The Breach: McCain Dates, Not Obama Dates?
As you've no doubt heard, three second-rate burglars have been caught accessing Obama's passport files. The WaPo reports the tree days when his files were accessed:
State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the employees had individually looked into Obama's passport file on Jan. 9, Feb. 21 and March 14. To access such a file, the employees must first acknowledge a pledge to keep the information private.
Waxman Attempts to Plug Truck-Sized Loophole for Theft
Among those from whom Henry Waxman requested information on the ginormous loophole for contracting fraud is his old friend Lurita Doan. Any bets on whether she was the one who put a "get out of jail for overseas fraud" card in the new rule trying to prevent that kind of fraud?
One Corrupt Lawyer Disbarred
An entire party full of corrupt lawyers yet to be disbarred.
A three-judge panel on the D.C. Court of Appeals stripped Libby of his ability to practice law after he was found guilty last year of obstructing the investigation in the CIA leak investigation, WTOP radio reported.
Next up, Alberto Gonzales? Harriet Miers?
Tom Reynolds Won't Seek Re-Election
Tom Reynolds is set to announce he will not run for re-election. You think maybe this has to do with the investigation of how the NRCC came to lose $1,000,000?
Judge "Naughty" In Trouble with the Circuit Court
The judge who presided over Joseph Nacchio's trial is under investigation by his circuit court.
McCain Fails Test to Be Legislator, Much Less President
You guys already know about McCain's seemingly intentional conflation of Iran and Al Qaeda disguised as a serial gaffe (and if you don't then go read Blue Texan on it, because he's much funnier than I am).
Since I'm late to the party, all I can add is a link to that Quiz for Lawmakers I devised last year after Silvestre Reyes made the same gaffe.
"They're Not Businesspeople ... They Won't Spend a Dime on Management"
So says Republican campaign finance lawyer Cleta Mitchell of the NRCC. It's her excuse for why the NRCC didn't take very basic measures to ensure that Christopher Ward didn't steal from the campaign committees he worked with.
Whatever the excuse, the NRCC is now complaining, again, that they're victims and therefore it's very mean that the FEC will fine them for overstating their
Fighting about Fuck
SCOTUS wants to decide whether we're allowed to hear the words fuck and shit on the telly.
Nacchio Gets a New Trial
Joseph Nacchio gets a new trial. Perhaps, finally, he'll be able to reveal how the Bush Administration tried to force him to illegally wiretap Americans.
Chiquita Exec: Our Support for Terrorism Doesn't Kill People
Chiquita wants you to believe that--in spite of the fact that they've admitted supporting terrorists for over a decade--their support for terrorists had no ill effect, like death or kidnapping.
Worst Since World War II
What are all the economists using the euphemism "worst since World War II" trying to avoid saying?A
Credit Crises
While the nation futilely tries to bail Bear Stearns out of its bad investments, Congress won't even let Americans testifying without exposing their own financial history.
Steven Hatfill's Lawyer Asks Some Questions
in an op-ed, Steven Hatfill's lawyer asks what will prevent government officials from using private information for political score-settling.
Consequences
What if the 9/11 Commission had described just how responsible Condi was for 9/11? What if it had more aggressively tried to fix the problems with the FBI?
More Blue Dogs Come Home
In addition to Leonard Boswell, 15 other Representatives who wrote to Nancy Pelosi in support of the Senate bill voted for the Democratic bill today.
The Blue Dogs (Some of Them, at Least) Come Home
Some time ago, 21 Blue Dog Democrats wrote a letter in support of the Senate bill on FISA. The Republicans (including Doc Hastings in today's debate) have pointed to that letter in support of their argument for the Senate bill.
But the Blue Dogs--at least some of them--are starting to come home (perhaps because of the pressure that Blue America is preparing to put on them for voting against civil liberties).
FISA: FBI Overrides Constitutional Objections
Reuters reports something missed in most coverage of the IG report on abuses of the National Security Letters: on two occasions, FBI overrode the judgment of the FISA Court. All the more reason to support the House--rather than the Senate--version of the FISA amendment.
Another Stupid Idea to Exacerbate the Clusterfuck
Markos likes the idea Mark Halperin claims is being floated.
–Michigan’s 156 delegates would be split 50-50 between Clinton and Obama.
–Florida’s existing delegates would be seated at the Denver convention—but with half a vote each. That would give Clinton a net gain of about 19 elected delegates.
– The two states’ superdelegates would then be able to vote in Denver, likely netting Clinton a few more delegates.
Now, any "solution" to
NRCC Catalogs the Damage
The NRCC says that the FBI investigation has reached a point where it can reveal how much, it claims, it was bilked out of by Christopher Ward. Before I get into the details, though, what do you suppose it means that the investigation now allows them to go public about the damage?
House to Go Into Secret Session
At the request of the Republican leadership (who want to say something to the entire House that can't be said publicly), the House is going to go into a secret session to debate FISA. Hopefully, Dems will take this opportunity to tell their colleagues that there is clear evidence the telecoms knowingly failed to take measures to ensure their wiretapping was legal.