TPMMuckraker

Scrubbed: Call For Backlash Against Muslims Embarrasses Even Right-Wing Think Tank

2009-11-10T22:39:56Z

We don't know if this is reason for hope, or just low comedy. But the right-wing think tank that published conservative author Dave Gaubatz's call for a backlash against the "Muslim community" has now scrubbed the line and replaced it with a call for a backlash against the "Muslim Brotherhood."

Here's how the passage of the Fort Hood Q&A with Gaubatz, the author of Muslim Mafia, read on Monday (see a screengrab of the original here):

Politicians, Muslims, and law enforcement are concerned about a 'backlash' against Muslims. Now is the time for a professional and legal backlash against the Muslim community and their leaders. Muslims know what materials are being taught in their mosques and they know many of the materials instruct young Muslims to kill innocent people who do not adhere to Sharia law.

And here's the version that is currently up on FSM's site:

Politicians, Muslims, and law enforcement are concerned about a 'backlash' against Muslims. Now is the time for a professional and legal backlash against the Muslim Brotherhood and their leaders. Muslims know what materials are being taught in their mosques and they know many of the materials instruct young Muslims to kill innocent people who do not adhere to Sharia law.

Even on its own terms, the new passage doesn't make a ton of sense, shifting from Muslims to Muslim Brotherhood and back to Muslims.

Several outlets picked up Gaubatz's comments after they were first reported by TPMmuckraker.

We've reached out to Family Security Matters to get their side of the story on this, but haven't yet heard back.

FSM says its mission is to "empower all Americans to become proactive defenders of our national security and community safety." Its board of advisors includes radio host Laura Ingraham, former Clinton CIA director Jim Woolsey, and GOP operative Barbara Comstock.

Perry Appointee In No Rush To Wade Back Into Willingham Case

2009-11-10T21:23:28Z

The Texas prosecutor appointed by Governor Rick Perry to chair a state forensics commission won't say when, if ever, his panel will hear from an arson expert who had been scheduled to testify about a flawed arson investigation that may have led to the death of an innocent man.

Asked, during a state Senate hearing, about when the Texas Forensic Science Commission would hear from nationally recognized expert Craig Beyler, John Bradley declined to give a specific answer.

A reminder on the back story: In September, just days before the panel was scheduled to hear Beyler's testimony, Perry, a Republican, shook up the panel's membership, installing Bradley as the new chair. Bradley promptly cancelled Beyler's planned appearance.

Beyler had previously released a report that found serious flaws in the arson investigation that led to the conviction and 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham. Perry, as governor, had signed off on the execution, despite a last-minute plea from Willingham's lawyer that cited evidence the probe was plagued with missteps.

There is some evidence that Perry acted to deliberately stymie the panel's probe of the Willingham case, in order to protect himself politically.

Bradley certainly doesn't appear to be in a rush to get the commission's inquiry into the case back on the fast track. He told the hearing today that the panel might hold a meeting in January to discuss internal housekeeping matters, and that it would be "presumptuous" to predict when the panel will return to the Willingham case.

The GOP gubernatorial primary, in which Perry faces a strong challenge from Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, will be held in March 2010.

GOP Rep Won't Denounce Call For Backlash Against American Muslims

2009-11-10T19:51:46Z

Yesterday, the conservative author of the new book Muslim Mafia, the foreword of which was penned by Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), explicitly called for a "professional and legal backlash against the Muslim community and their leaders" in response to the Fort Hood shootings.

So last night, we called Myrick's office to see if she had a response to Dave Gaubatz's remarks, given that his book, with her foreword, was released just last month. Since then, Myrick and three other House Republicans have cited the book as the source of their calls for a probe of Muslim intern "spies" in Congress.

Here's Myrick's statement, which does not denounce, or even address, Gaubatz's call for a backlash:

While I will continue to challenge radical Islamists and point out their ties to terrorism, I have been and will continue to work with mainstream moderate Muslim leaders because the only way to stop radicalization, and prevent the spread of this radical ideology, is to support these Muslim leaders in engaging their own community.

Myrick is in fact partially echoing Gaubatz, who said yesterday: "If Muslims do not want a backlash, then I would recommend a 'house cleaning.'"

We followed up with Myrick's spokesperson this morning to ask again if the congresswoman has a response to Gaubatz, but haven't heard anything back.

