Pelosi: Bush Is a 'Total Failure'

GOP, Obama can't halt proceeding vs. Bybee

(NEWSER) - House Democrats may start a constitutional confrontation over the fate of Judge Jay Bybee, and there’s nothing anybody—not even lukewarm President Obama—can do to stop them, reports Politico. As liberal think-tanker John Podesta argues, Bybee “authorized things that were illegal under US law” when he wrote memos endorsing waterboarding in his role as a Bush legal adviser. More»

(NEWSER) - Nancy Pelosi plans to convene a lame-duck House session to vote on an expanded rescue of the auto industry, the Wall Street Journal reports. “I am confident Congress can consider emergency assistance legislation next week,” the House Speaker said. Both GM and Ford have said they are cash poor, even after the $25 billion in government loan they received prior to the election. More»

AG rejects House request, saying no crime was committed

(NEWSER) - A showdown over executive privilege got more likely yesterday when Attorney General Michael Mukasey said he wouldn't pursue contempt charges against two Bush aides, Reuters reports. Mukasey rejected the request from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to refer the case to a grand jury, arguing that they had committed no crime by refusing to testify to Congress about the controversial firing of 9 US prosecutors. More»

Republicans walk out in protest; Pelosi won't back off on recess

(NEWSER) - House Democrats are sticking to plans to begin a one-week recess starting tomorrow without renewing a terrorist surveillance bill set to expire when their vacation begins—to the dismay of President Bush and House Republicans, the Washington Post reports. Bush, set to leave for Africa, said the decision imperils national security; House Republicans walked out of the chamber today in protest. More»

Anti-war mom threatens to challenge Speaker's House seat

(NEWSER) - Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan declared her intention to challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her congressional seat yesterday unless the top-ranking Democrat draws up articles of impeachment against President Bush. "Democrats and Americans feel betrayed by the Democratic leadership," said Sheehan. "We hired them to bring an end to the war." More»