Clement firm drops DOMA case  —  In a real victory for supporters of same-sex marriage — and marking what seems like real marginalization for its foes — a major law firm has reversed course and will refuse to represent the House of Representatives in defending the Defense of Marriage Act.

WikiLeaks discloses new details on whereabouts of al-Qaeda leaders on 9/11  —  On Sept. 11, 2001, the core of al-Qaeda was concentrated in a single city: Karachi, Pakistan.  —  At a hospital, the accused mastermind of the bombing of the USS Cole was recovering from a tonsillectomy.

High court rejects quick review of health care law  —  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court rejected a call Monday from Virginia's attorney general to depart from its usual practice and put review of the health care law on a fast track.  Instead, judicial review of President Barack Obama's signature legislation …

Coburn takes on Norquist  —  Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), arguably the most prominent fiscal conservative in the Senate, is declaring his independence from one of the country's leading anti-tax groups, Americans for Tax Reform - and its fiery founder, Grover Norquist.

Let's Take a Hike  —  When I listen to current discussions of the federal budget, the message I hear sounds like this: We're in crisis!  We must take drastic action immediately!  And we must keep taxes low, if not actually cut them further!  —  You have to wonder: If things are that serious …

Dems seek leverage by forcing GOP split on Ryan's budget plan  —  Senate Democratic aides expect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to force Senate Republicans to vote on the Paul Ryan budget plan.  —  Reid hasn't made a formal decision yet, and won't until he returns from an overseas trip.

Gov. Haley's advice to GOP presidential hopefuls: Change your message  —  South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) said Monday she is not satisfied with the message that the crop of GOP presidential hopefuls has brought to her state.  —  Haley — a rising star in the party and governor …

Heaven can wait  —  Don't call him Father Jim just yet.  —  Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey — who shocked the nation in 2004 when he announced he was a “gay American” and stepped down from office — has been denied his bid to join the priesthood of the Episcopal Church, The Post has learned.

A Case for Hell  —  Here's a revealing snapshot of religion in America.  On Easter Sunday, two of the top three books on Amazon.com's Religion and Spirituality best-seller list mapped the geography of the afterlife.  One was “Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back …

The anti-Palin crusaders  —  She is a promiscuous, petty and unintelligent, yet deviously conniving warmonger intent on capturing the Oval Office and, from there, the world.  —  Those are just some of the opinions about Sarah Palin held by members of a small, but extremely active network of gadflies …

Mitch Daniels sounds fiscal alarm, but Indiana Republican hesitant to run in 2012  —  No prospective Republican presidential candidate has done more to highlight the issue of debt and deficits than Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.  He calls it the “new red menace,” an ocean of red ink …

The Sensible Conservative Alternative To The Affordable Care Act Is The Affordable Care Act  —  Ramesh Ponnuru and Yuval Levin have a thoughtful New York Times op-ed about the desperate need for conservatives to come up with a substantial alternative on health insurance reform.