Stimulus Deal

The White House and the Senate finished their deal early Wednesday morning over a $2-trillion package to place band-aids on an economy about to hit a major depression. The deal ends days of negotiations that produced one of the most expensive and far-reaching measures in the history of Congress.

"Ladies and gentleman, we are done," White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland said right before 1 a.m. after leaving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office. The battle over riders and pork has been going around the clock since last Friday. "We have a deal."

McConnell came to the floor to tell everyone, "At last, we have a deal. After days of intense discussions, the Senate has reached a bipartisan agreement on a historic relief package for this pandemic."

Cousins and Cronies Lose a Pig

Hevesi to Plead Guilty to Felony in Case on State Pensions

No surprise here, but Former State comptroller Alan G. Hevesi was in custody on Thursday morning and was expected to plead guilty to a felony count stemming from a state pension scandal, several people with direct knowledge of the case said. He was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan.

Mr. Hevesi has been a subject of a lengthy investigation focusing on allegations that his friends, family and associates sold access to the state's $125 billion pension fund, one of the world's largest, to reward allies, pay back political favors and reap millions of dollars for themselves. That is, the cousins and cronies... that I'm always wailing about.

Mr. Hevesi's plea would make him the highest-ranking state official convicted in the case. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a separate felony after admitting that he had used state workers to chauffeur his ailing wife, but he avoided jail time in that case after he agreed to resign.

Don't be surprised if he pleads down and turns State Evidence on everyone above him who was doing the exact same thing.

On the bonus side, at least they caught this sonofabitch. The downside, is that there are thousand more waiting to pull up to the trough.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

From 1951, it's Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in Drip Along Daffy.