The Daily MuckUnited States intelligence services are increasingly relying on private contractors to perform essential intelligence tasks. Contractors make up about a quarter of core national intelligence workers and are involved in some of the most sensitive areas of intelligence. The average salary for a contract intelligence worker is over $200,000, compared to $125,000 for a government employee. (Washington Post)
Two U.S. military personnel were allegedly paid almost $100,000 to arrange three deals to rebuild Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. The officers, Christopher West and Patrick Boyd, were indicted yesterday for bribery. Three Afghani contractors were also charged. (AP)
After years of incarceration, it is still unclear whether Guantanamo detainees will be able to witness their own trials or see the evidence the government has against them. One of the judges trying to create rules for Guantanamo hearings is worried that the procedures and evidence will be hidden from both the public and the defendants. Trials for Guantanamo defendants may rely on classified evidence that will be kept secret. (AP)
The fate of Sgt. Jose Nazario, on trial for the killing of four Iraqi civilians, is now in the hands of a California jury. The trial concluded when prosecutors played a recording of an investigation in which Nazario appeared to admit that he gave the order to kill the Iraqis. Nazario’s attorneys argued that a guilty verdict would “make the job [in Iraq] harder” for U.S. military personnel. (Los Angeles Times)
A federal appeals court is considering whether people who received FBI National Security letters have the right to talk about it. Yesterday, the court pressed government lawyers to defend the constitutionality of the FBI’s so-called “gag rule”, which prohibits recipients of the letters from discussing them with anyone else. The ACLU is challenging whether the gag rule violates the right to free speech. (Reuters)
More trouble for Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA). The FEC is considering fining the embattled Congressman for filing his campaign finance expense report two days late. Jefferson is already under indictment for bribery. His expense report shows that his campaign is $250,000 in debt. (AP)