Congresspedia's "Congress in the News" updates, Sept. 6-13, 2006

Congresspedia's "Congress in the News" updates, Sept. 6-13, 2006 [1]

Submitted by Conor Kenny [2] on October 24, 2006 - 6:50am

Former House leaders, including Newt Gingrich [3] (R-Ga.), announced they will file an amicus brief arguing that the FBI search of Rep. William Jefferson [4]’s (D-La.) office was unconstitutional. (Roll Call [5] story)

A Texas appeals court is considering reinstating a conspiracy charge against former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [6] (R-Texas) that was dropped by a state district court in 2005. (Associated Press [7] story)

Sen. Jay Rockefeller [8] (D-W.Va.), ranking member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence [9], sent a letter to the director of the National Security Agency [10] questioning the properness of a note sent to committee Chairman Pat Roberts [11] with a list of administration-approved talking points in the debate over warrantless wiretapping. (Washington Post [12] story)

The inability of House Intelligence Committee [13] leaders to come to an agreement over subpoenaing ex-Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham [14] (R-Calif.) is threatening to prevent the bipartisan resolution of an investigation into his illegal activities while a member of the committee. (AP [15] story)

Rep. Katherine Harris [16] (R-Fla.), who is challenging Sen. Bill Nelson [17] (D-Fla.) for his Senate [18] seat, announced that Florida Governor Jeb Bush [19] would campaign with her during the next two months, despite the fact that Bush has made no such commitment. (Orlando Sentinel [20] story)

Sen. Tom Coburn [21] (R-Okla.) plans to release information that he has gathered concerning earmarked funds to colleges and universities since 2000. (Roll Call [22] story)

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service [23] says that this year’s defense budget included 2,847 earmarks worth $9.4 billion, nearly five times as many as in 1994, when Republicans won control of Congress [24]. (Bloomberg.com [25] story)

A Kentucky businessman who admitted to paying $400,000 in bribes to Rep. William Jefferson [26] (D-La.) has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison. (Times-Picayune [27] story)

Federal investigators interviewed Rep. Katherine Harris [28]’ (R-Fla.) former campaign manager as part of an ongoing federal investigation into her relationship with convicted defense contractor Mitchell Wade [29]. (St. Petersburg Times [30] story)

Sen. Richard Shelby [31] (R-Ala.) has helped direct $50 million in earmarks to a firm owned by a longtime friend and campaign contributor. (Bloomberg.com [32] story)

A declassified report by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence [33] found no evidence that Saddam Hussein [34] had a relationship with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi [35] or his Al-Qaida [36] associates. (TPM Muckraker [37] story)

Sen. Maria Cantwell [38] (D-Wash.) has helped secure over $11 million in earmarks for projects benefiting clients of a lobbyist who is advising her reelection campaign and currently owes her money. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer [39] story)

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations [40] postponed a scheduled vote on the nomination of John R. Bolton [41] to be the U.S. representative to the United Nations [42]. (Congressional Quarterly [43] story)

Senate Judiciary Committee [44] Chairman Arlen Specter [45] (R-Pa.) cancelled a vote on a bill which would authorize the Bush Administration [46]’s wiretapping program, citing "obstructionism" by opponents such as Sen. Russ Feingold [47] (D-Wis.). (AP [48] story)

Rep. Richard Pombo [49] (R-Calif.) has received $18,000 from VECO Corp., an Alaskan oil services firm currently under federal investigation. Unlike GOP Senate candidate Mike McGavick [50], who also accepted contributions [51] from the company, he is refusing to return the money. (Recordnet.com [52] story)

Senate Republicans prevented a Democratic-sponsored resolution calling for President Bush [53] to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld [54] from coming to the floor. (LA Times [55] story)

Rep. John Sweeney [56] (R-N.Y.) was sharply criticized by Democratic state officials for his ties to the boating industry. (Poughkeepsie Journal [57] story)

A spokeswoman for Sen. Rick Santorum [58] (R-Pa.) admitted that the senator’s reelection campaign has encouraged interested parties to help the Green Party secure a candidate on the November ballot. (TPM Muckraker [59] story)

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