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House Intelligence Committee threatens to subpoena (all) recordings, memos with, x FBI director. “We find The President's statement, and the White House letter, (in part) un-responsive.” Committee Leadership (Mike Conaway, and. Adam Schiff) subsequently issued a second letter to admonish; the committee will consider using compulsory action, or a subpoena, to make sure the White House responds "fully".

Jeff Conaway, the troubled actor of "Taxi" and "Grease" fame whose addiction problems were well chronicled for years by reality TV and the media, has died, reports the Los Angeles Times. He was 60. He was taken off life support Thursday (May 26) and died Friday in Encino, nine days after being put into a medically induced coma. Conaway's manager Phil Brock said the actor was found unconscious May 11 after an apparent overdose of painkillers. Reports said he might have been in that state for 10 hours before being found. Brock said the actor was suffering from pneumonia and...

Grease star Jeff Conaway died today after a drug overdose sent him into a coma two weeks ago. His family are understood to have decided to turn off his life support machine yesterday. His ex-girlfriend Vikki Lizzi, who claims she has power of attorney over the 60-year-old, tried to block the move. The actor, who famously played Kenickie in the hit 1978 film, has been in a deep coma since taking an overdose of painkillers earlier this month. Conaway's family, who have kept a vigil at the Los Angeles hospital over the past two weeks, have been told by doctors...

Republicans in 5 state races may find new fights on their right flanks WASHINGTON— Canyon Clowdus thinks Americans “have less freedom and pay more taxes than ever.” “We need more John Wayne and Jesus in Washington,” the Marble Falls rancher and businessman declares. Clowdus is just the kind of grass-roots activist that national Republican leaders sought to fire up in the Tea Party movement that has spread across Texas in energetic rallies and heated town hall confrontations. Now, the 40-year-old Army veteran is seeking to unseat an incumbent congressman whom he calls a profligate spender. Just one problem: Clowdus, an...

Mitt Romney is the right choice for president As a second term Congressman from West Texas, I fully intended to keep my powder dry in the presidential race for quite a while. I had no intention of endorsing any of the candidates and simply wanted to meet a couple of them when they were in Austin a few weeks ago. Having read all the newspapers and Web sites for the last few months, I figured I knew what to expect. It is said that every presidential election is the most important election ever. Well, this time that sentiment might be...

Abilene expects Cheney at rally for Neugebauer BY BRIAN WILLIAMS AVALANCHE-JOURNAL Vice President Dick Cheney will join U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer next week in Abilene for a rally and reception, according to an Abilene Republican. The $25-per-person fund-raiser for Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, is scheduled for Dec. 5 at the Abilene Civic Center, said Paul Washburn, Taylor County Republican Party chairman. AP Photo Vice-President Dick Cheney addresses an audience during a fund-raising appearance Monday, Nov. 24, 2003 in Cleveland. Ohio Gov. Bob Taft was the host of a $2,000-a-plate dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Center near downtown. Washburn said Neugebauer’s...

Congressional candidates air similar views Area chambers hold forum By JOHN FUQUAY AVALANCHE-JOURNAL The two candidates for District 19 U.S. representative struck a similar chord Tuesday in a live television forum, each one sounding like a conservative Republican with interests in agriculture, energy and job creation. Both Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, and Mike Conaway, R-Midland, came away sounding knowledgable but also in agreement on issues of taxation, local control over water and education, homeland security and other issues. The candidates competing to succeed U.S. Rep. Larry Combest, R-Lubbock, appeared at a forum featuring one panelist each from the Lubbock, Midland, Odessa...

Early voting turnout low for runoff BY HEIDI TOTH AVALANCHE-JOURNAL If early voter turnout is any indication, the next U.S. representative of District 19 will be chosen by a small percentage of the district. The June 3 runoff election between Republicans Randy Neugebauer of Lubbock and Mike Conaway of Midland is the final step of a six-month campaign to replace U.S. Rep. Larry Combest, R-Lubbock, who is resigning May 31 after 18 years representing District 19. Lubbock County, which includes the largest metropolitan area in the district, counted 4,594 early voters of more than 140,000 registered voters, according to the...

Legislative plan seeks shake-up of District 19 Texas House proposal aims to boost GOP in Congress By SEBASTIAN KITCHEN AVALANCHE-JOURNAL With the influence of political gerrymandering in Washington, state legislators are considering drastically altering districts throughout Texas, including District 19, to create more Republicans in Congress. But legislators from Lubbock vow to fight for West Texas representation and keep three U.S. congressmen. Congressional District 19, which now includes Lubbock and 18 other counties, would be drastically altered and would stretch from the border with New Mexico to Jack County — just north of Mineral Wells — almost 300 miles away....

Conaway, Neugebauer in runoff By JOHN FUQUAY AVALANCHE-JOURNAL Republicans Randy Neuge bauer of Lubbock and Mike Conaway of Midland finished first and second, respectively, in Saturday's race for Congress and will meet in a runoff for the District 19 seat. With all precincts reporting, state Rep. Carl Isett finished third. Neugebauer, 53, is a land developer and took 22.3 percent of the vote. Conaway, 54, is a certified public accountant and received 21.2 percent. Isett, R-Lubbock, won 18.9 percent of the vote, and former Lubbock Mayor David Langston, who switched from the Democratic Party before the campaign to run as...

In the special election to succeed Rep. Larry Combest, R-TX, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, the top 4 candidates, all Republicans, are thus far: 9 p.m. Central Time Randy Neugebauer, 9,835 Mike Conaway, 9,643 Carl Isett, 8,331 -- endorsed by TX Right to Life David Langston, 6,127, former Democrat mayor of Lubbock The counting continues. The top two votegetters will meet in a special election runoff in June.

Pair dominates District 19 fund raising By JOHN FUQUAY AVALANCHE-JOURNAL In a wide-open race for the congressional seat to represent Lubbock in Washington, two candidates are beginning to distinguish themselves from a dozen or so others — at least in terms of fund raising. Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock, has raised about $450,000, and Mike Conaway, R-Midland, has surpassed $200,000, according to representatives from both campaign camps. In the most recent campaign finance reporting period, state Rep. Carl Isett and Texas Tech law professor Vickie Sutton were the only other candidates to declare contributions. Both candidates are Republicans from Lub- bock. Thirteen...