Homeland Security Funds To Go To High-Risk Areas
“Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, seeking to avert a repeat of last year’s furor over counter-terrorism grants to U.S. cities, announced Friday that New York, Washington and four other ‘highest-risk’ metro areas will receive $411 million to subsidize their efforts to guard against terrorist attacks.
“Thirty-nine other metro areas will compete for another $336 million this year. In all, the funding for the 45 cities is a $36 million increase over 2006. The 50 states will get an additional $919 million in federal grants, $41 million less than they received last year.
“Last year, Chertoff’s agency faced vocal protests after it cut funding by 40 percent to the two cities considered al-Qaida’s top targets: New York lost $80 million and Washington lost $31 million after Congress slashed the Department of Homeland Security’s grant money by $700 million.” (McClatchy)
Opponents Say Travel Ban Goes Too Far
“A dust-up over a key plank of the new Democratic House ethics package erupted late last week after Members lodged concerns that proposed corporate jet travel curbs go much further than their authors intended â even barring lawmakers from using their own personal airplanes.
“And while Democrats have defended the language, the Federal Aviation Administration agrees with the measureâs critics that the wording may even go so far as to prohibit Member travel on all private and commercial aircraft.
“‘As the rules are written,’ said FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette, ‘it seems that no Member can fly on any non-government airplane.’
“Last Thursday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) wrote Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asking her to alter language in Democrats’ newly unveiled rules rewrite that he claimed contained a ‘glaring error,’ which the four-term Republican alleged was a result of Democrats bypassing the usual committee process in a sloppy rush to pass campaign promises to change federal stem-cell, ethics and minimum wage laws.” (Roll Call)
New Gitmo Charges Expected By February
“The U.S. military expects to file revised charges against a group of Guantanamo prisoners by February and present the first evidence against them at trials in the summer, the tribunals chief prosecutor said on Friday.
“Hundreds of foreign captives have been held as suspected terrorists without trial and mostly without charges since the prison at a U.S. Naval base on Cuba opened nearly five years ago in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.” (Reuters)
New Orleans Curfew Possible
“New Orleans officials trying to stop a wave of murders in a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina said on Saturday they will soon present anti-crime measures that could include a curfew.
“At least seven people were shot and killed in the first week of the year in an outbreak of lawlessness that has sparked a public outcry for action.” (Reuters)
Boxer To Chair Ethics In Johnson’s Absence
“Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., will chair the Senate Ethics Committee during Sen. Tim Johnson’s recovery from brain surgery.
“Johnson, D-S.D., has been hospitalized in critical condition since Dec. 13 when he suffered a brain hemorrhage. His doctor said Wednesday his recovery is expected to take several months. Nonetheless, Senate Democrats on Thursday gave him the chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs.” (AP)
News Media Seeks Audio Of Libby Trial
“Fifteen news organizations and five other groups are asking a federal judge to release audio recordings each day in the upcoming criminal trial of Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff.
“The Supreme Court releases audio recordings of arguments in major cases, and lower federal courts have ‘started to follow the Supreme Court’s lead,’ lawyers for the news organizations said in filings this week in U.S. District Court.
“Cheney is expected to testify for his former aide, I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby, and other witnesses will include NBC Washington bureau chief Tim Russert.” (AP)
CIA Blocks Plame Writings
“A CIA panel has told former officer Valerie Plame she can’t write about her undercover work for the agency, a position that may threaten a lucrative book project with her publisher. Plame’s outing as a CIA officer in July 2003 triggered a criminal probe that culminates next week when Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby goes on trial for perjury and obstruction.
