In tragedy, consolation only goes so far

When John Kennedy Jr., son of the former president, died with his wife and sister-in-law in a plane crash in 1999, I heard a well-known televangelist assured us that “this is all part of God’s plan.”

Former IRS commissioner: ‘Not personally responsible’ for creating the ‘Be On The Lookout’ list

Former Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman said that he was "not personally responsible" for the agency's practice of placing elevated scrutiny on conservative groups that applied for nonprofit status, but that he regrets it occurred during his tenure. "I certainly am not personally responsible for creating a list that had inappropriate criteria on it. [...]

Senator accuses IRS officials of withholding information in 2012 about agency practices

Two top Internal Revenue Service officials knew that the agency was using a list to scrutinize applications for tax-exempt status that included the phrase "tea party" as early as the spring of 2012, but did not tell lawmakers until this year. Former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman and outgoing Commissioner Steven Miller told the Senate Finance [...]

Immigration reform bill largely untouched going into fifth day of debate

A bipartisan group of senators begins a fifth full day of debating changes to the immigration reform bill Tuesday. So far, the so-called mark-up process has left the sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws—which would legalize most of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants—largely untouched. On Tuesday, the senators will address some of the [...]

Obama offers prayers, federal support for Oklahoma following deadly tornado

President Barack Obama on Tuesday morning assured residents of Oklahoma that they have both the nation's support and the federal government's assistance as they reel from the aftermath of a deadly tornado. "Our prayers are with the people of Oklahoma today," Obama said during remarks delivered at the White House after a giant tornado tore [...]

Christie Stars in NJ Tourism Ads, Dems Cry Foul

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his family are starring in television commercials that are part of a publicly funded $25 million tourism campaign to encourage people to visit the Jersey Shore after Superstorm Sandy, but Democrats say they are simply taxpayer-funded campaign ads. The...

GOP Lieutenant Governor Candidate in Va. Compares Planned Parenthood to KKK

This weekend, Virginia Republicans found their candidate for lieutenant governor in E.W. Jackson, a Chesapeake, Va. pastor who has compared Planned Parenthood to the Ku Klux Klan and also suggested that black Americans are being enslaved by the Democratic Party. “It is time to end...

Republicans Informed of IRS Investigation Last Year

Much has been made of the fact that senior Treasury Department officials were told about the investigation into the treatment of tea party groups in June 2012 — months before last year’s the Presidential election. Republicans who requested the investigation were also told about it...

Obama Pivots to Jobs Tour at End of Scandal Filled Week

After a week filled with political scandals, President Obama turned to promoting his jobs tour in his weekly address Saturday. “That’s why I like getting out of the Washington echo chamber whenever I can – because too often, our politics aren’t focused on the same...

IRS Planted Question About Tax Exempt Groups

The Internal Revenue Service planted a question at an American Bar Association conference in order to reveal that it had inappropriately targeted conservative groups prior to the 2012 elections. But members of Congress are questioning why they weren’t told earlier. The question that prompted Lois...

US lawmakers seek Asia missile defense safeguard

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are seeking to prohibit the U.S. from removing missile defense equipment from East Asia, even if the threat posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea is eliminated.

White House: Reporters shouldn't be prosecuted

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama believes journalists shouldn't be prosecuted for doing their jobs.

FBI ID's Benghazi suspects _ but no arrests yet

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they have identified five men they believe might be behind the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year. The officials say they have enough evidence to justify seizing them by military force as suspected terrorists — but not enough proof to try them in a U.S. civilian court as the Obama administration prefers.

Senate debating federal dollars for crop insurance

WASHINGTON (AP) — The farm bill the Senate is considering this week would cut some farm subsidies but also expand government-subsidized crop insurance, a safety net used by many farmers in case of bad weather or lost revenue.

Former IRS chief: Can't say how targeting happened

WASHINGTON (AP) — The man who led the Internal Revenue Service when it was giving extra scrutiny to tea party and other conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status told Congress on Tuesday that he knew little about what was happening while he was still commissioner.

Congress: The Next Generation

Former lawmakers are helping their children in so many races this year that we might as well dub next Election Day “Take Your Kid to Congress Day.”

