CORRUPTION UPDATES 38

Previous Corruption Updates: Page 37

Next Corruption Updates: Page 39

1) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 3-8-07:

Fired U.S. attorney's testimony raises broader concerns

“New Mexico Republicans Wilson and Domenici deny that they called David Iglesias before the 2006 election for political reasons.”

By Janet Hook, Richard A. Serrano and Mark Z. Barabak
Times Staff Writers
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-newmex8mar08,1,1770951,full.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

March 8, 2007

“WASHINGTON — It was just three weeks before election day 2006, and Rep. Heather A. Wilson was on the ropes. Opinion polls showed the New Mexico Republican trailing her Democratic opponent in a tough campaign.”

“Even with the support of Wilson's influential mentor, Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.), many Republicans feared she would lose her seat and cost the party control of the House.”

“One person in a good position to help Wilson was U.S. Atty. David C. Iglesias, who was investigating Democratic corruption in her home state. A late-breaking indictment of Democratic officials could help Wilson distance herself from sex and lobbying scandals plaguing the GOP in Washington.”

“That's why eyebrows raised when it was recently disclosed that, in the heat of her fight for political survival, Wilson called Iglesias to ask about possible indictments. So did Domenici.”

“Wilson's Democratic opponent in November, Patricia Madrid, accused Wilson and Domenici of crossing an ethical line with hardball tactics encouraged by Karl Rove, President Bush's political advisor. Rove attended a fundraiser for Wilson during the campaign and kept close tabs on the race.”

“ "I think it was very contrived and manipulated, and they absolutely used the justice system to benefit Heather Wilson," said Madrid, who was in Washington this week as hearings were held on the firings.”

“The Republicans saw an opportunity in ethics scandals that were roiling state government, including Iglesias' prosecution of two Democrats — a state treasurer and former state treasurer — just a few weeks before the election. Against that backdrop, Iglesias feared that Wilson and Domenici were trying to draw him into the election fray, with plans to use him and his office in political attack ads against Madrid, he said in testimony this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.”

“Iglesias said that he considered Domenici his mentor because he had helped get him appointed as U.S. attorney in 2002. And he considered Wilson, whom he had campaigned with in 1998, "a friend, an ally." ”

“But after his prosecution of the state treasurers, Iglesias said he believed it was clear that Wilson and Domenici wanted more indictments, this time in an ongoing public corruption investigation involving the construction of a new courthouse in Albuquerque. Several Democrats were viewed as potential targets, and Iglesias understood that news of indictments against them would probably boost Wilson's chances.”

“Wilson called Iglesias on Oct. 16, while he was staying at a hotel in Washington. He said she asked him whether there were sealed indictments in the courthouse corruption case.”

“For Domenici, the stakes in Wilson's race were personal and political. He has been her most important patron, and many believe that Domenici is grooming her to replace him in the Senate after he retires. He had played a big role in her campaign, making appearances and endorsing her in radio and television ads.”

“Domenici denies he was seeking political advantage for Wilson by calling Iglesias days before the election. Iglesias said Domenici called him at home and expressed disgust that there would be no indictments before the election, then hung up.”

“Although Iglesias said he "felt leaned on," Domenici said he was just inquiring about the courthouse corruption case because of media reports that "the FBI had completed its work months earlier" and still there were no indictments. "In retrospect, I regret making that call, and I apologize," Domenici said.”

“Some see Iglesias' public statements about the phone calls as disloyal.”

““Paul Kennedy, a Republican and criminal defense lawyer in Albuquerque, said that many in New Mexico were "totally mystified why Iglesias would turn on Domenici and Wilson."

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

REPUGNANTS QUESTION WHY ATTORNEY SNITCHES REPUBLICAN CRIME:

THE PROPER ANSWER IS “LOYALTY TO LAW,” BUT REVENGE IS THE TRUE ANSWER

Loyalty to party is corruption when it contravenes duty to office:

Loyalty is becoming a big issue for Republicans in this case. It should, as this started when they put loyalty to their corrupt party before loyalty to our country and Constitution.

In this case, Iglesias was criminally pressured by Domenici, and Iglesias failed to do his duty to report, and prosecute this crime because of party loyalty. Only when the party screwed him did he do his duty, and report the crime. Not very honorable behavior.

This type of behavior paved the road for the President's lies and manipulations that drove us to an illegal and very dangerous war in Iraq.

The Democraps are guilty as accessories to the crimes leading up to the war. The Democrats have been stealing our governmental powers, and selling them to the highest bidder as long as the Republicans have.

