Examiner Editorial: Government and journalists cower at threats to cartoonist | Washington Examiner Last week, the Seattle Weekly announced that Molly Norris, its editorial cartoonist, had “gone ghost.” Put another way, she went into hiding. The FBI told her she had to because otherwise it couldn’t protect her against death threats from Muslims she’d angered. […]
Sharia as the new red menace? – Washington Post
Boy, I really hate it when American judges try to impose harsh Islamic sharia law. You know, with all those grisly lashings, stonings and beheadings. What’s that you say? No such thing is happening, and you wonder where I got such a crazy idea? Why, Newt Gingrich told me.
It’s not at all unusual for a Hollywood celebrity to make an appearance on Capitol Hill. Whether they are advocating for a particular cause or issue, their public visibility has the ability to shine a greater light on a particular subject matter than what might otherwise be offered. That’s why I greet the news that Oscar winner Kevin Costner is serving as a witness before the House Homeland Security Committee with some cautious enthusiasm. At the Wednesday hearing, Costner will be just one of several witnesses that hopefully will provide some lessons learned from what has been and continues to be the disaster with no end – the Gulf oil spill.
Former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge commented yesterday about when streamlining congressional oversight of DHS might occur. This is not the first time Secretary Ridge has weighed in on the problems of having DHS report to over 100 congressional committees and subcommittees, and his thoughts have been echoed by his two predecessors, Michael Chertoff and Janet Napolitano, and a chorus of other voices. Perhaps this is one of the few issues that members on both sides of the aisle agree upon this election year, but to date, the leadership of both parties has sat on their hands and ignored the calls for reform of the oversight morass.
Investigation Into Anthrax Attacks Continues – CQ Homeland Security
The Government Accountability Office has accepted a request from Congress to open an inquiry into the FBI’s handling of the anthrax attacks on lawmakers and the media in the fall of 2001. The request was part of an ongoing push from Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., to investigate the government’s response to the incident.
Justice Department to Step In on Coast Guard Civil Rights – Coast Guard Report
Coast Guard Report has learned that documents will be forwarded to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) later this week that will bring the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in for a look at Coast Guard Civil Rights, Ms. Terri Dickerson, Thad Allen and Admiral Bob Papp among others.
Former DEA chiefs urge attorney general to just say no – Gov Exec
Nine former Drug Enforcement Administration chief has asked Attorney General Eric Holder to publicly oppose a controversial ballot initiative in California that would legalize the production, possession and sale of marijuana in that state.
Treaty to Trim U.S. and Russian Nuclear Stockpiles Heads to the Senate Floor – CQ Homeland Security
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday approved a new strategic nuclear arms control treaty with Russia, moving one of the administration’s top foreign policy priorities to the Senate floor. By a 14-4 vote, the panel approved the New START accord, which would restrict each country to a maximum of 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads — a cut of about 30 percent from a limit set in 2002.
DHS Nuclear Office Misled Congress on Radiation Detector, GAO Finds – CQ Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security office charged with developing nuclear smuggling countermeasures essentially misled Congress over the course of several budget requests, saying that it was still planning on deploying radiation-detecting equipment for a project that was discontinued in 2007, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.
At this morning’s House Homeland Security Committee hearing, “The Evolving Nature of Terrorism – Nine Years after the 9/11 Attacks” (a hearing worth listening to more than once), Steve Flynn committed a characteristic act of candor when he said that one of the many things that encouraged terrorist activity was the “spasmatic reaction” of Congress. He is right, of course, and not one member of the Homeland Security Committee challenged his comment. That was telling in its’ own right and worth remembering.
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