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Category: Politics
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Second Ivy League Law School Dean Tapped by Obama
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Chas Freeman withdraws name for Intel chief
Veteran diplomat Chas W. Freeman Jr. has removed himself from consideration to head the National Intelligence Council as a result of criticism of his remarks about Israel and his entanglements with Saudi Arabia and China.
His withdrawal came hours after National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair had defended his qualifications to a Senate intelligence panel. Lawmakers have no power to reject him, but all seven Republicans on the panel had sent a letter to Blair expressing concerns about Freeman’s experience and objectivity.
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Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, released a statement late Tuesday that also seemed to take credit for getting the White House to “reject” Freeman’s appointment.
“Charles Freeman was the wrong guy for this position,” Schumer said. “His statements against Israel were way over the top and severely out of step with the administration. I repeatedly urged the White House to reject him, and I am glad they did the right thing.”
The chairman of the National Intelligence Council is responsible for producing the National Intelligence Estimate – the classified document given to the president and senior intelligence officials that analyzes threats to U.S. security.
Freeman, 66, would have brought his experience as a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a former assistant defense secretary and a China expert who served as principal translator for the late Richard Nixon on his groundbreaking 1972 trip.
Opposition to his appointment centered on his outspoken criticisms of Israel’s handling of the Palestinian conflict and his harsh analysis of the Bush administration’s foreign policy. He had also enraged human rights advocates with his defense of the Chinese government’s crackdown on dissidents in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
Freeman has headed the Middle East Policy Council, which critics have called “a mouthpiece for Saudi Arabia” because of its funding from the Saudi royal family. His role on a board for the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation, which has a $16-billion agreement to develop a gas field in Iran, also raised questions.
The inspector general for the national intelligence director agreed last week to examine Freeman’s foreign ties. At the time, Blair said the inquiry would put questions about him to rest.
Blair’s office said he had not sought White House approval for the appointment, which did not require Senate approval.
Freeman put out his own statement last night, saying he made the decision to withdraw after concluding “the barrage of libelous distortions of my record would not cease upon my entry into office.”
He also took a swipe at the Israel lobby which he blamed for the campaign against him.
“The libels on me and their easily traceable email trails show conclusively that there is a powerful lobby determined to prevent any view other than its own from being aired, still less to factor in American understanding of trends and events in the Middle East,” he said. “The tactics of the Israel Lobby plumb the depths of dishonor and indecency and include character assassination, selective misquotation, the willful distortion of the record, the fabrication of falsehoods, and an utter disregard for the truth.”
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This post is tagged with: Barack Obama, Chas W. Freeman Jr., Dennis Blair, Middle East Policy Council, Orrin Hatch, Politics, Recent Stories, Saudi ArabiaRead related stories: Politics · Recent Stories
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Harvard Law ensconced at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.March 12, 2009 at 11:55am
To save on travel expenses, the Harvard Law School Class of 1991 might as well have its reunion this year at the White House.
Obama Names Busiest Gumshoe in Federal Bureaucracy to Oversee Stimulus
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Muckety List of Top Washington Power Couples 2009
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Burris incurs political wrath after amending Blagojevich testimony
After managing to be seated as Illinois’ senator last month, Roland W. Burris may be self-destructing even before he stands for election.
Burris admitted in a newly submitted affadavit made public Saturday by the Chicago Sun-Times that he was, in fact, asked to contribute money to the ousted Illinois governor, who appointed him to fill Barack Obama’s seat.
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Illinois State Rep. Jim Durkin, the highest-ranking Republican on Blagojevich’s impeachment committee, called Sunday for Burris’ resignation.
“I think it would be in the best interest of the state if he resigned because I don’t think the state can stand this anymore… I can’t believe anything that comes out of Mr. Burris at this point.”
State lawmakers are now talking about a perjury investigation, while Senate Democrats are facing pressure to launch an ethics committee probe to determine whether he should be expelled.
In Burris’ new affidavit – dated Feb. 5, three weeks after he was sworn in to replace President Obama – he admits he spoke three times between October and November to Robert Blagojevich, the former governor’s brother, who solicited funds for the governor’s campaign coffers .
In a sworn statement filed with the House panel Jan. 5, before he testified, Burris said he had no contact with Blagojevich’s camp about the Senate seat aside from his appointment in late December.
Then, when testifying before the committee a few days later, he added that he had spoken with Lon Monk, Blagojevich’s former chief of staff.
The governor, who’d already been arrested on charges that included seeking to sell the Senate seat, was subsequently removed from office by the state Legislature.
Burris called a news conference Sunday to deny that the affadavit had changed his story in any substantive way. He said that the questioning by the committee had led him in other directions, and there was never an appropriate opportunity for him to fully disclose the contacts.
“We went in the direction of the other names,” Burris said.
Burris said Sunday he had decided to submit a new affidavit after reading the full transcript of the state proceedings and realizing it was incomplete.
Some, however, suggested that he offered the new disclosures because he realized he might be on tape in the ongoing FBI probe of the former governor, and wanted to put out information himself before it comes out from other sources. In another statement Monday morning, he denied that is the case.
The newest version of events puts Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in a difficult spot. The two men had originally refused to seat Burris on the grounds he was appointed by a governor who’d already been arrested for allegedly trying to auction off the Senate seat.
But with African-American supporters charging that the refusal to seat Burris was racist, and concerns about the party losing the seat in a special election, the leaders relented.
As one condition for seating him, Democrats said Burris needed to testify under oath to a state committee investigating whether to impeach the governor.
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This post is tagged with: Barack Obama, Lon Monk, Politics, Recent Stories, Robert Blagojevich, Rod R. Blajojevich, Roland W. BurrisRead related stories: Politics · Recent Stories1 Comments
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Obama’s stealing the census from Congress has suddenly awakened and enraged the Republicans. Maybe this will arouse them as well to challenge Obama for stealing the Presidency itself. They surely know he is not an Article 2 “natural born citizen” (which is more than merely being a 14th Amendment “citizen”) by virtue of either Obama’s birth to a dad of Kenyan/British citizenship or birth in Kenya itself — as manifested by his unwillingness to supply his long form birth certificate now under seal.
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Master of the Upper East Side helps the homelessFebruary 19, 2009 at 10:13am
In a homecoming on behalf of the homeless, celebrated writer Gay Talese made a return this week to The New York Times.
Feds probe firms close to Rep. John Murtha
Another possible pay-to-play arrangement appears to be unraveling under public scrutiny – this one involving Rep. John Murtha, the powerful defense appropriator from Pennsylvania.
Federal investigators are looking into whether a prominent defense lobbyist and former top aide to Murtha funneled bogus contributions to the Democratic lawmaker in return for earmarks for his clients.
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As the chair of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Murtha helped deliver $100 million in defense-related earmarks to PMA clients in appropriations bills for 2008, according to government watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense, which tracks earmarks.
He also received hundreds of thousands in donations from PMA’s executives and clients during this election cycle. Roll Call found earlier this week that over the last three election cycles, Murtha received about $1.75 million from PMA and its clients.
Murtha, once described as “one of Capitol Hill’s most accomplished masters at the art of pork” by U.S. News & World Report, denies any quid pro quo and says he has no indication he is a federal target.
Federal prosecutors haven’t shown their hand. But late last month, the FBI and IRS also raided the offices of a defense contractor with close ties to Murtha – Kuchera Industries and Kuchera Defense Systems. Murtha has reportedly channeled $100 million in earmarks to those companies.
Even without any indictments, the fallout is already being felt. This week, The Hill reported that the PMA Group is disintegrating, with Magliocchetti heading off to potential retirement in Florida and other principals informing clients that they are starting a new firm, Flagship Government Relations.
The head of the new firm is Kaylene Green, who had been vice chairman of PMA Group and a former Senate Armed Services Committee staffer.
Last year, PMA ranked as the 10th largest lobbying firm in DC, representing a long list of defense companies, among them, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, both of which have facilities in Johnstown, PA. Boeing and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) are also on its client list.
Update 2/19: Roll Call reports that PMA has notified clients that it plans to cease operations March 31,
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This post is tagged with: , Flagship Government Relations, John Murtha, Kaylene Green, Kuchera Defense Systems, Kuchera Industries, Paul Magliocchetti, PMA Group, PoliticsRead related stories: Politics · Recent Stories2 Comments
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IS THERE AN AGENCY THAT INVESTIGATES PEOPLE AND COMPANIES FOR THEIR
SORDID AFFILLIATIONS AND REPUTATIONS? – THAT ISN’T FUNDED BY SOME OF THEM? -
It’s about time that the PEOPLE got MAD and we thew everyone of the bums out! Vote NO on all incumbents!
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Icahn buys low, then takes a seat at the tableMarch 2, 2009 at 7:26am
When stocks and stockholders are depressed, Carl Icahn is energized.
Judd Gregg withdraws as commerce secretary nominee
Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire withdrew his nomination as commerce secretary Thursday, citing “irresolvable conflicts” with President Barack Obama over his stimulus plan and handling of the 2010 census.
“We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy,” Gregg said in a statement released by his Senate office.
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Gregg, 61, a former New Hampshire governor, had signaled his disagreement with the president’s agenda when he abstained from the Senate vote on the stimulus package, which passed the chamber 61 to 37. He had not offered any public comment on the White House’s plan to have the Census director report to White House officials. Many Republicans, however, had voiced serious concerns about the potential politicization of the department.
A member of the Senate since 1993, Gregg is the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, and has been an outspoken critic of big spending.
In his statement, Gregg thanked Obama for the nomination, saying, “I especially admire his willingness to reach across the aisle.”
But he suggested that he had not fully grasped the scope of his differences, saying, “Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy.”
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Feds probe firms close to Rep. John MurthaFebruary 13, 2009 at 10:46am
Another possible pay-to-play arrangement appears to be unraveling under public scrutiny – this one involving Rep. John Murtha, the powerful defense appropriator from Pennsylvania.
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