Bringing a gun to a gunfight: why the opt-out public option compromise is great politics, if not ideal policy.

I request that Special Prosecutor Dannehy’s inquiry include a review of any involvement by Justice Department and White House officials in supporting the McCain-Palin campaign and the Republican National Committee (“RNC”)’s systematic development and dissemination of unsupported, spurious allegations of vote fraud. It is highly likely that the very sort of politically motivated conduct identified in the Department’s investigation to date, necessitating the appointment of a Special Prosecutor, is repeating itself, and for the same reason: unwarranted and politically motivated intervention in the upcoming election. An investigation must be entrusted to government officials who do not have an improper political motivation or a conflict of interest, either in fact or appearance.

When scandals collide: Obama asks the special prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney scandal—originating in part, you will recall, from the unwillingness of some of the fired U.S. Attorneys to pursue spurious voter-fraud indictments—to look into the recent FBI investigation into ACORN. More from K.O., TPM, and Crooks & Liars.