Updated

And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine...

Where There's Smoke...

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives misused some of $162 million in profits from unauthorized tobacco stings and lost track of 420 million cigarettes.

That's according to the Justice Department's inspector general.

The ATF is still reeling from its handling of the Operation Fast and Furious weapons tracking operation in Mexico.

The bureau's newly-appointed director says the tobacco sting audit covered only selected investigations from 2006 to 2011 and the agency has tightened its internal guidelines since then.

End of Time

As we count down toward a possible government shutdown over money -- you'll be interested to learn that taxpayers are giving the widow of Senator Frank Lautenberg a $174,000 death benefit. Tax-free.

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is questioning the latest in a long line of such gifts tucked into the current appropriations bill.

CREW wonders why the House which voted to cut $40 billion from food stamps over the next decade and is locked in a stand-off over defunding ObamaCare would so easily pony up thousands of dollars to the widow of a senator worth nearly $60 million.

The Congressional Research Service says lawmakers have appropriated about $2.5 million in death gratuities in the past 10 years.

Tony Awards

Finally, the hits keep coming for scandal-prone Former Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner.

Page Six reports in the New York Post, Weiner screamed at the parent of a youngster who had an accident --  you know what we mean -- on a playground swing.

As the father went to clean it up, Weiner made his way to the swing and reportedly yelled -- quote -- "Thanks for leaving this thing soaking wet."

A witness told Page Six -- quote -- "The other dad said he was going to clean it up and told him, 'It's funny you're the one talking about other people's self-control.'"

Weiner resigned from Congress after a sexting scandal and was recently defeated in the New York mayoral primary.