Obama Administration

Help TPM Dig Through The White House Visitor Log Friday Doc Dump

Justin Elliott | October 30, 2009, 4:58PM

Pres. Barack Obama

In the great tradition of Friday afternoon document dumps, the Obama Administration has released the first batch of White House visitor logs.

TPMDC has the details on the new policy and the politics of the release. Full coverage is here.

But we want your help sifting through the records, which are in full here.

See anything interesting?

Put it in the comments, or email us.

Maxine Waters

Ethics Probe In Bailout Case Begins: What Is Maxine Waters Accused Of?

Justin Elliott | October 30, 2009, 4:44PM

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)

Yesterday, the House ethics committee announced it is forming a special subcommittee to investigate Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) in a case involving the bailout and a bank in which her husband had a stake.

This is separate from the leaked ethics document, and the committee is taking it more seriously than many of the already-dismissed cases outlined in that document. So what is Waters, a ten-term representative and the second ranking Dem on the House Financial Services Committee, accused of?

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House Ethics Leak

Leaked House Ethics Doc: Less Than Meets The Eye?

Justin Elliott | October 30, 2009, 1:44PM

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), October 29, 2009

The cable news networks have jumped all over the ethics document leaked to the Washington Post showing that over 30 members of Congress have been subjects of "inquiries" by the House ethics committee.

And the Post is having fun dissecting the weekly ethics summary report from July, publishing a new round of stories this morning looking at specific cases highlighted in the document.

But nearly all of the new stories show that the members in question were cleared of wrongdoing, and it's worth asking how much new information has really come to light.

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Stewart Nozette

Prosecutor: Top Scientist Nozette Admitted Actual Spying For Israel

Justin Elliott | October 30, 2009, 11:32AM

Stewart Nozette

Did a federal prosecutor just make the inflammatory accusation that top government scientist Stewart Nozette has admitted to giving classified information to the Israeli government?

By our reading of this AP story, that's exactly what happened at a hearing in U.S. district court in Washington yesterday.

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House Ethics Committee

Leaked House Ethics Doc: Dozens Of Members Being Probed

Justin Elliott | October 30, 2009, 8:51AM

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)

A July House ethics committee report leaked to the Washington Post shows that over 30 members of Congress have caught the interest of the panel, including several top Democrats.

The 22-page weekly summary report, which the Post has not put online, was mistakenly put on a public computer network because a junior staffer was using software from home, the committee said in a statement (pdf).

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), an aide, and his son were interviewed by the committee as part of the investigation into his alleged financial misconduct, according to the document.

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Steve Buyer

PhRMA Gave Big To GOP Rep's Iffy Foundation, Hired His Son, Kept On Giving

Justin Elliott | October 28, 2009, 6:42PM

Ryan Buyer and his father, Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN)

Drug industry umbrella group PhRMA, which has given $200,000 to given Rep. Steve Buyer's Frontier Foundation, in June 2008 hired a director of the foundation as its federal affairs manager, TPMmuckraker has confirmed.

The name of that director? Ryan Buyer, son of the Indiana congressman.

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Alaska

Bill Allen Gets Three Years For Role In Alaska Public Corruption Scandal

Justin Elliott | October 28, 2009, 2:40PM

Fmr. VECO chief Bill Allen outside of federal court today.

Bill Allen, the former chief of an Alaska oil services company who became the key government witness in the Ted Stevens trial last year, was sentenced to three years in prison today for his role in the wide-ranging public corruption scandal in the state.

Allen was also fined $750,000.

The Anchorage Daily News reports from the courtroom:

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Barack Obama

White House Responds To Wash Times Story: We've Set 'Toughest Ethics Standards' Ever

Justin Elliott | October 28, 2009, 2:00PM

The Obama Administration has released a lengthy response to the Washington Times story that reported Democrats are using the White House as a fundraising tool, saying that "contributing does not guarantee a ticket to the White House, nor does it prohibit the contributor from visiting."

"Given that nearly 4 million Americans donated to the campaign, it's no surprise that some who contributed have visited the White House," the statement says.

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Stewart Nozette

Nozette Intrigue Grows: Spy Suspect Recently Cooperated With Feds In Separate Criminal Probe

Justin Elliott | October 28, 2009, 12:59PM

Stewart Nozette

As part of a plea deal in a fraud case last year, espionage suspect Stewart Nozette agreed to cooperate with authorities in a separate criminal probe and was specifically allowed to keep his passport because international travel was essential to his work as an informant, according to newly unsealed court documents.

The revelations raise a number of difficult-to-answer questions, including why a man with access to Top Secret weapons information and a fraud conviction -- about whom authorities already had national security concerns -- was permitted to retain his passport. And they add yet another layer of intrigue to the case of a top government scientist who allegedly sold classified info to an FBI employee posing as an Israeli agent in September.

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Fundraising

Obama Using The White House As A Fundraising Tool

Justin Elliott | October 28, 2009, 9:51AM

Pres. Obama and green champagne at 2009 St. Patrick's Day reception in the East Room

Try to look surprised: The Obama Administration has doled out access to the White House and to top aides as a way to keep top Democratic donors feeling special.

The Washington Times has a good rundown today on how it all works, including invitations for two bundlers to bring their families to the famous bowling alley at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door to the White House.

As in past administrations, access to the White House is an irresistible addition to the Dems' quiver of perks for donors.

The Times reports:

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Stewart Nozette

Pakistani Embassy: We're Keeping Close Eye On India-Linked Nozette Spy Case

Justin Elliott | October 27, 2009, 4:44PM

Indian and Pakistani national flags with Stewart Nozette (inset)

The spokesman for the Pakistani Embassy in Washington tells TPMmuckraker that it is watching the espionage case of Stewart Nozette closely following a report that the high-level U.S. government scientist traveled to India with two computer thumb drives in January.

"Definitely we have interest in the news," said spokesman Nadeen Kiani. "The concerned desk officer is watching [developments]."

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Robert Cabelly

Vet Of First Bush And Clinton Administrations Charged With Breaking Sudan Sanctions

Justin Elliott | October 27, 2009, 1:29PM

Pres. of Sudan Omar al-Bashir

Washington lobbyist Robert Cabelly was charged today with a range of violations involving work he allegedly did for the government of Sudan and that country's oil industry, as well as lying about and trying to hide the work.

Cabelly, who worked for the State Department on Africa issues during the Reagan, first Bush, and Clinton administrations, is the principal of DC consulting firm C/R International LLC.

The Justice Department press release outlines the charges in the indictment:

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Stewart Nozette

Officials: Mysterious 'Country A' In Nozette Spy Case Is India

Justin Elliott | October 27, 2009, 11:17AM

Stewart Nozette

Confirming a theory first reported by TPMmuckraker last week, quotes from law enforcement officials in the Washington Post reveal that the country to which espionage suspect Stewart Nozette allegedly traveled with two computer thumb drives in January was India.

Contacted by TPMmuckraker last week, the spokesman for the Indian Embassy in Washington said the embassy had no comment on the Nozette case, though he was familiar with the matter. Nikhilesh Dhirar did not immediately respond to a request for comment today. No wrongdoing by India is alleged, and it's not known what was on those thumb drives Nozette allegedly brought to India, where he was working on a space project.

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