Larry O’Connor has been doing a bang-up job of exposing the apparently false “N-word” claims that Rep. Andre Carson made about Tea Partiers. Here is the evolution of the saga in video format.

[Guest post by DRJ]

Maybe President Obama is focused on jobs after all. Maggie’s Farm says ObamaCare will lead to more work for lawyers because it expands the types of claimants who can bring Qui Tam actions.

If that doesn’t work, Obama can always promote more jobs for actors portraying him:

“Open TV and Film, the London-based production company, is developing a TV mini-series based on Barack Obama’s days on the campaign trail. ITV Studios USA is co-developing the project. Simon Shaps, chairman of Open, has optioned Newsweek journalist Richard Woolfe’s book Renegade: The Making of a President. The author was granted unique access to Obama during the campaign. Shaps – who used to be ITV’s director of television — told me: “It is early days, but we are sure there will no shortage of ideas for who plays the President.”

Plus, with so many reporters working on books about Obama, think of all the jobs he will create in book publishing.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Apparently President Obama has taken immigration reform off his agenda:

“The president noted that lawmakers may lack the “appetite” to take on immigration while many of them are up for re-election and while another big legislative issue — climate change — is already on their plate.

“I don’t want us to do something just for the sake of politics that doesn’t solve the problem,” Obama told reporters Wednesday night aboard Air Force One.

Immigration reform was an issue Obama promised Latino groups that he would take up in his first year in office. But several hard realities — a tanked economy, a crowded agenda, election-year politics and lack of political will — led to so much foot-dragging in Congress that, ultimately, Obama decided to set the issue aside.

With that move, the president calculated that an immigration bill would not prove as costly to his party two years from now, when he seeks re-election, than it would today, even though some immigration reformers warned that a delay could so discourage Democratic-leaning Latino voters that they would stay home from the polls in November.”

Obama is probably happy to leave this subject in Attorney General Eric Holder’s hands, where he can release broadsides against Arizona’s new law. But while it may help Democrats in general, I don’t think it helps Senator Harry Reid. Support from immigration reform advocates may have been Reid’s best chance for re-election.

Next up: How will this decision impact the scheduled May 1st immigration rallies? I doubt the Park Police will shut down the area in front of the White House as they did with the recent gay protest. Some of those protest signs could be interesting.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Republicans respond to newly independent Charlie Crist:

Rove: Crist’s race For Senate Is all About him.”

Jeb Bush: “I am not surprised. This decision is not about policy or principles. It is about what he believes is in his political self-interest.”

Hot Air’s Allahpundit (sarcastically): “Try to force yourself to the end or else you’ll miss him insisting that the way to set a “new tone” in D.C. is to send another transparently careerist principle-less politician to Capitol Hill. Works for me.”

NRSC: “The Governor said he has been ‘listening to the people.’ We hope he will listen to the thousands of Republican donors who will no doubt ask Governor Crist to return their donations. We will request full refunds ourselves and we plan to put our resources and support behind Marco Rubio.”

Also, Crist 2010 has a new motto: People above Politics.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

As a candidate, Barack Obama rejected contributions from registered lobbyists because he wanted to maintain an identity as a Washington outsider immune from special interests. However, behind the scenes, Obama welcomed support from lobbyists’ family, clients, affiliates and friends, as well as in kind donations of policy and campaign support.

That support is paying off for legions of lobbyists. During the 1st Quarter of 2010, D.C. lobbyists averaged $19M a day in earnings for each day Congress was in session:

“Hordes of hired K Street guns are in high demand as President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats seek to implement grand legislative plans.

And a Center for Responsive Politics review of lobbying reports recently filed with the Senate Office of Public Records indicates companies, trade associations, unions and other groups spent nearly $1 billion on lobbying during the first three months of 2010. That puts the current year on an early pace toward exceeding the record amount of money — about $3.47 billion — spent last year on federal lobbying efforts.

The $903 million spent between January 1 and March 31 is larger than overall lobbying expenses in three out of four quarters last year, and it represents an 11 percent increase from the $811 million spent on lobbying during the first three months of 2009.

Special interests spent about $19 million per day on lobbying efforts, the Center for Responsive Politics estimates, based on the number of calendar days that either the House or Senate was officially in session.”

And that doesn’t even touch the mockery Obama has made of his promise to ban lobbyists from working in his administration.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

If Governor Perry gets his way, Texas won’t join Arizona in passing legislation giving law enforcement a role in curbing illegal immigration. Instead, Perry continues to ask for more National Guard troops and Predator drones to secure the Texas-Mexico border:

“Recently, there has been much debate over immigration policy in Washington and what has been implemented in Arizona. I fully recognize and support a state’s right and obligation to protect its citizens, but I have concerns with portions of the law passed in Arizona and believe it would not be the right direction for Texas.

“For example, some aspects of the law turn law enforcement officers into immigration officials by requiring them to determine immigration status during any lawful contact with a suspected alien, taking them away from their existing law enforcement duties, which are critical to keeping citizens safe. Our focus must continue to be on the criminal elements involved with conducting criminal acts against Texans and their property. I will continue to work with the legislative leadership to develop strategies that are appropriate for Texas.

“Securing the border has to be a top priority, which is why I have a standing request with the federal government for 1,000 Title 32 National Guardsmen who can support civilian law enforcement efforts to enhance border security in Texas. I have also requested predator drones be based in and operate over the Texas-Mexico border to provide essential information about criminal activity to law enforcement on the ground.”

In the meantime, Perry will continue to authorize state funding and resources to enhance traditional border security efforts.

There is no right or wrong way to solve this problem and I’m glad border states are trying different things. What works for one may not work for another, but ultimately these experiments will help us find workable solutions more quickly.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

A.W. has a new blog on a topic of public interest, especially if you watch South Park. Don’t miss one of the first cartoon submissions.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

After 8 years, Tom DeLay’s co-defendants may be back in court:

“Co-defendants of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay suffered a significant setback Wednesday in their quest to avoid a trial on charges that the trio conspired to launder corporate money during the 2002 elections.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously ruled that the lower state 3rd Court of Appeals erred when it accepted the co-defendants’ arguments that the money laundering law did not apply to them because the funds involved were checks, not cash. The all-Republican court, in effect, said the lower court acted prematurely.

The state’s highest criminal court also dismissed the defendants’ constitutional challenge that Texas’ law banning corporate donations was too vague or overly broad to be understood.”

The article says DeLay is not a party to the rulings but is affected as a co-defendant. Thus, DeLay could be back in court, too.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Denver schools have banned their employees from traveling to Arizona. This whole boycott thing has William A. Jacobson confused. Me, too.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Beldar has today’s funnies from the Houston Chronicle.

— DRJ