An Associated Press review of Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton’s official correspondence found that she directly intervened six times on behalf of companies who donated to her husband’s foundation. The issue of the Clinton Foundation has already created a headache for the senator, with Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) insisting that the foundation no longer accept donations from foreign governments. (Associated Press)
The trial of Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr was essentially reset after U.S. military commission officials secretly withdrew and then re-issued charges against the defendants in the case, according to Khadr’s defense lawyer. The move is known as “withdrawal and re-referral” and nullifies all prior proceedings against defendants. The top Pentagon official in charge of commissions withdrew charges on December 17; a new trial date is yet to be determined. Khadr, a Canadian, is the only Western citizen still being held at the facility. (CBC News)
A new rule enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency will make it easier for industrial operations to expand without having to apply for new pollution permits. The most recent midnight regulation issued by the Bush administration allows plants to exclude emissions from unrelated activities when calculating whether or not new pollution control measures will be needed. The rule is part of an effort by the Bush administration to make over a pollution-control initiative called the New Source Review. (Washington Post)
Congressional lawmakers from Kansas have successfully lobbied to remove a ban prohibiting companies receiving bailout money from using private jets, in the most recent legislation to regulate the $700 billion financial bailout. Reps. Dennis Moore (D-KS), who is a member of the House Financial Services Committee, and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) insisted that a ban would harm Kansas’ aircraft manufacturing industry, cause job loss and damage the economy. (Associated Press)
A close associate of Bernard Madoff based in Boston skipped a meeting with the Massachusetts Secretary of State on Tuesday, although a spokesman insists that a postponement had been granted. Stockbroker Robert Jaffe failed to show up in response to a subpoena for a meeting with the office of William Galvin, who as Secretary of State functions as the state’s top securities overseer and is investigating the Madoff scandal. (Boston Herald)
The investigation into U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent will reopen after three new charges related to sexual abuse of female court employees were issued against him. Kent is currently undergoing trial for three other counts of sexual abuse and has been suspended since September 2007. The council investigating new charges will not take any actions until after Kent’s first trial, scheduled to begin in February, finishes. (Associated Press)
