EXCLUSIVE: DOOLITTLE AIDE RIPS PRO-MILITARY ADVOCATE - DEMANDS SHE CLEAR COMMENTS THROUGH HIM
Audio Link Follows Article
Embattled Northern California Congressman John Doolittle, fresh from attacks on Afghan & Iraq veteran Major Eric Egland (two attacks… one here, and the other here) has now launched on Deborah Johns, military mom and activist for the troops.
Doolittle is under intense pressure from an FBI investigation into allegations surrounding his fund-raising, as well as his own party base in the California 4th District just outside Sacramento. His party base is infuriated because Doolittle is a chronic feeder at the Washington pork trough, second only to corrupt congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania, yet the district has little to show for his efforts.
Currently anti-US democrat (I know, that is redundant) Charlie Brown (no, really, that is his name) who ran against Doolittle in ‘06 is some twenty-points ahead of Doolittle in the republican “safe” district. Brown lost to Doolittle by a mere three points last time out, and that is attributed by observers to his being “outed” as a personal friend and political ally of Cindy Sheehan aka “The Bitch in the Ditch”. That revelation, along with the active support of Eric Egland, Deborah Johns and this reporter - along with the help of hundreds of hard-working volunteers and supporters - was enough to squeak out that narrow victory.
There are probably more sightings of the Loch Ness Monster in any given year than there are of Doolittle in his own district. Following his ‘06 win Doolittle withdrew even more. Becoming a total Nixonian caricature he removed himself from critical committees and watched his staff be peppered with FBI subpoenas. He never once expressed a human emotion when the FBI and media went after his wife in an attempt to get him. It is all about John. Mama can fend for herself. I don’t know about you, but I’d be calling a press conference, pounding my fist onto the podium and demanding that they lay off my family and come get me. John Doolittle? Deer in headlights, his normal expression.
At the same time, alerted to his precarious position as an office-holder, he commenced to wooing Brown’s fringes by blasting the war in Iraq as a “quagmire” and the surge as more of the same. He then attacked his own supporters who objected by scolding them to not read the newspaper in which his comments appeared because it is a liberal newspaper. Yet he said it.
It was Deborah Johns who traveled to Crawford, Texas with Melanie Morgan and Move America Forward to face down Cindy Sheehan . Holly and I were with them and those shows are being prepared for the MarkTalk archive. We again teamed up this year for the caravan of support across the nation on the “Fight For Victory Tour“. It is Deborah’s son, William, who has served three tours in Iraq in the United States Marine Corps as a sergeant in Force Recon.
What started as a question to an ally of Doolittle’s, in a rural Republican Women’s Club resulted in an angry and threatening sounding telephone call from Doolitle’s communications director Gordon J. Hinkle. Hinkle, leaving his comments on Johns’ answering machine, lashed into her for misrepresenting the congressman and portraying him in an incorrect light with her question.
Hinkle’s message to Johns is that in order to exercise her First Amendment Right to ask a question, of a local official connected to the congressman, that she first clear her words with Doolittle’s office. Doolittle’s message to Johns is that the mother of a three-tour veteran does not have the right to speak without permission. Doolittle’s message to all of us is that his congressional seat is his fiefdom, and we are his serfs.
I don’t think so John.
Hear Hinkle’s call and Johns’ response by clicking here! The full audio is posted in “THE DAILY RANT” (lower right corner of the MarkTalk Home Page).
October 12th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
you’ve GOT to be joking, right??
PLEASE tell me Deb Johns will respond to this crap…….PLEASE????!!!!!
You’re damn right, this one is going to make rounds, as of tonight……………
doolittle?? You’re an idiot, and if you STAND by this crap??? You’ve proven what I”ve BEEN saying about you…
NOT ANNOINTED, ELECTED.
You should relook at the movie, A FEW GOOD MEN
In the words of Jack NIcholson:
YOU”VE F***** WITH THE WRONG MARINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 13th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Wow, talk about spin-doctors. The message I left was extremely professional and I made the point that what Deborah Johns had stated publicly (that nobody responds, including Rep. John Doolittle to families of fallen soldeirs) was a lie!! She stated the lie again in her response on your show. These are tactics Deborah has learned from the likes of Code Pink and MoveOn.org. Your show is a disgrace to journalism Mark. I stand by my comments. If Mrs. Johns wants to know if we respond to families, she can call us and find out. She would rather go around the district spreading a lie. I personally have delivered flags and written letters to several families of fallen soldiers myself. This is complete garbage and nothing more than an attempt to smear the Congressman because she is an Egland lackey.
