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The Daily Muck
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) helped a New York developer with legislation not long before he donated to her husband's foundation, the New York Times reports. Robert Congel's donation of $100,000 to Bill Clinton's foundation came after Mrs. Clinton secured earmarks for $5 million worth of road construction serving one of Congel's projects and an allowance to use tax-free bonds for the financing of this project. (New York Times)
Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) attempted to influence embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) choice of Senate appointee soon before charges against Blagojevich became public. Reid tried to convince Blagojevich to not appoint Reps. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Danny Davis, as well as Emil Jones, president of the state senate - all of whom are black. Chicago Sun-Times sources say Sen. Reid found them to be insufficiently electable. (LA Times)
Senate Democrats plan to use Senate procedural rules to relegate Roland Burris, Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich's Senate choice, to the status of Senator-elect. By asking for a review of his credentials, Senate Democrats will show that Burris does not have the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, thus barring him from being granted voting and speaking privileges. (Associated Press)
Massachusetts state Rep. Salvatore DiMasi is expected to keep his position as speaker Wednesday when the house votes on its leadership, despite allegations against a close friend. Richard Vitale, an associate of the speaker, is set to be arraigned Monday for violations related to lobbying and campaign finance laws. Vitale denies acting as a lobbyist. (Associated Press)
A Muslim family was detained at a Washington D.C. airport on New Year's Day on the suspicions of two teenage girls. The family, which has been issued a formal apology from Orlando-based AirTran Airways, was escorted off of a plane after being overheard discussing the plane's safety. (LA Times)
Josh
Zachary
(*donning tinfoil hat*)
You don't suppose the flurry of allegations of "Pay-To-Play" politics among Democrats (HRC being the latest) might be payback for Ted Stevens do ya?
(*removing tinfoil hat*)
January 5, 2009 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Glad to know AirTran's security is safely in the hands of teenage "mean girls"
January 5, 2009 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
On the Sunday news programs there was speculation that the Senate wishhed to draw out the confirmation of Burris in the expectation that Blago would be impeached and his replacement would appoint someone else.
This is ridiculous: Burris has been appointed by a sitting Governor who was entitled to appoint him. Indeed, there is no one who can unappoint Burris except Burris. Not even Blago. So when Burris goes to the Supreme Court he gets the seat.
The Senate attempting to hit Blago has clocked the citizens of Illinois by denying them half of the representation they are entitled to.
Burris has the justified belief in his own abilities and quality which allowed him to achieve state wide office in Illinois. Indeed, everyone is saying that they have no problem with Burris himself. That being the case, there is one possible face saving way out of this mess for the Senate Democrats: if the leutenant Governor of Illinois were to state that if Blago were impached, he too would appoint Burris and the Senate could then seat Burris on the basis of this assurance if the problem is truly not Burris but who appoints him.
January 5, 2009 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
On the Sunday news programs there was speculation that the Senate wishhed to draw out the confirmation of Burris in the expectation that Blago would be impeached and his replacement would appoint someone else.
This is ridiculous: Burris has been appointed by a sitting Governor who was entitled to appoint him. Indeed, there is no one who can unappoint Burris except Burris. Not even Blago. So when Burris goes to the Supreme Court he gets the seat.
The Senate attempting to hit Blago has clocked the citizens of Illinois by denying them half of the representation they are entitled to.
Burris has the justified belief in his own abilities and quality which allowed him to achieve state wide office in Illinois. Indeed, everyone is saying that they have no problem with Burris himself. That being the case, there is one possible face saving way out of this mess for the Senate Democrats: if the leutenant Governor of Illinois were to state that if Blago were impached, he too would appoint Burris and the Senate could then seat Burris on the basis of this assurance if the problem is truly not Burris but who appoints him.
January 5, 2009 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
After all, being a black man appointed by someone under indictment is MUCH worse than being a white guy who happens to have tortured innocents, spied illegally against US citizens, lied to Congress and destroyed the Department of Justice...
All those folks who are mobsters in Washington need to get their priorities straight!
January 5, 2009 7:14 PM | Reply | Permalink