In 2001, then-Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.) had the opportunity to recommend a U.S. Attorney for the Chicago area. As TP noted, Karl Rove apparently urged him to “choose a U.S. Attorney who he believed would be lenient in probing state corruption.” According to Fitzgerald, who was determined to bring in a prosecutor from outside the […]
The president picked a good time to leave the country. Just as the political world was erupting in a series of White House-related scandals — Walter Reed, FBI surveillance, Libby case, and this week, the prosecutor purge — Bush was in South America. Lucky him. The president returns to the States today and, fortunately, he’s […]
Here we go again? In 2003, for reasons that have never been entirely clear, the Congressional Black Caucus co-sponsored a Democratic presidential debate with Fox News. It didn’t go well — the questions were slanted, the in-studio analysis was ridiculous, and the coverage of the event itself on Fox News was cut short so conservative […]
Alan Simpson was a three-term Republican senator from a reliably “red” state. He’s also an Army vet who voted for “don’t ask, don’t tell.” But as Simpson explained in a powerful op-ed on the policy today, “[M]uch has changed since 1993.” In less than 1,000 words, Simpson makes the case for ending discrimination as effectively […]
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: * According to a new book by Democratic strategist Bob Shrum, John Edwards’ instincts told him to vote against the Iraq war resolution in 2002, but he was “pushed into it by advisers […]
Red State: “There seems to be an awful lot of selective outrage here. I don’t see why this dust up should be all that embarrassing for the White House or Republicans. Furthermore, I don’t see why the White House should be answering any questions about this matter at all, from Congress or from anywhere else. […]
In trying to get a sense of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ job security — he said this morning that his fate is in the president’s hands — I keep watching the GOP. The key Dems have said all the right things, including calling for his resignation, but Democratic pressure alone will probably not be enough […]
In the last post, we looked at some of the big picture news relating to the prosecutor purge, but let’s not neglect some of the specific cases fueling this scandal. Take, for example, what we’ve learned about Carol Lam’s firing in San Diego, which certainly appears to have been connected to her corruption investigation of […]
D. Kyle Sampson, the recently-resigned chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, wrote a memo to his White House cohorts shortly before the prosecutor purge, telling them to “prepare to withstand political upheaval.” At least he got that right. After another day of scrutiny of internal communications, new and juicy tidbits about the purge […]
Today’s edition of quick hits (that do not relate to the purge scandal. For that mini-report, check here). * The president of Air America Radio this morning sent a letter to the chairmen of four state Republican parties, offering to host and broadcast the state parties’ upcoming presidential debates. “Should you accept Air America’s offer, […]