Newly declassified White House documents shed light on a unique crisis in American history: when investigators working for President Richard Nixon discovered that the Joint Chiefs of Staff used a stenographer to spy on civilian command during the Vietnam War...
#2
Wasn't this already reported in a tell all book about Nixon called "Silent Coup" several years ago? Same book painted a very interesting picture of the real reasons behind the Watergate Break-in, having to do with the little black book in the secretarial area, not the DNC Chairman, Larry O'Brian's office. Had to do with the preferences for companionship among major donors to the DNC, and suppossedly a lady whose name appeared in the book was married to the White House lawyer John Dean, the apparent architect of the actual plan, and a deft matador at avoiding the central responsibility for the target?
Before Eric Holder was President-elect Barack Obama's choice to be attorney general, he was Gov. Blagojevich's pick to sort out a mess involving Illinois' long-dormant casino license.
Blagojevich and Holder appeared together at a March 24, 2004, news conference to announce Holder's role as "special investigator to the Illinois Gaming Board" -- a post that was to pay Holder and his Washington, D.C. law firm up to $300,000.
Holder, however, omitted that event from his 47-page response to a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire made public this week -- an oversight he plans to correct after a Chicago Sun-Times inquiry, Obama's transition team indicated late Tuesday.
"Eric Holder has given hundreds of press interviews," Obama transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said in a statement. "He did his best to report them all to the committee, but as he noted in the questionnaire itself, some were undoubtedly missed in the effort to reconstruct a list of them."
Holder signed the questionnaire on Sunday -- five days after Blagojevich's arrest for allegedly putting Obama's U.S. Senate seat up for sale. The Judiciary Committee asked him to provide lists and "copies of transcripts or tape recordings of all speeches or talks delivered by you" and "all interviews you have given to newspapers, magazines or other publications."
#1
POLITICOHolder will get $3M payoff to leave firm for AG job.
By: Lisa Lerer
December 16, 2008 09:44 AM EST
Eric Holder, President-elect Barack Obama's pick for attorney general, has a net worth of $5.7 million and lobbied on behalf of three companies in the past five years, according to a questionnaire filed by Holder with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Last year, he made more than $2.1 million as a partner at Covington & Burling, a prominent Washington law firm. The money is unsurprising given his high-profile client list, which includes companies like UBS Financial Services, Merck & Co., and Hewlett-Packard. He was also paid to sit on the boards of MCI and Eastman Kodak Company.
While Holder would certainly take a salary cut to become attorney general, he'd rake in some major profits from leaving the private sector. Covington & Burling would pay Holder over $3.14 million from his partner capital account, separation payments and deferred compensation.
The questionnaire was released shortly after Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy bowed to Republican requests to push Holder's confirmation hearing back a week to Jan. 15. Republicans are sure to make an issue of Holder's involvement in President Bill Clinton's controversial 2001 pardon of fugitive Marc Rich. Holder's personal finances have not become an issue in the confirmation.
But Holder has experience with tough congressional hearings. According to his questionnaire, he's testified before Congress ten times over the past 13 years, including two 2001 hearings over his involvement in the Rich pardon.
At Covington, Holder was registered to lobby on behalf of a group of medical schools, biotechnology firm Large Scale Biology Corp., and Global Crossing, a telecommunications company that in 2002 filed one of the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history.
When Holder registered to lobby for the company after the bankruptcy, Global Crossing was hoping to be bought by a joint venture of Hong Kong-based Hutchinson Whampoa and Singapore Technologies Telemedia. The company paid Holder about $1 million to convince Congress, the White House, and government agencies not to block the purchase. Despite concerns that it could compromise national security, the deal eventually went through after Hutchinson backed out.
Holder wrote in his Judiciary disclosure form that he has consulted with the Office of Government Ethics and Department of Justice ethics official to identify any conflicts of interest from his work at the firm. "In the event of a potential conflict of interest," he wrote, "I would consult with the Department's ethics official and take all necessary steps to ensure that I comply with their guidance."
Other Holder trivia reported in the filing: his middle name is "Himpton," he has three children, is a member of historically black fraternity Sigma Pi Phi, and his wife, Sharon Denise Malone, is a doctor who, according to the Associated Press, delivered incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel's daughter.
#2
If they're calling the 3.14m$ payment from the partner equity account a payoff they're being most misleading. It's certainly not a payoff as that work is meant in the typical political context. It's money he earned.
Illinois House of Representative took the first step on Monday to impeach Governor Rod Blagojevich, who was charged with corruption.
"We're going to proceed with all due speed, but we're going to make sure that what we do is done correctly," said House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Madigan made the remarks as he established a committee to recommend whether the governor should be removed from office for his involvement in corruption cases, and to allow the full floor to decide whether to file impeachment charges against him based on the recommendation.
However, the state Senate would rule on the impeachment charges at last.
Blagojevich, who is currently in his second term, was arrested last week by Federal Bureau of Investigation operatives on federal fraud and bribery charges, including an alleged attempt to profit by naming a replacement for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. He was released on bail and returned to his work despite pressure by state lawmakers and Obama's calls for his resignation. He also refused to make any comment to media on his charges.
