Wed Dec 21 2005

On my program 11:38 a.m.
Gabriel Sherman of The New York Observer
"Why Times Ran Wiretap Story, Defying Bush"

Washington Post
by Carol D. Leonnig and Dafna Linzer
Leonnig on my program 11:08 a.m.
Spy court judge quits in protest
Word of Robertson's resignation came as two Senate Republicans yesterday joined the call for congressional investigations into the National Security Agency's warrantless interception of telephone calls and e-mails to overseas locations by U.S. citizens suspected of links to terrorist groups. They questioned the legality of the operation and the extent to which the White House kept Congress informed.

At the White House, spokesman Scott McClellan was asked to explain why Bush last year said, "Any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so." McClellan said the quote referred only to the USA Patriot Act.

Officials poke holes in Bush's case
Internal breakdowns, not weaknesses in spy laws, were at play
The officials from U.S. intelligence, law enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies said they agreed to discuss the case — and Bush's reference to it — because they did not believe it supported the administration's position that the FISA court should be circumvented in certain high-profile and urgent terrorism cases. "It's total hubris. It's arrogance by the people doing this," said a second senior U.S. counter-terrorism official. "This is a 24-hour thing, and you can get these kinds of warrants immediately. I think they are just being lazy."

Associated Press
Jet-setting, luxury travel for DeLay and aides
As Tom DeLay became a king of campaign fundraising, he lived like one too. He visited cliff-top Caribbean resorts, golf courses designed by PGA champions and four-star restaurants — all courtesy of donors who bankrolled his political money empire.
"...reported spending at least $1,930 in PAC money on cigar-shop purchases. The cigars were reported to the Federal Election Commission as donor gifts."

On my program 12:08 p .m.
Harvey Kronberg, QuorumReport.com
re. NY Times report
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff about to roll over?
What began as a limited inquiry into $82 million of Indian casino lobbying by Mr. Abramoff and his closest partner, Michael Scanlon, has broadened into a far-reaching corruption investigation of mainly Republican lawmakers and aides suspected of accepting favors in exchange for legislative work.
Prominent party officials, including the former House majority leader, Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, are under scrutiny involving trips and other gifts from Mr. Abramoff and his clients. The case has shaken the Republican establishment, with the threat of testimony from Mr. Abramoff, once a ubiquitous and well-connected Republican star, sowing anxiety throughout the party ranks.

Ken Armbrister to leave Senate
State Sen. Ken Armbrister of Victoria, a Democrat who often broke with the party line and was a leader on water issues, will not seek re-election.
The retirement of Armbrister, often considered the chamber's most conservative Democrat, could help Republicans pick up another seat in the Senate, where they hold 19 of 31.

A salute to one of the better journalism projects of 2005—
Gen. Shalikashvili faces his toughest battle after a stroke
Once the nation's top general, he works to regain command of his life
By CAROL SMITH, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Katrina was Category 3, not 4
Hurricane weaker at landfall than initially thought