Ohio Counties Lost or Destroyed Ballots, Despite Court Order
During a lawsuit about election irregularities in Ohio, a federal judge ordered all counties to preserve as evidence ballots from Ohio's 2004 election (BN-Politics and the complaint). Instead, Ohio's election officials lost or destroyed about two-thirds of the ballots (Truthout/Alternet).
Minnesota Bridge Collapsed into River
The Interstate 35W bridge in Minnesota collapsed 60 feet into the Mississippi River last week, killing at least five and injuring 100 (Fox). Reportedly, the government deemed the bridge "structurally deficient" back in 1990 (Washington Post and BN-Politics). Ever the campaigner, presidential candidate John McCain hurled blame for the collapse at the current Congress, because earmarks had made it into a highway bill (WaPo). McCain didn't specify when the bill was passed: this year? during 2005-06, when McCain's party controlled both houses of Congress and the Executive Branch?
Congress Passed Warrantless-Wiretapping Bill
Before passing a bill to expand the Bush Administration's ability to engage in warrantless wiretapping, some Democratic congressmen (dutifully and understandably) questioned the wisdom of such a move (Washington Post 1 and 2). The President and some Republicans responded by hissing accusations that Dems were soft on terrorism. (BN-Politics).
Congress Got Other Stuff Done Before Recess
Among other things, Congress passed an ethics- and lobbying-reform bill and a bill to increase healthcare coverage for children; President Bush threatened to veto the bill, preferring instead to protect insurance companies (BN-Politics-1 and 2). Congress also made millions in emergency funding available to Minnesota after the bridge collapsed.(The Hill)
Dems Move Toward Impeaching Gonzales, Including Former Prosecutors
Six House members who are former prosecutors co-sponsored a resolution requiring the House Judiciary Committee to determine whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should be impeached (press release). This came after four Senate Democrats called for a perjury investigation against Gonzales, whose recent sworn testimony was contradicted by the FBI director and other officials (WaPo).
Karl Rove and Scott Jennings Failed to Comply with Subpoena
In July, the Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Karl Rove and his aide Scott Jennings, requiring info re: the fired U.S. Attorneys (subpoena text and letter). Thursday, Rove didn't show up to the hearing; Jennings did but refused to testify about the fired U.S. Attorneys. Instead, he spoke vaguely about the missing emails that White House staffers had sent and received through the Republican National Committee's email servers (WaPo). Before the hearing, the White House ordered Rove not to cooperate with Congress (WaPo).
Another Skeleton Falls out of Gonzales' Closet
U.S. Attorney John Brownlee testified that the Deputy Attorney General's aide Michael Elston pressured Brownlee to delay settlement of a suit against Perdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin (Washington Post and BN-Politics). Brownlee settled the case anyway. Eight days later, his name showed up on the to-be-fired list. Brownlee kept his job, but Elston resigned in June (as have six other Justice Department officials since the U.S. Attorney scandal broke).
Feds Raid Alaska Senator's House
The FBI and IRS raided the home of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate, over possible corruption involving the Senator and a company called Veco, which gave "gifts" to Stevens and received millions in federal contracts (Washington Post and Anchorage Daily News).
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