In related news, federal authorities expand their probe into Casino Jack flunky and former House GOP higher-up Bob Ney. “Court papers filed in recent months show that prosecutors have lined up at least four cooperating witnesses against the Ohio congressman: Abramoff, former congressional aides Michael Scanlon and Tony C. Rudy, and businessman Adam Kidan. All have pleaded guilty to various conspiracy, fraud or public corruption charges.”
Tag: Republicans
A Rush and a push and a plea.
That font of compassion for drug addicts, Rush Limbaugh, cuts a deal with prosecutors, copping to a lesser charge of prescription fraud that will be stricken from his record should he stay in rehab for 18 months. “A spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office, Mike Edmondson, said the agreement dropping the charge is ‘standard for first-time offenders who admit their addiction.‘” Well it wouldn’t be if Rush had anything to say about it…
House for Sale: New Wallpaper, Same Rotting Foundation.
After a deal is reached with irate Republicans on the House Appropriations committee (who were piqued by a rather tame anti-earmarking measure that has since been broadened beyond appropriations bills), the House GOP pass a cosmetic “lobbying reform” bill 216-207 that emphasizes disclosure of donations, gifts, and earmarks rather than outright bans. “A solid phalanx of Democrats and 12 Republicans, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (Wis.) and Republicans pushing for stronger measures, cast votes against the legislation…Rep. Christopher Shays (Conn.) said the bill was less than a window dressing and should be rejected. Later, to reporters, he called the bill ‘pathetic.’ On the House floor, he added: ‘We’re losing our moral authority to lead this place.’“
Paging William Fulbright.
“‘The current debate over our national security by a series of retired generals — some critical, some supportive of the present leadership in the Department of Defense — is an important exercise of the right to freedom of speech,’ he said. ‘Another valued tenet is the right of the president to select the members of his own Cabinet.'” Senate Armed Service Committee chairman John Warner (R-VA) makes noise about holding Senate hearings on Rumsfeld. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Rove Returns (Again).
Fifth time’s the charm? Karl Rove returns once more to testify before Patrick Fitzgerald’s Plamegate grand jury, mainly to discuss his interactions with TIME reporter Viveca Novak. Will this fifth round of testimony of Dubya’s consigliere result in an indictment (and finally make Karl a household name?) Hopefully, we’ll know sooner rather than later. Update: Make that 2-3 weeks.
Gouge Away.
Feeling the heat from his nose-diving poll numbers (and spurred by GOP congressional leaders’ desperate pleas for political cover), Dubya announces a probe into high oil prices (and sings the praises of ethanol like it was a week before the Iowa primary.) Ok, but if our oilman–president (who, to be fair, failed at both callings) really wants to get the bottom of the situation, it’d be nice if he’d look into not only oil company price-gouging but also exactly what went on at Cheney’s infamous Energy Task Force meetings…
White House Snow Job.
So it’s looking increasingly likely that Tony Snow of FOX News will replace Scott McClellan as White House press secretary. Good of ’em to eliminate the middleman — Why filter the ridiculous right-wing spin through your in-pocket cable news network, when you can just spout the garbage directly from the Brady Room of the West Wing? Update: Snow takes the job.
Stem the Tide? / Burns & DeWine.
“‘What Democrats want to do is gin up their turnout in the suburbs and divide Republicans, and right now they may do that’ said Jennifer E. Duffy, who tracks Senate races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. ‘This is the first real wedge issue Democrats have had with Republicans.‘” According to the NYT, congressional Dems think they may have a winner in November with the stem cell issue. And, also in election news, polls suggest the once-highly vulnerable Abramoff flunky Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) may be shedding the taint of Casino Jack, while potentially beatable Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) looks to do the same with Donald Rumsfeld.
Two out of Three Ain’t Bad.
Further dispatches from the GOP freefall: As the Republican Congress desperately tries to look busy, that bastion of the liberal media FOX News puts Dubya’s approval rating at a new low — 33%.
Batten down the hatches.
“One of Bolten’s biggest challenges, administration allies say, will be to find ways to open up the Oval Office to new ideas and to the opinions of people who are not longtime Bush confidants. On that score, many people who know the administration best are privately dubious.” The WP ponders the Dubya White House’s “shift into survival mode.”