Don't Ask Don't Tell

Clinton Regrets DADT, Blames It On Powell (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | September 22, 2010, 1:01PM

Former President Bill Clinton

In an interview with CBS News, former President Clinton said he regrets instituting Don't Ask Don't Tell -- but said the policy didn't work the way he was told it would.

Asked if he regretted it, Clinton -- who helped get the policy through Congress in 1993 -- said, "Oh yeah, but keep in mind, I didn't choose this policy."

"Don't ask, don't tell was only adopted when both Houses of Congress had voted by a huge veto-proof margin to legislate the absolute ban on gays in the military if I didn't do something else," he said. "They would never let me order, by executive order, allowing gays in the military."

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Michael Steele

Steele Asks DOJ To Investigate Sestak

Ryan J. Reilly | August 18, 2010, 10:30PM

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA)

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele on Wednesday urged the Department of Justice to investigate last year's efforts by the White House to convince Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) to abandon his Senate campaign against Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA).

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Steele wrote that the public had "heard several different versions of whether or not Congressman Joe Sestak was offered a job or appointment if he were to forgo his campaign for the United States Senate," CNN reported.

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Hassan Nemazee

Accused Ponzi Schemer Gave Tens Of Thousands To Clinton Foundation

Justin Elliott | January 4, 2010, 5:18PM

Hassan Nemazee and Bill Clinton

Yet another organization with ties to prominent Democrats has received money from accused Ponzi scamster Hassan Nemazee. This time, it was the William J. Clinton Foundation that received a hefty donation from Nemazee, the New York financier and Democratic Party fundraiser.

Nemazee, who was charged with stealing $292 million from several banks, gave between $50,000 and $100,000 to the former president's charity in 2009, according to a donor list released yesterday.

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Ken Starr

Strange Bedfellows: To Weaken Campaign-Finance Law, Starr's Group Defends Edwards Backer

Zachary Roth | November 19, 2009, 11:25AM

Ken Starr

A heavy-hitting group of conservative lawyers led by Ken Starr and Ed Meese is jumping to the defense of a Democratic trial lawyer and major John Edwards backer.

No, Starr, Meese et al. haven't suddenly undergone a political conversion. Instead, they see a chance to undermine campaign-finance laws they never supported in the first place.

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Joe Arpaio

'America's Toughest Sheriff' Teams With Beltway GOP Power Couple In 'Inquisition' Of Arizona Official

Zachary Roth | October 7, 2009, 3:41PM

Republican lawyers Joseph diGenova and Victoria Toensing

Notorious anti-immigrant sheriff Joe Arpaio is working with a husband-and-wife GOP lawyer team that was one of Bill Clinton's biggest tormentors during the 90s, to go after a local Arizona official. But critics are calling the effort a politically motivated fishing expedition. And the defense lawyer on the case knows something about politicized justice: he was one of the US attorneys improperly fired by Alberto Gonzales.

Here's the back-story. It's got a few twists and turns. But stay with us -- it's worth it:

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Terry McAuliffe

McAuliffe Mum On Ties To Nemazee

Zachary Roth | September 22, 2009, 6:24PM

Hassan Nemazee with Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and Terry McAuliffe at book party for McAuliffe's "What a Party! My Life Among Democrats." January 22, 2007.

Powerhouse fundraiser Hassan Nemazee had a lot of friends in Democratic circles. And one of the most important appears to have been the party's money-man par excellence, Terry McAuliffe.

But since the news broke yesterday that Nemazee had been charged with running a $292 million Ponzi scheme, the normally loquacious McAuliffe hasn't been his usual voluble self.

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Bill Clinton

In 90's, Nemazee Courted Clinton, Gore -- And GOP

Zachary Roth | September 22, 2009, 5:05PM

Hassan Nemazee

We've told you about Hassan Nemazee's leading role in raising money for the Democrats' climb back to power over the last few electoral cycles. But a longer look back shows that the New York financier -- who was charged yesterday with running a $292 million Ponzi scheme -- began building his influence by wrangling cash for the Clinton-Gore team during the 90s. And that his largesse also extended to the GOP.

Based on news reports accessed via Nexis, here's a quick time-line on Nemazee's political and fund-raising work during those years:

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