But The Repugnants have distinguished their party by putting their loyalty to their bribers, and each other, so far above our general welfare and our Constitution, as to make the Democraps look like real pussies, either as servants of corporate bribery, or as defenders of the Constitution.

The Repugnants actions would be sufficient to start a revolution, if there were enough Americans left in the country to be offended. The people here fight each other to work cheaply, and serve the rich well. Or become rich.

It has been said that “whenever any form of government become(s) destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government,,,”

The committee recommends that Americans seize their Constitutional right to democratically elect their own representatives before this corporate government commits even more serious crimes, and requires more serious responses.

Commentary above came from Corruption Updates 37, 5^th article on page, “Fired U.S. attorneys testify before Congress” ( Fed Attorneys Silent on Pressure/Threats Until Fired)

Also see these related articles:

Corruption Updates 34, 2nd article on page, “SCARY NEO-CON POLITICAL OPERATIVE REPLACES US ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS”

Corruption Updates 35, 12^th article on page, “DOMENICI FINALLY ADMITS TO UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, CONTACT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTOR”

Corruption Updates 37, 5^th article on page, “Fired U.S. attorneys testify before Congress”

Corruption Updates 37, 6^th article on page, “Republicans could face new ethics probes”

Corruption Updates 37, 7^th article on page, “Keating case prompted intervention rules

Corruption Updates 38, 1^st article on page, “Fired U.S. attorney's testimony raises broader concerns”

Corruption Updates 38, 5^th article on page, “LA TIMES OFFERS BUSH POLITICAL COVER FOR FIRING PROSECUTOR OF DUKE CUNNINGHAM”

Corruption Updates 39, 3^rd article on page, “Rove's role in firings is focus”

Corruption Updates 39, 4^th article on page, “Fed Attny Firing Report:TRIBUNE CO HAS MADE LATIMES A TOOL”

Corruption Updates 39, 5^th article on page, “GOP official urged Rove to fire prosecutor”

Corruption Updates 39, 6^th article on page, “House panel expands inquiry into prosecutor firings”

Corruption Updates 39, 7^th article on page, “Gonzales is urged to quit 'for the nation' ”

Read more articles About Abuse of the US Attorney

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2) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE AP, 3-7-07:

Legal experts rap media ban at Gitmo

By PETE YOST -- Associated Press Writer

Last Updated 1:46 pm PST Wednesday, March 7, 2007

http://dwb.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3570413p-12814243c.html

WASHINGTON (AP) Legal experts criticized the Bush administration Wednesday for barring the news media from military hearings for 14 terror suspects in Guantanamo Bay.

The detainees include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"It's a mistake to close the entirety of the hearing," said First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams. "Closing the courtroom to scrutiny sends a troubling signal to much of the world about the fairness of our process."

"The whole world is watching," said Scott Silliman, who was an Air Force lawyer for 25 years. "If Congress enacts what it claims to be a fair system for prosecuting these people, why is there a need to shield it from the press?"

The hearings are meant to determine whether a prisoner is an "enemy combatant." If the prisoner is deemed to be an enemy combatant, then President Bush can designate him as eligible for a military trial, the first of which are expected to begin this summer.

However, what the Pentagon is really concerned about is that "these 14 will open their mouths and say what was done to them," said Scott Horton, chair of the international law committee of the New York City Bar Association. "They were tortured and mistreated, and that fact is classified secret, which just shows you the perversity in which this whole process is traveling."

At the hearings, the legal burden is on the detainee to demonstrate he is not an unlawful combatant, the detainee does not have an attorney present, and classified evidence the U.S. military uses against the detainees is not revealed to them.

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

THE KANGAROO COURT IS OPEN: ENTER AND BE CONVICTED

BUSH WAS GUILTY WHEN HE KIDNAPPED AND TORTURED THESE PEOPLE. DISGRACE FALLS ON AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM

Bush is confused. The American Constitution was not made to give rights to foreigners, The American Constitution was designed to set the terms of our government's legitimacy by dividing power between the branches, and restraining and checking the use of power by each branch. The President has illegally consolidated powers the Constitution wisely divided.

One of the Constitution's most important checks on arbitrary power is the division of wartime authority between the President and Congress. Congress declares war, sets the objective, means, and rules, then the President leads the country. Congressional restraints are inherent in the grant of war powers, and do not end at our borders.

Congress has not declared war, set objectives, means, nor rules for this “war.” Except their hidious and unconstitutional revocation of habius corpus.

