As news from Japan grows more dire, Americans are longing for a happier, bygone era when Charlie Sheen -- and not catastrophic earthquakes -- distracted us from the inexorable crushing of the Libyan uprising. Evan Bayh inked a contributor deal with Fox News, continuing the network's tradition of hiring Republicans with ambitions for public office. And our proposal that this week's budget CR honor Pi Day by lasting for 3.1415926535897932384626433832 weeks doesn't seem to be catching on. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Monday, March 14th, 2011, complete with a flimsy metaphor linking the Freedom of Information Act to bingo cards:
WISCONSIN RECALL EFFORT ALREADY HALFWAY THERE - Greg Sargent: "Dems have now collected over 56,000 signatures supporting the recall drives, according to party spokesman Graeme Zielinski, after another surge in organizing activity over the weekend. That's up from rougly 14,000 after last weekend. This means Dems are well ahead of schedule: In each targeted district, Dems need to amass the required signatures -- 25 percent of the number who voted in the last gubernatorial election -- by a deadline of 60 days after first filing for recalls, which happened nearly two weeks ago. In other words, Dems are reporting they are nearly halfway to the finish line, with roughly three-fourths of the alloted time remaining. [WaPo]
WASHINGTON NOW A PLACE WHERE YOU MUST EXPLAIN YOUR CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - From this morning's Playbook, on the forced departure of P.J. Crowley after he criticized the Department of Defense's treatment of alleged Wikileaker Bradley Manning: "Crowley is unusually sensitive to the treatment of prisoners because his late father, a B-17 pilot, was a prisoner of war for two years in a camp that at the time was part of East Germany. But that wasn't the main reason for his comments." [POLITICO Playbook]
We suppose we gotta concede the point: It is, in fact, unusual for a public official in Washington to care about the treatment of prisoners. Good thing they got rid of that bad apple.
Running tonight in The Hill: "Mike Lillis on how President Obama's new call for tougher checks on gun buyers has energized gun-control advocates who've been waiting for two years for the president to make good on his campaign pledge."
DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - Yesterday was Bonnie Krewson's second anniversary since her layoff as an office administrator, the Folsom, Calif. resident told DDD. Krewson said she's applied for jobs at places like Home Depot, Sam's Club, and In-Out-Burger, and almost never gets an interview. Krewson, 58, said she suspects her age and her lack of a four-year college degree are hindering her chances. She said that since she ran out of unemployment benefits, her only monthly income is $190 from General Assistance and $200 from food stamps, with an occasional assist from family. It's not enough to cover expenses. The job search is demoralizing. "It's making me feel like, 'What is wrong with me?'" she said. "People tell me all the time, 'It's not you per se. The difference is you're now competing against 10 times as many people and more than half of those are probably going to have better qualifications.'" That is definitely the difference.
Tonight in Roll Call, from Paul Singer.: "Congress is on a cost-cutting spree, looking for any place to trim the federal budget, but one line item appears safe: The $235,000 allocated each year for expense accounts for top leaders of each chamber...Unlike other official accounts, these expense accounts go largely unitemized, so there is no telling what the money is used for.
