THE DAILY READ
Mexico Accused of Torture; CIA Accused of Misleading Intel Panel; 'Double Failure' at American Hospitals
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Mexico Accused of Torture in Drug War Washington Post
The Mexican army has carried out forced disappearances, acts of torture and illegal raids in pursuit of drug traffickers, according to documents and interviews with victims, their families, political leaders and human rights monitors.
CIA Accused of Misleading Intel Panel Washington Post
The chairman of the House intelligence committee says the CIA "affirmatively lied" when recently notifying the panel about a classified matter, the second time in less than two months that a top House Democrat has charged the spy agency of intentionally misleading Congress.
'Double Failure' at American Hospitals USA Today
Too many people die needlessly at U.S. hospitals, according to a sweeping new Medicare analysis showing wide variation in death rates between the best hospitals and the worst.
Director of SEC Inspections Office Resigns Washington Post
A senior Securities and Exchange Commission official who oversaw an office that conducted key probes of Bernard L. Madoff's business is resigning, following a period when the agency reevaluated how it conducts oversight of brokers and investment advisers.
White House Threatens Veto Over Intel Disclosure The Hill
GAO Criticizes Auditing Rules for Stimulus ProPublica
In Health Bill, Billions For Parks, Paths Boston Globe
Connecticut Bank Sued in Madoff Investment Scheme NYT
6 at Brokerage Firm Charged in $140 Million Fraud Case NYT
Justice Dept. Whistle-Blower in Alabama Case Is Fired NYT
Billions in Aid Go to Areas That Backed Obama in '08 USA Today
Probe Finds VA Offices Vulnerable to Fraud WaPo
Federal Protective Service Faulted After GAO Sting WaPo
LAPD's Public Database Omits Nearly 40% of Year's Crimes LAT
Top Blagojevich Aide Pleads Guilty to Fraud ChiTrib
Swiss Plan to Block Any Order on UBS Data WSJ($)
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THE DAILY READ
Bribery Plea for Firm With Murtha Ties; Indefinite Detentions Are Backed; Report Questions States on Stimulus Spending
Today's Daily Read powered by Publish2. See what else we're reading by subscribing to our GoogleReader feed, or following us on Twitter.
Bribery Plea in Probe of Firm With Murtha Ties Washington Post
A former executive of a Pennsylvania defense firm with close ties to Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) has agreed to plead guilty to taking bribes from a partner defense company and is cooperating in a federal investigation of Pentagon contracting, records show.
Pentagon Lawyer Backs Indefinite Detentions Washington Post
Guantanamo Bay detainees who are acquitted by civil or military courts may still be imprisoned indefinitely if the government determines that they pose a national security threat, the Defense Department's chief lawyer said.
Report: States Not Using Stimulus Funds as Intended USA Today
Under pressure to spend stimulus money quickly, many states are using the federal funds for short-term projects and to fill budget gaps rather than spending on long-term improvements, according to a report by congressional investigators.
Murtha Earmarks Funded Garment Firm's Sonar Project Roll Call($)
Rove Deposed in U.S. Attorney Probe Politico
Ex-Blagojevich Aide Expected To Plead Guilty ChiTrib
Jefferson Seen Accepting Money in Video Times-Picayune
FTC Travel Records Under Scrutiny MoJo
Energy Industry Sways Congress With Misleading Data ProPublica
IG: FEMA Unable to Provide Emergency Housing WaPo
Overhaul of Food Safety Rules in the Works WaPo
In Senate, Debate on Detainee Legal Rights NYT
Former Official Claims UK 'Outsourced Torture' BBC
Jury Finds for Greenberg in AIG Lawsuit NYT
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THE DAILY READ
Key Senator Backs Telecom Probe; Fla. Regulators Aided Allen Stanford; Former Gitmo Inmate Says Photos Show Abuse
Today's Daily Read powered by Publish2. See what else we're reading by subscribing to our GoogleReader feed, or following us on Twitter.
