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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 November 10, 2014 9 Comments
Even with the DSCC's withdrawal of their $1.8 million ad buy for Mary Landrieu, the bayou state continues to be inundated with campaign ads. Greg Giroux of Bloomberg Politics highlighted two ads. The first, an ad by Freedom Partners Action Fund. Funded by the Koch brothers, Freedom Partners takes aim at Landrieu's campaign contributions that have benefited the anti-energy crowd and worked against Louisiana's economic intersts: The second is an ad released Sunday by Landrieu's campaign. Giroux explains:
Landrieu introduced an ad Sunday that makes Cassidy look bumbling as it accuses him of voting to "cut Social Security benefits." It refers to Cassidy's vote in April for a budget blueprint by the Republican Study Committee, a group of anti-spending lawmakers, that would balance the budget in four years rather than the 10 called for under a proposal by Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan. The RSC plan failed on a 133-291 vote.
Ironically, the ad that tries to portray Cassidy as "incoherent" is itself, incoherent. Take a look:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 10, 2014 16 Comments
William A. Jacobson has covered this trial extensively. See:

She was found guilty immigration fraud by way of of unlawful procurement of naturalization this afternoon.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 09, 2014 12 Comments
Desperate to find a silver lining in the 2014 Midterm shellacking, the media has come up with a new mantra: "The GOP's victory is short lived." 2016 is the GOP's to lose, and I would never put it past the Republicans to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory; but to act as though a Republican loss of the Senate in 2016 is a forgone conclusion is premature at best. Yes, the map will be different, and yes, the GOP has no policy agenda carved in stone, yet neither of these ensure defeat in 2016. The truth is very simple: no one knows what will happen in 2016. And yet... "We were destroyed in the Midterms, what do we say?! What should we write?!" "I know, let's tell everyone that there's no way Republicans can win again in 2016." "Brilliant!" And then they got to work:

WaPo

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Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 08, 2014 15 Comments
Louisiana has some crazy election rules and so rather than a decisive Cassidy victory Tuesday night, the battle for the bayou Senate seat will drag on for another month. December 6 to be precise. Things have probably looked better for Landrieu. Two days ago, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) decided to cut some of their ad buys for Landrieu. Politico reported:

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is canceling at least some of its advertising reservations for Sen. Mary Landrieu ahead of the December runoff in Louisiana.

The committee canceled buys planned from Monday through December 6 in the Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans markets, three sources tracking the air war told POLITICO.

“Mary Landrieu is a proven run-off winner and we support her 100 percent,” said DSCC spokesman Justin Barasky. “We are going to make ongoing determinations on how best to invest in the race. We made the initial reservation when there were concerns that the rates would skyrocket but they have stabilized, giving us more flexibility to make week-to-week decisions.”
The DSCC made a similar move in the race between Alison Lundergan Grimes who was looking to unseat Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell. They pulled ad buys in mid-October. McConnell went on to win by more than 15 points. Yesterday, someone in Landrieu's camp thought it was a good idea to hold a press conference, print out signs, and demand to know where Republican challenger, Bill Cassidy was during the rebuilding of the VA hospital following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. And thus the "Where Was Bill" campaign was launched. ... only to crash moments later:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 07, 2014 24 Comments
Here's a feel good story to wrap up the week. Usually people robbed at gun point aren't too keen to get to know the guy that shoved a gun in their face, much less offer what could be life altering help. These homeowners however see the entire situation differently. KHOU Houston reports (emphasis added):
BUNKER HILL VILLAGE, Texas – Police have released composite sketches of the suspects wanted for terrorizing a Bunker Hill family during a home invasion last month. They pretended to be delivering packages to the home in the 11800 block of Redcoat Lane so a housekeeper opened the door. That's when two gunmen, wearing black ski masks and gloves, forced their way inside the home. "She thought they were delivery people," said the homeowner who didn't want to give her name. "When she opened the door, they pulled a gun on her and they locked her in the bathroom. They spoke to her in Spanish." The homeowner arrived in the middle of the robbery and a third suspect was waiting outside in a white SUV. "When my husband showed up, they pulled a gun on him and told him he had to open the safe," said the wife.... A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of these suspects. The victims are also making an unusual offer if the suspects turn themselves in.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 06, 2014 31 Comments
Following an epic GOP whoopin' on Tuesday, the liberal media is in full pout mode. That the country would almost unilaterally reject President Obama's policies and a statist agenda is incomprehensible to some. There must be some other reason! Those that were kind enough to concede the shellacking tried their best to undermine its meaning. And so we present the 10 most delicious liberal election headline disasters. Extra credit to Salon who is kicking butt and taking names in the "Bitter Loser" category.

