Congresspedia's "Congress in the News" updates, Sept. 5-11, 2006

Congresspedia's "Congress in the News" updates, Sept. 5-11, 2006 [1]

Submitted by Conor Kenny [2] on September 14, 2006 - 11:11am

Federal investigators are probing a land transaction that protected 40 acres from development in the neighborhood of Rep. Jerry Lewis [3] (R-Calif.). (San Bernardino Sun [4] story)

The FBI is currently investigating whether Christine DeLay, the wife of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [5] (R-Texas), was paid over $100,000 by a lobbying firm without working for it. (Wall Street Journal [6] story)

Mike McGavick, the GOP opponent of Sen. Maria Cantwell [7] (D-Wash.), has returned $14,000 in campaign funds that he received from VECO Corp., an oil services firm currently under federal investigation. (TPM Muckraker [8] story) On a separate note, it was discovered that McGavick gave a misleading account of a 1993 DUI arrest on his campaign web site. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer [9] story)

The Sunlight Foundation [10] unearthed a 2003 LA Times story describing nine separate cases where Sen. Ted Stevens [11] (R-Alaska) did favors for organizations that had paid his son for consulting services. (Sunlight Foundation [12] story)

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [13] (R-Texas) announced he is writing a book focusing on his experiences advancing conservative policies in Washington. (AP [14] story)

Sen. Conrad Burns [15] (R-Mont.) has again created controversy through a remark perceived by some as insensitive to immigrants. (AP [16] story)

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist [17] (R-Tenn.) will likely be fined for failing to participate in continuing medical education that is required of all Tennessee doctors. (AP [18] story)

A spokesman for Sen. Ted Stevens [19] (R-Alaska) has confirmed that the senator is behind an anonymous hold blocking an earmark reform bill sponsored by Sens. Tom Coburn [20] (R-Okla.), Barack Obama [21] (D-Ill.), Tom Carper [22] (D-Del.), and John McCain [23] (R-Ariz.). (TPM Muckraker [24] story)

The controversy surrounding Sen. George Allen [25]'s (R-Va.) comment about a staffer for James Webb [26], his reelection opponent, has led to the surfacing of past incidents where the senator was perceived as racially insensitive. (The Nation [27] story)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry [28] has called a special election to temporarily fill the congressional seat vacated by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [29] (R-Texas). (Houston Chronicle [30] story)

As of Wednesday morning, 95 members of the U.S. Senate [31] had denied placing a hold [32] on earmark reform legislation sponsored by Sens. Tom Coburn [20] (R-Okla.), Barack Obama [21] (D-Ill.), Tom Carper [22] (D-Del.), and John McCain [23] (R-Ariz.). Coburn has accused Sen. Ted Stevens [33] (R-Alaska) of being the anonymous senator. (Times Record [34] story)

Rep. Jeb Bradley [35] (R-N.H.) paid his two sons nearly $27,000 to work as field coordinators for several months during his 2004 House reelection campaign. (Harper’s Magazine [36] story)

Lori Mody, whose complaint to the FBI led to the ongoing probe of Rep. William Jefferson [37] (D-La.), informed police that strange things have been happening to her since. (The Times-Picayune [38] story)

As of Tuesday morning, 59 members of the U.S. Senate [31] had denied responsibility for putting a secret hold on a bill which would create a public, searchable database of all federal grants and contracts. (TPM Muckraker [39] story)

Rep. Katherine Harris [40] (R-Fla.) sought to clarify her comments this past weekend [41] which asserted that failing to elect Christians was sinful. (Associated Press [42] story)

Rep. John Sweeney [43] (R-N.Y.) has introduced a bill which would provide tax breaks for boat manufacturers. Meanwhile, he has taken $4,000 from the boating industry’s largest PAC this election cycle. (Poughkeepsie Journal [44] story)

A former fundraising chief for Sen. Conrad Burns [45]’ (R-Mont.) re-election campaign has been accused of securities fraud. (TPM Muckraker [46] story)

Rep. Henry Waxman [47] (D-Calif.) has written to the Secretary of Education seeking an explanation regarding the disappearance of evolutionary biology from the list of majors eligible for a "National Smart Grant." (The Raw Story [48] article)

Rep. Danny Davis [49] (D-Ill.) took a trip to Sri Lanka in 2005 that was funded by a group considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. (Chicago Tribune [50] story)

Rep. Jean Schmidt [51] (R-Ohio) has been accused of lying on her campaign website regarding her time in the 1993 Columbus marathon. (AP [52] story)

The Democratic members of the House Committee on Government Reform [53] released a report detailing government waste and mismanagement with regards to the federal funds appropriated following Hurricane Katrina [54]. (Read the report [55])

