FBI Thinks Several Lawmakers Got Hookers through Wade, Wilkes
The FBI is probing whether now-imprisoned Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) and other lawmakers spent time with prostitutes arranged for and paid by Mitchell Wade, former head of defense-intelligence contractor MZM Inc., and Brent Wilkes, of ADCS. Both men are accused of bribing Cunningham; Wade has admitted it, and is cooperating with prosecutors.
The FBI’s also curious about staff members who may have joined in on the action, which is said to take place in the Westin Grand and — yes, the second time is farce — the Watergate. (WSJ)
Rove Round-Up
Everyone agrees this morning that Karl Rove testified about why he failed to tell prosecutors that he’d revealed Valerie Plame’s identity to Time’s Matthew Cooper in July 2003. The Post has the most details about his testimony, quoting from someone in Rove’s camp:
In his fifth appearance before the grand jury, Rove spent considerable time arguing that it would have been foolish for him to knowingly mislead investigators about his role in the disclosure of the identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame to the media, the source said….
Rove’s testimony focused almost exclusively on his conversation about Plame with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper in 2003 and whether the top aide later tried to conceal it, the source said. Rove testified, in essence, that “it would have been a suicide mission” to “deliberately lie” about his conversation with Cooper because he knew beforehand that it eventually would be revealed, the source said.
Here’s how Rove’s story goes: Rove testifed in February 2004 that he hadn’t spoken with Cooper. Sometime around then (after Rove’s testimony, one would assume), another Time reporter, Viveca Novak, told Rove’s lawyer Robert Luskin that she’d heard Rove had spoken with Cooper. Luskin was “surprised,” according to Novak, because Rove hadn’t remembered that conversation. This sparked a search of Rove’s emails, unearthing one which showed Rove writing about his conversation with Cooper. So then Rove went back and told prosecutors that he’d spoken with Cooper.
Prosecutors seem to be skeptical of all this and are said to be contemplating perjury/obstruction of justice charges. (WaPo, NYT, AP, LAT)
Earmark Showdown!
Pres. Bush thinks the fat $106.5 billion emergency Iraq/Katrina appropriations bill is too big, but Senate Republicans have failed to trim it. Yesterday, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) used a rare parliamentary procedure to force a vote on a number of the more frivolous earmarks. But Republicans narrowly defended the largest, the $700 million “railroad to nowhere”, from being removed in a 49-48 vote. If the bill leaves the Senate that large and isn’t downsized in House-Senate negotiations, Bush has said that he’ll veto, which would be the first in his presidency. (Reuters, Roll Call, KR)
Reform? Zzzzzz
Why are House Republicans taking the risk of pushing through a completely watered down reform bill? Because they say that they’ve heard from their constituents about reform: and they don’t care. (WaPo)
Possible Harris Challenger Eyes Run
In recent days, Florida House Speaker Allan Bense has gone from “I support Katherine” to “I’m 50-50” to saying, via a spokesman, that challenging Harris is “definitely something” he’s considering. Meanwhile Harris, who is constrained from winning a Senate seat by all the known laws of the universe, refuses to end her run, all but ensuring a GOP defeat in November — if Bense, or another candidate, doesn’t jump in. (The Hill)
McDermott Appeals
Ah, Majority Leader John Boehner’s (R-OH) lawsuit against Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) goes on! Will it ever stop? A three-member panel ruled late last month against McDermott, saying that he had to pay a fine and Boehner’s legal fees. Now McDermott wants the full court to hear his appeal. The case concerns McDermott’s dissemination of a recording made in 1996 of then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) strategizing with other Republicans on a media counter-offensive after he’d been censured by the ethics committee. (AP, Roll Call, The Hill)
Rohrabacher Stands by Abramoff, Runs from Bush
Pres. Bush just came to Orange County and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) fled the scene. But this is the man who’s been Jack Abramoff’s most loyal friend in Congress, even penning a letter of support for Abramoff when his sentencing arrived. This prompts the question: has Bush become more toxic than even Abramoff? (The Notion)
RI Senate: Matt Brown Bows Out
Rhode Island Secretary of State Matt Brown had been running as a Dem candidate for Senate when his campaign imploded over a funding scandal – his campaign seemed to be laundering contributions through out of state Dem parties in order to circumvent the individual maximum contribution limit. Brown’s move means that the Dems have a clear candidate to oppose the Republican, who is likely to be Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI). (The Fix)
Despite Ties to Abramoff, Doolittle Appears Safe
Even though he’s been tied to Abramoff, and slammed for unethical business arrangements with his wife, Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) is in such a Republican district he’ll probably win anyway. (Roll Call)
Other Muck
With gas at $3 a gallon, lawmakers from both parties rue energy tax breaks. . . (link)
Former CIA official Mary McCarthy was fired for allegedly leaking classified material. But she probably can’t be prosecuted for it. . . (link)
Democrats are pushing for a hearing into funny contracts between the Veteran’s Administration and former VA chief Anthony Principi. . . (link)
Covered Yesterday
Rep. Pete Visclosky’s (D-IN) Web of Lobbyists and Earmarks…(link)
The One That Got Away? Former DeLay chief of staff Susan Hirschmann…(link)
Rove – The Latest…(link)
New Hampshire Phone Jamming Timeline Introduced…(link)
Trial Delayed for Claude Allen….(link)
CNN: Rove Gets 5th Chance to Tell the Truth…(link)
MZM Newsletter – Those Were the Days…(link)
Capitol Police – McKinney Delivered “Closed Fist” Blow…(link)
Fitzgerald Meets with Grand Jury – Rove Questioned…(link)
Burns Hires Criminal Defense Lawyer…(link)
With Port Security Checks, DHS Makes Good News out of Bad…(link)
FBI Quiet – For Now – about Muckraker’s Papers…(link)
