The Daily MuckThe Justice Department proposed new FBI guidelines on Friday that would apply to national security and foreign intelligence threats. The guidelines, which would expand physical surveillance, have come under heavy criticism by the ACLU and some Democrats for possibly allowing for racial, ethnic, and religious targeting. FBI Director Robert Muller is set to testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee about the guidelines on Wednesday. (AP)
Hunter Biden, son of Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), has quit federal lobbying. Hunter, who was at the lobbying firm Oldaker, Biden & Belair, announced that he was stepping down from the industry in a letter dated from August that was made public last Friday. Biden’s firm primarily tried to get money for colleges and hospitals from appropriation bills. (AP)
The Air Force was criticized Friday by a Pentagon advisory group for poor management of the nuclear weapons arsenal. The panel, which recommended that the Air Force consolidate nuclear command, said that the poor handling has resulted in a deterioration of international confidence in the United States’ protection ability. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Air Force is considering the panel’s recommendation. (AP)
Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Charlie Rangel (D-NY) has decided to hire a forensic accounting expert to assist him in his growing problems stemming from unreported income and unpaid taxes on his Dominican Republic beach house. The accountant, who is yet to be hired, will go through Rangel’s finances and later deliver a report to the House ethics committee. (AP)
The former mayor of Newark, New Jersey, will report to federal prison today. The former mayor, Sharpe James, will serve a 27 month sentence stemming from a conviction on corruption charges. James’ request to be sent to a prison closer to his family was previously denied. (AP)
A new AP-National Constitution Center poll shows that a majority of Americans are opposed to giving more power to the President, even at the expense of national security or the economy. The poll shows that two-thirds of Americans are opposed to shifting the balance of government towards the executive, evidence of wide-ranging skepticism of the advances in executive power during the Bush years. The poll also found more of a split when Americans were asked if Congress should be awarded greater power in times of economic or national security hardships. (AP)