Conservatives Replace Scandal-Plagued Doolittle With Scandal-Plagued Calvert
Conservatives Replace Scandal-Plagued Doolittle With Scandal-Plagued Calvert
Yesterday, the House Republican Steering Committee voted to seat Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) on the Appropriations Committee, “filling the vacancy left by embattled Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA),” who is under investigation by the FBI for his longstanding ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
According to Roll Call, Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) “has sought to enforce a tougher ethical standard in the 110th Congress,” and thus called on Doolittle to immediately resign his committee seat in the wake of corruption charges.
But Boehner’s rhetoric is merely a PR stunt. Named one of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s “20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress,” Calvert has a history of abusing his power just as much as Doolittle:
Made huge personal profits off his own earmark. Calvert pushed through an earmark to secure over $9 miilion for freeway and commercial development near property he owned in California. After the development of the area, Calvert sold his property for a 79 percent profit.
Personal firm received commission from earmark. “In another deal, a group of investors bought property a few blocks from the site of a proposed interchange, for $975,000. Within six months, after the earmark for the interchange was appropriated, the parcel of land sold for $1.45 million. Rep. Calvert’s firm received a commission on the sale.”
Rewarded K Street firm under investigation with pork projects. The Copeland Lowery lobbying firm is currently “enmeshed in a federal investigation of Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA).” “Rep. Calvert has helped pass through at least 13 earmarks sought by Copeland Lowery in 2005, adding up to over $91 million.” The lobbying firm has been Calvert’s largest campaign contributor.
Traveled to Saudi Arabia with convicted Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) in 2004. They were accompanied by Thomas Kontogiannis, an alleged co-conspirator in the Cunningham controversy.
Despite Calvert’s controversial past, Boehner maintained that a simple interview was enough to erase his past in the eyes of House conservatives. “Congressman Calvert answered every question asked of him by the Steering Committee,” Boehner said. “It was a candid and frank conversation, and the members of the committee were satisfied with his answers.”
UPDATE: CREW’s blog has more.
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59 Responses to “Conservatives Replace Scandal-Plagued Doolittle With Scandal-Plagued Calvert”
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Wonderful. Another revolving door for the terminally inept and morally bankrupt.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:30 pmConservative “Values” at work.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:31 pmThey just don’t care. All you get from them is a variety of ways to give the people the finger.
They don’t believe in civil government and when elected, they tend to prove to themselves that it doesn’t work. All that’s left for them is feathering their own nests.
Once before, about 75 years ago, they went so far that the people rejected them for the next 40 years. If we’re lucky, history will repeat itself.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:33 pmRepugnicants
May 10th, 2007 at 7:34 pmKorruption R Us!
And Clinton got a blowjob….which is worse? Well aside from the fact that it was from Monica….which is worse?
May 10th, 2007 at 7:34 pmGee, did you look into his eyes and get a sense of his soul?
May 10th, 2007 at 7:35 pmSame GOP circus, different GOP clowns.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:36 pmIt’s like two boozers coming out of the bar and trying to decide who is less smashed, and should be the driver.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:40 pmSurely, not every single Republican in the Congress is corrupt. If not (and this could cover some Democrats as well, quite truthfully) this is one more argument for term limits. This guy is an 8-termer. Sixteen years in Congress. Frankly, we need to get rid of the “Career” Senator or Congressperson, and go back to citizen-legislators. There is truth to that old axiom about “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
May 10th, 2007 at 7:42 pmGee, did you look into his eyes and get a sense of his soul?
Comment by dh
What soul?
May 10th, 2007 at 7:43 pmIt was bought by the Devil on K-Street years ago.
An exit poll last November showed that one of the major concerns with voters was putting an end to government corruption. I hope that Boner and his accomplices keep putting corrupt republicans in high-visibility positions!
May 10th, 2007 at 7:51 pm#5
He lied to a grand jury about it…which is worse then he lied directly to the American people on national television….which is even worse that lying to the grand jury.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:51 pmI agree with the term limits comment. I also think that we have way too much legislation. It would be nice to see an exchange program. For every new law congress would have to repeal an existing law. But that’s just me.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:54 pmDid he have cash in his freezer?
