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Koch Whore — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker answers his master's call — “David Koch”: We'll back you any way we can. What we were thinking about the crowd was, uh, was planting some troublemakers. — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker: You know, well, the only problem with that—because we thought about that...
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Washington Monthly, JSOnline, Ben Smith's Blog, The New Republic, Salon, The Raw Story, blue cheddar, AMERICAblog News, The Right Sphere, WisPolitics Budget Blog, Wonkette, Tucson Citizen, driftglass, Power Line, Muckety, Mercury Rising, The Future of Capitalism, Daily Kos, Oliver Willis and The Impolitic
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Adam Weinstein / Mother Jones:
Did Scott Walker Get Crank-Call Pwned? (AUDIO) — Is that really Scott Walker? A New York-based alt-news editor says he got through to the embattled Wisconsin governor on the phone Tuesday by posing as right-wing financier David Koch...then had a far-ranging 20-minute conversation about the collective bargaining protests.
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, CANNONFIRE, TPMMuckraker, Plunderbund, Joe. My. God., msnbc.com, Pam's House Blend, The Politico, Guardian, FrumForum, Reuters, Parker Spitzer, The Bilerico Project and Alas, a Blog
David Dayen / Firedoglake:
Wisconsin Governor Walker Punked by Fake Koch Call — This is priceless. Ian Murphy of Buffalo Beast (the site appears to be down at the moment, but twolf1 has posted both videos on MyFDL) called up Gov. Scott Walker, posing as wealthy industrialist and campaign donor David Koch. They had a 20-minute chat.
Discussion:
Dependable Renegade
Sam Stein / Reuters:
Gov. Walker Informed That Bill Targeting Unions May Cost State $46 Million In Federal Funds … WASHINGTON — Budget referees and transportation officials in Wisconsin have informed Gov. Scott Walker (R) that if he were to pass his controversial anti-union legislation into law …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Outside the Beltway, Taylor Marsh and AFL-CIO NOW BLOG
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Governor Walker's office confirms prank Koch call — The Internet is burning up with the news that Governor Scott Walker may have been pranked by a caller claiming to be David Koch, and a spokesman for the Governor, Cullen Werwie, emails a statement confirming the call is legit:
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, Althouse and New York Magazine
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Bait and Switch? — Walker's budget plans don't fix what he says is the crisis. — Republican Gov. Scott Walker has kicked off a firestorm with his budget proposals, but his most controversial plans wouldn't address this fiscal year's shortfall. — Why now?
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Saint Petersblog, The Raw Story, TPMDC, Yglesias and The Plum Line
David Weigel / Slate:
Did Scott Walker Reveal His Crisis-Ending Ruse to a Prank Caller?
Did Scott Walker Reveal His Crisis-Ending Ruse to a Prank Caller?
Discussion:
The Hill, AmSpecBlog and Associated Press
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The Howard Stern-ing of the Wisconsin showdown
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and Salon
Judith Davidoff / host.madison.com:
Koch brothers quietly open lobbying office in downtown Madison
Koch brothers quietly open lobbying office in downtown Madison
Discussion:
Weigel, The Awl, Sky Dancing, Guardian, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Sunlight Foundation Blog, TPMDC, ThinkProgress and The Plum Line
Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress:
Fox Reverses Results Of Gallup Poll To Claim Americans Oppose Union Collective Bargaining Rights
Fox Reverses Results Of Gallup Poll To Claim Americans Oppose Union Collective Bargaining Rights
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice and CNN
Michael Barone / Washington Examiner:
Public unions force taxpayers to fund Democrats
Public unions force taxpayers to fund Democrats
Discussion:
theblogprof, Coffee & Markets, The Gateway Pundit, Cold Fury, Betsy's Page and NewsBusters.org
Scott Walker / PolitiFact:
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he campaigned on his budget repair plan, including curtailing collective bargaining
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he campaigned on his budget repair plan, including curtailing collective bargaining
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Reuters, The Daily Dish and JSOnline
Lydia Saad / Gallup:
Scaling Back State Programs Is Least of Three Fiscal Evils
Scaling Back State Programs Is Least of Three Fiscal Evils
