After this morning's ruling from Federal judge Henry Hudson, I took a closer look at him, since his ruling seemed to try to make a record for a valid challenge to existing case law on the constitutionality of the commerce clause. The right wing has long harbored the hope of stacking the Supreme Court with enough conservatives to overturn a huge body of existing case law established when the New Deal was passed, and this ruling plays right into it.

Meet U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson. Via Huffington Post:

But with power comes scrutiny. And as judgment day approaches, a Democratic source sends over judicial disclosure forms Hudson filed that could raise questions about his impartiality. From 2003 through 2008, Hudson has been receiving "dividends" from Campaign Solutions Inc., among other investments. In 2008, he reported income of between $5,000 and $15,000 from the firm. (Data from 2009 was not available at the Judicial Watch database.)

A powerhouse Republican online communications firm, Campaign Solutions, has done work for a host of prominent Republican clients and health care reform critics, including the RNC and NRCC (both of which have called, to varying degrees, for health care reform's repeal). The president of the firm, Becki Donatelli, is the wife of longtime GOP hand Frank Donatelli, and is an adviser to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, among others.

Another firm client is Ken Cuccinelli, the Attorney General of Virginia and the man who is bringing the lawsuit in front of Hudson's court. In 2010, records show, Cuccinelli spent nearly $9,000 for Campaign Solutions services.

Campaign Solutions answers thus:

Judge Hudson has owned stock in Campaign Solutions going back 13 years to the founding of the company or well before he became a federal judge. Since joining the federal bench, he has fully disclosed his stock ownership in the company. He is a passive investor only, has no knowledge of the day to day operations of the firm, and has never discussed any aspect of the business with any official of the company.

Ah, but the Donatelli dynasty isn't simply limited to Campaign Solutions, which is basically a turnkey campaign creator. No, no. The Donatellis are the "go to" people for all sorts of Republican fun.

Let's start with the Young America's Foundation. This is the non-profit organization for the Reagan Ranch in Santa Barbara. In addition to maintaining the ranch, the Young America's Foundation has training, literature and other good clean fun for indoctrinating America's youth in the ways of the Republican Party. Frank Donatelli is a director and the Secretary/Treasurer of the Young America's Foundation. (2008 Form 990 - PDF) The Foundation's President is Ron Robinson. Ron Robinson is a director of Citizens United.

Then there is Donatelli Group, which includes Campaign Solutions, EDonation.com, and DonationReport.com, in addition to their PR/Direct Mail arm at ConnellDonatelli and Donatelli Avella. Donatelli Avella receives $15,000/month from GOPAC for management and political consulting. Of course, the Donatelli outfit is also closely linked to the Swiftboaters of 2004. Click that link for a list of some current clients, including...Young America's Foundation. Oh, and Citizens United.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words (and links):

(interactive map)

There's some pretty direct linkage between Frank and Rebecca Donatelli and the Koch family, the McCain campaign, and other Republican movers and shakers.

Anyone who spends any time researching campaigns, campaign finance, and the Republican party learns right up front that nothing happens in the Republican party without a Donatelli having a hand in it somewhere. They are everywhere.

So, to have a judge who is one of thirteen private investors in a firm which is one of the primary Republican movers and shakers and which has deep, strong connections to Citizens United, its affiliates and its directors is no small thing. It is a very, very big thing. People who invest money in small, closely held corporations aren't the kind who call up their broker and ask what the hot stock of the day is. They know the ones they're investing in very well, probably have a round of golf or two with them from time to time, and surely have moved beyond the occasional meeting at a fundraiser or dinner party.

Bottom line: Judge Henry Hudson is a well-connected player in the Republican party. Just what the party machine ordered. A well-oiled judge to smooth the way for what is a planned assault on any legislation that benefits people rather than corporations.

Good job, GOP.

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Sarah Palin takes her circus act back in the road and hits the NRA for yet another bronco busting vitriolic act.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin warned NRA members Friday that President Barack Obama wants to gut the Second Amendment and told a separate gathering that "mama grizzlies" will help Republicans win this November, sweeping away the Democratic agenda.

Palin, a potential 2012 presidential candidate, told National Rifle Association members during their annual meeting that the only thing stopping Obama and his Democratic allies from trying to ban guns is political backlash.

"Don't doubt for a minute that, if they thought they could get away with it, they would ban guns and ban ammunition and gut the Second Amendment," said Palin, a lifelong NRA member who once had a baby shower at a local gun range in Alaska. "It's the job of all of us at the NRA and its allies to stop them in their tracks."Gun enthusiasts have trumpeted fears that their rights would erode under a Democrat-led White House and Congress, but President Barack Obama has largely been silent on issues such as reviving an assault weapons ban or strengthening background checks at gun shows. Obama also signed a law allowing people to carry loaded guns in national parks... read on ...

