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The Daily Muck
David Lopez, former chief of staff to Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA), has given several hundreds of documents to federal investigators looking into his one-time employer. (Associated Press)
What do you do when Cheney claims not to be part of the executive? Democrats are toying with the idea of blocking the budget of the Vice President, since Cheney’s budget is currently lodged in the executive-branch spending bill. (The Hill)
The House Ethics Committee sent a stern note reminding lawmakers of their responsibility to give the committee 30-day notice to approve any private travel requests. The new rule, which took effect earlier this year, seems to have been ignored by many thus far. (Roll Call)
So much for nuclear secrets. The weapons laboratory at Los Alamos, only ten days after admitting a security leak over the Internet, has acknowledged two additional security breaches, including a stolen laptop that contained “sensitive” government documents. (Newsweek)
Ex-Governor Don Siegelman is publicly voicing concerns raised by a recent affidavit that suggests Karl Rove was behind the prosecution that is now sending Siegelman to jail. (LA Times)
Dick Cheney isn’t the only one who doesn’t want watchdogs looking over his shoulder. The LA Times remembers that earlier this year, Rep. Waxman (D-CA) sent a letter to Andrew Card inquiring into a complaint that White House officials blocked an oversight inspection.
The former chief judge of the FISA court gave a candid speech yesterday about the nature of his work, casting a bit of light onto what has remained a fairly secretive process. (Washington Post)
The Government Accountability Office has upheld President Bush’s interim appointment of Sam Fox, former Swift Boat supporter, as ambassador to Belgium. As a condition of his appointment, Fox is required to forgo any salary; Democrats hoping to overturn the appointment had pinned their hopes on the idea that argument that this would be technically illegal. (USA TODAY)
George Tenet was all set to write his memoirs immediately after his retirement from government. So why did he wait so long, at a loss of nearly $2 million in publishing bids? The New Republic (sub. req.) wonders if the Bush family helped to coax Tenet's late release of his book.
Comments (3)
Mark Richards wrote on June 26, 2007 10:55 AM:Someone's joking. Only $4.4 Million to run the dark side of our government? Seems like a suspiciously cheap deal.
I'd suggest that the $4.4 Million is cover and talk of shutting it off is show. There's got to be a lot of cash elsewhere that keeps the actual wheels going. $4.4 million might cover meals, a few secretaries, batteries for the cardioverter, and a lawyer to cover some of the more blatant criminality.
Better tactic: since he's no longer part of the Executive tell him his office is vacant. Take his passport, have him stand by for the trials, and kick his ass back to Texas, Wyoming, or wherever backwater he came from.
wrong wrote on June 26, 2007 12:22 PM:I'm guessing that the $4.4 million wouldn't cover the jet fuel his office uses in a fiscal year.
It's probably the cost for the yearly purchase of man-size safes that he stores his secret stash in.
I'd bet is more like $4.4 billion.
cal1942 wrote on June 27, 2007 12:51 PM:The $4.4 million is probably like any other appropriation. In this case covering the expenses of running the office including, staff salaries and other ordinary day to day expenses.