Wow  – February rolled by quickly (even with that extra day) and now I am looking forward to Spring arriving in about 18 days – how about you?

Congratulations on making it to another Friday and another edition of Caught My Eye.  If you are stopping by for the first time, welcome!  Caught My Eye is posted almost every Friday morning right here!  This is the column where I take a quick look at some of the stories I did not have time to comment about during the week – often with a touch of sarcasm thrown in for good measure.  Everyone is fair game – so watch out…

Today I write about a couple jokesters getting together, fighting for planes, Schweitzer slipping away, a 14th DUI,  birth control, birthdays, the ‘Stache Act, and I peek inside my political inbox and share!  There’s a lot more so let’s have some fun!

The Jokesters:

Several folks asked me what I thought about Congressman Denny Rehberg getting involved in U.S. Federal District Judge Richard Cebull’s issue.  The issue is the tasteless joke Cebull sent to several of his friends about President Obama.  The joke was forwarded to the Great Falls Tribune.  Then “it” hit the fan for the Judge.

Rehberg and Cebull reportedly spoke over the phone about the incident.  I wonder if they traded any jokes during the call…

Readers may remember that Rehberg recently had his own problems telling a joke and it just seems strange that he would want his name associated with Cebull since he is attempting to move up to the Senate in November.  But then again I did not think Rehberg would be telling jokes about two drunks in a boat either.

Cebull now says he is sending a formal apology to President Obama and asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to review the matter.  He’ll probably get a slap across the wrist via a reprimand.

Fighting For Planes:

The local CBS News station (KRTV) in Great Falls (Montana) reported that Texas officials may not be all that favorable with giving up eight C-130 transport planes to the Montana Air National Guard (Ya think?).  Texas officials say “the decision to move the aircraft, estimated to cost about $100 million to build new hangars and train personnel in Montana, is unnecessary and ill-advised.”

It’s kind of the same angle that Montana is using against California where Montana’s F-15s are headed.

Montana does not have the clout in Congress in regards to defense/military issues that Texas and California has so it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Schweitzer Slips Away:

Just about the time the Montana Republican Party (GOP) felt they had Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer (Democrat) cornered he slipped away.  The GOP claimed Schweitzer had violated campaign laws when he used state resources to make public service announcements in 2008 while he was a candidate for reelection.

This has been like a cheap soap opera with Schweitzer playing the leading man.  The Associated Press (AP) has the details HERE.

A previous commissioner of political practices and a hearings officer had both determined that Schweitzer had broken ethics laws.  A new commissioner appointed a special deputy commissioner (James Goetz) to make a final decision.

The AP reported that Goetz said that no “state funds” were spent on the public service announcements.  The case has now been dismissed.

Now it appears all the candidates currently holding offices who have filed for re-election can have their taxpayer-funded staff help them create public service announcements to get their name recognition up during their reelection bid.

Deputy Goetz is utterly mistaken and he made himself look foolish with his decision.  But that is not the whole problem – the problem is the Political Practices system Montana has to referee the campaigns.  The AP quoted Montana Republican Party Executive Director Bowen Greenwood who said, “Brian Schweitzer’s campaign treasurer is appointed commissioner of political practices, and one month later a frequent Democrat donor dismisses Schweitzer’s ethics violations.”

That’s the problem and Montanans should be getting sick of it no matter which political party runs the Political Practices Office – because the way the system is now political parties are running that office.

Jack’s Political Inbox:

Almost every week I gather some of the e-mails I received from candidates and political groups and share them with my readers.  I also add a little commentary. 

-The Joe for Congress 2012 Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Support Joe the Plumber in 2012!” and it really was from Joe the Plumber – also known as “Samuel Wurzelbacher.”  He writes, “I am running for Congress against Dennis Kucinich – and I need your help.”  Of course he needs money!  His website is joeforcongress2012.com

Speaking of needing a plumber – I heard that someone broke into the local police station and stole the toilet.  Right now the cops have nothing to go on…(I bet U.S. District Court Judge Richard Cebull wishes he would have forwarded a joke like that)

-The Jon Tester Campaign sent an e-mail with the subject “Rehberg’s billionaire pal” in which Tester writes, “We knew it would happen.  An out-of-state billionaire who got rich on Wall Street is planning to use the new rules under Citizens United to help Dennis Rehberg.  His name is Foster Friess.”