May 10th, 2007 at 7:58 pmDid he have cash in his freezer?
Comment by m12
Yes.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:00 pmTracy: “He lied to a grand jury about it…which is worse then he lied directly to the American people on national television….which is even worse that lying to the grand jury.”
This from a Bush supporter???!!! Get serious, Tracy. Nobody is buying that act anymore. Clinton left office with a 65% approval rating. According to some international polls, he is the most popular American in the world. Your guy will leave office with the lowest average approval ratings in the history of polling. His many lies have gotten hundreds of thousands killed and ruined our standing in the world. The fact that you still think Clinton’s little lie was of some importance is just pathetic and sad.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:02 pm“Despite Calvert’s controversial past, Boehner maintained that a simple interview was enough to erase his past in the eyes of House conservatives.”
It’s the same hiring process that has brought America the horrors of “heckuva job” Brownie and Abu Gonzalez. Don’t know why their promoting of another corrupt political apparatchik like the scummy Calvert would shock anyone.
It’s just business as usual for the Bush/GOP Mafia.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:02 pmWhen will scandal-plagued Rep. Jefferson be replaced? It seems that the attorney probe has been buying him some good time. He should replace that cash back in his freezer before it spoils. Then, he could preserve it, like meat, for up to a year.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:07 pmIf I can recall correctly, TP’s postings last December seemed to be celebrating Jefferson’s reelection last December, but were they?
May 10th, 2007 at 8:10 pmSorry in advance if my grammer is lax. I believe my right-leaning views have denied me a solid command of English, ETC.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:14 pmHe lied to a grand jury about it…which is worse then he lied directly to the American people on national television….which is even worse that lying to the grand jury.
Comment by Tracy — May 10, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
Go soak your head Tracy. The fact that you and the …but, but, but Clinton! crowd are still fretting over Bill and Monica’s Excellent Adventure is f’ing pathetic. Not then, not now, not ever - will you ever be able to convice us sane Americans that Clinton’s lie about his free hummer is on any level near as damning as the lies Bush, Cheney and the rest of the GOPigs have spewed (and continue to spew) these past 6 years.
Get the f*ck over it will ya?
May 10th, 2007 at 8:19 pmIf I can recall correctly, TP’s postings last December seemed to be celebrating Jefferson’s reelection last December, but were they?
Comment by Joe
Nope they didn’t.
All of TPs posts are archived, take a look.
Frankly if Jefferson is charged, he should resign.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:19 pmAll the leaks from the FBI on that case and not one charge yet.
Strange, don’t you think?
May of 2006, it was leaked he would be charged within 6 weeks.
He wasn’t.
He lied to a grand jury about it…which is worse then he lied directly to the American people on national television….which is even worse that lying to the grand jury.
Comment by Tracy
How many times have we been lied to by Bush and Cheney, on TV?
May 10th, 2007 at 8:22 pmI seem to have lost count now.
If I can recall correctly, TP’s postings last December seemed to be celebrating Jefferson’s reelection last December, but were they?
Comment by Joe
We certainly were not.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:23 pmDidn’t the old coot speaker earmark $25mil for her husband?
May 10th, 2007 at 8:27 pmDidn’t the old coot speaker earmark $25mil for her husband?
Comment by Mr. President
Already debunked Jake
While I am pissed over the”impeachment off the table” issue, this is a totall bullsh*t charge.
The waterfront improvements were requested by the Port of San Francisco and the four rental properties owned byher husband are at least a mile away and would not be affected at all
Her earmark was to authorize $25 million to improve San Francisco port areas, and also would put some areas off limits to navigation so cruise ships could dock.
Please explain why that affects the properties that are a mile away.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:37 pmI will wait for your answer, but won’t hold my breath
It’s called property value
May 10th, 2007 at 8:46 pmDidn’t the old coot speaker earmark $25mil for her husband?
Comment by Mr. President — May 10, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
Another baseless smear, from the wingnut hatefest. While you listen to Limbaugh about *fake* corruption, your own party *ss rapes you. Nice!
