John Kerry, Communications Man

Our top story this week is from Senior Writer Drew Clark, who dug into the voting and campaign finance records of Sen. John Kerry to analyze his connections to the communications industry.

Drew's thorough research showed that Kerry has been aligned with the interests of each major communications industry segment at various times during the attempt to rewrite telecommunications law this Congress. But it also revealed that at last month's Senate Commerce Committee vote on the issue, the Massachusetts Democrat returned to his roots and took actions aligned with the cable television industry.

The cable industry has been the most generous industry toward Kerry in his career, according to Drew's analysis of donor data. Kerry's leanings on communications legislation have not always been clear, though. He has backed the Bells at times, including as recently as February.

Also in the news this week: a crackdown against online social networks, a deal between a file-sharing firm and the music and movie industries, and the tech industry's reaction to the collapse of global trade talks. Listen to the podcast for details.

Bush Blocks Probe Of Wiretaps

Complaints about secret wiretaps of Americans that are implemented without warrants have been front-page news off and on since late last year. The issue hit the headlines again this week when Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said President Bush personally blocked an internal Justice Department investigation into the ethics of the wiretap.

Under sharp questioning from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, Gonzales said Bush was the reason that lawyers from the Justice Department's office of professional responsibility could not obtain security clearance to see the relevant documents.

Specter noted that the blockage was the latest in a string of events where the administration sought to exempt its wiretapping program from court and congressional oversight. He noted that many other department lawyers had clearance and asked why the office known as OPR didn't.

Gonzales answered that the president makes the decisions.

Other tech issues that garned attention this week included data security, health information technology, e-voting and civil liberties in China. Listen to the podcast for details.

From Gambling To Wireless Tracking

Congress tackled Internet gambling, appropriations funding and launched a new caucus on wireless tracking technology this week.

In the courts, a judge took another look at telecom mega mergers while communications issues continued to percolate in the lobbying community.

Department Lags In Naming Cyber-Security Czar

With Congress out of session this week to observe Independence Day, activities were a bit quieter around Washington.

Though Americans celebrated the anniversary of our nation on Tuesday, there is another anniversary that has not gone unnoticed by some in the tech community. It has been nearly a year since Homeland Security Department Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the creation of a position for a cyber security czar, and still, the position remains unfilled.

Elsewhere in the Homeland Security Department, officials announced this week that about $400 million in fiscal 2006 funding will be made available to protect critical infrastructure sites across the country. The effort covers transit systems, sea ports and chemical facilities through the Infrastructure Protection Grant Program.

On the lobbying front, the Chamber of Commerce is hoping that lawmakers can move on several pending data security proposals before they adjourn for the August recess.

Other tech policy news this week involved the defense authorization bill and a Verizon lawsuit over video franchising rules. Listen to the podcast for details.