REPORT: OBAMA NOT FULFILLING TRANSPARENCY PLEDGE - In theory, a Freedom of Information Act request should be the "Free Space" on the bingo card of political journalism (just hear us out). If fully enforced, the 1966 law -- compelling the government to produce information about nearly any aspect of its operation if asked -- could allow a reporter, no matter how green, to gain access to previously undisclosed documents and information. While seasoned D.C. journalists might have a stable of sources thanks to years of meeting people at book parties or dating people who room with Financial Services staffers (or whatever qualifies as pavement-pounding in this city), a FOIA request could, if properly exploited, provide a young D.C. journalist with a much-needed starter-scoop (See?! It's the space that everyone gets! NAILED. IT.). However, a new report from George Washington University's National Security Archive indicates that the law continues to be haphazardly enforced, despite an executive order from President Obama on his first full day in office to streamline its implementation. Writes Time's Adam Sorensen: "The review of the 28 government agencies that handle most FOIA requests showed only 4 releasing more information, 5 are withholding even more data, and another 18 have showed "mixed" results. Only 13 of 90 agencies across the government produced documentation proving changes to FOIA practices since Obama signed his order in 2009." [Time]
BAYHWATCH - HuffPost broke the news today that former Indiana Senator Evan Bayh has inked a deal with Fox News to be a regular contributor to the network. Bayh has already taken a consulting job with Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm in New York. When announcing his retirement from the Senate, Bayh said that he hoped to spend his post-Congress years by "creating jobs by helping grow a business, helping guide an institution of higher learning, or helping run a worthy charitable endeavor." We really don't want to call it like we see it and accuse Bayh of breaking his promise simply because he wanted to cash out, but unless he's developed a nagging addiction to gold-laced cocaine or is attempting to single-handedly bankroll the Arrested Development movie, we're at a loss. [HuffPost]
So is Evan Bayh purposely mocking Ezra Klein? ["Stay In The Senate, Mr. Bayh"]
Don't be bashful: Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill
Democratic sources are denying reports that Tim Kaine is jumping into the 2012 Virginia Senate race but say he is "likely" to do so. The clarifications come after a report this morning that Kaine told a Richmond University class that he intends to enter the contest. "In response to a student's question, Governor Kaine told his law school class today what is already widely known, which is that he is increasingly likely to run," DNC spokesperson Brad Woodhouse said to HuffPost's Sam Stein. [HuffPost]
A Kansas legislator is open to using hunters in helicopters to control illegal immigration, and is making his case by likening immigrants to feral hogs. "Topeka -- A legislator said Monday it might be a good idea to control illegal immigration the way the feral hog population has been controlled -- with hunters shooting from helicopters. State Rep. Virgil Peck, R-Tyro, said he was just joking, but that his comment did reflect frustration with the problem of illegal immigration." [LJWorld]
A surprising poll out of Massachusetts -- where roughly 135% of voters are registered Democrats -- finds that Scott Brown is in strong shape for his reelection. A Western New England College survey of Bay Staters gives Brown a 53/27 favorable/unfavorable rating. What's more, when polled against two possible Democratic challengers, Mike Capuano and Elizabeth Warren, Brown leads 51-38 and 51-34, respectively. [HuffPost's Emily Swanson]
CANTOR: NO MORE STOP-GAP BUDGETS AFTER THIS WEEK - At his pen-and-pad session today, Majority Leader Eric Cantor told reporters that the three-week continuing budget resolution up for a vote in the House tomorrow will be the last he or his conference plans on supporting before a long-term spending measure is finalized. "We hope and intend for this to be the last one," Cantor said. "We hope that this is the last time this happens." Patience with the current funding process is wearing then and a growing number of congressional Republicans, including Orrin Hatch, Marco Rubio, Mike Lee and Study Committee Chair Jim Jordan have said that they will vote against the three-week proposal. [Politico]
Fox News: "At the House Rules Committee Monday, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., told his colleagues that it is impossible to 'defund' the $105 billion in mandatory spending approved for the health care law that Reps. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. and Steve King, R-Iowa, are demanding."
