Republicans on House oversight committee wants answers on White House e-mails

September 16th, 2009 White House: Senate health bill a 'building block'WASHINGTON — The White House says a health care reform bill from a key Senate committee is "an important building block" in getting closer to comprehensive health care reform. Sen. Max Baucus released the long-awaited version of the bill from his Senate Finance committee Wednesday.

August 18th, 2009 White House says it did send unwanted e-mailsWASHINGTON — After insisting no one was receiving unsolicited e-mails from the White House, officials reversed their story Monday night and blamed outside political groups for the unwanted messages from the tech-savvy operation. White House online director Macon Phillips said in a blog posting that independent groups — he didn't name them — had signed up their members to receive regular White House updates about Obama's projects, priorities and speeches.

August 18th, 2009 Change-up: White House sent unsolicited e-mailsWASHINGTON — The White House is blaming unnamed political groups for the unsolicited e-mails it had wrongly insisted no one was receiving from its online operation. "We're certainly not interested in anyone receiving e-mails from the White House who don't want them," White House online director Macon Phillips said in a blog posting Monday night.

August 17th, 2009 House Republican wants answers on WH messagesWASHINGTON — The top Republican on the House's oversight committee asked the White House on Monday about an e-mail from a top political adviser urging support for a health care overhaul and whether officials are collecting names of President Barack Obama's critics. In a letter to White House counsel Greg Craig, Rep.

August 12th, 2009 Rove involvement in US attorney firing detailedWASHINGTON — Former White House political adviser Karl Rove played a central role in the ouster of a U.S. attorney in New Mexico, one of nine prosecutors fired in a scandal in 2006 over political interference with the Justice Department, according to transcripts of closed-door testimony released Tuesday.

August 11th, 2009 Documents: Rove involved in US attorney firingsWASHINGTON — Former White House political adviser Karl Rove was deeply involved in the firing of a U.S. attorney in New Mexico, according to White House e-mails and transcripts of closed-door testimony released Tuesday.

August 11th, 2009 Congressman: Rove involved in US attorney firingWASHINGTON — Former White House political adviser Karl Rove was deeply involved in the firing of a U.S. attorney in New Mexico, according to White House e-mails and transcripts of closed-door testimony released Tuesday.

August 11th, 2009 Documents: Rove involved in US attorney firingWASHINGTON — Former White House political adviser Karl Rove was deeply involved in the firing of a U.S. attorney in New Mexico, according to White House e-mails and transcripts of closed-door testimony released Tuesday.

July 24th, 2009 Frank defends oversight of Fannie, FreddieWASHINGTON — House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank is defending Democrats' oversight of struggling mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. At a hearing Friday, the Massachusetts Democrat said the notion that the two institutions have been left "unbridled" by Democrats is a myth.

July 16th, 2009 Republicans vow to fight health care tax increasesWASHINGTON — House Democrats shouldn't expect votes from Republicans in passing a bill that increases taxes on the rich to pay for health care reform. Republicans opened a committee meeting Thursday morning vowing to fight a Democratic plan to impose a surcharge on families making more than $350,000.

July 9th, 2009 House Dems likely to alter intel billWASHINGTON — Stymied by a White House veto threat, House Democrats say they will work with the Obama administration to soften a legislative provision that would broaden access to secret intelligence briefings. Democrats on the intelligence committee say that an intelligence authorization bill containing the controversial provision would likely pass the House intact but would be adjusted in negotiations with the White House and the Senate.

June 25th, 2009 House panel examines US attorneys oversightWASHINGTON — A former U.S. attorney and New Jersey's Republican gubernatorial candidate Thursday defended an arrangement in which one-time Attorney General John Ashcroft's consulting firm made millions of dollars monitoring a controversial deferred prosecution agreement.

June 17th, 2009 Top senator: NSA not violating surveillance lawWASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday disputed a newspaper report that the National Security Agency conducted more widespread intercepts of private U.S. conversations in 2008 and early this year than has been acknowledged.

June 11th, 2009 House chairman questions Bank of America bailoutWASHINGTON — The top Democrat on a House investigative committee says internal e-mails by Federal Reserve employees raise serious questions about $20 billion in government aid provided to Bank of America to buy Merrill Lynch. Rep. Edolphus Towns of New York calls the money a "dowry for a shotgun wedding." The chairman of the House Oversight and Investigative Reform Committee said Thursday that questions remain about what happened exactly and "who was holding the shotgun." The panel is investigating claims that top government officials, including then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, urged Bank of America to go through with the acquisition and not to disclose to shareholders the details of Merrill Lynch's deteriorating financial state.

June 4th, 2009 White House builds case for swift confirmationWASHINGTON — The White House says Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's quick response to an extensive Senate survey should lead to swift confirmation hearings. White House counsel Gregory Craig said Sotomayor (soh-toh-my-YOR') completed substantive answers to the Senate Judiciary Committee's questions in nine days.