Rep. Alcee Hastings, (D-FL)
This is what Representative Alcee Hastings (D-FL)told a group of Jewish voters Wednesday in Florida regarding Sarah Palin:
”Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through.”
If you don't know who Alcee Hastings is, you should. Not because he has been a significant legislator, which he has not. Alcee Hastings is worthy of note for many reasons. For one thing, he is a race baiter, as evidenced by his despicable comments of this week.
More importantly, Hastings has a very questionable past. Before entering politics, he was a judge-until he was impeached and removed by Congress in 1988-89. In 1981, while a sitting federal judge in the Southern District of Florida (appointed by Jimmy Carter), Hastings was charged with bribery and perjury in connection with an alleged $150,000 bribe to be paid in return for a lenient sentence to two defendants and return of their seized assets.
In 1981, two brothers, Frank and Thomas Romano, were accused of stealing $1 million from a union pension fund. They were found guilty in a federal trial in Hastings’ court. While the Romanos were awaiting sentencing, William Dredge, a man facing separate drug charges, contacted the FBI and said that Hastings was soliciting a bribe in the Romano case.
According to Dredge, a certain William Borders, a lawyer friend of Hastings, was acting as an intermediary for Hastings. Dredge further stated that Borders had informed him that, in return for $150,000, Hastings would give a sentence of no jail time and return seized assets to the brothers.
A sting operation by the FBI resulted, in which an undercover agent carried on negotiations with Borders.
Hastings did indeed throw out the judgment, and evidently acted to ensure that it was done quickly. According to testimony, he told his courtroom clerk:
“I want the order today...Sorry for the rush, but the order has to go out today.”
A short time later, a pickup date for the full payoff was set.
The FBI, during the investigation, also wiretapped calls between Hastings and Borders. In one call, Hastings stated:
"I've drafted all those ah, ah, letters, ah, for him, and everything's okay. The only thing I was concerned with was, did you hear if, ah, hear from him after we talked?". (Edward Cody, "Jury Acquits Judge Hastings In Bribery Case," Washington Post, February 4, 1983) This statement was introduced in his trial by the prosecution.
On October 9, 1981, Borders was arrested as he met the undercover agent to pick up a payment of $125,000.
In spite of the fact that prosecutors had Hastings on tape discussing the bribe, a jury acquitted him when the key witness refused to testify. Congress took up the matter in 1988 when he was impeached and removed the following year for bribery and perjury. Immediately after his removal, Hastings announced his intention to run for Congress in the 23rd Disrict of Florida. He was victorious and there he sits today. This is the man whom Nancy Pelosi nearly appointed to be the head of the House Select Committee on Intelligence until the resulting heat about Hastings' past caused her to reconsider.
So, as you evaluate this statement:
”Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through.”
Consider this:
“I want the order today...Sorry for the rush, but the order has to go out today.”
And this:
"I've drafted all those ah, ah, letters, ah, for him, and everything's okay. The only thing I was concerned with was, did you hear if, ah, hear from him after we talked?".
I suppose the next condemnation of Sarah Palin will come from Congressman William "Cold Cash" Jefferson.
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