Democrats’ Stock Is Rising on K Street
“Washington lobbying firms, trade associations and corporate offices are moving to hire more well-connected Democrats in response to rising prospects that the opposition party will wrest control of at least one chamber of Congress from Republicans in the November elections.
“In what lobbyists are calling a harbinger of possible upheaval on Capitol Hill, many who make a living influencing government have gone from mostly shunning Democrats to aggressively recruiting them as lobbyists over the past six months or so.” (Washington Post)
TV Stations’ ‘Fake News’ Scrutinized
“The Federal Communications Commission has mailed letters to the owners of 77 television stations inquiring about their use of video news releases, a type of programming critics refer to as “fake news.” Video news releases are packaged news stories that usually employ actors to portray reporters who are paid by commercial or government groups. ” (AP)
In OH, Nine GOPers Suit Up to Replace Ney on Ballot
“Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen is one of nine potential Republican candidates for the 18th District Congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, based on candidate petitions issued Wednesday by the Tuscarawas County Board of Elections.
“The mayor, if successful in his bid for the Republican nomination in the Sept. 14 special primary election, would face Democrat Zack Space of Dover, the cityâs law director.” (Dover (Ohio) Times-Reporter)
Jury at Impasse in Prisoner Abuse Case
“A jury reached a partial verdict Wednesday in the case of a former CIA contractor charged with beating an Afghan detainee who later died, but a judge immediately sealed the decision because the panel had hit an impasse on other charges.” (AP)
Marine Corps Officer Charged in Iraq Assaults
“The military has charged a U.S. Marine Corps officer with assaulting three Iraqi civilians in April, accusing him of beating and choking them and placing a pistol in one victim’s mouth, the Marines said on Wednesday.” (Reuters)
Mich. Prosecutor Dropping Terror Case
“Three Palestinian-American men who were found with nearly 1,000 cell phones were charged Wednesday with federal fraud conspiracy and money laundering after a county prosecutor backed off from terrorism charges filed earlier.” (AP)
Georgia Gov’s Land Purchase Raises Eyebrows, Calls For Investigation
“Bobby Kahn, chairman of the [Democratic] party, suggested [Governor Sonny] Perdue [R] broke anti-corruption laws by making a deal with the developer, who must get large projects reviewed by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, whose board the governor appoints. “It appears as though Gov. Perdue sold his office to make himself wealthy. If so, he has committed a crime and should be going to prison,” Kahn said during an afternoon press conference at the Capitol.” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Republicans to Decide on Write-in Nominee
“Republicans wanted consensus. Instead they are divided as they try to choose a candidate to back in place of former House Majority leader Tom DeLay on the November ballot.
“About 150 precinct chairmen of the 22nd Congressional District are gathering Thursday to hear from potential write-in candidates.” (AP)
Meeting to Choose DeLay Substitute Has Republicans at Odds over Method
“Republican leaders hoping to preserve the party’s hold on the district formerly represented by Tom DeLay disagreed Wednesday about a meeting scheduled tonight to seek consensus on a write-in candidate.
“Fort Bend County Chairman Gary Gillen wrote a letter to prospective candidates in the county urging them not to attend the meeting, saying it excluded grass-roots Republicans. But his counterpart in Harris County, Jared Woodfill, said the gathering was the best way to unify the party behind a single Republican candidate.” (Houston Chronicle)
The GOP’s Uphill Battle for Texas’ 22nd CD
“[The] question for both partisan strategists and political analysts is: Can the Republicans, even in the strongly GOP-leaning suburban Houston 22nd District, which gave 64 percent of its votes to
President Bush in 2004, pull off this massive organizational effort â one that will require them to persuade tens of thousands of voters to write in the name of a single Republican candidate and defeat the strong Democratic nominee, former Rep. Nick Lampson, as well as Libertarian nominee Bob Smither? A CQPolitics.com research analysis of congressional election history has determined that it is possible, but that the odds are strongly against it.” (CQ Politics)
Bush Pardons 17 Minor Criminals
“President Bush pardoned 17 minor criminals Wednesday. Most weren’t even sentenced to prison. The longest sentence any of the 17 received was five years behind bars. Bush has now issued 99 pardons and sentence commutations during five years and seven months in office, mainly to clear the name of people who committed relatively minor offenses and served their sentences long ago. He remains the stingiest of postwar presidents in this regard.” (AP)
