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HavenWorks.com/nevada/archive |
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- Nevada Archive
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Harriet
Miers
- 
US
Attorneys - 
Political
- 
Government
- 
Law
- 
Nev
- "Broader
Privilege Claimed In Firings: White House Says Hill
Can't Pursue Contempt Cases." ... "[Republican President] Bush administration
officials unveiled a bold new assertion of executive authority yesterday
in the dispute over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, saying that the
Justice Department will never be allowed to pursue contempt charges initiated
by Congress against White House officials once the president has invoked
executive privilege." ... "The position presents serious legal and political
obstacles for congressional Democrats, who have begun laying the groundwork
for contempt proceedings against current and former White House officials
in order to pry loose information about the dismissals." ... "Under federal
law, a statutory contempt citation by the House or Senate must be submitted
to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, "whose duty it shall
be to bring the matter before the grand jury for its action."" ... "But
administration officials argued yesterday that Congress has no power to
force a U.S. attorney to pursue contempt charges in cases, such as the
prosecutor firings, in which the president has declared that testimony
or documents are protected from release by executive privilege. Officials
pointed to a Justice Department legal opinion during the Reagan administration,
which made the same argument in a case that was never resolved by the courts."
... "Yesterday, a House Judiciary subcommittee voted to lay the groundwork
for contempt proceedings against White House chief of staff Joshua B. Bolten,
following a similar decision last week against former White House counsel
Harriet E. Miers." ... "Senate Majority Leader [Nevada Democratic Senator]
Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) called it "an outrageous abuse of executive privilege"
and said: "The White House must stop stonewalling and start being accountable
to Congress and the American people. No one, including the president, is
above the law."" (1, 2)
-By Dan Eggen and Amy Goldstein with contributions
by Alice Crites -WashingtonPost
David
Vitter - 
LA
- Politics
- Nev
- "Senate
leader wants 'airing' of Vitter scandal." ... "The
Democratic leader in the Senate said Tuesday the call-girl scandal that
has engulfed [Louisiana Republican Senator] Sen. David Vitter, R-La., should
have "a full airing" and noted that there is an open criminal investigation
into the escort service that Vitter acknowledged calling." ... "[Nevada
Democratic Senator] Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., made his comments on the day
that Vitter returned to Capitol Hill after a week-long hiatus prompted
by his public admission that his number appeared on the phone records of
the "D.C. Madam."" ... ""I think this should have a full airing," Reid
said. "There are a lot of accusations about prostitutes here in Washington,
prostitutes in Louisiana. I don't know if that's breaking the law or not.
It's obvious that it all came about as someone who's being charged with
a crime here in Washington, D.C."" -By Bill Walsh
and Bruce Alpert -NOLA.com
US
- 
Pakistan
- 
Afghanistan
- Osama
bin Laden
- 
Military
- 
Terrorism
- 
Intelligence
- 
Money
- 
Communications
- Politics
- Nev
- "U.S.
Warns Of Stronger Al-Qaeda: Administration Report
Cites Havens in Pakistan." ... "Six years after the Bush administration
declared war on al-Qaeda, the terrorist network is gaining strength and
has established a safe haven in remote tribal areas of western Pakistan
for training and planning attacks, according to a new Bush administration
intelligence report to be discussed today at a White House meeting." ...
"The report, a five-page threat assessment compiled by the National Counterterrorism
Center, is titled "Al-Qaida Better Positioned to Strike the West," intelligence
officials said. It concludes that the group has significantly rebuilt itself
despite concerted U.S. attempts to smash the network." ... "Although the
officials declined to discuss the assessment's content because it is classified,
the CIA's deputy director for intelligence, John A. Kringen, told a House
committee yesterday that al-Qaeda appears "to be fairly well settled into
the safe haven in the ungoverned spaces of Pakistan."" ... ""We see more
training. We see more money. We see more communications," Kringen said."
... "Citing news reports about the intelligence assessment, Senate Majority
Leader [Nevada Democratic Senator] Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement
that "it is a travesty that Osama bin Laden remains at large . . . and
appears to have found new sanctuary to operate freely in the Afghanistan-Pakistan
border regions." Several House" (1, 2)
-By Spencer S. Hsu and Walter Pincus with contributions
by Dan Eggen, Joby Warrick and Alice Crites
-WashingtonPost
Jim
Gibbons - Government
- Military
- Money
- Politics
- Nevada
- "FBI
probes Nevada governor for corruption: Did Jim Gibbons
accept cash and gifts in exchange for defense contracts?" ... "The new
[Republican] governor of Nevada, Jim Gibbons, is being investigated by
the FBI because of alleged gifts and payments from Warren Trepp, a defense
contractor whose Nevada firm received tens of millions of dollars in federal
contracts." ... "The FBI wants to know if Gibbons, while a member of Congress,
improperly used his influence to help Trepp get those contracts." ... "Sources
close to the investigation say a key focus is a lavish week-long Caribbean
cruise in March 2005 by Gibbons, his wife and son, and Trepp, who paid
for almost everything." ... "Software designer Dennis Montgomery was also
on that cruise with Gibbons. He estimates the trip cost "probably $20,000
a person," claiming he saw the invoice. Montgomery says his former business
partner Trepp chartered a 727 to fly guests from Nevada to Florida and
back and picked up the tab for penthouse rooms, private meals and expensive
wines." ... "In an exclusive interview with NBC, Montgomery — who's now
at war with his former partner — makes an explosive charge. He says that
near the end of the cruise, he saw Trepp pass money to the congressman."
