Reid Says He Won't Accept Free Tickets  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - Reversing course, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid's office acknowledged Wednesday night he misstated the ethics rules governing his acceptance of free boxing tickets and has decided to avoid taking such gifts in the future.

Probe Into Iraq Deaths Finds False Reports  —  Pentagon to Review Training After Alleged Massacre in Haditha  —  The U.S. military investigation of how Marine commanders handled the reporting of events last November in the Iraqi town of Haditha, where troops allegedly killed 24 Iraqi civilians …

FEC Adopts Hands-Off Stance on '527' Spending  —  The same rules that allowed independent "527" groups such as America Coming Together and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth to pump more than $400 million into the 2004 election campaigns will remain in place for now, the Federal Election Commission …

Security Grants Are Made; Criticism Follows  —  WASHINGTON, May 31 — After vowing to steer a greater share of antiterrorism money to the highest-risk communities, Department of Homeland Security officials on Wednesday announced 2006 grants that slashed money for New York and Washington 40 percent …

Bush's Realization on Iran: No Good Choice Left Except Talks  —  WASHINGTON, May 31 — After 27 years in which the United States has refused substantive talks with Iran, President Bush reversed course on Wednesday because it was made clear to him — by his allies, by the Russians, by the Chinese …

Justice Dept. Is Criticized by Ex-Official on Subpoenas  —  Subpoenas issued last month to reporters for The San Francisco Chronicle were criticized yesterday by a former chief spokesman for Attorney General John Ashcroft as a "reckless abuse of power."  —  The former spokesman, Mark Corallo …

Avenging Santorum: It Takes a Village of Five Angry Young Women  —  There's so much going on with our junior senator, Rick Santorum, that we can't remember it all.  This "Santorum Classic" episode from just 10 short months ago had almost fallen completely down the memory hole, but now it's back in a big way.

An Accidental Tax Boon  —  Sometimes in Washington, good things are more likely to happen by accident than by congressional or executive design.  Treasury secretary nominee Henry M. Paulson Jr. is no doubt aware of this fact, but it's one worth keeping in mind in the continuing debate over tax reform …

Batwoman is back as a lesbian  —  NEW YORK - Years after she first emerged from the Batcave, Batwoman is coming out of the closet.  DC Comics is resurrecting the classic comic book character as a lesbian, unveiling the new Batwoman in July as part of an ongoing weekly series that began this year.

UPDATED: Iran declares US negotiation offer "propaganda"/Condi's diplomatic dance  —  I laughed when I read the AP report.  —  The lede: … Why chuckle?  The US offer isn't propaganda per se, but a savvy diplomatic dance-step.  Why isn't it propaganda?  The US would talk to Iran if the US pre-condition is met.

Iraq veteran sues Moore over 9/11 film  —  BOSTON - A veteran who lost both arms in the war in Iraq is suing filmmaker Michael Moore for $85 million, alleging that Moore used snippets of a television interview without his permission to falsely portray him as anti-war in "Fahrenheit 9/11."

The Blogfather  —  Netroots guru Jerome Armstrong says he's a freethinking pragmatist.  But lefty bloggers say his backing of centrist Mark Warner shows he's become just another political consultant.  —  Jerome Armstrong, aka "The Blogfather," greeted me recently in the office of former Virginia …

There's Risk and There's Risk  —  I thought DHS was going to attempt to compensate for Congress's insane system of distributing security grant money, by doing a rational calculus of how much risk each area was facing.  —  Now, DC and New York are not the only parts of the country at risk …

House Spending Panel Is Popular Launching Pad for Lobbyists  —  June 1 (Bloomberg) — The House Appropriations Committee, under scrutiny in influence-peddling investigations, is a revolving door for staff members who later go to work as lobbyists trying to influence their former bosses.

My Response to Johann Hari  —  The art historical post promised yesterday will have to wait, as Johann Hari has seen fit to compose a response (of sorts) to my comments (here and here) concerning his attack on Bjorn Lomborg.  Let's look at it in detail, shall we?