Two leading Democrats, Jane Harman and Jay Rockefeller admitted that they knew that the CIA intended to destroy the tapes of interrogations of a leading al-Qaida figure, but never knew for sure that the destruction was carried out. The startling news raises serious questions of acts of malfeasance by the Bush Administration and nonfeasance by Democratic members. Continue reading “Democrats Admit Knowledge of the CIA’s Plan to Destroy Tapes”
Category: Politics
As the Supreme Court deliberates on the most recent Guantanamo Bay cases and whether detainees can be denied of access to a real court, the Washington Post is reporting that American officials held a teenager for years despite their knowledge that he was innocent. Indeed, only months area the U.S. seized Murat Kurnaz in Pakistan, it concluded that he was not guilty. However, he sat for four more years in Cuba. Continue reading “U.S. Held on to Teenager at Guantanamo for Years After U.S. Concluded that He Was Innocent”
The season for fights over holiday displays on government property has begun. In addition to the usual constitutional problems of separating church and state, there are more practical problems like the one in Long Beach, New York: avoiding a race to build the biggest or brightest symbol for one faith. Continue reading “New York Residents Demand Equality in Christmas Tree to Menorah Ratio”
Given my testimony today in the House Judiciary Committee on prison reform and older prisoners, I thought this previous column may be of interest. Continue reading “Older Prisoners and Overcrowding”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has put a criminal contempt vote on the schedule for Thursday in a move that could ultimately call for the prosecution of White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten, former White House political director Sara M. Taylor, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and White House Deputy Political Director J. Scott Jennings in their failure to appear or turn over material on the U.S. attorney firings. Continue reading “Senate Judiciary Vote on Criminal Contempt for Rove and Others Set for This Week”
Rep. William Jefferson has filed a motion for a delay in his trial — currently scheduled for January 13, 2008. Continue reading “Jefferson Moves for Delay in January Trial Due to Diminishing Funds”
James McHaney, a 28-year-old staffer to Senator Maria Cantwell has been fired. McHaney was arrested in a sting during his lunch hour for trying to arrange for a sexual encounter with a 13 year-old boy. Continue reading “Cantwell Fires Staffer Arrested in Child Sex Sting”
James McHaney, a 28-year-old staffer to Senator Maria Cantwell has been arrested in a sting during his lunch hour for trying to arrange for a sexual encounter with a 13 year-old boy.The sting was arranged through a cooperating witness. Continue reading “Aide to Senator Cantwell Arrested”
States have been increasingly charging teens as adults in response to public pressure for tougher laws. Now, however, science appears to question the basis for such laws — showing that the teenage brain is still forming in substantial ways. Continue reading “Studies on Teen Brains Leads Some States to Reconsider Laws Charging Them as Adults”
President Bush has been criticized by members of both parties as something of a spendthift. With $1.7 trillion for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars alone, his administration has left a soaring debt, that now amounts to $30,000 per family. Continue reading “Latest Debt Figure: $30,000 Per Family; Grows $1 Million Per Minute”
The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the recent discovery of a rope and picture of a noose was a hoax, allegedly planted by African-American fire fighter and paramedic Donald Maynard. Continue reading “Black Firefighter Allegedly Planted Baltimore Noose Picture and Rope”
Talk show host Michael Savage has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the Council on American-Islamic Relations in an action that threatens journalistis and bloggers and advocacy groups that use material from broadcast and radio programs. Continue reading “Talk Show Host Michael Savage Sues Muslim Advocacy Group CAIR for Copyright Infringement”
The Bush Administration is seeking to use a new privilege argument to try, again, to withholding records of the visits of convicted lobbyist jack Abramoff to the White House. The new claims mirror the so-called secret service privilege that failed during the Clinton Administration. Continue reading “Bush Administration Claims New Privileges in Renewed Effort to Conceal Contacts with Jack Abramoff”
A Massachusetts woman, Caroline Bilodeau-Allen, and her son, Christopher Allen, are suing the National Enquirer for defamation after the tabloid reported in 2006 that Christopher is really the son of Mass. Sen. Ted Kennedy. The Enquirer is standing by its sources in what could be a new test of the so-called New York Times v. Sullivan standard. Continue reading “National Enquirer Sued for Defamation Over Kennedy “Love-Child” Story”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy has formally determined that Karl Rove, John Bolten, former White House political director Sara Taylor and her deputy, J. Scott Jennings, are in violation of the Senate subpoenas and must comply “immediately” or face legal consequences. Continue reading “Leahy Starts Formal Process that Could Lead to a Contempt Citation for Karl Rove and Others”