... "Dennis Montgomery: There was a lot of alcohol and a lot of
drinking. And that's when I first saw Warren give Jim Gibbons money." ...
"Lisa Myers: How much?" ... "Montgomery: Close to $100,000."
-By Lisa Myers and Jim Popkin
-MSNBC
Cunningham
- 
Renzi
- Gibbons
- 
Jerry
Lewis - Miers
- 
Sampson
- 
Griffin
- 
Rove
- Noteworthy
- Secret
- US
Attorneys - Law
- Money
- Politics
- Los
Angeles - 
California
- 
Arizona
- Nevada
- 
Arkansas
- "The
U.S. Attorney, the G.O.P. Congressman and the Timely Job Offer."
... "There is yet another United States attorney whose abrupt departure
from office is raising questions: Debra Wong Yang of Los Angeles [California]."
... "Carol Lam, the United States attorney in San Diego [California], was
fired after she put [California Republican Representative] Randy Cunningham,
known as Duke, in prison. Paul Charlton, in Arizona, was dismissed while
he was investigating [Arizona Republican Representative] Rick Renzi. Dan
Bogden, in Nevada, was fired while he was reportedly investigating [Republican]
Jim Gibbons, a congressman who was elected [Nevada] governor last year."
... "Ms. Yang was investigating [California Republican Representative]
Jerry Lewis, who was chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee."
... "Ms. Yang says she left for personal reasons, but there is growing
evidence that the White House was intent on removing her. Kyle Sampson,
the Justice Department staff member in charge of the firings, told investigators
last month in still-secret testimony that Harriet Miers, the White House
counsel at the time, had asked him more than once about Ms. Yang. He testified,
according to Congressional sources, that as late as mid-September, Ms.
Miers wanted to know whether Ms. Yang could be made to resign. Mr. Sampson
reportedly recalled that Ms. Miers was focused on just two United States
attorneys: Ms. Yang and Bud Cummins, the Arkansas prosecutor who was later
fired to make room for Tim Griffin, a Republican political operative and
Karl Rove protégé." ... "Press reports say she [Ms. Yang]
got a $1.5 million signing bonus to become a partner in Gibson, Dunn &
Crutcher, a firm with strong Republican ties." ... "Gibson, Dunn was defending
Mr. Lewis in Ms. Yang’s investigation." -By Adam Cohen
-NYTimes
US
- 
Iraq
- Military
- Money
- Legislation
- 
History
- California
- Nev
- "Bush
vetoes war funding bill, but fight isn’t over: Democrats
promise to push the issue; compromise discussions planned." ... "Returning
to the White House tonight from a visit to Central Command in Florida,
the president made good on his promise to veto a war spending bill that
sets a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops." ... "Earlier on Capitol
Hill, Democrats had the stage — signing a $124 billion war supplemental
that sets a goal of withdrawing most combat forces from Iraq by April 2008."
... ""This legislation respects the wishes of the American people to end
the Iraq war," Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi [California Democratic
Representative] said." ... ""A veto means denying our troops the resources
and the strategy that they need," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
[Nevada Democratic Senator], said." ... "The measure passed five days ago,
but sending the bill to the White House on this day carried a political
message. It was May 1, 2003, when the president, standing beneath a "Mission
Accomplished" banner, announced — prematurely — the end of major combat
operations in Iraq." -By David Gregory
-MSNBC
US
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
- Military
- Terrorism
- Money
- Legislation
- History
- Nevada
- California
- "Bush
vetoes war-funding bill with withdrawal timetable."
... "Four years to the day after standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier
and declaring "major combat operations" in Iraq were over, President Bush
on Tuesday vetoed a war-spending bill that calls for the start of a withdrawal
of American combat troops from the conflict." ... ""It makes no sense to
tell the enemy when you plan to start withdrawing. All the terrorists would
have to do is mark their calendars. ... Setting a deadline for withdrawal
is setting a date for failure, and that would be irresponsible," Bush said
in a televised address after the veto." ... "After the speech, Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada [Democratic Senator], said the ball was now
in Bush's court." ... ""Now he has an obligation to explain his plan to
responsibly end this war," Reid said." ... ""If the president thinks [that]
by vetoing this bill he'll stop us from working to change the direction
of the war in Iraq, he is mistaken," Reid added." ... "Standing beside
Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California [Democratic Representative],
said: "The president wants a blank check. The Congress is not going to
give it to him."" ... "The spending bill, which Congress passed last week,
funds military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it also calls for
the withdrawal of U.S. troops beginning in October, with the goal of getting
all U.S. combat forces out of Iraq by the end of March 2008." -Contributed
to by Dana Bash and Ted Barrett -CNN
US
- Iraq
- Military
- Legislation
- Nevada
- "Reid:
Bush In "Denial" On Iraq: Senate Majority Leader
Says Congress Will Pass Bill This Week Mandating U.S. Troop Withdrawal."
... "Senate Majority Leader [Nevada Democratic Senator] Harry Reid said
Monday that President Bush is in "denial" and alone in believing things
are getting better in Iraq, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Fuss[.]"
