Friday, March 23, 2007

House Passes the “U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health and Iraq Accountability Act” (6:41 am)

The House has passed the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health and Iraq Accountability Act 218-212. Jesse Lee and Karina at The Gavel have posted several videos of the debate on the legislation which demands accountability, support for our troops and setting a timeline for the phased redeployment of our troops.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-8), Murtha (PA-12), and Murphy (PA-08) here

Appropriations Chairman Obey (WI-7), and Murtha (PA-12) here

Larson (CT-01), Meek (FL-13), DeLauro (CT-03), Schakowsky (IL-09), Kilpatrick (MI-13), and Blumenauer (OR-03) here

Obey on Checks & Balances and Murtha on Bush administration policy being “what hurts our troops” here

Van Hollen (MD-08), Emanuel (IL-05) and Edwards (TX-17) here

Miller (CA-07), Lowey (NY-18), and Majority Leader Hoyer (MD-5) here

posted by Brian Zick | start the discussion

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Bush Sided With Cheney and Gonzales Against Gates and Rice Efforts to Close Guantanamo (10:45 pm)

Thom Shanker and David Sanger for the NY Times report:

In his first weeks as defense secretary, Robert M. Gates repeatedly argued that the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, had become so tainted abroad that legal proceedings at Guantánamo would be viewed as illegitimate, according to senior administration officials. He told President Bush and others that it should be shut down as quickly as possible.
(…)
Mr. Gates’s arguments were rejected after Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and some other government lawyers expressed strong objections to moving detainees to the United States, a stance that was backed by the office of Vice President Dick Cheney, administration officials said.

As Mr. Gates was making his case, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined him in urging that the detention facility be shut down, administration officials said. But the high-level discussions about closing Guantánamo came to a halt after Mr. Bush rejected the approach.
(…)
Some administration lawyers are deeply reluctant to move terrorism suspects to American soil because it could increase their constitutional and statutory rights — and invite an explosion of civil litigation. Guantánamo was chosen because it was an American military facility but not on American soil.

posted by Brian Zick | start the discussion

Stephen Colbert vs Eleanor Holmes Norton (10:24 pm)

Stephen argues with non-voting DC Delegate Norton over legislation to give full voting rights to the citizens of Washington, DC.
Norm at onegoodmove has the video.

posted by Brian Zick | start the discussion

Quote of the Day (9:35 pm)

“That’s a lot of underwear.”

Police Lt. Edgar Martinez, remarking on the theft of $12,000 in undergarments: $4,905 in bras and $6,821 in women’s panties, from a Victoria’s Secret in Jersey City, New Jersey.

posted by Brian Zick | start the discussion

Indictment Expected for David Stockman, President Reagan’s Budget Director (2:30 pm)

Nick Bunkley for the NY Times reports:

DETROIT, March 21 — David A. Stockman, a former congressman who served as President Ronald Reagan’s first budget director, is expected to be indicted on charges of accounting fraud related to his role as chairman of an auto parts supplier, people with knowledge of the matter said Wednesday.

An indictment against Mr. Stockman, who left the company, Collins & Aikman, five days before it filed for bankruptcy protection in 2005, could be announced as soon as next week, people with knowledge of the matter said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation, by the office of United States Attorney Michael J. Garcia in Manhattan and United States postal inspectors, was continuing.

The Securities and Exchange Commission also has been investigating Collins & Aikman and is expected to file a civil complaint against Mr. Stockman regarding the same accounting issue, one of these people, a law enforcement official, said.

The other individual, someone with knowledge of Mr. Stockman’s defense strategy, said Mr. Stockman believed that an indictment would be an “overcriminalization of accounting judgments.”

posted by Brian Zick | 1 comment

Tony Snow: “Congress In Fact Doesn’t Have Oversight Authority” (8:28 am)

Paul Kiel for TPM Muckraker quotes Tony Snow:

“The executive branch is under no compulsion to testify to Congress, because Congress in fact doesn’t have oversight ability.”

ABC News has the video.

posted by Brian Zick | 1 comment

Elizabeth Edwards’ Cancer Has Returned, But John Edwards’ Campaign Will Be Able To Continue (6:33 am)

CNN reports

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (CNN) — Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Thursday his wife’s cancer had returned but his bid for the White House will go on.

John Edwards said tests this week had shown his wife, Elizabeth, had cancer in a rib on her right side. He said the cancer is treatable but not curable.

Elizabeth Edwards said she was “incredibly optimistic” and said her expectations about the future were unchanged.

She said she felt fortunate that she felt pain from a cracked rib and got X-rays for that which revealed the cancer.

posted by Brian Zick | start the discussion

Senate Follows House Authorizing Subpoenas for Rove and Others (6:18 am)

Julie Hirschfeld Davis for AP reports

WASHINGTON - A Senate panel, following the House’s lead, has authorized subpoenas for White House political adviser Karl Rove and other top aides involved in the firing of federal prosecutors.

The Senate Judiciary Committee decided by voice vote to approve the subpoenas as Republicans and Democrats sparred over whether to press a showdown with President Bush over the ousters of eight U.S. attorneys.

Democrats angrily rejected Bush’s offer to grant a limited number of lawmakers private interviews with the aides with no transcript and without swearing them in. Republicans counseled restraint.
(…)
A House Judiciary subcommittee authorized subpoenas in the matter Wednesday, but none has been issued.

Democrats said the move would give them more bargaining power in negotiating with the White House to hear from Bush’s closest advisers.

“We’re authorizing that ability but we’re not issuing them,” Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the subpoenas. “It’ll only strengthen our hand in getting to the bottom of this.”