memeorandum: James Holmes may plead guilty to avoid death penalty, court documents show (John Ingold/Denver Post)

4:40 AM ET, March 28, 2013

Top Items:

Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:

Argument recap: DOMA is in trouble (FINAL UPDATE) — Analysis — If the Supreme Court can find its way through a dense procedural thicket, and confront the constitutionality of the federal law that defined marriage as limited to a man and a woman, that law may be gone, after a seventeen-year existence.

Politico:

Elena Kagan's DOMA ‘gotcha’ moment — Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan caught the attorney defending the Defense of Marriage Act in a rare “gotcha” moment — in the eyes of many in the audience — at the high court on Wednesday. — In discussing the origins of the law, Paul Clement …

Discussion: Yahoo! News, ABCNEWS, The Hill and Daily Kos

Alexander Burns / Politico:

The SCOTUS ruling the GOP really wants — Conservatives watching this week's gay marriage arguments at the Supreme Court are wondering if it will happen again: Unelected justices ignoring the will of legislatures and high-handedly imposing their own wishes on one of society's most divisive moral issues.

Discussion: The Week, Hot Air, CNN, Weekly Standard and Reuters

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:

Obama hopes SCOTUS doesn't punt — President Obama wants to see the Supreme Court rule on the merits of the same-sex marriage arguments they heard this week, he said Wednesday, even though his solicitor general suggested that the court should not be considering one of the cases under review.

Discussion: Althouse

Emily Bazelon / Slate:
Judging by Wednesday's Supreme Court hearing, the Defense of Marriage Act can't be defended.

Discussion: SCOTUSblog, BuzzFeed and Washington Wire

Ilya Shapiro / Cato Institute:
If Supreme Court Has Jurisdiction, DOMA Likely Falls, With a Controlling Federalism Opinion from Kennedy Alone

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy, SCOTUSblog, Instapundit, CNN and Business Insider

Tom Goldstein / SCOTUSblog:
The relationship between DOMA and Proposition 8

Discussion: News Desk, Angry Bear, Advocate, AMERICAblog, Washington Monthly and Taylor Marsh

Reuters:
Supreme Court conservatives target Obama on marriage law

Discussion: Guardian, Mediaite, Business Insider, Washington Wire and Politico

Sahil Kapur / Talking Points Memo:
Defense Of Marriage Act Takes A Beating At Supreme Court

Discussion: The National Memo, American Spectator, The Hinterland Gazette and The Maddow Blog

Rob Christensen / Raleigh News & Observer:
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan declares her support for gay marriage

Discussion: Politico, The Huffington Post, The Impolitic, The Hinterland Gazette, Weasel Zippers, Roll Call, ThinkProgress, Hot Air, Salon and The Hill

Chris Cillizza / Post Politics:

Ashley Judd is not running for Senate — Update: Ashley Judd has announced via Twitter that she will not run for Senate. “After serious and thorough contemplation, I realize that my responsibilities & energy at this time need to be focused on my family,” she wrote.

Discussion: The Other McCain, Weasel Zippers, Roll Call, Mediaite, Gawker and The PJ Tatler

CNN:

Ashley Judd won't run for Senate — (CNN) - Actress and Democrat Ashley Judd, who was openly considering challenging Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell for his Kentucky seat in 2014, announced Wednesday she was “currently unable” to run for public office.

Discussion: Politico, Los Angeles Times, The Moderate Voice and NewsBusters blogs

Jenn Taylor / Twitchy:
‘Born to campaign’: Ashley Judd equates running against Mitch McConnell with rape

Discussion: Hot Air, Associated Press, Michelle Malkin and The Daily Caller

Jim Treacher / The Daily Caller:
I couldn't help but notice that quote from Alex Pappas' report …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Manu Raju / Politico:
Obama, Republican senators set second date

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Post Politics

David Edwards / The Raw Story:

Idaho teacher investigated for saying ‘vagina’ during biology lesson — A high school science teacher in Idaho is under investigation by the state's professional standards commission because he reportedly used the word “vagina” during a biology lesson. — Tim McDaniel, who teaches 10th grade science …

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Gawker

Katie Glueck / Politico:

Cate Edwards ‘devastated’ by father's affair — Cate Edwards, the daughter of John Edwards, was “devastated” to learn about the affair that shattered her father's political career, she said in an interview that is slated to air this week. — “Yes, he told me” about the affair …

Discussion: CNN

Renee Dudley / Bloomberg:

Customers Flee Wal-Mart Empty Shelves for Target, Costco — Margaret Hancock has long considered the local Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) superstore her one- stop shopping destination. No longer. — During recent visits, the retired accountant from Newark, Delaware, says she failed to find …

Discussion: Via Meadia, Daily Kos, Zandar Versus The Stupid and TIME

David Martosko / Daily Mail:

Alabama lawmaker sends shocking RACIST rant to gun-rights constituent, and copies every member of the state legislature — A black member of the Alabama legislature uncorked a racist tirade in an email this week to a constituent who urged him not to embrace new gun control laws …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

George Talbot / al.com:
Alabama lawmaker's email: ‘Slave-holding, murdering, adulterous, baby-raping, snaggle-toothed kin folk’

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and The Daily Caller

Reuters:

‘Rude’ lawmaker Louie Gohmert pulls rank on cops over parking ticket — A Texas Republican congressman got into a late-night verbal altercation with U.S. Park Police officers earlier this month, pulling rank in an attempt to get out of a parking ticket near the Lincoln Memorial.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Maddow Blog, Trail Blazers Blog, Juanita Jean's and Daily Kos

David Ferguson / The Raw Story:
Rep. Louis Gohmert ‘rude and irate’ in late-night parking ticket squabble with police

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Zandar Versus The Stupid

Darren DaRonco / Arizona Daily Star:

Ex-Tucson mayoral hopeful McClusky plans free shotguns for high-crime areas — Tucson residents living in crime-ridden areas could soon receive free shotguns. — Operating on the premise an armed neighborhood is a safer neighborhood, a group led by former mayoral candidate Shaun McClusky …

Discussion: The Raw Story and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Rebecca Leber / ThinkProgress:
Arizona Group Will Give Away Loaded Shotguns To ‘Take Back’ City From Criminals

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Daily Kos

John Ingold / Denver Post:

James Holmes may plead guilty to avoid death penalty, court documents show — CENTENNIAL — Lawyers for accused Aurora theater shooter James Holmes say he is willing to plead guilty in exchange for prosecutors not pursuing the death penalty against him. — The lawyers say Holmes will accept …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, BBC and Deadline.com

Talking Points Memo:
Lawyers Say Colorado Theater Shooting Suspect To Plead Guilty To Avoid Death Penalty

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:

Biden: Country is ‘on the verge’ of universal background checks — Vice President Biden said the country is “on the verge” of requring universal background checks for gun purchases. — Speaking to supporters of gun control during a call hosted by Mike Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Extrano's Alley, a gun blog

Ben Goad / The Hill:
Obama moves rule to tighten background checks on gun buys

Discussion: protein wisdom, The PJ Tatler, The Maddow Blog and The Hill

New York Times:

Online Dispute Becomes Internet-Snarling Attack — A squabble between a group fighting spam and a Dutch company that hosts Web sites said to be sending spam has escalated into one of the largest computer attacks on the Internet, causing widespread congestion and jamming crucial infrastructure around the world.

Discussion: The Week, Crooks and Liars, Deadline.com, Gawker and Boing Boing

Dave Lee / BBC:
‘Biggest ever attack’ slows internet

Discussion: Mashable, The Times of Israel, GigaOM and The Reaction

Linda Lye / ACLU:

DOJ Emails Show Feds Were Less Than “Explicit” With Judges On Cell Phone Tracking Tool — A Justice Department document obtained by the ACLU of Northern California shows that federal investigators were routinely using a sophisticated cell phone tracking tool known as a “stingray,” …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Firedoglake and Hit & Run

The Atlantic Online:

North Korea Puts Its War Machine on Display — Despite massive international pressure, North Korea has been moving ahead with its long-range missile and nuclear ambitions, launching a rocket in December and conducting a nuclear test in February. International sanctions tightened in response …

Discussion: Yahoo! News, AMERICAN DIGEST, Guardian and New York Times

David Brody / The Brody File:

Are Evangelicals Now More Scorned than Homosexuals? — Direct from the school of, “Counter-Intuitive Thinking,” I bring you this question: When it comes to the issue of same-sex marriage, are Evangelical Christians actually the ones more ridiculed than homosexuals?

Discussion: American Prospect and Washington Monthly

Breanna Edwards / Politico:

Sarah Palin PAC video: ‘Loaded’ for 2014 — Former Republican Gov. Sarah Palin sent out the message that she is still firmly rooted in America's political debate in an ad released by her political action committee Wednesday, which focuses on the 2014 elections.

Discussion: ABCNEWS and CNN