... "Reid said the Democratic-controlled Congress will defy White House
veto threats and pass legislation within days requiring the start of a
troop withdrawal from Iraq by Oct. 1." ... "The legislation also sets a
goal of a complete pullout by April 1, 2008, he said." ... "Reid said that
under the legislation the troops that remain after next April 1 could only
train Iraqi security units, protect U.S forces and conduct "targeted counter-terror
operations."" -AP
via -CBSNews
Government
- 
Health
- Drug
- Money
- Law
- Nev
- "Medicare
Bill Seems Headed for Defeat." ... "Democrats signaled
that a main post-election agenda item — giving the government the authority
to negotiate for lower drug prices in Medicare –appears headed for defeat
in the Senate in a procedural vote scheduled for Wednesday." ... "“Based
on the power of the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and
the closeness they have to the administration and the Republicans, I don’t
have a lot of confidence,” said Senate Majority Leader [Nevada Democratic
Senator] Harry Reid (D., Nev.), when asked about the bill’s prospects."
... "In any case, the White House has threatened to veto the measure. "
-By Sarah Lueck -WSJ.com
Homeless
- 
People
- 
Food
- Poverty
- Religious
- Politics
- 
FL
- 
TX
- NV
- 
NC
- "Cities
set limits on serving food to homeless people." ...
"Cities are cracking down on charities that feed the homeless, adopting
rules that restrict food giveaways to certain locations, require charities
to get permits or limit the number of free meals they can provide." ...
"Orlando [FL], Dallas [TX], Las Vegas [NV] and Wilmington, N.C., began
enforcing such laws last year. Some are being challenged." ... "Last November,
a federal judge blocked the Las Vegas law banning food giveaways to the
poor in city parks. In Dallas, two ministries are suing, arguing that the
law violates religious freedom." -By Emily Bazar
-USATODAY
Griffin
- Rove
- 
Schlozman
- US
Attorneys - Poor
- People
- Civil
Righs - Law
- 
Enforcement
- Politics
- Ark
- Florida
- 
Colorado
- 
Wisconsin
- 
Minnesota
- 
Iowa
- Arkansas
- 
Michigan
- Nevada
- 
New
Mexico - 
Georgia
- 2004
Election - 2008
Election - "New
U.S. attorneys seem to have partisan records." ...
"Under [Republican] President Bush, the Justice Department has backed laws
that narrow minority voting rights and pressed U.S. attorneys to investigate
voter fraud - policies that critics say have been intended to suppress
Democratic votes." ... "Since 2005, McClatchy Newspapers has found, Bush
has appointed at least three U.S. attorneys who had worked in the Justice
Department's civil rights division when it was rolling back longstanding
voting-rights policies aimed at protecting predominantly poor, minority
voters." ... "Another newly installed U.S. attorney, Tim Griffin in Little
Rock, Ark. [Arkansas], was accused of participating in efforts to suppress
Democratic votes in Florida during the 2004 presidential election while
he was a research director for the Republican National Committee. He's
denied any wrongdoing." ... "Taken together, critics say, the replacement
of the U.S. attorneys, the voter-fraud campaign and the changes in Justice
Department voting rights policies suggest that the Bush administration
may have been using its law enforcement powers for partisan political purposes."
... "Last April, while the Justice Department and the White House were
planning the [US Attorneys] firings, [Republican President Bush's deputy
chief of staff Karl] Rove gave a speech in Washington to the Republican
National Lawyers Association. He ticked off 11 states that he said could
be pivotal in the 2008 elections. Bush has appointed new U.S. attorneys
in nine of them since 2005: Florida, Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa,
Arkansas, Michigan, Nevada and New Mexico. U.S. attorneys in the latter
four were among those fired." ... "Several former voting rights lawyers,
who asked to remain anonymous for fear of antagonizing the administration,
said the division's political appointees reversed the recommendations of
career lawyers in key cases and transferred or drove out most of the unit's
veteran attorneys." ... "Bradley Schlozman, who was the civil rights division's
deputy chief, agreed in 2005 to reverse the career staff's recommendations
to challenge a Georgia law that would have required voters to pay $20 for
photo IDs and in some cases travel as far as 30 miles to obtain the ID
card." ... "A federal judge threw out the Georgia law, calling it an unconstitutional,
Jim Crow-era poll tax." -By Greg Gordon, Margaret
Talev and Marisa Taylor with contributions by Tish Wells and Ron Hutcheson
-McClatchy via
-RealCities
TV
- 
Media
- Terrorism
- Business
- 2008
Election - 
Online
- 
Illinois
- Nevada
- "Nevada
Democrats cancel candidate debate co-hosted by Fox News."
