ALIPAC announced that it’s “withdrawing support” for the former CNN anchor. Lou Dobbs has even managed to turn off the man who was once his biggest supporter. William Gheen, the president of Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC), has devoted quite a bit of energy in recent years to trying to persuade Dobbs to run for president; he even set up a Web site about the cause. But in a press release sent out Thursday morning, ALIPAC announced that it’s “withdrawing support” for the former CNN anchor. – salon.com From the release:

Americans for Legal Immigration PAC is withdrawing support for Lou Dobbs after years, including the suspension of websites calling on Dobbs to run for President due to the perceived change in Mr. Dobbs’s stances on immigration issues. “While Mr. Dobbs claims his positions have not changed, however, that is not the perception of many of our mutual supporters,” said William Gheen of ALIPAC. “His recent comments on Telemundo and his national radio show supporting some kind of path to citizenship for illegal immigrants is inconsistent with positions of ALIPAC and the views of most American citizens.” …. ALIPAC is suspending the operations of two Dobbs fan websites. The Facebook “Draft Lou Dobbs for President or US Senate” and the fan site www.LouDobbsForPresident.org will suspend operations and have a notice of ALIPAC’s discontinued support placed upon them. The site www.LouDobbsForPresident.org was launched back in early 2008 and has generated pledges of over $660,000 in contributions if Lou Dobbs were to run for office. “We’ve received so many demands from prior Dobbs supporters to remove their pledges of support that we have to suspend all operations on the Dobbs fan sites,” said Gheen. “Lou Dobbs has deeply offended his base of supporters and ALIPAC is going to remain loyal to those Americans who support our existing immigration laws instead of Amnesty disguised as reform.”

In a major development, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed late Wednesday that its civil rights division has opened a formal investigation into the East Haven police department. – nbcconnecticut.com

Following an official racial-profiling complaint by a New Haven church, the U.S. Department of Justice has decided that police practices in “East Haven” deserve a closer look.

That development was triumphantly announced on Wednesday night by Angel Fernandez, a parish leader from Fair Haven’s St. Rose of Lima Church. He said that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has decided to launch an investigation into allegations of race-based police harassment in East Haven.  Link: [newhavenindependent.org]

The Racist Xenophobe at Cnn is no More.

New York Times‘ Media Decoder blog is reporting that CNN anchor Lou Dobbs — long time anti-immigration proponent and “birther” conspiracy advocate — is leaving CNN.

By Jennifer Fernicola A man of Mexican national origin is suing his former employer for discrimination, which he says included being called a “stupid Mexican” and being threatened with physical violence.

1. Robert Aleman, comments to Miramontes such as “stupid Mexican” and “Mexicans don’t know what the f-ck they’re doing around here.”
2. - Aleman said “I’ve never cowered down from a Mexican and I never will and if any of you guys want to prove it let’s go.”
3. - Aleman approached Miramontes and two other Mexican mechanics and “poked one in the buttocks simulating anal rape.”
4. - Aleman instigated racially motivated violence against Mexican employees and then bragged about it.
5. - Aleman threatened to “‘kick’ Plaintiff’s ‘ass’” and followed Miramontes around after his shift ended and made threats of physical violence.
6. Aleman “violently grabbed Plaintiff, pulled Plaintiff toward Aleman and kissed Plaintiff on the lips.”

read more: http://www.chicagonow.com

New Mexico hotel owner Larry Whitten is currently facing national criticism for demanding that his Hispanic employees change their names and stop speaking Spanish in his presence. Today on CNN, HLN host Jane Velez-Mitchell sharply went after Whitten, introducing herself as “Jane Velez-Mitchell. I hope you don’t mind if I keep using the word ‘Velez’ in my name.” She then went after him for asking his “Spanish” employees to anglicize their names: link

CNN Special on Latinos Stokes Debate Over Dobbs

Instead of being simply a draw for Hispanic viewers, CNN’s four-hour documentary, “Latino in America,” turned into a political rallying cry

CNN is airing a four-hour special on Latinos in America this week that ignores its own commentator Lou Dobbs, whose persistent advocacy against illegal immigration has angered many Hispanics.

• The “Latino in America” documentary airs in two parts Wednesday and Thursday at 9 p.m. EDT, repeated at midnight.

“Lou Dobbs is the gigantic anti-immigration elephant in the room at CNN,” said Roberto Lovato, who is helping to organize the petition drive. “Rather than address him, they decided to just avoid the issue.” – google

from: http://www.dallasnews.com

A judge whose Mexican immigrant mother earned only a third grade education and worked as a cleaning woman was named to the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday, becoming the first Latina to serve on the state’s highest court.

Justice Eva Guzman of the 14th Texas Court of Appeals will succeed Scott Brister, Gov. Rick Perry said during an event at Austin High School, a predominantly Latino school from which Guzman graduated.

“This is a special day and this is a special place,” Guzman said while surrounded by family and friends. “We chose this location because this is where my journey began. It is a strong reminder of the power of big dreams, hard work and good choices.”

Perry, who praised Guzman as a principled conservative with an “unmatched work ethic,” said her name kept coming up after he asked his staff to “find the best, most principled Texas jurist out there and get him or her on the bench.”

Guzman’s story of rising from immigrant roots to judicial success exemplifies “a dream I’m proud to say is still possible in the state,” Perry said.

The governor is tough re-election Republican primary against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and both are working to woo Hispanics, who account for a third of Texas’ population and a quarter of the state’s electorate.

Guzman’s story of rising from immigrant roots to judicial success exemplifies “a dream I’m proud to say is still possible in the state,” Perry said.

Feds strip Ariz. sheriff of immigration powers

An Arizona sheriff known for aggressively cracking down on illegal immigration has been stripped of some of his special power to enforce federal immigration law, and he claims the Obama administration is taking away his authority for political reasons.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose office faces racial profiling allegations over crime and immigration sweeps in some heavily Latino areas of metro Phoenix, said officials from Washington won’t let him renew a deal that let his deputies make federal immigration arrests.

the Racist Burbank police

At least three of the officers — Karagiosian, Rodriguez and Taylor — are among seven current or former officers who have filed suit against the city and Police Department alleging violations of civil rights.

The latest was filed last month by Taylor, who alleged that his demotion to captain from deputy chief was due to supporting officers who had filed complaints against the department.

Karagiosian and Rodriguez were part of a lawsuit filed in April against the Police Department and top managers by five officers who alleged a pattern of racial discrimination and retaliation, as well as unlawful demotions or firings.

Among the most explosive claims were that department officials tolerated an environment in which officers commonly used slurs about race, ethnicity and sexual preference directed at them, their colleagues, suspects and the public.

Mayor Gary Bric said he was confident that the investigation into the department, which also includes an independent probe by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, would be thorough and complete. He said there would be no limits on investigators.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-burbank-police2-2009oct02,0,2354835.story