Key Senator Backs Telecom Probe Washington Post
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee, is demanding a federal probe into alleged anti-competitive practices in the wireless industry, escalating recent congressional concern that too much power is concentrating in the hands of a few cellphone carriers
Florida Regulators Aided Allen Stanford Miami Herald
Despite objections by the state's top banking lawyer, Florida regulators gave sweeping powers to banker Allen Stanford, whose company was allowed to sell hundreds of millions in bank notes without allowing regulators to check for fraud. Stanford is accused of swindling investors of $7 billion.
Former Gitmo Inmate Says Photos Show Abuse New York Times
In an affidavit filed in June, former Guantanamo inmate Binyam Mohamed said video and still cameras had documented his abuse. Mohmamed claimed to have seen some of the images, which he said were in the possession of his lawyers.
UK Security Agency Accused of Bribery in Torture Case Guardian
The British security service MI5 is being accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by offering a man inducements to drop his allegation that its officers colluded in his torture.
S. Carolina GOP Censures Gov. Sanford The State
Senators to Post Salaries, Expenses Online AP
Penn. Lawmakers Fight Subpoenas in Bonus Scandal Patriot-News
The Latest Palin Ethics Complaint MoJo
Battle Begins Over Consumer Financial Protection Agency WaPo
Ex-Worker Said to Steal Goldman Code NYT
Closing Arguments Made in A.I.G. Case NYT
Study: Social Security Numbers Can Be Guessed WaPo
Calif. State Chancellor Hired Lobbyists in No-Bid Deals SFGate
Advocacy Groups Helped Pay for Commissioner's Trips NYT
EU May Open Antitrust Cases in Drug Industry Probe Bloomberg
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THE DAILY READ
Familiar Players in Health Bill Lobbying; Report Faults Contractor Bonuses; FBI: Palin Not Under Investigation
Today's Daily Read powered by Publish2. See what else we're reading by subscribing to our GoogleReader feed, or following us on Twitter.
Familiar Players in Health Bill Lobbying Washington Post
The nation's largest insurers, hospitals and medical groups have hired more than 350 former government staff members and retired members of Congress in hopes of influencing their old bosses and colleagues, according to an analysis of lobbying disclosures and other records
Report Faults Contractor Bonuses Washington Post
Federal agencies have awarded billions in bonuses to contractors regardless of whether the work was deemed satisfactory, according to a Government Accountability Office report released last week.
FBI: Palin Not Under Investigation L. A. Times
A day after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin resigned, a federal official in her home state dismissed one potential explanation for her sudden and unexpected resignation: a rumored FBI investigation into the former Wasilla mayor on public corruption charges.
Use of Cellphone Data Raises Privacy Concerns New York Times
Cellphone tracking is raising concerns about civil liberties in a debate that pits public safety against privacy rights.
New Details Emerge in Immigrant Detainee's Death NYT
Financial Agency IGs Say Bill Threatens Independence WaPo
Electronic Outreach Tests House Rules WSJ($)
After Tough Rules, White House Enlists Lobbyists Roll Call($)
Obama's Army Pick Nets $44M in Earmarks The Hill
U. of I. Chancellor to Testify Before Clout Commission ChiTrib
In Calif., Sharp Rise in Mortgage Scams LAT
Marion Barry Charged with Stalking WaPo
Madoff Hires Prison Consultant The Times (UK)
Lawsuits Accuse KBR of Negligence Over 'Burn Pits' Newsweek
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THE DAILY READ
Congress's Travel Tab Swells; Group Says Government Used False Confessions;Staffer at SEC Had Warned of Madoff
Today's Daily Read powered by Publish2. See what else we're reading by subscribing to our GoogleReader feed, or following us on Twitter.
Congress's Travel Tab Swells Wall Street Journal($)
The spending on overseas travel is up almost tenfold since 1995, and has nearly tripled since 2001, according to the Journal analysis of 60,000 travel records. Hundreds of lawmakers traveled overseas in 2008 at a cost of about $13 million. That's a 50% jump since Democrats took control of Congress two years ago.
