FBI agents executed a search warrant on Monday at the Girdwood home of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, an agency spokesman said.
The warrant was served with agents of the Internal Revenue Service, said Dave Heller, FBI assistant special agent in charge of the Alaska office.
Reached at 2:30 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time, Heller said the federal investigators had arrived at the home in Girdwood minutes before.
Heller said he could not comment on the nature of the investigation and referred inquiries to the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice.
An e-mail statement issued by Stevens through his Washington, D.C. spokesman said federal agents had alerted his attorneys that they wanted to search his home.
“I continue to believe this investigation should proceed to its conclusion without any appearance that I have attempted to influence its outcome,” he said. “I will continue my policy of not commenting on this investigation until it has concluded.”
He said the interests of justice would be best served if he commented after the investigation.
Attorney General helped cover up Bush drunken driving conviction
Alberto Gonzales’s difficult relationship with the truth has led to calls for a special prosecutor to investigate claims that the attorney general perjured himself during Senate testimony. But as the Washington Post points out Monday, Gonzales and honesty have had a shaky relationship stretching back more than a decade.
“Whether Gonzales has deliberately told untruths or is merely hampered by his memory has been the subject of intense debate among members of Congress, legal scholars and others who have watched him over the years,” report the Post’s Dan Eggen and Amy Goldstein. “Some regard his verbal difficulties as a strategic ploy on behalf of a president to whom he owes his career; others see a public official overwhelmed by the magnitude of his responsibilities.”
Gonzales’s apparent willingness to dissemble in order to protect himself or President Bush stretches back to at least 1996, when he intervened to prevent then-Gov. Bush from serving jury duty in Texas, the Post notes. Not until its second-to-last paragraph, however, does the Post article remind readers that by not serving jury duty in the drunken driving case Bush was able to keep his own drunken driving conviction a secret for several more years.
“He’s a slippery fellow, and I think so intentionally,” University of Texas public affairs professor Richard L. Schott told the Post. “He’s trying to keep the president’s secrets and to be a team player, even if it means prevaricating or forgetting convenient things.”
Questions about Gonzales willingness to protect Bush in relation to the drunken driving case were first raised last year by Newsweek investigative reporter Michael Isikoff. If Bush had served on the jury he would have had to reveal his own past conviction, but Gonzales convinced the defense attorney to ask that Bush be kept from the jury on the grounds that he may be called on to pardon the defendant.
Writing by Marq on Thursday, 26 of July , 2007 at 10:40 pm
Americans have more trust in the Democrats in 10 of 10, this must be crushing news to the American hating Republicans.
Rasmussen Reports new poll reports that Americans now trust the Democrats in “National Security”, moving ahead of the Republicans 42% to 40%. This means that the Democrats are considered more trusted on ALL 10 of the key issues Rasmussen tracks. (bolds are mine)
When it comes to National Security, Democrats are now trusted more by 42% of likely voters, Republicans by 40%. This means that Democrats now enjoy at least a nominal edge on all ten issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports to gauge voters’ trust of the two major parties.
In late June Democrats had the edge on nine of ten issues. At that time, the GOP had a single point advantage of the National Security issue.
Republicans had enjoyed an historic advantage on National Security for several decades but are burdened by the unpopular War in Iraq. Last year’s Dubai Ports debacle also hurt perceptions of the GOP on national security.
The others issues tracked are also very important, and Democrats poll higher than Republicans in all of them.
Immigration 40% to the GOP’s mear 30%, we beat them on Government Ethics and Corruption, the Economy, Taxes, Health Care, Social Security and more… All 10 the Democrats are more trusted than the Corrupt GOP.
Writing by Marq on Thursday, 26 of July , 2007 at 10:08 pm
Wow, we all suspected that the Republicans were scared Americans, but now we know for sure.
A few Republicans presidential candidates are thinking of pulling out of the Republican YouTube Debate. Sources say that Rudy, the “Terror” candidate, and Mitt, the “Pander” candidate, may not participate. Even right-wing blogers get it, Patrick over at TechRepublican.com says,
This is a big mistake. The Democrats are afraid to answer questions from Big Bad Fox News Anchors, and the Republicans are afraid to answer questions from regular people. Which is worse?
Patrick, your on to something, I would rather my side snub the partisan hacks that are FOX NEWS than have my side cower in fear at the thought of real people asking phodo-real questions screened from 1000’s to a mear 20 or so. Face it, Republicans would love America a lot more if it was devoid of Americans.
Documents show that eight congressional leaders were briefed about the Bush administration’s terrorist surveillance program on the eve of its expiration in 2004, contradicting sworn Senate testimony this week by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
The documents, obtained by The Associated Press, come as senators consider whether a perjury investigation should be opened into conflicting accounts about the program and a dramatic March 2004 confrontation leading up to its potentially illegal reauthorization.
