Senate Democrats accuse Republicans of adopting intransigence as a strategy to produce a "do-nothing" Congress. Senate Republicans acknowledge using delay tactics but say they are reacting to a heavy-handed Democratic majority that has denied them a voice on the Senate floor.

Let's clarify a few things here. First, when Republicans controlled Congress, Democratic bills and amendments were flat blocked. They never reached the floor, and once in a while something so egregious would come up that the 60 vote rule would become invoked in the Senate. What have we seen since then? Everything gets blocked, filibustered, or bogged down in nowhere by the Republicans. Denying them a voice? Get real. Better yet, get out so things can actually get done.

Watch some of the Republican campaign commercials going up. They're talking about themselves as "bi-partisan," "uniters," anything except what they are, road blocks that serve no purpose except to stop anything that may come up. Hell they voted against Mother's Day. Don't need 'em, don't want 'em.

Political Maneuvers Delay Bill After Bill in Senate - washingtonpost.com

“Many qualified candidates” were rejected for the department’s honors program because of what was perceived as a liberal bias, the report found. Those practices, the report concluded, “constituted misconduct and also violated the department’s policies and civil service law that prohibit discrimination in hiring based on political or ideological affiliations.”

I detect much pain soon to emanate from Justice. And a good thing too.

Report Sees Illegal Hiring Practices at Justice Department - NYTimes.com

In the past two years, I have spoken with two investigating magistrates in two different European nations, both pro-Iraq war NATO allies. Both were assembling war crimes charges against a small group of Bush administration officials. "You can rest assured that no charges will be brought before January 20, 2009," one told me. And after that? "It depends. We don't expect extradition. But if one of the targets lands on our territory or on the territory of one of our cooperating jurisdictions, then we'll be prepared to act."

Farewell tour of Europe is right. People from the White House try to go back, they get to see prison grey.

Travel Advisory

From March 1 to June 18, 2008, Operation Malicious Mortgage resulted in 144 mortgage fraud cases in which 406 defendants were charged. Yesterday, 60 arrests were made in mortgage fraud-related cases in 15 districts. Charges in Operation Malicious Mortgage cases were brought in every region of the United States and in more than 50 judicial districts by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices based upon the law enforcement and investigative efforts of participating law enforcement agencies. The FBI estimates that approximately $1 billion in losses were inflicted by the mortgage fraud schemes employed in these cases.

They're about 4 years late on starting this one. And luv the name! What's next? Operation Gang Bang going after porn people? How about Operation Executive Decision going after the White House for violating their oaths of office?

Federal Bureau of Investigation - Operation Malicious Mortgage

To defend itself against a lawsuit by the widows of three American soldiers who died on one of its planes in Afghanistan, a sister company of the private military firm Blackwater has asked a federal court to decide the case using the Islamic law known as Shari’a.

WTF??? What? How? Why?

If the judge agrees, it would essentially end the lawsuit over a botched flight supporting the U.S. military. Shari’a law does not hold a company responsible for the actions of employees performed within the course of their work.

Oh, well gee, we aren't responsible because it was our employees, not the company.

Guys, here's a short pier, take a long walk off it. Oh those fins? Those are... dolphins! Yeah! Dolphins! And they want to play in the water with you! It'll be a blast!

Blackwater: Apply Sharia law in US Courts!

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Justice Department lawyers had brought what is known as a grand jury referral focusing on possible perjury by Bradley J. Schlozman, who was acting head of the civil rights division in 2003.

Yep, this loser. We're quite familiar with him here in Missouri where he acted against DoJ practice to try to throw the 2006 election in favor of his party while acting US Attorney over in Kansas City. See ya Brad, we don't miss you.

Grand Jury Said to Look at Attorneys’ Dismissals - NYTimes.com

Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), who has two young daughters, moved to table Tiahrt's request, setting up a revote. This time, 178 Republicans cast their votes against mothers.

Way to go guys. A fine illustration of Republican "values."

Republicans Vote Against Moms; No Word Yet on Puppies, Kittens - washingtonpost.com

The House Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to compel a top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney to testify to the committee about the Bush administration's interrogation practices.

David Addington, Cheney's chief of staff, refused to testify without a subpoena. No date has been set for his appearance before Congress.

Which Addington will ignore citing executive privilege. And people thought Nixon was bad.

The Associated Press: House panel subpoenas top Cheney aide

On Wednesday, the name of longtime Bush administration political guru Karl Rove was thrown into the mix as part of an alleged initiative to squelch the criminal investigation into Rezko by dumping U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald.

At a hearing outside the presence of jurors, one of Fitzgerald's prosecutors said former Blagojevich administration official Ali Ata was prepared to testify to a conversation he had with Rezko in late-2004 about a scheme to use Illinois' Republican National Committeeman Robert Kjellander to approach his good friend Rove. The idea was to get Rove to use his clout in the Bush White House to have Fitzgerald removed, the prosecutor said Ata would testify.

Ata pleaded guilty to corruption charges in a separate criminal case involving Rezko on Tuesday and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Government lawyers have also said they have another witness who would be able to back up the story that there was a move afoot to oust Fitzgerald.

Kjellander and a lawyer for Rove flatly denied they were involved in any such scheme.

This little gem is hidden in the mess that is the Rezko coverage. Influence peddling? To quote Kool-Aid Man, "Oh YEAH!"

Attorney Firing Scandal Part Deux

"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president we will attack Iran," Clinton said.

Hillary, you have now demonstrated your utter unfitness to become the next president.

ABC News: Clinton on Iran Attack: 'We Would Be Able to Totally Obliterate Them'