... "The Nevada Democratic Party has canceled an August debate that was
to be co-hosted by Fox News Channel, citing comments by the network's president
rather than an online protest launched by activists and bloggers who believe
the channel is biased." ... ""Comments made last night by Fox News President
Roger Ailes in reference to one of our presidential candidates went too
far. We cannot, as good Democrats, put our party in a position to defend
such comments," state Democratic Party Chairman Tom Collins and Nevada
Sen. Harry Reid wrote in a letter sent Friday to Fox News." ... "Ailes
reportedly made a comment playing on the similarity of Illinois Sen. Barack
Obama's name to Osama Bin Laden." ... "MoveOn.org Civic Action, a network
of liberal activists, called on the state Democratic Party to drop partnership
with Fox, which the group calls "a mouthpiece for the Republican party,"
two weeks ago." ... ""We hope this sets a precedent for all Democrats,
that Fox should be treated as a right-wing misinformation network, not
legitimized as a neutral source of news," Eli Pariser, executive director
of MoveOn.org Civic Action, said in a statement." -By
Kathleen Hennessey -AP
via -LasVegasSun.com
Nevada
- TV
- Media
- Business
- 2008
Election - John
Edwards - "John
Edwards To Skip Nevada Debate: Liberal Activists
Protest Fox News' Role In Presidential Candidate Forum." ... "[2008 Election]
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards won't participate in a debate
co-hosted by Fox News and the Nevada Democratic Party, his campaign said,
as party officials tried to settle a dustup over their partnership with
the cable network." ... "Edwards' campaign said the involvement of Fox
News, which is often accused by liberals of having a conservative bias,
was part of the decision to pass on the Aug. 14 debate in Reno." ... ""There
were a number of factors and Fox was one of those. We're already planning
to participate in a jam-packed schedule of debates across this country
... we can't attend every single debate and forum," the campaign said in
a statement." ... "The two Democratic presidential frontrunners, Sen. Hillary
Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, have not indicated whether they will attend
the Nevada debate. Fox boss Rupert Murdoch threw a Senate fundraiser for
Clinton, and is said to have a good relationship with the former first
lady." ... "Online activists and bloggers quickly hailed Edwards' decision
as a victory in their campaign to urge Nevada Democrats to drop Fox News
as a partner." ... "MoveOn.org Civic Action says it has collected more
than 260,000 signatures on a petition that calls the cable network a "mouthpiece
for the Republican Party, not a legitimate news channel.""
-AP via -CBSNews
Secret
- Military
- 
Computer
- 
Technology
- Money
- Law
- Politics
- Jim
Gibbons
- Nevada
- "FBI
looks at Nevada governor: Ex-Rep. Jim Gibbons [Nevada
Republican] is investigated over military contracts." ... "The FBI is investigating
whether Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons properly reported gifts or payments from
a software company that was awarded secret military contracts when he was
in Congress." ... "A federal law enforcement official confirmed the FBI
probe Thursday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because
of the investigation, said the inquiry was focusing on what role Gibbons
played in awarding contracts to eTreppid Technologies and whether he received
any gifts in exchange." -AP
via -LAtimes
Secret
- Government
- Military
- Intelligence
- Computer
- Technology
- Money
- Politics
- Jim
Gibbons
- Nevada
- "U.S.
Looks Into Gifts to Ex-Congressman, Now Governor."
... "Federal authorities are investigating gifts and payments that [Republican]
Gov. Jim Gibbons of Nevada received as a congressman from an executive
of a software company that got millions of dollars in federal contracts,
government officials said Thursday." ... "Investigators are examining whether
the gifts and payments to Mr. Gibbons, a Republican, were in exchange for
his help as a member of the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees."
... "The payments were from Warren Trepp, owner of eTreppid Technologies,
based in Reno. The company was awarded contracts from several government
agencies including the Air Force, the Special Operations Command and the
Central Intelligence Agency." ... "Some of the company’s no-bid contracts
were classified, which meant that the size of the contract and its purpose
were hidden in a budget process that was not made public." -By
David Johnston -NYTimes
Secret
- Government
- Military
- Computer
- Money
- Enforcement- Politics
- Jim
Gibbons
- E-Mail
- Nevada
- "Nevada
governor facing FBI probe of classified federal contracts."
... "Federal authorities confirmed Thursday that [Republican] Nevada Gov.
Jim Gibbons is being investigated for failing to properly report gifts
or payments from a software company that was awarded secret military contracts
when he was in Congress." ... "Gibbons said he had not been contacted by
the FBI regarding his contacts with Warren Trepp, a longtime friend and
owner of eTreppid who contributed nearly $100,000 to Gibbons' campaign
for governor." ... "The evidence cited includes e-mails to Trepp discussing
a payment or gifts to then-Rep. Gibbons. The e-mails also show Gibbons
using his congressional office to help the company seek classified military
and civilian contracts, the newspaper said." ... ""Please don't forget
to bring the money you promised Jim and Dawn," Trepp's wife, Jale Trepp,
said in a March 22, 2005, e-mail days before Trepp and his wife embarked
on the Caribbean cruise with Jim Gibbons and his wife, Dawn, a former Nevada
state assemblywoman." ... "According to the [Wall Street] Journal, Trepp
responded minutes later saying: "Don't you ever send this kind of message
to me! Erase this message from your computer right now!"" ... "Gibbons
said he knew nothing about the e-mails." -By Brendan
Riley with contributions by Lara Jakes -AP
via -LasVegasSun.com
Mark
Foley - Computer
- E-Mail
- Messages
- Laws
- 
Children
- Politics
- Dennis
Hastert - Illinois
- Florida
- Nevada
- California
- Louisiana
- "FBI
looking into Foley computer exchanges." ... "The
FBI is looking at whether former Florida [Republican] Rep. Mark Foley's
computer exchanges with underage House pages broke any laws, an FBI spokesman
said late Sunday." ... "Under fire from Democrats, House Speaker Dennis
Hastert [Illinois Republican] also asked Sunday that [Republican] U.S.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales - and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- look into the case." ... "Foley, a Florida Republican, gave no reason
for leaving but said he was "deeply sorry" and resigned Friday after the
subsequent, sexually explicit instant messages were disclosed by ABC News."
