Saturday

Direction of Country Neo-Con Kool-aid losing its effect. 66% say US on wrong track.

And 59% say we should leave Iraq ASAP(scroll down).
Democracy's Power Fades as Iraq Panacea - Los Angeles Times It's the occupation, stupid.
The Jewish Exponent - Philadelphia, PA: "AIPAC is committed to paying for the legal defense of Rosen and Weissman because of an indemnification clause in employee contracts. AIPAC employees sign an agreement that protects them from legal harm until all appeals are exhausted, according to a source close to the defense of Rosen and Weissman who has firsthand knowledge of the clause.... It has been previously reported that AIPAC's bill for the pair's defense had topped $1 million."

Of course, not having seen the particular indemnity clause, it would be very unusual for an employer to defend an ex-employee from liability for acts that were done outside the scope of their employment. In other words, AIPAC doesn't want to take the risk that Rosen and Weissman might claim that they were doing exactly what their employer hired them to do.

This also leaves the question: if Abbe Lowell's defense of Rosen has already cost that much, how much is he charging Jack Abramoff... and who's paying Abramoff's legal bills?
Think Progress - Right-Wing House Twists Arms, Thwarts Democracy To Pass Oil Industy Windfall Watch the QT video. (Server slow)

Thursday

Reuters Business Channel | Reuters.com Plame investigation generates 22 indictments?
Salon.com News | Saving Ohio Ad Viewing Required.
According to several knowledgeable sources, the Blade's chief political columnist, Fritz Wenzel, was told of Noe's potential campaign violations as early as January 2004. But according to Blade editors, Wenzel never gave the paper the all-important tip in early 2004.

Wenzel says that he heard allegations of Noe's misdeeds only in spring 2004 and that he promptly informed his editors of them.

Wenzel, who worked for years as a GOP political operative in Oregon before the Blade hired him, quit the Blade in May 2005 to take a job as a paid political consultant to Jean Schmidt, the Republican congressional candidate who in August narrowly defeated Democratic challenger (and Iraq war vet) Paul Hackett.

Tuesday

Troops receive light sentences for violent crimes against Iraqis: "Of the 1,038 separate charges, fewer than one in 10 involved crimes against Iraqis.... Charges involving Iraqi victims were three times more likely to be dismissed or withdrawn by the Army than cases in which the victims were soldiers or civilian military employees, the examination found."
Buffalo News - Rumors of rescue copters under fire unfounded: "representatives from the Air Force, Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security and Louisiana Air National Guard say they have yet to confirm a single incident of gunfire at helicopters"
- toledoblade.com - On Oct. 22, 2002, Mr. Noe extended a $40,000 loan to the county party he once chaired.

The party’s candidate fund bought $40,000 worth of television air time that next day for Maggie Thurber’s successful run for county commissioner.

Mr. Noe gave a separate $25,000 loan to the county party in October, 2004. It repaid only $2,000 of the combined $65,000 in loans.

At the time of the loans, Mr. Noe’s wife, Bernadette Noe, chaired the county party. Mr. Haynam said that the Noes told the party they always intended for the $65,000 to be contributions, even though Mrs. Noe approved the $2,000 repayment.


Monday

Attytood: UPDATED: New Supreme Court nominee's ties to Bush's National Guard scandal
Jerusalem Post | Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World: "The Israelis suggested that the investigators pass on their questions in writing and Israel will give a written reply. "
- toledoblade.com -: "He was such a prolific Republican fund-raiser he was named a 'Pioneer' by the Bush-Cheney re-election committee for raising between $100,000 and $250,000 for the President."
raising = stealing