Administration

The Hill's Sam Youngman has the story.

The White House is expressing outrage over an article in the Jerusalem Post that is prominently featured on the Drudge Report claiming President Bush plans to attack Iran before the end of his term.

A statement from White House Press Secretary Dana Perino says the article "is not worth the paper it's written on."

"Let me respond by reaffirming the policy of the Administration: We, along with our international allies who want peace in the Middle East, remain opposed to Iran

The Hill's Klaus Marre has the story.

The White House on Monday sent a scathing letter to NBC News, accusing the news network of Read more...

In a sit down with Alabama's Anniston Star, the state's former Democratic Governor Don Siegelman says that when the alleged White House-orchestrated investigation of him, as well as the U.S. Attorney scandal, are fully examined, they "will make Watergate look like child's play."

Siegelman was convicted of bribery in 2006, but was released two months ago on appeal. The former governor has accused former White House advisor Karl Rove of orchestrating a Justice Department investigation on supposed bribery charges for political advantage. At the time of the investigation, Siegelman was the leading Democrat in Mississippi.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich) has repeatedly called on Rove to testify in the matter.

When asked by the paper why the case has gotten so much national media attention, Siegelman said:

I think this will make Watergate look like child's play when it is fully investigated, not so much this case because certainly it's not about me. It's about restoring justice and protecting our democracy and, because this case shows the lengths to which those who are obsessed with power will go in order to gain power or retain power, it has attracted the attention of the national press.

Specifically, because it is tied to the White House because Karl Rove is not only a political adviser to the president but he's a close personal friend of the president, and you asked me if I was surprised, no I'm not surprised that the national media has focused on this because it is the only case that has led Congress directly to the doors of the White House.

The Hill's J. Taylor Rushing has the story.

Controversial nominee Hans von Spakovsky withdrew his nomination from the Federal Election Commission on Friday, potentially ending a standoff that had crippled the FEC.

In a letter to Bush, von Spakovsky cited the two-and-a-half-year length of his pending nomination and said the process Read more...

The Hill's J. Taylor Rushing reports from Capitol Hill that the Senate has cleared the farm bill conference report to President Bush, which was approved by the House Wednesday.

Like the House, the Senate adopted the conference report with a veto-proof majority as 81 Senators voted in favor.

Sources tell NBC that the U.S. military has cut ties with one-time neoconservative favorite Ahmad Chalabi who helped administration officials make the case for war.

The military told the network it dropped the controversial Iraqi politician because of "unauthorized" contacts with Iran.

The farm bill passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 318-106, more than enough to override a Presidential veto if the Bush Administration follows through on its threats.

Many House Republicans broke ranks with both Bush and John McCain to vote in favor of the farm bill, The Hill's Ian Swanson reports.

A few lawmakers have shared their reactions to the farm bill's passage on The Hill's Congress Blog.

A report from Media Matters claims that the retired officers being used by the Pentagon to promote U.S. military policy as media analysts made more than 4,500 appearances on the major television networks, cable news and radio from January 2002 until an April New York Times story exposed the program.

Three of the retired officers named in the Times story made more than 500 appearances each.

In an online discussion on Firedoglake Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) promised that hearings will be held over the Pentagon's program of using retired military officials to promote the Defense Department's agenda in the media, first exposed in a New York Times article.

When asked during the course of the discussion if there would be hearings on the matter, Reid said, "The answer is yes. I have personally spoken to Chairman Levin and he is tremendously concerned as I. And we are proceeding accordingly."

Reid also had a message for Republicans potentially looking for pickups in Nevada. When one commenter asked if Democrats will carry the state in November, Reid responded, "Damn right!"