FBI Agent’s Testimony Damages Libby’s Claim
The government’s case churned on yesterday in the perjury and obstruction trial of former Dick Cheney chief of staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby with testimony from FBI agent Deborah S. Bond, who said that Libby claimed in questioning that he had not been the source of the leak of CIA agent Valerie Plame’s identity. (NYT) Also damning to Libby was a video shown to jurors of White House spokesman Scott McClellan telling reporters that Libby was not the source of the leak, which undercuts his claim that he was scapegoated to protect others in the administration. (LA Times). There’s a helpful witness rundown here. (AP)
Gitmo Inmates Shown Saddam Execution Pictures
Inmates at Guantanamo Bay’s detention facility were show pictures of the trial and execution of former Iraq ruler Saddam Hussein. Authorities at Guantanamo claim this was done as part of a regular program to expose inmates to news items as “intellectual stimulation.” (The Daily Telegraph)
Two Found Not Guilty in Terror Case
Two men were found not guilty of supporting the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, escaping a racketeering charge that could have landed them in prison for the rest of their lives. They were convicted of a lesser charge of obstructing justice. The government’s case “was built largely on evidence that was more than a decade old. Some of that evidence was gathered in Israel–including what the defense contended was. . . [a] coerced confession–and involved conduct that occurred in the early 1990s, before the U.S. had given Hamas the terror designation.” (Chicago Tribune)
Rule Would Prevent Maine Lobbyists from Texting Lawmakers
Maine’s House of Representatives proposed a rule that would bar lobbyists from sending text messages and e-mails to lawmakers in session. (AP)
Not a Super Sunday for Most Lawmakers
Though they can still legally buy face-value Superbowl tickets from corporations that offer them, most lawmakers, wary of recent ethics concerns, are forgoing the big game in Miami. (WSJ’s Washington Wire)
Stronger Regulations for 527 Groups
“The Federal Election Commission said yesterday that it will police 527 groups, political organizations that largely operated outside the new campaign finance limits during the 2004 presidential election, by looking at how the groups word their appeals for contributions, how they describe themselves, and how they spend their money.” (The Washington Post)
OMB Official: Bring it on, Dems
Clay Johnson, deputy director of the Office and Management and Budget, said yesterday he welcomed the heightened oversight Democrats were looking to bring to Washington, and that there has been “very little real accountability” in the federal government. (AP)
UN’s New Global Warming Cites Human Activity
Today, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will release a report further bolstering the case that human activity is “very likely” causing warming of the planet. (The Wall Street Journal)
AEI Offers Cash to Global Warming Skeptics
The American Enterprise Institue, which receives funding from ExxonMobil, sent out letters to scientists and economists offering them $10,000 each for articles that skeptically address the UN’s global warming report. (The Guardian)
Florida Gov. Wants Voting Paper Trail
“Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday he wants to spend $32 million to get rid of touch-screen voting technology adopted after the 2000 presidential election, and proposed a system that would create a paper trail of votes instead.” (AP)
CA GOP Rep Unhappy with Accusations
“Rep. Gary Miller [R-Calif.] on Thursday dismissed allegations that he violated tax law and threatened the city of Monrovia with a lawsuit if officials there continue to make ‘misstatements’ about his business dealings.” (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)