May 10th, 2007 at 8:46 pmDidn’t the old coot speaker earmark $25mil for her husband?
Comment by Mr. President
Dude, if you’re gonna troll, be smart about it.
And stop talking to yourself.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:53 pmIt’s called property value
Comment by Mr. President — May 10, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
So then she didn’t give money to her husband - as you falsely claimed. She gave money to a city, where he owned property. Are you going to say that a measly 25 million dollar investment in a City with a budget of $5 billion dollars in 2006 is going to significantly impact the property values of properties over a mile away? Considering there are probably tens of thousands of homes between those improvements and the property in question? Wow, now that sounds like a great investment in San Francisco? Why did it take so long to get passed?
You sure a st*pid little deranged idiot aren’t you?
May 10th, 2007 at 9:02 pmMr. pResident, sir, it’s time for your “change”.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:11 pmDidn’t the old coot speaker earmark $25mil for her husband?
Comment by Mr. President — May 10, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
The key word here is “for”. Next, I would point out “earmark” as opposed to “give”. It’s tough, I know, but you Mexicans want to make in States you gotta learn the language.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:11 pmHey! If they had ethics, they’d never win an election. Boehner claims he has a higher standard of ethics — don’t make me laugh. Boehner is the one who passed around bribery money from lobbyists right in the open on the House floor.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:13 pmIt’s called property value
Comment by Mr. President
That is a non-answer
May 10th, 2007 at 9:14 pmmy point.
You debate like a 2 year old.
try again
LOL. Have you ever been to San Francisco? It’s only 6 miles wide and long. When you “earmark” any money for the city, it’s going to be a short distance from “ANY” property in SF. So grow up and get over it.
So, what about the $350 BILLION bush has been earmarking for Cheney’s Haliburton?
May 10th, 2007 at 9:39 pmThe key word here is “forâ€. Next, I would point out “earmark†as opposed to “giveâ€. It’s tough, I know, but you Mexicans want to make in States you gotta learn the language. Comment by Mr. President — May 10, 2007 @ 9:11 pm
BAHAHAHA, that’s how you excuse that *LIE*!!! Well, by your justification, every earmark is *for* someone, because you can argue that increases in property values increases taxes, and thereby eventually benefits the federal government and everyone. That’s the most st*pid comment you’ve made!
If it was FOR someone, it would specifically benefit that person. You haven’t shown that any earmarks WOULD increase property values in an entirely different part of the city! Therefore no it was not FOR him, as it would have no DIRECT impact on him.
St*pid liar.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:56 pmLOL. Have you ever been to San Francisco? It’s only 6 miles wide and long. When you “earmark†any money for the city, it’s going to be a short distance from “ANY†property in SF. So grow up and get over it.
So, what about the $350 BILLION bush has been earmarking for Cheney’s Haliburton?
Comment by paland — May 10, 2007 @ 9:39 pm
Just whose side are you on here, paland?
VVGRU - I hope that you don’t take this too seriously, because I don’t, and you seem pretty upset.
But anyway:
1. How come you didn’t point out that I’m missing the word “the” in post #32. This was your opportunity to stick it to me where it hurts. Not only was I ragging on Mexicans who don’t know American English but you should know how anal I am about this kind of thing.
2. Your attempt at a reductio ad absurdum needs work. You need to show the steps in my argument that would hypothetically lead to that conclusion. Because all I have to say now is:
a) Yes, the word “for” denotes a specific party or agency in this context.
b) My use of “for” in post #25 named the denoted party, namely “her husband”.
c) In the context of the statement I made in post #25, “her” refers to “the old coot speaker”.
May 10th, 2007 at 11:13 pmHe(Clinton) lied to a grand jury about it…which is worse then he lied directly to the American people on national television….which is even worse that lying to the grand jury.
