The Daily Muck

In recent months Congress has had its turn in scrutinizing Secretary of State Rice’s poor performance in supervising private security contractors and the construction of the U.S. embassy in Iraq. Now, the U.S. Foreign Service is weighing in Rice’s leadership – via the American Foreign Service Association survey – and forty-four percent of respondents have rated Rice’s performance as “poor” or “very poor” and asserted that “developments of the last few years” leave them less inclined to complete their careers in the Foreign Service. (Washington Post)

A federal judge in the trial of Jose Padilla denied the request of lawyers for one of Padilla’s co-defendants for access to classified information that might be relevant to the case, ruling that the government had already met its requirement to turn over evidence. Defense lawyers for Adham Hassoun, Padilla’s recruiter, had argued that the CIA’s destruction of videotapes of interrogations called into question their client’s conviction. (New York Times, Miami Herald)

Recent scrutiny of U.S. immigration policy and efforts to standardize immigration laws have led the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to re-examine Violence Against Women Act visas (sub. req.). The program has protected more than 30,670 immigrants married to abusive U.S. spouses since 1994, but many of those visas are now in limbo or jeopardy and some of the abused women may face deportation. (Sacramento Bee)

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue has vowed to punish “candidates for the presidency, members of Congress and the media” who espouse an “anti-corporate and populist rhetoric” that is hostile to his organization’s business interests. Donahue, who says he may commit up to $60 million for his cause, plans to “build a grass-roots business organization so strong that when it bites you in the butt, you bleed.” In 2004, the Chamber of Commerce helped defeat Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) with money, ads, and local organizers. (LA Times)

In a brief filed last Friday in the trial of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), the government named Jefferson’s wife, brother, and son-in-law – none of whom have been charged with a crime – as connected to the case. Previous filings had used pseudonyms to refer to people and companies. (New Orleans Times-Picayune)

New York state police were called to the home of former Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY) last month after Sweeney refused to pay for a cab ride home from a strip club. Sweeney avoided charges when his family later paid the fare. The fare had reached $80 because Sweeney could not tear himself away from the strip show: the cab first shuttled friends home and then returned to wait for another 45 minutes until Sweeney finished his business. (WNYT)