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Long before the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, officials in Congress were concerned about the "cozy" relationship between federal regulators and the oil industry and the failure of regulators to spend funds on safety measures, according to documents recently acquired by The New York Times. The documents were acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, and include emails between Congressional officials and the Minerals Management Service. Was the M.M.S. "stonewalling" all along? And how will Gulf residents take the news?

The House Judiciary Committee has released almost 6,000 pages of documents that show that Karl Rove the former top political adviser to President George W. Bush played a critical role in the 2006 firings of a number of U.S. attorneys. Do the new documents support a charge of perjury? We talk to New York Times reporter Eric Lichtblau.

As we looked over the front page of today's New York Times, two stories caught our eye. The first, Iraqi Elections Face Crucial Test in Violent Mosul by Ian Fisher discusses how national politics in Iraq are actually local. The second, U.S. Says Jailed C.I.A. Mole Kept Spying for Russia by Eric Lichtblau is a fascinating account of a former CIA officer who never stopped being a Russian spy despite being in prison. Both authors join us today.

Charlie Winters is only the second man to be pardoned posthumously. After he arranged for B-17 bombers to be sent to Israel (and even flew one himself across the Atlantic). He was hailed as a hero by Israel but convicted of violating the 1939 Neutrality Act. Eric Lichtblau from The New York Times discusses the details.

The White House announced last night that President Bush would grant 14 pardons and commute 2 sentences before leaving office in January. The pardons did not include any of the high-profile defendants who have previously petitioned the Bush administration for help.

One of our listeners was particularly proud of the selection of Eric Holder as U.S. Attorney General:

New York Times reporter Eric Lichtblau and David Lat, editor-in-chief of the blog Above the Law, explain yesterday's report on the Justice Department's illegal hiring practices, and why the damage extends beyond just a few crestfallen law students.

Will the Senate grant immunity to phone companies in the NSA wiretapping program today? New York Times Washington Correspondent Eric Lichtblau looks at what's at stake and reports on new revelations about the program.