The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged arlen specter

Rep. Joe Sestak on the Afghanistan War, Pakistan and the Troop Increase

By | 12.01.09 | 12:12 pm

Tonight’s Afghanistan strategy rollout comes at a tense moment for congressional Democrats. President Obama will announce an escalation of U.S. forces, an adjustment of his March strategy, and an ultimate time-horizon for an exit strategy. But the war, now in its ninth year, has become unpopular — and especially More…

Specter Opposes Adding Troops in Afghanistan

By | 11.19.09 | 4:10 pm

On a blogger conference call this afternoon, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) announced he can’t support a potential addition of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. “We ought not to add troops in Afghanistan,” Specter said, adding that he questioned “even staying” in Afghanistan unless the administration demonstrates that continuing the war is More…

Specter Reconsidering His Position on OLC Nominee Dawn Johnsen

By | 10.22.09 | 10:24 pm

Earlier this year when Arlen Specter was still a Republican, the Pennsylvania senator was among the harshest critics of Dawn Johnsen, the Indiana University law professor who is President Obama’s pick to head the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.

The OLC is the office that housed such More…

A Senate Bill to End Cocaine Sentencing Disparity

By | 10.15.09 | 1:44 pm

A group of 10 Democratic senators today reintroduced legislation designed to end the sentencing disparity between powder and crack cocaine — a long-standing push that never quite seems to get enacted.

In a statement, the lawmakers cite the reasoning behind the proposal.

Under current law, possession of five grams of

More…

Sen. Specter Emerges as Key Civil Liberties Advocate in Patriot Act Markup

By | 10.08.09 | 11:19 am

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) just gave a remarkable speech at the Senate Judiciary Committee markup session explaining why he’s voting against reauthorization of the Patriot Act provisions because the substitute Leahy-Feinstein bill, which I described earlier today, doesn’t adequately protect American civil liberties.

Responding to Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s More…

The Waiting Room

By | 09.09.09 | 5:04 pm

Here’s a quick wrap-up of today’s health care news.

President Obama will deliver his major health care speech to Congress at 8 p.m. tonight — and the GOP has already begun its spin. The Republican leadership in Congress is blasting the reform effort, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch More…

Pat Toomey Praises Obama’s School Speech

By | 09.08.09 | 12:49 pm

An eye-opening arrival in the inbox:

U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey called President Obama’s speech today to school children in Arlington, Virginia “an inspiring and moving speech for students across America.”

RightOnline Attendees Groan at Specter EFCA Switch

By | 08.14.09 | 3:34 pm

PITTSBURGH – Three days ago, a Pennsylvania voter thanked Sen. Arlen Specter (D-a.) for his opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act. At the Americans for Prosperity-funded RightOnline conference, happening at a Sheraton only a mile away from Netroots Nation, the news of Specter’s statement that he’ll vote More…

Grassley Launches Twitter War With Specter

By | 08.14.09 | 2:06 pm

The latest tweet from Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa):

Specter got it all wrong that I ever used words “death boards”. Even liberal press never accused me of that. So change ur last Tweet Arlen

Here’s Sen. Arlen Specter’s (D-Pa.) offending tweet.

Specter Got Grassley’s Voicemail

By | 08.14.09 | 12:30 pm

PITTSBURGH – I just had a chat with Crooks and Liars founder John Amato, the man who offered his cell phone for Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) to call Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and challenge him on his statements to the press that President Obama’s health care plan would More…