Quickhits
You know I hate to blog with these catchall posts, but I'm trying to catch up after being out most of the day, and some interesting stuff happened that I wanted to note.
The prosecutors in the Tom Delay case are subpoenaing more records from a defense contractor in San Diego. The company in question is owned through a corporate chain by Brent Wilkes who was one of the two bribers in the Duke Cunningham case. (Houston Chronicle version)
Truly funny since Delay is trying to take over a seat on the Defense Appropriations Committee that was vacated by the same Duke Cunningham. (Corruption is a death penalty crime in China ya know.)
Related, Jack Abramoff's lobbying firm reported $1.4 million in contributions over eighteen months from an outfit out of Hong Kong significantly named "Rose Garden Holdings." (no, Scott McClellan gave me a non-denial denail about ties between Abramoff and the administration.) But, funny thing about that, The Standard out of Hong Kong says that no such company exists.
Also related, I don't know the bonafides of this outlet, but the Washingtonian is reporting that they've seen five photos of Bush Abramoff meetings and that they weren't all at Holiday parties and one of them even included some of Abramoff's tribal clients.(Say it ain't so Scotty.)
I noted when the DoJ issued written legal arguments that they were just asking for trouble making their legal justification in a written form because thousands of lawyers who opposed the program would collectively all act to pick the argument apart. Here's a good start by fourteen imminent constitutional lawyers in a letter published in the NY Review of Books. If you're interested in the legal side of this issue, this is pretty good.
Larry Franklin, of the Franklin/AIPAC spy ring got sentenced to twelve years today for giving classified information on Iran to Weissman and Rosen of AIPAC. This sentencing does not take into account any assistance that Franklin may yet give in relation to the prosecution of of others involved in the case. Remember, this guy may also have some knowledge of the Niger forgeries. I wouldn't expect him to spill that, but it is a possibility and looking at twelve years in a federal prion has a way of focusing you.
And there was a tiny bit of Plame gossip today. Rove returned from hiding to make a political speech to the RNC, and there was a report of Fitzgerald met with the grand jury at least once since the new year.
Oh, and Libby's defense attorneys are threatening to drag tons of journalists through the witness stand at his trial. Really more of a threat and a tactic to drag the proceedings out. There's a hearing Feb. 3 which should offer a little more clarity on what Judge Walton is going to allow. Nothing earthshaking, so I'll write a little on this tomorrow, when I have more time.
The prosecutors in the Tom Delay case are subpoenaing more records from a defense contractor in San Diego. The company in question is owned through a corporate chain by Brent Wilkes who was one of the two bribers in the Duke Cunningham case. (Houston Chronicle version)
Truly funny since Delay is trying to take over a seat on the Defense Appropriations Committee that was vacated by the same Duke Cunningham. (Corruption is a death penalty crime in China ya know.)
Related, Jack Abramoff's lobbying firm reported $1.4 million in contributions over eighteen months from an outfit out of Hong Kong significantly named "Rose Garden Holdings." (no, Scott McClellan gave me a non-denial denail about ties between Abramoff and the administration.) But, funny thing about that, The Standard out of Hong Kong says that no such company exists.
Also related, I don't know the bonafides of this outlet, but the Washingtonian is reporting that they've seen five photos of Bush Abramoff meetings and that they weren't all at Holiday parties and one of them even included some of Abramoff's tribal clients.(Say it ain't so Scotty.)
I noted when the DoJ issued written legal arguments that they were just asking for trouble making their legal justification in a written form because thousands of lawyers who opposed the program would collectively all act to pick the argument apart. Here's a good start by fourteen imminent constitutional lawyers in a letter published in the NY Review of Books. If you're interested in the legal side of this issue, this is pretty good.
Larry Franklin, of the Franklin/AIPAC spy ring got sentenced to twelve years today for giving classified information on Iran to Weissman and Rosen of AIPAC. This sentencing does not take into account any assistance that Franklin may yet give in relation to the prosecution of of others involved in the case. Remember, this guy may also have some knowledge of the Niger forgeries. I wouldn't expect him to spill that, but it is a possibility and looking at twelve years in a federal prion has a way of focusing you.
And there was a tiny bit of Plame gossip today. Rove returned from hiding to make a political speech to the RNC, and there was a report of Fitzgerald met with the grand jury at least once since the new year.
Oh, and Libby's defense attorneys are threatening to drag tons of journalists through the witness stand at his trial. Really more of a threat and a tactic to drag the proceedings out. There's a hearing Feb. 3 which should offer a little more clarity on what Judge Walton is going to allow. Nothing earthshaking, so I'll write a little on this tomorrow, when I have more time.
posted by mikevotes at
9:34 PM
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