Congresspedia front-page updates archive, July 2006

The following news updates were among those added to Congresspedia in July 2006:

• Sen. Tom Coburn's (R-Okla.) legislation that would create an online database of all federal spending was approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.(''Wasington Post'' story)
• The Pentagon will not renew the contract of a Martinsville based company (formerly known as MZM) that was supported by earmarks from Rep. Virgil Goode (R- Va.). MZM’s former owner Mitchell Wade stated that he received over $90,000 in contributions from Goode. (''TPM Muckraker'' story)
• Monday, July 31, 2006, New Orlean’s 5th Circuit federal appeals court will hear oral arguments of the case involving former Rep.Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and the Democratic party's effort to get him to remain on the Congressional ballot for the 22nd district of Texas. (''Yahoo News'' story)
• Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has not signed onto the latest campaign reform legislation introduced by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Rep. Martin Meehan (D- Mass.), and Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.). (''New York Sun'' story)
• Rep. Jerry Lewis’s (R-Calif.) aide shared emails with one of his former lobbying clients about ''San Diego Union-Tribune'' reporter Jerry Kramer’s investigating his former company. Shockey wrote to a university contact, “This guy is really focusing in on my relationship with the university—I can’t quite figure it out.” The contact replied by saying “he does not understand earmarks, nor like them.”( ''TPM Muckraker'' story)
  *Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) apologized for criticizing a team of firefighters for their performance during a wildfire in Montana. (''AP'' story)
• Rep. Tom Davis (R-Vir.), Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, has worked closely with a political consultant who currently employs his wife. (''Washington Post'' story)
• Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) believes subpoenas issued to members of his staff are politically motivated. (''TPM Muckraker'' story)
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) cut the pay of a top staffer in late 2002, allowing her to immediately work for a lobbying firm closely linked to him. (''TPM Muckraker'' story)
• Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has not yet decided what he will do if a court forces him to remain on the November ballot for Congress. (''Roll Call'' story)
• Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) introduced a bill which would allow Congress to bring lawsuits testing the constitutionality of President Bush’s signing statements. (''Reuters'' story)
• House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), and Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) pledged to impose their own new rules on earmarking if the House and Senate cannot agree on new lobbying and ethics legislation. (''AP'' story)
• The House Committee on Resources approved legislation which would block Indian tribes from building casinos off of their respective reservations. (''AP'' story)
• A former communications director for Rep. Katherine Harris’s Senate primary campaign has joined the staff of one of her Republican opponents. (''Bradenton Herald'' story)
• A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the Justice Department from reviewing documents confiscated during a raid of Rep. William Jefferson's congressional office in May. (''Roll Call'' story)
• Rep. Curt Weldon's (R-Pa.) ties to the Boeing Co. have been beneficial to his son's auto-racing career. (''The Hill'' story)
• Rep. Charles Taylor (R-N.C.) has been criticized by his Democratic opponent for securing earmarks for non-profit groups in his district. (''The Hill'' story)
• The Justice Department has requested records from the Senate Rules Committee to aid in its investigation of Jack Abramoff and his Capitol Hill contracts. (''The Hill'' story)
• Sen. Rick Santorum's re-election campaign and political action committee paid a dozen members of his personal and leadership staff more than $82,000 between the beginning of 2005 and July 2006. (''Roll Call'' story)
• Rep. Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) defended the actions of former House Ethics Committee Ranking Member Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), who is currently being investigated by federal prosecutors for misrepresenting his assets on financial discloure forms. (''The Hill'' story)
• Since taking over as House majority leader, Rep. John Boehner has bettered the fundraising pace set by former leader Tom DeLay in 2004. (''Bloomberg.com'' story)
• An independent investigation found that convicted Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham harassed aides into adding items to classified legislation which served his personal interests. (''Associated Press'' story)
• The manager of MZM, Inc. pleaded guilty to violating FEC rules by funneling illegal campaign contributions to Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.). (''Associated Press'' story)
• Rep. Jerry Lewis's (R-Calif.) campaign committee bought $25,000 worth of stock in a Riverside bank the same day that he and his wife personally invested in the new business. (''Press-Enterprise'' story)
• The House Committee on Government Reform is launching an investigation into whether White House officials edited climate reports to diminish the perceived threat of global warming. (''Think Progress'' story)
• While debating the Federal Marriage Amendment, which failed in the House, Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.) advocated that divorce and adultery be illegal in the United States, and that those who have done either should be barred from elected office. (''Think Progress'' story)
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) capitalized on the help and advice of an earmark beneficiary's spouse to turn a $22,000 investment into nearly $60,000 in less than two years. (''Associated Press'' story)
• Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ARMPAC (Americans for a Republican Majority PAC) was fined by the FEC for numerous reporting violations dating back to 2001. (''TPM Muckraker'' story)
• The House Committee on Government Reform is requesting documents from several firms connected to Jack Abramoff in its investigation of White House ties to the convicted lobbyist. (''Roll Call'' story)
