When Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed on Thursday that the CIA lied to her about the use and nature of controversial enhanced interrogation techniques—the same techniques that could implicate the Bush Six as war criminals—opponents rolled their eyes at the excuse. But now former Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Bob Graham (D-FL) says the CIA hid details from him, too. In an interview with the Huffington Post, Graham said the agency misled him on the number of times they waterboarded and when they briefed him on it. Graham explains that, when the issue "started to resurface," he asked agency officials to confirm how many times they briefed him on torture. They gave him four dates, but after Graham went through his personal records and disproved three of those dates, he said the agency admitted their mistake and confirmed that he had, in fact, received only one briefing. Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia has also disputed the accuracy of the CIA's briefings records. The CIA has, so far, declined to respond to other publications' questions on the matter.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting in touch with his old character, the Terminator, as he prepares to cut 5000 state workers in order to rein in California’s $15.4 billion budget shortfall. The governor’s most drastic plan includes cutting 225,000 children from state health-care rolls, turning out thousands of undocumented immigrants from state prisons and handing them over to federal authorities, and borrowing $6 billion to pay bills. Schwarzenegger also plans to cut $3 billion from schools, and to sell the Los Angeles Coliseum and Sports Arena. Ouch.

Getting sick of Dick Cheney and the torture memos? Good news: Karl Rove and the U.S. attorney scandal are returning to the news. “Former top White House official Karl Rove will be interviewed tomorrow as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the firing of U.S. attorneys during the Bush administration,” reports The Washington Post. The prosecutor, Nora R. Dannehy, has been working quietly on the case, interviewing in recent weeks Bush administration aides like Scott Jennings and Sarah “I Took an Oath to the President” Taylor. Rove’s lawyer declined to comment, but an anonymous source told the Associated Press that Rove will interview with Dannehy, and has said he will cooperate.

Next and final stop, Rhode Island. The governor of New Hampshire is set to sign a bill legalizing gay marriage pending a few revisions that the state Congress is expected to approve, advancing gay-rights advocates' goal of legalizing gay marriage in all of New England. The adjustments, which the governor requested, strengthen the rights of individuals not to participate in gay marriage ceremonies should they have religious objections. The Associated Press reports that Connecticut has similar language in its gay marriage law. Barring any surprises or changes of heart, New Hampshire will be the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. The governor said that he personally opposes gay marriage, but that he decided to consider the issue "through a broader lens."

After pulling the strings for years, Dick Cheney now finds himself the victim of obscure and arbitrary power: The CIA has rejected the former vice president’s request to declassify information on interrogations that he believed would prove waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques were effective at extracting information from terror detainees. The agency’s stated reason was that “the docs are subject of pending litigation,” according to Politico’s Glenn thrush. “For that reason — and that reason only — CIA did not accept Mr. Cheney’s request for a Mandatory Declassification Review,” the agency said in a statement. “The Agency simply followed the Executive Order. This request was handled in accordance with normal practice by CIA professionals with long experience in information management and release. It was for them a straightforward issue.”

As Broadway undergoes its annual spring boom and nimbly sidesteps the recession, the Great White Way just filled its hosting duties for theater’s biggest night. How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris will host the 2009 Tony Awards on June 7. Harris’ theater credits in Rent and Cabaret make him more than qualified—or at least more qualified than James Gandolfini, who was the rumored host earlier this week. A number of TV and film stars have taken to the theater stage this year—Gandolfini, Geoffrey Rush, Jeff Daniels, Jane Fonda, and Hope Davis are all nominated in the leading actor and actress categories—and with Elton John and Dolly Parton nominated for Billy Elliot: The Musical and 9 to 5: The Musical, the night will presumably be an A-list affair.

The liquidation of Bernie Madoff's assets is well underway, and the first $100 million in repayments to the investors he swindled should be approved by the end of May. The trustee handling the arduous process, Irving Picard, said that he has filed lawsuits that should lead to the recovery of over $10 billion. Picard added that Madoff is not cooperating with the process of liquidating his assets. Many of Madoff's former clients are still feeling the aftershocks of the largest ponzi scheme in history, as they are having to repay the improbable returns they received so "that all customers share [the burden] equally," Bloomberg reports. Picard said that "every customer statement issued by Madoff's firm was 'a fiction.'"

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been taking her lumps since reports started circulating that she had been briefed about waterboarding in 2002. Today, Pelosi accused the CIA and Bush administration about misleading her over waterboarding and disputed accusations that she was complicit in the treatment. “To the contrary ... we were told explicitly that waterboarding was not being used," she said at a press conference. “I wasn't briefed, I was informed that somebody else had been briefed about it.”

