IRS officials knew of tea party targeting  —  Senior Internal Revenue Service officials knew employees were singling out conservative groups for extra scrutiny as early as 2011, according to a watchdog agency's report set to be released next week, POLITICO has confirmed from a congressional source.

Libya protests prompt U.S. to evacuate diplomats, put troops on alert  —  Growing concerns over protests roiling Libya prompted the State Department to begin evacuating some diplomats from Tripoli, as the Pentagon put troops stationed at nearby European bases on high alert.

Maher, Joy Reid Clash With Glenn Greenwald Over Benghazi: 'Obama's Supposed To Micromanage' The World?  —  On his Friday night show, Bill Maher invited his panel to discuss this week's developments about Benghazi — debating whether the story is as scandalous as Republicans are making it out to be.

Rand Paul: Obama is working with ‘anti-American globalists plot[ting] against our Constitution.’  —  Rand Paul.  (AFP)  —  The New York Times calls Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) one of the Republican Party's “rising stars.”  The Daily Beast says he's “a smoother, more pragmatic political operator” …

Rep. Pelosi knocks Republicans' ‘obsession’ with Benghazi attack  —  Congressional Republicans are using their Benghazi investigation as political “subterfuge” to distract from other issues, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Saturday.  —  Pelosi said it's important to find …

Michele Bachmann: 9/11, Benghazi Were God's ‘Judgment,’ So We Must Hold Day Of Prayer On Sept. 11  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) continued to promote a right-wing Sept. 11 “National Day of Prayer and Fasting” on Thursday, telling an audience gathered at a Capitol Hill event that such actions …

Rand Paul challenges Hillary Clinton in key Iowa speech  —  CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Presidential elections start in Iowa.  —  On Friday, Sen. Rand Paul put his stake in the ground for a possible run in 2016 by mocking the Obama administration and delivering a blistering critique of former Secretary …

Troubled Life in Malcolm X's Shadow Comes to a Violent End  —  Last week, Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of Malcolm X, was talking to his friend Daniel Stevens when he learned that Mr. Stevens was worried that his fledgling rap career was going nowhere.  Mr. Shabazz vowed to help …

KOCH SPONSORS PRO-AMNESTY BUZZFEED EVENT  —  An event touting itself as an evening of immigration reform discussion with a “diversity of opinion” turns out to be slanted heavily towards “comprehensive immigration reform.”  The BuzzFeed Brews Special Edition: Immigration Summit …

Obama hails top cops, reiterates call for tougher gun laws  —  President Obama hailed the nation's police force as America at “its best and its bravest” Saturday, while continuing his push for tougher gun laws.  —  At an event honoring the nation's top cops, Obama reiterated his call for …