According to tax records, Bishop Eddie Long Ministries, Inc. provided him with more than $3 million in salary and benefits, including a $1.4 million 20-acre home and use of a $350,000 Bentley. Long also received more than $1 million in salary, including $494,000 in 2000. Long maintains the money came from royalties, speaking fees and several large donations - not from members of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where he became pastor in 1987. The charity stopped operating in 2000. During his 18-year tenure, New Birth has swelled from 300

The American Library Association (ALA) today released complete findings from its survey measuring law enforcement activity in America's libraries. Preliminary findings, released in June, revealed that at least 137 legally executed requests by federal and state/local law enforcement in both academic and public libraries have taken place since October, 2001 - 63 legally executed requests for records in public libraries and 74 such requests in academic libraries. The full report of survey findings includes contextual data including responses

OMB Watch is holding a conference call for bloggers on the estate tax on Wednesday, August 31, at 2:00 EST. The call will feature a discussion of this critical issue with policy experts and bloggers from around the country and will cover background information on the tax, the implications for the country and all Americans of full repeal or a "backdoor repeal" compromise proposal, where Senators currently stand, and what you and other concerned people can do to help keep the Senate from enacting another tax give-away to multi-millionaires. Please forward this announcement to those you know who are interested in joining the call and who can raise this issue on political and academic blogs around the country. If you have questions, need more information, or would like the call-in information, please contact Adam Hughes at 202.234.8494.

face="Arial">North Carolina lawmakers no longer would be able to leave public office and immediately become lobbyists under a bill (S.B. 612) approved by the state Legislature Aug. 24. Under S.B. 612, which has been sent to Gov. Mike Easley (D) for his consideration, a "cooling off" period would be imposed for the first time on public officials in North Carolina before they could become lobbyists. The bill would require that former lawmakers and state officials wait at least six months before working as a lobbyist. The pending lobbying reform bill also would extend lobbying restrictions