Good morning . . .
Monday there was euphoria on Capitol Hill. Fourteen "moderate" senators came together to thwart the leadership of both parties by agreeing not to filibuster judicial nominees except in "extraordinary circumstances."
Thursday Democrats blocked a vote on the nomination of John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations. Democrats assisted by Republican senator George Voinivich of Ohio voted to continue debate on the nomination. A vote for cloture failed by four votes.
The Democrats are insisting on addition classified documents and emails relating to Bolton's work at the State Department. The State Department and White House have said that senators on the Foreign Relations Committee have received all the documents that are available. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said this is not a filibuster, "we're hear to get information."
Now it looks like it is business as usual in the Senate. Any bipartisan mood has certainly lost its momentum. While a filibuster on nominees other than judicial appointments is not covered by the agreement, the fourteen "moderates" hoped it would extend to other nominations.
With the block of a vote for confirmation, it is time for Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) to take charge of the Senate and move the agenda forward. If that means the implementation of the constitutional option to ban filibusters for judicial and other nominees, then the time is now. Well, after another Senate break.
USATODAY.com
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The Rev, Jesse Jackson is in the news again, but I'm certain he is not happy about the report.
The Federal Election Commission is fining the Democratic National Committee(DNC) and two of Jackson's organizations for violations dating back to the 2000 election.
Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund will pay a fine of $100,000, as will the DNC for sponsoring a partisan voter registration drive.
The fine stems from a September 200 agreement between the DNC paid Jackson's groups $450,000 to offset the costs of a get-out-the-vote drive intended to get more Democrats to the polls.
The American Conservative Union filed the complaint against Jackson and the DNC in 2001. ACU Chairman David Keene said in a statement on the group's website, ""The word is now out -- crooked election practices that have become the standard of the Left will not be tolerated."
Another Jackson watcher group the National Legal and Policy Center said the FEC ruling confirms that Jackson's Citizen Education Fund (CEF) operates outside it nonprofit tax status.
The tax-exempt purpose of CEF is to conduct nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns," said Peter Flaherty, president of the National Legal and Policy Center.
"Now that the FEC has officially determined that CEF has engaged in partisan activities, it is confirmation that CEF is in violation of its tax-exempt status. The Internal Revenue Service should revoke CEF's tax-exempt status without further delay."
After paying the fine and complaining that a "vast right-wing conspiracy" is after him, Jackson will continue his tactics and methods. If the IRS gets involved, any action taking against Jackson of any of his organizations will take years and no amount to much.
Isn't it time that someone shows Jess Jackson for what he is - a charlatan and crook-- who uses his nonprofit organizations to enrich himself and those close to him? The FEC has taken a good first step.
Democrat Party, Jesse Jackson Violated Election Laws -- 05/27/2005
politics Jesse Jackson
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The Newsweek article that claimed investigators at Guantanamo Bay flushed a Quran down a toilet has been acknowledged as bogus, but there is a report from the Pentagon shows that the Quran was mishandled.
Brigadier General Jay Hood says an investigation has found 13 incidents where a Quran was mishandled by interrogators at Guantanamo Bay. None of these cases involved putting the Muslim Holy book in a toilet or other waste bucket.
''I'd like you to know that we have found no credible evidence that a member of the Joint Task Force at Guantanamo Bay ever flushed a Koran down a toilet," said Brigadier General Jay Hood.
So far only 5 of the incidents have been substantiated and in none of the cases was the mishandling done deliberately.
Report finds Koran was mishandled - The Boston Globe - Boston.com - Washington - News
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President Bush told graduates of the US Naval Academy that the closing of military bases is painful yet crucial to creating the type of military able to respond in the age of terror.
"We have more bases than we need," Bush said in a commencement address to the academy's Class of 2005. "Supporting these facilities wastes billions of taxpayer dollars — money that can be better spent on giving you the tools to fight terrorists and confront 21st-century threats."
"It will result in a military that is more efficient and better prepared so you can better protect the American people against the dangers of this new century," Bush said.
He promised a "fair and impartial" review of the list of 33 major and dozens of smaller bases the Pentagon has sent to the Base Closing andRealignmentt Commission (BRAC). The list is creating controversy among several senators and governors who are seeking additional information.
BRAC is scheduled to begin it regional hearings early next month.
Bush: Base Closings Painful but Crucial - Yahoo! News
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More later
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