what a sad Party the Democruds are!!!

[tommyg]

The Heat is On: Congressman’s Office Says Constituent Calls Are ‘Harassment’
by Capitol Confidential
Yesterday, I decided to call Rep. John Garamendi’s (CA-10) office in Washington, D.C. He’s my representative and I wanted to voice my opposition to the Senate Health Care Bill. I spoke with a female staffer and politely told her that, while I support health care reform, I oppose the Senate Bill because it wasn’t true “reform.” She said the Congressman thinks it’s a good bill and that he campaigned on health care reform. I told her I knew that. I also mentioned that I voted for him. When I tried to give her specific reasons why the Senate Bill would harm our system rather than reform it, she refused to listen. She said she was very busy and hung up on me. Being the persistent person that I am, I kept calling back. Each time I tried to finish my point, she hung up.



I called one more time. This time she said, “If you call one more time, we will notify Capital Police.” I asked why my conduct warranted involving federal law enforcement agents. She said I was “harassing” her. I tried to explain that trying to convince a representative to change his or her vote didn’t constitute “harassment.” Before I could fully explain, she hung up again.

I called back. This time, I asked to speak to her supervisor in order to report her repeated hanging up as well as the threat she made. I was placed on hold. Thinking I was holding for her supervisor, I was shocked when a Federal Agent with the Capital Police picked-up the telephone.

At first, the Agent was curt with me. He claimed I was harassing Mr. Garamendi’s staff by continually calling after being told to stop calling. I asked him when it became a federal crime to lobby a congressman. He said that it wasn’t but it was a crime to “harass” congressional members and staff pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 223. I told him I was an attorney (which I am) and that I would research the statute he had cited.


After researching 47 U.S.C. 223, I called Mr. Garamendi’s office again and asked to be transferred back to the Capital Police Agent. The Agent picked up the phone and I explained to him that the statute he cited was not controlling since it only prohibits people from calling with the specific intent to harass. I further explained that I was simply trying to voice my concerns with the intent of getting Mr. Garamendi to change his mind, not to harass his staff. The Agent eventually agreed with my position and said he would call Mr. Garamendi’s office and instruct his staff that I was within my rights to call my congressman and voice my concerns.

After I hung up, I realized that this story should be told. Besides being an attorney, I’ve also had the privilege of serving this great country in the United States Marine Corps. Having seen the ugly legislative process the Senate Bill had been through, I saw this as not just another tactic to pass the Senate Bill at all costs, but also as an affront to our liberties.

While I’m fortunate enough to be able to legally challenge what happened today, others aren’t. The sad part is the democrats know this. They know that Americans unfamiliar with federal jurisprudence can easily be silenced when threats to involve federal agents are made. They know that most Americans don’t want trouble and they’ll go away rather than face the possibility of having to explain themselves to federal agents. That’s why I found this tactic appalling, as a Marine, as an attorney and as a proud American.

During my final contact with Mr. Garamendi’s staff, it was confirmed to me that he would vote for the Senate Bill no matter what. I was told that I was wasting my time by calling. Mr. Garamendi is a junior member of the House of Representatives. He was just elected via a special election last November. He has made it clear that he is willing to forsake his constituents in order to please the Speaker of the House.

Speaker Pelosi has said that she will stop at nothing to get the Senate Bill passed. She publicly stated that she would “pole vault over a wall” if barriers stood in her way. While that may be an amusing spectacle, it is indicative of what happened to me today. Apparently, threatening Americans with federal crimes to silence them is the latest tool in Speaker Pelosi’s dirty bag of tricks.

In the coming days, I’m sure more stories will develop illustrating the “win at all costs” tactics being employed by democrats. It’s these tactics that have appalled a majority of Americans to the point that the Senate Bill has overwhelmingly been rejected by the American people. When we try to explain that to Speaker Pelosi’s Caucus, we are threatened with criminal sanctions. We are told to shut up or face federal agents. Such treatment may be acceptable in the former Soviet Union, but it’s repulsive in the country I love and served. Is this hope and change?


This is what the Democrats have stupped to,what sad days we live in.

[old blood beagles]

Tommyg, that was a good story but it would have been better if you did not put your twist on it. I am glad that you researched the violation code and explained to the federal agents about this "harrasment issue" and that you are just voicing your concerns. You did the correct action when faced with a threat from "one individual" but it was not the entire Democratic Party. It was a nice spin on how you placed the blame of this mistake on the speaker of the house and the Democratic Party but that was wrong of you to do. It was also a nice spin on when you said, "He has made it clear that he is willing to forsake his constituents in order to please the Speaker of the House.", maybe he has looked at the big picture and has determined that providing health care to everyone is a good thing and he is not forsaking his constituents but providing for them. On every vote that a congressman makes he will make some of his constituents happy and some of his constituents mad but saying that he is forsaking his constituents is just another spin.