Discussion:
Washington Post, Mother Jones, FiveThirtyEight, The Awl, CNN, JSOnline, WisPolitics Budget Blog and Politics Daily
Steven Pearlstein / Washington Post:
Making sense of Wisconsin's union showdown
Making sense of Wisconsin's union showdown
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Balkinization, Saint Petersblog and Ezra Klein
Edward Morrissey / The Week Magazine:
The real threat to democracy in Wisconsin
The real threat to democracy in Wisconsin
Discussion:
Left Coast Rebel, Daily Kos, theblogprof and Michelle Malkin
The United States Department of Justice:
Statement of the Attorney General on Litigation Involving the Defense of Marriage Act — WASHINGTON - The Attorney General made the following statement today about the Department's course of action in two lawsuits, Pedersen v. OPM and Windsor v. United States, challenging Section 3 of the Defense …
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Obama, DOJ Say Part Of DOMA Is Unconstitutional, Will Not Defend It In Court — The Obama Justice Department has decided that part of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and will not defend it in court. — “After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation …
Discussion:
Guardian
Jonathan Capehart / PostPartisan:
Breaking News: Obama action against DOMA coming
Breaking News: Obama action against DOMA coming
Discussion:
Pam's House Blend
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Newt Gingrich confronted over affair — PHILADELPHIA — Newt Gingrich's speech at the University of Pennsylvania Tuesday night quickly took a turn for the dramatic when the first student to question him brought up his admitted extra-marital affair and accused him of being “hypocritical” for espousing moral values.
Discussion:
Salon, CNN, The Other McCain, Wonk Room, The Moderate Voice, Jay Bookman, Dependable Renegade, New York Magazine and Wonkette
Ezra Klein:
Another judge rules the individual mandate constitutional — This time it was Judge Gladys Kessler in the D.C. Circuit Court. Kessler, interestingly, rejected the idea that the individual mandate is a tax. Her ruling for the mandate's constitutionality rested on the “necessary and proper clause …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway
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Federal Judge In D.C. Upholds Health Care Reform, Says Some Arguments ‘Ignore Reality’
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Ben Smith's Blog, Politics Daily, Verum Serum, Daily Kos and iOwnTheWorld.com
Kevin Sack / New York Times:
A Third Judge Validates Health Care Overhaul Law
A Third Judge Validates Health Care Overhaul Law
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The New Republic, rubber hose, Pirate's Cove and New York Magazine
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Indiana Official: “Use Live Ammunition” Against Wisconsin Protesters — A conservative deputy AG let his emotions get out of hand. It wasn't the first time. — Post Comment — On Saturday night, when Mother Jones staffers tweeted a report that riot police might soon sweep demonstrators …
Discussion:
TPMDC, The Raw Story and Shakesville
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Indiana Official On Wisconsin Protestors: ‘Use Live Ammunition’ — Jeffrey Cox is a deputy attorney general for the state of Indiana, and he has some strong views about the protests in Wisconsin. In response to a Mother Jones tweet this weekend reporting that riot police might be used …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Daily Dish
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
WHEN THE RIGHT'S RHETORIC TURNS VIOLENT.... In the wake …
WHEN THE RIGHT'S RHETORIC TURNS VIOLENT.... In the wake …
Discussion:
Jay Bookman and Balloon Juice
Patrick Hynes / New Hampshire Journal:
Dem Rep to unions: Time to get ‘bloody’ — A Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts is raising the stakes in the nation's fight over the future of public employee unions, saying emails aren't enough to show support and that it is time to “get a little bloody.”
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Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Democrat urges unions to ‘get a little bloody when necessary’
Democrat urges unions to ‘get a little bloody when necessary’
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Politics, RedState, Mediaite and Atlas Shrugs
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Chicago's next mayor: Emanuel — Ex-presidential adviser avoids runoff with 55% — Rahm Emanuel, a top adviser to two U.S. presidents who returned to Chicago just months ago, swept into the mayor's office Tuesday, inheriting a city reeling from recession and promising to reshape City Hall.
