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CORRUPTION UPDATES 33 January 18th to January 30th, 2007 The CORRUPTION UPDATES reviews corruption in the news. News Stories from California, the Nation and the World are abstracted below, and followed by commentary and references. |
CORRUPTION UPDATES 33
News Service of the Committee for Democracy
Previous Corruption Updates: Page 32
Next Corruption Updates: Page 34
1) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 1-18-07:
Angry Republicans in Senate block strict new ethics rules
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
January 18, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-ethics18jan18,1,7322921.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
“WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats' goal of passing strict new ethics rules as their first order of business as the majority party was stymied, perhaps only temporarily, by a partisan dispute on Wednesday.”
“the bill was blocked by Republican senators angry with Democrats for refusing to allow a vote on a GOP amendment, a modified version of the line-item veto.”
“Before the vote that deadlocked the bill, the Senate voted 88 to 9 to approve a Reid amendment that would have required senators who catch rides on corporate jets to pay charter rates. Now they reimburse jet owners with the far cheaper equivalent of a first-class ticket.”
“Reid and Gregg were close to an agreement on bringing the line-item veto proposal to the floor this spring, but Reid said Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), a staunch opponent of ceding any legislative control over the purse to the president, had objected.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
REPUBLICANS DEMAND SUBVERSION OF CONSTITUTION FOR ETHICS REFORM
REPUGS ACTUALLY DEMAND LINE ITEM VETO IN EXCHANGE FOR A FAKE CORRUPTION REFORM
Congress has failed to “ensure democratic governments,” or protect the “general welfare,” or the rights and privileges guaranteed by the Constitution to our citizens.
There should be no surprise that the Repugs, (as in Repugnant) have again tried to get around the separation of powers between Congress and the President mandated by the Constitution.
Bush and the Repugs have already countenanced Executive “signing statements,” which they pretend have some kind of magical power to make the President above the law, and Constitution.
Let's get back to the basic wisdom of Our Revolutionary Forefathers:
The Constitution, section 7, number 1, clearly states that, when Congress crafts
“...a law, (it) be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his objections to that house in which it shall have originated,...and (the house shall) proceed to reconsider it...”
The constitutionally mandated process leads to a law, or no law.
The Constitution does not authorize “signing statements,” or any Presidential power to accept, or reject, part of a law. “Signing statements” are clearly Unconstitutional, and undermine the balance of Powers between the branches of Government, to the detriment of the rights of the people.
This applies even more pertinently to the line item veto, which is an attempt to amend the Constitution through legislation, rather than the Amendment Process mandated by the Constitution.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 27, 2nd article on page, “DEM LEADERS TO REFORM CONGRESS?”
Corruption Updates 28, 1st article on page, 1-2-07: “LOBBYISTS HIRING-BRIBING DEMS SHIFTING FUNDS AND PERSONELL TO DEMS ASSURES NO REAL CHANGES
Corruption Updates 28, 4th article on page, “Bush and Dems Fight Over Earmarks”
Corruption Updates 28, 5th article on page, “SENATE DEMS PRETEND EARMARK REFORM:DEMS TARGET THE PAYOFFS, BUT NOT THE BRIBERY”
Corruption Updates 30, 2nd article on page, “Democrats set back on earmarks” (REID TRIES TO KILL REAL EARMARK REFORMS)
Read Articles describing how the
Democrats represent Corporations
Search the Corruption Database under
Reform, Fake Reform, Earmarks
Unconstitutional Presidential Power
Failure of Congressional Oversight
2) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 1-22-07:
Just $83.8 million? No thanks
“Clinton passes on public funds for '08, and other candidates are likely to. They need real money.”
By Dan Morain, Times Staff
Writer
January 22, 2007
“Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) is the first top-tier candidate to tip her hand that she intends to leave the public money on the table. Senior Clinton advisor Howard Wolfson said by e-mail Sunday that she would not take matching funds in the primary campaign or, if she wins the Democratic nomination, in the general election.”
“ "She'll do fabulously" in the money race, said Sacramento lobbyist Darius Anderson, who helps Democrats raise money and is a business associate of one of Clinton's backers, Los Angeles billionaire Ron Burkle. "The Clinton network and the Clinton list is by far the most extensive of any Democrat." ”
“Abandonment of the public financing system would threaten the survival of a Watergate-era measure that was supposed to limit the influence of big donors in presidential politics and enable more candidates to compete.”
