Category | News

Politically Incorrect: We watch the news so you don’t have to

Published on April 3, 2007 by The Sentinel

   And the winner is…Hillary Clinton! Well, sort of. The senator broke
a fundraising record by securing $26 million in the first quarter of
2007. In addition, the Clinton campaign transferred $10 million from
her previous Senate run, bringing her fund up to $36 million. Also
breaking records, but not the campaign bank, was former Sen. John
Edwards with $14 million. Meanwhile, Al Gore was overheard saying,
“Whatever. I’ve got a three picture deal at Paramount.” Republican
candidates have not yet released contribution numbers…

    Forget the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. A spending
bill was recently passed in the House that contains $103 billion worth
of aid for the war in Iraq and $74 million for…peanut storage? The
super-sized bill also features a controversial caveat: a deadline for
withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Other requests include $25 million
for spinach growers suffering from E. coli-fearing consumers and $120
million for shrimp farmers affected by hurricane Katrina.
    Not to be outdone, the Senate followed with a bill
that includes war funds and $18 billion earmarked for non-military
spending. The bill also stipulates that U.S. troops begin leaving Iraq
within 120 days, with a complete exit by Mar. 1, 2008. The two bills
will now be reconciled between the two chambers. President Bush has
stated he will veto any bill that includes withdrawal timelines…

    Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is facing
increased scrutiny for the recent firings of eight federal prosecutors.
Kyle Sampson, a former Justice aide, told a Senate Judiciary Committee
that Gonzales was personally involved in the terminations. This
testimony contradicts previous statements given by Gonzales.

    What’s the fuss, you ask? According to the
Constitution, don’t attorney generals serve at the President’s
pleasure? Meaning that he can fire them at will? Well, yes. Presidents
Reagan, Clinton, and Bush have all removed U.S. attorneys. But critics
claim that these particular terminations are overtly political. Some
suggest that the attorneys were fired because of a lack of partisan
preference. Due to the current Congressional spring break, Gonzales
himself is not scheduled to testify until April 18…