Daily Briefing: Cultural Corruption
•Congressional Research Service determines that the administration should have notified all members of the House and Senate intelligence committees about NSA eavesdropping. [ WP , NYT , USAT ]
•Dems up the ante against the "culture of corruption"; their proposed limitations on lobbying are stricter than GOP plan. [ WP , NYT , W$J ]
•Republican Rep.Jerry Lewissteered $160m project through Congress after firm donated $110,000,USATalleges; congressman denies wrongdoing. [ USAT ]
•Longest independent counsel inquiry ever accusesClintonadministration officials of a cover-up. [ NYT ]
•Human Rights Watch says the administration makes a "deliberate policy choice" to abuse detainees. [ NYT ]
•Costs of the war and rebuilding the Gulf Coast will exacerbate this year's budget debate. [ USAT ]
•State Department will shift hundreds of diplomats to the Middle East, Asia, and elsewhere from Europe and Washington. [ WP , NYT ]
•Democrats urged to vote againstSamuel Alito. [ NYT , LAT ]
•Republicans try to reassure seniors about new drug plan. [ WP ]
•Sen.Trent Lott(R-Miss.) "is back!" [ WP ]
• Larry Wilkerson's criticisms of the administration caused an estrangement withColin Powell.Wilkerson: "This is not a Republican administration, not in my view. This is a radical administration." [ WP ]