Think Progress

Pelosi, Conyers offer legislation to amend FISA.

Shortly after passing legislation to temporarily expand the administration’s spying authority under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Conyers introduced a bill to amend that legislation “as soon as possible.”

DoJ held political briefings.

“Justice Department officials attended at least a dozen political briefings at the White House since 2001, including some meetings led by Karl Rove, President Bush’s chief political adviser, and others that were focused on election trends prior to the 2006 midterm contest, according to documents released yesterday.” In June, the Office of Special Counsel found that political briefings held at the General Services Administration violated the law. “Inappropriate” political briefings were even given to diplomats. See more on Karl Rove’s politicization of the federal government HERE.

Lift the ban.

Robert Greenwald’s Brave New Films has released a new video at LiftTheBan.org documenting how the U.S. military’s ban on openly gay servicemembers has compromised our national security by worsening our shortage of Arabic linguists. Watch the video:

At least 58 Arabic linguists have been kicked out of the U.S. military because they were gay. Sign the petition to have your Member of Congress sign on to the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban.

MacacaPAC.

“Former U.S. Sen. George Allen is returning to the political fray for the first time since his jarring defeat for re-election last November,” forming a political action committee called the Good Government Action Fund. “Allen said the PAC should not be interpreted as a signal that he plans to run for statewide office again. He is often mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2009. ‘I’ve made no decisions about my own future,’ he said. ‘This isn’t about me.’”

Don’t ask, don’t tell, then re-enlist.

“Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Knight says the U.S. Navy knew he was gay, discharged him after he admitted his sexuality, and then re-called him last year to serve in the Middle East.”

UPDATE: Carpetbagger has much more HERE.

Rice, RNC subpoenas approved.

“By 21-10, the House oversight committee voted to issue a subpoena to Rice to compel her story on the Bush administration’s claim, now discredited, that Iraq was seeking uranium from Africa.” The oversight committee “also issued subpoenas for the Republican National Committee for testimony and documents about White House e-mails on RNC accounts that have apparently gone missing.” In the Senate, the Judiciary Committee “approved – but did not issue – a subpoena on the prosecutors’ matter to Sara Taylor, deputy to presidential adviser Karl Rove.”

‘Macaca’ to rise again?

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA) ‘will host a private dinner’ to ‘discuss whether to seek’ Sen. John Warner’s (R-VA) seat should he decide to retire, the Washington Times reports. ‘Speculation of late also had Mr. Allen considering a run for Virginia governor in 2009, a post he also previously held.’

McCain backs Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) claims that “military leaders” he’s talked to about the ban on gay servicemembers say, “‘Generally, overall, it’s working.’ … And right now we’ve got the best military we’ve ever had – the most professional, best trained, equipped and the bravest. And so I think it’s logical to leave this issue alone. I really do.” Currently, the U.S. Army’s readiness for war “has eroded to levels not witnessed by our country in decades,” and since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell went into effect, the Pentagon has dismissed more than 11,000 servicemembers, many in key specialty skills such as training in Arabic.

Bill to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ coming tomorrow.

Tomorrow afternoon, Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA) will re-introduce The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, his bill to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and allow gays to serve openly. Today, Freedom to Serve highlighted the story of Serena, an African-American lesbian currently serving in the military. An excerpt from Serena:

Sometimes the constant looking around, whispering, speaking in code, and backpedaling to correct a slip of the tongue wears out my psyche. But it’s what I have to do to continue a career that I love very much and maintain a relationship with the girlfriend who I love very much. I appreciate her unyielding support, her understanding, and her acceptance of having to constantly use discretion when we interact with each other. One day it won’t be that way anymore and we can live our lives freely and openly.

More than 11,000 servicemembers have been dismissed under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Bush lifts Alaska drilling ban.

“President Bush lifted the drilling ban Tuesday for Alaska’s Bristol Bay, clearing the way for the Interior Department to open the fish-rich waters to oil and natural gas development.”

Bush admin breaking the law on global warming data.

So says Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who is angry that the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is not complying with a congressional requirement to produce a report on climate change. “They’re simply not complying with the law. It’s incredible,” McCain said.

BREAKING:

NBC projects Democrats take control of House.

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) proposes ethnic and religious profiling.

“Declaring that airport screeners shouldn’t be hampered by ‘political correctness,’ House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King has endorsed requiring people of ‘Middle Eastern and South Asian’ descent to undergo additional security checks because of their ethnicity and religion.”

In a hole, Allen keeps digging.

According to political operatives close to Sen. George Allen, the Senator used the derogatory phrase “macaca” not as an ethnic slur, but as a mash-up of “Mohawk,” referring to S.R. Sidarth’s distinctive hair, and “caca,” Spanish slang for excrement, or “sh*t.” Said one conservative: “In other words, he was a sh*t-head, an annoyance.”

The Bolton blitz begins.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee announced today it will hold fresh hearings on the nomination of U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, who failed to be confirmed by the Senate last year. The hearings are set for next Thursday, and the White House has scheduled Bolton on multiple Sunday morning news shows this weekend.

Israeli aircraft strike Beirut.

“Witnesses said Israeli aircraft attacked Lebanon’s capital Beirut Saturday for the first time in a four-day offensive, striking a lighthouse and the city’s seaport,” the AP reports.

Public broadcasting under attack.

“House Republicans yesterday revived their efforts to slash funding for public broadcasting, as a key committee approved a $115 million reduction in the budget for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that could force the elimination of some popular PBS and NPR programs,” the Boston Globe reports.