Legal Affairs Reporter, Congressional Quarterly
Legal Affairs Reporter for Congressional Quarterly
PROFILE
Keith Perine
Guest
FROM Keith Perine
To the Point
Ashcroft Testifies on Interrogation before Congress Former Attorney General John Ashcroft testified before Congress today about so-called "enhanced interrogation" initially approved by the Justice Department during his tenure. Ashcroft subsequently rescinded the so-called "torture memo" written by Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo. Democrats today asked about "waterboarding" and other techniques. Keith Perine is Legal Affairs reporter for Congressional Quarterly.
To the Point
Mukasey on Cruise Control in Confirmation Hearings Senators today questioned former judge Michael Mukasey , President Bush's choice to become Attorney General of the United States. They were looking for differences between Mukasey and Alberto Gonzales , who resigned under the pressure of relentless controversy. The issues explored included interrogation techniques, conversations with political figures about pending cases and a willingness to resign if the president ignores legal or ethical problems about his policies. Keith Perine covers legal affairs for Congressional Quarterly magazine.
To the Point
Attorney General Gonzales Testifies on Capitol Hill America's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales , came under attack from members of both parties today at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill. At issue is how deeply he was involved in the firing of eight US attorneys . Has he tried to deceive both Congress and the American people? What is the role of partisan politics in the administration of justice? Has Gonzales lost the credibility he needs to do his job? We get a report on the hearing and hear from one of the former prosecutors.
To the Point
Politics and the Administration of Justice Kyle Sampson, former top aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales , told the Senate Judiciary Committee today prosecutors were not fired to gain "partisan advantage." He also said that Gonzales did not give "accurate" testimony when he told Congress he was not directly involved in ousting the US attorneys. We hear more about Sampson's testimony and another top Gonzales aide who invoked the 5th Amendment. What's at stake for the Attorney General himself, and what's the history of political involvement with the Department of Justice ? We hear from journalist, political scientists, and legal experts, including two former Justice Department officials.
Recommended
KCRW Features
Idaho or Bust – Californians Make an Impact in Boise The housing crisis is pushing Californians out of the Golden State and into cheaper housing markets around the country. Boise, Idaho, has become the fastest growing metro area in the nation… and a lot of those newcomers are former Californians.Our dollars go a lot further there, but that’s causing a bit of friction with the locals.
The 805
A call to prepare for the next natural disaster A local environmentalist says we should spend more time and money preparing for natural disasters than responding to them. A Ventura resident who lost his home in the Thomas Fire says rebuilding is taking longer than he’d hoped. Local animal shelters are becoming critical evacuation centers. And California counties must now hold public meetings on their relationship with federal immigration agents.
To the Point
Remembering George H.W. Bush A balanced look at George H.W. Bush includes: the smear campaign that won him the White House, his successes in war and diplomacy, and his almost forgotten role as an environmental president. Also what lies ahead for the UK, if there’s no agreement on Brexit?
KCRW Features
One Year Later: Rebuilding from the Thomas Fire This week marks one year since the Thomas Fire descended on the city of Ventura. It burned more than 500 homes within city limits. Since then, roughly half of those properties have received the green-light to start construction, but only a handful have actually broken ground. We visit one neighborhood where some of the first homes are getting rebuilt.