“The system is being rendered obsolete by escalating campaign costs, sophisticated fundraising techniques, tepid public support and major candidates such as Clinton who could raise $100 million on their own before the first 2008 primary — and $500 million by election day.”
“It's a system that seems almost quaint in an age of Internet fundraising and in the face of other laws that have the effect of opening the way for big campaign spending. Though $83 million seems huge, it might pale by comparison with the sums that candidates could raise from private sources — increasing the likelihood that nominees would leave the public money on the table.”
“...major-party nominees will raise $500 million each by election day — roughly double what Bush and Kerry raised in 2004.”
“As of last month, Clinton had $14.4 million in her campaign account. Several experts said Clinton could amass $100 million by the end of 2007.”
“"The system has become outmoded and we need to fix it," said Fred Wertheimer, long a proponent of public financing and head of the independent political watchdog Democracy 21, which also is pushing for an overhaul. "All the fundraising is going to make our case. The story is going to demonstrate why the [public financing] system makes sense." ”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Corporate Democrats of the Democratic Leadership Council Laughs at democracy:
We're as Rich as Republicans and the Lesser Evil
The DLC is a corporate funded political mafia. Clinton took the Democraps down the Corporate trail, endorsing privatization, deregulation, rewarding offshoring, and welcoming a massive influx of irresponsible growth.
These acts horrified “liberals” and “Conservatives,” but signaled that the Democrats had sold out to greed, and assured the DLC would continue to receive a vast amount of corporate bribery.
This changed the Democratic Party from a coalition of labor and liberal Special Interests to a Corporate Funded mirror of the Repubs.
Clinton ended democracy in the United States by conceeding that political victory was dependent on how much corporate money your candidate could raise.
I hope that our initiative will free both parties from their corporate control, allowing liberals and conservatives to argue out their positions, until we craft policy and law that reflects the wisdom of each side.
Under the “Clinton System” it does not matter which side wins. The Corporations will receive a 10 to 1 payoff for their bribes no matter what.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 19, 1st article on page, TOP RECIPEINTS OF LOBBYISTS BRIBES ARE LEADERSHIP OF BOTH PARTIES
Corruption Updates 19, 3rd article on page, “PARTIES AND THEIR BRIBERS WORK TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE CAMPAIGN FINANCE RESTRICTION”
Corruption Updates 20, 1st article on page, PELOSI FUNRAISING FRENZY ASSURES SPECIAL INTEREST DOMINATION
Corruption Updates 20, 6th article on page, DEMS RECEIVE SPECIAL INTEREST BRIBES ANTICIPATING VICTORY IN NOV
Corruption Updates 21, 2nd article on page, 10-30-06: “SHADOW PARTIES (527S) INFUSE MILLIONS IN BRIBE MONEY INTO ELECTION SPECIAL INTERESTS SKIRT CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS TO MAINTAIN THEIR ILLIGIMATE AUTHORITY THROUGH POLITICAL BRIBERY”
Corruption Updates 21, 8th article on page, DEMS BIG CHANCE TO REAP THE REWARDS OF CORRUPTION
Corruption Updates 24, 6th article on page, 12-4-06, “POLITICIANS WHO BRIBE POLITICIANS ARE LEADERS UNCONTESTED CANDIDATES REDISTRIBUTE BRIBE MONEY TO BUY PLUM COMMITTEES AND CHAIRMANSHIPS”
Corruption Updates 26, 1st article on page, 12-8-06, “LOBBYISTS SEE NO CHANGE UNDER DEMS CORRUPTION PRESENTED AS FORCE OF NATURE, DEM CORRUPTION NATURAL”
Corruption Updates 28, 1st article on page, 1-2-07: “LOBBYISTS HIRING-BRIBING DEMS SHIFTING FUNDS AND PERSONELL TO DEMS ASSURES NO REAL CHANGES”
Also See Right Web for an interesting profile of the DLC and its backers
Search the Corruption Database under
Democrats
Big Money Politics
3) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE NY TIMES, 1-22-07:
Key Republican Senator Offers Bipartisan Call to Reject Bush Plan for More Troops in Iraq
By JEFF ZELENY and CARL HULSE
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/washington/
“WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 — Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, one of Congress’s leading authorities on the military, presented a bipartisan proposal on Monday that soundly rejected President Bush’s plan to send more American troops to Baghdad and urged the administration to find a new course in Iraq.”