Tea Party Leader Launches PAC To Back Small-Government Candidates

2009-11-10T18:20:16Z

A leading Tea Party activist is launching a political action committee to back candidates who run on a limited-government platform -- perhaps the most serious effort yet to to channel the Tea Partiers' grassroots energy toward electoral politics.

Eric Odom, a conservative online organizer who played a key role in sparking the original Tea Party movement this spring, is unveiling Liberty First PAC. The goal, said Odom in an interview with TPMmuckraker, is to raise $1 million to defeat incumbents who supported health-care reform -- which he called "very dangerous to the fabric of this country" -- and to elect a new crop of lawmakers committed to small-government principles in 2010.

Odom said that the PAC would soon get involved in a race that has already been mentioned as a likely focus of conservative grassroots energy -- by endorsing the conservative Marco Rubio over the more moderate Charlie Crist in the GOP primary for Florida governor. And Odom added that had the PAC existed, it would have gotten involved in the recent NY-23 primary, in support of conservative Doug Hoffman.

Odom pointed to MoveOn.org, which had early success targeting key electoral contests as a model for Liberty First. And he suggested that Tea Partiers had erred by focusing only on mobilizing grassroots pressure, and not getting actively involved in elections until now. "We think the Tea Party movement has lacked the initiative to get involved in the campaign side of politics," said Odom.

He doesn't seem to be the only one who's coming to that conclusion. Many of the Tea Partiers at the recent Capitol rally against health-care reform appeared to have their sights set on 2010. And a Tea Party activist has said he will challenge Rep. Pete Sessions, a GOP leader and no moderate, in a Republican primary next year. But Odom's new PAC seems to be the most organized effort yet get the Tea Partiers into the electoral politics game.

Odom said the PAC would not support incumbents of either party, and had harsh words for the GOPers currently in Washington. "Republicans had eight years to step up to the plate and push through a conservative agenda," he said. "Most of the Tea Party activists don't see a difference between most of the Republicans and the Democrats." He added that he hadn't been in touch with the RNC or any organized Republican group in connection to the new PAC.

In a message announcing the launch of Liberty First PAC, which was subsequently posted on the Tea Party Patriots site, Odom wrote:

Our mission is simple. We refuse to help any incumbents, and we pledge to work towards defeating any incumbent who voted to support Nancy Pelosi's dangerous healthcare bill.

Our goal is to:

a) Identify Patriot Candidates and help them run successful campaigns against power hungry politicians

b) Build a national educational media campaign to help the general electorate understand what our government is attempting to do to us.

Last February Odom played a central role in publicizing Rick Santelli's famous rant online, and in organizing the first "Tax Day Tea Party" on Tax Day this year -- another of which is planned for next April. He's not involved with the Tea Party Patriots -- the group that has provided much of the grassroots muscle for the Tea Party movement -- though he said he's friendly with TPP leaders.

Odom said his work on the Tax Day Tea Parties had given Liberty PAC a base of 40-50,000 supporters, from which it would seek to grow. In the 24 hours since it went live, the PAC's website has taken in $10,000, and has pledges of another $60,000, he said.

To Avoid 'Adverse Events,' Hasan Wanted Muslim Soldiers To Be Eligible For CO Status

2009-11-10T15:04:02Z

The Washington Post's Dana Priest has obtained the slides of a June 2007 lecture given by Fort Hood shootings suspect Nidal Hasan when he was a psychiatric resident at Walter Reed.

The 50-slide PowerPoint, titled "The Koranic World View As It Relates to Muslims in the U.S. Military," was designed to describe "what the Koran inculcates in the minds of Muslims and the potential implications this may have for the U.S. military." Hasan's final recommendation was that Muslim soldiers should be eligible for conscientious objector status "to increase troop morale and decrease adverse events."

Other staffers who attended Hasan's talk were surprised at the topic, as the presentations were supposed to be about medical subjects.

The Post notes it's unclear whether anyone voiced concerns about the talk to authorities. Here's a taste of the lecture:

Under a slide titled "Comments," he wrote: "If Muslim groups can convince Muslims that they are fighting for God against injustices of the 'infidels'; ie: enemies of Islam, then Muslims can become a potent adversary ie: suicide bombing, etc." [sic]
The last bullet point on that page reads simply: "We love death more then [sic] you love life!"

