U.S. Accuses Goldman Sachs of Fraud  —  Goldman Sachs, which emerged relatively unscathed from the financial crisis, was accused of securities fraud in a civil suit filed Friday by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which claims the bank created and sold a mortgage investment that was secretly devised to fail.

The Fire Next Time  —  On Tuesday, Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, called for the abolition of municipal fire departments.  —  Firefighters, he declared, “won't solve the problems that led to recent fires.  They will make them worse.”  The existence of fire departments …

The White House, Elena Kagan, and Me  —  It's an odd thing to get attacked by the White House for a blog post, and odder still when the attack is for something mentioned in passing, and intended to highlight a political positive about a potential Supreme Court nominee.

Voters Currently Divided on Second Obama Term  —  Just under half say he deserves re-election  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Registered voters are about evenly divided over whether President Barack Obama is deserving of a second term in office.  Currently, 46% say he deserves re-election and 50% say he does not.

New Orleans beating follow-up: Attackers yelled “Little blonde b*tch,” “f**king faggot,” nothing political  —  The other day I noted the frenzy of commentary over the assault in New Orleans involving a campaign fund-raising staffer for Louisiana GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal and her boyfriend.

Conservatives Are Just Beside Themselves Over ‘Glee’ Making Fun of The Half Governor.  Oh, Boo Hoo.  —  Seriously, the right-wing hysteria about - well, just about everything is wearing thin.  There's something so over the top, something so, well, histrionic about John Nolte's take on “Glee …

Source: Shakeup to come in Senate race  —  LAKE MARY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 News) - On Thursday, Governor Charlie Crist vetoed the controversial teacher merit pay bill, breaking with conservative ranks.  Then the head of the Republican U.S. Senate Re-election Committee issued a warning …

Barbour, advisers privately mull 2012  —  When asked about his presidential ambitions, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour told reporters earlier this year that “If you see me losing 40 pounds that means I'm either running or have cancer.”  —  It might be time to start watching Barbour's waistline.

Obama orders most hospitals to grant gays visitation rights  —  Same-sex partners must get the same privileges granted heterosexual couples in hospitals that get Medicare or Medicaid funds, he says in a memo.  —  Reporting from Washington  —  President Obama late Thursday ordered …

HI-01: Three-way tie headed into special election  —  Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 4/11-14.  Likely voters.  MoE 5% (No trend lines)  —  Ed Case (D) 29  —  Colleen Hanabusa (D) 28  —  Charles Djou (R) 32  —  Other 4  —  Undecided 7  —  The May 22 special election is a “jungle primary” …

APNewsBreak: Feds Indict Ex-Blackwater President  —  APNewsBreak: Feds indict ex-Blackwater president, 4 others on weapons charges  —  The former president of Blackwater Worldwide and four other former officials at the embattled security firm were indicted Friday on federal weapons charges …

We Will Never Say Thank You  —  Fearless Reader high-tailed it out of Washington to avoid witnessing yet another Tea Party gathering within view of the White House on Tax Day.  —  He visited Florida for three reasons: to break the hearts of NASA employees, to raise scads of money …

Election 2010: Arizona Senate  —  Arizona Senate: McCain, Hayworth Lead Glassman (D)  —  Both Republican hopefuls hold an early advantage in the first Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 telephone survey of the U.S. Senate race in Arizona.  —  Newly announced Democratic candidate Rodney Glassman …

Obama adviser gets sick at White House  —  Richard Trumka became ill Friday while at the White House.  —  (CNN) - As President Obama was trying to tout a healthy economy on Friday, one of his top economic advisers was literally getting sick all over the White House.

Massa wrote chief of staff $40,000 check after announcing he would quit Congress  —  The day after Rep. Eric Massa announced he was resigning his office amid a sexual harassment scandal, the congressman wrote a $40,000 check to his chief of staff, federal campaign records reveal.

U.S. SENATE RACE: Poll: Reid loses full ballot test  —  Third-party, nonpartisan candidates have little impact  —  U.S. Sen. Harry Reid must pick up far more support from crossover Republicans and independents to win re-election, according to a new poll that shows him losing to the GOP front-runner …

How Barack Obama invented himself  —  David Remnick's new biography of Barack Obama shines a light on a man who only saw his father for 10 days, and whose dazzling success may have hinged on his wife's willingness to take risks.  —  David Remnick, the editor of the New Yorker …