“...a growing number of senators in both parties find the president’s strategy flawed.”
“ “The American G.I. was not trained, not sent over there — certainly not by resolution of this institution — to be placed in the middle of a fight between the Sunni and the Shia and the wanton and just incomprehensible killing that’s going on at this time,” Mr. Warner said.”
“But Mr. Warner’s proposal says the Senate “disagrees with the ‘plan’ to augment our forces,” while the other resolution states that it is “not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating the United States military force presence.” ”
Sen. Warner Gets Cold Feet Over War
Political Machine of Lies-War-Profits has Shot Itself in Foot
Warner is getting paranoid. Warner, and the rest of his Senate colleagues swallowed obvious Presidential lies, when they should have spit them out.
They watched while the CIA, the Pentagon, and State were brutally politicized. Now, as the chaos and criminality they made possible has matured, Warner has gotten cold feet. And still, none of them will confront the crimes they helped the Administration commit.
The Democratic Senate and House have already said they will not confront the crimes the President committed in pursuit of this war.
Warner should speak out.
The crimes of the Executive Branch, and the Corruptions in Congress that nullified honesty in our decision making process, will not investigated or reformed. Warner should speak out.
Too bad both parties did not get cold feet when they formed these lies into the “Patriot” act, and Resolutions for an Unchecked President to engage in an Unending War.
If there are any Honest Members of either Corporate Party,
THEY SHOULD SPEAK OUT.
Corruption Updates 25, 2nd article on page, “US REPUB SENATOR FEARS WAR ILLEGAL WHY DID IT TAKE THREE YEARS TO CONFRONT THE LIES?”
Corruption Updates 25, 4th article on page, “ENGLISH LORD COMPARES HITLER'S INVASION OF POLAND WITH IRAQ WAR”
Search the Corruption Database under
war
4) THE
ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES,
1-22-07:
Lobbyists
find new Congress is open for business
Lobbyists who dreaded Democratic control find they're being heard.
By Tom Hamburger and Janet Hook, Times Staff Writers
January
22, 2007
“WASHINGTON — Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi terrified the oil industry late last year when she outlined her priorities for the new Democratic majorities in Congress. Within the first 100 hours, she promised, they would "roll back the multibillion-dollar subsidies for Big Oil."”
“Last
week, however, when Pelosi (D-San Francisco) won House approval of
the much-touted bill socking it to the oil companies, it turned out
to be considerably less drastic than many in the industry originally
feared. Out of an estimated $32 billion in subsidies and tax
breaks that the oil companies are scheduled to receive over the next
five years, the final House bill cut $5.5 billion.”
“Surprising
as it might seem in view of the Democrats' public rhetoric, business
groups are getting their telephone calls returned. And they're
getting plenty of face time with the new House and Senate
leaders.
Thanks to this access, the oil industry
fended off many features it considered most objectionable in the
proposed energy bill, and the big pharmaceutical companies had
success keeping some provisions out of the new House Medicare drug
bill.”
“And, while the House was passing its minimum-wage bill, small-business lobbyists were working the Senate to win tax breaks for their clients in the Senate's version of the bill.”
“In part, the business community's early influence reflects its status as a constituency Democrats can't afford to ignore. As party candidates prepare for the 2008 election, in which they hope to hold and extend their congressional majorities and also take over the White House, they will need substantial business support in the form of campaign contributions.”
“Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry, Washington's most potent lobbying force, succeeded in blocking what it considered the most extreme proposals for reducing drug costs.”
“Like other industries, drug companies are hiring Democrats as lobbyists and ramping up Democratic campaign contributions. For example, lobbyist attendance at fundraisers for Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) has skyrocketed.
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
DEMOCRATS PROVE THEIR CORPORATE BASIS AND LOYALTY:
DEMS PROTECT CORRUPTION AND THIEVERY OF BIG MONEY SPECIAL INTERESTS AFTER PROMISING TO END CORRUPTION
We told you this would happen: NO REAL CHANGE WITH CHANGE OF PARTY. The biggest special interests have captured both parties, and Rules our Government through Bribery.