Read the full story.

Reyes Takes Shot At GOPer Over Criticism Of Obama On Fort Hood

2009-11-09T23:25:21Z

House intelligence committee chair Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) made a thinly veiled swipe at his GOP counterpart today over comments made by Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) criticizing the Obama Administration's handling of information about the Fort Hood shootings.

As we told you earlier, Hoekstra said intel agencies including the CIA weren't being sufficiently forthcoming about information the intelligence community might possess about Nidal Malik Hasan. And he suggested there are potential issues with the "performance" of intel agencies in the case.

This afternoon Reyes fired back:

"I am disappointed that some have rushed to the news media with unfounded information in order to gain headlines," he said in a statement. "I hope that my colleagues will refrain from speculation, pray for those who were affected by this tragic incident, and let investigators do their work."

Here's Reyes' full statement:

"I spoke with the Director of National Intelligence on Friday morning, and Director Blair committed to briefing members of the Committee on any possible information the Intelligence Community may have had with respect to the tragedy at Ft. Hood last Thursday. I trust when members of Congress return from the Veterans' Day District Work Period that the DNI will follow through on his promise.
"As the President stated last week, it would be inappropriate and premature to jump to conclusions on this matter. The Committee will allow investigators to do their jobs to ensure a thorough accounting of the facts. Once those facts have come to light and are presented to us, the Committee will consider and assess them.

"I am disappointed that some have rushed to the news media with unfounded information in order to gain headlines. I hope that my colleagues will refrain from speculation, pray for those who were affected by this tragic incident, and let investigators do their work."

Who Is Nidal Malik Hasan? The Picture Becomes (Slightly) Clearer

2009-11-09T23:01:19Z

The tentative picture emerging of Nidal Malik Hasan is of a man who likely subscribed to radical Islamic beliefs, but who was not acting on behalf of any group in allegedly carrying out the shootings in which 13 died at Fort Hood last week.

The leaks are coming fast and furious in the investigation of the shootings, so we thought we'd put together a digest of the recent coverage.

Bear in mind that what's missing from many of these reports are named sources, and that many of the initial stories about the case were totally wrong.

Here we go:

Investigators searching Hasan's computer have found "no evidence of any connection to terror groups or conspirators," CBS reports. They say he did, however, visit sites promoting a radical Muslim ideology.
Hasan communicated this year and last year with radical Yemen-based cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, once a leader at a mosque in Viriginia visited by Hasan, the New York Times reports, citing anonymous government officials. Intelligence agencies were aware of the communications, but decided "the messages warranted no further action." Not publicly known is what exactly was in said in the communications. Awklaki reportedly left Virginia for Yemen in 2002.

But as to Hasan's motivation, the Times reports:

The officials said the communications did not alter the prevailing theory that Major Hasan acted by himself, lashing out as a result of a combination of factors, among them his outspoken opposition to American policy in Iraq and Afghanistan and his deepening religious fervor as a Muslim.

Awlaki hailed Hasan today in a blog post titled, "Nidal Hasan Did the Right Thing."
A senior former counterterrorism official told the Washington Post that plenty of people attended the same Virginia mosque "who are not terrorist suspects."
Awlaki reportedly had a relationship with two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, and makes an appearance in the 9/11 Commission report, Seth Hettena explains. The New York Post took that link and ran with it today.
ABC has a much-cited story that leads with: "U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, two American officials briefed on classified material in the case told ABC News." Note the use of "people," plural, one of whom could be Awlaki. The ABC story notably does not flesh out its own lead.
Relatives say Hasan was taunted for being a Muslim and desperately wanted out from the military.
Michael Isikoff talks to a (unnamed) law enforcement official who believes the timing of Hasan's gun purchase shows he planned the shooting for some time.
Were the shootings an act of terrorism? Many still-unknown facts about Hasan and his motivation bear on that question, but Matt Duss, Glenn Greenwald, and James Taranto each weigh in with serious points. Meanwhile, Michael Mukasey and Joseph Lieberman answer the question in the affirmative.

Feds Want Jefferson To Serve Up To 33 Years

2009-11-09T21:05:44Z

Federal prosecutors want former congressman William Jefferson to serve up to 33 years in prison.

