The Daily MuckAttorneys for Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, a detainee being held as “enemy combatant,” argued to an appellate court yesterday that a memo that the Justice Department declassified and released only last week proves that their client’s detention is illegal. According to the attorneys, the memo “makes plain as day that al-Marri was declared an enemy combatant based on discredited legal opinions and for the illegal purpose of abusive interrogations.” (Washington Post)
The Washington Post has published a guide to the 11 multicolored charts that General Petraeus presented to Congress yesterday because “a close look at the facts indicates that the data often lacked context or were misleading.” In the case of Petraeus’ first chart, the paper notes that “the figures for 2009 appear to be based on guesswork, and Petraeus’s office declined to provide supporting information.” (Washington Post)
Jury deliberations have resumed in the trial of the six men accused of conspiring with al Qaeda to destroy the Sears Tower in Chicago. The Bush administration has claimed that this case is an important accomplishment in the war on terror but the first trial ended in a deadlocked jury and Neal Sonnett, past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, believes the case is “more hype than evidence.” (ABC’s “The Blotter”)
The Pentagon has assigned Navy Capt. Prescott Prince, a solo practitioner of criminal law in Virginia, to represent Khalid Sheik Mohammed. Prince noted that although “this man is alleged to have done some very bad things,” “I have faith in the American people to allow him to have a fair trial.” (McClatchy)
The Justice Department has tabled prosecutions against 50 companies suspected of wrongdoing and has instead pursued a policy of deferred prosecutions. This major policy shift has saved corporations millions of dollars and public shame because the details of deferred prosecution agreements are kept secret. (New York Times)
A number of non-partisan groups such as the NAACP National Voter Fund and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation are monitoring complaints from voters and mobilizing lawyers to observe polling places in upcoming elections. To date, more than 70,000 reports have been filed that detail ballot shortages, long voting lines, and names dropped from registration rolls. (Washington Post)
Although the Justice Department has the legal authority under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act to prosecute sexual assault cases against civilians employed by contractors in Iraq or Afghanistan, the DOJ has failed to prosecute a single case. (AP)
Former Alaska Governor Bill Sheffield may have violated municipal ethics codes by offering to host a campaign fundraiser for Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). Check out the e-mail exchange at the heart of the investigation. (Alaska Public Radio Network)
Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) (the same guy who insulted a U.S. soldier who denied him access to a gym because he lacked the proper credentials) is back in the news for allegations that he compromised operational security by airing video of enemy rocket attacks on the Green Zone. McHenry had posted video on his Web site with narration about rockets “just over my head” and details about where they struck. (McClatchy)
Representative William Jefferson’s (D-LA) brother Mose has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and bribery. The official that Mose Jefferson allegedly bribed has plead guilty in a related part of the investigation, but Mose’s attorney says that his client is looking forward to his day in court. (AP)
We recently noted that officials at the Veteran’s Administration were being scrutinized for suspicious credit card purchases at luxury goods stores. Now the Government Accountability Office reports that this problem is widespread throughout the federal government. A new audit reveals that almost half of the “purchase card” transactions examined are improper. (Washington Post)
The gap between the rich and poor in America has expanded dramatically since the late 1980s. According to the Economic Policy Institute and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, income for the wealthiest 5 per cent increased by 60 per cent (from $82,607, to $220,700), the middle fifth gained $5,784 in income (a 13 per cent rise that brought income to $50,434) and the poorest fifth enjoyed an 11 per cent gain ($1,814( that brought income to $18,116. (Financial Times)
A Washington D.C. based Web site LegiStorm has infuriated hundreds of top House staffers by posting personal financial information about them. Legistorm argues that the information is already public and acts as a deterrent against potential corruption, but some staffers believe that the information makes them easy marks for identity theft. (Washington Post)
