Romney using ethics exception to limit disclosure of Bain holdings  —  Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, whose wealth has become a central issue in the 2012 campaign, has taken advantage of an obscure exception in federal ethics laws to avoid disclosing the nature and extent of his holdings.

Republican Committee Makes Big Turnaround on Fund-Raising  —  Once teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and irrelevance, the Republican National Committee has raised more than $110 million over the past 15 months and retired more than half its debt, accumulating large cash reserves …

Lawyers: Zimmerman whispered ‘punks’ before shooting Trayvon Martin  —  Sanford, Florida (CNN) — George Zimmerman told his lawyers that he whispered “punks,” not a racial slur, in the moments before he shot Trayvon Martin, his attorneys told CNN on Thursday.

DWS?s ?  Jewbag? hire questioned  —  The staffer for DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz who posted the controversial ‘Jewbag’ photo on her Facebook page in 2006 is no anonymous aide — but the daughter of Mark and Nancy Gilbert, two major Florida donors who have raised more than $500,000 for the Obama campaign.

Is Obama ‘Dangerously Close To Totalitarianism’?  —  Power: Given the president's end-runs around Congress, his shredding of the Constitution and his assault on the authority of the courts, a second term free of electoral restraints may be a frightening prospect.

March jobs report: Hiring slows, Unemployment falls  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Hiring slowed dramatically in March, clouding optimism about the strength of the recovery.  —  Employers added 120,000 jobs in the month, the Labor Department reported Friday, falling far short of economists' expectations.

The Strange (and Formerly Sexist) Economics of Engagement Rings  —  Diamonds are forever, but the meaning of the diamond engagement ring has changed dramatically in the last century.  Today's symbol of love was once something more like virginity insurance.  —  Norman Chan/Shutterstock

Alternative jobs-report summary  —  TODAY, the Bureau of Labour Statistics released its March employment report.  There is a 90% chance that employment rose by between 20,000 and 220,000 jobs.  The change in the number of unemployed from February to March was probably between (roughly) …

Super PAC Money Stalled Despite Obama Greenlight  —  Former White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton in 2010  —  After Bill Burton failed to win the job of White House press secretary last year, he took a position nobody else wanted—helping lead a super PAC to help re-elect the president.

Obama's War On Women  —  President Obama believes it is “long past the time” for women to be admitted to the traditionally all-male Augusta National Golf Club, White House press secretary Jay Carney said Thursday.  —  The remarks were viewed by some as a conscious effort by the White House …

The Law of the Gun in Florida  —  Florida leads the pack in passing bills written by the gun lobby that block any sensible attempt to control the purchase and use of firearms.  The dangerous folly of these laws was on display in the Trayvon Martin shooting, and will again be on display …

Keith Olbermann files suit against Current TV  —  When Current TV terminated Keith Olbermann's contract last week, the outgoing host announced his intention to file suit against the company.  —  He has apparently followed through on his word: According to an “exclusive” report from TMZ …

Republicans woo Silicon Valley  —  In Silicon Valley, the Wild West of American industry, Republican “Young Guns” now dot the horizon.  —  House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) took a ride in Google's driverless car this week, and he's planning a trip to Microsoft later this spring.

Rob Portman tops veepstakes  —  If he wins the GOP presidential nomination, Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick will ultimately come down to two basic choices: whether he wants a running mate who helps him govern or one who helps him politically.  —  Which imperative reigns won't be clear until …

PG-13 Rating Granted for BULLY by MPAA Without Cutting Crucial Scene  —  NEXT STEP: FIGHT TO PASS SAFE SCHOOLS IMPROVEMENT ACT  —  The Weinstein Company (TWC), aided by the guidance and consultation from attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson, announced today that the MPAA has lowered the R rating …

Marion Barry apologizes for anti-Asian remarks … UPDATE, 4:40 P.M: Faced with a torrent of criticism from his colleagues and other city residents, Marion Barry apologized Thursday afternoon for his Election Day suggestion that Asian business owners in his ward “ought to go.”

Remarks by the President at JOBS Act Bill Signing  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.  (Applause.)  Hello, everybody.  Please, please have a seat.  Good afternoon.  I want to thank all of you for coming, and in particular, I want to thank the members of Congress who are here today from both parties …

Matt Lauer to Stay With NBC's ‘Today’ Show  —  NBC News has signed Matt Lauer to a new multiyear contract to remain as the co-host of the “Today” show, addressing one of the division's most pressing issues.  —  The news will be announced formally on the air during the show Friday morning.

TEXT: Read Eric Holder's DOJ Response to 5th Circuit on Authority of the Supreme Court  —  Below is the full letter signed by Attorney General Eric Holder, requested by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals following comments made by President Obama calling the DOJ's stance into question. … April 5, 2012