A Twitter user was arrested today in Guatemala, as thousands of people took to the streets for the third consecutive day, calling for President Alvaro Colom to step down. Mr. Colom, his wife, and his private secretary are accused of orchestrating the murder of a whistleblower attorney. The lawyer, Rodrigo Rosenberg, was murdered near his Guatemala City home on Sunday. He left behind a video in which he accuses the president and his lackeys of using a state-owned bank to launder money and defraud taxpayers. Twitter user “Jeanfer” wrote a post on Tuesday suggesting that people who have money in that bank should withdraw it, in order to drain the resources of the corrupt mafia. He was arrested during a police raid of his home on charges of “inciting financial panic.” His arrest has sparked another form of protest among those who fear this is the beginning of a crackdown on freedom of speech in the country: they are retwitting Jeanfer’s post.

Yesterday, actress Shanna Moakler stepped down from her post as codirector of the Miss California pageant to protest national organizer Donald Trump announced that embattled beauty queen Carrie Prejean would keep her crown. After voicing opposition to gay marriage the Miss USA contest, the reigning Miss California breached her pageant contract by appearing in ads for the National Organization for Marriage. On Thursday morning Moakler choked up as she explained how Prejean's actions precipitated her break from the Miss USA organization: "The turning point for me, I guess, was when I was watching the Today show and she was sitting there continuing to lie" about her motives and knowledge about breaching her Miss California contract. Moakler explained her presence at Donald Trump's press conference in New York, where he voiced his support for Prejean: "I wasn't going to New York with this vendetta against her and hoping that she would be decrowned. But I was hoping she would, at one point in time, stop pointing fingers at everyone in the world and take a little bit of accountability or a little bit of responsibility for herself.... I feel like she got basically rewarded for lying."

The love (child) that dare not speak its name? According to The Washington Post, “Elizabeth Edwards has been willing to talk about most anything in interviews about her new memoir that details her husband John's affair, but only under one condition: Interviewers must agree not to mention the name of the other woman in their broadcasts or stories.” Both Oprah and Larry King agreed to not name Rielle Hunter, John Edwards’s mistress, but “no newspaper has agreed to the restriction so far.” In her book, Elizabeth never mentions Hunter by name, calling her “an unwelcome woman.” According to her publicist, Elizabeth’s demand isn’t fueled by anger, “but by a desire not to see Hunter profit from the affair.”

Oh the South: Arkansas State Senator Kim Hendren, the only announced Republican candidate for U.S. Senator against Blanche Lincoln in 2010, has apologized to Senator Chuck Schumer for calling him “that Jew” last week. “I don't use a teleprompter and occasionally I put my foot in my month," Hendren said. "At the meeting I was attempting to explain that unlike Sen. Schumer, I believe in traditional values, like we used to see on The Andy Griffith Show. I made the mistake of referring to Sen. Schumer as 'that Jew' and I should not have put it that way as this took away from what I was trying to say.”

In case you get all your news from The Washington Times, just FYI: Sasha and Malia Obama were not murdered. And in case, like most people, you don’t read The Washington Times, what exactly is this about? The conservative D.C. newspaper ran an article today entitled “36 Chicago area students killed sets record” and paired it with a picture of the Obama girls, for no apparent reason except that they happen to be from Chicago. The caption read “Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10 - attended the private University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. This school year 36 of the city's school children have been killed.”

In the high-stakes game to be the most patriotic preteen, if you aren't nabbing illegals with your hyper-realistic machine gun you might as well switch teams and move to Afghanistan. "This is about being a true-blooded American guy and girl," said A. J. Lowenthal, a sheriff's deputy in Imperial County, California. Lowenthal leads teams of Explorers, a subset of the Boy Scouts of America that began 60 years but ratcheted up its emphasis on anti-terrorism after September 11 in simulations of drug raids and terrorist trackings. Plenty of teens are taking to the Boy Scouts program. "I like shooting them," said 16-year-old Cathy Noriego of the compressed air guns that the scouts use. "I like the sound they make. It gets me excited." The adult leaders aren't pulling any punches, either: "Put him on his face and put a knee in his back," a Border Patrol agent explained to one preteen, "I guarantee that he'll shut up."

If you get past the filth, the noise, and the odor, chickens are a wonderful addition to any environmentally conscious home. Across the nation, raising poultry is all the rage, as people become more aware of their carbon footprint and the benefits of eating organic foods. In Washington D.C., a group of dedicated egg-enthusiasts raise their chickens on the wrong side of the law, as poultry is forbidden within the city. Unfortunately, this means that there will be no hens in the White House vegetable garden. Of course, even in an urban setting word spreads quickly among predators about the new, easy prey. Chicken owners can expect to cope with assaults on their coops from foxes, raccoons and even the occasional eagle.

