Congressman resigns after pleading guilty to bribery charges

California Congressman Randy Cunningham resigned from the US House of Representatives after pleading guilty to charges of taking $2.5million in bribes.

Trial to resume for Saddam under tighter security

The trial of Saddam Hussein is set to resume after the defense team asked for a delay in the case and two defense lawyers were assassinated. Iraqi security forces also foiled an attempted assassination against the investigative judge who had presided in the case. A former US Attorney General has asked to be a part of the defense team.

Federal court dismisses lawsuit challenging No Child Left Behind

Indiana State Supreme Court upholds states new anti-abortion law

College student convicted of plotting to assasinate the president

Abu Ali, a college student, was convicted on federal charges of providing material support to Al-Qaeda and plotting to assassinate the president. He is expected to get life in prison. A jury rejected his claims that he was tortured by Saudi security forces.

Justice Dept. indicts Jose Padilla after more than 3 years

The Justice Department today announced an indictment against Jose Padilla after detaining him for more than 3 years. The indictment includes providing material support to a terrorist organization as well as conspiracy to commit terrorism. The Bush administration moved to indict Padilla because the Supreme Court was set to rule on how long the administration could hold a US citizen without charges relating to terrorism.

US bans import of poultry from British Columbia

GM announces 30,000 job cuts

Michael Scanlon a former Aide to Delay pleads guilty

A former Aide to Congressman Delay plead guilty to unrelated charges of corruption and bribery of public officials. Scanlon was a partner and lobbyist with Jack Abramoff who has been charged with corruption. Abramoff was the Chief procurement officer for the White House. This is unrelated to the indictment against Delay which deals with campaign finance laws in Texas.

State Senator John Hottinger, former majority leader not seeking re-election

State Senator John Hottinger announced today that he will not run for re-election after the next session. Hottinger was removed from the majority leaders post after getting rolled by the House and the Governor in the 2003 session on the budget and most other issues.

Bush to headline fundraiser for Mark Kennedy

Republicans struggling to pass spending bills for FY 2006

Moderate republicans switched their votes to side with democrats who called the budget cuts proposed by the republican leadership to be too deep for some programs. They pointed to cuts in grants for college bound students, food stamps for children, and seniors. The federal governments fiscal year ends in October. The government has been passing temporary spending which allow federal agencies to operate at the previous years funding level. The proposed budget is approximately $2.2 Trillion dollars. Republicans proposed $50B in cuts for the next 5 years. Republicans had hoped to finish passing spending bills by Thanksgiving but were unable to and could be a point of contention when they reconvene in December. There is an estimated 20B dollar difference between the House and Senate in spending cuts.

House Republican Leadership offers Iraq resolution to challenge democrats

The House Republican leadership offered a resolution to immediately withdraw from Iraq to challenge democrats that they are willing to cut and run. Rep. Duncan Hunter (D-CA), Chairman of the Armed Services Committee asked for a roll call vote which would put each members vote on official record. The House overwhelmingly rejected the resolution 403-3 which is what republicans expected.

US retains control over internet

After avoiding a major squabble with the UN the US negotiated a deal to retain control over the internet. There have been rumors afloat for quite some time that the UN was trying to take over the internet. That rumored as been settled for now. Im not sure that the UN would have the authority to do that since the internet was developed in the United States by our government.

Senate Banking Cmte approves Bernanke as next Chairman of Federal Reserve

State Senator Becky Lourey to run for Governor

Congress set to make most of Patriot Act permanent

House and Senate negotiators have made minor changes to the Patriot Act but not enough for civil liberty groups. The changes include curbing powers to the FBI and the Justice Department reporting more on secret investigations on ordinary citizens.

Recent development puts Libby indictments in doubt

Bill would force FDA to make decision on emergency contraception

A bill is currently making its way through the US House after the FDA postponed indefinitely a vote on whether to make emergency contraceptives over-the-counter. Some have accused the FDA of putting politics above science. A senior research scientist for the FDA resigned over the issue. The bill would force the FDA to make a decision or the Congress would intervene.

