Top Items:
Chicago Sun Times:
Blago hit up Burris for cash — Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother solicited U.S. Sen. Roland Burris for up to $10,000 in campaign cash before Blagojevich named Burris to the coveted post — something Burris initially failed to disclose under oath before an Illinois House impeachment panel, records and interviews show.
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Associated Press:
AP Newsbreak: House GOP wants Burris investigated — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois House Republicans say they want U.S. Sen. Roland Burris investigated for perjury. — State Rep. Jim Durkin told The Associated Press he and GOP leader Tom Cross will ask for an outside investigation …
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Burris covered up Blago solicitation — Maybe Harry Reid should have stuck to his guns. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Roland Burris failed to disclose that impeached and former Governor Rod Blagojevich's brother solicited a $10,000 contribution just prior to Burris' appointment to the Senate.
Monica Davey / New York Times:
Blagojevich Camp Asked Burris to Aid Fund-Raising — CHICAGO — Ronald W. Burris acknowledged Saturday that the brother of former Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich solicited a campaign contribution from him several times in the weeks and months before Mr. Blagojevich appointed Mr. Burris to succeed President Obama as Illinois's junior senator.
Discussion:
TalkLeft
Washington Post:
Obama Scores Early Victory of Historic Proportions — Twenty-four days into his presidency, Barack Obama recorded last night a legislative achievement of the sort that few of his predecessors achieved at any point in their tenure. — In size and scope, there is almost nothing in history …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Associated Press, PERRspectives Blog, Stop The ACLU, Los Angeles Times, American Power, Macsmind, JammieWearingFool and RBO
Ed Henry / CNN:
Obama planning ambitious road ahead — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Fresh off victory on President Obama's signature $787 billion economic recovery plan, several top White House aides say they're planning an ambitious agenda for the rest of February. — The Senate had waited for the return …
Discussion:
Riehl World View
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David Lightman / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
GOP lawmakers tout projects in the stimulus bill they opposed
GOP lawmakers tout projects in the stimulus bill they opposed
Discussion:
The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, The Impolitic, Donklephant, Matthew Yglesias and Prairie Weather
New York Times:
Stimulus Plan Places New Limits on Wall St. Bonuses — WASHINGTON — A provision buried deep inside the $787 billion economic stimulus bill would impose restrictions on executive bonuses at financial institutions that are much tougher than those proposed 10 days ago by the Treasury Department.
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JammieWearingFool:
Sneaky Dodd Slips Bank Pay Limits Into Porkulus Bill — No wonder so many people detest Connecticut's Christopher Dodd. The guy who gets sweetheart mortgage deals for himself just can't accept the fact bank executives get paid more than he does. So what does he do?
Ben Smith / The Politico:
Public still sky-high on Obama ‘brand’ — With Barack Obama's victory in passing a massive stimulus package marred by days of bad press—as not a single House Republican backed the bill, his Health Czar went down in flames and his second pick for Commerce Secretary walked away …
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Ronald Brownstein / National Journal Online:
An Eternal Optimist — But Not A Sap — THE COMMON THEME OF OBAMA'S EARLY EFFORTS HAS BEEN THE SOLIDITY OF HIS GOALS, AND THE PLIABILITY OF HIS MEANS FOR ACHIEVING THEM. — After the trials and triumphs of his tumultuous first weeks, President Obama appears increasingly focused on ends, not means.
William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
Obama Levitates — But the train goes off the rails. — One of many highlights of the stimulus bill the Democrats just rammed through Congress is $8 billion for high-speed rail. What makes this appropriation special is that there was no money for high-speed rail in the original House legislation.
Atrios / Eschaton:
But That's Fine! — I don't have a problem with Republicans who, on balance, wanted the bill to pass but still voted against it. I don't really think it's “cowardice” or whatever, they're simply making it clear that they're the opposition party. And that's a good thing!
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Bloomberg:
Geithner Reassures G-7 on Bank Plan, Is Urged to Act — Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner reassured Group of Seven counterparts about his plan to rescue the U.S. financial system and was urged to press ahead with the effort to clean up toxic assets and revive lending.
Kevin Duchschere / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Recount trial: Coleman dealt blow, but no knockout — In a blow to Coleman, recount trial judges ruled out most rejected absentee votes. — Dealing a blow but not a knockout to Republican Norm Coleman's hopes, the judges in the U.S. Senate election trial on Friday tossed out most of the 19 categories …
Jules Crittenden:
F-Bomb Free Or Die! — It's kind of hard to tell from this Portsmouth Herald article. But it sounds like your right to remove signs other people have planted without authority on your property, and to do so without interference from busybodies, and to express yourself when those things have transpired …