Sen. George Allen [56] (R-Va.) apologized to a volunteer of his reelection opponent's campaign for a public remark two weeks ago that many perceived as racially insensitive. (New York Times [57] story)

Rep. Trent Franks [58] (R-Ariz.) defended campaign contributions he made to Tom DeLay [59] after the former House majority leader had already been indicted in connection to the Texas redistricting scandal [60]. (The Arizona Republic [61] story)

A new video released this week by Jon Tester [62], the Democratic opponent of Sen. Conrad Burns [15] (R-Mont.), shows the incumbent senator poking fun at immigrants who work at his home. (Washington Post [63] story)

Two men indicted along with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [64] (R-Texas) in connection to the Texas redistricting scandal [65] have argued that a state appeals court should toss the charges because Texas' ban on corporate campaign money is too confusing. (American-Statesman [66] story)

Rep. J.D. Hayworth [67] (R-Ariz.) is being criticized for defending early 20th-century views on "Americanization" in his new book on immigration. Many historians now interpret these ideas as anti-Semitic. (The Jewish Daily Forward [68] story)

Republican Senate [69] candidate Tom Kean Jr., who will face incumbent Sen. Robert Menendez [70] (D-N.J.) this November, has proposed restrictions on lobbying, gifts and earmarking as part of a plan to reform Congress. (Bergen County Record [71] story)

Kathleen Troia McFarland, a Republican Senate [69] candidate hoping to unseat Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton [72] (D-N.Y.), has temporarily canceled campaign events after her daughter was arrested and charged with shoplifting last weekend. (New York Times [73] story)

A request by a group of self-proclaimed peace activists to have Sen. Joe Lieberman [74] (D-Conn.) removed from the Connecticut Democratic Party [75] could lead to a hearing in which the independent Senate [69] candidate would need to prove he still adheres to the party's principles. (Washington Post [76] story)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [77] (R-Nev.) has used his influence to help a lobbyist and campaign contributor secure government land for development in Coyote Springs, Nevada. (Los Angeles Times [78] story)

Sentencing for convicted defense contractor Mitchell Wade, who has been linked to scandals involving former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham [79] (R-Calif.), Rep. Virgil Goode [80] (R-Va.), and Rep. Katherine Harris [81] (R-Fla.), has been delayed until March 2007. The delay will allow Wade to continue providing information to the federal government regarding his activities with members of Congress. (Associated Press [82] story)

Bob Corker, the GOP candidate for the Senate seat being vacated by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist [83] (R-Tenn.), is facing a lawsuit claiming that he ignored conservation easements to allow for the construction of a Wal-Mart while mayor of a Tennessee town. (The Commercial Appeal [84] story)

Sugar Land mayor David Wallace has dropped out of the congressional race to replace Rep. Tom DeLay [29] (R-Texas) in Texas’ 22nd district. (TPM Muckraker [85] story)

A county elections board in Ohio ruled that Joy Padgett [86] is eligible to run in the Sept. 14 GOP primary for the House seat being vacated by Rep. Bob Ney [87] (R-Ohio). (The Plain Dealer [88] story)

The political director for Rep. Katherine Harris [89]’s (R-Fla.) Senate campaign quit his position Sunday after the congresswoman blamed him for giving her poor information regarding the cause of a poorly-attended campaign rally. (TPM Muckraker [90] story)

Eight candidates have registered to compete in the Sept. 14 GOP primary to replace Rep. Bob Ney [87] (R-Ohio) on the November congressional ballot. (Associated Press [91] story)

Texas GOP officials have endorsed Dr. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs as the write-in candidate in the congressional district vacated by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [29] (R-Texas). (TPM Muckraker [92] story)

Rep. Christopher Cannon [93] (R-Utah) acknowledged that he has aided his lobbyist brother’s clients on the House floor, and sees no ethical problems with doing so. (Associated Press [94] story)

Several GOP House members called the Senate campaign of Rep. Katherine Harris [95] (R-Fla.) to complain that they were falsely listed on the congresswoman's web site as endorsers of her campaign. (TPM Muckraker [96] story)

Rep. Jerry Lewis [97] (R-Calif.) defended congressional earmarks yesterday, arguing that they are necessary and comprise a very small portion of the federal budget. (Press-Enterprise [98] story)

Stephanie Studebaker, the Democratic opponent to Rep. Mike Turner [99] (R-Ohio), was arrested along with her husband [100] following a domestic dispute. She has withdrawn from her campaign, and a special primary will soon be held to replace her name on the ballot. (Associated Press [101] story)

Pennsylvania Democrats have accused Sen. Rick Santorum [102]'s (R-Pa.) Senate reelection campaign of securing multiple and fake signatures in its quest to get the Green Party on the November ballot. (TPM Muckraker [103] story)

