New Paul S.C. ad hits Santorum on ‘betrayal’  —  Ron Paul's campaign is out with this new ad in South Carolina, which hits Rick Santorum on his “record of betrayal.”  —  “One serial hypocrite exposed,” the ad says, showing clips of Newt Gingrich.  “Now another has emerged: Rick Santorum …

Another Romney layoff victim, this one a conservative, speaks out  —  Reuters published a blockbuster story today on GS Technologies, a steel mill in Kansas City that was acquired by Bain Capital, leading to the layoffs of some 750 workers.  In this case, the workers lost promised severance pay …

What Newt said about food stamps  —  Newt Gingrich's comments about African-Americans and food stamps, made at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire yesterday, have made the expected media rounds — from Slate to The Daily Beast to The Associated Press to MSNBC — but the interpretation has changed somewhat along the way.

Santorum's ‘Freedom’ is Pretty Much Slavery  —  Rick Santorum got high marks for his near-victory speech in Iowa.  In the Washington Post, E.J. Dionne called it “by far the best speech Tuesday night.”  Santorum's address impressed me, too, but for a different reason: his astonishing endorsement …

Obama takes victory lap  —  Two days after defying Republicans and appointing Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, President Obama took a little time to gloat.  —  Making a victory lap of sorts at the independent agency, Obama cracked a joke …

Redistricting battle to be appealed to U.S. Supreme Court  —  CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Legislature will ask U.S. Supreme Court to take its side in a fight over how to draw the state's three congressional districts, lawmakers said Thursday.  —  Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin …

Legislator apologizes for ‘YoMama’ email about first lady  —  Kansas legislator acknowledges forwarding email note mocking first lady's name, hair style.  —  Kansas House Speaker Mike O'Neal on Thursday apologized for an email that made fun of first lady Michelle Obama's hair style and mockingly called her “Mrs. YoMama.”

House Democrats Rush Floor Demanding Republicans Come Back To Work, GOP Cuts Off C-SPAN  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and a group of Democratic lawmakers took to an empty House floor today to demonstrate that they were willing to work while Republicans lawmakers are at home.

Jodi Kantor Goes Inside the Obamas' Marriage in New Book  —  INSIDE THE EAST WING: A new book pulls back the curtains on the First Couple  —  This month, Jodi Kantor, 36, a Washington correspondent for The New York Times, delves into the lives of the president and First Lady with The Obamas (Little, Brown and Company, $29.99).

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Embezzlement probe also results in sex charges  —  By Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel  —  The secret John Doe investigation into embezzlement of funds intended for veterans also produced a jarring unrelated sex crime case against the domestic partner of a former top aide to Gov. Scott Walker.

Pictured: Home invader teen widow shot dead who 'was coming for her dead 58-year-old husband's drugs'  — Shot dead intruder on New Year's Eve who broke in carrying 12-inch knife and was allegedly after dead husband's drugs  —  The man who broke into an 18-year-old Oklahoma widow's home …

Rick Perry Unwinds Before New Hampshire Debate At Texas Shooting Range  —  ABC's Michael Falcone and Arlette Saenz report:  —  Ready, aim fire.  That's apparently Texas Gov. Rick Perry's idea of relaxation before returning to the campaign trail this weekend.