The U.S. Wants to Inspect Your Catfish, Twice

The farm bill has a reputation and it’s not a good one.

Play of the Day: Kids Say The Darndest Things... About Obama’s Scandals

President Barack Obama's terrible run of luck continues. Despite scandals involving the IRS, Benghazi and the Justice Department tapping AP phones, Obama's approval ratings are steady. Conan O'Brien noticed and mentioned that scandals don't register until they involve an intern and some sex. On The Late Show, David Letterman invoked a fourth scandal for Obama.

Apple's Enormous Cash Reserves Would Still Be Enormous if it Brought the Money Home

Click to see the data.

Oklahoma Tornado Fallout: Disaster Assistance, Weather Detection Spending Cut in Sequestration

As disaster personnel and volunteers comb through the havoc left by the tornadoes that tore through Oklahoma on Sunday and Monday, they are going to rely on critical federal funding that was severely reduced by the massive cuts known as sequestration and which raises the possibility that Congress will have to cough up more money on future disasters.

Why We Can't Forget That Oklahoma's Senators Voted Against Sandy Relief

Nearly four months ago, Oklahoma Senators Tom Coburn and James Inhofe both voted against H.R.152, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act that eventually sent $50.5 billion in relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. And in the flurry of last night's devastation in Moore, Oklahoma. it was impossible not to forget that fact, knowing the federal government would soon rally to the cause.

Anthony Weiner May Think He's Closer Friends with the Clintons Than They Do

Anthony Weiner's problem might be that while his wife Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, is a Clinton friend, he isn't. Weiner will announce he's running for New York City mayor sometime this week, but he won't get the Clintons' official support or endorsement, Politico's Maggie Haberman reports. The official reason? There are just so many good candidates in the race. Hillary's spo

What Obama Has in Common With Bill Clinton

A majority of Americans approve of the job President Obama's doing and think he's focused on issues that are important to them, even though a majority also think the IRS intentionally singled out conservative groups for harassment, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll.

Which came first: The chicken, the egg or the 10th Amendment?

A current brawl in Washington features a fight over who can sell eggs in California and whether Congress is violating the intent the its 10th Amendment in a way that could scramble consumer prices.

Jon Stewart Explains The Obama Administration's 'Random Guy' Defense

In the wake of what he is calling "Hurricane Scandy," last night Jon Stewart looked at Obama's defensive strategy: sending out a random guy to Sunday morning talk shows. Right now that guy happens to be Dan Pfieffer, a senior advisor to the president, but Stewart calls him "Kevin's older brother from Home Alone."

Despite Rubio’s wooing, radio hosts protest immigration reform bill

Conservative radio talk show hosts have signed a letter opposing the sweeping immigration reform bill in the Senate, bucking tea party favorite Sen. Marco Rubio's attempts to win their support for the bill, which would combine enhanced border security with a legalization program for the nation's unauthorized immigrants. Rubio, a member of the "gang of [...]

Obama directs FEMA to ready help for tornado-ravaged Oklahoma

President Barack Obama has been getting updates on the massive tornado that ravaged homes and schools near Oklahoma City and has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to prepare to get "all available assistance" to the disaster-hit area, the White House said Monday. FEMA has been closely monitoring the storm. Obama has discussed it with [...]

Obama to meet Chinese President Xi in June

President Barack Obama will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time on June 7-8 in California, the White House announced on Monday. The talks come amid rising U.S. anger at alleged cyberattacks originating in China and concerns about Beijing’s expanding global influence. “The two leaders will review progress & challenges in U.S.-China [...]

GOP official: ‘Institutional barriers’ remain for Republican women seeking office

The Republican Party is actively working to recruit more women to run for public office, but they still face "institutional barriers" to getting involved in GOP politics at the ground level, Republican State Leadership Committee President Chris Jankowski said on Monday. As part of the RSLC's Right Women Right Now project, the organization, which specializes [...]

Obama to visit Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will visit Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania from June 26 to July 3, the White House announced on Monday. The Obamas spent one emotionally charged day in Ghana in July 2009—the president's only other visit to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office. "The president will reinforce the importance [...]