Washington News Revolves Around Ethics
Jun 23rd, 2008 • Posted in: NewsDevelopments include compromise spy legislation, a report that Justice Department lawyer was reassigned because he opposed administration views on harsh interrogations, the ethics debate over offshore drilling, and a New Orleans congressman who will seek reelection despite corruption charges
WASHINGTON
Several ethics-related news stories garnered headlines last week in the Beltway press. Among them:
- The U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a spy law that would shield telecommunications companies from legal liability for opening their records and networks to government investigators in apparent violation of existing wiretap laws. The technology news network CNET reports that the threat of lawsuits to telecoms had been a major sticking point in revising the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Telecoms face lawsuits over their participation in the warrantless surveillance program started by President Bush after the 9/11 terror attacks. While not granting complete retroactive immunity, the bill will allow courts to dismiss suits if telecoms present written documentation that the government asked a company to participate and assured the firm that its actions were legal, according to CNET.
- ABC News reports that former U.S. attorney general Alberto Gonzales ousted a top lawyer who disagreed with the administration’s position on what constitutes torture. Gonzales asked Daniel Levin to leave in early 2005 shortly after Levin wrote an opinion declaring torture “abhorrent” and limiting the administration’s use of harsh interrogation techniques, according to the ABC report. The story cited unidentified sources as saying that Gonzales, concerned about the appearance of removing Levin under the circumstances, arranged for him to be offered a “less significant” position outside the Justice Department.
- Weighing environmental costs against the hardships imposed by soaring oil prices, the Bush administration last week called on Congress to lift the ban on domestic offshore oil drilling. Bush noted that the situation reflected a long-term versus short-term dilemma, in that alternative energy technologies offer a solution to demand for oil in the future, but “in the short run the American economic will continue to rely largely on oil, and that means we’ll need to increase supply especially here at home,” Forbes reported. Bush’s call was criticized as fraudulent posturing by New York Times economics columnist Thomas Friedman, who slammed the president and other GOP leaders for perpetuating the nation’s dependence on oil while blocking nearly all significant measures to improve fuel efficiency and foster renewable energy development over the past six years.
- Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) announced that he will seek reelection to a tenth term even though he is preparing to go on trial for political corruption, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Jefferson was stripped of his position on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee seat after a federal raid on his congressional office.
Sources: New York Times, June 22 — ABC News, June 21 — New Orleans Times-Picayune, June 21 — CNET, June 20 — Forbes, June 19.
For more information, see: Related Newsline story, May 12 — Related Newsline story, Mar. 24 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 11 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 10, 2007 — Related Newsline story, June 26, 2006.
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