Kerry, McCain Proposal Backs US in Libya

Lawmakers had opposed Prez's bid to cut money

(NEWSER) - In a shift, the White House looks likely to win over Congress in its bid to cut $1.7 billion in funding for the F-22 fighter jet, Politico reports. Congress had looked set to support the measure last week, but the administration is pressing hard with Defense Secretary Robert Gates leading the charge. And Democrats don’t want to undercut Obama at a key moment on health care when polls suggest his support is waning. More»

Confirmation of State nominee could come within hours

(NEWSER) - Republican Sen. John Cornyn removed his call for a roll-call vote in the confirmation of Hillary Clinton as secretary of State today, paving the way for a quick vote within two hours, the Hill reports. “I intend to vote for her confirmation,” Cornyn said, “but I also believe it’s very important to flesh out some of the concerns” about possible conflicts of interest. More»

Though, Roll Call cautions, financial disclosure forms an unreliable source

(NEWSER) - John Kerry leads Roll Call's annual list of the 50 richest members of Congress, with a fortune estimated at $231 million. But financial-disclosure rules make it impossible to get a complete picture of lawmakers' assets, so Kerry, John McCain (No. 13, with $20 million), and the rest of the top 50 are likely much richer. Following the Massachusetts senator are:

• Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., $226 million
• Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., $161 million

Kerry falls behind with mere $193M

(NEWSER) - It’s been a tough year for most of us, but the richest in Congress, it seems, have only gotten richer: This year’s 50 wealthiest members are worth a collective $200 million more than last year’s, the Hill notes. Among them:

• With a minimum net worth of $287 million, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, knocked John Kerry out of the top spot this year, leading the rest of Congress by tens of millions. McCaul’s wealth comes largely from his family; his father-in-law founded Clear Channel Communications.

Cable details 2009 meeting

(NEWSER) - John McCain may be talking tough about Libya these days, but back in 2009 he promised Muatassim Gadhafi—Moammar’s fifth son and his national security adviser—that he’d do what he could to help Libya obtain military supplies, particularly new aircraft, a cable released by WikiLeaks reveals. McCain met with Gadhafi along with such Senate notables as Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins, and Joe Lieberman, but the cable indicates that McCain did most of the talking, Politico reports. More»