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NEWS ABOUT: politics as usual

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Insider-Trading Probe Targets House Committee Chair

Rep. Spencer Bachus faces first-of-its-kind ethics investigation

(Newser) - Foxes have been found guarding hen houses on Capitol Hill in the past, but ethics investigators now believe they have identified a particularly greedy one. Rep. Spencer Bachus, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, is being probed for possible violations of insider-trading laws, reports the Washington Post . The investigation... More »

Lawmakers Use Earmarks to Aid Own Properties

Just a coincidence that pork benefits own real estate, they say

(Newser) - Members of Congress are not only steering earmarks to their own districts, but also their own backyards, funding projects that boost the value of properties they own, a Washington Post investigation finds. Comparing disclosure forms against public records revealed that over the last few years, some 33 members of Congress... More »

4 House Members Scored Countrywide VIP Deals

Issa calls for ethics probe of lawmakers who received discounted loans

(Newser) - At least four current members of the House of Representatives received discounted loans under Countrywide Financial's VIP program, according to Rep. Darrell Issa. The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee did not name the lawmakers who received sweetened deals from the now defunct lender—whose subprime mortgages were... More »

Nikki Haley Gives SC Legislators Report Cards

Dems oddly scored a bunch of Fs

(Newser) - Look out South Carolina lawmakers—Nikki Haley is grading you. The governor this week followed through on her promise to issue “report cards” for the state’s legislators, grading them on how well they supported her agenda, the Columbia Free Times reports. Unsurprisingly all the Fs went to Democrats,... More »

Palin's Camp to Rove: You Know Nothing

...about Sarah Palin's 2012 intentions, at least

(Newser) - Karl Rove has said it and said it again in recent days: Sarah Palin will run. Apparently, that wasn't inside information gleaned from his BFF, Sarah Palin. Politico spotted another "Setting the Record Straight" post on the SarahPAC website that doesn't name Rove, but clearly takes a... More »

Ethanol Group Paid Gingrich $300K

Former House speaker was lobbying coalition's highest-paid consultant

(Newser) - Newt Gingrich earned more than $300,000 acting as a consultant to a coalition of ethanol lobbying groups in 2009, according to IRS records. The possible GOP 2012 candidate—who declared "I am not a lobbyist for ethanol" during a spat with Wall Street Journal editors over his support... More »

State Politics: Hotbed of Sleaze, Booze, Scandal

ABC investigation finds no shortage of sleaze at state level

(Newser) - You hear a lot more about the sleaze in Congress and governors' mansions than the sleaze at the state legislator level, but that's not because of a lack of low-down behavior, an ABC News investigation finds. Five grad students sent to cover a national convention of state legislators in Louisville,... More »

You'd Have to Be Crazy to Want to Run for Office

That's why we've got such dopey candidates

(Newser) - Here’s the state of politics today: In Connecticut, we have a guy who lied about serving in Vietnam running against a woman who used to run the WWE. America has, in short, a total dearth of “convincing or even plausible candidates,” and it’s easy to figure... More »

Alabama Pols, Casino Owner Nabbed in Vast Bribery Bust

Lobbyists also nabbed in big electronic bingo bust

(AP) - Federal officials have indicted the owner of Alabama's largest casino, four state senators and several top lobbyists in a scheme to buy and sell votes to get electronic bingo legalized. The federal investigation found criminal activity that was astonishing in scope, according to the assistant attorney general. He calls it... More »

Meghan McCain: I Hate the Hate

It's turning her off to politics

(Newser) - American political hate-mongering has reached such a fervor that for the "first time" in her life Meghan McCain is finding herself "disillusioned with the political process—something I swore would never happen to me," she writes in the Daily Beast . She's angry, too, about political decisions, but... More »

Okla. Aims at Gay Protection, Strips Religion, Race Instead

Hate-crimes bill cites wrong statute

(Newser) - New protection for homosexuals in federal hate-crimes laws so irked Oklahoma legislators that the state senate recently passed a measure aimed at allowing local authorities to choose not to share information with the feds on crimes the state doesn’t view as hate crimes—and “sexual orientation or gender... More »

GOP Brass Won't Co-Sign Dems' Civility Statement

RNC chief Steele won't be hemmed in

(Newser) - Republican National Committee executives won’t sign onto “civility” statement drafted by Democrats who wanted to issue it jointly, sources tell Politico . After recent violent threats against lawmakers of both parties, members of the Democratic National Committee brass reached out to their opposite numbers at the RNC in hopes... More »

Senate Faces Another Fight on Extending Benefits

Starring Tom Coburn as Jim Bunning

(Newser) - With the Senate scheduled for a two-week recess after tomorrow, there’s another showdown brewing over unemployment benefits—and this time, the Republicans have introduced a bill of their own in an apparent effort to avoid the negative publicity that came with Sen. Jim Bunning’s one-man filibuster earlier this... More »

GOP Rep Wants Investigation of White House

Pa. lawmaker offered job for dropping anti-Specter run: Issa

(Newser) - Republican Rep. Darrell Issa will demand an investigation into the White House, he tells CBS , if the Obama administration doesn’t elaborate on a claim by a Pennsylvania congressman that he was offered a job in return for not challenging Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter in a state primary. Rep. Joe... More »

Sports Teams Fall Victim to Congress' Petty Feuds

Lawmakers attack each others' hometown squads

(Newser) - Health care reform? Congress has trouble enough honoring sports teams. A resolution to formally salute Maryland's basketball team for making the NCAA tournament nearly fell victim to a feud between congressmen today. Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer proposed the seemingly noncontroversial measure, which should have zipped by in a voice vote.... More »

Obama Spoke 119 Minutes, Dems 114, GOP 110 at Summit

That's a 233-110 advantage, if you're keeping track

(Newser) - While the winners and losers of today’s Washington health summit depend on your angle of view, there’s no debate about who used the most oxygen: President Obama, with 119 minutes on the microphone. (OK, perhaps there will be some debate on this, since it’s the Republicans’ “... More »

White House Details Health Summit

Republicans still suspicious of Feb. 25 gathering

(Newser) - The White House today sent out invitations for its Feb. 25 health-reform summit, detailed the format for the televised proceedings, and said it would post its own proposal online ahead of time. The leaders of both parties in the House and Senate are on the list, and tasked with choosing... More »

Murtha Leaves Huge Shoes ... and Big Chance for GOP

Republicans have long eyed the Pa. seat for takeover

(Newser) - The death today of Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha leaves some huge shoes to fill, and presents a great chance for Republicans. The Atlantic rounds up what’s being said about the Democrat, and what the future might bring:
  • He was the “king of pork.” Murtha used his position
... More »

Maybe Dodd's Angling for 'Cushy Bank Job'

Senator's threats on Volcker rule insane, and bad politics

(Newser) - That Sen. Chris Dodd would sacrifice tighter regulations on big banks in the name of bipartisanship is so insane—and bad politics, to boot—that his threats on the so-called Volcker rule have Joe Klein wondering if the Connecticut Democrat “just wants a nice, cushy bank job after he... More »

Bank Risk Rules Could Die in Senate

Retiring Dodd wants GOP support, Obama be damned

(Newser) - President Obama’s plan to limit the amount of risk big US banks can take could well die in the Senate if the measure isn’t seen as bipartisan enough by Chris Dodd, the retiring Banking Committee chair, and Senate Republicans. “He wants to end his career with an... More »

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