IRS Official in Charge During Tea Party Targeting Now Runs Health Care Office  —  The Internal Revenue Service official in charge of the tax-exempt organizations at the time when the unit targeted tea party groups now runs the IRS office responsible for the health care legislation.

Wow, This is Pretty Epic  —  Generally, once partisan, tendentious sources leak information that turns out to be wrong, nothing's ever done about it.  That's for many reasons, some good or somewhat understandable, mostly bad.  But on CBS Evening News tonight, Major Garrett did something …

Americans' Attention to IRS, Benghazi Stories Below Average  —  Most Americans, however, say both deserve continuing investigation  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Slim majorities of Americans are very or somewhat closely following the situations involving the Internal Revenue Service (54%) …

For Sale: A Video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Smoking Crack Cocaine  —  Rob Ford, Toronto's conservative mayor, is a wild lunatic given to making bizarre racist pronouncements and randomly slapping refrigerator magnets on cars.  One reason for this is that he smokes crack cocaine.

Karen Handel Enters Georgia Senate Race  —  Former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel announced her campaign for Senate on Friday morning, as the state's Republican convention was set to kick off in Athens.  —  “States, especially those with Republican governors, are doing a good job …

Russia Sends More Advanced Missiles to Aid Assad in Syria  —  WASHINGTON — Russia has shipped an advanced antiship cruise missile to Syria, a move that illustrates the depth of its support for the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, American officials said on Thursday.

This Is No Ordinary Scandal  —  Political abuse of the IRS threatens the basic integrity of our government.  —  We are in the midst of the worst Washington scandal since Watergate.  The reputation of the Obama White House has, among conservatives, gone from sketchy to sinister, and, among liberals, from unsatisfying to dangerous.

What Would Bulworth Do?  —  Barack Obama's bizarre movie idol.  —  A New York Times story on President Obama's plague of scandal contains this eyebrow-raising revelation:  —  Yet Mr. Obama also expresses exasperation.  In private, he has talked longingly of “going Bulworth,” …

G.O.P., Energized, Weighs How Far to Take Inquiries  —  WASHINGTON — The investigations ensnaring the White House have unified the Republican Party, energized a political base shattered by election losses and given common purpose to lawmakers divided over a legislative agenda.

FBI seeks source of prostitution, corruption allegations against Sen. Robert Menendez  —  A pair of FBI agents met on a recent weekday morning with brothers Alfonso “Alfy” and Jose “Pepe” Fanjul in the Palm Beach headquarters of their sugar and real estate empire.

Why the GOP thinks it could blow it  —  Republicans are worried one thing could screw up the political gift of three Obama administration controversies at once: fellow Republicans.  —  Top GOP leaders are privately warning members to put a sock in it when it comes to silly calls for impeachment …

To Buy Bonds or Not to Buy: Fed Hawks, Doves Air Views  —  Federal Reserve officials are deeply engaged in debating when to begin dialing back an $85 billion-a-month bond buying program, but don't appear near consensus on when to pull the trigger.  —  The presidents of the Dallas …

Will Yahoo Try to Get Its “Cool Again” by Doing a Deal for Tumblr?  —  Earlier this week, Yahoo CFO Ken Goldman spoke at JP Morgan's Global Technology conference and underscored the need for the aging Silicon Valley Internet giant to attract more users from the coveted 18-to-24-years-old age bracket.

Former Sen. John Edwards to speak at retreat for lawyers a year after corruption trial  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — Former presidential contender John Edwards is setting out on the speaking circuit.  —  The former U.S. senator and 2004 Democratic vice-presidential nominee from North Carolina …

Fight Over Obama Appointees May Spur Senate Rule Change  —  Washington — The escalating Senate fight over President Obama's cabinet appointments moved closer to a showdown on Thursday as two nominees headed to the floor with no Republican support.  —  Gina McCarthy, Mr. Obama's choice …

Exclusive: Anthony Weiner Spotted Shooting Campaign-Style Video at Childhood Home  —  Anthony Weiner was spotted shooting a campaign-style video on the stoop of his childhood home in Brooklyn Thursday as he weighs whether to run for mayor, NBC 4 New York reports exclusively.

‘Dumb’ house burglar shot after locking homeowner inside his own GUN CLOSET  —  The victim of an armed home invasion in Houston has turned the tables on the brazen intruders after they stuffed him into a closet that turned out to be the place where he stores his gun.