The Bush administration apparently feels that research from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) has undercut its legal standing on warrantless searches. It’s a fair conclusion: lawmakers take the CRS seriously — the service is basically Congress’ official lawyers — and the agency has completely exposed the administration’s legal arguments as a sham. Twice. Yesterday, […]
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers: * Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) won’t let a little thing like a criminal indictment, if there is one, stop him from running for re-election. In an interview with The Hill, Ney said, “I’m […]
Just to follow up on the earlier White House/Abramoff piece, it’s worth noting that Dems are not just standing by, waiting for Scott McClellan to cave to reporters’ demands for information. Several Senate Dems said yesterday afternoon that it’s time for the White House to come clean. Democrats in the escalating Washington ethics wars are […]
Last week, the White House said it expects the federal budget deficit to soar in 2006, topping $400 billion again after dipping into the $300-billion range in the fiscal year that ended in September 2005. This week, the president says he has it all under control. Offering a sneak preview of his economic State of […]
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the current threat level is still “elevated,” aka “yellow.” Yesterday’s bin Laden tape isn’t going to change that. The United States has no plans to raise the security threat level because of a new tape of Osama bin Laden saying al-Qaida is planning attacks, counterterrorism officials said Thursday. […]
Yesterday marked Day 15 since Scott McClellan promised the White House press corps a “thorough report” on Jack Abramoff’s staff-level contacts “very soon.” Were reporters able to glean any new information yesterday? Not so much. Q: And going back to the Abramoff investigation, do you have an update for us on any records of phone […]
In the battle of two heavyweights, it’s the Bush administration vs. Google. What’s at stake? The government’s ability to peek at search results. So far, Google’s winning. The Justice Department has asked a federal judge to compel Google, the Internet search giant, to turn over records on millions of its users’ search queries as part […]
This may be my single favorite Bush quote of all time. From a presidential event in Virginia this morning: “I take great comfort in having people around who can walk in my office and tell me what’s on their mind. Part of my job is — they say, ‘what’s your job?’ My job is decision-maker. […]
USA Today, in a fine piece of investigative journalism, ran a damning front-page article today on Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) who was involved in a dubious scheme to push though a $160 million Navy project that no one wanted. One day after a New York investment group raised $110,000 for Republican Rep. Jerry Lewis, the […]
I really didn’t think Dems were this lucky. President Bush’s State of the Union address will attempt to shift focus from the polarizing war in Iraq to a more popular domestic priority: taming health care costs. Facing congressional elections in November that could end Republican control on Capitol Hill, Bush is hoping his agenda will […]