This President has made rules for captures that authorize kidnapping, indefinite detentions, and torture. These are criminal acts prohibited by long standing law. Now the President has created a military “justice” system that will convict the victims of these crimes, in secret, with none of the judicial safeguards an honest process would require. Virtually all of The President's Actions, in Iraq, and the “war on terror” are illegal.

The crimes began in Congress, when they abused their war powers by not declaring war. They granted the President vague “war powers.” But Congress has no power to grant the President Unconstitutional powers. The President has no right to interpret any law as absolving him of his Constitutional restraints and duty to obey the law.

Yet the The President has twisted these “war powers” into a declaration of endless war unbounded by borders, or the rule of law. The President's acts are a declaration of war against the Constitution.

Congress again joined the President in his crimes when they passed a bill which removed the President's prisoners from judicial review, and stripped them of Habeas Corpus

The Constitution is clear:

The Privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

Our government, and our President, are restrained by the Constitution anywhere they use the power of their office, be it inside or outside the country. Both Congress and the President have broken the law, and violated the specific words of our Constitution.

If Bush is confused or not, he is a criminal. He is purposely using the pretext of “foreigners,” “terrorism,” and fears of foreign threats, to manufacture Presidential Powers the Constitution specifically prohibits.

As far as our Constitutional limits assigns “rights” to foreigners, these “rights” reflect our political values, not theirs. This is what made us different from the rest of the world.

Without Constitutional limits we would have a President capable of searching, arresting, detaining, torturing, and killing people, at will, anywhere in the world. A tyrant.

How about this: The Constitution is the Club, Bush, Congress, the “free” press, and the Corporations are the baby seals, and hunting season is opening soon.

Pick up a club: The Initiative

Corruption Updates 21, 7^th article on page, “Ex-judges: Detainee law unconstitutional”

Corruption Updates 36, 11,“DETAINEES” ARE BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE: AMERICA IS THE HOME OF RENDITIONS, NOT RIGHTS”

Watchdog cheers at decline in 'pork'

By ANDREW TAYLOR -- Associated Press Writer

Last Updated 12:00 pm PST Wednesday, March 7, 2007

http://dwb.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3570161p-12813628c.html

“WASHINGTON (AP) After seven record-breaking years in a row, the number and cost of so-called pork barrel projects is way down, thanks to voter outrage and a one-year moratorium imposed by Democrats after taking over Congress.”

“That's good news, according to Citizens Against Government Waste, a watchdog group that has railed against congressional "earmarks" for years.”

“The reason, said the group, is that Senate GOP conservatives put a halt to moves late last year to pass a huge pork-laden spending bill wrapping up unfinished budget work.”

“Instead, it fell to Democrats to finish the job last month, and the chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations committees declared a one-year ban on most back-home projects until reforms could be put in place.”

“That ban meant lawmakers have no explicit say in directing water projects, local anti-crime grants, agricultural research projects or any of the thousands of earmarks that typically are woven into domestic spending bills.”

“Still, there were 2,658 earmarks in the defense and homeland security spending bills - passed under GOP control - total $13.2 billion, according to the group.”

“While the number and cost of projects is way down from a record of $29 billion set in 2006, they're likely to inch back up when Congress advances the next round of spending bills, for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.”

“Earmarks had blossomed under GOP control of Congress. Former Republican leaders Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and Tom DeLay, R-Texas, advocated the practice to help cement GOP majorities.”

“The public has been angered by scandals such as the bribery conviction of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., who took more than $2.4 million in using his seat on the House Appropriations Committee to obtain earmarks on behalf of defense contractors.”

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

DEMOCRATS LIE:

WAR FUNDING FILLED WITH PORK

PELOSI TRADES PROMISE, PORK, FOR VOTES NECESSARY TO CONTINUE WAR

The earmarks just went over the top, while the ink on the Democratic promise of a one year ban on earmarks hasn't dried.

Pelosi had to pay for votes to continue the war, and she and Murtha (The King of Earmarks) paid with EARMARKS. Lots of earmarks.

So, the Democrats just bought the war, and they bought it with earmarks.

Liars and Cheats, all of them.

Also See:

Corruption Updates 3, “Media Reports: Both Parties Corrupt”

Corruption Updates 14, 10th article down on page. “Murtha trades his vote, and ethics, for pork,”

Pelosi does earmarks well and often, LA Times, 11-13-06, “Speaker-to-be is no stranger to earmarking,” (abstract at LA Times archive, #52 under Richard Simon search) Reference is linked at CU30, 2nd article on page.