They may have enjoyed the spotlight at the Academy Awards, but the young stars of Slumdog Millionare are back to harsh reality in the slums of Mumbai. Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail—who played the young version of one of the main character—awoke on Thursday morning to find Indian authorities demolishing his home as part of an initiative to reduce shanties in Mumbai’s slums. Officials said that the homes, which consisted mainly of wood and tarp, are illegal, and that the displaced families would be relocated. But Ismail's family may have nowhere to go: A trust was set up for the young stars of the movie to have good educations and safe homes, but it won’t be available until they finish high school.

Who knew that reliable coverage was a major issue at any tabloid? Us Weekly dedicated two of its pages to call out its rival, InTouch Weekly, for running 21 false cover stories about the end of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's relationship. InTouch returned fire, saying that they were "flattered" by all the attention from their chief competitor. It's nice to know that there are mags in the tabloid world that hold themselves to the highest journalistic standards.

Comedian and presidential roaster Wanda Sykes became the proud mother of twins in late April, reports People magazine. Sykes's wife, Alex, delivered the babies on April 27th, according to the actress' representative. "All are happy and healthy and at home," says Sykes's rep. The babies, daughter Olivia Lou and son Lucas Claude weighed in at 6 lbs., 7 oz., and 7 lbs., 9 oz. respectively. The star of New Adventures of Old Christine met her wife in 2006. The two were married in California on Oct. 25, 2008, but it wasn't until November that the actress publicly came out at a rally against Proposition 8 in Las Vegas.

The economic recession, coupled with a crackdown on illegal immigration, have unexpectedly slowed down the growth of the Hispanic and Asian populations, according to census data released today. This has pushed back the government's estimates on when minorities will become the majority by as much as a decade. The nation's overall minority population, however, continues to rise steadily, increasing 2.3 percent in 2008 to 104.6 million, or 34 percent of the total population, but when the actual tipping point will occur is now in question. The Census Bureau had projected in August that white children would become the minority in 2023 and the overall white population would follow in 2042. The data released today also shows that Hispanics are increasingly choosing to stay in gateway states such as California, further slowing the growth of that population in emerging immigrant areas in the Southeast, such as Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia.

In a dramatic reversal that is already provoking an outcry from the left, President Obama is seeking to block the release of 44 photos depicting detainee abuse. “The most direct consequence of releasing them, I believe, would be to further inflame anti-American opinion and to put our troops in greater danger,” he told reporters Wednesday. The Justice Department agreed to release the photos by May 28 as a result of an ACLU lawsuit, but Obama met with his legal team last week to say he wasn’t comfortable with the photos coming out for national security reasons. Obama’s been walking a fine line since releasing Bush-era memos detailing harsh CIA interrogation methods—the right has accused him of endangering national security, while the left thinks he let the torturers off the hook by not pushing for a full-scale investigation.

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi—who’s been under house arrest for 13 of the last 16 years—will be charged for allegedly entertaining an American man who swam across a lake to her home to visit her. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, might be the victim of a setup, pro-democracy activists say. The security around her lakeside home was tightened on Tuesday after the government alleged that John William Yettaw of Missouri—who’s also been detained—spent two days there. The country’s military junta also arrested Suu Kyi’s physician, who has been caring for her as her health worsens.

Former Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo has already faced a grilling from Congress over the subprime mortgage mess—and he’ll soon be facing civil fraud charges for allegedly engaging in insider trading. Mozilo sold off $130 million of Countrywide stock at the beginning of 2007 (compared to $60 million the year before) before fleeing the crumbling company. Now the Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing to charge him with failing to disclose material information to shareholders and insider trading. Countrywide, which is under criminal investigation, enforced low lending standards for clients who wanted to buy home mortgages—practices that are blamed for triggering the financial collapse. Mozilo’s also facing civil suits in four states for improper lending practices at Countrywide, which Bank of America bought for $2.5 billion last July.

News break from the AP: President Obama has added a man to his female-dominated short list to replace Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Sources tell the news wire the president is considering more than the reported six people for the post, and one of the add-ons is Carlos Moreno, a California judge who voted to legalize gay marriage in the state. The other possible picks include U.S. Appeals Court judges Sonia Sotomayor and Diane Pamela Wood, Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Obama is under pressure to nominate the court’s first Hispanic judge, and he’s also widely expected to name a woman. But surprises could be in store: Sources say he’s considering some people who haven’t yet been named publicly and has yet to narrow down his list.

