The Daily MuckThe CIA plans to declassify hundreds of documents that detail a quarter century of the agency’s worst illegal abuses, including assassination attempts, domestic spying and wiretapping of journalists. (Washington Post)
Former Attorney General John Aschroft testified behind close doors yesterday in front of the House Intelligence Committee. According to the Committee chairman, Ashcroft corroborated previous sentiments from James Comey that a “robust and enormous debate” had occurred around the potential illegality of a warrantless wiretapping program. (Associated Press)
The House voted overwhelming to revive the Iraq Study Group and to seek new recommendations. Washington insiders suspect that former Mayor Giuliani will again be unable to join the ISG, as he will be picking up his laundry that day. (Washington Post)
Earlier this week we reported the threat of cyber terrorism faced by the Department of Homeland security. Yesterday, the Pentagon was hit by a cyber attack that took 1,500 computers offline. Thankfully, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was unaffected by the strike, claiming, “I don’t do email.” (WSJ’s Washington Wire)
In the midst of the recent buzz about Karl Rove sending over 140,000 emails through non-government accounts, CREW wants to make sure you don’t forget about the 5 million White House emails that have gone missing.
As part of the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast region following Katrina, many contracts offered by FEMA, the Air Force and the EPA are structured as cost-plus-fixed-fee. This method of contracting, which guarantees the owner a profit on a project, means that contractors have no incentive to rein in the cost of projects. (Center for Public Integrity)
Four current or recent congressional appropriators are under investigation for matters of corruption, though appropriators don’t believe there is a particular culture of the office that encourages corrupt behavior. (The Politico)
Gen. Pace defended U.S. actions in Iraq amid an increase in violence against American soldiers, saying that the rising number of troop deaths is the “wrong metric” to assess success or failure. (Washington Post)
Former Minnesota U.S. Attorney Thomas Heffelfinger speculated in front of the Senate on what might have caused his firing last year, claiming that his focus on Indian affairs might have cost him his job. (Star Tribune)