[JURIST] A small minority of southern Republicans have announced their intention to challenge the renewal of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act [text; DOJ introduction], currently being evaluated by Congress for a 25-year renewal on the grounds that it is unfair to southern states and no longer necessary. Though the White House, Congressional leaders of both parties, US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and the teh US Justice Department support the reauthorization of the Act [JURIST report] in its entirety, several southern lawmakers are critical of section 5, which requires southern states with dicriminatory voting records to seek federal approval before changing voting locations within districts, a requirement not imposed on northern states. The original purpose of the provision was to prevent the racist practice of moving voting locations to intentionally inconvenience black voters. Leading the opposition, first-term US House member Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) [official website] argues that the areas protected by the provision are now "controlled by minorities" and no longer need protection. Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA) [official website], one of many House members who support the renewal of the provision, has nonetheless noted that "in an ideal world we would not need the Voting Rights Act, and in an ideal world we could apply Section 5 across the board without watering it down and making it ineffective. But if history, both past and present, teaches us anything, it's that we do not live in an ideal world." AP has more.

[JURIST] Lobbyist Michael Scanlon [Wikipedia profile] is scheduled for a federal court appearance Monday on a single count alleged in a criminal information released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] Friday. The information alleges that Scanlon provided "things of value" to a member of Congress, later identified as Representative Bob Ney (R-OH) [official website] by his lawyer, in exchange for favorable gambling legislation. Scanlon and partner Jack Abramoff [Wwikipedia profile] were paid $80 million between 2001 and 2004 by several indian tribes to represent their interests in Congress. Scanlon is a former aide to former House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX) [official website], who was heavily criticized in the past for accepting trips abroad and the use of a sports arena skybox from Abramoff. AP has more.

[JURIST] US Senator Brian Dorgan (D-ND) [official website] released a letter [press release] Friday confirming that allegations raised by an ex-Defense Department contractor regarding no-bid contracts awarded to a Halliburton [corporate website; JURIST news archive] subsidiary for work in Iraq have been turned over to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] for possible investigation. The letter, from Defense Department Assistant Inspector General John R. Crane, said that the department's criminal investigation wing is currently investigating the contracts, and has provided its findings to the DOJ. The allegations were first raised by Bunnatine H. Greenhouse, formerly the top procurement officer for the US Army Corps of Engineers [official website], during testimony given last summer before the Senate Democratic Policy Committee [official website] chaired by Dorgan. Greenhouse testified [JURIST report] that the government's award of a five year, no-bid contract for the repair of Iraqi oil fields to Halliburton division Kellogg, Brown and Root [corporate website] was similar to war profiteering. Greenhouse is suing the Department [JURIST report] after being demoted for "poor job performance" directly after her testimony. AP has more.

[JURIST] US Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) [official profile] Friday voiced objections to a legislative deal [JURIST report] that extend the USA Patriot Act [bill summary], siding with a bipartisan group of senators threatening to filibuster the bill unless it is rewritten to provide increased privacy protections. The White House had previously pushed Congress to vote on the extension before Thanksgiving, but without Specter's the support a vote next week is highly unlikely. Specter said that the legislation, which has support in the House, "needs further analysis and some revision." The House version currently sets a seven year expiration date on two provisions that Specter thinks should expire in four years: the so-called "library provision" that authorizes seizure of personal and business information, and the section that allows FBI wiretaps of any terror suspect. The current USA Patriot Act [text; JURIST news archive] expires December 31. The Seattle Times has more. US House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. James Sensenbrenner provides this report [PDF] on the state of the Patriot Act conference negotiations; Rep. John Conyers, Ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, offers resources on Patriot Act renewal.

[JURIST] The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit [official website] announced Friday that it will return to its New Orleans headquarters in January. Following Hurricane Katrina [JURIST news archive] in September, the appeals court temporarily moved [JURIST report] to Houston, Texas and has operated from the Bob Casey United States Courthouse. The court will shut down Houston operations around December 16, 2005 and reconvene in New Orleans on January 9, 2006. Read the US Court press release on the move.

[JURIST] US DOJ Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald [official website] indicated in court documents Friday that his investigation into the CIA leak case [JURIST news archive] will return to a grand jury. Three weeks ago, a previous grand jury indicted former Vice President Dick Cheney chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice [PDF text of indictment; JURIST report]. In the court motion Fitzgerald said "the investigation will involve proceedings before a different grand jury than the grand jury which returned the indictment [against Libby]". The announcement of a second grand jury has lead to speculation that Fitzgerald will seek charges against top Bush advisor Karl Rove for his alleged involvement in the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame's name to the press. Fitzgerald's announcement comes less than one week after journalist Bob Woodward [profile] testified [text of statement] that a senior Bush administration official informed him of Valerie Plame's CIA position almost a month before her identity was revealed publicly. Speculation as to the identity of Woodward's source has included US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld [official profile]; an aide to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has denied that she was the source [AP report]. Reuters has more.

[JURIST] The US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [official website] indicated Friday that all 125 workers arrested at a Wal-Mart distribution center construction site [JURIST report] in Pennsylvania Thursday will be deported. Some of the workers, mostly from Mexico and Central America, used false documents to get jobs with a Wal-Mart subcontractor. Federal officials said the arrests should serve as a warning to companies who knowingly employ illegal immigrants that "significant criminal and administrative charges" will result. AP has more.

[JURIST] The Pentagon released a report Friday indicating that over 80,000 people have been detained in numerous facilities world-wide since the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. The report comes amid increased criticism by human rights groups and European organizations of the US government's treatment of detainees, and on the heels of reports that the CIA has maintained secret prisons throughout Europe [JURIST report]. Officials at a Council of Europe [official website] meeting on Thursday increased pressure [COE report] on the US to respond to reports that the prisons exist and that numerous prisoner transports to and through at least 6 member states have occurred without authorization. The Guardian has more.