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Delta-Northwest Merger Finds Business and Consumer Backing
Supporters of the merger of Delta and Northwest airlines are working both their inside and outside games, as company executives and labor union leaders head to Capitol Hill Wednesday to testify on how the deal would affect America's troubled aviation industry. Delta Lines Up Big Lobbying Team for Merger Effort Delta Air Lines has put together a heavyweight team of lobbying and law firms to help clear the way for its proposed merger with Northwest. Candidates Slam Lobbyist Clout but Rely on Their Advice Despite a campaign that resembles a brawl, the remaining three presidential candidates have come together on one theme: All slam the power of Washington's well-heeled lobbyists. States, Industry Brace for Anti-Pollution Ruling Despite strong objections from some of the nation's top manufacturers, the Bush administration this week is expected to toughen the standards for reducing air pollution in communities nationwide. Obama's Internet Army Grows to 1 Million Donors Barack Obama's presidential campaign announced Wednesday that its army of donors has grown to a history-making 1 million people. Super Delegates at the Center of Electoral Storm With Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both short of winning enough pledged delegates in presidential primaries, a dispute heated up last week over the role of the Democratic Party's "super delegates." Big-Box Retailers Step Up Lobbying, Donations as Cargo Security Deadline Looms Atlanta-based Home Depot and fellow "big box" chain stores have targeted donations to key lawmakers and stepped up lobbying efforts amid industry resistance to a law mandating 100 percent security scanning for imported cargo. Governors Raise Record Funds Despite Depleted Ranks Although GOP fundraising is lagging behind Democrats elsewhere, the Republican Governors Association is bucking the trend by collecting a record-breaking $21.5 million for a long-range strategy to rebuild its shrinking membership. Republicans Say Bush Needs Tougher Action against Pet Project Spending Congressional Republicans, chastened after years of setting historic records for pork barrel spending, said Monday that President Bush's plan to restrain pet projects does not go far enough. FEC Meets with Most Chairs Empty Thanks to Flap over Georgia Nominee The Federal Election Commission, which is supposed to enforce campaign laws, met Thursday but could take no action because four of its six member seats were empty. Rove Outlines Strategy for GOP Campaign against Clinton, Obama Republican strategist Karl Rove laid out a line of attack Wednesday that he said could defeat either of the two Democratic front-runners for president. Supreme Court Skeptical about Overruling Voter ID Law Similar to Georgia's U.S. Supreme Court justices expressed doubts Wednesday about throwing out an Indiana law — similar to Georgia's — that requires voters to have a photo ID. Conquering the Inaccessible in Venice If there was ever a glorious tourist destination that seemed out of reach to someone in a wheelchair, it must be Venice, where going a couple of blocks often means crossing steep, stepped bridges. Independent Groups Pump Up for Big Role as Presidential Primary Voting Begins If it's not already tough enough to keep track of the presidential contenders as the real voting begins Thursday with the Iowa caucuses, now we have another layer of players: independent groups, looking to take a major role in the 2008 elections. Georgia Lawmakers Snag More than 150 'Earmarks' in Budget Bills Louisiana entrepreneur Sy Wiley struck up an acquaintance with Georgia Rep. Sanford Bishop a few years back when Wiley was part of a plan to provide lightweight rifles and ammunition for the U.S. Army infantry at Fort Benning, which is in the Democratic lawmaker's district. Here's What Huckabee Won't Need for Christmas If friends or admirers are considering a Christmas gift for the suddenly surging presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, here are few things he might not need: Paul's Maverick Campaign Smashes Fundraising Records Ron Paul, the presidential candidate who was shunned by the pundits, is suddenly shattering the fundraising records. Food Aid Proposal Could Leave Shortfall for World Disasters A little-noticed provision in the massive farm bill now pending in Congress could create a shortage of relief food for catastrophes such as the cyclone that recently struck in Bangladesh, according to CARE, the Atlanta-based humanitarian group, and other critics. Under language passed by both the House and Senate, as much as half of the U.S. food aid program would be earmarked for nonemergency projects run by private charitable agencies. Lobbyists Confront New Post-Reform World of Rules and Disclosures A baseball cap or T-shirt? Either one would be fine, for those considering a gift for a lawmaker or congressional staffer. Universities Seek More Clout, Funding in Washington Gwinnett Election Guide For a growing number of colleges and universities, excelling in academics and athletics is no longer enough. Lanier Finds Backing for Water Commission on 3rd Try Water experts and officials from Georgia, Texas and Arizona urged Thursday that