Entries by emptywheel

The Blue Dogs (Some of Them, at Least) Come Home

Some time ago, 21 Blue Dog Democrats wrote a letter in support of the Senate bill on FISA. The Republicans (including Doc Hastings in today’s debate) have pointed to that letter in support of their argument for the Senate bill.

But the Blue Dogs–at least some of them–are starting to come home (perhaps because of the pressure that Blue America is preparing to put on them for voting against civil liberties).

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FISA: FBI Overrides Constitutional Objections

Reuters reports something missed in most coverage of the IG report on abuses of the National Security Letters: on two occasions, FBI overrode the judgment of the FISA Court. All the more reason to support the House–rather than the Senate–version of the FISA amendment.

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Another Stupid Idea to Exacerbate the Clusterfuck

Markos likes the idea Mark Halperin claims is being floated.

–Michigan’s 156 delegates would be split 50-50 between Clinton and Obama.

–Florida’s existing delegates would be seated at the Denver convention—but with half a vote each. That would give Clinton a net gain of about 19 elected delegates.

– The two states’ superdelegates would then be able to vote in Denver, likely netting Clinton a few more delegates.

Now, any “solution” to

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NRCC Catalogs the Damage

The NRCC says that the FBI investigation has reached a point where it can reveal how much, it claims, it was bilked out of by Christopher Ward. Before I get into the details, though, what do you suppose it means that the investigation now allows them to go public about the damage?

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House to Go Into Secret Session

At the request of the Republican leadership (who want to say something to the entire House that can’t be said publicly), the House is going to go into a secret session to debate FISA. Hopefully, Dems will take this opportunity to tell their colleagues that there is clear evidence the telecoms knowingly failed to take measures to ensure their wiretapping was legal.

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Gold Standard Gate, an Update

Golly, I just remembered that people beyond Eliot Spitzer are facing political troubles–the WaPo has a story that slightly advances the NRCC story, including the CYA that the Republicans considered Christopher Ward, the treasurer at the center of the scandal, the “gold standard” in campaign finance compliance.

In the tiny world of people who keep the books for Washington’s multitude of political committees, Christopher J.

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Spitzer Resigns

Not a big surprise. Here’s the bit I hope gets the most traction:

Over the course of my public life, I have insisted, I believe correctly, that people, regardless of their position or power, take responsibility for their conduct. I can and will ask no less of myself. For this reason, I am resigning from the office of governor.

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