Corruption Updates 5, 1st article on page, “Corruption fails as Campaign issue...,”

Corruption Updates 19, 1st article on page, “Top Recipients of Lobbyists Bribes are Leadership of Both Parties”

Corruption Update 26, 1st article on page, “Time to Party, just bring the Checkbook,”

Corruption Updates 21, 8th article on page, “Dems Big Chance to Reap the Rewards of Corruption: Political Victory Opens Doors of Lobbying Firms to Demo Insiders,”

Corruption Updates 20, 6th article on page, “ DEMS RECEIVE SPECIAL INTEREST BRIBES ANTICIPATING VICTORY IN NOV,”

Corruption Updates 27, 2nd article on page, “Leaders Want Lobbying Changes Enacted” (fake, superficial reforms)

Corruption Updates 28, 4th article on page, “Bush and Dems Fight Over Earmarks”

Corruption Updates 28, 7th article on page, “Ney at Center of Conspiracy”

Corruption Updates 30, 2nd article on page, “REID TRIES TO KILL REAL EARMARK REFORMS: RENEGADE SENATORS EXPOSE DEMS FAKE EARMARK REFORM BY GIVING IT REAL TEETH, DEMS FIGHT TO KILL REFORM, AND PRESERVE EARMARK CORRUPTION ” Fake earmark reforms of dems rejected!

Corruption Updates 31, 4th article on page, “FAKE EARMARK REFORM IN SENATE CONTINUES: EARMARKS NOT RECOGNIZED AS CORRUPTION ITSELF”

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4) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE BBC, 3-8-07:

New property law shakes up China

By Songyan Sui
BBC Chinese Service

Thursday, 8 March 2007, 13:10 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/asia-pacific/6429977.stm

“China's legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), is currently debating a property rights bill which will take account of individual assets for the first time. The draft law is long-awaited but has taken many twists and turns along the way.”

“Legal protection of private property and assets has been so common in many countries that people can take it for granted.”

“However, an open letter by Professor Gong Xiantian from Peking University Law School derailed the process.”

“According to Prof Gong, the proposed law was unconstitutional on several grounds:”

It conflicts with the Chinese constitution, which stipulates: "Socialist public property is sacred and inviolable"
It only protects the assets of a small minority of rich people, while the poor essentially have nothing worth protecting
It betrays the basic principle of socialism

“Prof Gong even predicted that the legal code would lead to the loss of state-owned assets at a greater rate.”

“He attacked the bill as veering towards the "fallacies" of capitalist civil codes, the globalization of capitalism and neo-liberalism in economics.”

“So the draft law was deferred.”

“Observers say there is no doubt the bill is almost certain to be passed in the NPC this year despite the heated debate brought about by the open letter.”

“There is no doubt that the debate about the controversial property rights law has gone beyond the economic dimension. It has evolved into a political and ideological row.”

“But the government should take action to make sure the public, especially the poor, believe that although they only have their begging bowls to protect today, some day their property may include big cars and houses.”

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

WILL PROMISES OF “FUTURE WEALTH” KEEP PEASANTS FROM REVOLTING?

China has become a Bushiean Corporate Fascist 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 capitalist state dedicated to profit. This new law shows that the terms of the relationship between political and economic power has not quite been worked out.

This imbalance manifested itself through the recent political power struggles that have been described as “anti-corruption” drives by the central government. These are actually power struggles for regional economic and political ascendancy and highlight the significant problems in reconciling economic capitalism with Chinese Commie politics. The internal strains between these forces are significant.

China has not worked out how how their economic and political elites will balance their mutual interests, and keep the peasants from killing them all. This property law may help develop a logical balance point between the political and economic elites, but it also has the potential to really piss-off the peasants.

In the US we call ourselves a “democracy,” while we are, in fact, a corporate fascist state. We call our people “citizens,” while we are, for now, only “consumers.”

In the US, our Corporate Elite has interbred itself with our Political Elite, extinguishing our Constitutional and democratic rights, and making a mockery of our values while preserving their image.

China is struggling to find just such a balance of elites capable of rendering their Constitution irrelevant in the pursuit and maintenance of their wealth and power. China needs to come up with new definitions of “Justice,” A Chinese Commie style “Justice,” that will fool the peasants, while preserving the pretense of Justice. Private Property may not be the medicine they need to cure this ill.

The Chinese Government has the power to kidnap, torture, and kill their “comrades” at will. Our Government really, really, wants to formalize that power, but our revolutionary Constitution is an embarrassing 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 fascist state.

China's economic expansion is straining the traditional links between their political and economic elites. The uneven nature of the expansion is fueling rising discontent among China's roughly 700 million rural folk.