The GOP primary election to replace Rep. Bob Ney [87] (R-Ohio) on the congressional ballot in Ohio's eighteenth district will be held on September 14. (Associated Press [104] story)

Rep. John Kline [105] (R-Minn.) apologized for remarks he made regarding the role of U.S. Marines in the killing of two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq. (Washington Post [106] story)

During a campaign speech, Sen. George Allen [56] (R-Va.) made a remark about his opponent's staffer which is being interpreted by some as racist. (Washington Post [107] story)

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid [108] (D-Nev.) returned an improper contribution that he received from a lobbyist during his 1998 Senate reelection campaign against Sen. John Ensign [109] (R-Nev.). (Associated Press [110] story)

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth [111] have announced that they will campaign against Rep. John Murtha [112] (D-Pa.), hoping to unseat the long-time incumbent in response to his call for troop withdrawal in Iraq. (Los Angeles Times [113] story)

Twelve candidates have filed to challenge scandal-ridden Rep. William Jefferson [114] (D-La.) in the congressional election this November. (Washington Post [115] story)

Rep. Bob Ney [87] (R-Ohio) formally withdrew from his reelection campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives [116], ensuring that a special GOP primary election will take place to replace him on the November ballot. (Associated Press [117] story)

Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro announced that Republicans may appoint Joy Padgett [86] to replace Rep. Bob Ney [87] (R-Ohio) as the party nominee in the state’s 18th congressional district. Democrats will likely go to court to contest the decision. (Associated Press [118] story)

Houston City Council member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs announced that she is seeking to be the Republican write-in nominee to fill the seat vacated by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [119] (R-Texas). (Associated Press [120] story)

Police announced that no charges are likely following an alleged scuffle between a bodyguard for Rep. Cynthia McKinney [121] (D-Ga.) and a cameraman following the congresswoman's August 8 primary defeat. (Washington Post [122] story)

Rep. Gary Miller [123] (R-Calif.) claimed that threats of eminent domain allowed him to avoid paying capital gains taxes on property sold to the town of Monravia, California. The town denies that any threat was made. (Los Angeles Times [124] story)

Rep. John Kline [125] (R-Minn.) is claiming that a staffer for his Democratic opponent for reelection tried to make a cash donation to his campaign in order to infiltrate the congressman’s mailing list. (Associated Press [126] story)

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [119] criticized Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia [127] for denying him a stay in his appeal to be removed from the congressional ballot this fall. (TPM Muckraker [128] story)

An internal investigation conducted by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence [129] found that "major breakdowns" in legislative controls allowed former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham [79] to grant classified government contracts to his business and political associates. (Los Angeles Times [130] story)

Rep. Gary Miller [131] (R-Calif.) is being criticized for accepting a loan without required House approval, and subsequently using his influence on a House committee to aid his lender, who is also a top campaign contributor. (Orange County Register [132] story)

A three-judge federal panel has redrawn the 23rd district in Texas to increase Hispanic voting power. The redistricting is expected to make Rep. Henry Bonilla [133]’s (R-Texas) reelection bid more difficult, (AP [134] story) as the congressman will reportedly be challenged by former Democratic Rep. Ciro Rodriguez [135]. (Congressional Quarterly [136] story)

Sen. Joe Lieberman [74] (D-Conn.) was defeated by Ned Lamont [137] in the Connecticut Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate [31], and has announced his intentions to run as an independent candidate in the November general election. (Chicago Tribune [138] story) Hours before voting in the primary began, Lieberman's campaign manager announced that someone had hacked into the senator’s campaign website, blocking citizens from the site. (Associated Press [139] story) The FBI quickly confirmed that it is investigating the allegations. (TPM Muckraker [140] story)

Rep. Cynthia McKinney [141] (D-Ga.), who sparked controversy by hitting a Capitol police officer earlier this year, was defeated in the Georgia Democratic primary by Henry Johnson (New York Times [142] story), while another incumbent, Rep. Joe Schwarz [143] (R-Mich), was beaten by Tim Walberg in the Michigan GOP primary. (New York Times [144] story)

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [29] (R-Texas) announced his intention to withdraw from this fall's congressional election, clearing the way for Republicans to endorse a write-in candidate. (Dallas Morning News [145] story) The candidate is speculated to be Sugarland Mayor David Wallace. (TPM Muckraker [146] story)

Two additional ex-staffers to Rep. Katherine Harris [81] (R-Fla.) have been called for questioning by the FBI in their investigation into the relationship between the congresswoman and a defense contractor. (St. Petersburg Times [147] story)

Rep. Bob Ney [87]’s (R-Ohio) choice to run for his House seat in the November election may be ineligible to do so under two separate Ohio laws. (Associated Press [148] story)

