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Author: Kemberlee Kaye

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Kemberlee Kaye

Kemberlee Kaye is the Senior Contributing Editor of Legal Insurrection, where she has worked since 2014 and is the Director of Operations and Editorial Development for the Legal Insurrection Foundation. She also serves as the Managing Editor for CriticalRace.org, a research project of the Legal Insurrection Foundation.

She has a background working in immigration law, and as a grassroots organizer, digital media strategist, campaign lackey, and muckraker. Over the years Kemberlee has worked with FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity, James O'Keefe's Project Veritas, and US Senate re-election campaigns, among others. 

Kemberlee, her daughter, and her son live a lovely taco-filled life in their native Texas.

You can reach her anytime via email at kk @ legalinsurrection.com.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 31, 2015 20 Comments
The arbitrary deadline to come to an agreement with Iran is today. But according to the Associated Press, that deadline might be extended to tomorrow, making this the third deadline extension.
They had set a deadline of Tuesday for a framework agreement, and later softened that wording to a framework understanding, between Iran and the so-called P5+1 nations — the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. After intense negotiations, obstacles remained on uranium enrichment, where stockpiles of enriched uranium should be stored, limits on Iran's nuclear research and development and the timing and scope of sanctions relief among other issues. The aim has been a joint statement is to be accompanied by additional documents that outline more detailed understandings, allowing the sides to claim enough progress has been made to merit a new round, officials said. Iran has not yet signed off on the documents, one official said, meaning any understanding remains unclear. ...The softening of the language from a framework "agreement" to a framework "understanding" appeared due in part to opposition to a two-stage agreement from Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Earlier this year, he demanded only one deal that nails down specifics and does not permit the other side to "make things difficult" by giving it wiggle room on interpretations.
Any deal reached would only amount to a soft framework, and likely not be particularized in writing as we reported Friday.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 31, 2015 15 Comments
Senator Rubio is scheduled to announce his presidential bid April 13th, making him the third Senator to join the Republican primary fray. The second? Sen. Rand Paul. Waiting until the day after the NCAA basketball championship, Sen. Paul will formally announce his presidential run April 7 at a rally that morning. Paul will announce at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville in what is being described as an historic event by event organizers. Rand paul president announcement

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 30, 2015 16 Comments
Hillary's email delete-o-rama and foreign funding issues aren't going away as quickly as the Clinton's had hoped. Left without anyone on the bench, the Democratic party is scrambling at the eleventh hour to cobble together a contingency plan. Then, out of (relative) obscurity emerged the most generic, milquetoast, cisgendered candidate conceivable -- former Maryland governor, Martin O'Malley. Yesterday, O'Malley sat down with George Stephanopolous. Platitude upon platitude, common sense this and common sense that, a quick jab at Hillary and an excruciating answer to an incredibly elementary foreign policy question, and that's what you get with O'Malley. Prior to his Perry-esque oops moment, O'Malley not so subtly upped his game by saying it's time for "new leadership and new perspective" when Stephanopolous mentioned the Governor's previous support of Mrs. Clinton. "Let's be honest here. The presidency of the United States is not a crown to be passed between two families." Zing! O'Malley struggled to name the single greatest national security threat to the United States. "The number one responsibility for the president is to protect the people of the United States of America. Would that there were only one threat. There are always threats," said O'Malley, obviously trying to buy himself some time. Stephanopolous persisted, and cringeworthiness reminiscent of Miss South Carolina's answer in the Miss Teen U.S.A. pageant, ensued. "The greatest danger that we face right now on a continuing basis in terms of man made threats is um... nuclear Iran and related to that, extremist violence. I don't think you can separate the two."

