Washington News
White House flip-flop. ... anti-Bush site ... Oliver vs. Daniel
By LISA HOFFMAN
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
At President Bush's press conference this past week there was something new and it didn't have to do with Iraq.
His lectern and podium were moved from the corridor entrance of the White House's East Room _ where they had been placed for news conferences since the Reagan administration _ to the far wall with its backdrop of elaborate gold draperies.
The Reagan White House had positioned them adjacent to the corridor for two reasons.
Telemarketers rebuked ... lobbyists want money back
By LISA HOFFMAN
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Take a moment and give thanks to the Federal Trade Commission for sparing us from yet another telemarketing onslaught.
Two years ago a California company came up with a way to get around the telemarketing ban that millions of consumers signed up for when a "do-not-call" registry was created in 2003.
The firm contended prerecorded calls should be exempt from that don't-bother-us-anymore rule.
Osborne prepares to go home to Nebraska
By JOSH SWARTZLANDER
Monday, November 13, 2006
Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., strides into his office on Capitol Hill - a combination of football and congressional memorabilia decorating the walls - mutes Fox News anchor John Gibson and lowers his rangy frame into a leather chair.
Priest admits he fondled Foley
By AMIE PARNES
Sunday, November 12, 2006
A Roman Catholic priest admitted Thursday that he had once fondled Mark Foley when the former congressman was a teenager, but denied that he raped him.
Anthony Mercieca, 72, a retired priest who lives on the Maltese Island of Gozo, confirmed in a telephone interview with station WPTV in West Palm Beach, Fla., that he is the clergyman whom Foley has accused of sexually abusing him when the disgraced ex-lawmaker was between 13 and 15 years of age at Sacred Heart in Lake Worth, Fla.
After moving from Brazil in 1967, Mercieca said he and "a very friendly" Foley quickly bonded and became "great friends."
"...We became attached to each other, but we didn't do anything dirty or so, you know?" he said, describing how they became companions and "like brothers."
"Then, uh, once _ and maybe I touched him or so, you know, but because it's not something you'd call rape or penetration or anything like that, you know?" Mercieca said in the interview.
Reports: Eat more fish
By LEE BOWMAN
Friday, November 10, 2006
Although there are times when contamination should be a concern, the health benefits of regular fish consumption outweigh the risks, according to two new government-sponsored reports released Tuesday.
The reports, based on reviews of previous research, suggest that Americans generally would benefit from eating a little more fish, rather than less.
"Overall, for major health outcomes among adults, the benefits of eating fish greatly outweigh the risks.
Rep. Serrano Aces Environmental Scorecard
Rep. José Serrano (D-N.Y.) received a 100% score on the 2006 League of Conservation Voters’ Environmental Scorecard.
“I believe that Congress must take the lead in protecting our environment,”? Serrano said Oct. 13. “Unfortunately, in a Congress run by a conservative Republican majority, pro-environment legislative successes were few. Our environment and the planet’s health are approaching dangerous tipping points, after which it will be hard or impossible to repair the damage already done. We must take action now and not pass these problems on to the next generation.”?
To view the full story, visit The Capitol Standard.
Rep. Tancredo Asks GSA for Government Boycott of Venezuelan Oil
Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) Oct. 12 sent a letter to Thomas Dryer, the General Services Administration’s Acting Associate Administrator for Congressional Affairs, asking him to consider a new rule that would prevent government employees from using government credit cards to purchase CITGO gasoline to protest Venezuelan leader Hugo
Chávez’s recent speech at the United Nations.
“Chávez’s now infamous delusional outburst was an insult to the entire country,”? said Tancredo, chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus. “It is time for taxpayers to stop pouring money into the pockets of this despot.”?
To view the full story, visit The Capitol Standard.
Rep. Reyes Requests Hearings on Disposal of Hazardous Waste
Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) Oct. 12 requested a series of congressional hearings and investigations regarding newly reported incidents of alleged “illegal treatment and disposal of hazardous waste”? by the Defense Department at the Asarco smelting plant in El Paso.
Reyes formally asked for hearings by the House Armed Services and House Government Reform Committees to begin the week of November 13 as soon as Congress reconvenes. Additionally, Reyes has asked Comptroller General David Walker for an inquiry by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
To view the full story, visit The Capitol Standard.
Bush, Pelosi could be thrown into a 'shotgun marriage'
By MARC SANDALOW
Friday, November 10, 2006
Mocking Rep. Nancy Pelosi is now a standard part of President Bush's campaign pitch.
"The top Democrat leader in the House made an interesting declaration.
Taxpayer-funded medical plan likely covers Foley rehab
By AMIE PARNES and CHRISTOPHER MOODY
Friday, November 10, 2006
A taxpayer funded medical plan covers the type of alcohol rehabilitation program that former Rep. Mark Foley is using, a spokeswoman for the clerk's office at the U.S.