It's a race. While China's elites are flailing about, unsure of its own character, the peasants are getting riled. This law may convince them that their revolution, and their country, are at an end, pushing them over the edge.

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.

Corruption Updates 40, 3^rd article on page, “China passes new law on property”

Border politics may have cost U.S. attorney her job

“Critics say Carol Lam was fired in San Diego because she ignored immigration issues.”

By Richard A. Serrano
Times Staff Writer
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-lam9mar09,1,3042510,print.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

March 9, 2007

“WASHINGTON — From the moment she took over as U.S. attorney in San Diego in 2002, Carol Chien-Hua Lam made no secret that white-collar crime would be her top priority — including transgressions by prominent business and political figures.”

“And she was as good as her word, prosecuting corporate targets, local officials and a U.S. congressman, Republican Randy "Duke" Cunningham of Rancho Santa Fe, who is in prison as a result of her efforts.”

“Lam's case has political overtones, but it also reflects a more complicated reality: a conflict over what the priorities of federal prosecutors should be and who should set them. In her case, pursuing white-collar crime at the expense of border crime, illegal immigration and gun violence.”

“Heading into last year's midterm election, President Bush and his political strategists were struggling with a rebellion by conservative Republicans over immigration policy. The White House goal was to demonstrate toughness on border crime and security.”

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

LA TIMES OFFERS BUSH POLITICAL COVER FOR FIRING PROSECUTOR OF DUKE CUNNINGHAM

The facts of this incident speak for themselves: Prosecute a prominent Republican, and pursue his corrupt colleagues and associates, and you will be fired.

The opposite happened to Igleias in N.M, where he was fired for not using criminal indictments as a political prop.

The common element is the political manipulation of the Federal Prosecutor to advance or retard political prosecutions.

The real issue in this article is the character of the LA Times. It has declined noticeably since the Tribune corp. cracked the whip of profit, and dare I say it, PROPAGANDA, across the face of the Times staff.

See Link List at bottom of the 1^st article, above.

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6) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE WASHINGTON POST, 3-10-07:

Bush Pledges Swift Action on FBI Reform
Justice Dept. Audit Showed Agency Abused Intelligence-Gathering Powers

By Dan Eggen, John Solomon and Peter Baker
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, March 10, 2007; 12:44 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/10/AR2007031000445_pf.html

“President Bush said today his administration is working to put a halt to law enforcement abuses of new anti-terrorist intelligence-gathering powers, and he expressed continued confidence in the attorney general and FBI director.”

“In his first comments on the matter since the Justice Department released an inspector general report uncovering misuse of laws passed after Sept. 11, 2001, Bush said he was briefed before leaving Washington and demanded that his aides figure out how to stop improper intrusions into privacy”

“But Bush defended the need for tools such as national security letters, which are used by the FBI to demand information from businesses and individuals without the court order normally required for a subpoena. Such methods, he said, are "important to the security of the United States" as it tries to track down and capture terrorists.”

“It also found that the FBI had hatched an agreement with telephone companies allowing the agency to ask for information on more than 3,000 phone numbers -- often without a subpoena, without an emergency or even without an investigative case. In 2006, the FBI then issued blanket letters authorizing many of the requests retroactively, according to agency officials and congressional aides briefed on the effort.”

“The disclosures prompted a public apology from FBI Director Robert S. Mueller and promises of reform from Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, who was the focus of a new tide of criticism from Democrats and Republicans already angry about his handling of the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys.”

“Democrats and Republicans alike said Gonzales, Mueller and the Bush administration did not properly monitor the FBI and guard the privacy rights of U.S. citizens and legal residents. The report came at the end of a difficult political week for the Bush administration, after the conviction of Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff in the CIA leak case and damaging allegations by fired federal prosecutors.”

“ "This goes above and beyond almost everything they've done already," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), who was among a host of Democrats promising investigative hearings. "It shows just how this administration has no respect for checks and balances." ”

“Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.), the Judiciary Committee's ranking Republican, told reporters that Congress may "impose statutory requirements and perhaps take away some of the authority which we've already given to the FBI, since they appear not to be able to know how to use it."”

“Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who has been pressing for a review of national security letters since 2005, said the report "confirms the American people's worst fears about the Patriot Act." ”

“The findings by inspector general Fine were so at odds with previous assertions by the Bush administration that Capitol Hill was peppered yesterday with retraction letters from the Justice Department attempting to correct statements in earlier testimony and briefings. Gonzales and other officials had repeatedly portrayed national security letters as a well-regulated tool necessary for the prevention of terrorist attacks.”

