|
CORRUPTION UPDATES 75 June 13, 2007: Draft Posting: Stay Tuned for More! The CORRUPTION UPDATES posts corruption news stories from California, the Nation and the World, and gives you the straight story. |
CORRUPTION UPDATES 75
Previous Corruption Updates: Page 74
Next Corruption Updates: Page 76
Contact Us: Committeefordemocracy.org
1) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE:
Former White House officials subpoenaed in U.S. attorney inquiry
Harriet Miers and Sara Taylor both called to testify next month.
By Richard B. Schmitt
Times Staff Writer
10:55 AM PDT, June 13, 2007
From the Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON — Two former senior White House officials were subpoenaed by congressional committees today in an escalation of the investigation into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year.
The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to former White House Counsel Harriet E. Miers, and the Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Sara Taylor, who formerly was the White House political affairs director. The subpoena to Taylor directs her to appear for questioning July 11; Miers' testimony is being sought on July 12.
The Senate committee issued a second subpoena seeking "any and all" documents in the possession of the White House related to the dismissal of the eight prosecutors.
The subpoenas set up a potential constitutional confrontation with the White House, which has offered to make officials available for questioning -- but only in private and without the keeping of a transcript.
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Congress Finally Does Something About Criminal Presidency
Also See:
Corruption Updates 35, 11th article on page, " DOMENICI FINALLY ADMITS TO UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, CONTACT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTOR"
Corruption Updates 73, 2nd article on page, "Vote on Gonzales marks juncture in probe"
Read more articles About Abuse of the US Attorney
Search the Corruption Database under
US Attorney
2) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE :
County superintendent asks DA to investigate North Sacramento board
By Laurel Rosenhall - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:35 pm PDT Wednesday, June 13, 2007
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/220593.html
Months of internal drama on the North Sacramento School District board over whether to fire its superintendent went public Wednesday when the head of schools for Sacramento County asked the district attorney to look into the school board's conduct.
At issue is an email board member Linda Fowler sent to fellow board member Francisco Garcia. In it, Fowler asked Garcia to take back his vote to fire the superintendent in exchange for Fowler's help in securing a job for his wife in the school district.
"My obligation is to turn this in to the proper authorities to look into it," said David Gordon, the county superintendent of schools.THE
COMMITTEE SAYS
School Boards in California Work for Themselves
Also See:
Corruption Updates 41, 1st article on page, "Study: Schools need billions, CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS IN A DEATH SPRIAL"
Corruption Updates 57, 8th article on page, "Natomas land deal raises new questions"
Search the Corruption Database under
Schools
Education
3) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE :
PERJURY CHARGE HITS SUPERVISOR
Ed Jew surrenders after district attorney alleges electoral fraud
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/06/13/MNGRUQEFNA1.DTL&type=printable
Embattled San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew surrendered to Burlingame authorities Tuesday night after San Francisco's chief prosecutor filed criminal charges against him and issued a warrant for his arrest, saying the lawmaker lied about where he lives in order to run for office.
San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris said in a written statement Tuesday that Jew lied under oath and falsified documents when he claimed in candidacy papers that he lived in a house owned by his father on 28th Avenue in the city's Sunset neighborhood.
In all, the district attorney charged Jew with nine felonies, including four counts of perjury and one count of filing a false document.
Questions about Jew's residency surfaced after the May 18 FBI raid in which agents were executing a search warrant related to $40,000 in cash Jew is under suspicion of soliciting or extorting from businessmen in his district who faced city permit problems.
In addition to the district attorney and FBI cases, Jew also is under investigation by the city attorney for the residency issue.
In addition to the perjury charges -- stemming from the fact that Jew allegedly registered to vote and submitted an application to the state Department of Motor Vehicles using the 28th Avenue address -- the supervisor also was charged with voter fraud because he allegedly voted in the November 2006 election using the same address.
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Jew a Liar, and a Thief
Also See:
Corruption Updates 55 , 9th article on page, "Jew: Supervisor turns over residency records"
Search the Corruption Database under
JEW
4) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE :
Subpoena Vote Is Set in Wiretap Inquiry
NYT 6-13-07
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/washington/13nsa.html
WASHINGTON, June 12 — The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote Thursday on whether to authorize subpoenas to gain access to Justice Department documents related to the National Security Agency’s domestic wiretapping program, including a series of secret legal opinions.
The panel will vote on whether to authorize Mr. Leahy to issue subpoenas for the documents He could decide to subpoena the documents or to use that power as leverage with the Justice Department.
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Senate Attacks Gonzales for Secret NSA Illegal Wiretapping Program
Also See:
Corruption Updates 25, 8 th article on page, "FBI CHIEF DEFYS CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT REFUSAL TO DISCLOSE ILLEGAL PROGRAM
Search the Corruption Database under
Illegal Searches
5) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE :
Group calls on China to define 'state secret'
Many of the rules governing such data are classified, making it hard for individuals to know they're in violation.
By Mark Magnier
Times Staff Writer
June 12, 2007
From the Los Angeles Times
In a twist worthy of George Orwell's "1984," many of the laws and regulations that make up the state-secret regime here are themselves classified, making it difficult for individuals to know how and when they're in violation.
In a report released today, New York-based Human Rights in China calls on Beijing to create a clear definition of what constitutes a state secret. This, the civic group believes, will help narrow laws that in effect allow Beijing to prosecute anyone it decides is a troublemaker.
The group has called on Beijing to heed China's Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and other basic rights. China, it said, should create an independent review mechanism for secrecy cases, end political interference in the court system and halt the deep-seated culture of secrecy.
China's secrecy laws grew out of regulations dating to 1951, under Chairman Mao Tse-tung. They since have become an important last line of defense for the post-Mao Communist Party to maintain control in a rapidly evolving nation. Furthermore, the laws allow the Communist leadership to retroactively change its definition of what is secret.
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
US Gov, Corporations Love China, Hope to use Same Power in US
Also See:
Corruption Updates 59, 7th article on page, "Chinese Police Arrest 28 in Riots Against Family Planning Laws"
More Articles on China
Search the Corruption Database under
China
6) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE :
China predicts further downpours after 71 die
From Reuters
1:12 PM PDT, June 11, 2007
BEIJING -- Torrential rain has killed at least 71 people in floods, house collapses and rockslides across southern China with more heavy rain predicted for much of this week, state media said today.
About 643,000 people were evacuated and some 56,000 houses destroyed and 104,000 damaged, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing an unnamed official at the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
"We've got experience of floods, but I've never known a flood like this," Zhong Shizhan, a resident of Mei county in Guangdong province, was quoted as saying by the Southern Metropolis Daily.
Nearly 9 million people had been affected. Thirteen people were missing and 3.43 billion yuan ($446.8 million) of damage caused.
A total of 350,000 ha, or 1,350 sq miles, of crops had been damaged and 57,600 ha had been destroyed.
From Wednesday to Saturday, continuous rain, mudslides and floods hit the provinces of Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Jiangxi and Fujian.
THE COMMITTEE SAYS:
Chinese Ecology Destroyed, Now they Pay the Price
Also See:
Corruption Updates 51, 9th article on page, "Chinese flooding leaves 21 dead"
More Articles on China
Search the Corruption Database under
China
Previous Corruption Updates: Page 74
Next Corruption Updates: Page 76
Contact Us: Committeefordemocracy.org
