By Daniel Tencer
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 -- 9:48 pm
GOP votes against measure to help victims of rape at govt. contractors
Political commentators are accusing Senate Republicans of hypocrisy -- and even outright support of rape -- after thirty of them voted against a measure to de-fund military contractors who prevent rape victims from seeking justice.
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) introduced an amendment to a defense appropriations bill that would prevent the federal government from funding contractors whose employee contracts prevent workers from pursuing allegations of rape against co-workers.
The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 30, with all 30 'no' votes being cast by Republicans. Notably, 10 Senate Republicans voted for the measure, including all four female Republican senators.
Franken was inspired to push the amendment by the story of Jamie Leigh Jones, who was an employee of KBR -- at the time a subsidiary of Halliburton -- working in Baghdad's Green Zone when she was allegedly gang-raped by other KBR workers.
In a harrowing expose, ABC News recounted how Jones was locked in a shipping container, denied access to communication with the outside world, and told she would lose her job if she left Iraq or sought medical attention.
As RAW STORY reported last month, Jones recently won the right to sue KBR over her ordeal.
Until 2007, KBR was a subsidiary of Halliburton, the company run by Dick Cheney until he resigned as CEO to become vice-president of the United States. It was that connection to partisan politics that evidently led a majority of Senate Republicans to vote against the measure.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, called Franken's measure "a political attack directed at Halliburton."
Indeed, Franken's amendment names Halliburton and KBR directly, but also states the regulation applies to "any other contracting party."
But that has not stopped political commentators from attacking Senate Republicans for what they see as a vote for rape, and against justice for women.
At his DailyKos blog, Markos Moulitsas writes:
This is interesting. According to Republicans, a fake pimp and ho, reported to the police, was apparently so beyond the pale that they've worked to strip ACORN of all federal funding. But denying employees actual redress from gang rapes is no big deal?
Will the GOP soon introduce a new Constitution Amendment that reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting the ability of corporations to gang rape their employees"? Is support for corporate gang rape already in the GOP platform, or does it need to be added at their next meeting? Is there a huge corporate gang rape lobby that is funneling millions into GOP pockets, or did they vote this way out of personal conviction?
Laura Clawson, also writing at DailyKos, states:
To summarize the Republican position: As women, we are not "average Americans," and gang rape is not a "serious" issue. As women, no matter how powerful we become on our own merits, the Republican establishment will still be hoping for a man to come along and put us in our place.
You don't have to go very far beneath the Republican surface claims of equality-but-not-really to get to the rock-bottom sense that women just don't count, that our rights and our wellbeing are always subordinate to whatever interest of men they might conflict with. When it comes to it, even the (themselves sexist) notions of chivalry and protecting women come behind protecting the right of corporations to imprison their female employees to shield their male employees from rape charges and still get government contracts.
For her part, Jamie Leigh Jones seems pleased that Franken's amendment passed, regardless of who voted against it.
"It means that every tear shed to go public and repeat my story over and over again to make a difference for other women was worth it," she said on Tuesday outside the Senate chamber, after hugging Sen. Franken and telling him: "Way to go."
http://rawstory.com/2009/10/gop-votes-against-prevent-rape/
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Senator Al Franken’s Bill: Justice for Rape Victims; 30 Repubs Vote Against
By: acquarius74
Thursday October 8, 2009
In my opinion, a new low has been reached by the 30 Republican senators who voted against Senator Al Franken's Bill to deny funding to Government contractors who deny their employees' rights to seek justice in court when they have been raped by co-workers. "A new low" is too mild; my thoughts are too strong to print. Below is an excerpt from rawstory and the names of the 30 Repubs who voted against:
Political commentators are accusing Senate Republicans of hypocrisy -- and even outright support of rape -- after thirty of them voted against a measure to de-fund military contractors who prevent rape victims from seeking justice.Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) introduced an amendment to a defense appropriations bill that would prevent the federal government from funding contractors whose employee contracts prevent workers from pursuing allegations of rape against co-workers.The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 68 to 30, with all 30 'no' votes being cast by Republicans. Notably, 10 Senate Republicans voted for the measure, including all four female Republican senators...Franken was inspired to push the amendment by the story of Jamie Leigh Jones, who was an employee of KBR -- at the time a subsidiary of Halliburton -- working in Baghdad's Green Zone when she was allegedly gang-raped by other KBR workers.
Snip > (all emphasis mine)
Names of the scumbags were furnished by lapdogd in comments at rawstory.
