Top Items:
Washington Post:
Spy Court Judge Quits In Protest — Jurist Concerned Bush Order Tainted Work of Secret Panel — A federal judge has resigned from the court that oversees government surveillance in intelligence cases in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program, according to two sources.
Discussion:
hughhewitt.com, Amygdala, In From the Cold, Donklephant, The Washington Monthly, Gateway Pundit, Tom Watson, The Moderate Voice, War and Piece, Power Line, Althouse, ACSBlog, The Poor Man, NewsBusters.org, Faithful Progressive, Shakespeare's Sister, IntoxiNation-News …, Daily Kos, The Corner on National …, Oliver Willis, Liberty Street, TalkLeft, The All Spin Zone, Just a Bump in the Beltway, The Carpetbagger Report, whatever already!, The Democratic Daily Blog and Decision '08
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New York Times:
Spying Program Snared U.S. Calls — WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 - A surveillance program approved by President Bush to conduct eavesdropping without warrants has captured what are purely domestic communications in some cases, despite a requirement by the White House that one end of the intercepted conversations …
Reuters:
Senators members seek spying probe — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic and Republican calls mounted on Tuesday for U.S. congressional hearings into President George W. Bush's assertion that he can order warrantless spying on Americans with suspected terrorist ties.
Richard A. Posner / Washington Post:
Our Domestic Intelligence Crisis — We've learned that the Defense Department is deeply involved in domestic intelligence (intelligence concerning threats to national security that unfold on U.S. soil). The department's National Security Agency has been conducting, outside the framework …
Discussion:
Ars Technica, Shakespeare's Sister, Concurring Opinions, Mark in Mexico, Power Line and Betsy's Page
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John Schmidt / Chicago Tribune:
President had legal authority to OK taps — President Bush's post- Sept. 11, 2001, authorization to the National Security Agency to carry out electronic surveillance into private phone calls and e-mails is consistent with court decisions and with the positions of the Justice Department under prior presidents.
Judd / Think Progress:
Fact Check: Clinton/Carter Executive Orders Did Not Authorize Warrantless Searches of Americans — The top of the Drudge Report claims "CLINTON EXECUTIVE ORDER: SECRET SEARCH ON AMERICANS WITHOUT COURT ORDER..." It's not true. Here's the breakdown - — What Drudge says: … What Clinton actually signed:
Discussion:
Power Line, The Stakeholder, protein wisdom, Running Scared, Simianbrain, Mathew Gross, Daily Kos, The Democratic Daily Blog, Let Freedom Ring, Hammer of Truth, USS Neverdock, Say Anything, THE ASTUTE BLOGGER, A Chequer-Board of Nights …, TBogg, Don Surber, Sister Toldjah, The Political Teen, JunkYardBlog and Southern Appeal
TQA / The Questionable Authority:
Kitzcarnival — As most of you are undoubtedly aware, Judge Jones has handed down his anxiously-awaited decision in the Kitzmiller v. Dover lawsuit. This post is (I hope) a one-stop for those interested in commentary on the ruling. I've done my best to incorporate a wide range of blog posts and some more conventional news articles.
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Anne E. Kornblut / New York Times:
Lobbyist Is Said to Discuss Plea and Testimony — WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 - Jack Abramoff, the Republican lobbyist under criminal investigation, has been discussing with prosecutors a deal that would grant him a reduced sentence in exchange for testimony against former political and business associates …
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Susan Schmidt / Washington Post:
Abramoff Reportedly Negotiating a Deal in Which He Would Plead Guilty, Testify — Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, facing trial on fraud charges Jan. 9 in Florida, is negotiating a possible deal with the Justice Department, in which he would agree to plead guilty and cooperate …
Discussion:
The Democratic Party
Steven Greenhouse / New York Times:
In Final Hours, M.T.A. Took a Big Risk on Pensions — On the final day of intense negotiations, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, it turns out, greatly altered what it had called its final offer, to address many of the objections of the transit workers' union.
Discussion:
Daily Blog, MaxSpeak, Majikthise, Lawyers, Guns and Money, A Blog For All and Sisyphus Shrugged
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Charles Babington / Washington Post:
4 GOP Senators Hold Firm Against Patriot Act Renewal — Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) could barely conceal his anger. — "The Patriot Act expires on December 31, but the terrorist threat does not," he told reporters at the Capitol yesterday.
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Andrew Taylor / Associated Press:Cheney Breaks Senate Tie on Spending Cuts
Discussion:
PoliPundit.com
Reuters:
Lebanon questions US demand to hand over hijacker — BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon criticised on Wednesday U.S. demands that it hand over a Hizbollah hijacker released by Germany after nearly 19 years in jail for murdering an American. — "Originally they (the U.S. government) could have requested that Germany hand him over.
Discussion:
RedState.org
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Max Boot / Los Angeles Times:
'Plame Platoon' is AWOL on new leaks — Highly classified programs have been revealed, which could provide real aid to our enemies. So where's all that outrage now? — IT SEEMS like only yesterday that every high-minded politician, pundit and professional activist was in high dudgeon …
Discussion:
The Washington Monthly, Right Wing News, In From the Cold, Power Line and Sister Toldjah
La Shawn / La Shawn Barber's Corner:
Do You Hate Black People? — I get e-mail from black people (and a few whites) asking me if I hate black people. I usually don't dignify the question with an answer, but I get the point. — I am more critical of blacks than I am of whites because, no offense, I care more about what happens to blacks.
Josh Meyer / Los Angeles Times:
Officials Fault Case Bush Cited — Internal breakdowns, not shortcomings in spy laws, were at play before Sept. 11, they say. — WASHINGTON — In confirming the existence of a top-secret domestic spying program, President Bush offered one case as proof that authorities desperately needed …
White House:
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan — MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everyone. I want to begin with talking about matters going on with the Congress right now, particularly the Senate. — The President, as you heard last night, applauds the House for its work to meet key national priorities.
Patrick Cockburn / Independent:
Iraq's election result: a divided nation — Iraq is disintegrating. The first results from the parliamentary election last week show the country is dividing between Shia, Sunni and Kurdish regions. — Religious fundamentalists now have the upper hand. The secular and nationalist candidate backed …
Discussion:
Pajamas Media, The Peking Duck, Daily Pundit, The Belmont Club, Unclaimed Territory, AMERICAblog and Crooked Timber
Richard Morin / Washington Post:
Majority of Americans Support Alito Nomination — A majority of Americans now support the confirmation of U.S. Appeals Court Judge Samuel A. Alito to the Supreme Court to fill the seat of retiring Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
