Bennie Thompson's Supports Obama, but hoarding money

Bennie Thompson is still supporting Barack Obama as he says in this video in which he criticizes President Bush for the veto of two farm bills he says were necessary for the Delta.


However, Democrats are criticizing Thompson and his colleagues for hoarding cash.

Cash-strapped House Democrats are beginning to feel Scrooged by politically safe elder statesmen who won't part with stockpiles of campaign money.

Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania has $3.5 million in the bank. Ed Markey and Richie Neal of Massachusetts have a combined $5.9 million — at a time when Republican Scott Brown's special-election Senate victory has Democrats worried that they'll lose the open 10th District based on Cape Cod. Brad Sherman of California has $2.9 million, Lloyd Doggett of Texas has $2.8 million, Jerry Costello of Illinois has $2.4 million, and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi has $2 million.

"I would use the word shameful. Embarrassing and shameful. There are people on this list who are chairmen. There are people on this list who want to be chairman. And then obviously No. 6 ," said the chief of staff to another Democrat in a top-tier race. "It's incredibly short-sighted. If they ever want to run for something, someone's going to slam them on the fact that they just sat on [millions]."

Dems turning on each other, attack Thompson for hording money

Erica Payne at the Huffington Post attacked Bennie Thompson and other Democrats for not sharing their wealth with their colleagues.

Like a chubby kid stockpiling his Dunk-a-roos at snack-time, many Democratic politicians in safe seats are hoarding their goodies while embattled colleagues go hungry this campaign season. The bottom line is: vulnerable Democrats are begging donors for cash -- $2,400 at a time, while their colleagues are sitting on millions of dollars they could unleash with a pen stroke. So what is it? Senate aspirations? Bag lady syndrome? Who knows? And, frankly, who cares? It's time we taught our little hoarders to share.

Bennie Thompson: Performance Measures to Secure Homeland Security Money...like $22 million for Tougaloo

So President Barack Obama signed a law to reduce waste and increase accountability in Homeland Security funds. Bennie Thompson said about the new law:

“Without reliable performance measures, we risk allotting scarce homeland security grant dollars to activities that do not boost our nation’s preparedness,” said Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

We agree. Afterall, if we waste Homeland Security money, we won't have any to spend on those critical needs to keep our country safe and "boost our nation's preparedness." Things like...a $23 million earmark for Tougaloo for a program that apparently didn't exist.

In an earmark request for 2010 appropriations, Thompson’s Web site indicates that he is seeking $23 million for the “National Institute for Education and Training” at Tougaloo College for “an Operational Test and Evaluation Activity (OTEA) in Vicksburg, Mississippi…”

The money would be “an addition to existing programs” at the institutions, [Thompson's Chief of Staff Lanier] Avant said. Tougaloo “has one of the most renowned engineering programs of all the [historically black colleges and universities] in the country. … It’s not like Tougaloo is some kind of new kid on the block,” he said.

But Tougaloo does not offer an engineering major. The school’s course catalog indicates that there is not a single engineering class being taught at Tougaloo this semester. The school does have a joint program with the Georgia Institute of Technology that allows students to transfer there to get their engineering degree after finishing their liberal arts coursework at Tougaloo.

George Armstrong, a chemistry professor who serves as the interim director of Tougaloo’s National Institute for Education and Training in Transportation Security, said he had heard about the earmark but had no details about it.

“That is something just coming out,” Armstrong said. “I wouldn’t have known about it except I just happened to be in a meeting” where the project was mentioned, he said last week. “It hasn’t been fully defined … [though] I know our name is associated with that.”

Investigative Reporting Blog on Bennie Thompson, Hinds Homeland Security funds

The Center for Investigative Reporting says the press missed a "politically intriguing" story about Hinds County, Homeland Security funds, and Congressman Bennie Thompson.

The Center for Investigative Reporting has offered up numerous stories by now of communities running into trouble with federal grants awarded to them by Washington for anti-terrorism and preparedness purposes. But one of the most politically intriguing so far surfaced in early October.

That’s when the Department of Homeland Security told local authorities in Hinds County, Miss., that they needed to return public-safety equipment purchased with the funds that went unused. The list of questioned gear apparently accumulating dust included tanks for oxygen masks, four-wheelers, search-and-rescue tools and even “heavy-duty trucks,” according to one local news account.

What did that news account neglect to mention? Hinds County is represented by Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson, chair of the powerful House Homeland Security Committee. Thompson doesn’t just back the $33 billion Congress has handed out in readiness grants to states and local communities since 2002. He’s chided FEMA for trying to implement a policy that would have required grantees to use their own money for maintaining equipment they’d already bought.

Tea Party Goes Digital on Childers, Thompson

The Mississippi Tea Party now has digital billboards up. One with Travis Childers and Nancy Pelosi asks, "Do They speak for YOU?" we hear are up in Corinth, Columbus, and Tupelo.



