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Daily Archives: January 12, 2006

Pew Research Report Gauges Public Response to Recent High Profile Washington News

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Americans Taking Abramoff, Alito and Domestic Spying in Stride – Democrats Hold Huge Issue Advantage, Released: January 11, 2006 (32 pages, PDF)

  • Summary of findings: “The public has been hardly stirred by the flurry of major Washington news in the early days of 2006. Jack Abramoff’s admission that he bribed members of Congress has sparked little interest, with just 18% paying very close attention to news reports on the disgraced Washington lobbyist…Reports about President Bush authorizing wiretaps of Americans suspected of having ties to terrorists has drawn far more attention than the Abramoff case. But there is not an outcry or even consensus opinion about the government’s monitoring, without court permission, the phone and email communications of Americans suspected of having terrorist ties…[and] the public paid scant attention to the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court in the days leading up to Senate confirmation hearings on Alito.”

    • Former CIA GC Memo to Intel Cmte. Challenges Legal Authority For Domestic Surveillance

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    On January 3, 2006 Jeffrey H. Smith, a former General Counsel of the CIA and a former General Counsel of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a 16 page memorandum to the Members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, addressing the legal authorities regarding warrantless surveillance of U.S. persons. His conclusion – “The… Continue Reading

    CRS Report on Judge Alito’s Environmental Opinions

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    The Environmental Opinions of Judge Samuel Alito (6 pages, PDF, January 06, 2006 Summary: “The nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., to serve on the Supreme Court has prompted close scrutiny of his judicial opinions during 15 years as an appellate judge. A review of the 34 opinions in environmental cases in which Judge… Continue Reading

    House Members Set Forth Agendas to Address Lobbying Reform

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    Press release, January 11, 2006: “U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, MI-08, today announced his principles for restoring accountability and trust in government, the cornerstone of his lobbying reform legislation which will be introduced when Congress reconvenes at the end of this month.” Press release, January 11, 2006: “House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent the following letter… Continue Reading

    Waxman Presses For Public Access to Mine Safety Documents

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    “Rep. Waxman asks the Labor Secretary Chao to reverse the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s 2004 decision to exclude mine safety inspectors’ notes in Freedom of Information Act responses. The agency’s secrecy policy limited disclosure about hundreds of safety violations at the Sago mine for years before the recent disaster.” [January 11, 2006] Letter to… Continue Reading