Hodgepodge

- First, an update to yesterday morning's post on the DoJ ending its ethics investigation of itself in regard to the NSA warrantless eavesdrop program. The NYTimes reports this morning (in its story about the new hubbub over phone call collecting) that Senator Specter yesterday called the denial of security clearances to the DoJ's Office of Professional Responsibility "incomprehensible." He added that he will join other senators in requesting that the clearances be granted so that the probe can proceed.

- The immigration bill appears to be back on track in the Senate after a deal was reached between Senators Frist and Reid over amendments and how the Senate version would be reconciled with the much more hard-line bill passed by the House. The plan as of now is to have a vote on an immigration package before Memorial Day.

- Joe Weedon's got an excellent post up on the new phone-call controversy, as does Alan Carl at Maverick Views.