In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones was gang-raped by her Halliburton/KBR co-workers while working in Iraq and locked in a shipping container for over a day to prevent her from reporting her attack. The rape occurred outside of U.S. criminal jurisdiction, but to add serious insult to serious injury she was not allowed to sue KBR because her employment contract said that sexual assault allegations would only be heard in private arbitration--a process that overwhelmingly favors corporations.This year, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) introduced an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill that would punish contractors if they "restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court." You'd think that this would be a no-brainer and all senators would vote in support of this ANTI-RAPE amendment. WRONG! 30 Republicans VOTED AGAINST IT!!
In fact, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) argued that it's NOT the GOVERNMENT's place to DECIDE who the GOVERNMENT does business with. UNBELIEVABLE!! And these Republican Senators are the same ones who went absolutely cross-eyed with white-hot, impotent rage when 4 Acorn employees were hoodwinked by a fake prostitute and pimp and Voted to STOP Funding to ACORN. Duplicitous!
Here are the names of the 30 Republican Senators who voted AGAINST the ANTI-RAPE Amendment. Remember to VOTE AGAINST THEM when they are up for re-election:
Alexander (R-TN), Barrasso (R-WY), Bond (R-MO), Brownback (R-KS), Bunning (R-KY), Burr (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Coburn (R-OK), Cochran (R-MS), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Ensign (R-NV), Enzi (R-WY), Graham (R-SC), Gregg (R-NH), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johanns (R-NE), Kyl (R-AZ), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL) , Thune (R-SD), Vitter (R-LA), Wicker (R-MS)
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14 comments:
Please. You really expect us to bite on this one. We're a bit more informed and smarter than you give us credit for.
These are the "Family Values" of Republicans.
Recently Newt Gingrich "Family Values" gave awards of "American Entrepreneurship" to Big Pornographers ( Cost to porn $5,000 ).
Newt backed off when the Media made a scandal, and Newt recanted the awards.
These Republicans are the Greatest Masters of Hypocrisy.
Milenials.com
Vicente Duque
Jools,
Bite? How so?
There are numerous news reports about this event.
1.
al.com
2.
Guardian
3.
mother jones
4.
Minnesota Independent
The Republicans have REALLY GONE OFF THE DEEP END on This One!
Shame on them!!
This topic is very misleading and incorrectly worded. This was not an anti-rape amendment but and anti-sue bill. Please read below from the first article.
Jones had signed a contract waiving her right to sue in court but instead take any claims to an independent arbiter.
JS,
Please re-read the article. You are incorrect. As the article said:
"she was not allowed to sue KBR because her employment contract said that sexual assault allegations would only be heard in private arbitration--a process that overwhelmingly favors corporations."
And that is exactly what the ammendment will overturn! Franken's bill is surely an ANTI Rape ammendment since now victims will be able to sue their assailants and face them in court so they can face punishment! And rightfully so!
No, that still doesn't make it an anti-rape amendment it makes it an anti-right to sue in open court amendment. A private arbitrator can still see that justice prevails for the victim and the rapist punished.
JS,
Any ammendment that establishes penalties and accountabilities for committing rape, including the ability to sue and hold accountable those guilty of committing rape is definitely an ANTI Rape Ammendment. So sad you can't see that!
Jamie Leigh Jones was RAPED and the Halliburton arbitrators were not holding the rapists accountable. Recently Jamie was allowed to bring them to court to sue the perps and hold them accountable. I say it is about time! (see my earlier post about jamie leigh for reference)
Did you ever bother to find out why these Republicans voted the way that they did? Surely you aren't implying that Republicans approve of the act of rape itself. Or are you?
JS,
What a ludicrous question.
Cheney worked for Halliburton.
He had his loyalties to them. Protect them. Protect their profits. Protect his own finances.
Some people call this capitalism or free enterprise.
Do I dare say it? YES!!! Cheney and many Republicans support Capitalism, Free Enterprise, Big Business Profits, loose regulations, a roaring Stock Market, states' rights, conservatism, et al, by their own interpretation.
Republicans during the Bush/Cheney administration went overboard. They sponsored irrational de-regulation, non-sue employment contracts, even when sexual assaults occurred, virtually free reign for these crony contractors.
The proof is all available for the world to see!! Particularly for Halliburton and Blackwater. (but guess what.. it will be hard to track. Both companies have changed their names and I am sure ALL the documents are shredded!)
I would like to hear the other side of the story from these Republicans rather than your opinion of why they voted the way that they did. Sounds fair, doesn't it? I noticed you didn't provide a link to this story. Do you have one or shall I google it myself?
JS,
There are several links to this story.
Here are a few:
http://thinkprogress.org
/2009/10/07/kbr-rape-franken-amendment/
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/
halliburton-employee-jamie-leigh-
jones-testifies-senate-rape/story?
id=8775641
http://www.congress.org/
congressorg/bio/userletter/?
letter_id=4044565051
Thanks, I will check them all out. I hope it explains why these Republicans voted as they did. I always like to know both sides of a story. Did any Democrats vote the same way as they did?
No. Only Republicans voted against Jamie's ammendment.
Whatever the reasons were why the Republicans voted the way that they did calling it an "anti-rape amendment" just doesn't make sense to me. It really was an anti-right to sue in open court issue for this crime but a private arbitrator is ok. It is the wording of it that you used that bothered me as it implies that the Republicans are ok with the crime of rape itself. So we will just let it go at that, shall we?
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