“But in what could be a precursor to a separate legal battle, Plame recently hired a lawyer to challenge the CIA Publications Review Board, which must clear writings by former employees. The panel refused Plame permission to even mention that she worked for the CIA because she served as a ‘nonofficial cover’ officer (or NOC) posing as a private businesswoman, according to an adviser to Plame, who asked not to be identified discussing a sensitive issue. ‘She believes this will effectively gut the book,’ said the adviser. Larry Johnson, a former colleague, said the agency’s action seems punitive, given that other ex-CIA undercover officers have published books. But even Plame’s friends acknowledge that few NOCs have done so. CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said the panel was still having ‘ongoing’ talks with Plame to resolve the dispute. ‘The sole yardstick,’ he said, is that books ‘contain no classified information.’ A spokesman for Simon & Schuster, Plame’s publisher, declined to comment.” (Newsweek)
Senate To Take Up Ethics
“On the heels of new ethics rules adopted this week in the House, Senate Democrats mapped plans Friday for changing federal law to address the ethical lapses of lawmakers and their ties with lobbyists that helped bring the downfall of Republicans in the November elections.
“Their starting point doesn’t include the House’s newly passed prohibition on lawmakers’ use of corporate jets. But Senate leaders said they expect an effort to add that ban to the package during a debate on amendments of up to two weeks opening Monday.
“As a starting point for their first debate of the 110th Congress, Senate Democrats will use a bill co-sponsored by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and identical to legislation that the Senate passed last March. It faltered later because of differences with the GOP-led House, which insisted on a provision that would have limited contributions to independent political groups known as 527s that in the past have tended to favor Democrats.
“New Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said last year’s bill would have provided ‘the most significant reform since Watergate in lobbying and ethics.'” (AP)
Dems Prepare For Slew Of Oversight Hearings
“Over the next few weeks, Senate Democrats plan to hold at least 11 hearings just on
Iraq. In the House, one of the Democrats’ most dogged investigators is waiting to spring his committee on a different mission â suspected government fraud.
“From the war to environmental policy and secret surveillance, the Democrats who now control both the House and Senate are armed with subpoena power and ready to summon panels of witnesses.” (AP)
SCOTUS To Rule In Union Dues Case
“The Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank, sought out Davenport and other nonmember teachers after fighting for years with the Washington Education Association over the union’s collection of fees from workers who choose not to join.
“Those teachers can be charged a fee for labor negotiations that affect them, but they can’t be forced to pay for the union’s political activism, under a series of Supreme Court rulings reaching back nearly 30 years.
The money in question is minimal â about $10 for each of about 3,000 nonmember teachers.” (AP)
Is A Katrina Probe On?
“One early indication of how aggressively Capitol Hill Democrats will investigate the Bush administrationâand how strongly the White House will resistâwill be how vigorously the new congressional majority pursues Katrina inquiries.
“Under GOP leadership, both House and Senate committees sought copies of Katrina records, but the White House declined to turn over messages between the president and his top advisers. According to a GOP investigator involved with the probe, who asked to remain anonymous discussing sensitive matters, Bush aides indicated that if Congress pressed harder, the White House was likely to claim such material was covered by executive privilege. But now that the Democrats have subpoena power, an effort to force the White House to turn over the messages is a ‘possibility,’ says a House Democratic source, who also asked to remain anonymous due to political sensitivities. Democrats have ample reason to believe such material could provide new evidence of White House bungling: former FEMA chief Michael (Brownie) Brown told NEWSWEEK that in a still-secret videoconference shortly after Katrina hit New Orleans, he warned presidential aides that 90 percent of the city was being ‘displaced,’ but was greeted with ‘deafening silence.'” (Newsweek)
House Adopts Pork Transparency Rules
“Led by its new Democratic majority, the House imposed substantial new restrictions Friday on earmarking, a controversial practice increasingly used by legislators from both parties to slip narrowly tailored spending provisions into bills without public scrutiny.
“The new rules will not end earmarks, but will force legislators to disclose their actions publicly and certify they have no financial stake in their earmarks.” (LATimes)
SCOTUS To Rule On Whistle-Blowing
“If Rockwell wins, ‘it’s going to be much more difficult for whistle-blowers and there are going to be fewer cases,’ said James Moorman, president of the Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund, an advocacy group.
“Rockwell must pay the entire penalty no matter how the Supreme Court rules, although it would not have to pay Stone’s attorney fees. The only question before the court is whether Stone will get his cut.
“The company, backed by defense, energy and pharmaceutical interests, wants the justices to restrict when an individual can collect for suing on the government’s behalf.” (AP)
