American Ideology

Secret Court's Judges Were Warned About NSA Spy Data
'I always feel like somebody's watchin' me. I can't get no privacy'

The revelations infuriated U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly -- who, like her predecessor, Royce C. Lamberth, had expressed serious doubts about whether the warrantless monitoring of phone calls and e-mails ordered by Bush was legal. Both judges had insisted that no information obtained this way be used to gain warrants from their court, according to government sources, and both had been assured by administration officials it would never happen.

Expert on Congress's Power Claims He Was Muzzled for Faulting Bush
No soup for him, I guess.

"WASHINGTON -- A dispute involving a researcher at the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service is fueling a debate over whether analysts throughout the government are being muzzled to prevent criticism of Bush administration policies.

Louis Fisher, a 36-year veteran of the agency and an expert on the separation of powers, said his superiors wrongly punished him for giving interviews and publishing scholarly articles under his own name that contained criticism of the White House. Top officials deny those allegations, saying they were simply trying to protect the agency's reputation for nonpartisanship and objectivity."

DeLay Lands Coveted Appropriations Spot:
Just give the keys to the hen house to the fox after you've caught him with blood and feathers on his face.

"'Allowing Tom DeLay to sit on a committee in charge of giving out money is like putting Michael Brown back in charge of FEMA — Republicans in Congress just can't seem to resist standing by their man,' said Bill Burton, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee."

Gonzales Misled Congress Again
Isn't just awesome that the Republicans didn't allow him to be sworn in.

Hastert, Frist said to rig bill for drug firms
Yep, that's about right.