Politics News
The Atlantic Wire - The most controversial elements of Arizona's immigration law have been blocked
by a federal judge. Major provisions, such as one requiring authorities
to check the immigration status of individuals while enforcing other
laws, will not go into effect. U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton also barred the state from requiring immigrants to carry their
papers at all times. While this isn't the last say on the Arizona law,
it's a major victory for the bill's opponents. Here's what observers are
looking at now and anticipating for the future:
AP - House investigators accused veteran New York Rep. Charles Rangel of 13 violations of congressional ethics standards on Thursday, throwing a cloud over his four-decade political career and raising worries for fellow Democrats about the fall elections.
The Newsroom - In the three months since oil first spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, thousands of people throughout the coastal region have lost jobs or seen their incomes slashed. Many businesses are reeling too. BP has pledged to make good on all legitimate claims for damages. But how well is the process going?
U.S. News & World Report - If you love class warfare, your moment has arrived. The next several weeks, leading up to the November elections, are sure to be filled with resounding political invective over who should pay for Washington's profligate spending over the last decade. Democrats will argue that the rich and near-rich should pony up, since they have the most money to start with. Republicans will point to the needy, arguing that they've been getting too much aid for too long. Tea Partiers will struggle to decide whose benefits should be cut in order to achieve the smaller government they envision.
Time.com - The closing arguments in the corruption trial of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich bring out over-the-top rhetoric, tears and an odd ethnic joke
CQPolitics.com - Sometimes, you can almost hear the conventional wisdom and expectations shift, even when they are based on faulty premises.
The Upshot - The Democratic National Committee debuted today a major initiative it says will tie the Republican party to the tea party movement. The idea is to drive a wedge between the activist base of today's GOP and the more moderate and independent voters the party relies on in major elections to make up for the advantage [
Politico - He doesn't say if aide acted without his knowledge.
Politico - Rangel Center fundraising brings ethics rebuke.
AP - Far-reaching aviation safety legislation developed in response to a deadly commuter airline crash in western New York last year was approved by the House late Thursday.
AP - Call it the big information chill, looming across the military and intelligence communities. After the massive Afghan war data spill by WikiLeaks, some veteran intelligence officers and experts are calling for a tightening of access to information and more monitoring in the spy community's lower levels.
AP - Britain's government said Thursday it has dismissed a call to replace the head of an inquiry into allegations the U.K. colluded in the torture of terrorism suspects overseas.
AFP - A group of US legislators has urged President Barack Obama to investigate a plan by a top Chinese steelmaker to invest in an American firm, saying Washington failed to heed an earlier call.
Ann Coulter - While engaging in astonishing viciousness, vulgarity and violence toward Republicans, liberals accuse cheerful, law-abiding Tea Party activists of being violent racists.
CQPolitics.com - There's not a prayer that comprehensive immigration reform will pass Congress this year, but there's a slim one that a smaller "down payment" measure might. And it should.
McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Two former top officials of Arlington National Cemetery faced hostile questioning on Capitol Hill Thursday about years of negligence that led to unmarked and mismarked graves and mishandled remains.
CQPolitics.com - These are things that strike fear in the hearts of Members of Congress hitting the campaign trail this August recess: angry voters, bad poll numbers, damaging political ads by opponents. But perhaps most of all, they fear the unflattering video clip.
McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — A special House of Representatives subcommittee on Thursday outlined 13 counts of ethics violations against Rep. Charles Rangel, the former chairman of the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. The charges place his political career in jeopardy and could put Democrats on the defensive as November's elections approach.