CARL PALADINO STILL OWES CAMPAIGN STAFFERS...A LOT - Carl Paladino, who you may remember as the failed New York gubernatorial candidate / Ed Wood protagonist if Ed Wood made films about that crazy uncle at your Thanksgiving table, owes his staffers $130,000 (roughly the annual GDP of his native Buffalo). "I would have expected a nice thank-you from Carl for all the hard work I had contributed, but instead I got screwed," former campaign staffer Tim Suereth told the Buffalo News, who first reported the story. Paladino's campaign committee, Paladino for the People, currently has a balance of $5,305 and is over $5 million in debt. Writes James Heany: "Several of those owed money described a frequent pattern of behavior by Paladino when he was approached for payment. Paladino at first failed to respond, and then offered a disputed history of the terms originally agreed upon. Paladino sometimes contended that, regardless of terms, he paid people what he felt they were worth, the former aides and consultants said. And, they added, Paladino often became insulting and confrontational." [Buffalo News]
Speaking of Upstate New York and the zany politicians that it keeps churning out, former Rep. Chris Lee has informed his supporters that he intends to return their donations. "I regret very much how my actions affected my family, staff and constituents," Lee wrote in the letter to his backers (and published by the Buffalo News, which is really killing it today). "Now, as a private citizen, my first priority is to try and pull back together a life for my family. God willing, with the continued support of family and friends, it will happen." [HuffPost]
HuffPost Hill is a sucker for FakePerson Twitter accounts. Can't get enough of 'em. You may think they're getting old but if you ask us, satire doesn't come any fresher these days. The more DCJournos and MayorEmanuels the better. However if you're a reporter and the fake Twitter account that is the subject of your trend piece HASN'T EVEN BEGUN TO TREND, maybe it's best to hold off on writing a trend piece about it. "Michigan budget director John Nixon doesn't have a Twitter account, but like Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, he has attracted a tweeter pretending to be him.The FakeJohnNixon Twitter account started up last week and already has posted around 150 tweets...It had only 23 followers as of Sunday afternoon and was following 41 other Twitter accounts." [AP/Lansing State Journal]
KEVIN SMITH DONATING "RED STATE" PROCEEDS TO FAMILY THAT SUED FRED PHELPS - John Aravosis: "Writer-director Kevin Smith, whose new movie "Red State" is, shall we say, "inspired" by Fred "God Hates Fags" Phelps, will be donating a portion of the proceeds of the film's DC screening to the family that sued Phelps and lost (the family now has to pay Phelps' court costs)." The screening is tomorrow evening at the Warner Theater.
JEREMY'S WEATHER REPORT - Spring is only six days away! and the weather is definitely cooperating. Tonight, the low will be just shy of 40, and though it doesn't mean that you can ditch the jacket at night, we're getting there. Tomorrow: Can we get to 60? It looks doubtful. We'll be in the high-50s, but a possible rain shower in the afternoon would keep us from that mark. Thanks, JB!
COMFORT FOOD
- The trailer for Ferris Bueller's Day Off re-cut to present it as an indie coming-of-age film. [http://bit.ly/fKGrq4]
- The guy who carved a melon to look like the Death Star probably didn't wake up thinking he'd do that. Actually, he probably did. [http://bit.ly/fEh2Py]
- Panoramic photographs of 96 abandoned places, meant to portray Earth after mankind. [http://bit.ly/fyelAe]
- Vintage poison labels, at least one of which needs to be turned into a concert poster ASAP. [http://bit.ly/3DyxZ]
- Inception reinterpreted in 60 seconds and performed by 19th century etchings of dandies.[http://bit.ly/fjSSvp]
- There are days -- typically Mondays -- where we wish we could follow in this guy's footsteps and paint trees in the desert for a living. [http://bit.ly/g8Jan1]
- More snippets of old video games with real-life sounds spliced in over the usual beeps and boops. [http://bit.ly/gpHaQB]
- The Interne is a fickle beast: Somehow the "Hipster Dog" meme comes about AFTER "Hipster Ariel" and "Hipster Scott Walker." [http://aol.it/gSyK8U]
TWITTERAMA
@BenjySarlin: Everyone, stop making fun of Haley Barbour, he's the savviest mind in politics. I read that in Politico somewhere.
@delrayser: I hear that the new version of Tim Kaine will have a front-facing camera. #kainerumors
@brianbeutler: Evan Bayh retired to spend more time with his family.
ON TAP
TONIGHT
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Tom Petri throws his annual "Wisconsin Brat Fry." We appreciate a good brat as much as the next political newsletter, but, just once, we wish Petri would name one of his food-cenric fundraisers the "Petri Dish." [Sons of the American Legion Kenneth H. Nash Post 8, 224 D Street SE].
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm: Louise Slaughter holds a D.C. coffer-filling cocktail reception. She is the co-chair of the arts caucus so expect a lot of lobbying dollars to fly her way. [National Democratic Club Townhouse, 40 Ivy Street SE].
TOMORROW
8:00 am - 9:00 am: Is it just us or do you think Barney Frank slurps loudly when eating cereal? Find out at his breakfast fundraiser! [National Democratic Club Townhouse, 40 Ivy Street SE].
6:00 pm: The last John Dingell fundraiser we wrote about had the Dean shooting pheasants out of the sky. This time it's just drinks and small bites. [Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill, 525 New Jersey Ave NW].
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