Waters Pushes For Speedy Trial

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is pushing the House ethics committee to publicize the allegations being charged against her and to set a date for her ethics trial before November’s midterm elections.

In a letter to the committee, Waters had this to say:

“I am deeply concerned by the Committee’s failure to announce a date for a public hearing in its most recent press release,” she wrote. “I feel strongly that further delay in the scheduling of the hearing violates the fundamental principles of due process, denies my constituents the opportunity to evaluate this case, and harms my ability to defend my integrity.”

The committee announced earlier this week that it was charging the California Democrat with ethics violations but did not specify exactly what these charges entail.

It is largely speculated that these charges will likely have to do with meetings Waters set up between then-Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and a bank that her husband owned $250,000 of stock in.

Geithner: Let The Bush Tax Cuts Expire

U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner told an audience gathered at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C. that extending tax cuts for the wealthy would be a “mistake.”

Continuing the cuts enacted during the Bush administration “would be irresponsible and it would be unfair, especially with America still suffering through the effects of what we learned last week was the worst recession in post-war history,” said Geithner.

“That would only slow our recovery,” he added.

Geithner argued that the best way to restore the nation’s economy and balance its budget would be for Congress to extend tax breaks for the middle class that are set to expire at the end of 2010…

Kagan On The Brink Of Ascension

Senate Republicans have long argued that Elena Kagan’s political activisim would hinder her abilities to make unbiased, impartial decisions as a prospective Supreme Court Justice.

Now, with Elena Kagan’s confirmation set in stone, she is on the cusp of becoming just the 4th woman to ascend to the bench of the United States Supreme Court as the Senate is preparing to vote on her ascension before the end of the week.

A majority of the Senate’s Democrats, two Independents and a handful of Republicans are expected to back the former Solicitor General. The vote marks one of the Senate’s last major actions before August’s month-long break.

Thad Allen Statement On Static Kill

“Based on the successful completion of the static kill procedure and a positive evaluation of the test results, I have authorized BP to cement its damaged well. I made it clear that implementation of this procedure shall in no way delay the completion of the relief well.”

Federal Government Outsourcing Landscaping To.......Goats

WFED in Washington, D.C. reports that the GSA has been using goats to handle landscaping near the site of a Federal court building in Southern California. Click here for more…