There are many individuals on this board that are Democrats, some are liberals, some are progressives, some are far to the left and some are far to the right and some are in the middle. When you or any of the other individuals that come on here bashing an entire party; it just shows that no matter what we as Democrats do you are against it. What you should remember is it is not the Republicans holding up the health care bill it is the Democrats, and when you start bashing the entire Democratic Party you are bashing the people that are stopping this bill from being passed.

By the way I dont agree with the bill in its present form, but there needs to be some bill passed for "reform" and the only party that is doing anything about the national problem is the Democrats.

[bluegrass]

Tommyg, that was a good story but it would have been better if you did not put your twist on it. I am glad that you researched the violation code and explained to the federal agents about this "harrasment issue" and that you are just voicing your concerns. You did the correct action when faced with a threat from "one individual" but it was not the entire Democratic Party. It was a nice spin on how you placed the blame of this mistake on the speaker of the house and the Democratic Party but that was wrong of you to do. It was also a nice spin on when you said, "He has made it clear that he is willing to forsake his constituents in order to please the Speaker of the House.", maybe he has looked at the big picture and has determined that providing health care to everyone is a good thing and he is not forsaking his constituents but providing for them. On every vote that a congressman makes he will make some of his constituents happy and some of his constituents mad but saying that he is forsaking his constituents is just another spin.

There are many individuals on this board that are Democrats, some are liberals, some are progressives, some are far to the left and some are far to the right and some are in the middle. When you or any of the other individuals that come on here bashing an entire party; it just shows that no matter what we as Democrats do you are against it. What you should remember is it is not the Republicans holding up the health care bill it is the Democrats, and when you start bashing the entire Democratic Party you are bashing the people that are stopping this bill from being passed.

By the way I dont agree with the bill in its present form, but there needs to be some bill passed for "reform" and the only party that is doing anything about the national problem is the Democrats.

Uh, has reading COMPREHENSION totally left the state of Kentucky??

LMFAO!!!!!


So Tommy...when did you move to Cali???

[lowell robertson]

If you don't agree with the man, don't vote for him next time.

[tommyg]

Tommyg, that was a good story but it would have been better if you did not put your twist on it. I am glad that you researched the violation code and explained to the federal agents about this "harrasment issue" and that you are just voicing your concerns. You did the correct action when faced with a threat from "one individual" but it was not the entire Democratic Party. It was a nice spin on how you placed the blame of this mistake on the speaker of the house and the Democratic Party but that was wrong of you to do. It was also a nice spin on when you said, "He has made it clear that he is willing to forsake his constituents in order to please the Speaker of the House.", maybe he has looked at the big picture and has determined that providing health care to everyone is a good thing and he is not forsaking his constituents but providing for them. On every vote that a congressman makes he will make some of his constituents happy and some of his constituents mad but saying that he is forsaking his constituents is just another spin.

There are many individuals on this board that are Democrats, some are liberals, some are progressives, some are far to the left and some are far to the right and some are in the middle. When you or any of the other individuals that come on here bashing an entire party; it just shows that no matter what we as Democrats do you are against it. What you should remember is it is not the Republicans holding up the health care bill it is the Democrats, and when you start bashing the entire Democratic Party you are bashing the people that are stopping this bill from being passed.

By the way I dont agree with the bill in its present form, but there needs to be some bill passed for "reform" and the only party that is doing anything about the national problem is the Democrats.

Old Blood thanks for the lecture but I don't need it. These are my thoughts and I have a right to them. You want to have the why can't we all get along attitude thats you're right but remember that mind set got us where we are. America has become what the founding fathers tried to protect us from be cause of DEMOCRUDS!!!

[tommyg]

[quote="lowell robertson"]If you don't agree with the man, don't vote for him next time.[/quo

Didn't vote for him the first time!I don't vote for Communists.

[old blood beagles]

This nation was based on a two party system. We need both Democrats and Republicans and when I have a problem with someone I dont say that the entire party is at fault, and I dont come on here bashing everybody that belongs to that party.
From your post, you had a problem with one person and turned it around and made it sound like the entire Democratic Party was out to get you.
This is what you posted:

"While I’m fortunate enough to be able to legally challenge what happened today, others aren’t. The sad part is the democrats know this. They know that Americans unfamiliar with federal jurisprudence can easily be silenced when threats to involve federal agents are made. They know that most Americans don’t want trouble and they’ll go away rather than face the possibility of having to explain themselves to federal agents. That’s why I found this tactic appalling, as a Marine, as an attorney and as a proud American."

A big part of that statement is what got me. "The sad part is the democrats know this" The Democratic Party is not out to get you, just as the Republican Party is not out to get me. Like I said at the begining of my post, I liked the way that you confronted the harassment issue when dealing with a congressmans office but that should have been the end of that story.

[tommyg]

That was an X Marine and a Laywer.Not me.It was to show how low down the Democrats have become.