Happy Tuesday morning! Here are some of the stories we’re reading on a gray and snowy day here in NYC…
ICYMI –> A federal judge issued a blistering ruling against the NSA yesterday, and ThinkProgress’ Ian Millhiser ran down the details. ALSO: At Slate, Emily Bazelon says that if this judge, Richard Leon, isn’t buying the NSA’s arguments, then nobody will. ALSO TOO: Edward Snowden says that the ruling vindicates his decision to leak info about NSA spying, according to The Guardian’s Spencer Ackerman and Dan Roberts.
More Snowden –> Kim Hjelmgaard reports for USA TODAY that Edward Snowden has offered his services to help the Brazilian government investigate NSA spying in exchange for permanent asylum.
And more… Bazelon –> Emily’s sister, Lara Bazelon, also has a fascinating piece in Slate about her work helping to vindicate a man who had spent 34 years in prison after being falsely convicted of murder based on bad eyewitness testimony.
Rich guy really likes poverty wages –> In one of his final acts in office, outgoing NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is suing to strike down a modest living wage law that applies only to employers who receive public subsidies. Colby Hamilton reports for DNAInfo.
Tax dollars well-spent –> 18-month investigation into voter fraud by Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz yields a handful of cases, most of which were the result of voter confusion. Jason Noble reports for The Des Moines Register.
Cabinet is bare –> Josh Barro writes at Business Insider that conservative policy wonks don’t have any ideas about how to deal with recessions.
The Medicaid gap –> The Washington Post’s Greg Sargent looks at the states that didn’t opt in to the Medicaid expansion, and what it means for residents of those states who make too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to qualify for Obamacare subsidies.
A Jersey thing? –> Chris Christie may have caused huge traffic jams on the George Washington Bridge in retaliation for the mayor of Fort Lee’s refusal to endorse him for re-election. This is becoming a big scandal in the Garden State, report Ted Sherman and Steve Strunsk for The Newark Star-Ledger.
Get ready for the Huckpo –> Mike Huckabee is reportedly starting a new online magazine.
NFL’s loophole –> At Mother Jones, Andy Kroll notes that the NFL makes tens of millions of dollars and pays its execs a fortune, but is considered a tax exempt organization by the IRS.
Turns out they weren’t dirty –> Couple spends a month in jail after their soap results in a false-positive test for cocaine. Their lawyer claims that they were originally stopped as a result of racial profiling. Jacob Sullum has the story for Reason.
What else is happening out there?