October 13th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Note From Mark:
I allowed the previous post to appear, however, and this is a big however, I have no way of knowing if that post was in fact made by the real Gordon Hinkle. My instincts tell me that the last thing Congressman Doolittle needs to be doing right now is calling a military mother, and a war hero “code pink” or “moveon.org”. Especially when both Ms. Johns and Maj. Egland were recently received by President Bush at the White House to be thanked and congratulated for their efforts.
Met the President lately Mr. Doolittle?
Neither would a congressman suggest that he depends on newspaper clippings or calls from home to know what is happening in Iraq with regard to his own district. Of course, if he maybe visited the district every so often between elections he might have clearer lines of communication with these people. Meanwhile, I hope to God that our senior congressional representatives (as is Doolittle) know how to use the telephone on their desk (or bark an order to a flunky like Hinkle) and can use 411 to get the Pentagon’s telephone number and mabye ask how things are going.
John Doolittle is a lot of things, stupid not being one of them. On the other hand, Hinkle is. Tough call.
Please read that post with that in mind.
October 13th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
As a former Congressional staff member, I can tell you that there really is no across the board “standard procedure” for contacting and/or assisting military families who have lost loved ones in combat. The office I worked for (NOT Do-little) would send a letter and flag to the families AT THE VERY LEAST. The Congressman and/or a member of our staff would often speak to the families personally and possibly meet with them in person. However, each Congressional office responds in a slightly different manner.
As for Doolittle, I find it hard to believe that his office would simply not reach out to the family of a fallen soldier, especially given the overwhelming support for the military among his constituents, not to mention common decency and patriotism. It’s something you would expect from Nancy Pelosi or Barbara Lee, but certainly not Doolittle. Then again, the weasel continues to surprise me with his continued lack of concern for his constituents, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised if what Mrs. Johns says is true (and the more I think about it the more I believe it).
Is Doolittle so desperate to keep his political dynasty afloat that he deploys his stooges to attack anyone who publicly criticizes him? What a disgrace to the district, the Republican Party, and the United States Congress. “Check with us before you criticize us.” So now the First Amendment can’t be used without the authorization of a member of Congress? Doolittle won’t support the troops but will try to silence anyone who calls him on it? What’s next, sicking the Secret Service on constituents who legitimately criticize Doolittle? No wonder his ship is sinking. What a fraud.
I’d call his office and tell him what I think, but I figure he and his stooges have their heads too far up their rear ends to figure out how to check the voice mail.
October 13th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Hello folks, and yes, I too, have heard about the so called, ‘ hinkle response ‘ to MARK’s post.
Let me say for the record, while not a political HACK, I do have my political connections, and I feel very comfortable with there integrity.
With that in mind, the above listed post reaks of BullS****.
Already, people whom I KNOW, can’t believe what mr hinkle has done, much less said…then again, they haven’t yet had the opportunity to hear the link ( something, they are now in the process of doing )
It IS known, that doolittle HAD at one time, met with Ms Johns…..that WAS until he screwed up in his SACTO BEE commentary about the ” War on Terror ” being a….how’d he call it??? Quagmire??????
Since that comment, doolittle HAS avoided Ms Johns; HAS avoided the third Victory Tour Ms Johns was on; HAS avoided promoting the Gold Star License Plate legislation; HAS avoided contacting ANYONE in his district, who’s suffered a loss or harm while serving.
mr doolittle HAS shown, it’s ALL ABOUT HIM….and, as this taped conversation shows, his STAFF feels the same.
Call ME what you will, but I maintain then, now and in the future….
IT”S ELECTED TO OFFICE, NOT ANNOINTED.
This garbage tape proves me right, in somuch as SOME members of the Republican party FEEL, they OWN their seat and WE THE PEOPLE, owe it to THEM, to elect and reelect them as they deem necessary.
Ummmmmmmmmm……….arrogance of this nature, I’d expect from jackazz liberals, NOT so called Conservative Republicans.
Again, I encourage one and all, to call mr hinkle, and let your comments be known, about what YOU THE PEOPLE think of mr doolittle and his minions, in effect, DECLARING WAR on a Marine Mom, who’s only crime I can tell has been, to ask a question.
October 17th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Is it any wonder the Repulican party is in so much trouble ?!?!?!?!?
