PETA Goes After Britney Spears’ Pets

After being ordered to surrender custody of her children to ex-husband Kevin Federline, Britney Spears now has to suffer the indignation of being pestered by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

A PETA rep, Michael McGraw, said that the group's president wrote a letter to Federline asking him to seek legal custody of Spears' pets.

“PETA fears that the dogs may be in danger,” McGraw said.

PETA pointed out that Britney takes her Yorkshire terrier puppy named London along with her to nightclubs and shopping malls.

McGraw also notes that the kids could use the presence of the pets right now, saying, “The companionship of beloved animals can make a world of difference for the kids during this obviously difficult time.”

Brad Pitt Endorses George Clooney for President

Lib political pundits having been breathlessly awaiting actor-activist Brad Pitt’s announcement of his choice for leader of the free world.

Would it be Hollywood fave Barack-star Obama, socialist sweetie-pie Hillary Clinton or Internet idol Ron Paul?

Pitt recently revealed who he’d like to see running the country — fellow Oscar-chaser George Clooney.

The “Assassination of Jesse James” lead urged the “Michael Clayton” star to seek the White House, according to Parade Magazine.

“George should do it! He’d be quite good,” Pitt told Parade.

For second choice, Pitt picked Ben Affleck.

What about Pitt going after the job himself?

“I never thought about it,” Pitt said. “I have no desire at this point. Maybe I serve better by not going through that door.”

Note the “at this point” wiggle words. Looks like Pitt is a politician after all.

Wesley Clark: Nix Limbaugh From Armed Forces Radio

In a blog to the Huffington Post, former NATO Supreme Commander Wesley Clark called for Congress to immediately take steps to remove conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh from Armed Forces Radio.

Last week, Rush Limbaugh labeled any American soldier who supports an end to the war in Iraq as "phony," noted Clark.

"We challenged Limbaugh through an email campaign to invite VoteVets.org's Jon Soltz to his show and repeat these same insults to an Iraq war veteran's face. Over 10,000 people responded and emailed Rush -- but to our disappointment, he has refused to respond to our request.

"It's time to put real pressure on Rush Limbaugh. His show is broadcast on Armed Forces Radio, and this time we are going to go straight to the lifeblood of Rush's show -- Congress. Congress has the power to remove Rush Limbaugh from Armed Forces Radio, and it won't be as easy for elected officials to ignore our call."

Clark further decried the fact that Republicans in Congress have drafted a resolution supporting Rush Limbaugh, "commending [his] relentless efforts to build and maintain troop morale through worldwide radio broadcasts and personal visits to conflict regions."

"That's outrageous," concluded Clark. "Rush Limbaugh's 'phony soldiers' comment should not be commended -- it should be condemned. And it's time to tell Congress to act swiftly to hold Rush Limbaugh accountable."

Limbaugh: Sen. Harry Reid Should Resign

Talk-show giant Rush Limbaugh sharply escalated his war of words with Democrats in the Senate Tuesday, calling for the resignation of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

He also characterized as "boneheaded" Reid's effort to enlist senators to pressure Limbaugh's syndicator, Clear Channel Communications, to censor him.

"And the thing that we ought to demand here," Limbaugh told his listeners, "is that Harry Reid step down and resign as the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, for his constant, uncontrollable contempt of our armed forces; his repeated use of our troops for political purposes. Harry Reid has failed in his mission to lead the Democrats in the Senate, to get what they want . . . He is the one who is dishonoring the troops; he is the one who is making a mockery of their service."

Reid has charged that Limbaugh called America's service personnel in Iraq "phony soldiers."

Limbaugh's remarks appeared to actually refer to a specific soldier, Jesse Macbeth, who appeared in a YouTube video stating that he and other American soldiers had killed Iraqi civilians. Macbeth was later sentenced to five months in prison for falsifying his service record.

Joining Reid's broadside against Limbaugh on the floor of the Senate was Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who suggested that perhaps Limbaugh was "high on his drugs again" when he made the "phony soldiers" statement. Limbaugh called Harkin's remarks "pathetic."

Limbaugh responded: "[It was] such a demeaning thing that [Harkin] did and so below the decorum and the stature one would associated with the United States Senate. But that's what these people have become."

Limbaugh called him "Tom 'Phony-War-Hero' Harkin."

"What do I mean by that? He lied about being in Vietnam in combat," Limbaugh said.

Limbaugh told his listeners that the attack on him was actually intended to distract the activist base from the inability of Democratic leaders to stop the war in Iraq, and the historically low ratings of the Democratic-controlled Congress.

