Sri Lankan Terror Group Paid for Congressman’s Trip
“The five-term Democratic congressman [Danny Davis (D-IL)] said he was unaware that the [Tamil] Tigers paid for the trip [to Sri Lanka] and on his required congressional disclosure form he reported that the trip was paid for by a Tamil cultural organization, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America, based in Hickory Hills, Ill.
“During the visit, Davis spent most of his time in a region controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, as the group is formally known, and visited the organization’s political headquarters. He also met with a police chief for the region appointed by the Tigers.” (Chicago Tribune)
Inquiry Opened Into Israeli Use of U.S. Bombs
“The State Department is investigating whether Israelâs use of American-made cluster bombs in southern Lebanon violated secret agreements with the United States that restrict when it can employ such weapons, two officials said. The investigation by the departmentâs Office of Defense Trade Controls began this week, after reports that three types of American cluster munitions, anti-personnel weapons that spray bomblets over a wide area, have been found in many areas of southern Lebanon and were responsible for civilian casualties.” (NYT)
‘Morning After’ Pill Is Cleared for Wider Sales
“The Food and Drug Administration today approved over-the-counter sales of the âmorning afterâ contraceptive pill to those 18 and older, resolving one of the most contentious issues in the agencyâs 100-year history. . . .
“The director of the agencyâs office of womenâs health resigned last year to protest what she said was the ‘abortion politics’ behind the delay in approving Plan B. An investigation by the Government Accountability Office concluded that top agency officials had decided to reject the initial Plan B application months before a scientific review was complete.” (NYT, Washington Post)
Alleged Slur Casts Spotlight On Senatorâs (Jewish?) Roots
“Allenâs mother, Henriette (Etty), whose maiden name was Lumbroso, is indeed Francophone and Tunisian born, a heritage that forms a romantic theme in âFifth Quarter: The Scrimmage of a Football Coachâs Daughterâ the memoir of Allen family life written by Allenâs sister Jennifer. Whatâs more, it is likely that sheâs Jewish by birth, although no acknowledgment of that heritage appears in the memoir. Allenâs campaign spokesman, Bill Bozin, did not return several detailed messages, left over two days, that asked what the senator and his family know about his motherâs heritage.” (Forward)
Rep. Schmidt’s Marathon Ad Questioned
“Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt is fast, capable of running a marathon in 3 hours, 19 minutes, 6 seconds. At least that’s what a photo on the Ohio congresswoman’s Web site shows. No way, says a rival who contends that the picture from the 1993 Columbus Marathon is doctored and complained to state election officials. A four-member commission panel ruled Thursday that there was enough evidence to look into the complaint.” (AP)
GOP Senate Hopeful Confesses DUI
“I was cited for DUI when I cut a yellow light too close in 1993,” writes Washington GOP Senate hopeful Mike McGavick on his campaign blog. “I was driving Gaelynn home from several celebrations honoring our new relationship and should not have gotten behind the wheel. Thankfully, there was no accident, but it still haunts me that I put other people at risk by driving while impaired. All in all, it was and remains a humbling and powerful event in my life.” (mikemcgavick.com, Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Qwest Says It Supports Existing Data-Retention Laws, Contradicting Article
“News.com had reported that Qwest’s Chief Privacy Officer Jennifer Mardosz spoke in support of moves for federal data retention laws at an Aspen, Colorado, summit….
