Senate Republicans threaten missing Democrats with contempt  —  By Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — Republicans in the state Senate ordered Democrats to return to the chamber by 4 p.m. or be found in contempt of the Senate.  —  If they do not return by then …

Wisconsin Poll: Support for Budget Cutting, Not for Weakening Collective Bargaining Rights  —  Most Wisconsin voters oppose efforts to weaken collective bargaining rights for union workers but a plurality are supportive of significant pay cuts for state workers.

Fewer Are Angry at Government, But Discontent Remains High  —  Republicans, Tea Party Supporters More Mellow  —  The public remains deeply frustrated with the federal government, but fewer Americans say they are angry at government than did so last fall.  Overall, the percentage saying …

HOUSE REPUBLICAN RAISES SPECTER OF IMPEACHMENT.... Late last week, disgraced former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), who knows a little something about the practice, raised the prospect of presidential impeachment.  The Republican, perhaps best known for leading the crusade against President Clinton …

Lawyer for Ohio Police Union Tells Republican State Senator: ‘Funny Thing About Cops, They Hold Grudges’  —  Ohio's state Senate yesterday passed S.B. 5, which would limit the power of government employee unions.  Among those voting for the measure was state Sen. Frank LaRose, a 31-year-old freshman Republican from Akron.

Northwestern University defends after-class live sex demonstration  —  More than 100 Northwestern University students watched as a naked 25-year-old woman was penetrated by a sex toy wielded by her fiancee during an after-class session of the school's popular “Human Sexuality” class.

Judge Roger Vinson issues stay of own ruling  —  U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson ruled Thursday that implementation of the health law can proceed — but he gave the Obama administration just seven days to file an appeal.  —  Vinson issued a stay of his own Jan. 31 ruling that declared …

Government e-mails reveal plot to stall budget repair bill  —  Madison mayor tried to get bill stalled while he signed new contracts  —  Before protesters stormed the capitol, the mayor of the city of Madison tried to pull a fast one.  The governor's budget repair bill was on the fast track …

Longhorns 17, Badgers 1  —  Please pardon this brief departure from my normal folderol, but every so often a member of the chattering class issues a nugget of stupidity so egregious that no amount of mockery will suffice.  Particularly when the issuer of said stupidity holds a Nobel Prize.

Sheriff deputies find live ammunition outside Capitol  —  MORE (2)  —  Dozens of rounds of live ammunition were found outside the Capitol Thursday morning, law enforcement officials said.  —  Dane County deputies found 11 rounds near the State street entrance Thursday morning, said UW-Madison Police Chief Susan Riseling.

How the Edwards Affair Ended Up in the Enquirer  —  Lisa Druck was trouble.  You'd run into her at Nell's where we all tended to hang out and she'd be in a panic.  Some guy would be running from her, taxiing quickly to another club.  She'd storm the bathrooms and you could hear her voice …

Gunning for Eliot  —  Eliot Spitzer's resurrection — from the disgraced gov ernor better known as Cli ent 9 to CNN talk-show host — has the political class buzzing about him running for mayor in 2013.  Wilder still, one of his former targets is talking about running against him.

Matt Damon: Not a fan of Obama  —  Watch the full interview with Matt Damon and the cast of “The Adjustment Bureau” tonight.  “Piers Morgan Tonight” airs weeknights on CNN/US at 9 p.m. ET and on CNN International at 1200 GMT/1300 CET/2000 HKT.  —  (CNN) — When CNN's Piers Morgan asked actor Matt Damon …

Tea party leader: John Boehner should go  —  A national tea party group is in revolt against House Speaker John Boehner and wants to see him defeated in a 2012 primary, arguing that he looks “like a fool” in the debate over spending cuts and makes less sense than actor Charlie Sheen.

Anti-Muslim Protestor Throws Crosses At Feet Of Man Praying By White House (VIDEO)  —  A group of anti-Sharia protestors who planned to counter-protest the planned pro-Sharia rally by the radical provocateur Anjem Choudary in front of the White House on Thursday found themselves without an opponent to debate.

Less Drama in White House After Staff Changes  —  WASHINGTON — When Rahm Emanuel was White House chief of staff, the decision about what President Obama would say in the short address he delivers via radio and the Internet each Saturday changed so often that speechwriters would wait until Friday to write.

Gaddafi bombs oil areas, faces crimes probe  —  AL-UQAYLA, Libya (Reuters) - Muammar Gaddafi struck at rebel control of a key Libyan coastal road for a second day Thursday but received a warning he would be held to account at The Hague for suspected crimes by his security forces.

Why Huckabee Won't Run  —  It would be nice if we could stop paying attention to Mike Huckabee, but the other big news about him is that he is polling well across the South.  The former Arkansas governor is popular, and as Paul points out, Huckabee comes across as the likable …

Ohio senator: GOP tries to take down unions, and so did Hitler and Stalin  —  Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) took to the Senate floor Thursday to defend labor unions, saying that dictators like Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin opposed them.  —  Brown said that unions have wrongly come under attack …

To Surly, With Love: Are Teachers Overpaid?  —  Public school teachers are at the forefront of protests against state budget cuts and restrictions on collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin, New Jersey, Ohio, and elsewhere.  —  Teachers have a lot to lose.

Rodney King, 20 years later  —  Editor's note: Tune in Friday at 8 p.m. ET as CNN looks back at the Rodney King beating and the events that divided Los Angeles and the nation on “CNN Presents: Race and Rage.”  —  (CNN) — The beating of Rodney King 20 years ago Thursday marked the end …