Rep. Bob Ney [87] (R-Ohio) announced that he is abandoning his reelection campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives [116] (Columbus Dispatch [149] story), something House Majority Leader John Boehner [150] (R-Ohio) reportedly asked him to do last week. (Washington Post [151] story) In addition, the Justice Department [152] announced that it is reviewing documents related to an interview the congressman gave to Senate investigators in 2004 concerning his relationship with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff [153]. (Roll Call [154] story)

Sen. Lincoln Chafee [155] (R-R.I.) has paid for political consulting services from the home of James Tobin, a Republican operative recently convicted for his role in a New Hampshire phone-jamming scandal. (Washington Post [156] story)

A staffer for Rep. Katherine Harris [157]’s (R-Fla.) Senate campaign has been accused of having a woman publicly question her leading Republican opponent's ethnicity. (TPM Muckraker [158] story)

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia [127] has denied a request by the Texas GOP to block the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling forcing former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [29] to remain on the ballot for the November congressional election. (TPM Muckraker [159] story)

A recent investigation revealed that Rep. John Doolittle [160] (R-Calif.) has been one of the Northern Mariana Islands’ largest proponents in Congress. The Islands were long represented by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff [153], who contributed heavily to Doolittle’s campaigns and PACs. (TPM Muckraker [161] story)

The Senate revamped the private pension system in a bill which passed 93 to 5. (Washington Post [162] story)

Sen. [[Pat Roberts#Roberts “Fixed” Iraq Intelligence|Pat Roberts] (R-Kan.) criticized the White House for classifying parts of a report on Iraqi exiles' role in Iraq. (New York Times [163] story)

Sen. Rick Santorum [164]'s (R-Pa.) six staff members, including an intern who followed Democratic candidate Bob Casey Jr. in a costume, collected voter signatures to get the Green Party on the fall ballot. (Philadelphia Inquirer [165] story)

Sen. Chuck Hagel [166] (R-Neb.) stated that the U.S. should start pulling troops out of Iraq within the next 6 months. (Lincoln Journal-Star [167] story)

Rep. Cynthia McKinney [168] (D-Ga.) faces a tough primary battle in a year where she faced fierce criticism for hitting a Capitol Hill police officer. (AP [169] story)

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton [170] (D-N.Y.) called on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to resign after a heated exchange during a public hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee [171]. (AP [172] story)

Former Rep. Tom DeLay [59] (R-Tex.) must remain on the ballot in Texas-22 according to a federal appeals panel. (AP [173] story)

Sen. Opposing Bush Norm Coleman [174] (R-Minn.) said that he will vote against President Bush's ambassador nominee to Armenia because the nominee does not refer to the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide. (AP [175] story)

Justin Rood from TPM Muckraker met with the spokeswoman for Rep. Katherine Harris [176] (R-Fla.), who stated that Harris kept her subpoena secret from the Speaker of the House. (TPM Muckraker [177] story)

Congress reduced the number of privately funded trips they accept in the wake of the Jack Abramoff [153] lobbying scandal. USA Today [178] story)

The Senate approved a bill that would allow 8.3 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico to be drilled for oil and gas. Sen. Olympia Snowe [179] (R-Maine) was the only Republican to vote against it. (Washington Post [180] story)

Ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. John Conyers [181] (D-N.Y.) updated his report which questions the legality of the Bush administration's actions.(TPM Muckraker [182] story)

Rep. Katherine Harris [176] (R-Fla.) failed to tell her top campaign advisors about a grand jury subpoena from federal investigators. (Tampa Tribune [183] story)

Rep. Bob Ney [184] (R-Ohio.) filed that he raised zero dollars from individuals and corporations for his legal defense fund at the end of June 2006.(Canton Rep. [185] story)

A D.C. federal appeals court ordered a lower court judge to allow Rep. William Jefferson [186] (D-La.) to review copies of the documents seized from his office during an FBI raid. Los Angeles Times [187] story)

Florida State Republican Party told Rep. Katherine Harris [188] (R-Fla.) that they would not support her 2006 congressional campaign, in a letter obtained by the AP. (AP [189] story)

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist [190] (R-Tenn.) did not reveal his role in two family foundations on his financial disclosure forms. (AP [191] story)

Sen. Chuck Hagel [192] (R-Neb.) expressed opposing views from the Bush administrations’, calling Iraq "an absolute replay of Vietnam" and stating that "The sickening slaughter on both sides must end now, President Bush must call for an immediate cease-fire. This madness must stop." Washington Post [193] story)

House and Senate Minority Leaders Nancy Pelosi [194] (D-Calif) and Harry Reid [195] (D-Nev.) lead 12 top congressional Democrats in signing a letter urging President Bush to start withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2006. (AP [196] story)

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