The link list below tracks the Special Interests and Democrats “courting dance” of briber and bribee that occurred before and after the election.
This outcome was predictable, and predicted.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 19, 1st article on page, “TOP RECIPEINTS OF LOBBYISTS BRIBES ARE LEADERSHIP OF BOTH PARTIES”
Corruption Updates 19, 3rd article on page, “PARTIES AND THEIR BRIBERS WORK TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE CAMPAIGN FINANCE RESTRICTION”
Corruption Updates 20, 1st article on page, 10-25-06, “PELOSI FUNRAISING FRENZY ASSURES SPECIAL INTEREST DOMINATION OF GOVERNMENT INDEPENDENT OF WHICH SIDE WINS IN NOV”
Corruption Updates 20, 6th article on page, 10-27-06, “DEMS RECEIVE SPECIAL INTEREST BRIBES ANTICIPATING VICTORY IN NOV VOTERS ASSURED ONLY CHANGE AFTER NOVEMBER WILL BE WHICH PARTY GETS 60% OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST BRIBES, AND WHICH PARTY GETS 40% OF THE BRIBES”
Corruption Updates 21, 2nd article on page, 10-30-06: “SHADOW PARTIES (527S) INFUSE MILLIONS IN BRIBE MONEY INTO ELECTION SPECIAL INTERESTS SKIRT CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS TO MAINTAIN THEIR ILLIGIMATE AUTHORITY THROUGH POLITICAL BRIBERY”
Corruption Updates 21, 8fh article on page, 11-1-06: “DEMS BIG CHANCE TO REAP THE REWARDS OF CORRUPTION POLITICAL VICTORY OPENS DOORS OF LOBBYING FIRMS TO DEMO INSIDERS: IT'S THE DEMS TURN TO ROB THE PUBLIC BLIND, AND BETRAY OUR DEMOCRACY”
Corruption Updates 22, 6th article on page, “MONEY WINS IN ALMOST EVERY POLITICAL RACE”
Corruption Updates 24, 6th article on page, 12-4-06, “POLITICIANS WHO BRIBE POLITICIANS ARE LEADERS UNCONTESTED CANDIDATES REDISTRIBUTE BRIBE MONEY TO BUY PLUM COMMITTEES AND CHAIRMANSHIPS”
Corruption Updates 26, 1st article on page, 12-8-06, “LOBBYISTS SEE NO CHANGE UNDER DEMS CORRUPTION PRESENTED AS FORCE OF NATURE, DEM CORRUPTION NATURAL”
Corruption Updates 28, 1st article on page, 1-2-07: “LOBBYISTS HIRING-BRIBING DEMS SHIFTING FUNDS AND PERSONELL TO DEMS ASSURES NO REAL CHANGES
Also See: Right Web for an interesting profile of the DLC and its backers
Search the Corruption Database under
Democrats
Big Money Politics
5) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 1-20-07:
U.S. firms ensnared in China bribe case
Employees of McKinsey, McDonald's and Whirlpool are among 22 detained in a graft investigation, according to state-run media.
By Don Lee and Evelyn
Iritani, Times Staff Writers
January 20, 2007
“SHANGHAI — Several large U.S. corporations have been ensnared in
China's anticorruption drive, according to state-run news
organizations, which reported details Friday of a bribery
investigation.”
“Some of the 22 people detained
because of allegations that they accepted $500,000 in bribes from
four Chinese computer-network equipment companies were employees of
McDonald's Corp., Whirlpool Corp. and consulting firm McKinsey &
Co.”
“"The
current situation of commercial bribery in our country is quite
serious," said Chen Baoku, a law professor at Nankai University in
Tianjin.”
“Giving money and gifts is common in
doing business in China, and Chen said that foreign companies can
find it easy to adopt local practices.”
“Still,
Larry Lang, professor of finance at Chinese University of Hong Kong, said he was surprised by
accusations that employees of American companies such as McDonald's
and McKinsey had accepted bribes, given the tough anticorruption
laws under which they operate in the United States.”
