July 31, 2008

A new analysis from the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) calls into question Administration and Congressional efforts to provide consumer relief at the pump by lifting bans on domestic drilling for oil. "ExxonMobil reported the largest profit on any corporation in U.S. history the second quarter of 2008," said Mark Cooper, CFA Director of Research. "Giving them access to more domestic drilling means more oil for them to sell at the world market price, with fewer costs to produce it. The consumer doesn't see a cent." Full release

State, local and private juvenile correctional authorities reported an estimated 4,072 allegations of sexual violence involving youth held in juvenile facilities during 2005 and 2006, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. It was the equivalent of 16.8 allegations per 1,000 youth held in state, local or private facilities in 2006 and 16.7 allegations per 1,000 youth in 2005. Full release

Senators John F. Kerry (D-Mass) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today urged the Small Business Administration to implement several energy initiatives aimed at helping small businesses through the current energy crisis. With rising energy prices topping the list of concerns of small business owners, the Senators requested that the SBA redouble their efforts to implement programs passed as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Full release

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced House passage of eight critical homeland security bills. Chairman Thompson issued the following statement regarding the legislation: "Passage of these vital measures improves the nation's information sharing capacity, increases privacy protections at the Department and further strengthens both our cyber and port security," said Thompson. "I look forward to working with the Senate to include these vital measures in a House-Senate Conference on the Department of Homeland Security Authorization this year." Full release

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the decision by U.S. District Court Judge John Bates to uphold congressional subpoenas in the contempt of Congress citations against former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and current White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten: "As public officials, we take an oath of office to uphold the Constitution seriously and today's landmark ruling by the U.S. District Court is a great victory for the American people, the rule of law and balance of power. We must restore our nation's fundamental system of checks and balances, and today's ruling begins to restore that balance." Full release

The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) announced today that it has filed an EEOC complaint on behalf of a Muslim woman who was allegedly denied employment at an Abercrombie Kids store in that state because of the applicant's religiously-mandated headscarf, or hijab. Full release

With Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike questioning the increasingly nasty and desperate tone of John McCain's campaign, the Democratic National Committee today released a web ad called "Desperate Times." The ad highlights the fact that, despite promising to "wage a respectful campaign," McCain has resorted to questioning Senator Obama's patriotism and launching false and misleading attacks that have been widely debunked. His campaign has stooped so low that one of McCain's former advisors called his most recent ad "childish" and said the campaign's strategy "diminishes John McCain." [The Atlantic, 7/30/08] Full release

On Thursday morning, July 31, 2008, Dr. K.A. Paul, an American resident born in India and the world's most popular Christian evangelist, filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., against President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the President of the Congress Party, and the Prime Minister and a host of U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration, and their heads, for civil rights and other illegal conduct designed to silence him and destroy his non-profit organization, Global Peace Initiative, Inc. ("GPI"). Full release

Marking the one year anniversary of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1769 -- which authorized deployment of the Darfur peacekeeping mission -- a new report sets out for the first time which countries have the critically-lacking helicopters needed to protect civilians in Darfur. Full release

As thousands gather in Mexico City for the 17th International AIDS Conference August 3-8, 2008, Catholics for Choice and its Latin American sister organizations, Catolicas por el Derecho a Decidir, will be highlighting Catholic opposition to the Vatican's ban on condoms using materials developed for the Condoms4Life campaign, http://www.Condoms4Life.org. Full release

RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan announced the addition of a Victory '08 State Director today. "With less than 100 days until the general election, the RNC is making great strides in ensuring victory for John McCain and Republican candidates up and down the ballot," Duncan said. "I am confident that the hard work of our state directors and the entire Victory '08 operation will help achieve success for Republican candidates across the country, all the way to the White House." Full release

The Israeli civil rights group, Shurat HaDin, has sent an urgent letter to United States Attorney General Michael Mukasey, warning him that the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), and others, have conspired to violate the U.S. Neutrality Act, 18 U.S.C. section 960, in their efforts to organize a boatlift to the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip. Full release

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