Tuesday 26 July 2005

White House In Disarray; Releases Rove, Not Roberts Papers

Judiciary Committee Says "Thanks", But Wants Info On Nominee Roberts

In what has been described as a "last minute rush", before the President heads out on vacation to his Crawford ranch, and the Congress takes its' August recess, the White House late last night released papers on Karl Rove to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The committee had been asking for the papers of Supreme Court Nominee, John G. Roberts.

Rove, the White House Chief Strategist, is at the center of the growing CIA Leak scandal.

"Someone when into the "R" file and grabbed the wrong folder", stated White House Spokesperson, Scott McClellan.

A sources close to the committee said that there "doesn't appear to be anything of interest in the Rove file".

"It's, pretty much, his standard personnel documents".

Early yesterday, the Bush Administration had agreed to release Robert's papers, from his time as White House council, in the mid-1980's and his early job with the attorney general's office.

Senate Democrats are asking for Robert's writings, covering the four years he spent as principal deputy solicitor general, beginning in 1989

Senator Joe Biden (D-MD), a committee member who will question Roberts, said the release of the wrong file "sounds fishy".

"They're trying to hide this guy … They want to keep us in the dark", said Biden. "I don't know, maybe we need to have a special investigation on this".

President Bush has urged the Senate to begin the nomination hearing for Roberts before Labor Day. However, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has indicated it's likely that the hearings will start "after Labor Day"

At issue is the Bush Administration's contention that the later writings of Roberts, while he was working in the attorney general's office, falls into the category of attorney-client privilege. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the leading Democrat on the Judiciary Committee believes it doesn't apply.

"Lawyers in the solicitor general's office are not working for the president, but are working for you and me, and all the American people", said Leahy.

"There is just no way the administration can give in on that", said Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT), a former Judiciary Committee chairman.

Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) warned that the administration "shouldn't stonewall this nomination" and then immediately blamed Senator Rick Santorum for the trouble with getting the files.


U.S. Military Officials released photos of the first
battle-ready battalion of the new Iraqi Army










Labor Split Worries Calendar Makers

How Many Labor Day Holidays To Mark Causing Delays in 2007 and beyond

With the Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union splitting away from the AFL-CIO, the rift in America's labor unions is having an domino effect on calendar makers around the world.

Two additional unions - the Food and Commercial Workers and UNITE HERE, a group of textile and hotel workers - are considering pulling out as well.

What is up-in-the-air is how many Labor Day Holidays will be necessary to accommodate two, or more labor unions?

Everything, from wall-hanging calendars, to desk pads, jokes-for-the-day, Garfield calendars, On-Line and PDA calendars are effected.

A spokesperson for Microsoft said that 'This could screw up a lot of programs. Could even mean renaming Vista".

"This is a crisis", stated John Markem, of Calendars Are Us.

Markem indicated that 2006 calendars are already printed and ready-to-ship, for most calendar makers. By the end of summer, that would be the period where most calendar makers begin working on 2007 calendars.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney has already dug in a hard-line as to the Labor Day Holiday issue.

"First Monday in September", declared Sweeney. 'That's our holiday … We're not giving that up. Let the scabs go out and get their own holiday".

The departing unions, seven in total, have formed the Change to Win Coalition. Coalition chairwoman Anna Burger stated, after the Teamsters triggered the withdrawal, that "today will be remembered as a rebirth of union strength in America".

Burger indicated that the coalition hasn't taken up the issue of what day will be their holiday.

When reached for comment, Department of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao stated 'that's a very good question".

Markem has a suggestion for the Change to Win Coalition.

"August. It's the only month without a major holiday".