What Got Added to the Renzi Indictment Since October 2006?
I noted that there was good reason to believe that the impending Renzi indictment is the most likely explanation for Paul Charlton's firing in December 2006. A quick reminder of the chronology:
June 2005: Investigation into Renzi launched
Months before election day: Investigators ask for clearance to tap Renzi
September 13, 2006: Charlton's name added to the firing listOctober 26, 2006:
Why McCain Got a Criminal Defense Lawyer to Manage His NYT Push-Back
A number of people have noted that, if all the NYT had was the word of a few ex-staffers, getting a big-time criminal defense lawyer like Bob Bennett to defend McCain was overkill. Isikoff's latest story begins to explain why Bennett may not have been overkill.
Rick Renzi Indicted
Not a surprise, really. I'm just hoping the indictment finally reveals more about why Paul Charlton was fired to stave off precisely this indictment.
McCain Would Be the SECOND Lobbyist President
A lot of people are imagining the horror of a Presidency in which all of McCain's advisors were the lobbyists he now chums around with. No need to imagine though--that possibility is already the reality of the Bush Administration.
OPR Endorses Pixie Dust
OLC wrote Steven Aftergood a little Valentine's Day love letter, telling him to just embrace the absurdity.
Republican No Shows on FISA Negotiation
The Republicans purportedly negotiating FISA with Conyers, Reyes, Leahy, and Jello Jay told their staffers to skip the meeting.
Did Iseman and McCain Enable Conrad Black to Commit Fraud with CanWest?
Vicki Iseman used her close relationship with McCain to do more than help the two companies that would later go on to smear John Kerry expand their reach. She was also help CanWest win approval of the purchase of Conrad Black's media properties.
Did Vicki Iseman "Steal Honor" in THREE Presidential Elections?
Is it just a coincidence that two of the companies Vicki Iseman was lobbying McCain about in 1999 were the two that aired Stolen Honor in 2004?
McCain's "Favors" for One Special Lobbyist: The Bob Bennett Angle
Wow. McCain surely didn't get his money's worth with Bob Bennett trying to squelch the "favors" for the pretty telecom lobbist angle.
What Do Chris Christie and John Ashcroft Have to Hide?
Chris Christie and John Ashcroft aren't responding to HJC's invitation to testify about their stinky federal monitoring deal. I wonder why?
Democracy in Action
Have you been getting that feeling that this year is going to be different?
The Hunt for Private Sovereignty
Is Ray Hunt building a little kingdom with private sovereignty in South Texas, just as he's helping Kurds to do in Iraq?
The Pointy End of a Dull Spear
Not only was Jose Rodriguez responsible for the destruction of the torture tapes, he appears to have been responsible for preventing any real oversight of the bungling kidnapping of Abu Omar.
Or Maybe Those Cables WERE Cut
The UN adds support to the theory that the telecom cables to the Middle East were cut intentionally.
The OTHER Sources for the Hatfill Stories
A month ago, Steven Hatfill learned three of the sources who were reporting that he was a "person of interest" in the anthrax investigation. But it appears he didn't learn all of those sources. Did the government selectively release reporters based on the damage they could do in a suit by Hatfill.
Congratulations to TPMM
Congrats to TPMM for winning the Polk Award for its US Attorney purge coverage.
SCOTUS Says "No Thanks" to ACLU Suit--Will It Change the FISA Debate?
Will SCOTUS' decision not to review the 6th Circuit Court's dismissal of the ACLU's lawsuit against the government affect the FISA debate?
Shorter WSJ: George Bush Is Irrelevant and So Is McCain
In an attack on Democrats for having the spine to stand up to Bush's lies on FISA, the WSJ reveals their real worry: Bush and McCain are irrelevant.
Musharraf's Party Projected to Lose--Badly
Pervez Musharraf's party is projected to have lost today's election--resoundingly. While that's good for democracy, it's unclear what it means for US policy in Pakistan.
Don't Cry For The Telcos - Bush & Cheney Are The Only Ones That Are Dying For Immunity
Since the ugly head of the issue of telco immunity was first raised last summer, I have been arguing vehemently that the telcos are not in any grave danger financially from the litigation currently pending if their conduct is as has been described to date, that they are already protected from liability as to the actions that have been described to us and Congress, and that the full court press for immunity by the Administration is entirely about cover for the lawless and unconstitutional acts of the Bush Administration and not about the telcos. Here is why.