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Monica Davey / New York Times:
Emanuel Triumphs in Chicago Mayoral Race
Emanuel Triumphs in Chicago Mayoral Race
Discussion:
Politics, Hot Air, The Caucus, Fire Andrea Mitchell!, Booman Tribune, Prairie Weather and FrumForum
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Here's to Libya's Freedom — It's a little perplexing looking at the White House today. There was a statement on the horrible earthquake in New Zealand, and certainly our hearts go out to all those affected by this horrible natural disaster. But nothing on the slaughter in Libya?
Discussion:
Washington Post
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W.H.: Obama won't speak on Libya
Discussion:
BBC, CNN, Babalú Blog, Sense of Events, Hit & Run and Fausta's Blog
Lee Smith / Weekly Standard:
The President's Deafening Silence on Libya
The President's Deafening Silence on Libya
Discussion:
Washington Post, Power Line, Israel Matzav, Eunomia, Right Turn, Pajamas Media, Don Surber, The Enterprise Blog, Ben Smith's Blog and Wall Street Journal
Linda Borg / Providence Journal:
Providence plans to pink slip all teachers — PROVIDENCE — The school district plans to send out dismissal notices to every one of its 1,926 teachers, an unprecedented move that has union leaders up in arms. — In a letter sent to all teachers Tuesday, Supt.
Discussion:
msnbc.com, The Greenroom, Sweetness & Light, HazZzMat, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, JONATHAN TURLEY and Wake up America
Frank Newport / Gallup:
D.C., Hawaii Still Most Approving of Obama; All States Decline — Approval is higher than average in 12 states plus D.C., lower than average in 18 states — PRINCETON, NJ — Residents of Hawaii gave native son President Barack Obama the highest average 2010 job approval rating (66%) …
Discussion:
Ballot Box, CNN, Politics Daily, The Politico, The Moderate Voice, Wake up America and The Daily Caller
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UN Security Council Uses Weakest Option at its Disposal to Respond to Libyan Violence — (CNSNews.com) - The U.N. Security Council Tuesday issued a press statement condemning the Libyan regime's violence against civilians - the weakest option available to it, short of saying nothing.
Discussion:
Babalú Blog, Weasel Zippers, The Huffington Post and The Right Sphere
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Associated Press:
Report: Ex-minister says Gadhafi ordered Lockerbie — STOCKHOLM — Swedish tabloid Expressen says Libya's ex-justice minister claims Moammar Gadhafi personally ordered the Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people in 1988. — Expressen on Wednesday quoted Mustafa Abdel-Jalil as telling …
Discussion:
Pajamas Media, Hot Air, Cubachi and Weasel Zippers
The League of Ordinary Gentlemen:
Labor Roundtable: Kevin Carson — [Editors note: This is the first post in a series - or ‘roundtable’ - on the rise and fall of organized labor in America. Other guest authors will be posting, and we urge others to submit posts as well. Regular League authors are also encouraged to chime in.]
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
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Wis. Licensing Dept. Looking Into Doctors' Notes — UW Health Says It's Also Investigating — MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin officials are investigating complaints about doctors who handed out medical excuses for pro-labor protesters at the Capitol. — Dave Ross, of the state Department …
Discussion:
YID With LID, Outside the Beltway, The Foundry and Wake up America
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Unlikely Hospitalist / Pundit Press:
The Scrubbing has Begun... Today the state of Wisconsin Department …
The Scrubbing has Begun... Today the state of Wisconsin Department …
Discussion:
The Happy Hospitalist
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WikiLeaks Cables Detail Qaddafi Family's Exploits — WASHINGTON — After New Year's Day 2009, Western media reported that Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, a son of the Libyan leader Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, had paid Mariah Carey $1 million to sing just four songs at a bash on the Caribbean island of St. Barts.