Group Says Government Used False Confessions Washington Post
The American Civil Liberties Union accused the Obama administration of using statements elicited through torture to justify the confinement of a detainee it represents at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Staffer at SEC Had Warned of Madoff Washington Post
An investigator at the Securities and Exchange Commission warned superiors as far back as 2004 about irregularities at Bernard L. Madoff's financial management firm, but she was told to focus on an unrelated matter, according to agency documents and sources familiar with the investigation.
CIA Report on Interrogation Is Delayed Again WSJ($)
Secret CIA Jails an Issue in Terror Case NYT
Evidence to Charge Ruth Madoff Lacking WSJ($)
Trustee's Total of Madoff Losses Nears $3 Billion NYT
Rule Requires Reporting of Contractors' Past Performance GovExec
Partner of Blago Witness Sentenced to 18 Months ChiTrib
Court Cases Question TSA Search Authority WSJ($)
Immigration Crackdown Shifts Focus to Employers WSJ($)
SEC Moves to Make Companies More Accountable WaPo
Home Builder Charged With Fraud NYT
Stanford Executive Reaches Plea Deal NYT
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THE DAILY READ
CIA Report on Interrogation Expected Today; After Call From Senator's Office, Small Hawaii Bank Got U.S. Aid; Social Security Audit Finds Dead People Getting Checks
Today's Daily Read powered by Publish2. See what else we're reading by subscribing to our GoogleReader feed, or following us on Twitter.
CIA Report on Interrogation Expected Today Washington Post
The Justice Department is expected to release an internal CIA report on the agency's secret detention and interrogation program during the Bush administration.
After Call From Senator's Office, Small Hawaii Bank Got U.S. Aid Washington Post
Sen. Daniel K. Inouye's staff contacted federal regulators last fall to ask about the bailout application of an ailing Hawaii bank that he had helped to establish and where he has invested the bulk of his personal wealth.
Social Security Audit Finds Dead People Getting Checks McClatchy
The Social Security Administration has continued to pay millions of dollars in benefits to dead Americans, and other elderly U.S. residents are at risk of losing badly needed aid because they're improperly recorded as deceased, federal investigators warn in a new report.
U.S. Pursues Firms With Ties to North Korea Reuters
The United States said Tuesday that it had cracked down on companies involved in North Korea's missile program and in purchases of equipment that could be used in a nuclear weapons program.
Advocates Claim Patients' Treatment Is Denied Illegally LAT
US Seeks Order for UBS to Name Acccount Holders AFP
Ohio Rep. Gets $3.5 Billion in Earmarks in Climate Bill WashTimes
Obama Presents Bill to Create Consumer-Finance Watchdog WaPo
Two States Restrict Firms' Gifts to Doctors WSJ($)
Former CIA Officer in Algeria Charged With Sexual Assault WaPo
Records:Tension Between Agency's Fired IG and Officials WaPo
Sanford's Travel Records Probed CNN
Radio Ratings Under Scrutiny WaPo
Drug Industry Increases Lobbying Efforts CQ Politics($)
Finance Lobby Cut Spending as Feds Targeted Wall Street WSJ($)
Ex-Governor of Alabama Seeks Retrial in Bribery Case NYT
Stanford to Remain Jailed Pending Trial WSJ($)
Chinese Delay Plan for Censor Software WSJ($)
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THE DAILY READ
Supreme Court to Review Campaign Finance Laws; States Can Challenge Banks; Madoff Sentenced to 150 Years in Prison
Today's Daily Read powered by Publish2. See what else we're reading by subscribing to our GoogleReader feed, or following us on Twitter.
Justices to Review Campaign Finance Laws Washington Post
The Supreme Court announced that it will consider whether to uphold a ban on corporate spending in federal elections, a move that campaign finance experts said could have a dramatic effect on the 2010 and 2012 federal elections.