“Fine's 199-page unclassified report found that the FBI's records showed it issued more than 143,000 requests for information on more than 52,000 people through national security letters from 2003 to 2005. But not only did the agency understate that number in required reports to Congress, the number of requests it issued was much higher.”

“Nearly half the people targeted were U.S. citizens or legal residents, and the proportion of such "U.S. persons" increased over the three-year period, the report said.”

“Gonzales described the problems as unacceptable and left open the possibility of criminal charges. He ordered further investigation.”

“Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, which has sued the government over its use of national security letters, said the report shows the need for an independent investigation of the Justice Department's antiterrorism tactics.”

“ "It confirms our greatest suspicions about the abuse of Patriot Act powers and, specifically, national security letter powers," Romero said.”

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

FBI USING UNLIMITED SEARCH POWERS

Don't believe a word said by our politicians and press on these illegal searches. Refer to, and Believe the Constitution.

The “Patriot Act” is a gross betrayal of Congress' duty to protect the rights of the people. That Congressmen are pretending to be surprised at these abuses is disgusting, and dishonest. History warns us that unchecked searches are an abuse of power. The “Patriot Act” is an insult to our Constitution, and another shameful act by Congress.

The Constitution clearly states that,

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Now let's be clear. The Constitution sets the standard of unreasonable searches, and names the minimum standards for a reasonable search.

Many politicians and legal “experts” read the Fourth Amendment up to the term “unreasonable searches and seizures.” They then ignore the rest of the Amendment, which clearly defines the minimum standard of a “reasonable” search. These “experts,” and our politicians, have replaced the firm, clear standards of our forefathers with their own distorted interpretation of the 4^th Amendment which neutralizes the clear intention of the Constitution to prohibit arbitrary searches.

No legitimate American Government has the right to search without warrant supported by probable cause issued by a judge. Congress cannot pass a law that eliminates the Fourth Amendment.

The Committee defers to the wisdom of the Founders, and rejects the Unconstitutional actions of our presently corrupted government.

Do not pay any heed to those traitors who attack our basic Constitutional rights. Rather, we must realize these people are enemies of the Constitution they were sworn to protect, and they are enemies of the people's right to have security in their persons, possessions, and homes.

Our forefathers would be spinning in their graves if they knew our representatives stood by silently, or actively aided, our government's illegal repeal of the Fourth Amendment.

Our politician's illegal revisions of our Constitution make them illegitimate, and demonstrates the necessity of a through reform of our political system.

Also See:

Corruption Updates 25, 8^th article on page, “FBI CHIEF DEFYS CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT: REFUSAL TO DISCLOSE ILLEGAL PROGRAM...”

Read more Articles about Unconstitutional Presidential Power

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THE UNLIMITED PRESIDENT

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7) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE BBC, 3-10-07:

Taiwanese party expels minister

Saturday, 10 March 2007, 08:28 GMT BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/asia-pacific/6436937.stm

“Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has expelled Defense Minister Lee Jye because of a row over statues of late leader Chiang Kai-shek.”

“Mr Lee had complied with a government order for statues of Mr Chiang to be removed from military premises.”

“The ruling DPP party says that the statues represent authoritarian rule and are not in keeping with democracy.”

“Chiang Kai-shek led the Nationalist forces against the Chinese Communists in a civil war in which he was defeated and forced to flee to Taiwan in 1949.”

“He ruled Taiwan for 26 years and his KMT party continued to govern until the election victory in 2000 of the Democratic Progressive Party.”

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

Fascist KMT Bucking Corporate Fascists

Taiwan has made the transition from an authoritarian dictatorship to Corporate Fascism. From individual rule, to small group rule. As have South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines. The differences between the former, the authoritarian fascists, and the latter, the greed fascists, is causing stress in Taiwan.

The distinction between the two groups is small, but vital. A fascist dictator bases power on national or cultural ideals. Corporate fascists base their authority on greed, independent of national or cultural ideals.

Fascist dictators' authority is squarely centered in one cultural perspective, expressed in nationalistic, generally racist terms of identity. This cultural basis of authority limits the skills the system can utilize, and negatively affects international relationships.

The Corporate Fascists' authority is based on greed, defies all cultural limitations, and is expressed as a universal, trans-cultural greed. Corporate fascism respects no borders, and will not be restrained by tradition or constitution. Corporate fascism is the octopus of international relations.

Taiwan sits under the growing shadow of Chinese Power. China has been courting the KMT, to counter DDP's flirting with using the word “independence.”