... "Earlier Sunday, Democrats in both chambers, Senate Democratic leader
Harry Reid of Nevada and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California,
called for investigations." ... "Hastert's office said Saturday his office
was contacted last fall by a staff member in the office of Louisiana Republican
Rep. Rodney Alexander, where the page once worked. The boy said in an e-mail
to Alexander's office that the computer exchange with Foley "freaked him
out" and was "sick..sick..sick."" -By Lesley Clark
-McClatchy via
-MercuryNews
Cheney
- Terrorism
- Election
2006 - 
Connecticut
- Nev.
- "Cheney
Accused of Politicizing Terrorism: Senate Democrats
Accuse Vice President Cheney of Politicizing Terror Plot." ... "Senate
Democratic leaders on Friday accused Vice President Dick Cheney of playing
politics with terrorism and contended that voters won't buy Republican
arguments that the GOP is stronger on national security." ... ""They've
run this play one too many times. The American people simply do not recognize
any validity in what they're saying," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid,
D-Nev., said in a conference call with reporters." ... "The vice president
suggested that [Connecticut Democrat] Lamont's victory might encourage
"the al-Qaida types" who want to "break the will of the American people
in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task."" ...
"Reid took issue with the vice president's comments, saying, "This situation
isn't going well and anyone that suggests that the people of Connecticut
are somehow supporting terrorists, I don't think that's credible and that's
what Cheney suggested."" (1, 2)
-By Liz Sidoti -AP
via -ABCNEWS.com
US
- Iraq
- Military
- Intelligence
- Law
- 2006
Election - Nev.
- Pat
Roberts
- 
Kan.
- "Report
on Prewar Intelligence Lagging: Information Democrats
Want Most Might Not Come Out Until After Election." ... "When angry Democrats
briefly shut down the Senate last year to protest the slow pace of a congressional
investigation into prewar intelligence on Iraq, Senate Minority Leader
Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) claimed a rare victory." ... "Republicans called
it a stunt but promised to quickly wrap up the inquiry. Sen. Pat Roberts
(R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which
is overseeing the investigation, said his report was near completion and
there was no need for the fuss." ... "That was nine months ago." ... "The
Republican-led committee, which agreed in February 2004 to write the report,
has yet to complete its work. Just two of five planned sections of the
committee's findings are fully drafted and ready to be voted on by members,
according to Democratic and Republican staffers. Committee sources involved
with the report, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they are
working hard to complete it. But disputing Roberts, they said they had
started almost from scratch in November after Democrats staged their protest."
-By Dafna Linzer -WashingtonPost
US
- Afghanistan
- Military
- People
- Nevada
- "Fallen
Soldier Gets a Bronze Star but No Pagan Star." ...
"At the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the small town of Fernley, Nev.,
there is a wall of brass plaques for local heroes. But one space is blank.
There is no memorial for Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart." ... "That's because
Stewart was a Wiccan, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has refused
to allow a symbol of the Wicca religion -- a five-pointed star within a
circle, called a pentacle -- to be inscribed on U.S. military memorials
or grave markers." ... "The department has approved the symbols of 38 other
faiths; about half of are versions of the Christian cross. It also allows
the Jewish Star of David, the Muslim crescent, the Buddhist wheel, the
Mormon angel, the nine-pointed star of Bahai and something that looks like
an atomic symbol for atheists." ... "Stewart, 34, is believed to be the
first Wiccan killed in combat. He was serving in the Nevada National Guard
when the helicopter in which he was riding was shot down in Afghanistan
last September. He previously had served in the Army in Korea and Operation
Desert Storm. He was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star."
(1, 2)
-By Alan Cooperman -WashingtonPost
US
- Iraq
- Military
- Economy
- 
Oil
- Nevada
- "Reid:
Bush 'Dangerously Incompetent'." ... "Senate Democratic
leader Harry Reid [Nevada] called President Bush "dangerously incompetent"
on Wednesday and said the administration ought to be doing more to prevent
increasing sectarian violence in Iraq." ... ""Where is (Secretary of State)
Condoleezza Rice? Why isn't she over in the Middle East, as the chief diplomat
of this country should be, trying to get the political forces to form a
government over there?" Reid told The Associated Press." ... "Reid said
the United States was "failing three different ways in Iraq." Military
efforts have lagged, the economy is crippled by decreased oil production
and frequent power outages, and attempts to form a national unity government
are behind schedule, he said." -AP
via -CBSNews
US
- 
World
- US
Immigration - Law
- Enforcement
- Nev.
- Bill
Frist
- 
Tenn.
- 
Mass.
- Ariz.
- "Reid
threatens filibuster as immigration showdown looms."
... "Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he would "use every procedural
means at my disposal" to prevent Frist from bypassing the Judiciary Committee.
Frist, R-Tenn., has made clear the Senate will take up his proposal next
week if the 18-member committee fails to complete a broader bill." ...