This is just what we need: Another Republican flamethrower sending messages to gun cranks and anti-government paranoids. Has she started reading the news yet? If she did, then she could have come across a freedom fighting gun lover like Richard Poplawski, who executed three police officers in Pittsburgh. His delusions are driven by right-wing gun fanatics spewing lies which manifested itself in murder because, as he saw it, "Obama wanted to take away his guns."

Richard Andrew "Pop" Poplawski's ex-girlfriend said he dragged her by the hair and threatened to shoot her. He slept with a gun under his pillow in a basement room filled with firearms and ammunition, convinced that Jews controlled the media and President Obama was scheming to take away his arsenal, friends and relatives said Saturday

She included so many other lies in her speech, but I don't have the energy to debunk them all. Who does?

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Sean Hannity latest teabagging event has come to a violent halt when he pulled out at the last minute. WLWT reported that there were some technical issues and then it would seem that Hannity blamed it on personal reasons.

Fox News commentator Sean Hannity has cancelled his appearance and broadcast at a Tea Party rally at Fifth Third Arena.Hannity planned to tape his television show from the event, which starts at 6 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati.Organizers of the rally said there were technical issues, but that the overriding factor for the cancellation was a personal matter that Hannity needed to attend to in New York. WLWT was the first to report that there were issues when Hannity failed to appear at a book signing at 4:30 p.m. Minutes later, Hannity's bus was seen leaving the campus.Hannity's newscast will broadcast from New York with a guest host.

However that story isn't holding water. The LA Times is reporting that Sean took a scolding from FOX News execs and they are making him do his show tonight from his studio.

Angry Fox News executives ordered host Sean Hannity to abandon plans to broadcast his nightly show as part of a Tea Party rally in Cincinnati on Thursday after top executives learned that he was set to headline the event, proceeds from which would benefit the local Tea Party organization.

Rally organizers had listed Hannity, who is on a book tour, as the headliner of the four-hour Tax Day event at the University of Cincinnati. The rally, expected to draw as many as 13,000 people, was set feature speakers such as “Liberal Facism” author Jonah Goldberg and local Tea Party leaders. Participants were being charged a minimum of $5, with seats near Hannity’s set going for $20, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, which reported that any profits would go to future Tea Party events. Media Matters for America noted that Hannity’s personal website directed supporters to a link to buy tickets for the Cincinnati rally.

But senior Fox News executives said they were not aware Hannity was being billed as the centerpiece of the event or that Tea Party organizers were charging for admission to Hannity’s show as part of the rally. They first learned of it Thursday morning from John Finley, Hannity's executive producer, who was in Cincinnati to produce Hannity's show.

Furious, top officials recalled Hannity back to New York to do his show in his regular studio. The network plans to do an extensive post-mortem about the incident with Finley and Hannity's staff.

“Fox News never agreed to allow the Cincinnati Tea Party organizers to use Sean Hannity’s television program to profit from broadcasting his show from the event," said Bill Shine, the network’s executive vice president of programming. "When senior executives in New York were made aware of this, we changed our plans for tonight’s show.”

Before the tea party movement got going, FOX News was very excited to use their entire network to promote them because a Democratic politician was elected to the White House. Now, they are trying to make believe that never happened. I wonder if their legal department got involved when money was changing hands with the teabaggers?

UPDATE: More News from FOX 19:

A statement was released by the Vice president of Programming of FOX News, Bill Shine.

"FOX News never agreed to allow the Cincinnati Tea Party Organizers to use Sean Hannity's television program to profit from broadcasting his show from the event. When senior executives in New York were made aware, we changed our plans for tonight's show." FOX News has confirmed that Sean Hannity's broadcast of tonight's show from New York City.

Yep, it's all about the cash. Well they still have Joe the Plumber and Bill Cunningham to entertain them...

Poor Glenn Reynolds of Pajamas Media has been there waiting for Hannity to arrive and now can be counted as the people who were surely disappointed by Hannity's sudden departure.

Uh oh, another one bites the dust:

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s senior adviser and spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, has resigned, POLITICO has learned.

Stapleton has been a Palin confidante since December 2006 and one of the governor’s most trusted aides since she was vaulted onto the national political scene by being picked as GOP presidential nominee John McCain’s running mate.

Stapleton said she resigned to spend more time with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Isabella.

“While it has been an honor to help Gov. Palin and her family over the last few years, I am also honored to have this incredible opportunity to stay home with my precious miracle, Isabella,” Stapleton told POLITICO. "[She is] 2 years old, [and] I have missed significant moments in her life, but I look forward with great happiness to celebrating milestones as well as mundane moments with her as I refocus my priorities. I also look forward to seeing my saint of a husband again, too!”

Awww...ain't that sweet? Surrounded by miracles and saints! It's a wonder that she stayed with Palin as long as she did considering the inducements at home. But what PoliticsUSA noted was what Palin didn't say about her longtime aide leaving. Namely, anything at all:

What makes Stapleton’s resignation so obviously just another Palin aide being thrown under the bus (the bodies are really piling up under the Bitter Express) is that Palin did not even have the graciousness to issue a “we appreciated Meg’s work” statement.

