A second report from the independent Congressional Research Agency finds that Bush's warrantless NSA electronic surveillance did not comply with federal law.

The Congressional Research Service opinion said that the amended 1947 law requires President Bush to keep all members of the House and Senate intelligence committees "fully and currently informed" of such intelligence activities as the domestic surveillance effort.

The memo from national security specialist Alfred Cumming is the second report this month from CRS to question the legality of aspects of Bush's domestic spying program. A Jan. 6 report concluded that the administration's justifications for the program conflicted with current law.

With a 72 hour death threat hanging over her head, the Christian Science Monitor and the Council on American-Islamic Relations are stepping into overdrive to save kidnapped American reporter Jill Caroll.

The U.S. and coalition forces are holding 8 female Iraqi prisoners. The kidnappers have demanded their release. The Iraq Ministry of Justice says it will release six of them early in an action it says is unrelated to Ms. Carroll. Will it be enough?

I think Ms. Carroll will be saved. Here's a commercial-free link to the video of Ms. Carroll that appeared on al-jazeera tv.

There's a lot of news in Europe the past two days on the CIA's extraordinary renditions of terror suspects via Ghost Air:

• Europe sets up CIA prison inquiry
  The European Parliament is setting up a committee to investigate claims that the CIA has been transporting suspects to secret prisons in Europe....The committee's inquiry will run alongside the investigation by human rights watchdog the Council of Europe....46 members of the new committee are set to be announced on Thursday.

• Scotland has been asked to cooperate in the investigation . There are allegations Ghost Air landed at Scottish airports.

• A British Foreign Office memo has been leaked showing that British airports may have been used and UK leaders were concerned about the legality of the CIA's rendition program.

• A Swiss Senator says Switzerland has known about the CIA program for at least two years.

Yesterday I wrote about Michael Fortier's impending release Friday from prison. He's done with his 12 year sentence--he served 10 1/2 years, 85%. Fortier pleaded guilty to knowing about plans to bomb the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995 and not reporting it to authorities, as well as lesser offenses.

Tonight the Dallas Morning News reports that Fortier, his wife Lori (who received immunity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony against McVeigh and Nichols) and their children will immediately be whisked off into the Witness Protection program, given new identities and moved to a new location.

This reaction by one of the survivors of the bombing is particularly insightful:

CNN has hired three new additions this month:

• Bill Bennett
• Former Republican Congressman JC Watts
• Right Wing radio host Glenn Beck

My view: This will hurt CNN in the longrun. First, it will be perceived as a chance to rival Fox News. Second, it will lessen CNN's credibility. CNN, while not the number one cable news network, has until now successfully fostered an image of being neutral, and a network to whom people turn when they want the news, not spin. They risk being perceived as a talk-tv rather than news channel.

John Amato's Crooks and Liars has just hit #8 on Technorati's list of top 100 blogs. More sites link to him than to Michelle Malkin. 5,879 sites have linked to C&L in the past six months.

Congratulations, John.

The husband and wife team who faked finding a finger in a bowl of Wendy's chili were sentenced today to 12 and 9 years, respectively.

I'd bet they'd give up a finger of their own to undo their deed.

The TL kid just forwarded me an e-mail he received.

BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY DESTROYED BY FLOOD

Crawford, Texas -- A tragic flood this morning destroyed the personal library of President George W. Bush. The flood began in the presidential bathroom where the books were kept. Both of his books have been lost. A presidential spokesman said the president was devastated, as he had almost finished coloring the second one. The White House tried to call FEMA but there was no answer.

Unbelieveable. Literally. Think Progress reports Press Secretary Scott McClellan today said he never heard of the U.S. sending detainees to Syria. When told it had been well-publicized, he asked, "by who, bloggers?"

Are we supposed to believe that McClelland never heard of the lawsuit filed against Attorney General Ashcroft and others over Maher's seizure at JFK, extraordinary rendition to Syria and alleged torture? The Toronto Star reported that the U.S. tried to have the lawsuit dismissed claiming the litigation would jeopardize national security. Here's the Justice Department's brief, filed in the lawsuit. (Via Democracy Now.)

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will announce his decision on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Samuel Alito at 11:00 am Thursday, from the Georgetown University Law Center. The press is invited. His talk is officially titled "The Alito Nomination, The Supreme Court, And Presidential Power." He's expected to oppose Alito.

Sen. Ted Kennedy will announce his opposition to Alito in a speech tomorrow at 1:30 at the Center for American Progress. (received by e-mail.)

So far, Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska is the only turncoat. But, several Democrats are up in the air, among them, Carl Levin.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, along with Senators Dick Durbin, Charles Schumer and Debbie Stabenow, wrote this letter (html) yesterday to President Bush, asking for "an accounting of Mr. Abramoff’s personal contacts with Bush Administration officials and the official acts that may have been undertaken at his request."

Sen. Dick Durbin introduced a cell phone privacy bill today. From his press release (received by e-mail.)

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced legislation to prohibit the sale, fraudulent transfer or use of cellular telephone records. Durbin's bill would make it illegal to transfer personal information from cell phone companies to online brokers and the legislation provides tough criminal penalties, including up to 10 years in prison, for those found guilty of violating phone users’ privacy.

“The acquisition and sale of an individual’s personal cell phone call list record is a violation of privacy, and can pose a real threat to personal safety,” Durbin said. “The fraudulent acquisition of records needs to be punishable as a true criminal offense, subject to jail time and fines. The sale and transfer of this information needs to be clearly prohibited by law.”