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The Daily Muck
The House is set to vote on contempt citations for Harriet Miers and Joshua Bolten after both declined their congressional subpoenas. In preparation for the vote, Rep. Conyers (D-MI) has pulled together a fifty-page memo that might be considered the first official allegation that several members of the administration broke the law carrying out and then covering up the U.S. attorney firings. The vote is scheduled for 10:15 AM (EST). (Washington Post)
The House Oversight Committee informed the White House yesterday that they will be questioning former White House officials on the death of Corporal Pat Tillman, who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in April 2004. The White House waited weeks to make Tillman’s death public and Congressional investigators want to know what officials knew prior to the public announcement. (Associated Press)
The FBI is moving forward with its plan to pay telecom firms to store information on citizens that the FBI cannot legally preserve itself. Yesterday, the FBI requested a budget of $5 million a year from Congress to fund such a program. Under its current formulation, the FBI would not be allowed direct access to the records without a subpoena or national security letter. (Washington Post)
Duke Cunningham is back in San Diego! But he's probably not enjoying it; Cunningham is back for follow-up interviews with federal prosecutors regarding Wilkes, Foggo and John Michael. (San Diego Union Tribune)
ABC’s The Blotter gets the irony: The Department of Homeland Security can’t seem to secure its own facilities. According to a new Government Accountability Office report, DHS did not meet a July 2004 deadline to create a comprehensive security plan and instead relied on a “patchwork” of efforts to secure its facilities. (ABC’s The Blotter)
Gonzales might not remember how many attorneys he fired for upholding the law, but here's one that appears to have earned his stripes as a loyal Bushie. The U.S. Attorney of South Florida is coming under fire from staff members for helping politicize his office when he reigned over the Civil Rights Division. (Palm Beach Post)
The Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation against several oil businesses because of allegations that they have been bribing foreign customs officials. (Wall Street Journal)
Earmarks are getting nasty! Another spat broke out yesterday when Rep. Westmoreland (R-GA) tried to strike funds marked by Rep. Abercrombie (D-HI). Abercrombie spoke out and was remanded by the chair, who reminded him that remarks should not be directed towards other lawmakers. Abercrombie replied, “I am confining my remarks to the chair. If I was saying it directly to the gentleman, he would know it a lot more physically." (Congressional Quarterly)
FEMA has finally decided to wake up and smell the formaldehyde. Yesterday the agency announced it would “review” its policy on selling and providing trailers that cause respiratory problems in trailer inhabitants due to unhealthy levels of formaldehyde. The agency has come under fire for not investigating complaints by FEMA trailer residents. We hope FEMA will also review its policy on word usage: a spokesman said the “formaldehyde issue” is “very fluid.” (Associated Press)
The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in D.C. is missing roughly one quarter of its computer supplies, according to a recent audit. The VA has three other medical centers around the country, all of which in better shape: they were only missing about 11% of their hardware. (Associated Press)
Comments (16)
Jake D. wrote on July 25, 2007 9:20 AM:Again, wake me up when Congress actually DOES something.
Chris wrote on July 25, 2007 9:26 AM:Anyone know where I can get my hands on the Conyers memo? I can't find it, and apparently Conyer's office doesn't get to work by 9:30.
Samsara wrote on July 25, 2007 9:33 AM:I love this Republican strategy. Block any legislation from getting through the Senate (Ethics Bill, Intelligence Bill) and then use their media lackeys to blame the "do nothing Congress". If the American people are ignorant enough to buy this nonsense, then they deserve more Republican leadership
Anonymous wrote on July 25, 2007 9:56 AM:Scott Horton at Harpers has a blistering recap of Gonzales' testimony. Shorter Horton: Gonzales has likely committed crimes against humanity and should be careful where he visits when out of office, especially Argentina. He doesn't forget to mention obstruction of justice, perjury and contempt of Congress - "Good question, Senator."
Jake D. wrote on July 25, 2007 9:57 AM:WOO HOO!!! More Republican leadership!