"Reid said the overhaul must include heightened border enforcement, a "guest
worker" program and a "path to citizenship" for the estimated 11 million
people in the United States illegally. He called legislation by Sens. Edward
Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., a "good place to start."" -By
Elliot Spagat -AP
via -MercuryNews
Intel
- Computer
- Marketing
- History
- Consumer
- 
Entertainment
- CA
- NV
- "Intel
Drops Logo After 37 Years; Seeks to Take Image Beyond PCs."
... "Intel Corp., whose marketing made its computer chips a household name,
is changing its logo for the first time in 37 years." ... "The dropped
``e'' in Intel will be shed in favor of a swoop around the company's name
with the tag line ``Leap Ahead.'' The ``Intel Inside'' phrase, a fixture
since 1991, will be dropped, Santa Clara, California-based Intel said yesterday."
... "Intel's image change, to coincide with next week's Consumer Electronics
Show in Las Vegas [Nevada], is part of an effort by new Chief Executive
Officer Paul Otellini to push Intel into home entertainment. The company,
whose processors run more than 80 percent of personal computers, is trying
to gain a foothold in the consumer market to counter slowing growth in
PC chips." -By Ian King
-Bloomberg
Dick
Cheney - Secret
- Business
- Law
- Politics- Nevada
- 
Alaska
- "Did
oil execs lie to Congress? Report contradicts big
oil execs testimony denying a White House meeting. Democrats seek probe."
... "Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said the executives
should return to Washington and set the record straight." ... "They should
"be brought back to the Congress, sworn in, and forced to testify again
about their involvement with Vice President Cheney's secretive energy task
force and all of the issues covered in the hearing," Reid said." ... "Republican
Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, who chaired last week's hearing, refused Democrats'
demands that the executives be sworn in under oath before they testified."
-Reuters via -CNN
/Money
US
- Iraq
- Lewis
Libby
- Dick
Cheney
- Military
- Intelligence
- Nevada
- "Secret
Senate session keeps up pressure on Bush over Iraq war."
... "Democrats accuse rivals of colluding on WMD reports." ... "In an attempt
to keep pressure on the Bush administration that drew a furious reaction
from Republicans, the Democratic leader, Harry Reid [Nevada], said the
American people and US troops deserved to know the details of how the country
became engaged in the war, particularly in light of last week's indictment
for perjury of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, chief of staff to the vice-president,
Dick Cheney." ... ""They [Republican senators] have repeatedly chosen to
protect the Republican administration rather than get to the bottom of
what happened and why," Mr Reid said. He accused the chairman of the Senate
intelligence committee, Pat Roberts, of failing to follow through on a
promise to conduct a thorough inquiry into prewar intelligence, including
how the White House had used or misused it." ... ""The Libby indictment
provides a window into what this is really all about, how this administration
manufactured and manipulated intelligence in order to sell the war in Iraq
and attempted to destroy those who dared to challenge its actions," Mr
Reid said before invoking Senate rules that led to the closed session."
-By Jamie Wilson -Guardian.co.uk
Nevada
- Samuel
Alito
- Harriet
Miers - Politics
- "Judge
Samuel Alito Chosen by Bush for Supreme Court (Update8)."
... "U.S. President George W. Bush, seeking to rebound from a failed Supreme
Court nomination, chose conservative appeals court judge Samuel Alito Jr.
for the seat and set up what may be a bitter battle with Senate Democrats."
... "Alito, 55, has a markedly different resume than that of White House
Counsel Harriet Miers, whose nomination Bush withdrew last week amid opposition
from conservatives." ... "Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada
said in a statement that he is ``disappointed'' in the choice. He said
he wants to learn ``why those who want to pack the court with judicial
activists are so much more enthusiastic about him than they were about
Harriet Miers.''" -By Greg Stohr
-Bloomberg
Nevada
- MIL
- 
Autos
- Transportation
- Robots
- "Driverless
Volkswagen wins $2 million US in Pentagon's robot race."
... "A driverless Volkswagen won a $2-million race across the rugged Nevada
desert Sunday, beating four other robot-guided vehicles that completed
a Pentagon-sponsored contest aimed at making warfare safer for humans."
... "The race displayed major technological leaps since last year's inaugural
race, when none of the self-driving vehicles crossed the finish line."
... "Stanley the VW Touareg, designed by Stanford University, zipped through
the 212-kilometre Mojave Desert course in six hours and 53 minutes Saturday,
using only its computer brain and sensors to navigate rough and twisting
desert and mountain trails." -AP
via -CBC.ca
John
Roberts
- Vermont- Nevada
- Massachusetts
-
- "Leahy
Says He Will Vote to Confirm Chief Justice Nominee."
