Top Items:
Tony Mauro / LAW.com:
Justice Department's Independence 'Shattered,' Says Former DOJ Attorney — Since the day he arrived at the Department of Justice in February 2005, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has "shattered" the department's tradition of independence and politicized its operation more than any other attorney general in more than 30 years.
Discussion:
Cliff Schecter
RELATED:
David Johnston / New York Times:
Gonzales Aide Suggested Replacements for Attorneys — A Justice Department e-mail released today shows that the former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales proposed replacement candidates for seven United States attorneys nearly a year before those prosecutors were fired …
Washington Post:
Wolfowitz Dictated Girlfriend's Pay Deal — World Bank President Paul D. Wolfowitz personally dictated the terms under which the bank gave what it called his "domestic partner" substantial pay raises and promotions in exchange for temporarily leaving her job there during his tenure …
RELATED:
Richard Behar / Fox News:
Documents May Give Wolfowitz New Lifeline in World Bank Scandal — World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz's career was hanging by a thread today, but new revelations in internal bank documents released by the bank seemed as if they would provide him a stronger lifeline.
Discussion:
The Strata-Sphere
Richard Cohen / The Huffington Post:
Wolfowitz: Mission Accomplished? — As Paul Wolfowitz is proving, it turns out all is not fair in love and war. Only war. Take a nation to war for spurious reasons and no one much complains. But arrange a raise for your girlfriend, and you get booed in the atrium of the World Bank and have to visibly sweat in public.
Discussion:
A Tiny Revolution
Tom Hamburger / Los Angeles Times:
Rove, others were warned to save e-mails — WASHINGTON — Karl Rove and other White House employees were cautioned in employee manuals, memos and briefings to carefully save any e-mails that might discuss official matters even if those messages came from private e-mail accounts, the White House disclosed Friday.
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Washington Post:
White House E-Mail Mystery — e-mails is at that strange moment in the arc of a Washington uproar where it's not clear whether it will turn out to be scandal or sideshow. There was legitimate reason for the White House to seek to comply with Hatch Act strictures and separate political from official business.
Discussion:
TPMCafe blogs
Brian Braiker / Newsweek:
A data-recovery specialist discusses whether missing White House …
A data-recovery specialist discusses whether missing White House …
Discussion:
Brian Beutler
Charlottesvillain / TigerHawk:
The Department of Peace — I haven't seen this widely reported but the Democrats are working to establish a Department of Peace and Nonviolence. If I recall correctly, this was a plank in the platform of the ill fated Kucinich Presidential campaign of 2004.
RELATED:
New York Times:
McCain Sees 'No Plan B' for Iraq War — Senator John McCain said that the buildup of American forces in Iraq represented the only viable option to avoid failure in Iraq and that he had yet to identify an effective fallback if the current strategy failed. — "I have no Plan B," Mr. McCain said in an interview.
Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:
From the Courthouse to the White House — Fred Thompson auditions for the leading role. — A strange thing happened a few weeks back when I went to the Café Promenade at the Mayflower Hotel for an off-the-record interview with an unpaid adviser to the non-campaign of unannounced presidential candidate Fred Thompson.
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Power Line, Captain's Quarters, The Influence Peddler, JustOneMinute, Bill Hobbs and Associated Press
Sudarsan Raghavan / Washington Post:
Sunni Factions Split With Al-Qaeda Group — Rift Further Blurs Battle Lines in Iraq — Key Sunni militant groups are severing their association with al-Qaeda in Iraq, a Sunni group that claims allegiance to the organization led by Osama bin Laden. The split could help isolate a primary foe …
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Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
The Shamelessness of Cheney — Now he tells us: … I'm not defending Democratic pork - any more than Republican pork. But, again, what's staggering about these Republicans is their total shamelessness. No administration in recent history has presided over anything like the explosion …
New York Times:
In the Spotlight, the Politics of Buckling Up — As constituents and public officials wished Gov. Jon S. Corzine of New Jersey a full recovery from his injuries in a car accident, many were shaking their heads that someone who is so smart, and has so much to lose, would put himself at risk by apparently not wearing a seat belt.
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Kathy Matheson / Associated Press:
Corzine may not have been buckled up — CAMDEN, N.J. …
Corzine may not have been buckled up — CAMDEN, N.J. …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway, Pam's House Blend, TigerHawk, The News Blog and Blue Crab Boulevard
Paul Elias / Associated Press:
Prosecutors will retry Ed Rosenthal, known as the `guru of ganja' — SAN FRANCISCO - Federal prosecutors said today they would retry marijuana grower Ed Rosenthal on cultivation charges, even after a federal judge urged them to drop the case and chastised the government for lodging charges solely …
Jesse McKinley / New York Times:
In a Filmdom Premiere, a Foe for Gore — The screening here on Thursday night had many elements of a classic film-world shindig. There were gift bags and television cameras, cold cocktails and hot popcorn. Ushers showed V.I.P.'s to their seats, and local politicos rubbed shoulders with the movie's backers and flacks.
Discussion:
Power Line
SilentPatriot / Crooks and Liars:
The Daily Show: Will Nancy Grace Apologize to Duke Lacrosse Players? — Jon Stewart hits Nancy Grace hard for her insensitive coverage of the Duke lacrosse case. Charges were dropped against the three teens yesterday. Will she apologize or take a convenient vacation? Watch and see...