Author Archive for: emptywheel
About emptywheel
Marcy Wheeler is an independent journalist writing about national security and civil liberties. She writes as emptywheel at her eponymous blog, publishes at outlets including Vice, Motherboard, the Nation, the Atlantic, Al Jazeera, and appears frequently on television and radio. She is the author of Anatomy of Deceit, a primer on the CIA leak investigation, and liveblogged the Scooter Libby trial.
Marcy has a PhD from the University of Michigan, where she researched the “feuilleton,” a short conversational newspaper form that has proven important in times of heightened censorship. Before and after her time in academics, Marcy provided documentation consulting for corporations in the auto, tech, and energy industries. She lives with her spouse in Grand Rapids, MI.
Entries by emptywheel
Elena Kagan Confirms Her Vacuity and Farce
/36 Comments/in emptywheel, Law, Obama Administration/by emptywheelYesterday’s Judiciary Committee consideration of Obama Solicitor General nominee Elena Kagan proved that confirmation hearings are not totally useless, we learned something new about Kagan before the SJC. She was for honest and open answers to Senator’s questions at confirmation hearings before she was against it.
The HJC Agreement with Rove and Miers
/61 Comments/in emptywheel/by emptywheelHere’s the written agreement between HJC and the Bush Administration for Rove and Miers’ testimony. Some highlights: The House Judiciary Committee (the “Committee”) will interview Karl Rove and Harriet Miers, but there will be no additional interviewees / witnesses (subject to the one exception [possibly Bill Kelley]). [snip]The scope of the interviews will be limited to:
The FISA Dance in the Wake of 9/11
/82 Comments/in FISA, Unitary Executive/by emptywheelLooseheadprop asks some good questions about the September 25, 2001 opinion on FISA David Kris requested from OLC. While I think I can explain the timing of that opinion, what truly disturbs me is the move to eviscerate the Fourth Amendment (to justify warrantless wiretaps) precisely as PATRIOT went to Congress.