Good morning, and welcome to the Daily Read for Friday. Please feel free to comment and let us know if we missed anything.

Blagojevich Allegations Are Expanded» The Illinois House impeachment committee questioned witnesses Thursday about allegations that Gov. Rod Blagojevich had trampled over the state's system of checks and balances by making policy end runs around lawmakers, expanding the testimony against him beyond the charges in the criminal complaint unveiled Dec. 9. — Washington Post

FBI Encouraged Iraq Workers to Bill for Time Off» For nearly five years, FBI leaders encouraged employees on temporary assignment in Iraq to bill an average of $45,000 in overtime and extra pay by routinely claiming to work 16 hours a day, seven days a week, even when some of that time was spent eating, exercising, watching movies or attending cocktail parties. — Washington Post

Madoff Case Puts SEC in Spotlight» An investigation of Bernard L. Madoff's company by the SEC that ended without finding evidence of fraud is emerging as a defining failure for an agency struggling to defend its reputation. — Washington Post

Mark Felt Dead at 95 » W. Mark Felt Sr., the associate director of the FBI during the Watergate scandal who, better known as "Deep Throat," became the most famous anonymous source in American history, died yesterday. — Washington Post

Ex-Lehman Broker Accused of Passing Insider Tips» Prosecutors accused an ex-Lehman Brothers broker of illegally passing on inside information about at least 12 coming mergers -- including InBev's takeover of Anheuser-Busch and Dow Chemical's acquisition of Rohm & Haas -- that he surreptitiously obtained from his wife, a public relations executive whom he repeatedly referred to as his "golden goose." — New York Times

Hazmat Grants Under Scrutiny» "Gross mismanagement and waste", undermine a Department of Transportation grant program that gives states millions of dollars to improve responses to hazardous materials spills, according to a senior official's request for an inspector general's investigation. — USA Today

EPA Eases Emissions Regulations » The EPA ruled yesterday, that new power plants are not required to install technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, rejecting an argument from environmental groups. — Washington Post

After the jump...

Best of the Rest

» Gitmo Guard Admitted to Abuse (AP)
» Conyers Responds to Revelations on Katrina Crimes (PP)
» Even Winners May Lose With Madoff (NYT)
» Unlikely Player Pulled Into Madoff Swirl (NYT)
» Secret Service Sanctioned in Race Bias Suit (WaPo)
» State, Feds Move to Block Blagojevich Legal Funds (WSJ)
» Attorney Plans Fight Over Wiretaps (AP)
» Plans Being Drawn to Close Gitmo (WaPo)
» New Mexico Donor's Contracts Under Inquiry(NYT)
» NASA's Spending Under Scrutiny (LAT)
» Cheney Claims Control Over Archives (AP)
» Somalis Leaving Minn. for Jihad (USAT)