Top Items:
The Politico:
Massa to retire amid allegations he sexually harassed a male staffer — According to several House aides - on both sides of the aisle - the House ethics committee has been informed of allegations that Massa, who is married with two children, sexually harassed a male staffer.
Discussion:
CNN, Glenn Thrush's Blog, Politics Daily, The Note, Washington Monthly, Roll Call, The Jawa Report, The Hill, The Atlantic Online, The Daily Politics, The Fix, TPMDC, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, RHRealityCheck.org, Moonbattery, Swing State Project, Daily Kos, Mediaite, AmSpecBlog, Another Black Conservative, Advocate, Gawker, Pam's House Blend, The Eye, JammieWearingFool, Politics Nation and Pajamas Media
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Elizabeth Benjamin / The Daily Politics:
Dem Source: Massa Won't Run (Updatedx2) — Rep. Eric Massa is poised to announce this afternoon that he will not seek re-election in the 29th Congressional District this fall as planned, a Democratic source confirms. — The freshman congressman is going to make his announcement at 3 p.m., according to the source.
Chris Frates / The Politico:
Harkin: Reconciliation is a go — Sen. Tom Harkin told POLITICO that Senate Democratic leaders have decided to go the reconciliation route. The House, he said, will first pass the Senate bill after Senate leaders demonstrate to House leaders that they have the votes to pass reconciliation in the Senate.
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Manu Raju / The Politico:
GOP casts doubt on parliamentarian — Senate Republicans are waging a pre-emptive strike against the Senate's parliamentarian — a hitherto little-known official who could determine the fate of the Democrats' health care reform efforts. — In interviews with POLITICO …
Discussion:
The Swamp, CNN, Bloomberg, Washington Post, The Hill, Slate, PostPartisan, Washington Monthly, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and pandagon.net
J. Taylor Rushing / The Hill:
Gregg talks repealing health reform — A top Republican senator on Wednesday proposed the possibility of repealing any healthcare law that is passed by congressional Democrats using the reconciliation strategy. — Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee …
Ezra Klein:
Did Republicans use reconciliation for significantly bipartisan bills? — Among the odder arguments Republicans are making against the reconciliation process is that the process should only be used for bipartisan bills, and since they refuse to vote for health-care reform, Democrats can't give their package of fixes an up-or-down vote.
Michelle Malkin:
Here comes the reconciliation “nobody” is talking about; Update: Oba-kabuki lab coat props reappear; “Make your voice heard;” McConnell: “National referendum” — Scroll for updates... Photoshop: Leo Alberti — It's official. After months of threatening to push the button …
Wall Street Journal:
Abuse of Power — 'An undemocratic disservice to our people …
Abuse of Power — 'An undemocratic disservice to our people …
Discussion:
The Politico, RedState, Betsy's Page, Gateway Pundit, Wizbang and And So it Goes in Shreveport
Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
For It Before He Was Against It: Arcuri Will Likely Vote No On Health Care — Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY) voted for House health care legislation in November. But he says he's almost certain to vote no on the Senate bill when it comes up for a vote in the House later this month, according to a report in the Utica Observer-Dispatch.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Guardian, Sunlight Foundation, Washington Monthly and National Review Online
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Mike Madden / Salon:
Rep. Brian Baird still not sold on healthcare reform
Rep. Brian Baird still not sold on healthcare reform
Discussion:
Political Punch
The Hill:
Pelosi picks fellow Californian to take gavel after Rangel bows out — Speaker Nancy Pelosi has picked liberal firebrand Rep. Pete Stark to replace ousted Chairman Charles Rangel on the tax-writing committee, according to a House leadership aide. — The decision was made during …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, CNN, The Hill, Moonbattery, Open Left, RedState, YID With LID, ABCNEWS and The Corner on National …
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New York Times:
Rangel Steps Aside From Post During Ethics Inquiry
Rangel Steps Aside From Post During Ethics Inquiry
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Caucus, Left Coast Rebel, Bloomberg, Another Black Conservative, The Moderate Voice, OpenSecrets.org, GayPatriot, The Mahablog, The Washington Independent, Sister Toldjah, Naked Politics, JOSHUAPUNDIT, AMERICAblog News, Gawker, The Hill, Michelle Malkin and Politics Nation
Bob Cusack / The Hill:
New chairman is one of Congress' most controversial members
New chairman is one of Congress' most controversial members
Discussion:
Pajamas Media
National Enquirer:
GRAND JURY TO INDICT EDWARDS — The ultimate fall from grace, a Federal grand jury is about to indict John Edwards, The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively. — In another shocker, close sources say Edwards' estranged wife Elizabeth could help send the former presidential candidate to jail!
Mike Levine / Liveshots:
Exclusive: Unknown DOJ Lawyers Identified — A day after a conservative group released a video condemning the Justice Department for refusing to identify seven lawyers who previously represented or advocated for terror suspects, Fox News has uncovered the identities of the seven lawyers.
