The Real Reason They're Hiding Cheney's Interview?
Ostensibly, DOJ is trying to withhold Dick Cheney's interview materials for the following three reasons (in order of their centrality to the argument):Law enforcement privilege: If DOJ turns over Cheney's interview, it will make future Vice Presidents unwilling to cooperate in investigations. This argument fails given the evidence that it has long been routine to release interview materials from high ranking White House figures, going back to the era of Cheney's
Im-me-di-ate: adjective (DOJ) 1. More Than 2 Years
Among other stupid claims DOJ made in its latest effort to hide Dick Cheney's interview report was that, in spite of CREW's list proving that the public release of investigation materials has always been routine, if a high level White House official thinks it will be routine, he won't cooperate.
Senate Hate Crimes Bill Threatens First Amendment
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bmazThere are inherent First Amendment and equal protection issues with any "hate crime" legislation as I pointed out when Eric Holder started aggressively pushing Congress. That said, if you are going to enact such laws, they must be targeted, rational and designed to effect the result desired and not any other. The Senate just violated that with their Hate Crimes Bill passed last night.
Meet the Press STILL Lets Guests "Control the Message"
Tim Russert may be gone. But his craven ways have not ended at Meet the Press. Like Russert, David Gregory allows his guests to control the show when they appear.
Silvestre Reyes Announces Investigation into Violations of National Security Act
Reyes announces an investigation into both the reported assassination squads and more generally, whether CIA has withheld information from Congress.
Will Miguel Estrada Represent John Yoo Before Sonia Sotomayor at SCOTUS?
Will Miguel Estrada face Sonia Sotomayor in one of her early cases on SCOTUS, as Estrada tries to defend John Yoo's crappy lawyering?
Chuck Todd's Law
Aside from MSNBC's squeamishness about blowjobs (but not about the murder of teenagers or slobbering racism), here's why, according to Chuck Todd, we cannot have an investigation of the crimes Dick Cheney committed because the media is incapable of learning the facts on a story well enough to present it as anything but a partisan fight, and because of that, any investigation would be a show trial of ideology rather than facts.
"C" Is for Cheater
If I were the wife of one of the boys shacking up at C Street who had not yet admitted an extramarital affair, I'd be getting nervous about now.
Former Congressman and C Street resident Chip Pickering's estranged wife has filed a lawsuit against Pickering's alleged mistress. Leisha Pickering is suing Elizabeth Creekmore-Byrd for alienation of affection.
John Yoo: Al Qaeda Uses Telephones But KGB Spies Don't
John Yoo says high tech communication is THE BEST WAY to find al Qaeda operatives.
Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings, Day 4, Witnesses
Soon to come, Frank Ricci.
Questions and Answers about Beginning of Domestic Spying Program
The circumstances surrounding the start date and initial approval date of the domestic spying program are getting more and more confusing.
Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings, Day 3, Part V
Feingold: Caperton v. Massey.
Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings, Day 3, Part IV
Sotomayor back, Leahy reading a letter of some sort. There was some confusion bc Leahy's mike didn't work. Franken let Leahy use his. I think it was Sessions who joked it was the fastest rise of a Senator ever, suggesting Franken was taking over as Chair.
The "Other Intelligence Activities"
We've know what the "Other Intelligence Activities" referenced in the IG Report were for years. What the IG Report confirms, however, is that these aspects of the program were the ones that disturbed Comey and Goldsmith.
Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings, Day 3, Part III
We'll have four Dems in a row: Klobuchar, Kaufman, Specter, and Senator Al Franken (!).
Bacon, Boobs & A Blowjob: All Star Trash Talk
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bmazWhat the hell, somebody had to write a post with this title, why not me? And fear not fearless readers, I intend to deliver on all elements promised.
Feingold Asks Sotomayor about Executive Power
I'm worried about the way that Sotomayor answered a question on "unreasonable search and seizure." But I'm heartened by her answer to a Korematsu question.
Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings, Day 2, Part III
Picking up from Christy's earlier posts (Part I and Part II).
The US Government Owns Abu-Zubaida's Thoughts
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bmazI just found an interesting article by Walter Pincus tucked away in the lower half of the website. It contains no new or breaking news, but is an interesting description of just how far the government has run amok in their over-classification and demand to control information flow to the American people and the world.