• The vice-president of Nigeria denies ever having a business relationship with Rep. William Jefferson, an assertion which runs contrary to FBI allegations. (''New York Times'' story)
• Rep. Charles Taylor has used an earmark to create an overseas study program now headed by his Russian business-partner. (''The Hill'' story)
• Justice Department officials have requested documents from Rep. Katherine Harris's (R-Fla.) Senate campaign in an investigation of Mitchell Wade, a defense contractor who pled guilty to providing her with illegal contributions. (''Orlando Sentinel'' story) The previous day, a former adviser to Harris, Ed Rollins, was interviewed by investigators for two hours regarding the congresswoman's involvement with Wade. (''Orlando Sentinel'' story) In addition, former Harris chief of staff Fred Asbell is scheduled to be interviewed as soon as next week. (''St. Petersburg Times'' story)
• A federal judge ruled that documents obtained during a raid on Rep. William Jefferson's (D-La.) congressional office can be examined by federal investigators. (''Washington Post'' story)
• Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.) declined a request to testify before the New York State Assembly regarding the annual Congressional Winter Challenge event he hosts in Lake Placid, N.Y. (''Roll Call'' story)
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), currently under federal investigation for his ties to lobbyists, has spent $200,000 of his campaign funds on legal fees. In addition, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has spent $485,275 on his defense against money laundering and conspiracy charges in Texas. (Hill'' story) Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), however, has not paid his sizable legal fees in six months. (''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' story)
• The House Committee on Government Reform has opened an investigation into convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff's contacts with the White House. (''Washington Post'' story)
• House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is refusing to take part in an event this week which will honor former House Reps. Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Tom DeLay.
• Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has maintained an active relationship with lobbyists since becoming House Majority Leader in February.
• Several staff members for Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) have quit because the congresswoman and Senatorial candidate has been unable to improve her behavior towards them.
• Former congressman and convicted felon Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) will be honored in Washington this week for, "hard work, service, time and...sacrifices made in upholding the office with which (he was) entrusted."
• Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) used his influence on a House committee to shut down an airport, allowing the land to be developed by a top campaign contributor and personal lender.
• Despite a rocky relationship in the past, Sen. Hillary Clinton has received over $150,000 from the pharmaceutical industry during the 2006 campaign cycle.
• Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) failed to report a real estate property that he co-purchased in 2003.
• Senatorial candidate Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) accused her Democratic opponent, Sen. Ben Nelson, of taking illegal funds from a now-defunct insurance company. One report, however, argues that she was in fact more deeply involved with the firm than Nelson.
• A second aide to Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) has been issued a subpoena in the federal investigation surrounding the congressman.
• Campaign and political action committees headed by Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) have paid the congressman’s wife fifteen percent of its’ total contributions over the past two years.
• A Washington ethics watchdog group reported that Rep. Don Sherwood (R-Pa.) secured funding for a conservation group who ultimately spent some of the money at the congressmen’s auto dealership.
• A federal judge ruled that the raid on Rep. William Jefferson’s (D-La.) congressional office was legal.
• Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) defended his insertion of a fake conversation in a brief which was submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) unsuccessfully attempted to strip a $250,000 earmark for the Science Museum of Virginia.
• A new study on congressional travel concluded that the staff of Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) has taken $385,000 worth of trips over the past five-and-a-half years.
• Sources on Capitol Hill say Republicans may ask Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) to step down before the November elections if he is indicted in connection to his ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
• Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), currently under federal investigation, has hired a crisis communications consultant whose past clients have included Monica Lewinsky and the family of murdered Washington intern Chandra Levy.
• A Republican-appointed U.S. District Judge ruled that Republicans cannot replace former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on the ballot for the House race in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas.
• Press Enterprise.com reported that the City Council of Redlands, home to Rep. Jerry Lewis, voted unanimously to cut ties with the Copeland Lowery firm whose relationship with Lewis has been under federal investigation.
• Just days following the announcement of an investigation concerning their relationship, clients of the Copeland Lowery lobbying firm continued to provide funds to Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) (More at the Sunlight blogs)
• E-mails from Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) have reportedly been subpoenaed by the Justice Department in the ongoing investigation surrounding the congressman. (More at Sunlight blogs)
• The manager of MZM, Inc., Richard A. Berglund, was accused of violating FEC rules by illegally donating money to Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.). (More at Sunlight blogs)