1. It was nice knowing you, polar bears.

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2. Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.

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Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 04, 2014 22 Comments
We will be covering several key Governor races, listed below.  And the results are looking something like this: MRW I win playing board games

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 04, 2014 8 Comments
We will be covering several key House races, listed below. We also will update individual races as meaningful numbers and/or results are known.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 03, 2014 19 Comments
Hilarious. (Unless of course you're Mark Udall, desperately trying to hang on to your Colorado Senate seat.) Paul Lewis of The Guardian has the scoop:
Mark Udall had been looking confident, just moments earlier, when he climbed down the steps of his campaign bus and began addressing what should have been an audience of the party faithful. These were people who had given up their Sunday afternoon to knock on doors in Centennial, in the southern suburbs of Denver, in search of votes for Udall. In a populist, energising speech, Udall mocked the “plutocrat” Koch brothers, who bankrolled TV ads for his Republican rival Cory Gardner, and praised “the clipboard army” who were about to begin knocking on doors. “I know you can do it. We’re surging. Ignore the polls.” The crowd cheered and autumn leaves fluttered about the senator like confetti.
Autumn leaf confetti sounds delightful! But let's pause here for just a moment. Because, fact check. Surge? I'm not sure where he's getting "surge." Real Clear Politics seems to indicate exactly the opposite, which is probably why Udall is imploring his faithful supporters to ignore the polls: Corey Gardner Mark Udall Heckled Colorado Senate Polling But now for the best part (emphasis added to highlight hilarity):

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 03, 2014 11 Comments
Embattled Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is steadily outpacing Democratic challenger Mary Burke in all of the latest polls---so of course that means a swastika ad is the only logical option left for Team Burke. The ad released by the Burke campaign is inside baseball-ish in that if you haven't been following the intricacies of the race, it's hard to understand why anything disclosed is significant. Picked up by and reported by the Washington Post, the ad shows Scott Walker with "donor and campaign worker, Gary Ellerman." The ad then drops its one and only bomb: "Ellerman posts pictures like this on his Facebook page." Scott Walker Nazi Mary Burke Swastika Ad Evidently, Ellerman was fired from Trek (the consumer is supposed to know what Trek is and why it's important). Mary Burke was also employed by Trek. Ellerman went on to share his account of Burke's time with the company, an account Burke disputes. Avner Zarmi of PJ Media provides the background:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on November 03, 2014 12 Comments
Outgoing Democratic Iowa Senator Harkin made some shall we say, "interesting" remarks about Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst.
"Joni Ernst, she's really attractive and she sounds nice. I don't care if she's as good looking as Taylor Swift or as nice as Mr. Rodgers, but if she votes like Michelle Bachmann, she's wrong for the state of Iowa."
Ernst was not impressed by Harkin's apparent crush on her saying, "I was very offended that Senator Harking would say that. I think it's unfortunate that he and many in their party believe that you can't be a real woman if you're Conservative and you're female. Again, I am greatly offended about that." Was the late disclosure of the Harkin comments a dirty trick? Too bad, Harkin is front and center in Bruce Braley's final messaging:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 31, 2014 12 Comments
According to a news source in San Diego, a Mexican federal judge ordered the immediate release of US Marine, Andrew Tahmooressi.  