Nope. Instead we got Fred Malek, quoted by Politico as “Palin friend” when what they really meant to say was Fred Malek, her number one fan. Yes, that Fred Malek, of the counting Jews fame. Palin palling around with genocidists is more of those Real Merika values. [..]

Good old Fred (we all know how trustworthy this guy is) issued the following lame statement:

“Meg has been deeply involved in all things Palin and instrumental in Sarah’s many successes,” Fred Malek, a prominent Republican fundraiser and Palin friend, told POLITICO. “It’s hard to replace anyone so loyal, tireless and effective, but the Palin phenomenon will continue. Meg has surely earned the privilege to devote more time to her 2-year-old daughter, but I expect she will continue to render advice to her good friend on key issues.”

Sarah couldn’t manage to even spit out a normal PR statement sans venom. She has a history of releasing PR statements calling her constituents “asinine”, so perhaps Freddie thought it best that he speak on her behalf, lest she hurt the Palin brand any more than she already has in the last 6 months.

The citizens of Alaska must grow more embarrassed by the day:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Another ethics complaint was filed against Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday – less than a week before her resignation – alleging she failed to submit complete gift disclosure forms in a timely manner.

The complaint filed with the attorney general is the 19th ethics grievance against Palin, who responded via Twitter postings that the filings came from a "serial complainer" intent on abusing the political process.

And now an independent investigator finds Palin may have broken ethics laws by taking big bucks from her GOP buddies to pay for legal bills:

The report obtained by The Associated Press says Palin is securing unwarranted benefits and receiving improper gifts through the Alaska Fund Trust, set up by supporters.

An investigator for the state Personnel Board says in his July 14 report that there is probable cause to believe Palin used or attempted to use her official position for personal gain because she authorized the creation of the trust as the "official" legal defense fund. Read on...

Continuing her bid to be the biggest political joke in U.S. history, soon-to-be ex-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin chose to whine about the charges on Twitter, accusing her accuser of violating ethics laws:

"In violation of Ethics Act more allegations were filed today by serial complainer; gave to press be4 we could respond; ridiculous, wasteful..." Palin wrote in the first of a string of postings on the social networking site Twitter. Read on...

As our Jon Perr notes, Palin could have raised a lot more money and gotten a lot more help from the GOP faithful had she adopted the Scooter Libby 3-step defense method.

(Photo via an old Joe Scarborough post: Scarborough: "Is Bush An 'Idiot'?" )

In a post I did last week I was asking the whereabouts of George Bush. We now have a Bush sighting, and it's not about him defending Dick Cheney's lust for torture.

CQ has some excerpts from a new "inside the Bush White House" book coming out shortly, and what we find is Dubya was not much of a fan of Sarah Palin.

Bush also is quoted as saying Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was "being put into a position she is not even remotely prepared for" after McCain announced her as his vice presidential running mate.

“I’m trying to remember if I’ve met her before. I’m sure I must have.” His eyes twinkled, then he asked, “What is she, the governor of Guam?”

Everyone in the room seemed to look at him in horror, their mouths agape. When Ed told him that conservatives were greeting the choice enthusiastically, he replied, “Look, I’m a team player, I’m on board.” He thought about it for a minute. “She’s interesting,” he said again. “You know, just wait a few days until the bloom is off the rose.” Then he made a very smart assessment.

“This woman is being put into a position she is not even remotely prepared for,” he said. “She hasn’t spent one day on the national level. Neither has her family. Let’s wait and see how she looks five days out.” It was a rare dose of reality in a White House that liked to believe every decision was great, every Republican was a genius, and McCain was the hope of the world because, well, because he chose to be a member of our party.

When he says he's a team player all that meant was he didn't want to offend the wingnut base and their love affair with an unqualified VP choice. It's no surprise that he bangs McCain, but what will his loyal followers say after they read him attacking the teabagger Queen?

Mike Huckabee is still a favorite among the James Dobson crowd as Sarah Palin was a no show at their Value Voters Summit weekend wingnut jubilee.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won the Values Voter Summit's 2012 presidential straw poll Saturday, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence each won roughly 12 percent of the 597 votes cast.

Four of the top five candidates addressed religious conservatives at the three-day Values Voter conference in Washington this week — the kind of attendance seen as a significant gesture by activists here, especially in an off-election year. Palin did not make an appearance.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, which hosted the conference, said Saturday that Huckabee had "potential," but stressed that the former governor's strong showing wouldn't translate into automatic support from the FRC's political action committee. "We want a fully-rounded conservative candidate," he said. "Right now, the door's wide open."

If Palin had showed up and winked at the crowd, her base would have responded in kind, but it's tough going to these things for the quitter. She'll be there in a few years and whip the religious conservative base up into a frenzy.

And Huckabee shows off his foreign policy chops by backing the insane John Bolton over the Pentagon and the White House. There you have it...