A.M. Links: Cabinet Muzzled Over Cuts, John Brennan To Be Grilled, French Singer Slams Socialist "Mediocrity"

• Cabinet officials say they've been told to keep their mouths shut about looming sequestration spending cuts unless they get clearance from the Office of Management and Budget. The Pentagon is exempt, though, and the resulting chatter has reinforced the impression that the cuts are all defense-related.

• John Brennan is expected to face a few questions today about torture, drone killings and high-level leaks on his way to taking over the CIA and doing more of the same.
• The Supreme Court ponders whether government agents will need a warrant to collect DNA samples from suspects (the new professionalism includes a cotton swab).
• The alleged assailant in the shooting of a security guard at the D.C. offices of the Family Research Council entered a guilty plea.
• In the latest development in government transparency, a Virginia bill would make government documents presumptively unavailable for public scrutiny.
• A former LAPD officer is suspected in the shootings — one fatal — of three cops. He's already sought in the killing of the daughter of a former LAPD captain as well as the woman's fiance.
• Johnny Hallyday, the celebrated Gallic pop singer of such hits as … Well, anyway, he slammed his country's Socialist government and the political Left in general for breeding mediocrity.

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