Franklin Raines was CEO of Fannie Mae from 1999 to 2004. During that time he sucked out 10s of millions of dollars in salary and bonuses. He was sued for overstating earnings and settled in April, 2008. So whom did Barack Obama seek out for economic advice – Franklin Raines. Some change, turning to the same bad actors that got us into this current mess.

The Gila Courier and Harry Mitchell Watch blogs have been looking into who is funding Harry Mitchell. Turns out that the well connected and accounting-challenged Charles Rangel of New York has channeled almost $30,000 into Mitchell’s coffers. Mitchell made a big deal about who was funding JD Hayworth’s campaign in 2006. It will be interesting to see if anyone on the left calls for Mitchell to return the cash from the tax-code inept Rangel.

Congressman Rangel is Chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and works on writing the tax code. Maybe he should read his own work. Even the New Your Times has called for Rangel to step down from his position.

The 2006 ad attacking Hayworth stated that he was under investigation. Espresso Pundit wrote about the fact that the investigation of Hayworth turned up no evidence of wrongdoing despite the press’ efforts to smear him.

According to the Maricopa County Recorder’s Election Department, Representative John McComish has now taken a narrow lead ahead of Frank Schmuck (pictured above with Janet Napolitano).

Hat tip to Gila Courier for catching the news.

The Pearce campaign has released the following statement regarding recent events.

Statement of Rep. Russell Pearce
August 22, 2008

“I fully agree with the letter that Congressmen Franks, Shadegg and Flake sent to the Maricopa County Republican Party this week.

We have no room for hate speech or hate groups. We must enforce our laws with compassion, but without apology. “Illegal” has no race or nationality. I refuse to apologize for standing up for America and the Citizens of this Nation who have a Constitutional right to expect our laws to be enforced.

In my 61 years in this community and as a law enforcement officer, a Judge, as a father, grandfather, neighbor, scout master, little league coach, pop warner coach, I have never been accused of such asinine things. The most radical groups I have ever been associated with are the Boy Scouts of America and the Fraternal Order of Police, and I confess I still associate with both of them.

So it goes without saying that I completely disavow Mr. Ready and the groups he associates with.

Finally, the chronology of events as outlined by Nathan Sproul in a recent press release is, as all other material from Mr. Sproul, a distortion of the truth and flatly inaccurate. I refuse to further comment on any material distributed by Mr. Sproul or his committee because to do so only lends an aroma of credibility to a man and an organization who is making his living in the gutters of American politics.

Nathan Sproul is a target of a federal voter fraud investigation and has demonstrated to be as credible on politics as Mr. Ready has been on race.”

-Russell Pearce

We have not always been big fans of the GOP nominee but I must admit he is having a great week. Here is another knock out video.

The most recent Cronkite/Eight poll has the GOP presidential nominee ahead of Obama by 10%. At the time we wrote this the KAET site had not yet posted the details but the Gila Courier blog has lots of info.