When a Congressman, through his staff, has the audacity to attack a person of Deborah Johns character, we must ask ourselves some very serious questions. It is beyond my comprehension that a Blue Star Mother, with her indisputable reputation for supporting our troops would be treated like a grade school student and instructed to ask permission before opening her mouth. Deborah has EARNED the right through countless sleepless nights of worry over the safty of her Marine son, to say what she wants when she wants where ever she wants. Not to mention her tireless work with MoveAmerica Forward. This is not a classroom, this is in fact real life and It is long past time that our Civil Servants remember that they are just that, servants!
Now, “the above Mr Hinkle,” decides it is time to assassinate Deborah’s character by calling her a liar as well. Guess when you’ve got ‘em on the defensive you may as well go for the throat, right Gordon??? While Deborah is more than capable of fighting her own battles, ah the stories I could tell of our last visit to DC, I will say this; you Gordon, should be ashamed of yourself!
I have had the pleasure, and honor of standing with Deborah to counter the Blame America First clowns of A.N.S.W.R. Code Pink, MoveOn, WTC, SDS, Black Bloc and others. For anyone to even insinuate that she has anything other than pure pity and contempt for these groups boarders on slander. Her courage and devotion to our troops is beyond question, PERIOD !!
Deborah Johns is a PATRIOT. In the short time I have known her she has made countless personal sacrifices to insure that our young warriors are provided with the support they deserve. At an absolute minimum, she should be shown a great deal of respect, if not total admiration from those elected officials, WHO SERVE HER !
Finally perhaps we should simply consider the source of these insulting words and actions.
After all WHO is it that is being looked at by the FBI? Integrity & credibility still matter, or at least they should.
Bart Near
Legislative / Governmental Affairs Chair
Rolling Thunder Inc.
Chapter 6 NC
October 25th, 2007 at 10:19 am
I don’t know how one would call a vmail an attack on Deborah. Deborah used this vmail without permission and it was intended to be a communication to her to ask for her to come the his office if she wanted to know what Congressman Doolittle does for Veterans. Also, it was Deborah that started all this with her unjust attacks on the congressman w/o all the facts. My brother is a conservative to the core and I don’t appreciate this character assassination from the Mark Williams show. I don’t know of anyone that cares as much as Gordon about conservative values. He has devoted his carreer to fighing for conservative values. Our family values are deep rooted from the heratidge left by our late father, the Rev. Troy Hinkle. We are devloted to the Judeo/Christian values that have made this country great. My brother was just trying to follow the Christian principle of going to one that he may have ought with and taking care of it that way. I don’t see him posting private conversations on the web. He has a lot better ethics and principles than that. As his brother this type of false slander is disgusting.
On another note, I am tired of Repbulicans turning on their own when they come under attack from the left. Come on, the investigation of Doolittle’s wife, not Doolittle, have been going on for 3 yrs w/o any charges being made against the congressman. I say it is time to stand up to the left and this type of method of attack. This is quite ridiculous. How would you feel to have an investigation going on for three years on you with out any charges being filed. Don’t you think this is tactic to just force someone to resign. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty. In this case, charges haven’t even been filed and the congressman has been transparent and cooperative throughout the whole process. Until such a time that Congressman Doolittle is proven guilty, I will be supporting him in the primary and general election.
And to respond above, that was the real Gordon Hinkle and this is the real Troy Hinkle(Gordon Hinkle’s Brother)
October 25th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Thank you Troy… I guess your brother really IS as stupid as his post indicated. I’ll take blooming idiots for a hundred Alex: The answer is “Gordon Hinkle”, the question is: “What flunky for a soon to be ex-congressman would be stupid enough to leave ripping voice mail messages (and some milder follow up voice mails to people who complained) and then PUT IN WRITING extensions of his attacks, on a blog with a Northern California focus but national readership (including major national news producers in New York and DC)?”
It is apparently genetic Troy, you might want to look into Arnold’s whole stem cell thing and see if they can do anything for you.
Nothin’ but good news for Charlie Brown in what you and bro have to say on behalf of the probable future resident of Danbury for whom Gordo and you shill.
October 28th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
How has Do-little managed to stay in office all these years? I voted for Charlie Brown last time; first time for a democrat in decades. What bothers me too is that today is the first i heard this story–I wonder if this louse Hinkle was drinking, or just stupid –I live in Butte county and read the Enterprise-Record every day, and this story was NOT in it. No surprise because I learn things on the web that they don*t run. Now I can*t recall any-thing negative about Do-little in this paper, ever. Free press? Yeah,right. God bless Deborah Johns and her fine son!