Conor Kenny's News Articles

Rep. Mark Foley: Who knew what and when?

by Conor Kenny — October 2, 2006 - 6:45pm
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • The scandal surrounding former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) has evolved from one of a disturbing congressman to a possible institutional cover-up.

    Last Friday, Foley resigned abruptly after it was reported that he sent emails and sexually suggestive instant messages to teenage congressional pages. While no member has admitted to having previous knowledge of the messages, it now appears certain that several GOP leaders of the House were aware of Foley’s emails to a sixteen-year-old page as early as the fall of 2005.

    Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) resigns

    by Conor Kenny — September 29, 2006 - 3:53pm

    Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) resigned from Congress on Friday after ABC News obtained sexually suggestive emails and transcripts of instant messenger conversations between Foley and a then-16 year old page.

    Senate passes detainee bill

    by Conor Kenny — September 29, 2006 - 11:45am
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • The War on Terror detainee bill passed the Senate last night and is now headed for the president's desk and a likely court challenge. The bill passed by the Senate reflects the House's proposal to provide both the president and government interrogators broader authority with regard to the detention, interrogation and trials of suspected terrorists. The bill passed by a 65-34 vote, and was supported by each GOP senator with the exception of Sen.

    The end of habeas corpus and the official sanction of less than "grave breaches" of the Geneva Convention

    by Conor Kenny — September 28, 2006 - 1:55pm
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • New legislation on the treatment of terror suspects is now halfway to President Bush's desk.

    Habeas corpus amendment defeated

    by Conor Kenny — September 28, 2006 - 4:46am
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • A few hours ago, the Senate defeated an amendment which would have allowed suspected terrorists to challenge their detentions in federal court (habeas corpus protection). The amendment, sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), lost by a 48-51 vote.

    We've got your 2006 challengers right here

    by Conor Kenny — September 25, 2006 - 5:56pm
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • Well, right here, to be specific. Congresspedia is now tracking the congressional primaries in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the

    Update: Exposing Earmarks

    by Conor Kenny — September 20, 2006 - 7:10am
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, U.S. Government

    • It looks like it's close to endgame for earmark reform this Congressional session. Earmarks, the specific allocations of money to certain programs or organizations by Congress, has been a hot topic in Washington this year ever since the resignation of Rep.

    Congress in 30 Seconds: When you think about your congressperson, what comes to mind?

    by Conor Kenny — September 18, 2006 - 6:42am
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, U.S. Government

    • Not content to wait patiently for the daily schedules of members of Congress to be released, the folks at the Sunlight Network have upped the ante on their Punch Clock Campaign.

    $1,000 bounty: How do your members of Congress spend their day?

    by Conor Kenny — September 14, 2006 - 12:10pm
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • Our friends over at the Sunlight Network kicked off their Punch Clock Campaign today, which is offering a $1,000 "bounty" to any citizen who can get a member of Congress (or $250 for their challenger) to publicly post their daily schedule on the Internet. It's an intriguing new twist on the citizen muckraking model exemplified by the blogger campaign to reveal the senators that placed a secret hold on the earmark transparency bill.

    They've already gotten one response, from Texan Alvis Yardley, who says that Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) is refusing to release his calendar due to "national security concerns"—despite the fact that the pledge only asks for the previous day's calendar. Guess we can't let the terrorists know where Carter was yesterday.

    Congresspedia's "Congress in the News" updates, Sept. 5-11, 2006

    by Conor Kenny — September 14, 2006 - 11:11am
  • Topics: Congresspedia News Updates, U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government
  • Federal investigators are probing a land transaction that protected 40 acres from development in the neighborhood of Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.).
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