WIth a steady stream of explosive interviews in which he has claimed that President Obama has made America less safe, former Vice President Dick Cheney has quickly become the GOP's most prominent spokesperson. Now conservative politicos are concerned that the unpopular leader is wrecking their brand by tying the GOP to Bush even as it desperately seeks to move on—but who's going to tell him? Republican strategists say they are scared to publicly go after Cheney out of fear of backlash from the party's base, even as he wreaks havoc on the party's public image. "The fact that most people want to talk [without attribution] shows what a problem it continues to be," one Republican strategist anonymously told the Washington Post. "Cheney continues to be a force among many members of our base, and while he is entirely unhelpful, no one has the standing to show him the door."

Joining its younger cousin the Global War on Terror in retirement, the War on Drugs is changing its name after years of use by presidential administrations seeking to combat the narcotics trade. According to President Obama's newly appointed drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, the "war" imagery conveyed the impression of an attack on America's own citizens. "Regardless of how you try to explain to people it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product,' people see a war as a war on them," he said. "We're not at war with people in this country." The Obama administration has signaled that they will place a greater emphasize on rehabilitation and treatment for drug offenders than their predecessors in the White House.

Could President Obama's own party put the lid on his new strategy for Afghanistan? According to Rep. David Obey, chairman of the powerful appropriations committee, Congress is rapidly losing patience after seven plus years of mixed results and could challenge Obama if the situation fails to improve soon. “With respect to Afghanistan and Pakistan, I am extremely dubious that the administration will be able to accomplish what it wants to accomplish,” Mr. Obey told the New York Times. “The problem is not the administration’s policy or its goals. The problem is that I doubt that we have the tools there that we need to implement virtually any policy in that region.” According to Obey, the administration has only one year to show progress with its recent troop surge before Congress starts crafting its own policy for the region.

President Obama addressed ASU graduates Wednesday and said that a much-discussed decision by the school to not award him an honorary degree because his "body of work" was too limited left no hard feelings. "I do think we all learned an important lesson," Obama said. "I learned to never again pick another team over the Sun Devils in my NCAA bracket. It won't happen again. President Crow and Board of Regents will soon learn all about being audited by the IRS." Obama used the flap as a jumping off point for his speech, encouraging students to favor long term responsibility over short term gains in creating their own "body of work."

Secretary General Zhao Ziyang was one of the few voices in China's political elite who lobbied for a dialogue with protesting students in the lead-up to the Tiananman Square massacre. His perspective was summarily ignored, and he had to stand idly by as the sounds of gunshots rang through Beijing. Now, having died in 2005, Zhao is criticizing his old colleagues from beyond the grave with a new memoir that offers a rare window into the pinnacle of political power in China. In the memoir, Zhao claims to have been one of the leaders who spearheaded the opening of China's economy, an achievement usually credited to another, more well-known Communist leader, Deng Xiaoping. Typically, Chinese politicians do not openly criticize the government's policies. The new memoir is already being hailed as an invaluable historical document.

The Republican Party has an unlikely new idol: Rahm Emanuel. Modeling his strategy on Emanuel’s successful 2006 takeover of the House, “California Representative Kevin McCarthy, the chief recruiter for House Republicans, said he wants his party to select candidates based less on ideology and more on their chances of winning,” according to Bloomberg. “The goal, he said, is to seek out prospects who are ethnically diverse, female, less partisan and even supportive of abortion rights. So far, these efforts are more concept than reality.” “Have you read The Thumpin?” McCarthy asks, referring to Emanuel’s book. “This isn’t original thought.” Predictably, Bloomberg reports that the “argument is rankling some Republicans, who said the party must continue to distinguish itself from the Democrats.”

If you want a Chrysler, get it quick: The automaker is going to eliminate almost a quarter of its dealerships, closing 789 of a nationwide 3,200. The Associated Press reports “The company, in a motion filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, said many of the dealers' sales are too low. Just over 50 percent of the dealers account for about 90 percent of the company's U.S. sales, the motion said. … The move, which the dealers can appeal, is likely to cause devastating affects in cities and towns across the country as thousands of jobs are lost and taxes are not paid.”

Restaurateurs, breathe easy. The New York Times’ beloved (and feared) restaurant critic, Frank Bruni, is leaving the beat to promote his new book and take an “overdue vacation,” according to executive editor Bill Keller (guess eating free food is more strenuous than it seems). Bruni’s been creative with his role as critic: he wrote about a 9-day, 15-state fast food road trip, where he rhapsodized over the delights of Taco Cabana and other iconic fast food chains. Bruni’s memoir, " Born Round: the Secret History of a Full-Time Eater," is out this August. Good news for foodies: the paper is actively seeking a successor.