FBI agents on Tuesday raided the offices of Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch, who oversees protection for federal whistleblowers. The agents seized computers and shut down email service as part of an obstruction of justice probe, NPR has exclusively learned.
FBI agents also searched Bloch's home and a Special Counsel field office in Dallas. A grand jury in Washington issued subpoenas for several OSC employees, including Bloch, according to NPR sources who spoke on condition their names not be used.
A November Washington Post story detailed allegations that Bloch was using his office to retaliate, rather than protect, federal whistleblowers.
Bloch is not only busily investigating the White House for political briefings Karl Rove and his aides made to various agencies, but he's also conducting an investigation of the politicization at the Department of Justice and issues related to the U.S. Attorney firings.
Former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former White House lawyers John Yoo and David Addington will testify to the House Judiciary Committee on Bush Administration interrogation and torture policy following a long legal bout with the committee.
Earlier this morning the committee voted to subpoena Addington, a top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney and one of the legal architects of the administration's war on terror policies.
The AP reported earlier that Yoo and Ashcroft agreed late Monday to appear in front of the committee.
Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith, and former Assistant Attorney General Dan Levin will also testify.
Former CIA Director George Tenet has not yet agreed to appear, but is reportedly negotiating with the committee.
From Friday's press gaggle with White House Spokesman Tony Fratto:
QDo you have any late read on the farm bill?The negotiators all but reached an agreement I guess last night.
MR. FRATTO:I heard they're talking.I don't have a good readout on exactly what they may or may not have agreed to.I do think it is incredibly ironic that we're talking about food prices, and globally, obviously, the food crisis and rising food prices here in the United States, at the same time we're talking about putting together a farm bill that supports higher prices for food and sends subsidies to some of the wealthiest Americans.So we're
The Senate has passed a two-week farm bill extension. The House has begun debate on the extension lasting until May 16.
The farm bill has been repeatedly extended since debate began on the bill last year. Reports indicate some House and Senate members are looking to cut subsidies granted to more wealthy farmers.
Top leaders of the Republican Party are attacking Democrats Tuesday for the high cost of gas.
As The Hill's Klaus Marre reported, President Bush blamed Democrats in a speech Tuesday for blocking administration plans to address high prices at the pump.
"One of the main reasons for high gas prices is that global oil production is not keeping up with growing demand," Bush said. "Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production, yet Congress has been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home."
As Bush was speaking, GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) put out a statement blasting Democrats for stalling in their release of a touted "commonsense plan" to lower gas prices.
"As Americans continue to pay higher and higher prices at the pump, the Democrat leadership has yet to reveal their
Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, has been picked by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to head all U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno will reportedly be nominated to replace Petraeus.
If confirmed by the Senate, Petraeus would replace Adm. William Fallon who resigned in March.
Fallon was pressured to resign after an Esquiremagazine article portrayed the Admiral as the lone voice within the military opposing a war with Iran.
At the press conference announcing the decision, Gates said he recommended Petraeus because he is "absolutely confident" Petraeus is "the best man for the job."
"I don't know anybody in the United States military better qualified to led that effort."
Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) hailed the Petraeus pick, saying he has "the utmost confidence [Petraeus's] leadership."
"Once confirmed, our nation will be fortunate to have General Petraeus guide our strategy to protect American interests in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and the wider region of the world," the Republican leader said.
Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was less enthusiastic. Reid said the challenges facing the next President "will require fresh, independent and creative thinking and, if directed to by a new President, a commitment to implementing major changes in strategy."
"The Senate will carefully examine these nominations and I will be looking for credible assurances of a strong commitment to implementing a more effective national security strategy," Reid said.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticized former President Jimmy Carter Tuesday for meeting with Hamas leadership over the weekend.
Carter met with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in an attempt to foster peace talks between Meshaal, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
According to Reuters, at a conference on Iraq that is being held in Kuwait Rice told reporters:
The United States is not going to deal with Hamas and we certainly told President Carter that we did not think that meeting with Hamas was going to help the Palestinians.
We wanted to make sure there would be no confusion and there would be no sense that Hamas was somehow a party to peace negotiations which Abu Mazen has undertaken with the Israeli prime minister.
President Bush made a video appearance on NBC's "Deal or No Deal" Monday night to support Purple Heart recipient Captain Joseph Kobes who has done three tours in Iraq and just re-upped for three more years.
Bush said he was "thrilled to be anywhere with high ratings these days."
Answering a question on the economy during a joint appearance with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President Bush characterized the economy as in a "rough patch."
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