Allen West hears cheers, jeers at town-hall meetings in Palm City, Jensen Beach  —  U.S. Rep. Allen West told about 90 largely supportive Palm City voters Tuesday that locally prioritized federal projects — such as the St. Lucie Inlet dredging — aren't going to matter if Washington officials don't address a mounting deficit.

The Co-Founder Of NotMittRomney.Com's Reaction To Mitt Sewing Up The Nomination  —  Yesterday, Rick Santorum dropped out of the race.  Theoretically, that should help Newt Gingrich, but he has already been talking like his campaign is over and he's bouncing a $500 check to Utah …

Trayvon Martin: Attorneys say Zimmerman contacted prosecutor, Sean Hannity  —  The two men who have been George Zimmerman's most outspoken defenders, attorneys Hal Uhrig and Craig Sonner, said today that they're off the case.  —  “On Sunday, we lost track of George, in that he would not return our calls,” attorney Uhrig said.

Poll: Half Of Democrats Want To Get Rid of Individual Mandate  —  A key talking point of Democrats and liberal pundits regarding the Supreme Court's ObamaCare case is that if the justices overturn the law — or even just the individual mandate portion — it will damage the “legitimacy” of the court.

National Organization for Marriage to back Romney  —  The National Organization for Marriage plans to throw its support to Mitt Romney today, giving the former Massachusetts governor a stamp of approval from the high-profile conservative group helping lead the fight over same-sex unions, POLITICO has learned

Amendment goes too far  —  We are native Southerners and we oppose legalizing same-sex marriage.  —  One of us (David), reared in Mississippi, has for more than two decades directed a think tank, the Institute for American Values, that aims to strengthen marriage and reduce divorce and unwed childbearing.

Announcing Our Newest Hire: A Current Fox News Channel Employee  —  What follows is the inaugural column of a person we are calling The Fox Mole—a long-standing, current employee of Fox News Channel who will be providing Gawker with regular dispatches from inside the organization.

Newt Gingrich stiffs Utah  —  Five Republicans have filed the necessary papers and $500 fee to qualify for the June 26 Utah presidential primary election, but with Rick Santorum dropping out of the race Tuesday, only four will be on the ballot.  —  Or, make that possibly three.

We vow to turn things around for the better  —  In the last couple of weeks you've heard some pretty bad things about this organization.  I must admit that we were angered when our in house documents were released but we've since had time to reflect on the strategies we've employed …

HOLY CRAP: NOM admits it used racial wedge strategies, has unfairly stifled free speech!  (*Or was hacked)  —  From the org's official Facebook wall: … Were they hacked?  Has another NOMmer flipped?  Or has this whole scandal simply driven the NOM set so cray cray that they are seriously …

Hansen and Schmidt of NASA GISS under fire for climate stance: Engineers, scientists, astronauts ask NASA administration to look at empirical evidence rather than climate models  —  Looks like another GISS miss, more than a few people are getting fed up with Jim Hansen and Gavin Schmidt and their climate shenanigans.

Madam Secretary Meme Goes From Gay-Bar Banter to State Department Invite  —  [Photo: Stacy Lambe, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Adam Smith, texting and loling, on April 10, 2012.  (Photos from Texts From Hillary.)]  —  Two gays walk into a bar ...

Banks lead FTSE bounce after positive broker comment  —  (Reuters) - Britain's top share index rose around midday on Friday with banks leading the gainers after being boosted by a positive broker comment.  —  HSBC raised its call on the sector to “overweight” for the first time in four years, citing valuation grounds.

New Jersey Voters Back NYPD In Garden State 3-1, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Dems' Property Tax Cut More Popular Than Gov's Plan  —  New Jersey voters say 70 - 21 percent that the New York Police Department (NYPD) is “doing what is necessary to combat terrorism” by gathering information …

DOJ may sue Apple, publishers over e-book pricing  —  The Justice Department may sue Apple and possibly two publishers over alleged price-fixing of e-books for the iPad as soon as Wednesday while reaching settlements with other publishing houses, a knowledgeable source confirmed to POLITICO.

Lenders Returning to the Lucrative Subprime Market  —  Annette Alejandro just emerged from bankruptcy and doesn't have a job, and her car was repossessed last year.  Still, after spending her days job hunting, she returns to her apartment in Brooklyn where, in disbelief …

Betting On The Barrel: Experts Warn Speculation Is Helping Drive Up Oil Prices  —  There are growing indications that Wall Street speculators are driving up the price of crude and Americans are paying for their profits at the pump.  —  “Americans overpaid $10 billion dollars for gas at the pump …

My So-Called Ex-Gay Life  —  Early in my freshman year of high school, I came home to find my mom sitting on her bed, crying.  She had snooped through my e-mail and discovered a message in which I confessed to having a crush on a male classmate.  —  “Are you gay?” she asked.  I blurted out that I was.

Huge quakes strike off Indonesia; tsunami warning issued  —  (Reuters) - A powerful 8.6 magnitude earthquake and strong aftershocks struck off Indonesia on Wednesday, sending people as far away as southern India scurrying from buildings and raising fears of a disastrous tsunami as in 2004.

John Edwards 2008 presidential campaign repays taxpayers $2.1 million in public matching funds  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — John Edwards' campaign has repaid more than $2.1 million in public matching funds received after the Democrat dropped out of the 2008 presidential primary amid a sex scandal.

The Worst Farm Bill Ever?  —  The farm bill—that vast, byzantine, twice-a-decade plan for federal food, ag, and hunger policy—expires on Sept. 30, just weeks before what promises to be an epically contested presidential election.  —  Under normal circumstances, getting Congress to agree …