Comment by Tracy
I realize, Tracy, that you don’t find anything wrong about lying to get the US to invade a nation that didn’t attack, and to keep on lying ala Cheney about Al Qaeda connections that didn’t even exist before the US jumped in. So why don’t you explain to us what $200/hr. gay hooker/phony journalist Jeff Gannon/James Guckert was doing at the WH during several overnights as well as daytime visits when no press conferences were even scheduled? Maybe just all-night poker games, eh? Well, maybe strip poker. Or innocent(?) buttock massages, eh?
May 11th, 2007 at 12:38 amYour guy will leave office with the lowest average approval ratings in the history of polling.
No, that will still be Harry Truman, who, incidentally, was possibly the greatest President of the 20th century.
History has a way of repeating itself.
May 11th, 2007 at 12:43 am#37
May 11th, 2007 at 1:47 amHarry Truman was famous for saying, “The buck stops here.”
With Dumbya Bush, the buck never stops. Moreover, after Attorney General McGrath fired a special prosecutor for being too zealous in his investigations of government corruption, Truman then gave the AG the boot. Quite a bit different from the current situation with Bush and Gonzales!
But thank you for acknowledging the greatness of a Democrat President.
m12, where exactly DOES the buck stop?
May 11th, 2007 at 2:04 amIf the members of the committee were satisfied with his answers then they are all in it together. Maybe that’s a give-me on the appropriations committee…we shall all profit by our appropriations. The party of corruption and Greed. Boehner is just a point man, as hypocritical as they come.
May 11th, 2007 at 3:13 amYet another republican crook who deserves at best an 8 by 10 cell but probably more fitting his ass dangling from the end of a rope.
May 11th, 2007 at 3:35 amDo you think maybe Republicans literally can’t see their own corruption? I mean, it might be a neurological disorder or something. No wonder they screw things up so much.
May 11th, 2007 at 6:35 amJust another fox guarding the door of the chicken house.
May 11th, 2007 at 10:19 amCONTACT INFORMATION?
Calvert For Congress - P.O. Box 20123 - Riverside, CA 92516
Phone: 951-784-1811 / Fax: 951-680-6093 / Email: kencalvert@calvertforcongress
If you don’t like the man… quit electing him!!!
That is your answer.
Apparently he is good enough to represent his district for the past 15 years…
May 11th, 2007 at 11:31 amHe has a website where you can volunteer to help him.
He has opposition from a Dem candidate.
This is America… like it or not…
—————-it is not LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT
——–it is CHANGE IT OR LOSE IT
#16
“His many lies have gotten hundreds of thousands killed and ruined our standing in the world.”
What specific “lies”?
May 11th, 2007 at 2:49 pm#21
As if Clinton didn’t spew continual lies throughout his two terms?
May 11th, 2007 at 2:52 pm#21
I know it doesn’t mean anything to those who aren’t married…like yourself.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:53 pm#23
Be specific.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:54 pmTracy-troll,
May 11th, 2007 at 6:05 pmSince you are still so hung up about Clinton’s dalliance with Monica, why don’t you explain to us what $200/hr. gay hooker/phony journalist Jeff Gannon/James Guckert was doing during his various overnights and daytime visits to the White House when no press conferences were even scheduled? All-night poker games, eh? Well, maybe strip poker. Or innocent(?) buttock massages? Don’t you think your dear preznit ought to explain to the public and/or Congress what a hooker who was still posting naked photos of himself on the Internet was doing at the WH so many times?
In addition to those malfeasances listed above, wasn’t Calvert caught playing hood hockey with a prostitute during his first term in Congress (and I seem to remember his excuse was, “I had relations for her, but I didn’t pay for it”or something along those lines)?
May 11th, 2007 at 7:41 pmTo gf120581
from Wikipedia
“In 1993 Calvert was arrested for soliciting a prostitute. The Riverside Press-Enterprise went to court to force the Corona police to release the police report. In that report, the arresting officer wrote:
“I observed a male subject in the driver seat… As I made my way to the driver door, a female immediately sat up straight in the front passenger seat. It appeared as if her head was originally laying in the driver’s lap… Both subjects were extremely nervous. I noticed that the male subject was placing his penis into his unzipped dress slacks, and was trying to hide it with his untucked dress shirt… The male subject started his vehicle and placed it into drive and proceeded to leave. I ordered him three times to turn off the vehicle, and he finally stopped and complied… The male identified himself as Kenneth Stanton Calvert… and stated ‘We’re just talking that’s all, nothing else.’ …I spoke with Linberg separately. I asked her if she had ever been arrested for anything, and she said, ‘Yes, for prostitution and under the influence of heroin.’ Linberg said she had last ’shot up’ approximately one week prior and is currently on methadone.”