“The status and whereabouts of the 22 people detained were not disclosed. Chinese legal experts say they were probably taken to detention houses, where their movement and outside contacts are restricted. “
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
CHINESE BUSINESS STILL LEARNING HOW TO PROPERLY BRIBE
China has become a Bushiean Corporate Facist dreamland. China's Commie Government possesses unlimited power over individuals, business, and governmental authority. And they are greedy for wealth, power, and prestige, just like our leaders.
China has transformed itself into a nearly perfect capatalist state dedicated to profit, but these arrests show that the relationship between political and economic power has not quite been worked out.
This has been made apparent by recent political power struggles that have been described as “anti-corruption” drives by the central government. These arrests seem different, in that the target is not an opposing political faction, but American Companies.
Here in the US, somebody like Abramoff would have funneled money from the Company to a party or politician, and the government would encourage the company to make the deal, or throw in a tax break or deregulation to move it on. No overt business to business bribery necessary.
China's Business Class must learn how to integrate the power of the state into their corrupt deals. The Chinese Computer company should have bought political protection, just like the special interests here do. Our corporation's ability to buy anything from our politicians proves the point well.
China has not worked out how how their economic and political elites will balance their mutual interests. In the US we call ourselves a “democracy,” while we are, in fact, a corporate facist state. We call our people “citizens,” while we are, for now, only “consumers.”
Our Corporate elite has interbred itself with our political elite, and our Constitutional and democratic rights have been extinguished. China is grappleing with finding just such a balance of powers that will render their own forms of justice irrelevant in the pursuit of greed and power.
China has the power to kidnap, torture, and kill anyone they want. We really really want that power, but our revolutionary Constitution is an embarassing impediment to the full expression of our Corporate Fascism. China needs to learn our skills in running a sophisticated political farce that will merge their elites into a practical Chinese reflection of our corporate facist state.
They are struggling to link their political and economic elites into an unassaiable junta of authority, while still being able to maintain, like us, the facade that they are a legitimate government, and all comrades, while they rip their people off.
It is a race. While the government is flailing about, unsure of its own character, the pesants are getting riled.
The last time the Chinese People spoke, it was called “The Cultural Revolution.” When the 700 million commie peasants get pissed off, the Chinese government, and its rising business elite, will fall.
I wonder what they will call it when the Chinese People make themselves heard this next time.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 12, 8th article on page, “Chinese Elite Holding "Election" of Leadership with Thinly Disguised "Corruption” purge”
Search the Corruption Database under
China
International Corporate bribery
6) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE NY TIMES, 1-23-07:
Global View of U.S. Worsens, Poll Shows
THE NEW YORK TIMES
1-23-07
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/world/23poll.html
“WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 — The global view of the United States’ role in world affairs deteriorated significantly again last year, according to a poll of more than 26,000 people in 25 countries. “
“Negative feelings about the war in Iraq were prevalent, and nearly 7 in 10 people polled said the American military presence in the Middle East provoked more violence than it prevented.”
“In 18 countries polled previously, an average of 29 percent of those surveyed saw the United States as having a mainly positive influence, down from 36 percent last year.”
“Across all 25 countries, half of those polled said the United States played a mainly negative role in the world, according to the poll, done for the BBC World Service by GlobeScan and the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland.”
“Disapproval of the way the United States handled the Iraq war was strikingly strong, at 73 percent.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Poll Determines Whole World More Stupid than US:
These people must be taught to respect our world victory, the glory of our wealth and power, and enjoy the fruits of hypocracy
Americans, don't pay attention to this poll. We are never wrong. We have people here in America, from each of the countries polled, and the rest of the “third world,” that tell us we are “a better way of life.” They tell us we are great. Many would love to go back to their own countries, and pass the word of the glory of wealth, power, and democracy.
We have Iranians and Cubans here who would love to ride American tanks back to their country, and show those insolent people what American Democracy Really Means.
Batista, the Shah, Chaing Kai Schreck, death squads, kidnappings, and torture. John Hsu and Alberto. Cheap labor and luxury, sitting side by side. Who could ask for more?
Obey our superiority and power, our victory, or you are a terrorist.
Either we won, and the rest of the world is stupid, or we lost, and we are oblivious to the radical decline in our quality of life, the massive concentration of corporate wealth, and the loss of our democracy.