“Mardosz disputed the report, saying she had been talking about Colorado State laws that are already in place, not showing support for proposed federal laws.” (Reuters)
Committee On Government Reform Points to Massive Problems with Katrina Contractors
“In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Bush Administration turned to private contractors to provide relief and recovery services worth billions of dollars. Now, one year later, it is apparent that taxpayers and the residents of the Gulf Coast are paying a steep price for the failure to stop waste, fraud, and abuse in federal contracting.” (Committee On Government Reform, Minority Office, AP)
Justice Departmen Ends Investigation Of Fannie Accounts
“The Justice Department notified Fannie Mae that it has ended a two-year investigation into the company’s accounting misdeeds. The closing of the criminal probe, which was handled by the U.S. attorney for Washington, eliminates one of the regulatory issues dogging Fannie Mae in the wake of findings that it manipulated earnings, partly in an attempt to increase management bonuses. (WSJ)
Report Criticizing BP’s Controls Is Investigated After Alterations
“Federal investigators are probing changes made to a report commissioned by Alaska state officials on BP PLC’s operations there. The changes were made after the oil giant complained the report was overly negative. The London company, which runs the massive Prudhoe Bay oil field on behalf of a consortium of oil companies, is under scrutiny by U.S. and state agencies for how it handled corrosion and potential leak issues at pipelines there.” (WSJ)
Treasury Official Henry Due 20 Percent of Gleacher Fund Profits
“The U.S. Treasury official leading a government inquiry into the hedge-fund industry is owed up to $2.5 million in payments keyed in part to hedge-fund investments. The official, Emil Henry Jr., has a severance agreement with his former firm, Gleacher Partners LLC, that entitles him to 20 percent of the 2006 profits of an asset management unit specializing in hedge-fund investments, according to his federal financial disclosure form. ” (Bloomberg)
Lawmakers or Law Breakers?
NOW tackles earmark czar Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA). (NOW)
Judge Skeptical of Argument for New Trial in Safavian Case
“A judge who presided over the trial of convicted former Bush administration official David Safavian on Thursday heard arguments on a motion to hold a new trial, but he said it was unlikely he would reverse his decision on a key prosecution point. He confirmed an October sentencing date.” (Gov Exec)
American Indians Advance Trust Case
“American Indians are moving ahead with their 10-year-old lawsuit against the government despite congressional efforts to settle the dispute. Indians involved in the case said Thursday they plan to ask the Supreme Court to review an appeals court decision last month to remove the trial judge because of an apparent bias against the government.” (AP)
Some Spelling Mysteries Solved In TX-22
“However, common misspellings and any possible ‘aliases’ voters might use in casting a vote for [Republican-backed write-in candidate Shelley] Sekula-Gibbs will already be programmed into the machine and automatically counted, Perez said. How many aliases will be determined based on whether there are any other write-in candidates as of Sept. 6….
“Spelling Sekula-Gibbsâ name shouldnât be that difficult; Perez said her name and that of other registered write-in candidates will appear on a piece of paper, separated by election race, at each voting machine.
“The elections chief also said anyone voting a straight GOP ticket will not cast a vote for Sekula-Gibbs, because the Republican Party has no official candidate in the race. A straight Republican ticket would not ‘trigger’ a write-in vote.” (Fort Bend Now)
Mrs. Cunningham Grasps at Straws for Pity
“Away on shore leave last week, I missed the feeding frenzy over the article in The New Republic’s online edition. Now that I’m back on board ship, the sharks appear to have moved on, but I can see a few remaining crumbs floating in the bloody water. Let’s have them for breakfast….” (Logan Jenkins, San Diego Union Tribune)
KB Home Reviewing Top Exec’s Options
“KB [Home] said Wednesday that it was reviewing certain options awarded to [Chief Executive Bruce] Karatz and other corporate officers after a shareholder lawsuit accused the Westwood-based home builder of backdating option grants to coincide with low points in the company’s share price.
“Karatz, the highest-paid executive in the home-building industry, received generous annual bonus and stock option packages tied to the company’s stellar performance during the recent housing boom. In 2005, he earned $156 million, with more than 75% coming from the exercising of options.” (LA Times)
GOP Claims “Culture of Corruption” isn’t a Winner for Dems
“Out of power for a dozen years, Democrats are trying to persuade voters to give them the reins of Congress by arguing that ethics questions surrounding a few Republicans are part of a broad pattern of corruption in the GOP.
“The Democrats’ effort, however, has been muddied by similar woes in their own ranks, which Republicans gleefully point out as they try to inoculate themselves from Democratic attacks.” (AP)
