The Benghazi patsy  —  Nakoula Basseley Nakoula deserves a place in American history.  He is the first person in this country jailed for violating Islamic anti-blasphemy laws.  —  You won't find that anywhere in the charges against him, of course.  As a practical matter, though …

State Department Demands Takedown Of 3D-Printable Gun Files For Possible Export Control Violations  —  The battle for control of dangerous digital shapes may have just begun.  —  On Thursday, Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson received a letter from the State Department Office …

Joe Biden: The Rolling Stone Interview  —  The vice president on guns, global warming and why he's “the last guy in the room” on every decision Obama makes  —  There is a keen Kennedy-like vigor to Joe Biden that overwhelms any room.  As was once said of Theodore Roosevelt, he, too …

Heritage Foundation does damage control  —  The Heritage Foundation has gone into damage-control mode in the last few days, after coming under fire from Republicans and conservative outside groups over a report it published that puts the price tag of immigration reform at $6.3 trillion.

Exclusive: The RNC Benghazi Attack Ad that Never Ran  —  It was the Benghazi attack ad the Republican National Committee created but never aired.  —  ABC News has obtained an ad the RNC made last fall and approved to air in the final weeks of the presidential campaign.

Minnesota House approves gay marriage bill after two-hour debate  —  The measure now goes to the Senate, which will take up the issue Monday.  —  A pivotal vote Thursday in the Minnesota House positioned that state to become the 12th in the country to allow gay marriages and the first in the Midwest …

Republican Senators Boycott Vote On Gina McCarthy's Nomination To Head EPA  —  Zero Republicans show up to vote on Gina McCarthy's nomination to be EPA Administrator.  —  The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee was scheduled to vote today at 9:15 on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the next EPA Administrator.

Darrell Issa Acknowledges He Learned Nothing New From His Benghazi Hearing  —  House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) tacitly admitted on Wednesday that his hearing on the Benghazi terror attacks the same day didn't turn up any new information.  —  “I'm curious, did you learn anything new today?”

Raymond Maxwell: Former Deputy Asst Secretary Removed Over Benghazi Pens a Poem  —  In December 2012, the NYT reported that four State Department officials were removed from their posts after an independent panel criticized the “grossly inadequate” security at a diplomatic compound in Benghazi …

Republican Leaders Refuse To Make Appointments To Key Obamacare Panel  —  The top two Republicans in Congress informed President Obama on Thursday that they will refuse to fulfill their duty under the Affordable Care Act to recommend members of a new board with the power to contain Medicare spending.

Obama pushes $9 minimum wage bill in visit to red state Texas  —  President Obama on Thursday declared that the nation is “poised for progress” but called on Congress to help strengthen the middle class by promoting economic polices he proposed in his State of the Union address in February.

Senate fails to approve resolution condemning illegal medical practices  —  Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) tried to pass a Senate resolution that would have condemned illegal abortion practices.  —  Lee asked unanimous consent to pass his resolution on Wednesday in reaction to the case of Kermit Gosnell …

Ohio suspect used victim for sex, prosecutor says  —  For more on this story, check out coverage on CNN affiliates WJW, WEWS, WKYC and WOIO.  —  Cleveland (CNN) — Ariel Castro maintained his home as a prison for three young women, holding them in seclusion and sexually assaulting them for his own pleasure …

John McCain Wants To Blow Up The Cable Industry As We Currently Know It  —  John McCain is going to release a bill that would dismantle cable as it's currently constructed, Brenden Sasso at The Hill reports.  —  The legislation would force cable companies and satellite TV providers …

Nancy Pelosi: Kermit Gosnell case ‘really disgusting’ … During her press conference Thursday afternoon, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was asked if she was aware of the Kermit Gosnell case and whether Congress should hold hearings to make sure similar atrocities are not occurring in other abortion clinics.

Most Say Immigration Policy Needs Big Changes  —  But Little Agreement on Specific Approaches  —  OVERVIEW  —  Americans overwhelmingly say the nation's immigration policy is in need of sweeping changes.  Overall, 75% say immigration policy needs at least major changes …

Puppy mill bill passes House  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — With first lady Ann McCrory watching from the gallery, state House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Thursday to approve North Carolina's first attempt to curb puppy mills.  —  House Bill 930 was not on the day's official calendar, but GOP leaders added it at the beginning of session.

Will Health-Care Law Beget Entrepreneurs?  —  Thousands of would-be entrepreneurs are itching to start their own businesses, but many are shackled to their current employer by health-care benefits they don't think they could otherwise afford.  Economists call this phenomenon “job lock,” or “entrepreneurship lock.”