"The left, ladies and gentlemen, is imploding," Limbaugh said. "They are fixated in taking down anyone and anything in the process — me, General Petraeus, anyone they think stands in the way of their ascension to the White House, and their further consolidation of power. They are Stalinist-like.

"Anyone who says something they don't want to hear, that they don't like, must be officially condemned by the state, publicly. Even private citizens who get in their way, in the free market, must be condemned, must be smeared, must be lied about."

Limbaugh also said Reid and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and other Middle East leaders, are employing a common tactic: distracting supporters from their own failures.

"Ahmadinejad in Iran, no different," Limbaugh said. "He needs the Great Satan to hang onto control there. Harry Reid needs to do the same thing. Both men, Ahmadinejad and Harry Reid, have been disappointments, miserable failures to the people they claim to lead. Both of them are in trouble, and their publicity stunts prove it."

Limbaugh said Reid has a "long, sorry record of abandoning troops on the battlefield. What do you think 55 resolutions to bring the troops home since they took office in January of this year is about? It's about defeat, it was about destroying this presidency, it was about using the U.S. military to advance his own party's political fortunes."

Limbaugh repeated his invitation for Reid to appear on his show. "Come on the program, say those things to my face, and let's discuss this," Limbaugh urged.

"Harry Reid challenged my patriotism yesterday," he added. "He did so openly and blatantly on the floor of the United States Senate."

He added, "Everyone of us who loves this country should be outraged at the things these Democrats have said, the things that they have tried to do. And it's laughable to watch them now try to redeem themselves as supporters of the United States military, after months and months and months of proclaiming the surge a failure, after calling General Petraeus essentially a liar before he had said a word before them when he came to issue the report they required on the effects of the surge."

Prosecutors Lay Out Case Against Jefferson

Before searching Rep. William J. Jefferson's New Orleans home in August 2005, FBI agents confronted him with a video that showed him accepting $100,000 from a government informant, according to a prosecution document filed yesterday in federal court in Alexandria.

Afterward, the Louisiana Democrat sank back into a couch in his living room and "with total dejection remarked 'what a waste,' " according to the government account, which did not elaborate on his comment.

Jefferson then "questioned how his reputation could survive" and expressed concern whether the search warrant affidavit could be permanently sealed to keep the information from being made public, according to the document.

Meanwhile, on the same day, FBI agents found $90,000 of the $100,000 in marked bills in Jefferson's freezer at his Capitol Hill home. The government alleged that Jefferson took the money from a Virginia businesswoman who was working as an informant, to bribe a Nigerian official in a business deal.

The pretrial document provides a glimpse into the public corruption investigation's early months. It was among 14 answers filed yesterday by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alexandria in response to motions filed this month by Jefferson's lawyers.

Jefferson, 60, the former co-chairman of the congressional caucus on Nigeria and African trade faces a 16-count indictment that includes allegations that he used his position to solicit hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes for himself and his family, falsely reported trips to Africa as official business, sought to bribe a former Nigerian vice president and promoted U.S. financing for a sugar factory in Nigeria whose owners paid fees to a Jefferson family company in Louisiana.

Two business associates, Vernon L. Jackson, owner of a Louisville-based high-tech company, and Brett Pfeffer, a former Jefferson aide, are in prison after pleading guilty to bribing the congressman.

Judy Smith, a spokeswoman for Jefferson, said last night that his defense team was reviewing the government response.

Jefferson's lawyer filed motions on Sept. 7 asking for a change of venue to the District, alleging that authorities indicted the congressman in Virginia because there would be fewer black jurors.

The government opposed those motions, describing Jefferson's claims as "outrageous" and "preposterous" and arguing that many of the alleged crimes occurred in Virginia.

Jefferson's lawyers had also asked a judge to dismiss 14 of the charges, insisting that Jefferson did nothing illegal and asserting that any statement or any evidence seized during the raid on his New Orleans home should be suppressed. They said the FBI overstepped its bounds, bullied Jefferson, made him feel he was being detained and therefore should have read him his Miranda rights.

The government denied those claims and said agents were civil toward the congressman during the search of his New Orleans home. And though they watched his every move during the search, they did not keep him from leaving the house or ending the interview, and therefore did not need to read him his rights, the filing said.

In fact, the government said, Jefferson was very cooperative during the interview until FBI agents asked him what he did with the $100,000.

"What?" he replied, to which an agent said it was the FBI's money.

"I think I should stop talking to you boys," he said.

Agents then played the video on a small FBI DVD player.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III has yet to rule on the motions.