Andrew Tahmooressi was on trial for crossing the border with ammunition and three loaded weapon on March 31. The Mexican Attorney General’s Office agreed to cease its prosecution of Tahmooressi and allow him to return to the United States.

The agreement brings to a close a high-profile case that has resounded far beyond the border. In the United States, it has prompted calls for his release from politicians, veterans groups, conservative talk show hosts. But for months there had been an impasse, as Mexican federal prosecutors insisted that the case be resolved through the courts -- not through diplomatic or political pressure.

Tahmooressi, 26, claims that he drove into Tijuana by mistake on a Monday night after taking a wrong turn near the Mexican border in San Ysidro. He recently had moved from Florida to San Diego, and says that he was driving out of a parking lot, intending to head north. But instead he drove into the El Chaparral Port of Entry, where Mexican customs inspectors examined his pickup truck and found more 400 rounds of ammunition and three loaded firearms: a 45-caliber pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun and a 5.56mm assault rifle.

Shortly before his incarceration, Tahmooressi was diagnosed with PTSD and began receiving treatment. When previous attempts for his release failed, Tahmooressi's Mexican defense attorney pressed forward using PTSD as a means for humanitarian release. According to UT San Diego:

Benítez, his Tijuana defense attorney, used a range of tactics to win his release. He initially pressed for dismissal of the case on the grounds that his client’s rights were allegedly violated when he was held at the El Chaparral Port of Entry for hours without the presence of an attorney or a translator.

But in recent weeks, the attorney focused on Tahmooressi’s PTSD in an attempt to win him a humanitarian release. Key testimony came from a prosecution witness, Dr. Alberto Pinzón Picaseño. The Mexico City psychiatrist interviewed Tahmooressi and concluded that he suffers from a condition that has him feeling in constant danger, recommending treatment “by specialized persons in his country of origin.”

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 31, 2014 36 Comments
The October surprises just keep on coming, courtesy of President Obama. According to The Weekly Standard, "during a speech in Rhode Island today, President Obama called for more taxpayer-spending on pre-school in order to "make sure that women are full and equal participants in our economy." I can respect that. But then the President followed those remarks by saying (emphasis added):
And sometimes someone, usually mom, leaves the workplace to stay at home with the kids, which then leaves her earning a lower wage for the rest of her life as a result. That's not a choice we want Americans to make.
Um, ok. I'm interpreting his remarks to mean that women shouldn't have to choose between lower wages or being stay at home mothers. Sounds noble, but it's not realistic, at least not in most cases. Condescension aside, aggravating is the constant drum beat of the modern "feminist" lie that women can have it all. It's simply not true. Those with successful careers and families are routinely put in a place of choosing one or the other. Men with families also find themselves in the same dilemma, yet no one wants to talk about their struggles, because "feminism."

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 31, 2014 10 Comments
After significant national pressure, Houston Mayor Annise Parker has withdrawn the controversial subpoenas entirely. Ed Whelen at National Review has the scoop:

I’m pleased to pass along word from the Alliance Defending Freedom, counsel for five Houston pastors, that Houston mayor Annise Parker has—finally—entirely withdrawn the harassing subpoenas that the City unjustifiably inflicted on the pastors.

I’ll repeat what I said in my first post on this matter: The law firm of Susman Godfrey, which is representing the City “pro bono” in the litigation, deserves to share in the ample blame for this fiasco. In particular, Geoffrey L. Harrison, Alex Kaplan, and Kristen Schlemmer of that law firm seem not to have given a moment of careful thought to the First Amendment implications in this case of the sort of bullying discovery that they and other lawyers routinely engage in. 