Troll Patrol wrote on July 25, 2007 10:08 AM:sc: poison
Slim Pickin's wrote on July 25, 2007 10:08 AM:Not bad editorial in WaPo today about Gonzales...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/24/AR2007072401962.html
Of course, it isn't on their front page.
What a sad embarrassment the country has become under republican leadership. I think we should remind everyone we can at each opportunity when they see Alberto - that they are looking at the heart of republican governance; crimal, corrupt, and totally incompetent.
David Michaels wrote on July 25, 2007 10:27 AM:FEMA is finally testing the formaldehyde levels in the contaminated trailers, but what it really needs to do is clean up its General Counsel's office - the attorneys there advised FEMA not to test to avoid liability, certainly ethically-questionable advice:
http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2007/07/24/cleaning-up-two-problems-fema-trailers-and-fema-lawyers/
. It is probably uneth for formaldehyde
Candyce wrote on July 25, 2007 10:29 AM:Conyers and committee are on CSPAN 3 online now.
Conyers opens saying, "I am not open to a take it or leave it proposal. On the merits, our case is quite strong."
TheraP wrote on July 25, 2007 10:29 AM:Thanks Slim.
"Credibility Collapse" - the editorial title could surely serve as a summary of the past 6 and 2/3 years. Gonzo-Lies is just one tiny part of it.
Collapse of credibility in the Supreme Court, which brought us the bush dictatorship. Collapse of credibility in the Executive Branch - which brought us the collapse of justice and any shreds of ethics or seemliness, as we came to see fascism and criminal conspiracy rooting itself in every corner of government. Collapse of credibility in the media, which lapped up the propaganda and spread it far and wide. Collapse of credibility in the congress, which has failed in its oversight duties and left us, the people, to take up the standard as Fourth Branch, in hopes of saving the crumbled wreck of our Constitution. Collapse of credibility in the world - due to launching war under premeditated false pretenses, shredding treaties, capturing and torturing people at will, hypocritically urging democracy abroad while eviscerating it at home. Collapse of government care and concern for citizens, whether due to catastrophes, global warming, illness without medical care, leaving loan sharks to ensnare students, home buyers, credit card users. The list goes on and on.
Gonzo-Lies in his smirking, shameless oozing of pandering to a lawless president is just the poster boy of the week. But "Credibility Collapse" is surely the Title of our Time.
And it simply sickens me.
Slim Pickin's wrote on July 25, 2007 10:34 AM:Well put TheraP. I don't think anyone could have said it better.
TheraP wrote on July 25, 2007 10:46 AM:I take that as a high complement, Slim! Thanks.
Jane wrote on July 25, 2007 11:08 AM:FBI to pay telecom firms to store data FBI cannot legally store? FBI is responsible for the actions of those they hire: I do not see how this avoids the strictures on FBI's legal ability to retain this data. Going to a judge to get a warrant to obtain this from the firm might work and might be a sufficient safeguard but wouldn't that require enabling legislation?
With out restrictions on the telecom firms that can be hired, just how much did the RNC bid?
tpm devotee wrote on July 25, 2007 11:26 AM:I noticed the same thing, Jane. It simply makes no sense!
It's like outsourcing war - and allowing contractors to do what the government says it doesn't (but it does anyway).
More of the same. Rinse and Repeat.
foggylady wrote on July 25, 2007 1:13 PM:Harpers sez:
" One chart in Taylor’s presentation highlighted the GOP’s top 36 targets among House Democrats for the 2008 election."
Anybody got a link to the list of the 36 targets?????
noncooperator wrote on July 26, 2007 3:20 PM:Betcha Jake knows....if so pls. share.
An issue exists that to my knowledge has not yet been addressed by any bloggers or congressional hearings. In an email sent March 2, 2005 by Kyle Sampson to Harriet Miers (0AG000000005). Some U.S Attorneys were evaluated thusly: "Recommend removing; weak U.S. Attorneys who have been ineffectual managers and prosecutors, chafed against Administration initiatives, etc." Others, however, were evaluated: "Recommend retaining; strong U.S. Attorneys who have produced, managed well, and exhibited loyalty to the President and Attorney General."
My question? Exactly how does a U.S. Attorney exhibit loyalty to the president?