Dems Will Eliminate Pork Projects
“Democrats tidying up a cluster of unfinished spending bills dumped on them by departing Republican leaders in Congress will start by removing billions of dollars in lawmakers’ pet projects next month.
“The move, orchestrated by the incoming chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations committees, could prove politically savvy even as it proves unpopular with other members of Congress, who as a group will lose thousands of so-called earmarks.
“‘There will be no congressional earmarks,’ Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., and Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said Monday in a statement announcing their plans, which were quickly endorsed by incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.” (AP, WSJ)
Ex-Aides Allege Abuse of Power
“[Rep. Gary] Miller [(R-CA)] has made [strongarm moves] over the years in which he brought his congressional muscle to bear on personal business matters, according to the former staff members and the correspondence from Miller’s congressional office â handwritten notes, letters on Miller’s congressional letterhead and e-mails. . . .
“[Sometimes] Miller even did a little legwork himself. Using congressional letterhead, he sent a fax to the head of Ticketmaster’s public affairs office. The message was short: ‘I am requesting four (4) very good seats for the Rolling Stones concert on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Please contact me as soon as possible.'” (LATimes)
Pelosi May Give Jefferson Lesser Committee Assignment
“House Democratic leaders, who have vowed to run a more ethical Congress, are struggling with how to respond to the reelection of Rep. William J. Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat whose Washington home freezer once held $90,000 in alleged bribe money.
“Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), poised to be the next speaker, stripped Jefferson of his seat on the influential Ways and Means Committee in June and has hinted that she may place him on no committee when the 110th Congress convenes next month. But a source close to Pelosi said yesterday that she is more likely to place him on a lower-profile committee and hope the controversy dies down….
“The source familiar with Pelosi’s thinking said that the incoming speaker wants to distance herself and her caucus from Jefferson and legal problems but that she thinks she cannot ignore that voters returned him to office when details of the investigation were well known.
“Sources familiar with the probe said Jefferson will be indicted, probably in the first half of 2007. The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said investigators have been looking at about a dozen business deals in the United States and Africa in which Jefferson allegedly used his official position for financial gain.” (WaPo)
CBC Wants Jefferson’s Seat Restored
The Congressional Black Caucus is planning to press Democratic leaders to reinstate Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) to the Ways and Means Committee, raising the thorny question of how leaders will handle the fate of Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), who has also come under ethical scrutiny.
Pelosi to Make Page Board Bipartisan
“Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is making good on her promise of greater inclusion for the minority party, starting with the page program the Republicans are accused of damaging.
“Pelosi announced Monday that she will make the House Page Board bipartisan, a move prompted by a scathing ethics committee report released Dec. 8 that blamed House GOP leaders for a lack of effective oversight.
“The board is now comprised of two House members from the majority and one from the minority, the House sergeant at arms and the House clerk. . . .
“Pelosi said Monday she plans to require âregular meetings of the page boardâ and wants to expand the panel by to include the parents of a current and a former page, and perhaps others.” (CQ)
Judge Resolves Libby Dispute Over Classified Data
“A federal judge all but resolved the protracted legal fight over classified information in the CIA leak case yesterday, helping ensure that the dispute would not derail former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s perjury and obstruction trial.
“Mr. Libby is accused of lying to investigators about his conversations with reporters regarding a CIA operative. He says he had more pressing issues on his mind and wants to discuss classified intelligence about terrorist threats and foreign nuclear programs to bolster that argument.
“Prosecutors had accused Mr. Libby of demanding so much sensitive information that the government could not safely release it — leading to a dismissal — but U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton appears to have resolved that dispute.
“Judge Walton, who rankled special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald last month by ruling that Mr. Libby must be allowed to discuss intelligence on Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, terrorism and other issues at trial, accepted Mr. Fitzgerald’s proposal to limit the details Mr. Libby and his attorneys can discuss.” (AP)
Ethics Committee to Get New Roster
“As promised, the House ethics committee wrapped up the investigation into ex-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) on Friday, fulfilling ranking member Howard Bermanâs (D-Calif.) Oct. 5 commitment to conclude in âweeks not months.â But the investigative panel also was pressed to wrap up the probe because the committee roster will change significantly in the 110th Congress.
“While Minority Leader-elect John Boehner (R-Ohio) asked Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) last week to stay on the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct as ranking member next year, GOP aides said he will be the only Republican currently on the panel to hold over for the next Congress….
“On the other side of the aisle, Berman is exiting the panel because he already has served six years as ranking member. Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) asked Berman to rejoin the panel earlier this year when former ranking member Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) had to exit the panel following revelations that he was under investigation in regards to earmarks he had steered to his home state.” (Roll Call)
More Indictments in Abramoff Scandal
“A Guam Superior Court grand jury handed down an indictment against former Superior Court administrator Anthony P. Sanchez and off-island attorney Howard Hills in connection with payments made to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
“Sanchez allegedly agreed to transfer 36 payments of $9,000 appropriated for Guam’s judicial branch, to Hills for payments to Abramoff for lobbying fees from 2001 to 2002, according to a news release from the Guam attorney general’s office.
“Sanchez was indicted on felony charges of unlawful influence, conspiracy for unlawful influence and a misdemeanor charge of officials misconduct. Hills was charged with conspiracy for unlawful influence.” (Pacific News Service)
Former Reagan Aide Stockman Facing Possible Indictment
“A federal grand jury in New York may be asked as soon as next month to indict a top aide in the Reagan White House, David Stockman, on fraud charges, federal officials tell ABC News.
“The officials said the investigation of Stockman, a former congressman who ran the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan administration, centers on his role as CEO of a now bankrupt Michigan auto parts company, the Collins and Aikman Corporation.