China is going to swallow Taiwan, sooner or later. The shared authoritarian nature of the Commies and the KMT speak to one path of reunification. It is conceivable that the Authoritarian KMT would restore Taiwan to China in exchange for a permanent share of authority in Taiwan.

But the Corporate Fascist character is rising in China, displacing the long term “socialist” goal of “One China” with a more pragmatic perspective. Business traffic between Taiwan's corporations and China is tremendous. A marriage between the Chinese and Taiwanese corporate classes offers another path of reunification.

The Chinese may develop towards corporate fascism, while the Taiwanese Corporate fascists are simultaneously evolving their centralized authoritarianism.

All future relations between the two nations are dependent on China resolving its rising internal contradictions between unchecked capitalism and unchecked commie authority.

If China survives the resolution these internal contradictions, watch out.

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9) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE WASHINGTON POST, 3-10-07:

Inquiry Sought on Agency Memo About Polar Bears, Climate Change

By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 10, 2007; A06

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/09/AR2007030901986_pf.html

“Two senior House Democrats demanded yesterday that Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne turn over documents to Congress in order to determine whether the administration was preventing federal scientists traveling abroad from discussing how global warming affects polar bears.”

Bart Gordon (Tenn.), chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, and Brad Miller (N.C.), chairman of the investigations and oversight subcommittee, questioned why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a directive that has stirred protests from environmentalists.

“This "appears to be the latest effort by the Bush Administration to block a full and free discussion of issues relating to climate change by the scientific community," they wrote.”

“The internal memo was sent to the wildlife agency's Alaska division under the heading "Foreign Travel -- New Requirement -- Please Review and Comply, Importance: High." ”

“The memo, which was reported in other media on Thursday, cautioned employees against speaking about the relationship between climate change and the possible extinction of polar bears without getting official approval in advance. Those discussions became official business in late December when Kempthorne, faced with lawsuits by environmentalists, proposed listing polar bears as a species threatened with extinction.”

“The memo stated: "Please be advised that all foreign travel requests (SF 1175 requests) and any future travel requests involving or potentially involving climate change, sea ice, and/or polar bears will also require a memorandum from the Regional Director to the Director indicating who'll be the official spokesman on the trip and the one responding to questions on these issues, particularly polar bears, including a statement of assurance that these individuals understand the Administration's position on these issues." ”

“But Deborah Williams, an Interior official in the Clinton administration who heads the advocacy group Alaska Conservation Solutions, said the directive amounts to stifling government scientists' freedom of expression.”

“ "These memos are an outrage, and do a great disservice to federal employees and to advancing discussion and knowledge on these critical issues," said Williams, who provided the memos to news organizations this week.”

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

CLIMATE SCIENCE SILENCED YET AGAIN AT INTERIOR:

Interior has two jobs. Giving away the House to Big Oil & Friends, or Covering the Damages the Giveaways Cost

Interior joins The Commerce Department, NASA, and apparently the whole Federal Government in having science censored, and rewritten, to mitigate research showing that our uncontrolled growth and expansion is having devastating effects on our environment.

The cause of this censorship is political corruption. Bush, Pelosi, Clinton, and the rest of “our” politicians depend on the corporations for election funding. All have compromised themselves, and their ability to make honest decisions about the path our country is traveling down.

Democrats and Republicans both are advocates of endless growth and expansion. The republicans tell us how they are going to pay for it: they are going to deregulate everything, stop taxing the wealthy, drill everywhere, and impose military control on the world's oil reserves.

The Democrats are half-way there: they will deregulate almost everything, tax the wealthy a little bit, drill almost everywhere, and voted, with the Republicans, to attempt to impose military control on the world's oil reserves. Whoops!

Until we fix our democracy, we are going to continue to have leaders that are almost indistinguishable from each other, except by degree.

Also See:

Corruption Updates 1, 11th article on page, "BIG OIL OWNS OUR POLITICIANS"

See “politics in Alaska under investigation...,” Corruption Updates #5, third article down.

