Pressure on Democrats builds  —  Hiding senators held in contempt; layoff notices go out today  —  By Patrick Marley and Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — Pressure ratcheted up on absent Senate Democrats on Thursday, as they were found in contempt by GOP senators …

State says damage to marble at Capitol could hit $7.5 million  —  Madison - State officials said Thursday that damage to the marble inside and out the State Capitol would cost an estimated $7.5 million.  —  Cari Anne Renlund, chief legal counsel for the state Department of Administration …

Rasmussen: Walker Flailing  —  Rasmussen is out with a new poll that is frankly just devastating for Gov. Walker.  Just devastating.  We'll have a full write up momentarily.  (Update: Here's our write-up.)  But the thing that stuck out to me was the age distribution.

A New Strategy for Wisconsin  —  On February 17, the 14 Democratic members of the Wisconsin senate fled across the state line to the Best Western Clock Tower Resort in Rockford, Ill., the city in which I grew up.  They were denying Republicans a three-fifths quorum on a bill that would restrict public unions in Wisconsin.

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 …

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 …

PFC Manning Forced to Strip Naked  —  Last night, PFC Manning was inexplicably stripped of all clothing by the Quantico Brig. He remained in his cell, naked, for the next seven hours.  At 5:00 a.m., the Brig sounded the wake-up call for the detainees.  At this point, PFC Manning was forced to stand naked at the front of his cell.

Sam Arora's disgraceful wavering on marriage equality in Maryland  —  Around 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Maryland House Del. Sam Arora (D-Montgomery County) — who raised a ton of cash from the gay community and progressives based on his stance on marriage equality and who is a co-sponsor …

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.

Why Washington Doesn't Care About Jobs  —  This article appeared in the March 21, 2011 edition of The Nation.  —  Recommended by  —  Remember when everyone agreed that what the American people wanted from Washington was, in John Boehner's words, a “relentless focus on creating jobs”?

Firefighters denied access to Capitol during emergency call  —  By Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — Security is so restrictive at the state Capitol that firefighters were denied access to the building during an emergency call Tuesday, one of the firefighters said Thursday.

Huckabee Attacks Natalie Portman For Glamorizing “Out Of Wedlock Births”  —  In a radio appearance on Monday, Mike Huckabee attacked actress Natalie Portman for having a child “out of wedlock.”  Huckabee said that it's “troubling” to see people like “Natalie Portman or some other Hollywood starlet …

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.

Demonstrators suddenly enter Capitol  —  By Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — A group of perhaps one hundred protesters has entered the previously restricted and quiet Capitol and is now chanting, “Our house, our house.”  —  David Noyce of Madison said that he entered …

Uncloudy day on the budget front  —  John's post on Secretary LaHood's testimony before the Senate Budget Committee reminded me of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's testimony to the same committee on February 17 regarding the president's budget.  The president's plan accumulates $13 trillion …

Blogger From Koch's Law Firm Defends Koch, Doesn't Disclose Ties  —  Fighting back against public scrutiny, Koch Industries is relying on a small army of conservative bloggers, reporters, and lobbyists.  Chief among them is John Hinderaker, a blogger at the “Powerline Blog.”

Sununu: I'll Work Against Huntsman  —  HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. — Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu is no fan of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and intends to work against him in the Granite State's Republican presidential primary if he decides to launch a bid for the White House this cycle.

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 …

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.

Senate Democrat sponsors GOP bill to block EPA climate rules  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), a vocal critic of the Environmental Protection Agency, has signed on as a co-sponsor of Republican legislation to permanently block the agency's climate rules.  —  The addition of Manchin …

Obama weaker than 2008 but still solid in Wisconsin  —  Wisconsin is one state where Barack Obama definitely seems to be weaker than he was in 2008, but he would still win it comfortably if he had to stand for election today if not quite by the lofty margin he did last time around.

Newt Gingrich on 2012: ‘We will look at this very seriously’  —  ATLANTA — Newt Gingrich said on Thursday he is “seriously” considering a 2012 presidential run and unveiled a website to explore a potential bid for the White House.  —  The former House Speaker is the first major Republican candidate to open such an exploratory effort.

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.

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.

Last WWI vet likely not to have Capitol Rotunda honor  —  Washington (CNN) - The last living U.S. World War I veteran, who passed away this week, will receive an honors burial at Arlington National Ceremony, but he likely will not be honored in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as many had hoped.

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 …