Another features Bennie Thompson and Bill Marcy. This one in Greenville says "15 million out of work! VOTE Nov.2, You might be next." Next to Thompson it says "We're doing alright" and next to Marcy "We deserve better."

Mississippi Tea Party Billboards - Childers, Pelosi, Thompson

The Mississippi Tea Party has billboards up connecting Travis Childers, Nancy Pelosi, and Bennie Thompson. It is a pleasant thing to see when traveling up and down the highway.

Government Motors Contributes to Bennie Thompson

Taxpayers own 60% of GM. Are you happy they are giving campaign dollars to Bennie Thompson?

Bye Bye Bennie dot com

Tea Party activists opposed to Congressman Bennie Thompson and fans of Republican Bill Marcy's campaign against him this November have launched ByeByeBennie.com in a sign that things will continue to get interesting in this Second District race.

Bennie Thompson argues against voting for Joel Gill

The Democratic nominee for Congress in Mississippi's Third Congressional District is Joel Gill of Pickens, who does not live in the Third District. What would Mississippi's Second Congressional District incumbent Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson say about that?

"Now, how in the world is somebody going to come into this district and say I want you to vote for me, even though I can't vote for myself?"

Joel, with friends like Bennie, who needs Republicans?

(HT: Majority in Miss)

Bennie Thompson Agrees with Rudy Giuliani

A few months ago, the left attacked Rudy Giuliani for claiming that after 9/11, the United States experienced no domestic terrorists attack under President George W. Bush.

Last night House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) announced to a crowd in Greenwood, Mississippi:

"I'm happy to report to you that since the 9/11 incident, we have not had one major breach in this country."

I wonder what the left will say about that?

Listen for the crickets.)

(HT: Majority in Miss)

Bennie Thompson on Abortion

A number of reporters mentioned U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson's recent town hall meeting where abortion opponents asked him his position on the health care bill in regards to abortion. He glazed over it saying it was no where mentioned.

WLBT:

People stepped up to the microphones to ask Thompson questions that ranged from whether abortion was contained in the bill and if illegal immigrants are covered.

The congressman said the answer to both was no.

JFP:

Skeptics of the bill voiced their questions regarding including abortion funding and the cost to taxpayers. When asked if abortion would be covered in the bill, Thompson replied: "Abortion is not mentioned anywhere in this bill." Many in the crowd shouted back at him that it is mentioned.

Clarion Ledger:

One of the most common concerns among opponents at Thompson's meeting on Monday at the M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge on Lynch Street was that abortion or death counseling for elderly would become a part of the plan.

"Can you tell me that federal dollars will not go to abortion?" Jim Chamblee asked.

As Thompson told the crowd that abortion was not mentioned in the bill, skeptical audience members nodded disapprovingly and yelled back at him, saying it was.

The Jackson Free Press rightfully criticized this answer.

When asked about abortion, he would only say that it is "nowhere mentioned in the bill."

According to http://www.factcheck.org, while the main bill does not mention abortions, the Caps Amendment adopted July 30 states that some abortions "shall" be covered by the public option plan. This amendment is modeled after the Hyde Amendment under Medicaid in which the government pays for some abortions in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.

Elected officials should tamp down rhetoric, hold respectful forums and give us the complete information we need to make intelligent decisions.

More than that, Thompson's colleague in Mississippi, U.S. Rep. Travis Childers, actually makes "abortion" the cornerstone of his possible opposition to the health care bill.

Congressman Travis Childers (D-Mississippi) was among a group of 19 pro-life Democrats who wrote a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, informing her that they would only support health care legislation that "explicitly excludes" federal funding of abortions.

"When I was a candidate, since I've been in Congress, and today, I have said and I continually say, and I will not veer from this -- federal funding for abortion is a deal-breaker for me on any health care reform bill, period," he states. "If it is included, that's automatically lost my vote on anything. I'm very firm on that."

Democrats in Mississippi can't have it both ways. Either their health care push in Congress includes abortion and Thompson tried to mislead his constituents and the press, or it does not and Childers is playing political games with the abortion issue.

Democrats Criticize Health Contributions...to people like Travis Childers?

The Mississippi Democratic Party blogs that campaign contributions and not "some noble calling" are driving Republicans to oppose Obamacare. I guess they need to explain their accusations to Travis Childers and Bennie Thompson.

Childers leads state delegation with health-care dollars

A look at Mississippi's members shows Reps. Travis Childers and Bennie Thompson lead the delegation in health-related contributions, with Sen. Thad Cochran not far behind.

On CRP's list for the 435-member House, Childers ranks at 142 with $12,500 in health contributions; Thompson at 186 with $7,400. The list contains information on 432 of the members and some tied in rank with the same total receipts.

A Daily Journal check of FEC reports puts Childers with $40,450 including insurance companies, which would rank him at No. 32. The same examination puts Thompson at $13,900 or 131.

Democrats pointing their fingers should be careful standing by a mirror.