... "The ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee said today
that he would vote to confirm Judge John G. Roberts Jr. as the 17th chief
justice of the United States, having concluded that the nominee is "a man
of integrity" who is not shackled to an "ideological agenda."" ... "Senator
Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont announced his intention on the Senate floor,
less than 24 hours after the Democratic minority leader, Senator Harry
Reid of Nevada, said he would vote against Judge Roberts." ... "On Tuesday,
[Massachusetts Senator] Mr. Kennedy said, as expected, that he would vote
no, and today his fellow Massachusetts senator, John Kerry, said he would
vote against Judge Roberts on the Senate floor." ... ""I still find that
something is missing," Mr. Kerry said, complaining that the administration
had withheld some vital information about the nominee, and that Judge Roberts
had not helped matters with his answers before the committee." (1, 2)
-By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and David D. Kirkpatrick
-NYTimes
Hurricane
Katrina - CA
- Nevada
- "Democrats
spurn Republican-backed Katrina probe." ... "House
of Representatives Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, called
the House-Senate investigation announced by Republican leaders on Wednesday
a "sham" and said it would not produce an objective assessment of what
went wrong in the hours and days following the storm." ... "Senate Democratic
leader Harry Reid of Nevada also said he would not participate in the Republican-led
inquiry." ... "Both Pelosi and Reid have called for an independent commission
similar to the one that investigated intelligence failures before the September
11, 2001, attacks." -By Donna Smith with contributions
by Vicki Allen -Reuters
via-WashingtonPost
Gordon
Smith - Corporate
- Politics
- Sports
- 
Vacations
- 
Jets
- 
Accounting
- Telecommunications
- Energy
- Lawmakers
- 
Ore
- Nev
- 
Ind
- Fla
- Mich
- 
Ky
- 
Va
-
-
- 
- 
- "Amid
much scrutiny, mixing pleasure and politics goes on."
... "Even if lawmakers are more sensitive these days about teeing up [golfing]
with lobbyists at posh resorts, one would never know it by witnessing a
scene at Dulles International Airport on Sunday night when lobbyists returned
from the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, a high-end course in southwestern Oregon.
One lobbyist from Accenture, an accounting firm, even disembarked sporting
a long-sleeve Bandon Dunes polo shirt." ... "[Oregon Republican Senator]
Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.[Republican-Oregon]) held the fundraiser, an annual
event for his political action committee Impact America. A score of telecommunications,
financial-services and energy lobbyists paid $3,000 to $5,000 apiece to
join him for the promise of unfettered access for a weekend with the second-term
Oregonian and member of the Finance and Commerce, Science and Transportation
committees." ... "Smith paid Bandon Dunes $14,472 last year to reserve
the resort for his guests, according to disclosure reports filed with the
Federal Election Commission (FEC). Bandon Dunes charges $175 per person
for a round of golf and at least $300 for rooms during the peak season,
from May to October." ... "Smith, the heir of a frozen-foods fortune, seems
to have no qualms about his close ties to the business community. He readily
admitted that he flew to the event on FedEx’s corporate jet and returned
via Union Pacific’s plane." ... "[Nevada] Republican [Senator] Sen. John
Ensign (R-Nev.[Republican-Nevada]) also flew out for the event, as did
[Indiana Republican Representative] Reps. Chris Chocola (Ind.[Indiana]),
[Florida Republican Representative] Ander Crenshaw (Fla.[Florida]) and
[Indiana Republican Representative] Steve Buyer (Ind.[Indiana])." ... "[Michigan
Republican Representative] Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.[Republican-Michigan])
is hosting a golf tournament in July at the Oakland Hills Country Club
[in Michigan], the home of the 2004 Ryder Cup matches and the 2008 PGA
Championship. [Kentucky Republican Representative] Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.[Republican-Kentucky]),
a cardinal on the Appropriations Committee, will hold an event in August
at Pebble Beach, the world-famous coastal golf course in California." ...
"In the winter, several lawmakers including [Virginia Republican Representative]
Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.[Republican-Virginia]), hosted trips
to exclusive skiing resorts in Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming." ... "“You
wonder how long Republicans can bifurcate their message to mainstream America
with this gross display of wealth,” the lobbyist said." -By
Jonathan E. Kaplan -TheHill.com
Mitchell
Wade - Randy
"Duke" Cunningham
- 
Virgil
H Goode Jr
- Money
- Government
- Politics
- MZM
- 
Workers
- Secret
- Military
- Intelligence
- California
- Nevada
- Va
- Fla
- "Workers
say MZM founder pressed them to give to PAC." ...
"Mitchell Wade, founder of the defense contracting firm MZM Inc., pressured
employees to donate to a political fund that benefited [California Republican
Representative] Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham and other members of Congress,
according to three former employees of the company." ... "Wade, who took
a $700,000 loss on the purchase of Cunningham's Del Mar home and allows
the congressman to stay on his yacht while in Washington, demanded employees
make donations to the company's political action committee, MZM PAC, they
said." ... "Many companies have PACs, but campaign finance laws prohibit
employers from pressuring workers to contribute to the PAC. They may encourage
contributions, but not compel them." ... "In the past week, Wade resigned
the posts of president and chief executive officer of the company, turning
over those duties to Chief Operating Officer Frank Bragg, company sources
said. Wade remains the primary shareholder of the privately held, Nevada-licensed
company, sources added." ... "The resignations came after the Union-Tribune
reported that Wade had purchased and then sold Cunningham's Del Mar house
at a loss of $700,000 and has allowed the Rancho Santa Fe Republican to
stay aboard his yacht, called the Duke-Stir, while in the nation's capital.
The FBI and a federal grand jury are investigating the matter." ... "Little
public information exists on what MZM – a name based on the first names
of Wade's children Matthew, Zachary and Morgan – does for the government.
