Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey seems to have raised eyebrows throughout the political world with his Senate Judiciary Committee testimony yesterday. While the prosecutor purge was supposed to be the key topic of the hearing, Comey’s story about the 2004 reathorization of the NSA warrantless-search program turned out to be the big news. As […]
Last week, Rasmussen Reports released a poll that quickly worked its way through conservative media outlets, particularly far-right blogs, because it offered proof of just how nutty Bush critics really are. I understand the concerns, but the poll the right is relying on isn’t particularly helpful. Here’s what Rasmussen found: Overall, 22% of all voters […]
About five weeks ago, the Washington Post had a fascinating scoop: the White House was looking (unsuccessfully) for a “high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” The person would apparently be the new Commander in Chief — coordinating military policy and having the power to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State […]
If the first Republican presidential debate was a chance for the candidates to size up their rivals, and honor Reagan’s 11th Commandment, the second debate was a chance to forget the pleasantries and start throwing punches. Gilmore accused some of his rivals of being “very liberal in characterizing themselves as conservatives, particularly on the issues […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * The big question in the Senate is how the Democratic presidential hopefuls — particularly Clinton and Obama — will vote on the Feingold-Reid measure to cut off funding for the war. Today, Obama announced he will vote for it. Shortly thereafter, Clinton followed suit. * The search for a […]
As part of the NSA’s warrantless-search program, which allowed domestic surveillance without court approval, the Justice Department had to sign off on the program every 45 days. Over a year ago, the NYT reported on a fascinating development that occurred in early 2004 — then-Attorney General John Ashcroft was in the hospital with pancreatitis and […]
One of the nation’s most notorious TV preachers, Jerry Falwell, died today in Lynchburg, Va. The Rev. Jerry Falwell — founder of the Moral Majority and the face of the religious right in the 1980s — died Tuesday after being found unconscious in his office, a Liberty University executive said. Ron Godwin, Liberty’s executive vice […]
By late March, panic and paralysis had taken over the Justice Department. “You have no idea,” said one Justice official, “how bad it is here.” By one news account, the DoJ faced “open warfare,” with officials taking sides between AG Gonzales and Deputy AG McNulty. With that in mind, I suppose it stands to reason […]
When Tom DeLay was forced to resign in disgrace, and the “culture of corruption” theme was just starting to catch on, Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) sought the House Majority Leader post promising reform. He would end the K Street Project, pass ethics and lobbying reform measures, and show no tolerance for corruption. Then he actually […]
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: * The far-right Washington Times quotes inside sources today to report that NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is “prepared to spend an unprecedented $1 billion of his own $5.5 billion personal fortune for a […]