The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged house judiciary committee

Ole Stand-By: GOP Still Blaming CRA for Financial Crisis

By | 07.10.09 | 5:37 pm

Worth noting from yesterday’s House Judicial subcommittee hearing on the foreclosure crisis: Republicans just can’t shake the temptation to blame the Community Reinvestment Act for causing the current economic turmoil.

You’ve heard the critics’ argument before: The CRA hasn’t so much empowered low-income borrowers as it has More…

Treasury Skips Cramdown Hearing

By | 07.09.09 | 7:06 pm

Hoping to bring “cramdown” legislation back onto Congress’ radar, a House Judiciary subpanel met this afternoon to re-examine whether bankruptcy judges should be empowered to alter mortgage loans in order to prevent foreclosures.

Witnesses included the obligatory consumer advocates, a conservative think-tanker and a university professor. But the Treasury More…

FBI Director: Bringing Gitmo Detainees to U.S. Is Risky

By | 05.20.09 | 12:04 pm

Former Guantanamo Bay detainees could support terrorism in the United States, even if they’re locked up in a maximum security prison, FBI Director Robert Mueller suggested at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday. Concerns about terrorists being held in the United States “run from concerns about providing financing, More…

Conyers: Don’t Appoint Granholm to Supreme Court

By | 05.18.09 | 10:27 am

Over at TWI’s sister site, The Michigan Messenger, Todd Heywood caught up with House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.), who had some surprising things to say about the potential nomination of Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.) to the Supreme Court.

U.S. Rep. John Conyers

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House Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearings on Torture Memos

By | 04.21.09 | 5:06 pm

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), chair of the House Judiciary Committee, just released the following statement:

Recently disclosed legal memoranda from the former Bush Administration raise grave legal, ethical, and constitutional questions. The use of tactics described in these memos runs counter not only to basic notions of decency, but places

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Movement to Impeach Judge Jay Bybee Gaining Steam

By | 04.20.09 | 5:03 pm

The latest Office of Legal Counsel torture memos released last week have led to calls for further investigation and criminal prosecution of former Bush administration officials. But increasingly, lawmakers, newspapers and advocacy groups are demanding the impeachment of Jay Bybee, the author of some of those memos who is More…

Rove and Miers Agree to Testify on U.S. Attorney Firings

By | 03.04.09 | 6:26 pm

At long last, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and Bush aide and adviser Karl Rove have agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on their knowledge of and involvement in the U.S. Attorney firing scandal.

Karl Rove Subpoenaed … Again

By | 02.13.09 | 12:35 pm

It’s official: the House Judiciary Committee has once again subpoenaed Karl Rove, former President George W. Bush’s longtime adviser and aide, to testify before the committee on the politicization of the Justice Department and his involvement in the prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman (D).

Rove’s More…

Dems Limit Scope of ‘Cramdown’ Bill

By | 01.28.09 | 12:27 pm

Bowing to the banking industry, House Democrats yesterday weakened legislation empowering bankruptcy judges to alter the terms of primary mortgages to prevent foreclosures. The changes — which came during a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, headed by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) — would prevent future homeowners from going More…

Conyers Subpoenas Rove: ‘It’s Time to Talk’

By | 01.26.09 | 6:28 pm

Karl Rove, who previously refused to testify to his involvement in the politicization of the Justice Department and the U.S. attorney firing scandal as former President George W. Bush’s deputy chief of staff, was subpoenaed today by House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.).

From the Committee’s press release, which More…