“The investigation has focused on whether Stockman and other corporate officers misled investors about the company’s financial health.” (The Blotter)
Inhofe Distorts New UN Report On Climate Change: âWe Are All Skeptics Nowâ
“On Sunday, the London Telegraph previewed a new report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is viewed as an authoritative source of global warming science.
“According to the Telegraph, the report concludes ‘there can be little doubt that humans are responsible for warming the planet.’ Moreover, carbon dioxide emissions are accelerating and the IPCC predicts ‘that temperatures will rise by up to 4.5 C during the next 100 years, bringing more frequent heat waves and storms.’
“The IPCC also ‘lowered predictions of how much sea levels will rise in comparison with its last report in 2001.’ The new estimate was ‘a refinement due to better data on how climate works rather than a reduction in the risk posed by global warming.’
“Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), outgoing chairman of the Environment & Public Works Committee, said the report is evidence that global warming was all hype[.]” (Think Progress)
FEC Likely to Fine Several 527 Groups
“Just in time for the 2008 presidential campaign season and roughly two years after the agency began scrutinizing a handful of 527 organizations, the Federal Election Commission is likely to hand down significant fines in the near future against groups such as America Coming Together and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, according to campaign finance lawyers and other experts….
“While agency officials were unable to indicate the status of ongoing investigations, they were able to confirm a number of organizations when asked about specific groups that complaints had been filed against, perhaps narrowing the field of potential cases that may be closed out in the weeks to come. Among those cited as being the subject of complaints were Texans for Truth, Progress for America Voter Fund, Leadership Forum, the Media Fund, the Joint Victory Campaign, Economic Freedom Fund and Majority Action.” (Roll Call)
Muslim Charities Challenge Feds in Court
“In a new challenge to Washington over its closing several American Muslim charities that it has accused of aiding terrorism, the largest such group sued on Monday seeking dismissal of many of the charges.
“Lawyers for the group, the Holy Land Foundation of Richardson, Tex., filed suit in Federal District Court in Dallas two weeks after a federal judge in California called into question a crucial provision in designating terrorist supporters. Since December 2001, the Treasury Department has designated Holy Land and five other Muslim charities in the United States as terrorist supporters, seizing millions of dollars in assets and halting their activities.
“No accused charity or any senior officer have been convicted on a charge of terrorism. Some charities have faced no criminal charges.” (New York Times)
DeLay Nixes Negative Comments
“Former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) yesterday began the long haul to restore the GOP to power and to repair his personal reputation following a year of scandal and bruising electoral defeat.
“His vehicle for both is a blog and grassroots political organization hosted at www.tomdelay.com….
“He hopes the blog will fill a void between Republican politicians and constituents, helping both communication and organization.
“DeLay [R-TX] seemed unsure how his coalition-building would be affected by his past involvement with lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is now in prison, and his continuing legal battle with Texas prosecutor Ronnie Earle.
“‘I have no idea. We are going to test the waters ⦠I have been absolutely amazed at how supportive people have been,’ he said.
“Not everyone, though. In the blogâs first hour, it received 4,000 hits and about 100 hateful messages.
“‘Yesterday, we were up on the blog for just an hour and we had over 100 [comments] ⦠that were mean, nasty ⦠vulgar,’ he said. These comments were removed.” (The Hill)
Ethics Panel Chides Dem Jim McDermott for 10-Year Old Offense
“‘Rep. [Jim] McDermott’s [D-WA] secretive disclosures to the news media … risked undermining the ethics process regarding’ former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, the committee said. It said McDermott’s actions ‘were not consistent with the spirit of the committee’s rules.’
“The ethics complaint stems from a tape recording made by a Florida couple, who gave it to McDermott in January 1997. The tape recorded then-Speaker Gingrich, R-Ga., in a December 1996 conference call with GOP leaders regarding a separate ethics investigation of Gingrich.
“McDermott leaked the tape to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York Times, which published stories on the case in January 1997.
“Gingrich, who was heard on the call telling House Republicans how to react to the ethics charges against him, was later fined $300,000 and reprimanded by the House.” (AP)
Doolittle Pays Out Thousands to Lawyers
“Rep. John Doolittle has paid $44,138 to a Washington law firm that specializes in campaign finance and ethics cases in connection with the Jack Abramoff lobbying investigation, new campaign finance reports show.
“The Rocklin Republican paid the legal fees to the Wiley Rein law firm between mid-October and mid-November, according to a postelection report filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission. It brings Doolittle’s legal expenses to more than $100,000 for the year.
“Doolittle, a conservative eight-term incumbent, has numerous ties to Abramoff, whom he has described as a good friend. Doolittle accepted campaign cash from Abramoff, helped his tribal clients in dealings with the Interior Department and helped the lobbyist win a contract from the Northern Mariana Islands by endorsing a sympathetic island politician.” (AP)
Ros-Lehtinen Denies Calling for Castro’s Death
“Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., appears in the 28-second clip made available on the Internet by the makers of a new British documentary, ‘638 Ways to Kill Castro.’
“In it, she says: ‘I welcome the opportunity of having anyone assassinate Fidel Castro and any leader who is oppressing the people.’
“However, the Havana-born lawmaker, recently tapped to become the top Republican on the House International Relations Committee, says the filmmakers spliced clips together to make the sound bite.” (AP)
Saudi Ambassador Abruptly Resigns, Leaves Washington
“Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, flew out of Washington yesterday after informing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and his staff that he would be leaving the post after only 15 months on the job, according to U.S. officials and foreign envoys. There has been no formal announcement from the kingdom.
“The abrupt departure is particularly striking because his predecessor, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, spent 22 years on the job. The Saudi ambassador is one of the most influential diplomatic positions in Washington and is arguably the most important overseas post for the oil-rich desert kingdom.” (WaPo)