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)
Of the 48 comments at rawstory, I really like this comment best:
jimbo92107 22 minutes ago
Well, you can't say Republicans are against everything. They're pro-gun violence, pro-war, pro-torture, pro-sickness, pro-domestic spying, pro-murder, pro-..executions, pro-..corruption, pro-racism, pro-bigotry, pro-child abuse, pro-theocracy, pro-ignorance, pro-..corporatism, and now they're officially pro-rape
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/8832
------------- Bulletin Message --------------
From: Rise Against Corporate Predators (149376875)
Subject: 30 Pro-Rape Senators (All GOP)
From: Corporations_ate_my_BABY! (14892249)
Subject: 30 Pro-Rape Senators (All GOP) please repost
Senator Al Franken's first legislative victory, which was to deny private contractors from using private arbitration in cases of rape and sexual abuse of their employees. However, 30 GOP Senators voted against the amendment! In other words, they would rather deny victims of rape their day in court then get in the way of private defense contractors from making money! Who are they kidding?
We have to call each one of these Senators and let them have it! Below is a list of all the Senators who voted no and their office phone numbers. Call them and ask why don't they care about women's rights? Despicable!
List of Senators and Phone Numbers:
Alexander (R-Tennessee) DC: (202) 224-4944 State: Memphis Office: (901) 544-4224
Barrasso (R-Wyoming) DC: 202-224-6441 State: Cheyenne Office: 307-772-2451
Bond (R-Missouri) DC: (202) 224-5721 State: St. Louis Office: (314) 725-4484
Brownback (R-Kansas) DC: (202) 224-6521 State: Topeka Office: (785) 233-2503
Bunning (R-Kentucky) DC: 202.224.4343 State: Louisville Office: 502.582.5341
Burr (R-NC) DC: (202) 224-3154 State: Asheville Office: (828) 350-2437
Chambliss (R-Georgia) DC: 202-224-3521 State: Atlanta Office: 770-763-9090
Coburn (R-OK) DC: 202-224-5754 State: Ok City: 405-231-4941
Cochran (R-MS) DC: 202-224-5054 State: Jackson office: 601-965-4459
Corker (R-TN) DC: 202-224-3344 State: Nashville office: 615-279-8125
Cornyn (R-TX) DC: 202-224-2934 State: Dallas office: 972-239-1310
Crapo (R-ID) DC: (202) 224-6142 State: Boise office: (208) 334-1776
DeMint (R-SC) DC: 202-224-6121 State: Columbia office: 803-771-6112
Ensign (R-NV) DC: (202) 224-6244 State: Las Vegas office: (702) 388-6605
Enzi (R-WY) DC: (202) 224-3424 State: Cheyenne Office: (307) 772-2477
Graham (R-SC) DC: (202) 224-5972 State: Columbia Office: (803) 933-0112
Gregg (R-NH) DC: (202) 224-3324 State: Concord office: (603) 225-7115
Inhofe (R-OK) DC: (202) 224-4721 State: Ok City: (405) 608-4381
Isakson (R-GA) DC: (202) 224-3643 State: Atlanta Office: (770) 661-0999
Johanns (R-NE) DC: (202) 224-4224 State: Lincoln Office: (402) 476-1400
Kyl (R-AZ) DC: 202-224-4521 State: Phoenix office: 602-840-1891
McCain (R-AZ) DC: (202) 224-2235 State: Phoenix Office: (602) 952-2410
McConnell (R-KY) DC: (202) 224-2541 State: Louisville office: (502) 582-6304
Risch (R-ID) DC: 202-224-2752 State: Boise office: 208-342-7985
Roberts (R-KS) DC: (202) 224-4774 State: Wichita office: (316) 263-0416
Sessions (R-AL) DC: 202-224-4124 State: Birmingham office: 205-731-1500
Shelby (R-AL) DC: (202) 224-5744 State: Montgomery office: (334) 223-7303
Thune (R-SD) DC: 202-224-2321 State: Sioux Falls office: 605-334-9596
Vitter (R-LA) DC: (202) 224-4623 State: Baton Rouge Office: 225-383-0331
Wicker (R-MS) DC: 202-224-6253 State: Jackson office: (601) 965-4644
For further information on contacting these Senators please visit this website:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
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I posted a video about this early this morning... above is the list of those who should not be able to get away from this vote. They prefer corporate rights over the rights of the young women raped by contractors in Iraq... or anywhere.
UNBELIEVABLE.
....
Thanks to:
-------------- Bulletin Message ---------------
From: Lisa & BG (122999945)
Date: 10/8/2009 3:17:31 PM
Subject: These Senators are horrible human beings