Oh yes, and the hatred of a world that cries for FREEDOM.
You Decide.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 37, 1st article on page, BBC Poll
For full text of study, go to GlobeScan
Search the Corruption Database under
Polls
Top
of Page
7) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY AP, 1-23-07:
Report Faults F.B.I. Action in Page Case
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 23, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/washington/23foley.html
“WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (AP) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation should have acted to protect teenage pages in Congress when it initially learned last July that a Florida congressman had sent disturbing e-mail messages to a former page, an internal Justice Department report issued Monday concluded.”
“The bureau, which at the time declined to investigate the behavior of the congressman, Representative Mark Foley, also made inaccurate statements to the news media about its decision, the report said. It said that bureau spokesmen wrongly asserted that the decision had been influenced by a Congressional watchdog group’s failure to provide information missing from the e-mail messages.”
““We believe the F.B.I. should have considered taking some steps to ensure that any minors in the Congressional page program were not at risk of predatory behavior by Foley,” Mr. Fine reported.”
“The F.B.I. had no immediate comment on its initial failure to act. The group that provided the e-mail messages, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, said in a statement: “Not only did the F.B.I. fail to investigate the possible sexual abuse of minors by a sitting member of Congress, the bureau then tried to cover up its shocking inaction by blaming CREW. The I.G.’s report vindicates CREW completely.” ”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
FBI IGNORED CONGRESSIONAL CHILD ABUSE, THEN LIED TO COVER PERVERT FOLEY'S CHILD MOLESTATION
The politicization of our government is complete. The FBI is the latest in a long line of Executive Branch Agencies which have become no more than political playthings of the President.
The first victims were the Press, the Pentagon, and the CIA.
The Press just rolled over. Not much pressure was required from our Corporate President to get our Corporate Press to Repeat his Lies.
In the CIA, the Pres and VP merely needed to lean on the analysts, until they said what the President wanted to hear.
In the Pentagon, leaders were discarded until pliable Generals, who would endanger the troops and the country by backing the President's crazy invasion plans, were found.
These generals traded their honor, and their duty, and the lives of their troops and the treasurey of our country, for KNOWING obedience to a criminal plan and a criminal President doomed to failure.
The Interior Dept. is in the hands of Big Oil and Energy industry Lobbyists.
FEMA was a parking place for political Cronies.
The Justice Dept. tells judges not to do their jobs, and protects illegal searches. The Attorney General crafted policies that allows people to be kidnapped by the President and tortured. The Attorney General is a War Criminal.
And the FBI chief is illegally spying on Americans, and recently defied Congressional Oversight of the President's illegal, warrant less wiretapping program.
Corruption Updates 17, 2nd article on page, “FOLEY'S PERVERSIONS PROSPERED IN CORRUPTED CONGRESS”
Corruption Updates 26, 2nd article on page, “ETHICS PANEL FAILS TO PROTECT CHILDREN, ETHICS:CONGRESSMEN'S KNOWLEDGE OF FOLEY...'
Read other abstracts about the Failed Ethics Committee
Search the Corruption Database under
Foley
FBI
Killing Safety Regulation
Homepage, CREW
Top
of Page
8) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE WASHINGTON POST,
1-20-07:
House Panel Opens Investigation of GSA Chief's Deal With Friend
By Robert O'Harrow Jr. and Scott Higham
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, January 20, 2007; A03
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/19/AR2007011901506_pf.html
“The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee yesterday opened an investigation into a no-bid contract that the chief of the General Services Administration attempted to give to companies operated by her longtime friend.”
“Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) requested documents from GSA Administrator Lurita Alexis Doan and others after The Washington Post reported yesterday that Doan had signed a $20,000 deal with her friend's companies for a 24-page report about the procurement agency's use of businesses owned by minorities and women.”
“Doan has had several clashes with GSA officials since taking over the agency in May. She compared the enforcement efforts of her inspector general's office to "terrorism," proposed cutting the budget of that office by $5 million and sought to curtail agency contract audits”
“Doan also intervened in an effort to determine whether contractors accused of fraud should be suspended or debarred from doing business with the government. Contracting experts said in interviews that her intervention created the appearance of impropriety.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
GSA HEAD CHEATS LIKE THE THIEVES SHE IS SUPPOSED TO REGULATE
Ms. Doan is typical of the self-interested greedy people that have been appointed to every Executive Branch Agency. I hope none of you are surprised by any of this.