Planned Parenthood irked by Target's policy on emergency contraceptives

Planned Parenthood is irked with Target's policy on emergency contraceptives. Target allows its pharmacists to not dispense emergency contraceptives to customers if they object on moral grounds. Planned Parenthood said that this is not fair because they say it is embarassing enough to go to the store to get it. Target defended its policy sayin that the pharmacist would be required to allow another pharmacist to fill the order even if it meant calling another store and verifying that they could fullfill the order.

Democrats say 2005 election was referendum on Bush Administration

Bush defends decision to go to War in Iraq on Veterans Day

Pres. Bush argued that while his critics can critcise him on the conduct of the war that it is irreponsible to accuse him of misleading the American people on the pre-war intelligence which led to that decision. He said that the congress saw the same information that he did and that congress authorized him to use force if necessary. He also stated that other western intelligence agencies including Britain, France and Russia agreed with our assessment. This also includes that a report exonerated British PM Tony Blair of exagerating the intelligence information.

Parliament rejects British PM Blair's proposal to fight terrorism

US House postpone vote on budget to next week

The House republican leadership were forced to table a vote on the budget after failing to get enough votes on the budget. Some moderate republicans joined democrats because they argued that there were too many cuts proposed that were unecesary in which the republicans wanted to cut $50B including children, money for college, and food stamp programs. The Senate has a bill to cut $39B from the budget.

Church leaders meet to support ban on gay marriage

NWA and Mesaba compete over dueling claims of debt while both are in bankruptcy protection

Oil executives fail to fully explain how price is set to Senate Cmte

Former FEMA Director finally off the payroll

Parents sue school district over sex survey at elementary school

Speaker Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Frist announce joint investigation in another CIA leak

Some election results for 2005

France declares state of emergency

Some elections here and across the country in 2005

Bush orders White House staff to review rules on classified info

Pres. Bush has ordered White House staff through a memo from the Councils Office to review rules regarding the handling of classified material. Anyone with a security clearance will be required to attend a meeting to understand how to handle classified material. The memo states the president wants the staff to understand the spirit as wells as the letter of the law regarding classified information.

Bush leaves Summit of the Americas early without consensus on FTAA

Pres. Bush left the Summit of the Americas in Argentina early after leaders were not able to come to consensus on the proposed trade agreement FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas). This trade agreement is designed to bring down trade barriers between the US and South America and stimulate economic development. Some have criticized the agreement saying that the agreement only benefits the United States. Proponents argue that this will increase the standard of living in South America where the economies have struggled in recent years. There are 5 countries who still object to the trade agreement.

Senate Judiciary Cmte announces confirmation hearings for Samuel Alito for Jan. 9th

The Senate Judiciary Committee has announced that they will begin confirmation hearings for Judge Samuel Alito beginning Jan. 9th. This nominee will replace current Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Her resignation from the court is contingent on a successor being confirmed to the high court.

Senate Banking Cmte announces confirmation hearing for Federal Reserve Chairman

The Senate Banking Committee has announced a hearing for the confirmation of the next Federal Reserve Chairman Bill Bernanke. It is set for Nov. 14th. Greenspan's term expires on Jan. 31st.

French government meets to deal with growing riots in Paris

Oregon judge dismisses lawsuit challenging ban on gay marriage

After Oregon voters approved a ban on gay marriage in 2004 a lawsuit ensued challenging the constitutionality of the law. A judge has dismissed the lawsuit and upheld that the ban was legal.

Rioting continues in Paris, France

Judge grants motion to recuse presiding judge in Delay case

A retired judge granted a motion without comment to recuse the presiding judge. Delay's lawyers had argued that the judges donations to democrats who were Delay's political opponents makes them biased in this case.

Presidential commission on tax reform recommends major overhaul

Senate inquires about soaring oil profits

Senate has rare closed session

The Senate held a rare closed session in chambers. Senator Harry Reid(D-NV) forced a closed session to get a hearing on classified information on Iraq. Republicans were irked because this type of procedure is done prior to an agreement. Democrats defended their actions saying that the White House continued to stonewall the Senate on the information. This was enlight of the Indictment of the former VP's Chief of Staff "Scooter" Libby with respect to intelligence information on Iraq.

Philadelphia transit workers go on strike

Bush announces national strategy on Avian flu