a national commission on water resources be created to tackle growing shortages nationwide. Internal E-Mails Reveal Sharp Criticism, Hidden Costs of Taxpayer-Funded Congressional Trip Even as new ethics rules curtail trips financed by private interests, a long tradition of traveling abroad at taxpayers' expense survives. Georiga Cities, Counties Hire K Street Heavyweights to Seek Federal Dollars, Aid Rockdale County, the smallest of the metro Atlanta counties, has had surprising success in recent years in lassoing federal dollars, including more than $3 million in federal grants for scenic trails and memorial plazas at its lakeside Veterans Memorial Park. Thompson Used Opportunities to Break into Top Ranks of Washington and Hollywood When he was growing up in the small Tennessee town of Lawrenceburg, Fred Dalton Thompson showed few signs that he might be headed for national prominence. Controversial Georgian Wins Round in Bid for FEC Georgia lawyer Hans von Spakovsky moved a step closer to confirmation to the Federal Election Commission Wednesday when a Senate committee voted to package his controversial nomination with three others for consideration by the full Senate. Kingston Praises Earmarks Controversy and suspicion have long overshadowed the congressional practice of inserting local projects into federal spending bills. Thompson's Late-Comer Candidacy Depends on Southern Roots, Backing Never mind that the other candidates have been stumping across the country, debating on TV and spending upwards of $25 million over the past six months. New Federally Funded Road Sensors Won't Feed Details to Georgia's 511 In traffic-clogged Atlanta, new solar-powered sensors are set for installation next week along 80 miles of roads as part of a $50 million federal program to help big cities guide rush-hour drivers and assist transportation planners. Ethics Reform Bill Passes Easily in Senate A top-to-bottom overhaul of congressional ethics and lobbying laws sailed through by an 83-14 vote Thursday in the Senate, where the only opposition came from those who said the measure wasn't tough enough. House Passes Lobbying Reforms Aimed at Regaining Public Trust Trying to win back public confidence in a scandal-tarnished Congress, the House Tuesday passed sweeping lobbying reforms that would require extensive disclosures of lobbying activities, including political fundraising. Army Corps to Seek Repayments from Norcross Firm The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has told federal auditors it will seek to recoup overpayments, estimated at $881,000, from a Norcross, Ga., company that is the sole supplier for emergency bottled water for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Democrats Consider Defunding Vice President Cheney's Office Vice President Dick Cheney's claim that he doesn't have to follow executive orders on safeguarding classified information because he is part of the legislative branch has prompted congressional Democrats to respond in kind. Cheney Won't Follow Executive Order; Says He's Part of Legislative Branch Dick Cheney, who has wielded extraordinary executive power as he transformed the image of the vice presidency, is asserting that his office is not actually part of the executive branch. FEC Nominee Comes under Fire for Voter Rights Actions at Justice Department Hans von Spakovsky, a former Justice Department voting rights lawyer, defended controversial voter identification requirements Wednesday as he faced sharp questions at a Senate confirmation hearing on his nomination to the Federal Election Commission. Georgian Nominated to FEC to Face Questions on Voter 'Suppression' Allegations Former Justice Department official Hans von Spakovsky, set to appear before a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, is expected to face allegations that he tilted decisions to help Republicans and suppress minority votes when he was a federal lawyer overseeing voting rights. Auditors Say Government Should Recoup $8.2 Million from Georgia Water Contractor The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers paid a Norcross, Ga., company nearly $8.2 million too much for delivering bottled water to disaster areas going back to 2003, Pentagon auditors have concluded. Parties Plot to Win Growing Youth Vote After years in which millions of young Americans were no-shows at the polls, the youth vote is on the rise and political parties are taking notice. TB Traveler Reveals Security Problems, Critics Charge Atlanta attorney Andrew Speaker's ability to travel freely into and out of the United States despite orders to detain him because he is infected with incurable tuberculosis has exposed flaws in homeland security that could be exploited by terrorists, critics warned Friday. Doggett, Smith Steer Provisions as House Passes Lobbying and 'Bundling' Reform Bills Rep. Lloyd Doggett won a major victory Thursday in his five-year crusade to shine light on "stealth coalitions" that spend millions of dollars to lobby Congress without disclosing the identity of their membership. Republicans Use Floor Tactics to Tweak Democratic Majority Democrats, who took majority control of the House of Representatives this year with promises of open debates, are employing some of the restrictive tactics they once decried