Quid Pro Quo, Rep. Harman: Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) was overheard on telephone calls inadvertently intercepted by the National Security Agency agreeing to intervene on behalf of two American Israeli Public Affairs Committee lobbyists in exchange for help in persuading party leaders to make her the chairwoman of the House Intelligence Committee, The New York Times reports. Harman's calls were accidently swept up by the NSA during an unrelated investigation. The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethic, a government watchdog group, has asked the Justice Department to open an investigation into the allegations against Harman.
A Pirate's Life: The sole surviving pirate captured during the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips arrived in New York yesterday in advance of a court hearing today, The Associated Press reports. Abduhl Wali-i-Musi will be the first pirate tried in U.S. courts in more than a century.
Cheney Says Waterboarding Works: Former Vice President Dick Cheney has called upon the CIA to release additional memos that show the success of harsh interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, The Guardian reports. Cheney reportedly told Fox News that he has seen documents that show that techniques the Obama administration has labeled torture actually provided "good" intelligence information.
Feds Launch TARP Probes: Federal investigators have launched 20 investigations into possible securities fraud, insider trading, and tax violations in the $750-billion financial bailout program, the Los Angeles Times reports. The cases mark the first wave of probes into possible corruption in the TARP program, and the total fraud involved could reach the billions.
Dungeons & Dragons for Lawyers? An Indiana University law professor and the lead risk manager for the Australian lawyers insurance operation have developed a role-playing game for lawyers to serve as a case study of an Am Law 200 firm in trouble, The American Lawyer reports via Law.com. Teams of law firm partners, clients, law students, and consultants would work to devise a plan that would allow the struggling Marbury & Madison to survive for another 10 years.
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