"The impeachment talk is nothing new for this governor," said governor's spokesman Lucio Guerrero in response to the House action on Monday. "They've been talking about it for a long time."
It was also confirmed by Madigan that the House of Representatives, indeed, started to review the legal possibilities one year ago to impeach the governor who has been investigated for corruption charges for years. According to the state Constitution, lawmakers can impeach a governor for any reason deemed sufficient.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
I'm thinking, makes bail, suicide. Sound familiar?
Almost overnight, Caroline Kennedy has become the front-runner to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton when the New York senator becomes secretary of State.
The fiercely private daughter of the nation's 35th president, Ms. Kennedy is better known for her love of poetry and writing civic books for young adults than for any expertise in the rough-and-tumble political world.
But as an heir to one of America's political dynasties, her urge for public service is not that surprising. From her early years as a child living in the White House, to a lifetime of quietly campaigning for family, to her more recent prominent involvement with the Obama campaign, politics and public service have saturated the air around her.
And from a New York perspective, what better candidate is there?
As pollster John Zogby puts it, this is the "original don't-wait-your-turn" state. From Averill Harriman to Nelson Rockefeller, from Bobby Kennedy to Hillary Clinton, the Empire State is known for its love of a celebrity.
"None of these people ever sat in a city council or served in the state Assembly," says Mr. Zogby, whose polling firm is based in Utica, N.Y. "We have a tradition of choosing people who are larger than life. This is a Kennedy -- at least she lives in New York."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
The infanta Caroline is ready to accept her responsibilities?
#9
Question... Has she ever really worked a single day in her life?
That reminds me that after the Spanish government awarded 400 euros (500 $) to every couple having a baby, a Spanish magazine published a cartoon showing the crown prince f..g his wife and telling: "Do you realize that in case you become pregnant it will be the closest thing to work I will ever have done in my life".
One year later they published a cartoon showing the princes at a regatta. The princess has bent for lifting the anchor and the prince, just behind them in exactly the same position than in the preceding cartoon:
"Do you realize that in case we win it will be the closest thing to work I will ever have done in my life".
#14
Exactly what are her qualifications for being a U.S. senator?
I believe one must be of a certain age, an American citizen, and elected or appointed. All else is optional, including being alive. Thus far Ms. Kennedy has achieved all except the election bit, and as a bonus she is not only alive, but also functioning mentally. Actual ability to effectively represent the people of her state is optional, as has been amply demonstrated by her cousin, the junior senator from the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
#15
"Theyve got seat-warmers, seat-sellers and the making of pillows for the seats of royalty. No wonder the public wonders whats going on in Washington.
Former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY)
#16
How can these people in good conscience throw away the due process of elected officials and, without a mandate from the people, be used and led like dogs for senate votes...or did I answer my question.
#18
"They've got seat-warmers, seat-sellers and the making of pillows for the seats of royalty. No wonder the public wonders what's going on in Washington."
Plus, as Harry Reid would put it, they no longer have to smell the "peasants".
#2
Mr. Madoff has apparently been exceedingly generous to a broad variety of charities over the years. But now his pledges will go unfulfilled. While no doubt at least some of past recipients have done good and valuable work, surely the needs of those who so imprudently bet their life's savings on the cleverness of Mr. Madoff should take priority.
#4
Geez, they are not mad at the guy for being a crook, they are mad at him for not funding their 'progressive' causes any more. Let's all share a nice Two Minute Hate to sooth the hurt feelings.
As for it all being Bush's fault, well, they said if he was elected financial criminals would run rampant on Wall Street.
#5
From one of the commenters, in response to a green leftist angry about the situation:
"Your comment reflects a profound ignorance of leftist politics and its machinations. A willful, profound ignorance.
The world is not ending. The environment is not in danger. The solution to the non-existent, unsupported "problem" of man-made global warming...er, climate change (considering the Earth hasn't warmed in 10 years) is not greater governmental control over the means of production and the expansion of leftwing activist groups. The solution to these manufactured problems is not more socialism, taxes, regulations and liberal Democrats in power. This same garbage gets regurgitated from the greenies every decade and is merely a fad. In the 1970's it was global cooling and we were all going to die. In the 1980s the oceans were going to rise and kill us all. In the 1990s it was global warming. In the 2000s it's "climate change," as if climate has not changed throughout the Earth's history.
All bull.
The fact that these "environmental" liberal Democrat activists are losing money on a ponzy scheme set up by one of their own is just deserts for a bunch of people pretending their only concern is "the Earth" and "science." Their concern is for political power and money siphoned to them from taxpayers or from sugar daddies like Madoff and George Soros. And nothing is funnier than a group of socialists who decry capitalism and money caterwauling when they lose money. Hey - if money's so unimportant, then try living without it - that's true leftist dogma in action. Or better yet, try producing something and making your own money.
Cheers."
Perfect.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
12/17/2008 18:17 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
