Tough Road Ahead For Domenici
Having confirmed his role in applying political pressure on former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) is under investigation and will most likely face an ethics committee probe. In response, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Coryn (R-TX) have released a statement outlining the procedures for dealing with an ethics complaint against a member of the Senate. (The Politico)
Rep. Tangled in Controversial San Diego Business Contract
A land deal between the city of San Diego and Cork McMillion Cos. seven years ago has turned sour for city officials, with some arguing that the role of Rep. Duncan Hunter’s (R-CA) brother as a high-ranking member of the company caused unethical political influence in enacting the contract. Along with indicted Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-CA), Hunter helped draft the bill granting the local developer control over the former Navy boot camp, for which the Defense Department made billions in profit. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Millions Spent on Anthrax Vaccine
Despite receiving a federal grant of over $877 million to develop a better anthrax vaccine, the California company VaxGen has seen little progress after working on the project for over three years. While the government has reneged on its original contract and cancelled the project, Vaxgen has already receieved over 100 million tax-funded dollars. (CBS News)
NV Governer’s Defense Fund Raises Eyebrows
“A legal defense fund set up for Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons in November, when he was dealing with brewing legal cases including a woman’s claim he assaulted her, wasn’t sanctioned by a House Committee even though Gibbons was still a congressman. But representatives of the governor, who now has two high-priced lawyers handling an FBI probe into his associations with a longtime friend who’s a wealthy federal contractor, say the fund was created properly.” (Las Vegas Sun)
White House Panel Approves Spy Programs
“A White House privacy board is giving its stamp of approval to two of the Bush administration’s controversial surveillance programs — electronic eavesdropping and financial tracking — and says they do not violate citizens’ civil liberties. Democrats newly in charge of Congress quickly criticized the findings, which they said were questionable given some of the board members’ close ties with the Bush administration.” (Associated Press)
Rep. Juggles Competing Energy Interests
“Rep. John Dingell might as well install a revolving door to his office to handle the parade of coal, automaker and electric utility lobbyists and executives coming through for sit-downs with the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman. Their reason for visiting is to offer advice on drafting a sweeping global climate change bill. Their suggestions, more often that not, involve shifting the lion’s share of costs for reducing carbon emissions onto somebody else’s business.” (The Politico)
Gitmo Detainees Continue to Fight for Legal Rights
“Lawyers for Guantanamo detainees held more than five years without charges asked the Supreme Court Monday to step in a third time to guarantee that they can challenge their confinement in U.S. courts. The detainees want the justices to hear their case and issue a decision before the court ends its term in early summer.” (Associated Press)
Cooper Testimony Weighs Heavily in Libby Trial
“Jurors in the perjury trial of I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby indicated yesterday they remain focused on whether Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff lied to the FBI about a July 12, 2003, conversation with Matthew Cooper, then a reporter for Time magazine. In a note to the presiding judge late yesterday afternoon, jurors asked three questions about how they should decide whether Libby is guilty of making a false statement to investigators about his conversation with Cooper.” (The Washington Post)
