The Daily Muck

The Texas-based private security firm, U.S. Protections and Investigations (USPI) is under investigation itself. USPI, which receives millions of dollars to secure U.S.-funded road projects in Afghanistan and train Iraqi security forces, has had its files, safe, and computers seized from its Kabul office because of alleged fraud. (ABC’s The Blotter)

Giuliani claims that the U.S. has disrupted 23 domestic terrorist attacks since September 11, 2001. President Bush has taken credit for foiling only about a dozen attacks and a check of homeland security experts reveled their consternation about “23.” Maybe Rudy was thinking of the 29 hours that he spent at “ground zero” between September 17 and December 16, 2001. (National Journal’s The Hotline)

MotherJones published a Blackwater timeline that brings more clarity to the murky operations of the private military contractor. September 24, 2006: “Blackwater convoy driving down the wrong side of the road (‘counter flowing’) in al-Hillah strikes an oncoming car, propelling it into a telephone pole. The Iraqi car bursts into flames. Blackwater contractors leave the scene without offering help to the victim, who dies in the fire.” (Mother Jones)

Roll Call reports that the Justice Department and the Federal Election Committee are honing in on cases of abuse of campaign funds. As part of this crackdown, officials are suggesting that another 10 embezzlement cases and a host of cases involving misspent funds are in the pipeline. Which begs the question: how long is this pipe, and will we ever see indictments? (Roll Call)

American Electric Power has agreed to a settlement with the EPA over violations of the Clean Air Act; the firm will pay around $5 billion in technology upgrades to decrease its pollution. It’s vindication for the government’s plan to bring fewer but more substantial EPA cases. Or rather, it would be a vindication if this case hadn’t been brought by the Clinton administration. (US News)

New Hampshire’s Attorney General closed an investigation into one of Romney’s aides for the potential crime of illegally running a license check on a reporter. The attorney general said her office found no evidence that anyone requested registration records for a reporter’s car. (AP)

The Los Angeles Police Department released a report assessing what went wrong in a brutal crackdown this past spring against pro-immigrant demonstrators. The conclusion? Poor management and no riot training for the police who left almost 250 people injured after a small group of demonstrators turned violent. (NY Times)

The government might spend $40 billion to buy up 17,000 homes along the Mississippi coast to provide a buffer from another hurricane attack. The idea was first floated immediately after Katrina. Under the program, those who have rebuilt their homes will be paid for the cost of the land, but not for any post-Katrina improvements (back when the government called a barrier a bad idea). (Washington Post)