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 30, 2015 23 Comments
Former Hewlett Packard CEO told Chris Wallace yesterday there's more than a ninety-percent chance she'll run for president. She would announce late April - early May in the event she decides to jump into the 2016 Republican horse race, making her the only woman currently considering such a role. Working for Senator McCain during his 2008 presidential bid, fundraising for the RNC, and running for Senate in 2010, Fiorina isn't completely green to the political world. Touting her deep rooted economic understanding as she starting working as secretary and worked her way up to be the CEO of the world's largest tech company, Fiorina brings a fresh perspective to the political debate. A believer in unlocking the potential of each individual, Fiorina described two structural problem with the economy. "One is that we have tangled people up in a web of dependence from which they can't escape and so we're leaving lots of talent on the field. Secondly, we're crushing small businesses now... for the first time in history we are destroying more businesses than we are creating." Not one to offer prosaic, beltway platitudes, Fiorina has a plan to fix D.C. -- zero base budgeting and a meritocracy based civil service. "How many Inspector General reports do we have to read that say you can watch porn all day long and get paid exactly the same as somebody who's trying to do their job," Fiorina explained. Questioned about her record at HP which included mass layoffs and devalued stock, Fiorina indicated she was proud of her accomplishments, saying she managed through the worst tech recession in history.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 28, 2015 11 Comments
Still ten months away from New Hampshire's primary, and with only one official candidate, this election season is sure to be a horse race. A poll released by Suffolk University Thursday shows Jeb Bush and Scott Walker taking early leads among likely voters. Conducted between March 21-24, Jeb Bush is the early favorite of 19%, with Walker trailing just behind at 14%. According to Suffolk University:
Rand Paul (7 percent), and businessman Donald Trump, who was testing the waters in New Hampshire last week, (6 percent). Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who on Sunday night tweeted his intention to run for president, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were tied at 5 percent each, while Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson tied with 3 percent. Ten other candidates received less than 2 percent, and 24 percent were undecided.
An incredibly crowded field, splintered special interest groups, PACs galore, and a primary race starting 20 months before the election, the 2016 election cycle is sure to be a fun one. Patrick O'Connor explains what this means for candidates joining the race:
The candidate field looks unusually crowded, with more than a dozen contenders appealing to different slices of the GOP. The rise of super PACs allows candidates to stay in the race longer than before. And nominating rules meant to compress the process may complicate a front-runner’s ability to amass the delegates necessary to win.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 27, 2015 13 Comments
Earlier today, MSNBC published a story suggesting Senator Cruz supports legalization of undocumented individuals currently in the United States. Derived from the fact that Senator Cruz hasn't specifically stated he does not support legalization of undocumented individuals, the inference is that Cruz must therefore support legalization of undocumented individuals. It's a nice little semantic game, really. MSNBC referenced a Texas Tribune article from 2013 which they claim indicates, "that he [Cruz] supported giving some undocumented immigrants permission to stay in the country with more limited legal status." This summation is not accurate. The Texas Tribune article, written around the time of the Gang of Eight immigration fight, makes the same incorrect assumption as MSNBC. The first statement is correct while the latter is only partially so:
When it comes to immigration reform, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has made it abundantly clear what he opposes: giving citizenship to people who broke the law to come here. What has not been as evident is what he supports: legal status for millions of people here already, while making it easier for immigrants to come here through the front door.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 27, 2015 30 Comments
47 Traitors. White House snubs. A Presidential temper tantrum. Public fights with Netanyahu. Damaging international relationships with Israel. Leaked intel information. And what do we get for all the hassle? you get nothing A vague deal that won't even appear in writing. At least according to British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. Edward-Isaac Dovere reports at Politico:
No specifics, nothing written, perhaps not even anything that Iran and the international negotiating partners say as one—that’s the most to expect out of the nuclear talks now running up against the deadline in Switzerland, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Friday. But even concluding this round of talks with that level of ambiguity, Hammond said, would count as a significant success. And he thinks they’ll get it.
It's safe to say that Secretary Hammond's definition of success is a bit different from the rest of the world.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 27, 2015 47 Comments
Yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported Scott Walker as having "adjusted his stance on immigration" at a private dinner in New Hampshire. After drawing intense criticism for supporting the eventual legalization of illegal immigrants currently in the United States, Walker made a bold move. Earlier this month, Governor Walker admittedly changed his position on legalizing undocumented individuals saying, “My view has changed, I’m flat out saying it.” Fox News reported:
Walker in 2013 said a plan in which illegal immigrants can become United States citizens by first paying penalties and enduring a waiting period “makes sense.” However, he is now saying such a plan is tantamount to amnesty, amid criticism that he has flip-flopped on that issue and others — including right-to-work legislation in his home state. “I don’t believe in amnesty,” said Walker, who finished second Saturday in the Conservative Political Action Conference’s straw poll for potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates. “We need to secure the border. We ultimately need to put in place a system that works — a legal immigration system that works.”
Just weeks later, the Wall Street Journal reports that in a private dinner, away from the eyes of the press, Governor Walker is back to his old amnesty lovin' ways. The reporter relied on attendee reports; providing no indication he attended the dinner personally.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 26, 2015 47 Comments
Though he's yet to officially toss his hat in the ring, Governor Perry is quietly building out the framework for his 2016 run. Iowa is RickPAC's latest release. Governor Perry's message is markedly different from Senator Cruz's for reasons other than his west Texas drawl -- inclusion and experience. Senator Cruz formally launched his presidential bid in a fiery speech at Liberty University Monday. Though he's an undeniably passionate conservative, Cruz's message might not be the fit for everyone, though it's a lovely dream to have. More problematic is that this Conservatopia effectively marginalizes everyone who doesn't seize the vision. It's not an attractive ideal, rather a disappointingly exclusionary one. Cruz is pitching himself as a true conservative. Of his principles and dedication to the banner of conservatism, there's absolutely no question. Ted Cruz is a true believer in the purest sense. But trying to win the White House with only a faction of the conservative base and little to show in terms of tangible leadership results (other than the ability to rouse portions of the grassroots) are two obstacles Cruz will have to navigate around. Not to say either is unsurmountable, but they are unavoidable.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 26, 2015 3 Comments
Just in: Reports indicate firefighters on are the scene after a building collapsed in Manhattan. The New York Post reports:
As many as 30 people were hurt in the partial collapse of an East Village building Thursday afternoon, law-enforcement sources told The Post. The destruction near the corner of Second Avenue and East Seventh Street was reported shortly before 3:30 p.m. The FDNY quickly declared a three-alarm emergency at the scene, which it said was a mixed-occupancy building at 125 Second Ave.
Authorities told DNA Info the explosion was consistent with a gas explosion, though this has yet to be confirmed:
"It was like a bomb," Aleksandr Srdi, 32, who lives around the corner, said. "Everyone was like what's going on? People from Starbucks were yelling to get back inside and they were trying to lock the doors." The explosion was consistant with a gas explosion, authorities said. About 4 p.m. the building at 125 Second Avenue which was engulfed in flames collasped completely. ...A fire caused by the blast spread to two other buildings, a fire department spokesman said. The building was landmarked and had a stop work order on it since 2005, according to the Department of Buildings website.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 25, 2015 29 Comments
The man who garnered national attention by making himself Obamacare's arch nemesis is enrolling in the dastardly program one day into his presidential campaign. Previously covered by his wife's cadillac Goldman Sach's healthcare plan, Heidi Cruz's departure from the investment behemoth means the Cruz's will be looking to the exchange for their health insurance needs. Evidently, this is a story. "Man who hates Obamacare to enroll in Obamacare!!!!" "Hahahaha, it's sooooo ironic Cruz is like, enrolling in Obamacare!" "Cruz is enrolling in Obamacare?! What a hypocrite!" Who knew abiding by the the law was such a novel accomplishment that it warranted ink from every major news outlet? But that's what happened. Screen Shot 2015-03-25 at 2.56.49 AM  