when Republicans held the majority. Former National Security Adviser Berger Agrees to Disbarment Sandy Berger, the Clinton White House national security adviser who was caught removing highly classified documents from the U.S. Archives, has consented to disbarment. Right-Wing Bloggers Take On Republican Leadership Citing corruption and cronyism, Erick Erickson of Macon, Ga., declared "war" against the Republican leadership on his RedState.com, one of the leading conservative blogs on the Internet. Thompson as Senator Left Conservative Record with Reformist Bent Former senator-turned-actor Fred Thompson will audition for the role of presidential contender when he speaks Saturday to a gathering of top conservative leaders. Campaign Law Enforcement Panel Runs Without Confirmed Officials With money already flowing at a record pace into the 2008 race for the White House, the federal agency charged with enforcing campaign laws is having trouble filling the top jobs. Gingrich Has a Pollster, Fundraiser, Speeches -- Is This a Campaign? He's not a presidential candidate, but Newt Gingrich is definitely running a national campaign. 'Law & Order' Star Urges Voters To Bypass Both Parties For 2008 Sam Waterston, who plays a tough prosecutor on TV's long-running drama "Law & Order," came to the nation's capital Wednesday to indict the bitter partisan fighting that he said is "tearing us apart" and paralyzing efforts to solve serious problems. Giuliani and Edwards Top Texas Donations, But Obama Strong in Austin Republican Rudy Giuliani raked in $2 million in the first quarter of the year to top presidential fundraising in Texas, followed by Democrat John Edwards in the already red-hot money chase for the 2008 presidential primaries. Democrats, Obama Win Race For Georgia Campaign Dollars Sen. Barack Obama got a big boost from Georgians on the way to raking in a jaw-dropping $25 million nationwide for his newcomer presidential campaign. Unfinished Ethics Agenda Comes To Fore As Lawmakers Return From Break More than three months since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised "the most honest, ethical and open" Congress in history, her new Democratic leadership returns from spring recess this week facing a growing urgency to complete ethics reforms. Obama's Online Organizing Far Outpaces Competitors Sen. Barack Obama stunned the 2008 presidential field with his announcement last week that he raked in nearly $7 million on the Internet in the first three months of the year. Obama Raises $25 Million, Close On the Heels Of Hillary Clinton Relative newcomer Sen. Barack Obama collected a stunning $25 million for his presidential campaign in the first three months of this year, bringing him almost even with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and tightening the race for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. Contenders Prep For First Big Reveal Of Cash Support Presidential campaigns are revving up last-minute fund-raising to scoop up as much cash as possible for their first financial reports — an early test of who's got momentum for 2008. GSA Chief Takes Heat For Politics In Agency, No-Bid Contract Democrats expressed outrage Wednesday at accounts that Scott Jennings, assistant to White House aide Karl Rove, briefed personnel at the General Services Administration on the top Republican "targets" for winning back Senate and House seats in the 2008 elections. Net Video Points To Bigger Role In Politics For Average Citizen Internet users and political bloggers have launched a feverish hunt for the creator of a video that has become a Web sensation by depicting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as a "1984" Big Brother figure lecturing to an audience of zombies. Amid Neglect Elsewhere, Congress Members Given VIP Treatment At Walter Reed Members of Congress decried the shabby outpatient treatment and squalid living conditions vividly described by wounded soldiers earlier this month at a hearing inside Walter Reed Army Medical Center. McCain Confronts War Resistance, Giuliani Surge Sen. John McCain, once the presumed front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, made a brief foray here last week, where his recent difficulties were on clear display. Bush Sets Review As Senators Grill Military On Soldier Care President Bush announced a bipartisan commission Tuesday to review the care given wounded war veterans, while senators called top Army officials to account for a medical system that has put the soldiers into squalid housing and bureaucratic limbo. Lawmakers Fault Army Brass For Scandal At Walter Reed The Army's top military leaders told a House panel Monday they were shocked when they learned two weeks ago of mold-and-rodent-infested living conditions for soldiers recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Giuliani Invokes Reagan, Enlists Wife To Woo Conservatives Rudy Giuliani went before a gathering of skeptical conservative leaders and activists Friday to pitch himself as the presidential contender who could make "tough decisions." Conservatives Looking For Champion To Re-Energize Flagging Right For '08 As many of the nation's top conservative leaders and activists gather here Thursday for their annual meeting, they will have something in common with the