WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Capital Comment -- Daily news notes, political rumors, and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
Most (un)wanted -- Gun control advocates have identified 12 candidates on the November ballot who they call "The Dangerous Dozen." The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March, a group that says it favors "responsible limits on gun access and use," says the election of these candidates "could make the difference between common-sense gun laws and laws that make it easy for children and criminals to get guns."
Brady Campaign Chairman Sarah Brady says the 12 candidates -- all Republicans -- "let the NRA write their campaign speeches... Their records on assault weapons, the Brady Bill, child-safety locks and other common-sense measures to protect families from gun violence demonstrate their indifference to public safety."
The 12 Republicans named are U.S. Sens. Wayne Allard of Colorado and Gordon Smith of Oregon; U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg of Michigan; Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; Republican U.S. Senate candidates Norm Coleman in Minnesota, Jim Talent in Missouri and Doug Forrester in New Jersey.
Also named are Republican congressional candidates Scott Garrett, running in New Jersey's 5th Congressional District and Dick Monteith, who is running in California's 18th Congressional District; and Republican gubernatorial candidates Mike Fisher in Pennsylvania, Bill Simon in California and Bob Ehrlich in Maryland.
Rooked by the bishop -- Former Bishop Estate trustee Lokelani Lindsey was back in federal court last week where she was sentenced to six months in prison for her role in a 1995 bankruptcy fraud scheme according to a report from Malia Zimmerman in The Hawaii Reporter.
Lindsey was once considered one of the most powerful women in Hawaii because of her role as a trustee of the Bishop Estate. U.S. District Court Judge David Ezra also ordered Lindsey to be supervised for three years after her release from prison and to pay a $35,000 restitution fee.
The Bishop Estate was created in 1884 as a bequest of the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha, whom historians credit with uniting the Hawaiian Islands during the 18th century. Princess Pauahi died of cancer at the age of 52, leaving the bulk of her estate "to erect and maintain in the Hawaiian Islands two schools, one for boys and one for girls, to be called the Kamehameha Schools."
Pauahi directed that a five-member board of trustees be appointed by the Hawaii Supreme Court to govern the estate, worth tens of millions at least. Several years ago parental outrage over Lindsey's meddling into school affairs led to her resignation from the board and sparked an investigation into allegations of corruption on the part of the other trustees -- including, according to Zimmerman "cultivating Democrat candidates and funding their campaigns with trust monies" -- that ended in the resignation of the remaining board members.
Looks like we have a winner -- The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons is applauding President George W. Bush's new proposal to bring generic drugs to market faster. The group says the proposed new regulations reflect the same argument they made in Eldred vs. Ashcroft, a case involving patent and copyright extensions heard by the United States Supreme Court on Oct. 9. "These serial drug patent extensions are highway robbery," AAPS general counsel Andrew Schlafly said. "Market competition, without extended patents, will bring seniors lower costs for drugs than any legislative scheme."
...But the jury's not unanimous -- However, not everyone was so happy with the initiative -- unveiled on the first business day after congress had left town. The Nader-founded consumer rights group Public Citizen described the plan as "days late and billions of dollars short," in the words of its spokesman Frank Clemente. Clemente accused the administration of an "election-eve ploy ... designed to get votes," pointing out that the GOP in the House opposed a Senate measure supported by both democrats and some Republicans in the upper chamber designed to increase affordable access to prescription drugs.
Somebody come and play -- Children in southeast Washington will get a new playground on Oct. 26 thanks to Erika Harold, the current Miss America, U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans and over 100 White House staffers. The project, building a playground from the ground up in Oxen Hill Park, is just one of many activities comprising the 12th annual Make a Difference day of service. Organizers expect an estimated 3 million men, women and young people to take part in different events across the country.
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