Discussion:
Josh Gerstein's Blog, Michelle Malkin, The Jawa Report, Don Surber, Ben Smith's Blog and The Corner on National …
Dave Itzkoff / ArtsBeat:
With Leno, Palin Pushes Back Against ‘Family Guy’ — In an interview Tuesday night on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” Sarah Palin once again criticized “Family Guy,” the Fox animated series, for a joke she believed was directed at her family, and rebuked the news media for not giving …
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Noam Scheiber / The New Republic:
The Chief — You think it's so great being Rahm Emanuel? — One of the enduring mysteries about White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is why he took the job in the first place. At the time he accepted it, he was the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, a position he'd attained with considerable effort.
Tom Watson / My Dirty Life & Times:
A Death in the Blogging Family — The great Jon Swift has died. That's the “blogging” angle to a personal tragedy. In reality, the voice of Jon Swift - the hilarious faux conservative blogger whose talent and passion were evident in every post - belonged to Al Weisel …
Ben Smith / The Politico:
Exclusive: RNC document mocks donors, plays on ‘fear’ — The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on “fear” of President Barack Obama and a promise to “save the country from trending toward socialism.”
CBS News:
Fee to Overthrow the Government: Five Dollars — Posted by Brian Montopoli Leave Comment - Share - - - Share - E-mail - Print - Font Since 1951, South Carolina has had a law on its books requiring anyone looking to overthrow the government to, well, register with the government.
Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:
A Word From the Wise — I was traveling via Los Angeles International Airport — LAX — last week. Walking through its faded, cramped domestic terminal, I got the feeling of a place that once thought of itself as modern but has had one too many face-lifts and simply can't hide the wrinkles anymore.
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias, The Huffington Post, Power Line, Lawyers, Guns and Money and The Corner on National …
Michael Shedlock / Mish's Global Economic …:
Governor Christie: “Time to Hold Hands and Jump Off the Cliff” - Chris Christie For President? — In an amazingly candid appraisal of the sorry state of affairs in New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie laid it on the line in a speech to about 200 mayors at the New Jersey League of Municipalities.
Jonathan Bernstein / The Daily Dish:
For Tuesday I Walk to the Village — Yesterday was election day in Texas, and I voted. And I voted. And then I voted some more. If my count was correct, I voted fifty-two times. I voted for Governor, and I voted for U.S. House and Texas House and Texas Senate...OK …
Sahil Kapur / The Raw Story:
Michael Moore: 'Democrats are a bunch of wusses...It's disgusting... I'm sick of them' — America's top documentary filmmaker talks “Capitalism,” politics and Oscars with Raw Story — Just over a year ago, Michael Moore vigorously campaigned for President Obama and the Democratic Party.
Los Angeles Times:
Toyota's fix is a bust, owners claim — New complaints allege sudden acceleration and other problems after recall work. — Erick Garcia inspects his work at Toyota of Hollywood while perfecting the fix for shortening the gas pedal of recalled Toyota vehicles. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times / February 3, 2010)
New York Times:
Paterson Broke Ethics Law on Receiving Gifts, Panel Charges — The state Commission on Public Integrity charged Gov. David A. Paterson on Wednesday with violating state ethics laws when he secured free tickets to the opening game of the World Series from the Yankees last fall for himself and others.
Discussion:
CNN, HardballTalk, The Jawa Report, RHRealityCheck.org, TPMMuckraker, Prairie Weather and The Page
Ian Swanson / The Hill:
Blizzard of bad jobs news to hit Friday — The White House is bracing for an ugly unemployment report on Friday that is expected to be worse because of the three winter storms that hit the East Coast last month. — Goldman Sachs predicted the economy will lose as many as 100,000 jobs …
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
FIRED-UP PRESIDENT DEMANDS ‘UP-OR-DOWN VOTE’ ON HEALTH CARE.... Watching President Obama's speech this afternoon on the way forward on health care reform, I noticed something I haven't seen from the always-cool chief executive in a while: real passion. — It was unmistakable …
Discussion:
The Reality-Based Community
Little Green Footballs:
The Texas Taliban — There's been talk lately in Texas about seceding from the US. Even Republican Governor Rick Perry has broadly hinted that Texas should exercise its “tenth amendment” rights. — Well, here's a website that makes me think it might be a good idea to let them do it: Repent Amarillo.
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Dem will push for public option in separate bill if not included in existing package — If a public health insurance option is not added to existing healthcare reform legislation, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said Wednesday that he would push for one using a separate bill.
Discussion:
TPMDC
Anna Schecter / ABCNEWS:
Dobbs, Beck, Palin, Bachmann Share Blame For Rise in Right-Wing Extremism, Says Activist Group — Southern Poverty Law Center Cites Violent Incidents; Lou Dobbs Calls SPLC Director ‘Paranoid’ — Anti-government sentiments in the U.S. have reached levels so high they could result …
Discussion:
Wilshire & Washington