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, The Washington Monthly, Gateway Pundit, Donklephant, The Strata-Sphere, The Moderate Voice, Tom Watson, War and Piece, Power Line, Althouse, ACSBlog, The Poor Man, Faithful Progressive, NewsBusters.org, IntoxiNation-News …, Daily Kos, Oliver Willis, Shakespeare's Sister, Prometheus 6, The Corner on National …, Liberty Street, TalkLeft, The All Spin Zone, Just a Bump in the Beltway, The Carpetbagger Report and whatever already!
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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:
Shakespeare's Sister, Ars Technica, Concurring Opinions, Mark in Mexico, QT Monster's Place, Power Line and Betsy's Page
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Marty Lederman / Balkinization:
Judge Posner and "Ad Hoc Initiatives" (i.e., Presidentially Sanctioned Felonies) — Judge Posner has an Op-Ed in the Washington Post this morning that is understandably receiving a lot of attention. His argument is that the latest scandal reveals a serious gap in the legal intelligence-gathering laws.
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:
firedoglake
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
In Still-Busy Senate, Showdown Is Today — WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 - Some are calling it Fristmastime on Capitol Hill. — Five days before the holiday, the Senate remains at work, poised for decisive votes Wednesday on major legislation. The results will determine whether the Congressional session ends …
Discussion:
Simianbrain
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Gary Gross / Let Freedom Ring:Chutzpah — I just finished watching as much of Harry Reid's briefing …
Discussion:
Hugh Hewitt
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 …
Los Angeles Times:
Spending Cuts Would Barely Trim Deficit — The Senate is expected to vote today on the bill, which squeaked through the House. — WASHINGTON — For all the time and speeches it has devoted to deploring the budget deficit, Congress will adjourn for the year without making more than a dent in it.
RELATED ITEM:
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.
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Larry Neumeister / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Anti-terror squad created prosecution plan — NEW YORK — Prosecutors across the country now have a large arsenal of laws to pursue people suspected of ties to terrorism, but that wasn't the case when Ramzi Yousef decided to try to blow up the World Trade Center in 1993.
Discussion:
Kesher Talk
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 …
Discussion:
War and Piece
Washington Post:
Clash Is Latest Chapter in Bush Effort to Widen Executive Power — The clash over the secret domestic spying program is one slice of a broader struggle over the power of the presidency that has animated the Bush administration. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney came to office convinced …
Discussion:
Scott Rosenberg's Links …
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.
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.
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, PBD, Yellow Dog Blog, Brendan Nyhan, First Draft and Think Progress
