Senator Kerry helping Sgt. Gallagher's family (and other news).

[Mass]

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110701/NEWS/107010336/-1/NEWSMAP

Senator Kerry helping Sgt. Gallagher's family
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By Sean Teehan
[e-mail]
July 01, 2011
FALMOUTH — Less than 24 hours after members of Sgt. Matthew R. Gallagher's family stood in front of hundreds of people to memorialize him, U.S. Sen. John Kerry informed the press that his office would handle media inquiries about the fallen soldier.

While the circumstances of the 22-year-old's death remain hazy, Kerry is assisting Gallagher's family with the media and the Army as an investigation into the fatal non-combat-related incident moves forward, a Kerry spokeswoman said.

On Thursday afternoon, Kerry's office released an email statement asking members of the media to respect the privacy of Gallagher's family. "The Gallagher family has asked me to convey their request for privacy at this time and to ask the media to please send any inquiries to my office rather than the family," Kerry's email states.

Gallagher's family also has asked Kerry to help them communicate with the Army during the course of the investigation of his death.
...

Good to see the senator involved in this story.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110701/NEWS/107010337/-1/NEWSMAP

Brown, Kerry take legislative shots at NOAA

NEW BEDFORD — A double-barreled shot at NOAA's multimillion-dollar asset forfeiture fund is coming from both Massachusetts senators as Republican Scott Brown on Thursday joined Democrat John Kerry in attempting to pry the agency's hands off the money.

Brown jumped back into the fray over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratioin's asset forfeiture fund, filing legislation to take it out of NOAA's hands entirely and give it to the Treasury to manage.

Brown's move follows on the heels of Kerry, who barely a day earlier had filed a bill calling for reimbursement of legal fees for wrongly prosecuted fishermen from that same fund. Brown, on the Senate floor introducing his bill, seconded Kerry's proposal but took matters one step further.

A NOAA spokeswoman, asked for the agency's response, said only that the bills will be reviewed.

The asset forfeiture fund is a creature of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which regulates fisheries management. Last month, a one-year audit found there was $7.45 million in the account, which was filled using assets taken from fishermen in the course of prosecuting violations.
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Good to see our centerfold senator rise to the occasion, though he is not beyond filibustering a bill he cosponsored, as he did in May.

Or may he be too busy with his baseball card fundraiser?

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/scarce/scott-brown-axes-red-sox-fundraising-card

ust one day after Senator Brown (R-Mass) had announced a baseball collectible card for his own fundraising it was pulled, presumably after Major League Baseball got wind of the idea. What is it with Republicans and trademark infringement? And also their inability to respect copyright laws? (Ed. See Michele Bachmann v. Tom Petty and countless other examples.)

From Fox25:

“Forget about Youk and Big Papi, Scott Brown is the latest craze in baseball cards. The Brown campaign is finding new ways to raise money for the junior senator’s re-election effort.

The cards, which are going for ten dollars on Brown’s campaign website, feature the Republican holding a bat, wearing a Red Sox hat and are described as ‘a unique collectable for your home or office.’ Brown already has more than eight million dollars in his campaign war chest.”

The link at Brown's site is still up and so is the solicitation for cash, but the picture of the baseball card is gone.

[karynnj]

1. Thanks for all these stories

It is good that Kerry is helping the Gallaghers using his office as an interface with both the army and the media.

The timing of the Brown NOAA legislation and the fact that it is clearly playing to the angriness of the crowd - and IMO taking an extremely drastic step - that likely could not pass. (Just as his and Carper's hearing in Boston addressed many issues that Kerry and others had already gotten improvements on without grandstanding.)

The baseball card story is hilarious. I would guess many might think it presumptous - as he is NOT a Red Sox member. With all of these Howie Carr, even if he would never admit it, now really has a senator who deserves the name Senator Liveshot.

[karynnj]

2. The Democrats designed a back side for the card - neatly showing his record

Quite nicely done.