Court documents filed by the Feds today, and reported by Roll Call, state: "The Probation Office has calculated the Sentencing Guidelines for Congressman Jefferson ... in a guideline range of 324 to 405 months or approximately 27 to 33 years of imprisonment."

The documents continue:

Because Congressman Jefferson's crimes against the people of the United States were exceptional in their sheer number, length, and breadth, the United States respectfully requests that this Court sentence the defendant within the applicable guideline range. While the guidelines sentence calculated by the Probation Office is lengthy, it is appropriate, in that Congressman Jefferson's criminal activities have surely caused or substantially added to the loss of public confidence and trust in our nation's highest levels of government.

In August, the former Louisiana Democratic lawmaker was convicted on 11 counts relating to a web of schemes in which he used political contacts to help American companies win contracts in West African countries. In return, payments or other financial benefits were given to Jefferson family members' companies.

Jefferson's sentencing is scheduled for Friday in U.S. District Court.

Presented By:

2009-11-09T21:05:44Z

Muslim Mafia Author: Now Is The Time For A 'Backlash' Against Muslims

2009-11-09T20:51:58Z

A conservative author whose book was touted just last month by four Republican members of Congress is explicitly calling for a "backlash" against American Muslims in the wake of the Fort Hood shootings.

Dave Gaubatz, author of Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld that's Conspiring to Islamize America, made the comment in a semi-coherent interview with the group Family Security Matters.

In assigning collective blame for the Fort Hood killings, Gaubatz said:

Politicians, Muslims, and law enforcement are concerned about a 'backlash' against Muslims. Now is the time for a professional and legal backlash against the Muslim community and their leaders. Muslims know what materials are being taught in their mosques and they know many of the materials instruct young Muslims to kill innocent people who do not adhere to Sharia law. If Muslims do not want a backlash, then I would recommend a "house cleaning." Stack every Saudi, al Qaeda, Pakistani, Taliban, Hamas, and Muslim Brotherhood piece of material from their mosque and have a bonfire. Tell the American, Jewish, and Muslim community this hatred will no longer be allowed in their mosques.

All of this might be dismissed as the ranting of a fringe lunatic, but for the fact that Gaubatz's work has been circulated and endorsed by prominent Republican officials.

Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) wrote the foreword to Muslim Mafia, which came out last month. And she is the leader of a group of four House Republicans -- including Myrick, John Shadegg (AZ), Paul Broun (GA), and Trent Franks (AZ) -- pursuing the book's claims of Muslim intern "spying" on Capitol Hill.

Just last week the Denver Post published an op-ed by former congressman Tom Tancredo outlining the supposed revelations in Gaubatz's book.

Gaubatz's comments aren't particularly surprising, coming from a man who has called President Obama "Muslim" and questioned the loyalty of the two Muslim members of Congress.

Rep. Hoekstra Accuses Obama Admin Of Withholding Information On Hasan -- Sort Of

2009-11-09T19:43:58Z

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) is blasting President Obama for withholding from the Congressional intelligence committees information on the Fort Hood killings suspect, while at the same time acknowledging the leaders of those panels -- including Hoekstra himself -- have indeed been briefed on Nidal Malik Hasan.

"President Obama said people should not jump to conclusions about what happened at Fort Hood, but the administration is in possession of critical information related to the attack that they are refusing to release to Congress or the American people," Hoekstra said in a statement.

Hoekstra's beef is not that the Obama Administration, including the CIA, haven't released any information. Rather, he's upset that only the Gang of Eight, not the full intelligence committees, have been briefed -- and that the information released has been "limited."

The Gang of Eight, made up of the GOP and Dem leaders of both houses of Congress along with the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate intel committees, is provided with information deemed particularly sensitive by the executive branch. Hoekstra is the ranking member of the House panel.

Hoekstra's statement says:

Hoekstra said he was concerned that more information had been provided, piecemeal, to the news media by anonymous sources than had yet been provided to the Committee. He criticized the Obama administration for not being more immediately forthcoming with details and specifically requested information, and for restricting the limited information provided so far to the so-called "Gang of Eight."

