The Daily Muck

He’s been called the Boy Genius, the Architect and Turd Blossom. Yesterday, he even called himself Moby Dick escaping the Captain Ahabs of Congressional oversight (take that, Patrick Leahy). But Karl Rove, the President’s longtime political strategist, is leaving the White House on August 31st. The Boston Globe is dreaming that Rove’s exit will mark the dawn of Bush’s new consensus, moderate platform. The Politico just sees the man whose dream of a permanent conservative majority has destroyed the Republican party. And Dana Perino sees the loss of the man who invented Ice Cream Fridays. So what will Rove do after the White House (he doesn’t have a college degree, which doesn’t bode well for finding a job these days)? Rove says teaching. Members of Congress have assured us that they are still after him for just about everything under the sun. And Bush wants him to write a book. Recommendations for the title?

Is warrantless wiretapping unconstitutional? Who cares! That’s because the Justice Department has no plans of releasing information about whose information they gathered, even when they did so illegally or in violation of someone’s 4th Amendment rights. However, because no one can prove they were the victim of illegal eavesdropping without the government disclosing that they were, no individual will be able to bring a lawsuit that could then challenge the nature of the program’s intelligence gathering, says the DoJ. (USA TODAY)

A court has called five reporters to testify about information that was leaked to them regarding an inquiry concerning the 2001 anthrax attacks. Steven J. Hatfill was a scientist under scrutiny for his possible connection with the attack, and now Hatfill is suing the Justice Department for telling reporters about the ultimately groundless investigation. All five reporters have already given depositions, but thus far have been unwilling to name the anonymous sources that gave them the information. (Associated Press)

The American Bar Association voted yesterday to urge Congress to override Bush’s executive order on enhanced interrogation that allows waterboarding and sensory deprivation for detainees. (LA Times)

Jose Padilla has hardly been the focus of conversation these days, even in his own trial. But the highly public “enemy combatant” will be at the center of closing arguments today. The government is arguing that Padilla was a star recruit of al-Qaeda and should be found guilty, even though the original charges that led to his arrest have been dropped and the government has made assertions about Padilla’s intentions that sometimes rely on strained evidence and no witnesses. (NY Times)

Why can’t government agencies just get along? A report released yesterday found that a lack of cooperation between the FBI and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency likely caused ICE agents to recommend fewer terrorism-related cases to the FBI. Specifically, the ICE agents cited delays and refusals by the FBI to arrange court orders for investigations as reasons for not pursuing cases against potential terrorists. (Associated Press)

Aid money marked for Katrina victims is being used in some cases to build luxury condominiums in places like Tuscaloosa, AL. I guess it rained hard in Tuscaloosa; that’s kind of like a hurricane. Via Think Progress. (Associated Press)