Daily Palin Scandal: AP Special Investigation

I have to hand it to the AP: they took on the job of vetting Sarah Palin, and they have yet to run short of scandals to break. Ten more days of this and we'll discover she was once married to the Unibomber...

From the AP:

Palin pipeline terms curbed bids

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Gov. Sarah Palin's signature accomplishment — a contract to build a 1,715-mile pipeline to bring natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48 — emerged from a flawed bidding process that narrowed the field to a company with ties to her administration, an Associated Press investigation shows.

Beginning at the Republican National Convention in August, the McCain-Palin ticket has touted the pipeline as an example of how it would help America achieve energy independence.

"We're building a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline, which is North America's largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever, to flow those sources of energy into hungry markets," Palin said during the Oct. 2 vice presidential debate.

Despite Palin's boast of a smart and fair bidding process, the AP found that her team crafted terms that favored only a few independent pipeline companies and ultimately benefited the winner, TransCanada Corp.

And contrary to the ballyhoo, there's no guarantee the pipeline will ever be built; at a minimum, any project is years away, as TransCanada must first overcome major financial and regulatory hurdles.

In interviews and a review of records, the AP found:

_Instead of creating a process that would attract many potential builders, Palin slanted the terms away from an important group — the global energy giants that own the rights to the gas.

_Despite promises and legal guidance not to talk directly with potential bidders, Palin had meetings or phone calls with nearly every major candidate, including TransCanada.

_The leader of Palin's pipeline team had been a partner at a lobbying firm where she worked on behalf of a TransCanada subsidiary. Also, that woman's former business partner at the lobbying firm was TransCanada's lead private lobbyist on the pipeline deal, interacting with legislators in the weeks before the vote to grant TransCanada the contract. Plus, a former TransCanada executive served as an outside consultant to Palin's pipeline team.

_Under a different set of rules four years earlier, TransCanada had offered to build the pipeline without a state subsidy; under Palin, the company could receive a maximum $500 million.

Read the rest here...

Thanks to the AP for doing the job most American journalists aren't willing to do (actual investigative reporting.) Sarah Palin has proven (to me at least) that she's ready to be the next Dick Cheney.

Two more AP journalists arrested at RNC

Dispatch from the Angry Middle:

Two more journalists were arrested while covering the protests at the RNC on Thursday. Amy Forliti and Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press, who were assigned to cover the story, were ordered to sit on the pavement with their hands over their heads, before being led away by police.

They join AP photographer Matt Rourke (also on assignment to cover the protests earlier in the week,) who was arrested and detained on Monday. Unlike Amy Goodman and her producers, and undoubtedly due to strong backing by the AP News Wire, Rourke was released without being charged.

Kudos to the AP for doing your job, even in the face of the violent and un-Constitutional behavior of local police. This is the work of real journalists: not simply regurgitating press releases, but covering real news as it happens, no matter the physical or political consequences.

Slant me baby; gimme that yellow news!

The AP is really slipping. Or perhaps it 'slipped' long ago. But at times it is impossible to even read AP news alerts - the bias literally shrieks off the page.

Take this recent story about Russ Feingold's push to censure Bush.

Now we all know that if any administration EVER deserved to be censured, it is this one. American citizens are growing tired. We're not too fond of crime in high places, never have been, never will be. It's in our national DNA.

And while he cannot initiate impeachment -- that process has to start with John Conyers in the House Judiciary -- Senator Russ Feingold decided to act. After being pummeled three times out here with our impeachment comments, it appears that Senator Feingold heard our cries for justice and decided to censure Bush and Cheney.

Because this is something the Senate can actually do. Well that's the plan anyway.

Now for the AP's take on this:

Washington - Liberal Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold said Sunday he wants Congress to censure President Bush for his management of the Iraq war and his "assault" against the Constitution.

Oh AP editor: how do you really feel? Nice use of quotes to show your disdain. And of course, so relevant that Senator Feingold is 'liberal', and you must immediately point this out as the obvious reason for his unreasonable attack on poor president (24% rating) Bush.

But Feingold's own party leader in the Senate showed little interest in the idea. An attempt in 2006 by Feingold to censure Bush over the warrantless spying program attracted only three co-sponsors.

Bad, bad Senator Feingold. Always making waves! See? He tried this once before! And his own party leadership is against it! Crazy, crazy Senator Feingold.

Feingold, a prominent war critic, said he soon plans to offer two censure resolutions - measures that would amount to a formal condemnation of the Republican president.

And he's also against the war! I'm sure that is related!

The first would seek to reprimand Bush for, as Feingold described it, getting the nation into war without adequate military preparation and for issuing misleading public statements.

Yes, as Russ described it, they are being cited for attacking a sovereign nation on false pretenses. That about sums it up.

The second measure would seek to censure Bush for what the Democrat called a continuous assault against the rule of law through such efforts as the warrantless surveillance program against suspected terrorists, Feingold said.

Russ Feingold is a Democrat? Gosh - thank you for reminding us once again!

And actually -- I hate to bring this up -- but the issue isn't that the Bush administration is spying on terrorists. The issue is that they are illegally and unconstitutionally spying on us.

And now for the equally biased coverage of the opposing viewpoint:

At the White House, spokesman Trey Bohn said, "We realize that Senator Feingold does not care much for the president's policies."

Ya think? Forgetting of course, that only 24% of Americans (if that) actually DO care for the president's policies.

AP, AP... such an embarrassment to journalism. This isn't just Senator Feingold 'going off on his own.' Dig a little deeper, AP guys. Did you happen to see the way we (here on Daily Kos) beat the crap out of Senator Feingold last week for not endorsing impeachment? The man tries to represent the people, and gets... this predictable media disdain.

Bohn said Bush wants to work with Feingold and other Democrats on such matters as supporting U.S. troops, improving energy choices and securing health care and tax cuts for families. "Perhaps after calls for censure and more investigations, Congress may turn to such things," Bohn said.

You see? Once again, those lousy Democrats are impeding progress!

Senator Feingold... Russ... Bush wants to work with you! You just haven't noticed with all of the endless filibusters on these very issues. But really. He does. Really. If only you wouldn't waste everyone's time with such silliness as condemning a rogue presidency, we could get back to the daily obstruction games.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Feingold's proposals showed the nation's frustration. But Reid said he would not go along with them and said the Senate needs to focus on finishing spending bills on defense and homeland security.

Frustration? Harry, Harry... we're PISSED OFF. Get that through your head. We're outraged. We're freaking out.

And we've noticed how well your spending bills are going, yes we have. Damned well. That all-nighter resulted in real progress. I'm not blaming you for that one, just sayin. You have time... because you'll never get anywhere with this GOP filibuster-bluster, and you know it. Do something for us -- for the people. Just this once.

"We have a lot of work to do," Reid said. "The president already has the mark of the American people _ he's the worst president we ever had. I don't think we need a censure resolution in the Senate to prove that."

Oh yes, so much work to do. All of it more important than the Constitution, illegal wiretapping, lies, obstruction of justice, outing a CIA agent, more lies, more obstruction of justice, and an imperial presidency.

Senator Reid -- we don't need a censure resolution, that is true. We need impeachment.

As for the Senate's top Republican, "I think it's safe to say Russ Feingold is not a fan of George Bush. I think that's the best way to sum that up," said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Senator Feingold, you're so mean. Why don't you like the president? Don't you love America?