The Daily Muck

Administration Pulls Back on Surveillance Agreement
“Senior Bush administration officials told Congress on Tuesday that they could not pledge that the administration would continue to seek warrants from a secret court for a domestic wiretapping program, as it agreed to do in January. Rather, they argued that the president had the constitutional authority to decide for himself whether to conduct surveillance without warrants.” (NY Times)

Hoon Admits Fatal Error in Planning for Post-War Iraq
“A catalogue of errors over planning for Iraq after the invasion, and an inability to influence key figures in the US administration, led to anarchy in Iraq from which the country has not recovered, the British defense secretary during the invasion admits today. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Geoff Hoon reveals that Britain disagreed with the US administration over two key decisions in May 2003, two months after the invasion – to disband Iraq’s army and “de-Ba’athify” its civil service. Mr. Hoon also said he and other senior ministers completely underestimated the role and influence of the vice-president, Dick Cheney.” (The Guardian)

Renzi Breaks Silence: Bush Administration Tried to Rig My Election and Needs to Be Investigated
“Yesterday in an interview with Phoenix’s KPNX, Renzi spoke for the first time since the FBI raid and said that he believes he is being smeared by the Justice Department. He refused to take any responsibility for the land deal, instead charging — without any evidence — that the leaks on the investigation were ‘lies.’ He added that ‘to make that up and put that out means the Department of Justice was engaged in electioneering and that needs to be investigated.'” (Think Progress)

Tester Calls on Montana US Attorney to Resign
“Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) called yesterday on a top Justice Department official to resign his U.S. attorney’s post after revelations that he worked to alter federal law so that he and a handful of other senior aides could escape residency requirements that governed their assignments as federal prosecutors. Since 2005, William W. Mercer has served as acting associate attorney general at Justice Department headquarters in Washington as well as being the U.S. attorney in Montana, where he spends just three days a month.” (Washington Post)

Lam Defends Her Performance as US Attorney
“In a strongly worded defense of her four-year tenure as U.S. attorney in San Diego, Carol C. Lam told congressional investigators that she was constantly given conflicting instructions from Washington and was expected to bring more prosecutions with fewer resources. According to written statements released Wednesday — her first public comments since testifying two months ago about her firing — Lam also said she was given just weeks to clear out of her office and was informed by Justice Department officials that her ouster was ‘coming from the very highest levels of the government.'” (LA Times)

Gates Reaffirms Decision to Close Walter Reed Facility
“Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the aging hospital strongly criticized for inadequate care of wounded soldiers, should be closed as planned, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday. Gates’s conclusion, following a review of Walter Reed by an independent advisory group, counters the recommendation of some in Congress who have called for the Pentagon to reverse its 2005 decision to close the facility.” (Associated Press)

Committee is Likely to Say Wolfowitz Broke Rules
“Members of a World Bank board committee investigating the conduct of Paul D. Wolfowitz, the bank president, are leaning toward finding that he violated the institution’s rules against conflicts of interest when he arranged a pay raise and promotion for his companion, bank officials said Wednesday. A conclusion that Mr. Wolfowitz broke the bank rules and the terms of his own contract, which bars conflicts of interest, would be likely to increase the pressure on him to resign despite his vow not to do so in the face of such charges.” (NY Times)

White House Panel Investigates Inspector General in Iraq
“The inspector general who uncovered cases of waste, fraud and abuse in the U.S.-led reconstruction effort in Iraq is under investigation by a presidential panel, according to the White House. Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, is under investigation after complaints were made by former employees about his work habits and work he required employees to perform.” (Washington Post)

House to Produce Fla. 13 Results
“A panel on the House Administration Committee authorized the creation Wednesday of a special task force to investigate the disputed outcome in Florida’s 13th congressional district, where freshman Rep. Vern Buchanan (R) edged Democrat Christine Jennings by a narrow 369 votes. Jennings forced a recount, and her attorneys have since asked the House to intervene with a formal investigative task force.” (Politico)

Miller Earmarks Aided Partner
“Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA) helped secure several earmarks in the 2005 transportation bill that would benefit projects of his business partner, Lewis Operating, according to House sources and an analysis of the bill’s earmarks and San Bernardino County, Calif., land records. Lewis Operating Corp. is also one of Miller’s top campaign contributors; employees of the company have donated $22,150 to Miller’s campaign committee since his election to Congress in 1998.” (The Hill)

Ex-Staffer Helped Zachares Land Job with Panel
“Mark Zachares — the former Capitol Hill staffer who pleaded guilty last month to a conspiracy charge — was recommended for his job with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by Duane Gibson, who had left the panel shortly before Zachares’ arrival and gone to work with ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff at Greenberg Traurig, according to sources familiar with the events. Beginning in 2000, Abramoff began looking for work for Zachares in Washington, D.C., according to the guilty plea, and ‘in June 2002, with the assistance of Abramoff and others, Zachares was hired onto the staff of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.'” (Roll Call)