Earlier today, ABC News quoted a senior lawmaker, later revealed to be Hoekstra, claiming that "the CIA had, so far, refused to brief the intelligence committees on what, if any, knowledge they had about Hasan's efforts" to attempt to contact unspecified people associated with al Qaeda. The CIA responded by denying it had refused to brief Congress.

Jamal Ware, a spokesman for Hoekstra, told TPMmuckraker that the congressman's concerns are not centered on the CIA. "We're not suggesting that CIA is the beginning or the end of this in any shape or form," Ware says. "Congressman Hoekstra believes the committee has a process to go through here -- to see what the intelligence agencies, plural, had relative to this threat, and what they did with the information that was in their possession."

In a Nov. 7 letter to the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, CIA, and NSA, Hoekstra requested the agencies issue a preservation order to protect any documents that might relate to the Fort Hood case.

Echoing ABC's report, Hoekstra also says he "been made aware of information from the intelligence community that suggests the possibility that serious issues exist with respect to the performance of U.S. intelligence agencies" in the Fort Hood case.

Greenpeace Keeps Heat On Newsweek Over Climate Change Event With Oil Lobby

2009-11-09T19:20:55Z

Newsweek is continuing to draw scrutiny for an upcoming event on global warming that the magazine plans to co-host with an oil industry lobby group.

Last week, we reported that Newsweek and the American Petroleum Institute are teaming up to put on a panel discussion entitled "Climate and Energy Policy: Moving?," which will be moderated by Howard Fineman, and will feature API CEO Jack Gerard. API is a major Newsweek advertiser, and the two outfits have collaborated on several similar events -- all on the record -- in recent years.

But the news of the upcoming event -- coming as the Senate gets set to take up major climate change legislation -- raised concerns among ethics experts and environmentalists that the magazine was getting too cozy with a private lobbying group.

And now Greenpeace executive director Phil Radford has written to Newsweek managing editor Jon Meacham about the event. Citing reporting by TPMmuckraker and Environment and Energy News, Radford writes that "Gerard's outlier activities put him on the opposite side of the world scientific consensus formed of thousands of scientists on the Nobel Prize- winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change."

Radford adds:

I hope you'll consider that it is not a good idea for news organizations, however financially troubled in this recession, to sponsor public relations functions with the lobbyist for the world's most powerful polluting industry.

Finally, Radford asks Meacham to disclose the total value of ad revenue that the magazine has taken in from API this year. And he urges Meacham to include on the panel an advocate of serious efforts to address climate change, as balance for Gerard. Radford suggests Carl Pope of the Sierra Club, NASA climate scientist James Hansen, or President Mohamed Nasheed of the low-lying Maldive Islands.

In response, Frank De Maria, Newsweek's vice president of corporate communications, released the following statement to TPMmuckraker:

The events that Newsweek holds are open, on-the-record and designed to present various voices on the topic of discussion; this particular event is no different. A Newsweek journalist will moderate the discussion and ask questions he deems newsworthy and relevant. The panel for this event will include a range of points of view. As you may know, James Hansen and Carl Pope have appeared with us in the past, and may again. We're in conversations with others too. We will announce additional panelists once they are confirmed.

De Maria said that Hansen and Pope were both on the magazine's 2007 Newsweek Global Environment Leadership Advisory Committee and panel discussion at Georgetown University.

The statement noticeably does not address Radford's request that Newsweek reveal the total ad revenue it has taken in from API this year.

Here's the full text of Radford's letter to Meacham:

Dear Mr. Meacham:
Yesterday, Talking Points Memo, The New York Times and Environment and Energy Publishing reported on Newsweek's disturbing practice of selling its name and the participation of a top commentator to industry lobbyists. These include five "energy policy" forums, and another upcoming forum on December 1st. I was recently forwarded the attached invitation from Newsweek External Relations Manager Jennifer Slattery to attend that forum entitled, "Climate and Energy Policy: Moving?" This panel is strategically planned exactly one week before the crucial global climate negotiations in Copenhagen.

At present, the panel's only member is American Petroleum Institute (API) President Jack Gerard.

As you know, Mr. Gerard is the nation's top registered lobbyist for Big Oil. API and its biggest member, ExxonMobil, have aggressively lobbied against global warming policy solutions that will inevitably limit global consumption of oil. API and its members have spent tens of millions of dollars over the past decade alone on propaganda efforts and front groups to undercut public confidence in the wide and deep global scientific consensus that global warming is real, that human consumption of fossil fuels is driving it, and that the problem is a serious threat to America and the rest of the world.

