U.S. Threatens to Sue Maine over NSA Probe
“The Bush administration is threatening to sue if Maine regulators decide to investigate whether Verizon Communications illegally turned over customer information to the National Security Agency.
“Verizon customers in Maine have asked the state’s Public Utilities Commission to investigate whether the telecom giant violated privacy laws by cooperating with a domestic surveillance program. The PUC is expected to decide Monday whether to open such a probe. . . .
“In Vermont, where state officials are considering whether to open an investigation of Verizon and AT&T, the Justice Department has come down against the idea. The department has filed lawsuits to prevent the disclosure of information in New Jersey and Missouri.”
Judges Reconfigure Texas Map – GOP Incumbent Gets Tough Race
“A three-judge federal panel Friday drew a Texas congressional district map that gave new muscle to Hispanic voters in South Texas and solidified the partisan makeup of several others. But Republican U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla, whose district the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional, could face a tougher re-election battle now that his district has more Democratic Hispanic voters. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the map, engineered by Republican former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and drawn by state GOP legislators, redrawn because the sprawling 23rd Congressional District diluted Hispanic voting strength in violation of the Voting Rights Act.” (Austin American Statesman, AP)
Conservative GOP Senator Probes Colleagues’ Earmarks
“Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) quietly has begun an investigation into six years of earmarks won by more than 100 colleges and universities, a sector that has collected billions in federal awards in recent years.
“According to Coburnâs spokesman, the Senator, an opponent of earmarks, is looking for corruption, spending mismanagement and a better understanding of how the process works, especially since the probes of Jack Abramoff and former Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) showed that appropriations have been used for criminal purposes.” (Roll Call, sub. req’d.)
California’s `Big 6′: Masters of the New Lobbying Game
The LA Times details California’s ‘Big 6’ – the state’s six enormously powerful Republican committee chairmen – who preside over “a cozy world where personal relationships count for millions of dollars and a latter-day “Triangle Trade” has developed among powerful committee chieftains (who are expected to raise vast sums in campaign contributions), business and other interests (which seek favorable treatment), and lobbyists (who can make a fortune bringing the two parties together).” (LA Times)
1,001 Reasons Not to Work for Katherine Harris
“In interviews with The Palm Beach Post during the past three weeks, six of those former aides [to Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL)], three of whom did not want to be identified, have described Harris as a temperamental boss who routinely yelled at staffers, belittled their intelligence, criticized their efforts, micromanaged every aspect of her campaign, and was ungrateful to those working for her.” (Palm Beach Post)
Harris Brushes off Attack
“A GOP rival calls for her to abandon her campaign. But his comments get a chilly reception….The chilly reaction to Collinsâ comment before the Belleair Womenâs Republican Club provided a reminder that despite the flood of problems besetting Harrisâ campaign, rivals attack her before Republican activists at their own peril.” (Tampa Tribune)
Wife of Convicted GOP Official Hired by Chafee Campaign
“Interesting fact: In its latest filing to the Federal Election Commission, the campaign of Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee (R-R.I.) lists $386,000 in payments for “consulting services” to a firm called Northeast Strategies LLC, listed on Kenduskeag Avenue in Bangor, Maine.
Tantalizing fact: The same Kenduskeag Avenue address is home to James Tobin, a former regional official of the Republican National Committee. Eyebrow-raising fact: James Tobin was found guilty last year of criminally violating federal elections law, having participated in a scheme by New Hampshire Republicans to jam Democratic get-out-the-vote phone lines on Election Day 2002.
What does this all add up to? Well, not what you’re thinking, according to Chafee’s campaign.
Campaign manager Ian Lang said that Tobin has no role in the company or the Chafee campaign. Instead, he said, Northeast Strategies is made up of Tobin’s wife, Ellen, and a political consultant, Kathie Summers.” (WaPo)
Book: Sept. 11 Panel Doubted Officials
“The Sept. 11 commission was so frustrated with repeated misstatements by the Pentagon and FAA about their response to the 2001 terror attacks that it considered an investigation into possible deception, the panel’s chairmen say in a new book.” (AP)
Agency Says Military Did Not Lie to 9/11 Panel
“The Defense Departmentâs watchdog agency said Friday that it had no evidence that senior Pentagon commanders intentionally provided false testimony to the Sept. 11 commission about the militaryâs actions on the morning of the 2001 terrorist attacks.” (NYT)
Ambassador Claims Shortly before Invasion, Bush Didn’t Know There were Two Sects of Islam
“Former Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith is claiming President George W. Bush was unaware that there were two major sects of Islam just two months before the President ordered troops to invade Iraq…. In his new book, The End of Iraq: How American Incompetence Created A War Without End, Galbraith, the son of the late economist John Kenneth Galbraith, claims that American leadership knew very little about the nature of Iraqi society and the problems it would face after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.” (Raw Story)
Journalists Decry Pressure over Sources
“Journalism groups on Saturday decried the jailing of a video journalist and other recent court rulings pressuring media workers to divulge information to the government.” (AP)
Lobbying Scandals? They Canât Slow This Juggernaut
“…industries know whoâs running things, tilting their cash heavily toward the ruling party. But itâs interesting to note the degree of tilt. The oil and gas industries truly love the Republicans, giving them 84 percent of their money, and tobacco is not far behind, at 75 percent. Pharmaceuticals are at 69 percent, insurance at 66 and military contractors at 61. A rare exception is entertainment, with 59 percent going to that other party. Whatâs it called again?” (NYT)
FEC May Exempt Issue Ads
“A Republican sitting on the Federal Election Commission is pushing for the adoption of a temporary rule that would allow nonprofits, corporations and labor unions to run issue ads during the coming election season, but the fate of his proposal is uncertain.
“Hans von Spakovsky, who was nominated to the FEC by President Bush last year, has introduced a draft ‘interim final rule’ to exempting grass-roots lobbying communications from the definition of ‘electioneering communications.'”
Two Are Arrested in Theft of Laptop With Veteran Data
“Two teenagers were arrested Saturday in the theft of a laptop and hard drive containing secret data on up to 26.5 million veterans and military personnel, the authorities said.” (AP)
Ex-Gov., Scrushy Want Convictions Tossed
“Attorneys for former Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy sought to have their government corruption convictions thrown out Friday, saying the jury’s verdict threatens the ability of candidates to raise campaign money through private donations.” (AP)
Indicted GOP Insider Aids Feds’ Probe of Illinois
“Republican insider Stuart Levine, indicted for alleged corruption at two state boards, is cooperating with the federal investigation of state government, sources familiar with the case said Friday.” (Chicago Tribune)