Corruption Updates 11, 5^th article on page; Norquest and Reed, and a Rogues Gallery of Thieves, Consulting at White House while All Parties Worked for Abramoff”

Corruption Updates 12, 1^st article on page, “Political Corruption Inflitrates Interior Department”

Corruption Update 15, 6^th article on page; Interior Department Web Porn and Shopping Spree

Corruption Updates 24, 4th article on page, "BIG OIL OWNS INTERIOR DEPARTMENT"

Corruption Update 29, 3rd article on page, "ENERGY LOBBYIST WHO WAS INTERIOR DEPT #2 TARGET IN ETHICS PROBE:ANOTHER LOBBYIST APPOINTED TO GOVERNMENT SUSPECTED OF BETRAYING PUBLIC TRUST WITH ABRAMOFF"
Corruption Updates 31, 5^th article on page, “Oil Lease Chief Knew of Error, Report Asserts”

Also See Articles relating to Censorship of SCIENCE

for Big Oil:

Corruption Updates 21, 9th article on page, “Scientists say White House muzzled them”

Corruption Updates 32, 2nd article on the page, "BUSH TRIES TO KILL CHEMICAL RULES, SCIENCE, AND INTEGRITY IN ONE FELL SWOOP:INTEGERTY FALLS, RULES AND SCIENCE DAMAGED, BUT STILL STANDING"

Corruption Updates 33, 10th article on the page, "Bush Suppressing Science and Truth:climate scientists censored, science suppressed"

Corruption Updates 38, 9th article on the page, "CLIMATE SCIENCE SILENCED YET AGAIN AT INTERIOR"

Corruption Updates 41, 2nd article on the page, "SCIENCE CLAIMS BUSH A NAZI"

Corruption Updates 41, 3rd article on the page, "REPUBLICANS DEMAND SCIENCE SAYS WHAT THEY WANT IT TO SAY"

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10) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE BBC, 3-12-07:

Lawyers protest against Musharraf

“Lawyers have boycotted courts across Pakistan in protest at President Musharraf's suspension of the country's top judge for alleged misuse of office.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/6441133.stm

Published: 2007/03/12 11:40:17 GMT

“In Lahore, more than 20 lawyers were injured in clashes with police. Hundreds of lawyers wearing black suits rallied in other cities.”

“They say the removal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry is unlawful.”

“The judge is a controversial figure noted for his firm line on government misdeeds and human rights abuses.”

“ “It's a complete boycott of the superior and lower courts by all lawyers” ”
“Supreme Court Bar Association president Munir Malik

They were marching down a main road when police used batons to try and break up the procession.”

“More than 20 lawyers were injured although none of the injuries appeared life-threatening.”

“Rallies attended by hundreds of black-suited lawyers were also held in the capital, Islamabad, and in other cities including Karachi and Quetta.”

“The Bar Association says the court shutdown is total.”

“The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the clash in Lahore reflects growing tension in the country since President General Pervez Musharraf removed the chief justice from his post on Friday.”

“Lawyers, opposition parties, human rights activists and some judges have condemned the move as unconstitutional and a blow to the independence of the judiciary.”

“But she says many in the legal community believe Iftikhar Chaudhary was dismissed because he took up cases unpopular with the government.

Chief among these was a petition to recover missing persons, allegedly abducted by intelligence agencies. He also overturned the recent sale of Pakistan's state-run steel mills.”

“The president is also accused of trying to intimidate the judiciary in an election year.”

THE COMMITTEE SAYS:

American Dictator Removes Chief Justice in Pakistan

Bush's haste in dealing with Afghanistan drew him into a convenient alliance with Pakistan's military dictator, Musharraf. This was an ignorant alliance, morally and practically speaking.

From a moral perspective, Pakistan is a nation of contradictions. Pakistan's emergence out of colonialism has devolved, again, into a military dictatorship supported by the United States. It is morally unacceptable for our country to support dictators.

From a Practical perspective, the alliance with Musharraf is a sign of Bush's ignorance in conducting the Afghan war. Rather than putting the forces on the ground required to take and hold Afghanistan, a just war, Bush's attention was focused on the upcoming unjust, illegal invasion of Iraq. Bush gauranteed chaos and failure in Afghanistan by relying on corrupt war lords and a dictator as the tools for the Afghan conquest.

Backing Musharraf is risky. Musharraf bridges the unstable divide between Pakistan's colonial past, and its religious present. Musharraf bridges the divide between traditional tribal authority, and centralized, modern state power. Musharraf sits, carefully balanced, atop a cauldron of conflict and contradiction that is Pakistan. Our alliance could create sufficient resistance to topple him into the cauldron.

Forging yet another American military alliance with yet another military dictator is not the path to long-term regional stability.

Musharraf will do our bidding as far as it suits his interests, and no further. Using tools like Musharraf to fight America's wars is not the way to victory.

Our alliance with Musharraf will only bring further regional instability, more American deaths, and cost us any chance of leaving Afghanistan as victors.

Corruption Updates 31, 10th article on page, “Pakistan's old new year"

Corruption Updates 44 , 3rd article on page, “American backed Dictator Attempting to Crush Pakistan's Judiciary"

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