Mr. Gerard's outlier activities put him on the opposite side of the world scientific consensus formed of thousands of scientists on the Nobel Prize- winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. That consensus has been recognized by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator John McCain, retired military leaders such as General Anthony Zinni, and the heads of major corporations.

It's clearly not my place to tell you how to run your news organization. However, as one of your readers, I want to save you the extended embarrassment experienced by Newsweek's sister publication, The Washington Post, when it considered "salons" that would have given polluting industry lobbyists access to top Post news staff. That story was an example of the conflicts that can arise when a news publication sells its name to those lobbying for influence through public relations opportunities.

I hope you'll consider that it is not a good idea for news organizations, however financially troubled in this recession, to sponsor public relations functions with the lobbyist for the world's most powerful polluting industry.

To restore some credibility to this upcoming forum, I request that Newsweek and The Washington Post Company take the following steps:

1. First, disclose the total amount of advertising revenue the company has received from the American Petroleum Institute and its member companies in 2009.
2. Second, disclose the specific amount of money Newsweek has made by selling its name for use in these "public policy forums."
3. Third, balance the panel to avoid the appearance of pay-to-play propaganda by expanding it to include:

* Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope, or the head of another environmental group working to address global warming
* An independent scientist such as top NASA climate scientist Jim Hansen
* Republic of Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, who is preparing to move his entire nation due to rising sea waters and acidified seas.

At the risk of being presumptuous, we have already begun contacting each of these three men to see if they would consider participating in your forum at Newsweek's expense.

These people would balance the panel by:

* Pairing Mr. Gerard, a top lobbyist and propaganda funder working against solving the global warming, with an advocate who is promoting solutions to the problem.
* Providing a top international scientific expert on the impacts and urgency of global warming, who has nothing financially to gain from his viewpoint.
* Adding the benefit of a leader who is engaged in the global treaty negotiations and president of a nation that will likely cease to exist because of the burning of the product produced by Mr. Gerard's industry.

Especially given the stakes for humanity, I hope you will use this forum as an opportunity to discuss the best way to move our nation to a clean energy economy. A broad array of national security experts have identified global warming as one of the national greatest security threats of the 21st century. For the rest of the world, the urgency is just as great: The new report by Save the Children predicts that 250,000 children will die next year from the severe impacts of global climate change.

Considering that last fact alone during the panel should make for a much more interesting conversation with Mr. Gerard before members of Congress.

We look forward to your prompt response to this letter. I want to assist Newsweek in balancing this event to avoid further damage to Newsweek's reputation, and to ensure public is better informed about the urgency of addressing this problem in accordance with the wide and deep scientific consensus that already exists.

Regards,

Phil Radford

Did Thurber Ever Sign On As Bonner's Ethics Adviser?

2009-11-09T17:07:51Z

Did American University professor James Thurber ever sign on to act as an independent ethics adviser for astroturf lobbyist Jack Bonner, in the wake of the scandal over those forged letters to lawmakers on climate change? The two principals can't seem to agree.

Thurber has now backed out of the gig, after an ad he ran in Roll Call praising Bonner raised questions about how independent he could truly be. But how firm was the arrangement in the first place?

Bonner told Congress late last month that he had "retained an independent ethics adviser who is well- regarded as maintaining the highest standards and independence," and that Thurber "has agreed to serve in this capacity."

But in a statement released through American University, Thurber said: "There was no contractual arrangement for me to be involved with Bonner and Associates pro bono or otherwise." He added that he had merely "mentioned to Mr. Bonner his need for ethics training for his staff."

A Bonner spokesman stood by Bonner's testimony, telling TPMmuckraker: "Professor Thurber told us that he would provide ethics training without fee, and he has now told us that he has decided he will not do that."

And on Thursday, Roll Call reported:

Thurber offered to provide pro-bono ethics advice to Bonner's staff, which he hasn't yet conducted. With the fallout from this week's ad, Thurber said he now won't provide that advice, and will recommend another ethics adviser to Bonner's firm. "I think its best not to do it."

