The Morning Wrap

Too Close for Comfort: The New York Times and The Washington post have the latest on Sen. John McCain's relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman and his aides' efforts to put some space between the two of them.

Biz Win: The Supreme Court yesterday improved its pro-business score, favoring federal pre-emption over state laws and state court remedies in the areas of medical device regulation, interstate shipping of tobacco and arbitration of contract disputes.

Scruggs and Lott?: A federal judge yesterday declined to throw out an indictment against Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, the powerful plaintiffs' attorney who is charged with bribing a judge in a dispute over legal fees for his work on Hurricane Katrina insurance lawsuits. Now, federal agents are investigating whether former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott had any role in the alleged bribery.

Blackwater Redux: Federal investigators are returning to Baghdad this week to pick through the scene of a September shooting involving contractors working for Blackwater Worldwide that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead.

Bankrupting the News Gatherers: In this Wall Street Journal op/ed, Judith Miller weighs in on the practice of judges fining reporters for refuing to comply with subpoenas and court orders.