Also in 1993, Calvert and his former wife, Robin, were divorced after 15 years of marriage. His ex-wife later accused him of not paying the alimony arranged. In addition, his father committed suicide.”
Sounds like a great guy, doesn’t he?
May 11th, 2007 at 8:27 pmC’mon guys and gals, leave Tracy alone. I work with enough 28%ers to know that bush can absolutely, positively do *no* wrong. Any wrongs he may do have got to be fabricated by the media, and even if they were real they wouldn’t be nearly as bad as what Clinton did. Bush could go on live TV drunk as a skunk and let the whole world watch him begin WWIV by nuking russia, mecca, the vatican and japan with absolutely no provocation and they would still say “WELL AT LEAST HE DIDNT GET A BJ AND LIE ABOUT IT!” as the rest of the planet was shrouded by a series of mushroom clouds. It doesnt matter that virtually *every* office in the government has been exposed for blatant corruption, cronyism and ineptitude at nearly every level, that we went to war under false pretenses and have spent billions on something that we were promised would be free, lost thousands of lives in something that was promised to be a cake-walk with flowers and candies being showered on our troops. A domestic economy that’s in the crapper with trade deficits skyrocketing, economic growth slowed to a crawl, a housing market that’s the worst in nearly 20 years and individual debt contintually climbing because millions of americans can’t afford what they need to get by on what they make alone. Forget all that though, because bush still hasn’t lied about a blowjob so he’s still the best.
The Tracy’s of this country are why the rest of the world thinks that America is full of stupid, spoiled assholes.
May 12th, 2007 at 1:04 pm#38
“I realize, Tracy, that you don’t find anything wrong about lying to get the US to invade a nation that didn’t attack.”
Be specific about the lies.
“…to keep on lying ala Cheney about Al Qaeda connections that didn’t even exist before the US jumped in.”
The intelligence before 9/11 said there was a connection. BTW it was proven that there were terrorist camps and organizations responsible for planned attacks on U.S. citizens before the 2003 invasion.
#26
http://thinkprogress.org/ 2007/ 05/ 10/ boehner-vote/ #comment-3797411
May 13th, 2007 at 1:56 pm#54 Tracy,
May 13th, 2007 at 10:42 pmThe ball was in your court, and you were the one who brought up Clinton’s BJ, which we all know about, yet again. You should first answer the question about what a $200/hr. male hooker was doing in the WH even before the Talon News website was established and when there were also no press conferences scheduled. If you think there is a reasonable or innocent xplanation for this, then why hasn’t one been forthcoming from Bush or anyone else in the WH? You would come off as less of a hypocrite if you showed even a fraction of concern about the frequent WH visits by a male hooker, who was still posting naked photos of himself on the Internet, as you do about Clinton’s BJ, for which he was held accountable, as you should know. BTW, after the true identity of Jeff Gannon/James Guckert was outed, I googled his name and accidentally came across some very raunchy ad-photos of him and saw more than I cared to see. (I quickly closed the page.)
Back on topic, from the police report description, it seems that Rep. Calvert himself was getting or about to get a BJ. Is that okay with you, if it’s a public place as long as it’s not in the WH?
“Surely, not every single Republican in the Congress is corrupt. If not (and this could cover some Democrats as well, quite truthfully) this is one more argument for term limits. This guy is an 8-termer. Sixteen years in Congress. Frankly, we need to get rid of the “Career†Senator or Congressperson, and go back to citizen-legislators. There is truth to that old axiom about “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.â€
“Comment by impeachcheneythenbush — May 10, 2007 @ 7:42 pm”
If you haven’t yet noticed, then I suggest you get an education in history. The Founders and Framers were — it couldn’t be more obvious — “career politicians”.
