Top Items:
CNN:
House panel defies Bush, votes for subpoenas … WASHINGTON (CNN) — House Democrats voted Wednesday to give their leaders the authority to force White House officials to testify on the firings of U.S. attorneys. — The House Judiciary subcommittee vote was to authorize subpoenas.
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Nico / Think Progress:
VIDEO: Former Reagan U.S. Attorney Blasts Administration Over Purge — As Atrios noted, former Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA), who served as a U.S. Attorney under President Reagan, appeared today on CNN. — Barr blasted the White House, saying "the integrity of the Department of Justice is being used …
New York Times:
House Panel Authorizes Subpoenas for Top Bush Aides — A House Judiciary subcommittee today authorized subpoenas for Karl Rove, President Bush's political adviser, and other senior White House officials in the investigation into the firing of eight United States attorneys.
Laurie Kellman / Associated Press:
House panel OKs Rove, Miers subpoenas — WASHINGTON - A House panel on Wednesday approved subpoenas for President Bush's political adviser, Karl Rove and other top White House aides, setting up a constitutional showdown over the firings of eight federal prosecutors.
Christy Hardin Smith / Firedoglake:
"The Math" — (Electoral college numbers map via The Talent Show.)
"The Math" — (Electoral college numbers map via The Talent Show.)
Nedra Pickler / Associated Press:
Gore Implores Congress to Save Planet — WASHINGTON (AP) - Al Gore, who has reversed his political fortunes to become a potential contender in the 2008 presidential race, made an emotional return to Congress Wednesday in an appeal for an even more dramatic rescue—saving the planet.
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epw.senate.gov:
GORE REFUSES TO TAKE PERSONAL ENERGY ETHICS PLEDGE — WASHINGTON, DC - Former Vice President Al Gore refused to take a "Personal Energy Ethics Pledge" today to consume no more energy than the average American household. The pledge was presented to Gore by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) …
Susan Estrich / Fox News:
About Cathy Seipp — On Monday, her daughter Maia sent the e-mail that Cathy Seipp's friends and readers have long been dreading. Her mother was in the hospital, her lungs had collapsed, the doctors were trying to make her comfortable, she was passing peacefully.
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Valerie J. Nelson / Los Angeles Times:
Catherine Seipp, 49; critic took on Times — Catherine Seipp, a writer and media critic who became known in the 1990s for her pointed coverage of the Los Angeles Times in Buzz magazine, has died. She was 49. — Seipp, a nonsmoker who was diagnosed with lung cancer five years ago …
Newsdesk / The Swamp:
Snow swallows own old words — "What kinds of conversations does executive privilege protect?...What are the limits on privilege?'' a newspaper columnist wrote in the spring of 1998 on a subject strangely familiar today. — "Evidently, Mr. Clinton wants to shield virtually any communications …
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Lane Hudson / The Huffington Post:
Tony Snow: WH Asserts Privilege for Conversations That Never Took Place! — In the White House Press briefing that just concluded, press secretary Tony Snow said that he was not aware of the president being briefed on the US Attorney issue. He further said the president did not sign off on the firings.
Robert Gehrke / Salt Lake Tribune:
E-mail complaints show Ward's frustration with smut campaign — WASHINGTON - In a frank e-mail exchange, Brent Ward complained to senior Justice Department officials about resistance from several U.S. Attorneys to prosecuting obscenity cases. — Those complaints apparently contributed to the later …
Discussion:
Angry Bear
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Nico / Think Progress:
A second set of emails from the gap. — We've tracked down another set of emails during the 18-day gap (available HERE) between Kyle Sampson and Brent Ward, the head of the federal obscenity task force. In the emails, Ward complains about resistance from several U.S. Attorneys …
Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:
An Email in The Gap — As Josh noted and The Politico reported last night, there appeared to be an 18-day gap in the emails released by the Justice Department Monday night, a gap right after Alberto Gonzales' chief of staff Kyle Sampson said that they should run the purge plan by the White House and Karl Rove in particular.
M.E. Sprengelmeyer / Rocky Mountain News:
McInnis won't run for Senate — WASHINGTON — Former Congressman Scott McInnis announced today that he will take a pass on the 2008 U.S. Senate race, clearing the way for what could be a wide-open contest for the Republican nomination. — McInnis, who was widely regarded as a front-runner …
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Steve Bainbridge / ProfessorBainbridge.com ®:
Mahoney Must Go — The LA Times reports: … Canon 387 of the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church states that: … Can a Bishop who has lied to his flock on such a key mttner be said to be in compliance with Canon 387? No. Especially given Mahoney's long track record of other misfeasances …