Ex-Sen. Ted Stevens

WASHINGTON – The federal government has spent nearly $1.8 million defending prosecutors from allegations they broke the law in the botched corruption case against former Alaska senator Ted Stevens, Justice Department records show.

The case against Stevens fell apart three years ago when the Justice Department admitted its attorneys had improperly concealed evidence that could have helped his defense. A court-ordered investigation concluded in November that prosecutors had engaged in “significant, widespread, and at times intentional misconduct,” but that they should not face criminal contempt-of-court charges.

Records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the department has paid about $1.6 million since 2009 to private lawyers representing the six prosecutors targeted by that court investigation. It also paid $208,000 to defend three prosecutors from a separate finding that they had committed civil contempt of court.

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Janet Napolitano on Bill Maher Show/file photo

So far so good.

KCRA tv reports that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano made clear there have been no major threats for the Super Bowl Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.

“We’re really moving forward in terms of what we can check for and how we check, and with as little hassle on people as we can impose,” Napolitano said, according to the station. “That keeps evolving, but so do the threats that are posed.”

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By The Associated Press

LONDON — A sensitive conference call between FBI and British police’s cybercrime investigators was recorded by the very people they were trying to catch, officials and hackers said Friday.

Hacking collective Anonymous published a roughly 15-minute-long recording of a conference call apparently devoted to tracking and prosecuting members of the loosely-knit group.

The FBI said the information “was intended for law enforcement officers only and was illegally obtained.”

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By Danny Fenster

Federal agents and prosecutors know too well the frustration of investigating something for a long long time, only to come up empty handed.

Well, that’s just what happened in Lubbock, Tex.

A  nearly four-year-long FBI investigation of the city and its former healthcare administrator  has resulted in no charges, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

“After the careful evaluation of many factors, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas is no longer pursuing its investigation of the city of Lubbock,” said a statement released by Kathy Colvin, public information officer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, according to the paper.

Dozens of agents raided the Lubbock City Hall in May of 2008, seizing computers, electronic storage and communications devices and boxes of documents with a warrant alleging conspiracy, false statements, wire fraud and health care fraud. Now, all of that property is being returned to the city.

“The FBI called and told the outside council to come pick up all the records that were seized four years ago,” Lubbock Mayor Tom Martin said.

By Allan Lengel

Donald Trump wasn’t the only person serving up an endorsement this week for presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.

Romney announced that Asa Hutchinson, the former administrator for DEA, is endorsing him, according to the website Politicalnews.me.

“I’m proud to earn Asa’s endorsement,” said Mitt Romney, according to the website. “Asa is a law and order conservative and a tireless advocate for pro-growth economic policies, empowering small businesses, and strengthening the middle class. His support will be integral as I bring this message across the country in the months to come.”

Asa Hutchinson/ official photo

In announcing his support, Hutchinson said, according to the website: “President Obama’s policies have been an abject failure both at home and abroad. We need a nominee who can not only defeat President Obama, but also put in place conservative policies that will make us more prosperous at home and respected abroad. Mitt Romney is a proven leader who has the experience to get our country back on track. I am proud to stand with him and I call on all conservatives who believe that America’s best days are ahead of us to join me.”

Hutchinson, a former Republican Congressman, also served under President George W. Bush as the first Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security. The website reported that Hutchinson is a Senior Partner at the AH Law Group in Rogers, Arkansas.