Top Items:
Sarah Karush / Associated Press:
Judge nixes warrantless surveillance — DETROIT - A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government's warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it. — U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike …
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Glenn Greenwald / Unclaimed Territory:
Federal court finds warrantless eavesdropping unconstitutional, enjoins the program — (updated multiple times) — I do not yet know anything more than what is in this AP article, but if it is accurate, it is extraordinary news — extraordinarily good news — on every level.
CNN:
NSA eavesdropping program ruled unconstitutional — Justice Department says it will appeal judge's decision — (CNN) — A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the U.S. government's domestic eavesdropping program is unconstitutional and ordered it ended immediately.
Jeff Goldstein / protein wisdom:
"NSA eavesdropping program ruled unconstitutional" — From CNN: … I'll be interested to see more of the ruling, if only to find out what publicly-revealed information Taylor used to reach her decision. — Meantime, here's Judge Diggs Taylor's biography.
Discussion:
Ace of Spades HQ, The Volokh Conspiracy, Outside The Beltway, Instapundit.com, Althouse and The Lippard Blog
Alisa Tang / Associated Press:
Ex-Wife Gives Alibi for JonBenet Suspect — BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A former American school teacher said publicly Thursday that he was with JonBenet Ramsey when she died in what he called "an accident," a stunning admission after a decade without answers in the 6-year-old girl's murder.
Discussion:
Denver Post, Slog, Right Wing News, PunditGuy, La Shawn Barber's Corner, Ace of Spades HQ, Flopping Aces and Wizbang
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Sutin Wannabovorn / Associated Press:
Suspect Admits Killing JonBenet Ramsey — The American suspect in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case said publicly Thursday he was with the 6-year-old when she died and called her death "an accident," a stunning admission that will help answer 10 years of questions in the unsolved murder case.
Patterico / Patterico's Pontifications:
Hagee's Office Responds: Contradicts L.A. Times — I heard back from General Hagee's office yesterday regarding my inquiry about when Gen. Hagee briefed John Murtha about Haditha. The bottom line: Gen. Hagee's office has directly contradicted an assertion by the L.A. Times …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Ace of Spades HQ, Blue Crab Boulevard, The Jawa Report, RIGHTWINGSPARKLE and PoliPundit.com
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The Blotter:
Top al Qaeda Man In Pakistan Nabbed — Gretchen Peters and Habibullah Khan Report: — A senior al Qaeda commander allegedly tied to the London airplane bomb plot has been arrested in Pakistan, Pakistani intelligence and law enforcement officials have told ABC News.
New York Times:
Insurgent Bombs Directed at G.I.'s Increase in Iraq — A recent bombing in Baghdad. Most of the roadside bombs are directed at American-led forces, officials say. — The number of roadside bombs planted in Iraq rose in July to the highest monthly total of the war, offering more evidence …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Editor and Publisher, Unclaimed Territory, Firedoglake, The Next Hurrah, Balloon Juice, democracyarsenal.org, Needlenose, TigerHawk, alicublog, State of the Day, Lawyers, Guns and Money, The Sideshow, Shakespeare's Sister, The Carpetbagger Report, Brilliant at Breakfast, Think Progress, Amygdala and Truthdig
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New York Times:
Eye on Election, Democrats Run as Wal-Mart Foe — Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, a likely Democratic presidential candidate in 2008, delivered a 15-minute, blistering attack to warm applause from Democrats and union organizers here on Wednesday. But Mr. Biden's main target …
Redstate Network / Redstate:
Tramm Hudson Destroys Himself — Tramm Hudson is the current front runner in the GOP primary in FL-13, the Congressional District being vacated by Katherine Harris. RedState has happened upon the clip below of Tramm talking to a group of people. His words will, justifiably …
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Faces, Too, Are Searched at U.S. Airports — As the man approached the airport security checkpoint here on Wednesday, he kept picking up and putting down his backpack, touching his fingers to his chin, rubbing some object in his hands and finally reaching for his pack of cigarettes, even though smoking was not allowed.
Julia Gorin / Opinion Journal:
Petitioning for Life — "I had an abortion," Ms. Magazine urges its readers to declare. How about "I wasn't aborted"? — The Web site of Ms. Magazine—yes, it still exists—is calling on readers to sign a petition: "I have had an abortion. I publicly join the millions of women …
Anita Kumar / St. Petersburg Times:
Backing Harris? Her list shortens … In the U.S. Senate primary, Rep. Katherine Harris has been touting key political endorsements from fellow Republican lawmakers. The problem is, some of them never endorsed her. — Several members of the U.S. House called the Harris campaign …
Diana Jean Schemo / New York Times:
Stroessner, Paraguay's Enduring Dictator, Dies — Gen. Alfredo Stroessner, the former president of Paraguay whose 35-year hold on power made him South America's most enduring dictator during the cold war, died today in exile in Brazil. He was 93. — General Stroessner had developed pneumonia …