to pop to hip-hop, from Rabbi Akiva to Amy Winehouse. I turned in my book’s manuscript almost a month ago, but my editor doesn’t seem to have read it yet. It makes a write...

Infidel Bloggers Alliance
NBC : Emanuel: Giffords Shooting Not a Crisis to Exploit At a news conference this morning, Mayoral Candidate Rahm Emanuel fielded questions on the Arizona shooting that left Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz) in critical condition. When asked about a comment attributed to him some years ago about "never let a good crisis go to waste," Emanuel was taken aback . "That's not intended for this moment, it doesn't apply to this moment," he said. "Gabby is a friend, I recruited her to run fo...

On Petard Hoisted: Sheriff Dupnicks Hypocrisy on Inflammatory Rhetoric
Arizona’s Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who on Saturday suggested radio and television Talk Shows were somehow responsible for inciting a man who may be mentally disturbed to kill six people and wound 13 others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), once blamed policymakers for violence in his county because they had stopped institutionalizing mentally ill people. Dupnik also suggested that local schools should check the Immigration status of Students and that ...

Gabrielle Giffords Shooting Coverage Becomes Media Navel Gazing
The Tucson shootings, three days removed, have reached the predictable place in the story arc in which media analysis turns into a meta-narrative about the nature of the coverage rather than the event itself. The Victims, intermittently remembered, first were props for an analysis of political Rhetoric, then a playing field for accusations of partisan opportunism and, finally, now are an excuse for media navel-gazing. The coverage and meta-discussion have laid bare this essential truth: There ...

Loughner's Parents "Surprised" by Son's Troubles
Like this Story? Share it: New details about Tuscon gunman Jared Lee Loughner are being revealed as investigators search his home. Ben Tracy reports. Chris Wragge speaks with Tucson shooting survivor Eric Fuller about the gunman, Jared Lee Loughner, and his thoughts on Rep. Gabrielle Gifford's recovery. Only On The Web: CBS News digital Journalist Arden Farhi spoke to Tucson-area residents as they reflect on Saturday's shooting and the impact it's had on their community. The home in Tucson, Ariz...

What We Take for Granted
A friend in Texas writes: >>This was the back page of the sports section in the Dallas paper last Thursday. It really struck me (having lost [a family member] to a 9mm) that these particular Handguns, like too many other guns for sale, have absolutely no even arguably legitimate purpose in the hands of ordinary citizens, as distinct from Soldiers and Law Enforcement officers. (They might be useful to members of a well-ordered Militia, but presumably the gun advocates who've written and re...

Obama faces stiff test in Arizona eulogy
President Barack Obama faces a moment fraught with risk but shrouded in political opportunity when he leads a national memorial service for the dead of the Arizona shooting tragedy. Obama will Wednesday eulogize the Victims and chart a path ahead for a political community convulsed by shock, after a gunman's failed Assassination bid on an Arizona lawmaker killed six and wounded 14. Presidents, in their symbolic roles as head of state and commander-in-chief are periodically required to invoke u...

Tucson rampage spurs talk of greater Hill security (AP)
WASHINGTON – The Senate's sergeant-at-arms says he's against members of Congress arming themselves to increase their safety in the wake of the shooting rampage in Arizona. Terrance Gainer tells ABC's "Good Morning America" that "I don't think it's a good idea." Several ideas have been discussed for increasing security in the wake of Saturday's Shooting Spree in Tucson that left Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona gravely wounded. Gainer says threats to members of the Senate inc...

Tucson rampage spurs talk of greater Hill security
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate’s sergeant-at-arms says he’s against members of Congress arming themselves to increase their safety in the wake of the shooting rampage in Arizona. Several ideas have been discussed for increasing security in the wake of Saturday’s Shooting Spree in Tucson that left Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona gravely wounded. Gainer says threats to members of the Senate increased over the past year — to 49. But he said he considers the...

Congress Looks at Upping Security
Politico reports: Lawmakers are already engaged in vigorous debate over their security, with several pushing for dramatic measures and more money and others saying the actions of a single deranged gunman shouldn’t shut them off from the public. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) told Politico in an e-mail that he plans to propose a reversal of the 5 percent cut Republicans made in members’ office budgets, and he wants a 10 percent increase to cover more security measures in the wake of the sh...

Mental Health Care, Not Political Blame
In the wake of the Arizona shootings, it has been disturbing to see many politicians, Journalists, and even a sheriff exploit a national tragedy for political purposes. And, in so doing, many have set themselves up as Mental Health experts, explaining to the public that political debate and Rhetoric caused a likely psychotic suspect, Jared Loughner, to kill and injure innocent people. This is especially alarming when we consider that those who are public servants might, instead, focus their ef...

Pol suggest Democrat spin on Tuscon shooting not working
Image by Getty Images via @daylife CBS News: Nearly six in 10 Americans say the country's heated political Rhetoric is not to blame for the Tucson shooting rampage that left six dead and critically wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, according to a CBS News poll. In the wake of the shooting, much focus has been put on the harsh tone of politics in Washington and around the country, particularly after a contentious Midterm Election. Rhetoric and imagery from both Republicans and Democrats hav...

Poll: Shooting spree not due to rhetoric
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Most Americans don't blame the shooting rampage in which Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was wounded on violent political language, a poll released Tuesday indicated. While 57 percent said the Mass Shooting in Tucson, Ariz., was not related to political Rhetoric, 32 percent said the two are linked, CBS News reported. The poll was conducted by the CBS News Polling Unit. GALLERY: The aftermath of the Rep. Giffords shooting There was a partisan divide with 69 percent of Republ...

Giffords shooting: Does Capitol Hill need more security? (Video)
Giffords shooting: Does Capitol Hill need more security? (Video)...

Senate Judiciary's first 2011 hearing to be on tax fraud
Over at our Floor Action blog, Pete Kasperowicz has the news that the Senate Judiciary Committee’s first hearing this year is scheduled to be on the government’s efforts to recoup billions in Taxpayer money lost to Fraud.  Senator Patrick Leahy, the judiciary panel’s chairman, announced that Jan. 26 hearing during a Tuesday Speech, noting that fighting fraud was also an issue that interested the committee’s incoming ranking member, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Leahy (D-Vt.) a

Senate sergeant-at-arms: Lawmakers carrying guns not a good idea
It's not a good idea for lawmakers to carry guns for personal protection in the wake of Saturday's shooting in Arizona, the Senate's sergeant at arms said Tuesday. Terrance Gainer, the Senate's top Law Enforcement official and the former chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, urged lawmakers to leave their security to professionals following the shooting on Saturday of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). "I don't think that's a good idea," Gainer said on "Good Morning America" on ABC. "I think we ...