In Alaska, FBI Gets More Evidence Against Senator and Son
“FBI agents returned last week to the legislative office of Senate President Ben Stevens and seized more evidence, including a copy of a sworn statement that implicated Stevens in an alleged payment scheme involving fisheries legislation brought by his father, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.
“Word of the second search, and what was taken by the FBI, came from Ben Stevens himself, who disclosed the information in a letter to the Daily News dated Sept. 22. In his letter, Stevens denied a request by the newspaper for a copy of any FBI search warrants which may have been served on him or his office, and the government’s receipts for items seized. But Stevens provided what he said was a “complete listing of what was obtained from my legislative offices” on Aug. 31 and Sept. 18.” (Anchorage Daily News)
Surveillance Legislation Revised to Get Votes, Specter Says
“The sponsor of legislation to authorize President George W. Bush’s domestic terrorist- surveillance program agreed to changes to try to win more support for the measure.
“The legislation sponsored by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter would provide for review by a secret court of the National Security Agency’s program of listening, without court warrants, to telephone calls between al-Qaeda operatives in the U.S. and overseas.
“One revision would require the spy agency to get a court warrant to eavesdrop on international calls that originate in the U.S., Specter told reporters following a speech today to the National Press Club in Washington.” (Bloomberg, NY Times, WaPo)
Specter “Doesn’t Expect” Action on Wiretap, Detainee Bills Before Election
“With less than a week before Congress begins its fall recess, Sen. Arlen Specter said he doesn’t expect much action on the terrorism interrogation bill that’s attracted so much attention.
“Or on the bill regarding President Bush’s secret surveillance program.
“Or on comprehensive immigration reform.
“Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican and the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sees a heavy congressional agenda but little hope for completing it this week as Republicans head home to concentrate on retaining control of the Senate and the House of Representatives in the November 7 elections.” (McClatchy)
Detainee Measure to Have Fewer Restrictions
“[H]uman rights experts expressed concern yesterday that the language in the new provision would be a precedent-setting congressional endorsement for the indefinite detention of anyone who, as the bill states, “has engaged in hostilities or who has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States” or its military allies.
“The definition applies to foreigners living inside or outside the United States and does not rule out the possibility of designating a U.S. citizen as an unlawful combatant. . . .
“Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies, said that by including those who ‘supported hostilities’ — rather than those who ‘engage in acts’ against the United States — the government intends the legislation to sanction its seizure and indefinite detention of people far from the battlefield.” (WaPo)
Senate Leaders Call for Release of Iraq Intel Report
“The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee urged the Bush administration Monday to declassify the most recent, high-level intelligence assessment on global terror â a report that has given new fervor to the election-year debate about how the Iraq war has changed security threats.
“Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said the American people should be able to see a public version of the report and draw their own conclusions about its contents. So far, he said, the public discussion has given the ‘false impression’ that the National Intelligence Estimate focuses exclusively on Iraq and terrorism.” (AP)
Negroponte Says U.S. Not at Higher Risk
“National Intelligence Director John Negroponte said Monday the jihad in Iraq is shaping a new generation of terrorist operatives, but rejected assertions, stemming from a leaked intelligence estimate, that the United States is at a greater risk of attack than it was in 2001.” (AP)
HUD Chief Failed to Corrupt Subordinates, Report Concludes
“Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson told aides to look at the political leanings of contractors when awarding deals, but there’s no proof that his staff complied, an internal report says. . . .
“Jo Baylor, HUD’s chief procurement officer, told investigators she remembered a contractor bumping into Jackson at HUD headquarters and telling him he did not like Bush.
“Baylor said Jackson later told her ‘it really bothered him that people (expletive) dog-out the president but still want contracts and money from the administration, that it drives him nuts.'” (AP)
Dem Widens Lead in Penn. Senate Poll
“Democrat Bob Casey appears to have doubled his lead over Sen. Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania’s Senate race, according to a poll released Tuesday.
“Casey had a 14-point lead in the Quinnipiac University Poll, with 54 percent of likely voters saying they planned to vote for him compared to 40 percent for Santorum. One percent said they wouldn’t vote and 6 percent said they didn’t know. Casey had a seven point lead among likely voters in a match up between the two in the same poll on Aug. 15.
“On Monday, a state judge said Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli would be removed from the ballot because the party did not have enough valid signatures in its nominating petitions — a move pundits said would help Casey.” (AP)
GOP Gives K Street A Final Shakedown — For Old Time’s Sake
“With only a few days left before they leave town for the campaign trail, House Republican leaders â with an assist from White House strategist Karl Rove â will mount one final push this week for the financial support of GOP lobbyists.
“Thursday afternoon at the Capitol Hill Club, Rove will join the top six House GOP leaders to address as many as 200 lobbyists, the first large-scale meeting between lobbyists and leaders in recent months.
â’This is a straight-out appeal to [lobbyists] to contribute to Republicans â to remind them what Republicans do not only for their specific industries but for the whole business community,’ said a GOP leadership aide. The aide added that the leaders would emphasize that ‘reports of the Republican majorityâs demise have been greatly exaggerated, and weâre coming back.'” (Roll Call) (sub. req.)
Europe Panel Faults Bank Data Terror Program
“A European Union panel has serious doubts about the legality of a Bush administration program that monitors international financial transactions, the groupâs leader said Monday, and plans to recommend tighter controls to prevent privacy abuses. . . .
“The program, started by the Bush administration weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, allows analysts from the Central Intelligence Agency and other American intelligence agencies to search for possible terrorist financing activity among millions of largely international financial transactions that are processed by a banking cooperative known as Swift, which is based in Belgium.
“The European Union panel will not call for the program to be stopped, officials said. But it is expected to recommend that additional safeguards be put in place to check how financial records are shared with American intelligence officials.” (NYTimes)
Detainee Legislation Deal Draws Protests
“The Bush administration’s deal with Senate Republicans over detainee treatment drew protests Monday from former diplomats, lawyers and a GOP committee chairman.
“They oppose a provision that would strip federal courts of jurisdiction over cases in which detainees have not been charged with war crimes. The effect, said those opposed, would be to deny terrorism suspects the ability to challenge their detainment, a right afforded defendants in military and criminal courts. . . .
“Thirty-three former diplomats, New York-area lawyers and even Kenneth Starr, the special prosecutor who investigated President Clinton, said in letters to lawmakers that the bill as written would undermine the United States’ credibility as it wages war on terrorists.” (AP)
In Fla., Hurricane Harris Strikes Again
“First, Representative Katherine Harris (R-FL) turned aside pleas from the partyâs leaders not to run for the Senate.
“Then, she embarked on a mishap-filled campaign to unseat the incumbent Democrat, Bill Nelson. Now, the House seat she is giving up, in what had been safe Republican territory, is at risk of falling into Democratic hands. Outside analysts call the race competitive but for now give the edge to the Republican, Vern Buchanan. Democrats say their candidate, Christine Jennings, is leading in their polls. ” (NYTimes)
