The Daily MuckAttorney Gen. Michael Mukasey has agreed to postpone new FBI guidelines that would relax conduct of national security investigations. Mukasey was asked to do this earlier this week by the chairman and ranking minority leader on the Senate Judicial Committee out of civil liberties concerns. Mukasey will not sign off on the new regulations until he at least hears the testimony of FBI Dir. Robert Mueller in September. (Senate Judiciary Committee)
Two marines have been ordered to testify against their former squad leader, on trial for killing four Iraqi detainees. The marines, Sgt. Ryan Weemer and Sgt. Jermaine Nelson, have already been jailed twice for refusing to testify against Jose Luis Nazario. Prosecutors allege that Nazario killed “unarmed, submissive, docile” Iraqi civilians in Fallujah. (AP)
An office of the Bureau of Land Managment made improper deals with private helium reginers at the expense of taxpayers. According to a Department of Interior report, a field office in Texas allowed refiners to profit by overcharging for equipment. The deal may result in the government’s equipment costs almost doubling by the time the contracts expire in 2015. (Washington Post)
The FEC divided along party lines on Thursday, over whether or not Sen. David Vitter could use campaign money to pay his legal fees related to the DC Madam scandal. The commission deadlocked with a 3-3 vote. This comes after a draft opinion released earlier this week hinted that Vitter would not be allowed to use campaign funds. (Times-Picayune)
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will return to court today on two assault charges. Kilpatrick is accused of assaulting two Wayne County investigators. These charges are in addition to Kilpatrick’s perjury and obstruction criminal case. (AP)
Touch screen voting machines dropped about 1,000 votes during the March primary election in Ohio, according to Premier Election Solutions Inc., the manufacturer of the machines. The same voting machines will be used during the November elections. (AP)
The Defense Department is investigating claims that a contractor installed faulty pumps after Hurricane Katrina despite a warning that they might fail. The Army Corps of Engineers were first warned of the possible problems with the pumps in early 2006. (AP)
Federal investigators in Florida have found that a man used the University of Miami to run a scheme which duped investors into losing millions of dollars. The scheme robbed people across the country. The FBI is now investigating the operation. (CNN)