It's a crime to lie to Congress. The Select Committee on Energy and Global Warming has said it is reviewing -- for possible referral to the Justice Department -- apparently false statements made by Steve Miller, the CEO of the coal-industry group on whose behalf Bonner 's firm forged the letters, during Miller's testimony on the episode.

Asked whether the committee might similarly review Bonner's claim to have retained Thurber, a spokesman for the panel declined to comment.

CIA Calls ABC Report That It Refused To Brief Congress On Fort Hood Suspect Bogus

2009-11-09T15:20:11Z

The CIA is denying an ABC News report that the agency has refused to brief Congress on any knowledge it has about Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army major suspected in the shootings at Fort Hood last week.

"This is a law enforcement investigation, in which other agencies -- not the CIA -- have the lead. Any suggestion that the CIA refused to brief Congress is flat wrong," CIA spokesman George Little tells TPMmuckraker in a statement.

ABC's Richard Esposito, Matthew Cole, and Brian Ross quoted an anonymous senior lawmaker as saying "the CIA had, so far, refused to brief the intelligence committees on what, if any, knowledge they had about Hasan's efforts."

It's not clear if the CIA statement intends a distinction in its reference to "Congress" rather than "intelligence committees." Our calls to the House and Senate intel panels seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Citing two unnamed officials, the ABC piece reports that intel agencies were aware "months ago" that Hasan was "attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda." ABC does not provide any details on what form these attempts took, or who Hasan was trying to contact.

Late Update: The phrase "one senior lawmaker" in the ABC story has now been changed to read "Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)" -- though it's not clear whether Hoekstra was the original unnamed lawmaker.

ABC reports:

Hoekstra said he is "absolutely furious" that the house intel committee has been refused an intelligence briefing by the DNI or CIA on Hasan's attempt to reach out to al Qaeda, as first reported by ABC News.

Hoekstra's spokesman on the House intel panel did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

Ensign No Longer At C Street: Report

2009-11-09T15:04:54Z

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) had some good times and some bad times at the Christian home on C Street that he's lived in since 1995. But now, reports the Las Vegas Sun, he's moved out.

According to the paper, Ensign was not pushed out, but rather left on his own, out of a desire to spare the house's residents any further unwanted publicity. The New York Times had reported late last month that, according two of the senator's friends, he was making plans to move out.

The C Street house played a central role in the drama of the Nevada senator's admitted adultery with the wife of a close friend and aide, which unfolded this summer. In February 2008, other lawmakers who were also residents of the house, including Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), confronted Ensign about the affair with Cindy Hampton. They helped him write a letter to her, breaking things off, then drove hm to FedEx to mail it. But as soon as it was sent, Ensign called his mistress to warn her the letter was on its way and to disregard it.

The red-brick townhouse on Capitol Hill was also home for former GOP congressman Chip Pickering, whose alleged adultery was exposed during divorce proceedings earlier this year. (Pickering's wife charged that some of his "wrongful conduct" had occurred at C Street itself.) And South Carolina governor Mark Sanford said publicly that he sought help and advice from C Street's denizens about his own extra-marital affair.

Accused FL Fraudster Breaks Silence, Quoting Twain From Undisclosed Location

2009-11-09T15:03:08Z

"Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated," Fort Lauderdale attorney Scott Rothstein told the Miami Herald Sunday in a brief interview.

Rothstein, who has been accused of orchestrating a fraud that cost investors as much as hundreds of millions of dollars, spoke to the newspaper from an undisclosed location in south Florida, his first public comments since returning from Morocco last week.

Despite the fact that law firm Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler, is now in receivership, that Rothstein's friends in public office have hastily distanced themselves, that FBI and IRS agents have swarmed his old office, that "disgraced" and "embattled" have become regular epithets attached to his name, the high-flying Rothstein appears unbowed.

He claimed to the Herald, "I am sitting here smoking cigars with Marc," his attorney. This from a man who just 10 days ago sent a text message to his partners in which he seemed to be contemplating suicide.

The Herald goes on:

Rothstein then handed the telephone to his lawyer, Nurik, who said that, in fact, they had not been smoking cigars.

``He is under a lot of pressure,'' said Nurik, who had worked at Rothstein's law firm but stepped down to represent him. ``I don't want anybody to think he is having a good time.''

During the brief interview with Nurik, Rothstein could be heard heartily laughing in the background.

Read the whole interview.