The Alliance Defending Freedom issued the following statement:

“The mayor really had no choice but to withdraw these subpoenas, which should never have been served in the first place. The entire nation--voices from every point of the spectrum left to right--recognize the city's action as a gross abuse of power. We are gratified that the First Amendment rights of the pastors have triumphed over government overreach and intimidation. The First Amendment protects the right of pastors to be free from government intimidation and coercion of this sort. But the subpoenas were only one element of this disgraceful episode. The scandal began with another abuse of power when the city of Houston arbitrarily threw out the valid signatures of thousands of voters. The city did this all because it is bent on pushing through its deeply unpopular ordinance at any cost.
The subpoena threat has been withdrawn but the mayor and the city should now do the right thing and allow the people of the Houston to decide whether to repeal the ordinance.”

Following a bitter battle over an overreaching city ordinance, Bayou City clergy and the city of Houston weren't on the best of terms. The ordinance, dubbed "HERO," allows transgendered persons to sue businesses that prohibit their use of their preferred bathroom.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 29, 2014 7 Comments

NARAL probably didn't intend for their latest radio ad to be butt of every Conservative joke, but that's exactly what happened.

The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), issued a press release today announcing, "a new $450,000 ad campaign attacking Senate candidate Cory Gardner for his position against birth control. The TV, radio and online ads will run between now and Election Day and will be targeted at young voters, especially young men." "Cory Gardner tries to deceive Colorado voters on his opposition to birth control and his belief that politicians have a right to interfere in our personal, private medical decisions," said Karen Middleton, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado. "These ads highlight how Cory Gardner is on the wrong side of Colorado values and voters, especially young voters." Evidently, men are single issue voters who only care about birth control and in particular, condoms. At least that's the prevailing theory of the Democrats these days. The folks over at The Federalist recorded the radio ad for your listening pleasure:
Dude: They're all out. Lady: Did you try the corner market? Dude: Of course. Lady: Grocery store? Dude: Sold out. Lady: Drug store? Dude: Come on. Lady: So everyone's sold out of condoms? How did this happen? Dude: Cory Gardner banned birth control and now it's all on us guys. And you can't find a condom anywhere. And The Pill was just the start. Pell grants my little brother was counting on for college? Cory cut them. Climate change that everyone knows is weirding our weather? Cory flat-out denies it. Sweat Pea, Cory denies science. Lady: Come on. Dude: This guy has no idea what's going on in the real world. [Wayne's World Scene Changing Music] Narrator: Don't let Cory's world become your world. [Yada yada yada...]

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on October 28, 2014 53 Comments
Rewind to a few months ago when we reported that McDonald's appeared to be testing touchscreen ordering devices:
McDonald’s employees who picketed for a better living wage (whatever that means) may come to regret that decision. According to a Redditor, a McDonald’s in Illinois replaced their cashiers with machines.  The machines appear to be the cousins of the ones found in grocery stores, big box stores, and CVS that allow customers to complete transactions.
It turns out McDonald's is no longer merely testing the devices but is planning widespread implementation. Tanking profits are forcing fast food chains like McDonald's to reconsider how much their front line employees are worth, particularly when these employees continue to demand more money. According to the Wall Street Journal (emphasis added):
If there’s a silver lining for McDonald’s in Tuesday’s dreadful earnings report, it is that perhaps union activists will begin to understand that the fast-food chain cannot solve the problems of the Obama economy. The world’s largest restaurant company reported a 30% decline in quarterly profits on a 5% drop in revenues. Problems under the golden arches were global—sales were weak in China, Europe and the United States. So even one of the world’s most ubiquitous consumer brands cannot print money at its pleasure. This may be news to liberal pressure groups that have lately been demanding that government order the chain known for cheap food to somehow pay higher wages. The McDonald’s earnings report on Tuesday gave a hint at how the fast-food chain really plans to respond to its wage and profit pressure—automate. As many contributors to these pages have warned, forcing businesses to pay people out of proportion to the profits they generate will provide those businesses with a greater incentive to replace employees with machines.
Enter the machine:
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