A Gonzales spokesman maintained Wednesday that the attorney general stands by his testimony.
At a heated Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, Gonzales repeatedly testified that the issue at hand was not about the terrorist surveillance program, which allowed the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on suspects in the United States without receiving court approval.
Writing by Marq on Wednesday, 25 of July , 2007 at 5:45 pm
In what can only be seen as an unexpected show of testicular fortitude, the Democrats have done something! In a 22-17 vote the House Judiciary Committee voted to charge former White House hack Joshua Bilton, and almost Supreme Court Justice (she never had a chance) and questionable legal mind (oh and former White House Counsel) Harriet Miers for contempt of Congress for their failure to comply with subpoenas.
The vote was along party lines, no surprise the republicans have refused to stand up for constitutional democracy for over a decade now, so why start now.
The showdown will begin, because if you will recall, the Justice Department, headed by uber-discredited Alberto Gonzales, has stated that the Attorney General for the District of Columbia does not have to execute the charges laid out by Congress, which has basically destroyed the creditability of the Justice Department as a neutral arbiter of the law, and laid waste to the idea of checks and balances.
The question every American should be asking is, “If, as they claim they have nothing to hide, then why are they hiding SO MUCH?”
Writing by Marq on Tuesday, 24 of July , 2007 at 9:32 pm
In his speech today, that he inflicted on the poor men and women of the Air Force at Charleston Air Force Base, Bush started back with his same old song and dance.
Writing by Marq on Monday, 23 of July , 2007 at 1:29 pm
I always like to come you with a comparison on how log Bush’s Approval rating has been, but I think I have run out, so I am going to have to start recycling them.
Ass Cancer has a better approval rating than George Bush. The American Research Group has Bush at 25% approval rating, with a staggering 71% disapproval rating, the number of people that were undecided has closed as well, in a month it went from 6% to 4%, so there are very few people left that do not have an opinion on this disaster of a “president”. This is down 2 points from last month, and 10 points from last year.
There is not a bright spot in these numbers, his approval on his handling of the economy is 23% down from 29% from last month. There is a lot more on the Americans perception of the state of the economy, and none of it is good.
Writing by Marq on Friday, 20 of July , 2007 at 11:42 am
You know Hitler never broke the law, he just made the illegal, legal. Welcome to Bush’s America…
The Bush Administration has now done what we all knew was coming, they have turned our Justice System into a bonified arm of the political process. The Washington Post is reporting that the Justice Department will not be allowed to pursue contempt charges no matter what Congress says. That’s it folks, you have just seen that the President has in proclamation stated that he and his administration is about the law, in fact, he says he is the law.
Bush administration officials unveiled a bold new assertion of executive authority yesterday in the dispute over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, saying that the Justice Department will never be allowed to pursue contempt charges initiated by Congress against White House officials once the president has invoked executive privilege.
Under federal law, a statutory contempt citation by the House or Senate must be submitted to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, “whose duty it shall be to bring the matter before the grand jury for its action.”
But administration officials argued yesterday that Congress has no power to force a U.S. attorney to pursue contempt charges in cases, such as the prosecutor firings, in which the president has declared that testimony or documents are protected from release by executive privilege. Officials pointed to a Justice Department legal opinion during the Reagan administration, which made the same argument in a case that was never resolved by the courts.
“A U.S. attorney would not be permitted to bring contempt charges or convene a grand jury in an executive privilege case,” said a senior official, who said his remarks reflect a consensus within the administration. “And a U.S. attorney wouldn’t be permitted to argue against the reasoned legal opinion that the Justice Department provided. No one should expect that to happen.”
We are beyond the need for impeachment, the congress should send the US Marshals to arrest and try George and the rest of them for treason, and act accordingly.
Writing by Marq on Wednesday, 18 of July , 2007 at 2:21 pm
The Republicans are filibustering the amendment that would call for a troop withdraw in 180 days, because thy know it will pass, more than a few of Republicans see their political life hanging in the balance and know that is Iraq is still an issue come election time next year they will be out of a job. So Reid as turned up the heat (for once the Dems are showing hey have some balls) and pulled the Defense Authorization bill from the floor. The Republicans know that the bill will pass if they allowed it to come to the floor.
From Reid’s office..
I have temporarily laid aside the Defense Authorization bill and have entered a motion to reconsider.
But let me be clear to my Republican colleagues – I emphasize the word “temporarily”. We will do everything in our power to change course in Iraq. We will do everything in our power to complete consideration of a Defense Authorization bill. We must do both.
And just to remind my Republican colleagues – even if this bill had passed yesterday, its provisions would not take effect until October.
So we will come back to this bill as soon as it is clear we can make real progress. To that end, I have asked the Democratic Whip and Democratic Manager of the bill to sit down with their counterparts to work on a process to address all outstanding issues related to this bill so the Senate can return to it as soon as possible.
