U.S. Congress

Old Scandals Never Die: The Troubles of Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.)

by Conor Kenny — December 18, 2006 - 5:45pm
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • Three weeks ago, House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that neither Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) nor Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) would be the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee in the 110th Congress. The elephant in the room during the weeks of intense speculation before the announcement was Hastings' controversial past.

    To properly address the controversy surrounding Hastings, we must go all the way back to 1981; the year Jimmy Carter left the White House and Sandra Day O’Connor was nominated to the Supreme Court. In that year, Hastings, serving as a federal judge in the Southern District of Florida (he was first appointed in 1979), was indicted for soliciting a bribe from two defendants convicted of robbery in his court. Specifically, the alleged briber promised Hastings $150,000 if he kept the defendants out of prison and returned to them the funds they stole. The prosecution’s key piece of evidence was a transcript from a phone conversation (obtained through a wiretap) between Hastings and his alleged co-conspirator, William Borders. Hastings is heard saying:

    "I've drafted all those ah, ah, letters, ah, for him, and everything's okay. The only thing I was concerned with was, did you hear if, ah, hear from him after we talked?"

    Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) in Critical Condition; Senate Majority Potentially at Stake

    by Conor Kenny — December 14, 2006 - 11:55am
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, Politics, U.S. Government

    • Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) is recovering from surgery at George Washington University Hospital to stop bleeding in his brain caused by an arteriovenous malformation, a condition which causes arteries and veins to grow abnormally large. Johnson's condition was described as "critical" by hospital officials early this morning.

    Election 2006: Democrats Extend Their Majority with Victory in Texas-23

    by Conor Kenny — December 13, 2006 - 5:35pm
  • Topics: Election 2006, U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • In a runoff election held yesterday in Texas’s 23rd District, former Democratic Rep. Ciro Rodriguez defeated incumbent Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Texas), 55%-45%.

    Front Groups Lobbying Spurs Thoughts of Non-Profit Reform

    by Bob Burton — December 13, 2006 - 1:24am

    Citing instances where groups like Citizens Against Government Waste and Americans for Tax Reform have accepted corporate funding to lobby for their donors' causes, journalist Bill Adair explores whether greater disclosure by non-profit groups is warranted.

    Main Source: 
    St Petersburg Times, December 11, 2006

    Election 2006: Scandal-Plagued Rep. William Jefferson Keeps Seat

    by Conor Kenny — December 11, 2006 - 4:00pm
  • Topics: Election 2006, U.S. Congress, Democracy, Politics, U.S. Government

    • On Saturday, Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) defeated Democratic challenger Karen Carter in a runoff election, 57%-43%, to keep his seat in Louisiana's 2nd District.

    Promises Made: The Democratic Congressional Agenda

    by Conor Kenny — December 8, 2006 - 4:20pm
  • Topics: Election 2006, U.S. Congress, U.S. Government

    • Guest blogger: Congresspedia intern Tim Malacarne

    The Democratic Party’s return to majority status in both the House and Senate for the 110th Congress means that, for the first time since 1994, Democrats have the unfettered ability to set the congr

    Will the new Congress try to impeach President Bush? Could a state?

    by Conor Kenny — November 30, 2006 - 2:30pm
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, U.S. Government

    • After decisive Democratic victories in the recent congressional elections, some speculated that the party may seek to impeach President Bush from office, as the Republican Congress did to Bill Clinton in 1998. After all, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced a resolution late in 2005 (which now has 38 co-sponsors) authorizing a special House committee to investigate the administration on a number of matters and possibly make a recommendation for impeachment. Following the elections, however, Conyers echoed the sentiments of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), insisting that impeachment is now “off the table” in the 110th Congress. Conyers' office has separately confirmed to Congresspedia that he has no intention to reintroduce his bill in the new session of Congress.

    Specifically, Conyers' resolution would have investigated the administration's:

    Prospects for Ethics Reform in the 110th Congress

    by Conor Kenny — November 30, 2006 - 1:46pm
  • Topics: Election 2006, U.S. Congress, Lobbying

    • Guest poster: Paul Blumenthal of the Sunlight Foundation

    Exit polls show that the 109th Congress severely misread the American voters and believed that passing lobbying and ethics reforms was unnecessary, despite the parade of FBI raids, criminal indictments, and jailed lawmakers and lobbyists.

    Taxation Without Representation: Are Voting Rights Finally Coming to the Nation's Capital?

    by Conor Kenny — November 28, 2006 - 6:30pm
  • Topics: U.S. Congress, Democracy, Politics, U.S. Government

    • Earlier this month, voters from the 50 U.S. states shaped the composition of the 110th Congress at the polls. Unable to join them were the 388,000 registered voters who call the District of Columbia home.

    Drug Industry's Glory Days May Be Over

    by Bob Burton — November 22, 2006 - 3:24am

    The drug industry is bracing itself for major legislative changes once the new Congress sits. Forbes journalist Matthew Herper notes that, following the mid-term elections, major drug company shares have dropped by over 5%.

    Main Source: 
    Forbes November 16, 2006
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