Cheat Sheet - Andrew Sullivan: Santorum’s Scandalous Support for Torture

Today: Bureau to Investigate Overdraft Fees, Strauss-Kahn Freed After Questioning, Cherie Blair Sues News Corp. February 22, 2012 THE DISH 1. Santorum's Scandalous Support for Torture Rick Santorum has made concern for human dignity the centerpiece of his aggressive presidential campaign, but still strongly supports the dehumanization of human beings through American torture. Ahead of tonight's GOP debate in Arizona, The Daily Beast's Andrew Sullivan writes that Santorum's defense of a "core, absolute evil" makes his message a farce. Read it at The Daily Beast CRACKDOWN 2. Bureau to Investigate Overdraft Fees The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau launched its first big initiative Wednesday, announcing that it would look into the overdraft fees that banks charge their customers, a practice worth billions of dollars. The inquiry is to investigate the fees that an economic research firm, Moeb $ervices, say amount in up to $38 billion in revenue for banks in 2011. Banks charge up to $35 for each overdraft, enabling customers to overdraft but slapping a fee that, the firm said, is most hurtful to low-income individuals. A 2008 study found that 46 percent of young-adult account holders incurred overdraft charges. The CFPB is said to be seeking out a "penalty fee box" for customers' account statements that would detail the total costs incurred due to overdrafts. Read it at MarketWatch LIBERTE 3. Strauss-Kahn Freed After Questioning Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn walked out of a French police station Wednesday after two days worth of questioning. The French police, who are investigating a hotel prostitution ring, said Strauss-Kahn will return to speak before judges who will rule on whether there is a basis for charges. Sources told the Associated Press that Strauss-Kahn spent the night in the police station in the northern city of Lille. According to French police, prostitutes questioned in the ongoing investigation alleged that they had sex with Strauss-Kahn in 2010 and 2011 at Paris hotels and in Washington, D.C. Strauss-Kahn's lawyers said that he could not have known that the female attendees of orgies he frequented were prostitutes. Read it at Associated Press HACKING 4. Cherie Blair Sues News Corp. The wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair filed a lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. as the company braces for the first civil trial to result from allegations of phone hacking. "If it is true that a former prime minister's family have been targeted by Rupert Murdoch's hackers, then it is clearly a significant moment in the scandal," said a member of the parliamentary committee investigating the hacking cases. The phone-hacking scandal has already touched Blair's inner circle, though not his family: News International, the British arm of News Corp., settled claims with Blair's former press chief as well as the former deputy prime minister. Read it at Bloomberg News ARGENTINA 5. Buenos Aires Train Crash Kills 49 A packed passenger train slammed into the end of the line Wednesday in Buenos Aires, killing 49 people and injuring hundreds more who were in the midst of their morning commute. The train hit the barrier at the end of the track at about 16 mph, smashing the engine and crushing the next six cars. One car penetrated almost 20 feet into the one behind it. The accident is the worst in Argentina since 1970, when two trains collided at full speed in Buenos Aires, killing 200. Read it at Associated Press BIG IDEAS Romney Unveiling New Tax Plan Swears it won't benefit the 1 percent. SHOOTING SPREE 5 Killed at Atlanta Spa Gunman shot four, committed suicide. TRAGIC Colvin Had Planned to Leave Syria Mom says slain journalist was "totally dedicated." BID ADIEU 'Mademoiselle' Dropped on French Docs Feminist groups have been fighting for change for years. ROBO CALLS Donald Trump Is on the Phone Mitt's fan is calling Michigan voters. GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors. GET The Yes List Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast. Marie Colvin Killed in Syria, and the Story She Paid With Her Life to Tell by Peter Bouckaert Can Careful Mitt Romney Go Bold on Taxes at the CNN Debate? by Peter J. Boyer Chris Brown and Rihanna's Slippery Slope: 'Birthday Cake' to Reunion? by Allison Samuels

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