It isn’t the system of laws that’s at fault; it’s the individuals who are corrupt. It’s already illegal to be corrupt, so it isn’t the laws that are faulty.
And who says there’re are honest Republican’ts? Fact is, one has a choice: be a crook, and be a Republican’t; be honest, and be thrown out of the Republican’t Party.
May 14th, 2007 at 11:52 am#55
“You should first answer the question about what a $200/hr. male hooker was doing in the WH…”
I know as much as you do about what when on…if anything. I don’t know what happened, neither do you, and considering you have presented NOTHING but innuendo and speculation, would you like me to make up an answer to satisfy your National Enquirer mentality? What I presented about Clinton is proven fact, what you have alleged went on in the WH is pure fiction. Please present some facts about what went on and I just might quit rolling my eyes….yet again. Why do you keep bringing up pure speculation, i.e. someone was getting “service” in the WH?
“You would come off as less of a hypocrite if you showed even a fraction of concern about the frequent WH visits by a male hooker, who was still posting naked photos of himself on the Internet, as you do about Clinton’s BJ”
I am concerned about visits by male hookers to the WH, but since absolutely nothing has been alleged or even remotely proven about the left’s foaming at the mouth fantasies regarding this issue, I really can’t comment about it. I am concerned with proven facts and you seem to be very concerned about fiction. BTW I am not concerned about Clinton’s BJ. I am concerned about his bald face lie about it. Are we clear! (Jack Nicholson style)…for the last time?
“Is that okay with you, if it’s a public place as long as it’s not in the WH?”
No it’s not OK.
Now do you care to respond to #54 by providing the specific lies asked for or that there were terrorist organizations, i.e. Ansar al-Islam , responsible for planned attack on Americans, in Iraq prior to the 2003 invasion that were connected to al Qaeda?
BTW…
“I googled his name and accidentally came across some very raunchy ad-photos of him and saw more than I cared to see”
So you were looking for photos!? That’s sick.
“All-night poker games, eh? Well, maybe strip poker. Or innocent(?) buttock massages?”
Why don’t you have your husband fufill your fantasies? You sure seem to be perverted and interested in speculating about others.
May 14th, 2007 at 7:56 pm#55
Again:
“You should first answer the question about what a $200/hr. male hooker was doing in the WH…”
I know as much as you do about what when on…if anything. I don’t know what happened, neither do you, and considering you have presented NOTHING but innuendo and speculation, would you like me to make up an answer to satisfy your National Enquirer mentality? What I presented about Clinton is proven fact, what you have alleged went on in the WH is pure fiction. Please present some facts about what went on and I just might quit rolling my eyes….yet again. Why do you keep bringing up pure speculation, i.e. someone was getting “service” in the WH?
“You would come off as less of a hypocrite if you showed even a fraction of concern about the frequent WH visits by a male hooker, who was still posting naked photos of himself on the Internet, as you do about Clinton’s BJ”
I am concerned about visits by male hookers to the WH, but since absolutely nothing has been alleged or even remotely proven about the left’s foaming at the mouth fantasies regarding this issue, I really can’t comment about it. I am concerned with proven facts and you seem to be very concerned about fiction. BTW I am not concerned about Clinton’s BJ. I am concerned about his bald face lie about it. Are we clear! (Jack Nicholson style)…for the last time?
“Is that okay with you, if it’s a public place as long as it’s not in the WH?”
No it’s not OK.
Now do you care to respond to #54 by providing the specific lies asked for or that there were terrorist organizations, i.e. Ansar al-Islam , responsible for planned attack on Americans, in Iraq prior to the 2003 invasion that were connected to al Qaeda?
BTW…
“I googled his name and accidentally came across some very raunchy ad-photos of him and saw more than I cared to see”
So you were looking for photos!? That’s sick.
“All-night poker games, eh? Well, maybe strip poker. Or innocent(?) buttock massages?”
Why don’t you have your husband fufill your fantasies? You sure seem to be perverted and interested in speculating about others.
May 15th, 2007 at 1:23 pm