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 24, 2015 33 Comments
Today will go down in history as the day feminists officially stepped beyond the bounds of self-parody. UK based outfit, the National Union of Students is hosting a conference for women. The multi-day conference for union delegates began today. Motions up for consideration at the conference include designating the abolishment of prisons as a feminist issue, free education and living grants, supporting the decriminalization of sex work, ending Transphobia, Biphobia, and Islamophobia on campus, and supporting the right to justice and education for Palestine. This afternoon (our time, anyway), a group in attendance made the following request: To which the NUS Women's Campaign responded, saying:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 23, 2015 18 Comments
The seminal case in the fight against 'rape culture' ended today, leaving a giant, gaping hole in the Rape Culture agenda. An investigation conducted by the Charlottesville Police Department found no evidence of rape at the accused University of Virginia fraternity. Months ago, Rolling Stone broke Jackie's story. Jackie claimed she'd been gang raped by members of Phi Kappa Psi in 2012. When the Rolling Stone article sparked national outrage, UVA's administration acted swiftly and without facts, punishing Greek life on campus. Then the Washington Post began to dig deeper into the Rolling Stone shocker. And that's when the story began to quickly unravel and was eventually debunked in entirety. Today, the New York Times reports:
“I can’t prove that something didn’t happen, and there may come a point in time in which this survivor, or this complaining party or someone else, may come forward with some information that might help us move this investigation further,” Police Chief Timothy Longo told a roomful of reporters here. “That doesn’t mean that something terrible did not happen to Jackie on the evening of Sept. 28, 2012,” Chief Longo said, referring to the accuser and adding that his department was simply unable to corroborate her account. He added, “This case is not closed by any stretch of the imagination.”