Court Backs State Oversight of Big Banks Washington Post
The Supreme Court held that states can challenge the practices of national banks in court, a decision that marks a major victory for consumer advocates. Major banks have long argued that only federal bank regulators can compel them to comply with rules meant to protect consumers from potentially unfair lending practices or pursue cases of potential discrimination against minorities.
Report: 10 More to be Charged with Madoff CBS
A person familiar with the investigation tells CBS News that 10 more people are expected to face federal charges by the time the probe into the multibillion-dollar fraud is complete. So far, only Madoff and an accountant accused of failing to make basic auditing checks have been criminally charged. Madoff was sentenced yesterday to 150 years in prison.
Expanded Intelligence Oversight Advised Washington Post
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has approved legislation intended to strengthen congressional oversight of sensitive intelligence matters, including covert operations.
Detroit Councilwoman Resigns After Admitting Bribery AP
Prosecutors Say Stanford Is Flight Risk WSJ($)
House Probes Resignation at Amtrak WSJ($)
Private Banker Moved Funds Undetected NYT
EPA Names Locations of Hazardous Coal-Ash Piles USAT
Emails Scrutinized in Jefferson Case Times-Picayune
Ex-U. of I. Officer Describes Start of Clout List ChiTrib
Lawsuits Challenge Police 'Scent Lineups' USAT
Oncologist Defends His Work at a V.A. Hospital NYT
D.C. Scam Leader to be Sentenced Today WaPo
Russian in Extradition Battle Says U.S. Agents Violated Law NYT
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THE DAILY READ
Stiff Sentence Urged for Madoff; GE Benefit From Bailout Loophole; Corruption Plays Key Role in Iraqi Justice
Today's Daily Read powered by Publish2. See what else we're reading by subscribing to our GoogleReader feed, or following us on Twitter.
Stiff Sentence Urged for Madoff Associated Press
Victims who lost millions of dollars in the multibillion-dollar fraud perpetrated by Bernard Madoff described their ruined lives Monday to the judge sentencing the 71-year-old former Nasdaq stock market chairman.
Loophole Helps GE Benefit From Bank Rescue Washington Post
General Electric, the world's largest industrial company, has quietly become the biggest beneficiary of one of the government's key rescue programs for banks while avoiding many of the restrictions facing other financial giants getting help from the government.
Corruption Plays Key Role in Iraqi Justice Los Angeles Times
Questions of collusion between corrupt security forces and judges who issue warrants are so great that Iraq's Supreme Judiciary Council ordered an inquiry into the matter this month.
White House Weighs Exec. Order on Detention Washington Post
Obama administration officials, fearing a battle with Congress that could stall plans to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, are crafting language for an executive order that would reassert presidential authority to incarcerate terrorism suspects indefinitely, according to senior government officials.
New Guidance Issued on Detainee Military Trials New York Times
Feds Challenge Stanford's Release Houston Chronicle
Admissions Probe to Hear from U. of I. Lobbyists ChiTrib
Political 'tit for tat' illustrated at Jefferson trial Times-Picayune
Conyers says little about wife's legal troubles AP
Report: EPA May Have Suppressed Climate Report CNET
Thousands Still in FEMA Trailers USAT
Justice Department Extends Probe of Oracle-Sun Deal WSJ($)
Acorn Role in Census Challenged WSJ($)
Ethics Committee Investigating Lawmakers' Travel AP
Did Toxic Chemical in Iraq Cause GIs' Illnesses? AP
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If you have solid tips, news or documents on potential ethical violations or abuses of power, we want to know. Send us your suggestions.

Unfortunately I believe that we are limited in what we can focus on. I think that if we proceed with the partisan sideshow of prosecuting Bush admin. officials, healthcare will get lost in the brouhaha.
The Washington Post's permanent investigative unit was set up in 1982 under Bob Woodward.