Writing by Marq on Wednesday, 18 of July , 2007 at 1:13 pm
Reason 12,349 as to why the Republicans hate the troops. The Democratic Congress has in the Defense Appropriations Bill a 3.5% pay raise for the troops starting in October, the start of the governments fiscal year. Bush thinks this is far to much for our troops. How dare the troops who are asked to do 15 month deployments in Iraq, with only a few months at home before they do it again, ask for a raise.
I kid you not, this is sick! 3.5% is nothing, and trust me, I was a troop, they make nothing! Bush has a new motto for the troops, “Nothing is to good for the men, and nothing is what they are going to get as long as I am president”
Talk about lousy timing. With President Bush’s popularity scraping bottom in opinion polls, with U.S. casualties rising in Iraq in a force surge that has stretched tours to 15 months, the Bush administration has said it “strongly opposes” key military pay and benefit gains tossed into the fiscal 2008 defense bill.
Initiatives the administration opposes include:
A military pay raise for next January of 3.5 percent versus 3 percent endorsed by the White House.
Lowering the age-60 start of reserve retirement annuities for reserve component members by the length of their future mobilizations.
Expanding eligibility for Combat-Related Special Compensation to service members forced by combat disabilities to retire short of 20 years.
Directing pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide the Department of Defense with same-price discounts for Tricare retail pharmacy network that are provided on medicines dispensed from base pharmacies.
The administration also grumbled that the Senate intends to block for another year Tricare fee increases for under-65 retirees and dependents.
The objections appear in a “Statement of Administration Policy” from the White House’s Office of Management and Budget delivered to Senate leaders as they opened floor debate on the defense authorization bill.
A day later, Senate Republicans, at White House urging, blocked amendments that would have shortened Iraq tours for U.S. ground forces and slowed the frequency of war deployments.
Writing by Marq on Tuesday, 17 of July , 2007 at 10:26 am
The National Intelligence Estimate is out and you know what it says? It says that the 3600+ soldiers Bush sent to die in Iraq, the trillions on tax dollars we have spent, and the huge erosion of civil liberties Americans have suffered are ALL for not, that those that perpetrated 9/11 are still free, and are stronger than ever.
If for no other reason, Bush should be impeached, indited, and jailed for totally loosing the War on Terror. The whole world after 9/11 was with us, even Iran, and Bush and his administration found a way to squander the will of the world, kill hundreds of thousands, including Americans, squander sums of money that would make your head explode, and still wants more.
For the love of god, STOP THIS WAR, STOP THIS SHIT HEAD IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Bits and pieces of the new estimate have leaked already, including the giveaway title, “The Terrorist Threat to the U.S. Homeland.” Scooping up those leaks over the past week has kept The Associated Press busy, reporting that Al Qaeda is seen as strong as before, and is more determined than ever to attack the United States.
According to The A.P.. the estimate will say that Al Qaeda has re-established three of the four elements needed to mount an attack on United States soil. “It could not immediately be learned what the missing fourth element is,” the news agency added ominously.
The intelligence community’s assessment of Al Qaeda’s influence on the war in Iraq will be important. Critics say that President Bush has greatly oversimplified the nature of the insurgency in Iraq and its relationship with the Qaeda leadership. Last year’s estimate on Iraq saw a diverse set of fighters there:
Iraqi society’s growing polarization, the persistent weakness of security forces and the state in general, and all sides’ ready recourse to violence are collectively driving an increase in communal and insurgent violence and political extremism.
Check back with us after the estimate is posted at 11 a.m. Eastern time over at the intelligence chief’s Web site. We’ll be covering this all day.
Writing by Marq on Thursday, 12 of July , 2007 at 1:49 pm
Today in a news conference out “president” said that Americans were crazy, and that is why they want the war in Iraq over. Bush said, “First of all, I understand why the American people are — you know, they’re tired of the war. People are — there’s war fatigue in America. It’s affecting our psychology. I’ve said this before. I understand that. This is an ugly war.”
It is not the American people that have a psychological issue, it is you George. You keep telling us that everything is going great, whole we have over 3,600 dead American soldier and according our own National Counter-terrorism Center, “Al-Qaida Better Positioned to Strike the West.” What did these men and women die for? The head of the CIA, a 4-star General I remind you, said that instability in Iraq is “irreversible“. The”escalation” is turning out to be a huge failure, as General Hadden says “irreversible.”
So Bush, who is crazy, the whole world is telling you that Iraq is a disaster, your own appointees are telling you it is a failure. Your fellow countryman are screaming at you to stop killing our troops and pissing away our money. George, for the love of god, level with the American people, tell us why we are in Iraq? Drop the bullshit about terror, because we lost that war, what is the truth, and what event needs to happen so that you will end this disaster?
