(Oracle Press Release) December 12, 2004 According to The Washington Postthe Bush administration used wire taps to intercept a number of phone conversations of Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency in hope of finding information that would help remove ElBaradei from his post. (CNN) (The Washington Post) 2004 U.S. presidential election controversy: The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary will be holding a congressional forum in Columbus concerning new evidence of election irregularities and fraud in Ohio, the issue of Ohio electors meeting while recounts and litigation are pending, and to discuss legislative and other responses to the problems, on Dec. 13. (pdf) The Civil Rights Coalition schedules a protest for December 18, demanding a re-vote in "areas where substantive disenfranchisement took place" and the prosecution of officials involved in "election fraud". (Civil Rights Coalition) December 11, 2004 Bernard Kerik withdraws his nomination for the post of Secretary of Homeland Security, fearing a scandal over the immigration status of his nanny. (Newsday) (Bloomberg) December 10, 2004 A riot forms in Puerto Rico between members of the PIP, the FUPI, the Socialist party and members of the police in front of the federal courthouse, where PIP and PNP backers had gathered two days before the outcome of the 2004 Puerto Rican elections were to be decided by a judge. Several people, including seven policemen, are severely injured. (El Vocero, in Spanish) "Godfather of Soul" James Brown is diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgery next week. (BBC) Camp X-Ray Prisoner Controversy: "Australian Taleban" David Hicks, held at the US military camp in Guantanamo Bay, says he has been beaten, kicked, handcuffed and blindfolded, his head slammed into concrete, forced to run in leg shackles, routinely deprived of sleep and offered the services of a prostitute by US troops. (BBC) Conflict in Iraq: Cpl Wassef Ali Hassoun, a Marine who turned up in Lebanon after disappearing from Iraq, is charged with desertion. (BBC) December 9, 2004 President George W. Bush nominates Jim Nicholson, U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, as his nominee for Veterans Affairs Secretary replacing out going secretary Anthony Principi. December 8, 2004 The White House affirms that, despite reports to the contrary, John Snow will remain Treasury Secretary during President George W. Bush's second term of office. Meanwhile, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi announces his expected resignation. (CNN) The United States Senate