Security Breakdown at the White House?
“Security practices at the White House are dangerously inadequate say current and former employees of the security office there, according to a letter sent today from the House Oversight Committee to former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, asking that he cooperate with the committee’s investigation into the alleged security lapses. ‘These security officials described a systemic breakdown in security procedures at the White House,’ wrote the chairman of the committee, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA).” (ABC’s The Blotter)
Judge Says Dirty Bomb Case is “Light on Facts”
“When Jose Padilla was arrested at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago in May 2002, then Attorney General John Ashcroft interrupted his meetings in Moscow to announce that the United States had nabbed a suspected al Qaeda operative who had intended to blow up a radiological device, or ‘dirty bomb,’ in the United States. But when Padilla soon goes to trial, the government could have considerable trouble proving the case and supporting what Ashcroft then billed as a ‘significant step forward in the war on terrorism.'” (US News)
McNulty to Be Interviewed by Judiciary Committee
“Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty will be interviewed behind closed doors by the Senate Judiciary Committee* this Friday, a week after his boss, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, was publicly grilled by the panel. McNulty will be questioned about what he knew and when he knew it regarding the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) just told reporters.” (The Politico)
(*Note/Correction: The interviews are actually being conducted by the House Judiciary Committee, in private with House and Senate staffers present at the interviews.)
GOP Issues a Warning on Email Probe
“As Democrats gear up for a broad investigation of Republican e-mail accounts, GOP staff warn that the issue could come back to haunt Democrats, as the minority is looking for ways to extend the issue into Democratic e-mails as well. The revelation that top White House officials, including Karl Rove, may have conducted official government business over Republican National Committee e-mail accounts has launched a broad series of inquiries among Democrats trying to get their hands on some of these messages.” (Roll Call)
RNC Chairman Accused of Finance Irregularities
“Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, general chairman of the Republican National Committee, is facing fallout from a slew of irregularities related to his Senate campaign. In his squeaker 2004 race, Martinez accepted contributions over the legal limit and failed to properly disclose information about donations, according to an audit released last week by the Federal Election Commission.” (The Politico)
Dismissal of Wilkes Indictment Sought
“Lawyers for former Poway defense contractor Brent Wilkes yesterday asked a judge to dismiss indictments stemming from the Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham scandal because the government deliberately and illegally disclosed grand jury secrets to the media. Wilkes’ attorney, Mark Geragos, also alleged in documents filed in federal court that the leaks were part of a campaign by former U.S. Attorney Carol Lam to use Wilkes and other defendants as ‘pawns’ in a ‘political squabble’ with bosses at the Justice Department who wanted her fired.” (San Diego Union Tribune)
FBI Asks Tom Feeney About Trip With Abramoff
“The FBI has asked U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney for information about his dealings with Jack Abramoff as part of its ongoing investigation into the lobbyist convicted of defrauding clients. FBI agent Kevin Luebke refused to say whether Feeney, a Republican from the Orlando area, is under federal investigation. Federal agents also have asked the St. Petersburg Times for an email sent to the newspaper by Feeney’s office describing a golfing trip the congressman took with Abramoff to Scotland in 2003.” (St. Petersburg Times)
Wolfowitz Hires Lawyer to Present His Case
“World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has hired a high-profile lawyer who hopes to present to a special bank committee Wolfowitz’s case that he was not unethical in directing a promotion for his girlfriend. Robert Bennett, a Washington lawyer who has represented clients like former President Bill Clinton, said he hoped to present Wolfowitz’s case to a bank committee now assessing whether he abused his position or breached ethics in promoting and approving generous pay rises for his companion Shaha Riza, a bank official.” (Reuters)
Foley Scandal Figure Makes Comeback
“Last fall, Kirk Fordham thought he was facing the end of what had been a promising career in politics. As a former longtime top aide to then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL), he was swept into investigations by both the ethics committee and the FBI into the Florida lawmakerâs sexually explicit communications with former male House pages.” (Roll Call)
