Medal of Honor recipient declines invitation to State of the Union  —  (CNN) - The former Army staff sergeant who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama Monday is declining the first lady's invitation to be her guest at Tuesday's State of the Union address.

Statement on my Vote Against the Violence Against Women Act  —  I believe we should have re-authorized the existing Violence Against Women Act that has helped reduce the annual incidence of domestic violence by more than 50 percent, among other successes.  I also continue supporting the work …

Christopher Dorner in gun battle with authorities, source says  —  Christopher Dorner was engaged in a shootout with federal authorities in the Big Bear area Tuesday, a law enforcement source told The Times.  —  The shooting occurred after Dorner burglarized a home, tied up a couple and stole their car, the source said.

Sarah Palin tries to stay relevant  —  CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly reported that Sarah Palin planned to contribute to the Al Jazeera America news network.  —  The Sarah Palin Story is a cautionary tale about what can happen when politics and celebrity meet.

Reid: I Won't Honor Holds On Hagel Nomination  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told reporters Tuesday that he will not honor any holds placed on the nomination of Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense.  —  He said he intends to hold a vote this week if Hagel is cleared by the Armed Serices Committee.

Anonymous CALL TO IMMEDIATE ACTION! #opSOTU  —  Last year we faced our greatest threat from lawmakers.  We faced down SOPA, PIPA, CISPA and ACTA.  —  And we won!  —  But that victory did not come easily.  Nor did it come without a price.  —  Aaron Swartz was one of the leading voices …

The GOP's Big Asian-American Problem  —  Still overlooked in the immigration discussion are Asian Americans, who are the fastest growing demographic group in the country—and one of the most diverse.  The bulk of Asian American immigrants (83 percent) come from China, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.

The Deficit Chart That Should Embarrass Budget Hawks  —  Here's a pretty important fact that virtually everyone in Washington seems oblivious to: The federal deficit has never fallen as fast as it's falling now without a coincident recession.  —  To be specific, CBO expects the deficit …

Heart Attack Grill spokesman dies from heart attack  —  The second unofficial spokesman for the Heart Attack Grill in downtown Las Vegas has died from an apparent heart attack.  —  John Alleman suffered a heart attack last week as he waited at the bus stop in front of the restaurant …

Joe Scarborough Hates Moms, PowerPoint  —  What makes Joe Scarborough such an enjoyable figure is his combination of affability, good intentions, high self-regard, low self-awareness, and total lack of analytical reasoning skills.  He is not remotely dislikable.  He is Ron Burgundy come to life.

CNBC Anchor Tears Into Dem Leader Who Claims U.S. Has A ‘Paying-For Problem,’ Not A Spending Problem  —  House Minority Whip Rep. Stenny Hoyer (D-MD) joined the hosts of CNBC where he was grilled by anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera on spending issues ahead of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.