Former employees, however, say much of its work is with three defense intelligence
operations:" ... "Counter Intelligence Field Activity, a highly secretive
program created in 2002 by a Pentagon directive that focuses on gathering
intelligence to avert attacks like the ones on Sept. 11, 2001." ... "The
Army National Ground Intelligence Center in Charlottesville, [Virginia]
Va., whose mission is to provide soldiers with battlefield intelligence."
... "The U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command at Ft. Belvoir, [Virginia]
Va., just outside Washington, which also provides battlefield intelligence."
... "MZM has been seeking to increase its contracts with the Central Command,
which oversees military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Special
Operations Command, both based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, [Florida]
Fla., according to former employees." ... "They and other former MZM employees
questioned the way Wade solicited contracts from Defense Department intelligence
agencies during the time they worked for the company." ... "They also expressed
concerns about Wade's dealings with three House members who received a
large portion of the money disbursed by MZM's PAC. The three – all Republicans
– are Cunningham and Reps. Virgil Goode of Virginia and Katherine Harris
of Florida." ... "One of the former MZM employees quoted Wade as describing
his congressional strategy this way: "The only people I want to work with
are people I give checks to. I own them."" -By Marcus
Stern with contributions by Jerry Kammer -SignOnSanDiego.com
- 
- Memorial
Day
-
- Florida
- Nevada
- New
York
- "Holiday
Exodus In Full Stride." ... "Anyone who took an early
flight for a Memorial Day getaway has already gotten a taste of what summer
air travel will be like: full planes, crowded airports and weather delays."
... "Airlines said they carried more passengers than usual Thursday, the
kickoff of the summer season." ... "Despite rising prices, the travel industry
predicts Americans will be traveling in record numbers this summer with
Florida, California, Nevada and New York the top preferred destinations."
(1, 2)
-AP /
-CBSNews
-
- Water
- Nevada
- "U.S.
probes nuclear dump documents." ... "Government employees
may have falsified documents related to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste
project in Nevada, the Energy Department said Wednesday. The disclosure
could jeopardize the project's ability to get a federal permit to operate
the dump." ... "The department said the questionable data involved computer
modeling for water infiltration and climate at the Yucca site, which is
90 miles northwest of Las Vegas." ... "[Nevada state Nuclear Projects director
Bob] Loux said potential water transport -- the issue that some of the
questionable work apparently involved -- is critical for the proposed waste
repository." ... "Water is "the key mechanism at Yucca Mountain both in
terms of infiltrating into the site and in terms of letting radioactivity
release into the biosphere," Loux said." -AP
via -CNN
Nathan
Sproul - Criminal
- Politics
- 2004
Election - Oregon
- Nevada
- Phoenix
- Arizona
Nathan
Sproul - Criminal
- Politics
- 2004
Election - 
Library
- Portland
- Ore
- Nevada
- Arizona
- "Ohio
Sniper Suspect Appears in Nevada Court." ... "A 28-year-old
man charged in connection with sniper-style shootings in Ohio that killed
one person told a Nevada court on Friday he would not fight extradition
and agreed to return home to face prosecution." ... "Charles McCoy Jr.,
wearing dark blue prison clothes with his hands cuffed to a chain around
his waist, said little beyond responding "yes" to questions put to him
by Justice of the Peace Douglas Smith." ... "Ohio officials said he would
be returned to the state as soon as possible, perhaps later in the day
or over the weekend." -Reuters
-
- 
- "FBI
Checked Las Vegas Hotel Lists in Terror Alert." ...
"The FBI demanded Las Vegas hotels turn over their guest lists leading
up to New Year's Eve to check against a U.S. master list of suspected terrorists,
a law enforcement official said on Sunday." ... "The demand for "patron
information" went to all major hotels in the Nevada casino and entertainment
city, said the official who declined to be named." -By
Jim Wolf -Reuters
via -Wired
-
- "Bush
pushes for new nukes." ... "If the Bush administration
succeeds in its determined but little-noticed push to develop a new generation
of nuclear weapons, this sun-baked desert flatland [in Nevada] 65 miles
northwest of Las Vegas could once again reverberate with the ground-shaking
thumps of nuclear explosions that used to be common here." ... "The nuclear-weapons
test areas are now a wasteland that is home mostly to lizards and coyotes.
Throughout the Nevada Test Site, the ground is strewn with mangled buildings
and pockmarked with craters, the ghostly evidence of the 928 nuclear tests
the government conducted here from 1951 to 1992." -By
Tom Squitieri -USATODAY
-
- "Time
Runs Out For Calif. Water Plan; Cuts Likely: State
Misses Deadline on River-Use Limit." ... "Under pressure from the Bush
administration and other western states, California water agencies did
not meet a federal deadline tonight [20021231]
to create a plan to limit their use of the Colorado River. Soon, California
consumers and farmers may see their flow from the river slashed." ... "For
decades, California has taken more than its legal allotment of water from
the river, which it shares with six other western states -- all now getting
thirstier. California is allowed by law to take about 4.4 million acre
feet of water from the Colorado, but in many years it uses about 5.2 million
acre feet from the river. States like Arizona and Nevada want their water
back." ... ""We no longer have abundant surpluses and full reservoirs,"
Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton said earlier this month. "The era of
limits is upon us. The future of the Colorado River will be shaped by drought
and population growth."" -By
William Booth -WashingtonPost