judges on the TV hit "American Idol." Obama An Online Sensation As Campaigns Reach Out On Internet When Sen. Barack Obama addresses an expected gathering of thousands Friday in Austin, Texas, he will have the Internet to thank for many of the volunteers who collect tickets, sell T-shirts and help with the clean-up. Second Blogger Quits Edwards' Campaign Over Web Remarks A second blogger quit the John Edwards presidential campaign this week, amid flashing warning signals for candidates who venture into the rough and tumble politics of the Internet. Backlog Of Prescription Drug Fraud Cases Could Net Billions Of Dollars Federal prosecutors admitted to having a backlog of more than 150 cases in which pharmaceutical companies are accused of defrauding federal and state health care programs, a Justice Department lawyer acknowledged to a Congressional panel Friday. Bid-Rigging Charges Filed As Private Contractors In Iraq Face Greater Scrutiny Three Army reserve officers and a civilian contractor were indicted Wednesday on charges of scheming to steer $8 million in Iraq reconstruction work to a company in exchange for luxury cars, a motorcycle, weapons and real estate. Former Top U.S. Official In Iraq Says Lack Of Security Blocked Rebuilding Effort Huge stacks of cash were shipped to Iraqi government agencies with little oversight, even as security problems undercut efforts to rebuild the war-torn country, past and current Bush administration officials told Congress Tuesday. House Oversight Panel Launches Barrage Of Hearings On 'Waste, Fraud, Abuse' After years of stockpiling findings and allegations, Rep. Henry Waxman this week will unleash four days of hearings aimed at exposing an array of "waste, fraud and abuse" in government. Money Primarily Could Speedily Thin The 2008 Crowd The field of 2008 presidential hopefuls has grown to nearly two dozen in what looks to be the most wide open race in decades. But looks can be deceiving. It's Not Just Oprah, As Many Join The Private Foreign Aid Effort Talk show superstar Oprah Winfrey has a new $40 million school for girls in South Africa. Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda oversee their $32 billion endowment for health clinics and scholarships in more than 100 countries. Democratic Leaders, White House Exchange Sharp Words Over Iraq Despite public promises to work together, the White House and the Democratic leaders of Congress escalated their political war of words over Iraq on Friday. House Democrats Wrap Up First 100 Hour Agenda Here are data on completion of the first 100 Hours of legislating in the new Democrat-led House of Representatives. The First 100 Hours Here are data on progress as of Tuesday on the first 100 Hours of legislating in the new Democrat-led House of Representatives. House Clock Ticks On 100-Hour Agenda With Two Items Remaining Here are data on progress as of Tuesday on the first 100 Hours of legislating in the new Democrat-led House of Representatives. Senate To Wrap Up Ethics As Reformers See New Mood On Hill For decades, Ted Stevens, the dean of the Republican senators, has fiercely defended the perks of office, including cut-rate rides on posh corporate jets. As 100 Hours Ticks Down, House Votes For Negotiations To Cut Prices For Medicare Drugs Here are data on the fourth day of the first 100 Hours of legislating in the new Democrat-led House of Representatives. On Day Three, House Votes To Expand Stem Cell Research, Draws Veto Threat Here are data on the third day of the first 100 Hours of legislating in the new Democrat-led House of Representatives. House Democrats' First 100 Hours: Day One Here are data on the first day of the first 100 Hours of legislating in the new Democrat-led House of Representatives House Passes Security Measure As First On Democratic Agenda The clock began ticking Tuesday on the Democrats' 100-hour agenda, as the House of Representatives passed legislation to enact many of the counter-terrorism recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission. Price Leads GOP 'Truth Squad' Tom Price may be only a back-bencher as a second-term member in a Congress where he and fellow Republicans have just been reduced to the minority. Congress Opens With Ethics Reforms, Uncertainty Over Iraq War The 110th Congress opened Thursday with a burst of ceremony, quick action on ethics reform and the historic election of California Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the first female speaker of the House. Pelosi Hails Breakthrough For Women In Historic Election As Speaker Nancy Pelosi smiled irrepressibly, bowed to her cheering colleagues and then clutched the gavel with both hands, as she became the first woman in more than 200 years of American history to become speaker of the House of Representatives. New Congress Opens On Historic Note As Democrats Launch High-Speed Agenda Democratic majorities take over both sides of Capitol Hill Thursday in a historic change-of-command that will install Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the first female speaker of the House of Representatives. Critics Say Border Enforcement Alone Won't Work Sending National Guard troops to the Mexican border will have little effect unless more is done to enforce laws inside the country, experts on both sides of