Our government is purchased by the biggest spenders in every election. Ms. Doan is merely doing her patriotic duty in a corporate state: she is stealing as much as she can, for herself, her friends, and her party.
Join us in eliminating political bribery as our system of politics. Call your friends, write your corporate paper, and tell them that only citizens should decide who wins our elections. And Keep Doing It!
Then we can make people like Ms. Doan the exception, rather than the rule.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 2, 9th article on page, “Bush GSA Appointee Tries to Avoid Prison: Another Link in Abramoff Web of Corruption”
Search the Corruption Database under
GSA
Killing Safety Regulation
Doan
Also See, Quick note on Doan's behavior in “Pacific Currents”
9) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED BY THE BBC, 1-30-07:
Honours police arrest Lord Levy
Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 19:21 GMT BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/politics/6314881.stm
“Labour's chief fundraiser Lord Levy has been re-arrested by police looking into cash-for-honours allegations.”
“He was questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and later bailed.”
“Lord Levy, a close ally of Tony Blair, was first arrested last year in connection with claims honours had been sold in exchange for party donations.”
“The Metropolitan Police have so far spoken to about 90 people in connection with their inquiries, including Tony Blair and former Conservative leader Michael Howard.”
“The inquiry began after it emerged that a number of large secret loans had been made to the Labour Party before the 2005 general election, and that some of those lenders had subsequently been nominated for peerages.”
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
LABOR SELLS ITSELF, TITLES OF NOBILITY, AND HONOR, IN PURSUIT OF BIG BUCKS AND ELECTION VICTORY
The noose is tightening around Blair's neck. Although Blair's time in office is getting short, expect this investigation, and criminal charges, to follow Blair into civilian life.
Blair's retirement will also be marred by charges of aiding and abetting war crimes.
Read articles on Peerage Scandal
Search the Corruption Database under
England
Selling Peerages
10) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY CNN, 1-30-07:
Chairman: Bush officials misled public on global warming
POSTED: 2:28 p.m. EST, January 30, 2007 CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/30/
congress.climate.ap/index.html
“WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Democratic chairman of a House panel examining the government's response to climate change said Tuesday there is evidence that senior Bush administration officials sought repeatedly "to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming." ”
“Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, said he and the top Republican on his oversight committee, Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, have sought documents from the administration on climate policy, but repeatedly been rebuffed.”
“"We know that the White House possesses documents that contain evidence of an attempt by senior administration officials to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming and minimize the potential danger," Waxman said”
“Two private advocacy groups, meanwhile, presented to the panel a survey of government climate scientists showing that many of them say they have been subjected to political pressure aimed at downplaying the threat of global warming.”
“The groups presented a survey that shows two in five of the 279 climate scientists who responded to a questionnaire complained that some of their scientific papers had been edited in a way that changed their meaning. Nearly half of the 279 said in response to another question that at some point they had been told to delete reference to "global warming" or "climate change" from a report.”
“The questionnaire was sent by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a private advocacy group.”
“the two advocacy groups said their research -- based on the questionnaires, interviews and documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act -- revealed "evidence of widespread interference in climate science in federal agencies." ”
“The
survey involved scientists across the government from NASA and the
Environmental Protection Agency to the department's of Agriculture,
Energy, Commerce, Defense and Interior."
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Bush Suppressing Science and Truth:
climate scientists censored, science suppressed
The Bribery that funds our Politicians and Parties has made every branch of government a tool of the Special Interests.
The politicization of the Pentagon, the CIA, and the FBI are only the tip of an iceberg of effluent. Below the surface, every branch of government has been put into the hands of lobbyists, or industry itself.
If we want to get good information on intelligence, war, crime, the climate, highway safety, drug safety, education, or on any topic, then we must stop the BRIBERY.
Until we break the root of the corruption, Special Interest Bribery, the government cannot be depended on to do its job.
Also See:
Corruption Updates 21, 9th article on page, “Scientists say White House muzzled them”
Search the Corruption Database under
Censorship
Environment
Killing
Safety Regulation
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