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The Daily Muck
Representative Murtha is batting 1.000 but he is not alone. Murtha has received campaign cash from every private entity that he favored with an earmark in the most recent defense bill. Murtha’s
Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) boasts the largest foreign land holdings of any member of Congress. But Weller, who failed to disclose land transactions in Nicaragua, is now dogged by ethics questions and will probably be resigning as early as Thursday. (Chicago Tribune)
Norman Hsu may be a savvy businessman, but the guy just doesn't understand mass transit. Hsu's lawyers maintain that their client intended to board a California commuter rail, but accidentally got on the wrong train... headed to Chicago. (WSJ's Washington Wire)
Hillary's donation problems don't stop with Norman Hsu. Yesterday, her campaign announced (sub. req.) that it would return some funds associated with the bundler William Danielczyk. Danielczyk's employees made contributions to Clinton--even though they were Republican--because the donations were a "corporate contribution." That is, Danielczyk paid them back for their gifts. (Wall Street Journal)
Several of the “bundlers” who were involved in the 1990s Democratic fund raising scandal that hit Bill Clinton are now cozy with Hillary. The list includes an Oklahoma oilman who once testified that his firm attempted to influence Clinton by providing payments and a golf club membership to a Cabinet secretary's son. Edwards’ bundlers are also being scrutinized after well-known fellow trial lawyer William S. Lerach, who raked in $80,000 for Edwards from family and law firm partners, pleaded guilty this week to a conspiracy charge. (Washington Post)
The EPA has approved a new coal firing plant that ignores Clean Air Act requirements that the plant regulate its carbon dioxide emissions. Now, Rep. Waxman (D-CA) wants to know why the EPA feels it is okay to ignore both the law and the recent Supreme Court decision explicitly upholding this aspect of the law. (Oversight Committee)
Just 12 weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice Department launched an investigation into alleged corruption in Saudi weapons purchases from BAE Systems, the Saudis have ordered over $8 billion in Eurofighter aircraft from England and BAE will be assembling the planes. (Bloomberg)
An Edwards' state campaign director has resigned after his disparaging emails about specific Obama supporters were leaked to the Associated Press. The Edwards' campaign, in a sign that they will not tolerate such crass behavior unless it is kept a secret, is seeking a criminal investigation to find out who leaked the emails. (AP)
After Hurricane Katrina, Countrywide Home Loans made the kind gesture of allowing victims to suspend their mortgage payments for 3-6 months. Unfortunately, those same people found out three months later that Countrywide was holding them in default. Now Countryside is being sued by the same people it tried to evict. (ABC's The Blotter)
Has the U.S. Attorney scandal hit Puerto Rico? Some questions are being asked about a 32-month investigation by the nominated U.S. Attorney, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, into the Democratic governor, whose office has done a good job of consistently leaking grand jury information to the press. Critics are worried that Rodriguez-Velez has made a name for herself by prosecuting Democrats, something this administration looks upon quite favorably. (The Hill)
Comments (8)
Richard L. Adlof wrote on September 20, 2007 10:46 AM:Corporate Champion Clinton benefits from corporate malfeasence?!? Say it ain't so . . .
AND of course, Republicans support the Democrats' favorite Goldwater Girl . . . The election of HRC remains the GOP's sole hope (augmented by RNC election fraud) of retaining control of the White House beyond 2008.
TheraP wrote on September 20, 2007 10:48 AM:"anonymous" muck:
Remember when an "anonymous" tmp post predicted cheney's resignation on 9/17??
The poster took credit for "knowing" gonzo would resign. And assured us that cheney too would resign - and foretold the date.
Hmmmmm .... now where is that resignation?
calipendence wrote on September 20, 2007 11:10 AM:Did the Chicago Tribune article mentioned above actually say that Weller would *resign* or retire? The link there now seems to be dead. It would be interesting if in fact Weller is really planning to resign shortly, but had this news yanked from the Tribune and replaced with "retire", which most other news stories are saying now.
Joe Zainea wrote on September 20, 2007 11:43 AM:Yesterday an AP story appeared in the Grand Rapids Press and the Holland Sentinel reporting that 11 or so members of Congress, including MI 2nd district Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R), had been subpoened by Brent Wilkes' attorney to testify in Wilkes'trial on bribery charges involving the now jailed Randy (Duke)Cunningham.
According to Hoekstra's spokesman, the House Counsel advised that the subpoena was overly broad and that he and the other members would not respond.
No information seems to be forthcoming anywhere on the possible reasons for the subpoenas. The story also reported that Hoekstra had received donations from Wilkes and that the money he received was eventually donated to charity after it was learned that the donor was involved with Cunningham.
Is it likely that Wilkes' attorney will get more specific with regard to why Hoekstra and the other House members are needed at the trial? The names of some of the House members were listed in the story. As usual, most were Republicans but Ike Skelton (D) of MO. and Jack Murtha (D) of PA were also included.
Anonymous wrote on September 20, 2007 12:30 PM:I recently heard someone describe the Greek government as "A two party hereditary democracy".
As a democrat, I have never been comfortable with the idea of electing Hillary as prez. But I couldn't clearly define why I felt uncomfortable.
Electing Hillary wouldn't necessarily mean 'hereditary' succession from Bill. But it's not the direction that I would like to see our democracy go in.
calipendence wrote on September 20, 2007 12:34 PM:Joe,
I suspect that Geragos is trying to put forth a sweeping set of subpoenas in efforts to ensure that either:
a) that enough of those congress people don't comply with subpoenas, and then when it is shown that they "can't" because it involves "national security" sensitive information that can't allow their testimony of such, that they will try to use the "gray mail" defense to have the trial dismissed.
or
b) if somehow the "gray mail" defense fails, like it did with the Scooter Libby trial, enough of the "secret" information is put forth in public, so that he can get a "fairer" trial and not be made the scapegoat for what is likely a lot larger corruption mess.
There's probably a reason that Geragos' team sought the sealed documents from Kontogiannis' case just a few days ago. I'm sure they were mining them for helping to build this strategy.
Not only will the congress critters' refusal to comply with subpoenas help their efforts to "gray mail" the case, it would also help Bushco complain and not respond to subpoenas issued to them by congress, arguing that if congress doesn't respond to subpoenas, he and his people shouldn't have to either.
Tom in AZ wrote on September 20, 2007 2:11 PM:What's up with the US Attorney in FL arrested in MN for trying to have sex with a 5 yr old girl?
TheOtherWA wrote on September 20, 2007 5:47 PM:"Several GOP leaders, including Partelow, said they had not heard any official word about Weller's plans on Wednesday.
Neither, apparently, had LaHood or Hastert. They discussed the GOP's prospects in their soon-to-be-open seats in an afternoon meeting with Illinois Republicans -- including Weller -- in Hastert's office, LaHood said, and Weller never mentioned any retirement plans.
"We were just all together," LaHood said Wednesday night, "and he never said a word about it.""
Here's an updated link to the ChiTrib story on Weller:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/thursday/chi-weller20sep20,0,3825596.story
Wow, if Weller's playing this that close to the vest, there must be something big coming down the tracks. Aimed at him. JMHO.