With about $6.2 million raised so far, I would not be too worried about Tester and money for the 2012 election.  Almost every website I visit has a Tester advertisement (the one with the goofy photo of Rehberg). Tester is doing just fine in the money department…

-The Montana Republican Party sent me an e-mail (I actually received three identical e-mails) with the subject, “Montana Republican Party Chairman on Obama’s Energy Failure” in which the Chairman was quoted saying, “Thanks to President Obama’s inaction on energy policy, Americans are feeling unprecedented pain at the pump.  Gas prices have skyrocketed since Obama took office—from an average of $1.85 a gallon to over $3.71 a gallon today.”

Like I said the other day, I have not been able to fill up my vehicle for a couple of years…

-The Montana Republican Party was busy this past week, as I received an e-mail (this time I received just one) on Thursday with the subject, “Evidence of Corruption in Montana” where they tell me about the Senator Max Baucus threatening, “to make unfavorable tax laws for lobbyists whose donations he disapproves.”

Here’s the Politico story.  Baucus has been in Washington since dinosaurs roamed the earth and plays the fundraising game aggressively.  The Bozeman Chronicle reported in February 2005 that Baucus “assembled 50 lobbyists in a Washington, D.C., restaurant on Jan. 31 and told them he wanted each of them to raise $100,000 for his 2008 re-election campaign.”

Max is looking out for his buddy Jon Tester – probably for two reasons:  Tester gives Baucus some Montana beef from his suitcase that he lugs back and forth to D.C., and Tester’s staff performs administrative duties for the Baucus staff.  If Rehberg beats Tester that would all end so you can see there’s a pressing need for Baucus to have Tester in D.C.

-The Montana Democrats sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Mansfield-Metcalf Dinner: Advance Ticket Sales Close Monday.”  The tickets cost $50 now, but on Monday go up to $75.  They add, “We’ll be joined by keynote speaker Paul Begala, as well as Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus, Steve Bullock, Linda McCulloch, Monica Lindeen, Denise Juneau and more.”

The event is March 10 in Helena with the dinner starting at 6:00.  For folks who want to start drinking earlier, there’s a “Sponsors Reception” starting at 5:00 p.m.  (I have not heard if Max Baucus is leading the toasts or not).

-The Stutz for Congress Campaign sent me an e-mail about being “Endorsed Across Montana” writing, “The endorsements are not the usual laundry list of political insiders.  Rather, they are grassroots statements, with pictures and testimonials, supporting Stutz’s message that Congress can work for the people.”

I like grassroots campaigns…there are too many millionaires in Congress.  Check out the Stutz for Congress website HERE.

14th DUI:

Montanans should be ashamed that this man was still on the streets.  The Billings Gazette reported that, “A 70-year-old Laurel man who was arrested for his 14th drunken-driving offense while on probation for his 13th DUI conviction…”

What do you suppose he received for breaking probation for #13 and getting caught for #14?  The Gazette reported that he is “to serve 10 years in state custody, with seven years suspended, for both DUI convictions.”

Not enough.  Susan Watters is the State District Court Judge who sentenced him.  She is weak on sentencing drunken drivers…

We All Grow Old:

Happy 50th birthday to Jon Bon Jovi.  Chris Martin from Coldplay is 35.  Football players Ben Roethlisberger is 30 and Reggie Bush is 27.

Birth Control, Religion and Politics:

It’s always fun to watch a bunch of old farts in the Senate debate birth control.  It’s bothersome to me to see them debate religion, too.  Those two things are what wasted time the last couple days in the senate.  It was not the time or the place.  There are more pressing issues like gas prices, jobs, the economy, and other world events – even passing a budget should be ahead of birth control.  The senate Democrats did beat back a measure by the Republicans 51-48 on Thursday that aimed (as the Associated Press reported) “to overturn President Barack Obama’s order that most employers or their insurers cover the cost of contraceptives.”

The U.S. Senate never ceases to amaze me…

Military Service on Driver’s License:

USA Today reports that, “State lawmakers across the U.S. are crafting legislation that would add military service to veterans’ driver’s licenses so they will not have to carry official discharge papers to prove their service.”

This is a good idea.  Do it…

Stache Act:

Is there an act proposed in Congress to give a tax deduction of up to $250 a year for facial hair grooming? Even if there isn’t, it is a waste of taxpayer money to even be discussing it.  The Associated Press has the coverage HERE.

Some say it puts people in a hairy situation…

Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss):

I leave you today with a quote from the famous Dr. Seuss, who would have turned 108 today (March 2).  He died in 1991.

“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!”  ― Dr. Seuss, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

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Follow Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord.