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AM Feed - July 10: Appropriations Committee Shenanigans Continue

Hot Topics

• Why is the deputy chief of staff at the House Appropriations Committee pocketing a $2 million check from his former employer, a lobbying firm with business before the same committee? (Or did that question just answer itself?) Jeffrey Shockey – a former staffer to none other than embattled Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) “earned” a $2 million severance package from the lobbying firm when he decided to skip through the revolving door and return to work on Capitol Hill last year. The size of the payout once again demonstrates the high-stakes games that lobbying firms and lawmakers are playing in Washington, DC. Rep. Lewis currently chairs the Appropriations Committee, and he has come under fire for his close relationship with lobbyist Bill Lowery. [link]
• A new round of Secret Service records have disclosed more records of tainted superlobbyist Jack Abramoff visiting the White House in 2001. The latest round shows four additional visits that year, including one to see a domestic policy aide to Vice President Dick Cheney. This brings the number of known White House visits by Abramoff to seven. [link]
• Despite this continued news of corruption, both houses of the Republican-controlled Congress continue to drag their feet in negotiating an ethics reform bill. Both the Senate and House have passed differing versions of the bill. Neither edition was particularly strong, but the House version was exceptionally watered down, even after some initial tough talk from members of Congress. [link]

Quote of the Day

“I want to set the standard there that it is not optional for this president or any president or people in the executive community not to keep the intelligence committees fully informed of what they are doing.” – Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), lashing out at the Bush administration’s secrecy on “Fox News Sunday” yesterday.

Morning Snark

• It’s nice to hear such tough talk from Rep. Hoekstra, but is he under the impression that this secrecy is a new phenomenon for the Bush administration? Did he just wake up from a five-year nap?

1. Is anybody aware of the hunger strike that Cindy Sheehan, Code Pink and celebrities such as Susan Sarandan and Danny Glover are conducting? This is a very inspiring development, at least from my standpoint…
   — John    Jul 10, 11:45    #
2. Do hunger strikes solve anything? I would love to see a HUGE amount of people converge on DC to show our gov’t that we are sick of their s**t.
   — Jeannine    Jul 10, 13:15    #
3. Jeannine, the answer to your question is in Indian history with Gandhi mobilizing enormous numbers of Indians to oust the hateful Brits from India. I’m not sure that strategy’s success would be repeated in this country at this time although Cesar Chavez used it effectively in the 70s. Time will tell.
   — John    Jul 10, 13:23    #
4. There are few Amerricans as devoted to a cause as was Ghandi. The success of any protest is directly related to the level of dedication. You also would need a government that gives a damn.
   — Rosalie Stern    Jul 10, 13:55    #
5. I think you are right on the money, Rosalie! This is something that is hard for me to admit, even to myself. I would urge you and Jeannine not to give in and remain defiant no matter how bleak things get. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!!
   — John    Jul 11, 10:45    #
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