The Daily MuckThe Plain Dealer (Cleveland) documents the struggle of two mothers forced to digest the deaths of their sons in Iraq. But the sons were not in the U.S. military; they were members of private security outfit Blackwater. (The Plain Dealer)
As the Bush administration heads out of office, they have notified federal agencies that today is the deadline to propose new regulations, nearly eight months before a successor takes the office. On its face it’s a rare good government measure from this White House, but critics claim the policy ensures the next occupant will have a difficult time changing the regulations made by the Bush Administration. (The Boston Globe)
The Chicago Tribune takes a further look into the conditions illegal immigrants face in detention centers around the United States. This follows the Washington Post’s four-part series on the subject weeks ago. (Chicago Tribune and Washington Post)
A pair of South Florida congressmen accepted $10,000 in campaign payouts from a Maryland prosthetics company, Hanger Orthopedic Group. The brothers, Reps. Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart (R), then co-sponsored a bill that would grant further-encompassing insurance coverage for their donor. ”You better believe I am a co-sponsor of a bipartisan bill to cover prosthetics for 1.8 million Americans without limbs including children and veterans!” wrote Mario Diaz-Balart in response, despite receiving $3,000 from Hanger’s PAC. (Miami Herald)
Two Louisiana judges were convicted of accepting bribes in exchange for setting low or expedient bonds for defendants. (Associated Press)
Milberg LLP is close to a settlement that would avoid federal prosecution of alleged kickbacks made by the class-action law firm. (Wall St. Journal sub. req.)