The Daily Muck

Television news networks have been remarkably quiet about the New York Times recent cover story detailing the practice of retired military analysts, many with ties to defense contractors, regurgitating Pentagon talking points on television news programs. Now Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and John Dingell (D-MI) have sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission “urging an investigation of the Pentagon’s propaganda program.” DeLauro also sent letters to five networks questioning their motives. Only ABC and CNN have anwsered thus far. (New York Times and Politico)

David Mason’s name has been withdrawn by President Bush as a Federal Election Commission nominee. Some charge the move was made to fix John McCain’s problems with the FEC. But McCain’s camp respond that such controversy is “manufactured”. Mason has voiced a negative opinion of allowing McCain to back out of a primary election public funding program. (Politico)

Longtime military vet Maj. Gen. Jay W. Hood was penciled in as the next senior American officer in Pakistan. But the military discreetly canceled his nomination once Pakistani news media picked up on Hood’s former post: commander of the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay. (New York Times)

Former Alaska state Rep. Vic Kohring was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in jail for accepting bribes to advocate a natural gas pipeline. Kohring accepted the bribes from VECO Corp. CEO Bill Allen. (Associated Press)

A federal judge will review a legal opinion of the Bush administration associated with detainee interrogation tactics that has been hidden from the public. The memo for review is from Aug. 2002; it accompanied a broader document on torture from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. (Washington Post)

The Senate Intelligence Committee’s new report on intelligence on Iraq will contain details on contacts between the Pentagon and Iranian informants kept hidden from the CIA. (Newsweek)

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and his ties to the Alabama real estate market have drawn criticism since Shelby has done more to change housing finance laws than anyone else in Congress. (New York Times)

Alaska democratic congressional candidate Jake Metcalfe dropped his campaign run Wednesday following an onslaught of Web sites linked to Metcalfe’s political adviser attacked fellow candidate Ethan Berkowitz. Metcalfe took responsibility for the actions, yet said he did not order or ask anyone to create the sites. (Anchorage Daily News)