Federal Prosecutors May Step In To Fix "Broken" House Ethics Comittee

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Saturday February 25, 2006 · 6:14 PM PST

2006/02/25 · 18:14

The Justice Department has a message for Congress: clean up your house or else we may have to do it for you. A senior federal law enforcement official told TIME that the paralyzed and often lax House ethics committee has created a vacuum that prosecutors won't hesitate to fill. The House's internal mechanism for keeping corruption in check is "broken," says the official.

Well it's about time. Remember that Dennis Hastert stripped the committee of its non-partisan nature back in March of 2005, when he removed the chairman of the committee, Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.), and three Republican members for having the temerity admonish the since-indicted House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex) three times.

Let's hope the Justice Department is serious about its threat to step in, and not just "saber rattling" as one attorney contacted by TIME suggested.

(Via Think Progress)

Cross-posted at Dem Talking Points.

NYT Mag Cover Story: Chuck Hagel - The Republican Loner

Clintonfan42

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Saturday February 11, 2006 · 12:40 PM PST

2006/02/11 · 12:40

Cross-posted at Dem Talking Points

The cover story of tomorrow's New York Times Magazine is a profile of Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) by Joseph Lelyveld entitled "The Republican Loner." The Times hasn't posted articles from this week's magazine on its website yet, but when they do I will update this post with the link.

The article is an interesting look at the man whom Lelyveld has called "the heartland dissident." The last of a dying breed of Republican. The type of Republican who believes in balanced budgets, smart foreign policy, and (while he is a social conservative) "thinks religion is a private matter." As such, he has been a vocal critic of the Bush administration's policies, ranging from the war in Iraq (which he voted for, but has since compared to Vietnam) and its out of control spending. Read More

Labor Groups, MoveOn Form Americans United

Clintonfan42

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Tuesday December 13, 2005 · 6:36 AM PST

2005/12/13 · 06:36

From Roll Call (subscription required):

"A coalition of labor leaders, progressive activists and top Congressional Democrats have reached a final agreement on transforming the nonprofit group that helped lead the fight against President Bush's Social Security overhaul into a permanent, multimillion-dollar entity pushing a broader liberal agenda in the 2006 midterms.

The new group, a 501(c)(4), will shorten its name to Americans United and is expected to get an immediate cash infusion of $1 million in the coming weeks to ensure it will be fully operational by early next year, according to labor leaders and Congressional aides.

While the group will not have to disclose any of its donors because of its nonprofit status, the primary funders for Americans United will include MoveOn.org and a host of big unions, particularly the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees."

More below the jump.
Read More

GOP Reverts To 2004 Tactics - But Will They Work?

Clintonfan42

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Saturday December 10, 2005 · 9:03 AM PST

2005/12/10 · 09:03

The "white flag" ad, currently the most prominently displayed story on the Republican National Committee's website, is eerily reminiscent of ads run during to the 2004 elections cycle by both the RNC and George W. Bush. The ad, which features three quotations from Howard Dean, Barbara Boxer, and John Kerry with a waving white flag on the screen, coins the new GOP talking point claiming the Democratic message is one of "retreat and defeat."

Conservatives have been desperate to get publicity for the ad as they grasp at anything that might turn around momentum for the 2006 elections. And already the "Republican noise machine" has started to work on getting the ad exposure. On Friday, Rush Limbaugh played the ad on his radio show, and earlier Matt Drudge ran a glowing story about it on the front page of his popular web site.

More below the jump. Read More

The New Progressive Coalition

Clintonfan42

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Saturday October 29, 2005 · 5:37 PM PDT

2005/10/29 · 17:37

The New Progressive Coalition is an organization dedicated to "wire[ing] this movement together. By connecting political entrepreneurs and investors, NPC is networking the left's political capital and driving the long term success of progressive politics," according to its mission statement.

The NPC launched its website earlier this month, and articles ran in the Washington Post and the San Jose Mercury News about it. Founded by Silicon Valley Democrats, it is intended to be similar to George Soros and Peter Lewis' Democracy Alliance, except for smaller donors. In other words it is intended to be a progressive think tank/money raiser with an intention of unifying the the netroots and other liberal groups and organizations.

Like Democracy Alliance, it is geared towards looking at the long term and not necessarliy the next election cycle. Read More

Murray Waas Confirms Other Reports: Libby To Be Indicted, Investigation To Continue

Clintonfan42

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Friday October 28, 2005 · 7:51 AM PDT

2005/10/28 · 07:51

Murray Waas is confirming on his blog what many other news sources have already reported today: Scooter Libby will be indicted, and the investigation will continue (probably via an extention of the grand jury).

"The special prosecutor in the CIA leak case will later today announce a federal grand jury indictment against I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, the chief of staff, and national security advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, according to attorneys involved in the case.

The indictment will focus on charges that Libby mislead federal investigators and the grand jury hearing evidence in the case for the past 22 months, according to the same sources.

Contrary to many news reports that with today's indictment, special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald has now wrapped up his investigation, the investigation will continue to be an ongoing matter." Read More

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