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 23, 2015 25 Comments
If there were an award for ill-conceived marketing campaigns, 'Race Together' would earn the gold. Starbucks' latest social justice endeavor that encouraged baristas to engage customers in conversations about race came to a resounding halt Sunday. One week after its launch, the corporate coffee behemoth decided to cancel the first phase of 'Race Together' after receiving tremendous negative backlash. Amazingly, consumers don't enjoy being told they're racist while ordering a cup of coffee. Who knew? According to the Associated Press, 'Race Together' is not ending, it's merely moving into the next marketing phase.
The campaign has been criticized as opportunistic and inappropriate, coming in the wake of racially charged events such as national protests over police killings of black males. Others questioned whether Starbucks workers could spark productive conversations about race while serving drinks. The phase-out is not a reaction to that pushback, Olson said. "Nothing is changing. It's all part of the cadence of the timeline we originally planned." He echoed the company memo, saying of the Race Together initiative, "We're leaning into it hard."
Riiiiiight. While customers won't be badgered by baristas, Starbucks plans to move forward with ads in USA TODAY, in-store placards, and also plans to open more stores in minority communities, reports the AP. Doubling down on a universally despised marketing campaign? Ok, then.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 23, 2015 35 Comments
Shortly after midnight last night, Senator Ted Cruz announced his candidacy for President via Twitter. Today, Senator Cruz kicked off his presidential campaign at Liberty University. Of the many things I learned about Cruz in his 2012 Senatorial bid, one to keep in mind is that the man is nothing if not deliberate. Cruz gave a great speech (he never gives bad speeches), but his campaign launch was littered with several liberty-embellished easter eggs. The result? Some masterfully executed trolling.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 22, 2015 9 Comments
As the arbitrary deadline to strike a deal with Iran draws close, Secretary Kerry says "genuine progress" has been made. France is not so sure the negotiations are going well, and neither is Israel. Both nations share concerns that Iran is receiving far too many concessions, saying any rush to relax sanctions is not a deal worth making. While talks proceed, and Kerry attempts to assures America with platitudes, Senator Cotton reminds us who we're negotiating with: Regardless of what Secretary Kerry tells the Associated Press, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader is not exactly a fan of Obama, America, or any deal that doesn't remove sanctions. And if you need more proof, look no further than than the Ayatollah's Twitter feed.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on March 22, 2015 4 Comments
C-SPAN gets its fair share of wild calls, but this one has to be one of the best as of late. 'Jack Strickland' called into C-SPAN with a tale reminiscent of one from 90's sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, featuring Will Smith. 'Strickland' has a history of C-SPAN prank calls. See here, here, and here. “Hi, good morning. I'm Jack Strickland. I just want to make it clear I’m calling from Bel Air, California, but I’m originally from Philadelphia, specifically West Philadelphia. But anyway, I was actually discussing this issue with a friend of mine while I was in Philly, uh, it occurred on a basketball court," said Strickland. "At some point during the conversation, a couple of guys who were essentially up to no good starting making trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and my mom got scared and said, "you're moving with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air."" And that's when C-SPAN cut the call.
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