the immigration debate predict. Georgia, Florida Firms Awarded Emergency Ice Contracts Lipsey Mountain Spring Water, a family-owned firm based in Norcross, Ga., has snagged a contract as one of two companies to supply emergency ice nationwide for the 2006 hurricane season. Old Border Security Problems Hang Over New Immigration Reform Effort A few weeks back, federal immigration agents in the Midwest rounded up 125 fugitives, including 46 convicted criminals, from 28 countries. Hundreds Of Facilities Shift To Safer Chemicals, Processes Atlanta's R.M. Clayton Wastewater Reclamation Center is a leader among the 284 industrial plants and utilities nationwide shifting from highly toxic chemicals to safer alternatives, a study released Tuesday found. Lipsey Renewed As Nation's Sole Supplier Of Emergency Water Defying its critics, a tiny company based in Norcross, Ga., has won a renewal of its contract as the nation's sole supplier of bottled water for major disasters. Federal Agencies Fail To Share Info On Terrorism, Investigators Say Nearly four years after the Sept. 11 attacks, federal agencies still lack a system for sharing terrorism-related information that is critical for protecting the country, government investigators said in a report released Monday. Feds Ask Private Industry To Plug Holes In U.S. Borders In the midst of a national debate over the status of millions of illegal immigrants already in the United States, the Bush administration last week quietly launched a new plan for stopping future illegal border crossings. Private Group Hunts Down Terrorists On Internet In the shadowy world of terrorism, al-Qaida has lost its training camps in Afghanistan and seen its leadership killed, jailed or dispersed. Growing Ranks Of Taxpayer-Funded Lobbyists Seek Federal Dollars For States, Localities For most Americans, the term "lobbying" conjures up images of expensively dressed lawyers walking the corridors of the U.S. Capitol on behalf of big corporations, trade associations or perhaps casino-owning Indian tribes. Chertoff Grilled By Senate As House Report Assails Katrina Response Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff drew bipartisan criticism from senators Wednesday for what he admitted were major shortcomings in his department's response to Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Emergency Meals Wound Up On eBay, Say Investigators Some of the emergency military rations intended for Hurricane Katrina victims or relief personnel ended up for sale on eBay, government investigators told Congress Monday. Ex-FEMA Chief Says White House Told Of Levee Breaks On Day Of Katrina Former Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown said Friday that he told top White House officials of the catastrophic collapse of the New Orleans levees just hours after Hurricane Katrina hit last August 29th. Group Shows Dissidents How To Wield Nonviolent Weapons The 3-D aerial view on the computer screen shows the capital of "Infeliz," an imaginary country ruled by a dictatorship for 20 years. As leader of a citizen opposition group, you must choose from a list of actions to further the cause of freedom. Urban Areas To Share $765 Million In Homeland Security Grants Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced Tuesday that 35 urban areas designated as the most vulnerable to a terrorist attack will compete for $765 million to build up their defense and response capabilities. Feds Get Poor Grades From Former 9/11 Commission The former members of the 9/11 Commission said Monday that even though the federal government has spent billions of dollars and gone through a major reorganization, the nation remains vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Gov. Blanco Defends Pre-Hurricane Evacuation Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco told a congressional panel Wednesday that she was "proud" of the effort that evacuated more than 90 percent of the New Orleans population before Hurricane Katrina hit Aug. 29. Security Chief Sees FEMA Overhaul, More Border Enforcement Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Tuesday that the administration will soon be making "far-reaching" changes at the embattled Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Immigration Background Checks Fail Security Test In a week that saw President Bush renewing his push for a temporary foreign worker program, a federal report raised questions Wednesday about whether the government is capable of conducting the millions of background checks required for such a program. |
Julia Malone Julia Malone began her career at the Christian Science Monitor in Boston, where she held a number of positions ranging from New England news reporter to editor of a feature page. She transferred to Washington in 1980 and covered first the Supreme Court and then Congress. Malone left the Monitor in 1986 to become a national reporter for Cox, where she won a John Hancock award for a series on the private war on poverty. After a brief foray to the Monitor to assist with a television project, she returned to Cox in February 1989. Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau 400 North Capitol St., N.W., Suite 750 Washington, D.C. 20001-1536 Phone: 202-331-0900 |
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