Texas Congressman: Masturbating Fetuses Prove Need for Abortion Ban  —  As the House of Representatives gears up for Tuesday's debate on HR 1797, a bill that would outlaw virtually all abortions 20 weeks post fertilization, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) argued in favor of banning abortions …

CNN Poll: Did White House order IRS targeting?  —  Washington (CNN) - A growing number of Americans believe that senior White House officials ordered the Internal Revenue Service to target conservative political groups, according to a new national poll.  —  And a CNN/ORC International survey …

To My Congressional Colleagues: Stop the NSA Grandstanding  —  Members have had ample opportunity to learn about these valuable programs.  —  Last week, Edward Snowden, a National Security Agency contractor, attempted to make a political point by leaking several documents …

Boehner Aims to Move Immigration by Capitalizing on a Conservative Rift  —  The speaker is navigating a divide over citizenship to push reform legislation through the House.  —  John Boehner wants immigration reform to pass.  To get it done, the House speaker will have to capitalize …

EXCLUSIVE: Hidden camera catches wireless company employees passing out ‘Obama phones’ to people who say they'll SELL them for drugs, shoes, handbags and spending cash  — The ‘Lifeline’ free-cell-phone scheme cost $2.2 BILLION last year alone, all of it from fees added to the phone bills of paying customers

Claire McCaskill endorses Hillary Clinton for 2016  —  Saying that “it's important we start early,” Sen. Claire McCaskill on Tuesday endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in one of the first major moves of the 2016 cycle.  —  “Now, as I look at 2016 and think about who is best to lead this country forward …

Distribute this video:  —  Yes, Father's Day.  —  Charlie that was really something based upon these photographs:  —  And this speech:  —  “I want to be a better father, a better husband, a better man.  But I will tell you this: Everything else is unfulfilled if we fail at family, if we fail at that responsibility.

US to begin direct peace talks with Taliban over Afghanistan  —  ‘Peace and reconciliation’ milestone comes after US drops request for formal rejection of al-Qaida as precondition to talks  —  The US is to open direct talks with Taliban leaders within days, it was revealed on Tuesday …

Senate Intel Committee Blocks Former Staffer From Talking To Press About Oversight Process  —  The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has taken the unusual step of actively blocking a former committee aide from talking to TPM about congressional oversight of the intelligence community.

Former Bush, Romney Adviser Greg Mankiw Writes Paper ‘Defending The One Percent’  —  At long last the downtrodden, disrespected 1 percent have a hero to make their case: Harvard economist Gregory Mankiw.  —  The former economic adviser to President George W. Bush and wannabe president Mitt Romney …

Groups claim to have found ‘smoking gun’ to force Christie to move U.S. Senate election to November  —  TRENTON — Two liberal groups say they've found a “smoking gun” in a century-old state law that could force Gov. Chris Christie to schedule the general election in November.

Our Commitment to Our Users' Privacy  —  We've worked hard over the years to earn our users' trust and we fight hard to preserve it.  —  To that end, we are disclosing the total number of requests for user data that law enforcement agencies in the U.S. made to us between December 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013.

Immigration Bill Gives GOP A Pounding Migraine  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, is a jovial sort, but he was scowling like a man who'd just discovered that he might have boarded the wrong bus.  —  “How do we put together a bill and then the guy who put it together says that he may not vote for it?”

Release Detail  —  June 18, 2013 - Scott Chips Away At Crist Lead In Florida Gov Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Gov's Grades Are Low, But Best Ever  —  Florida Gov. Rick Scott trails former Gov. Charlie Crist 47 - 37 percent in his 2014 reelection bid, compared to his 16-point deficit in March …

GOP needs action, not navel-gazing  —  We've had enough.  Yes, we just lost our second straight presidential election to Barack Obama.  Yes, losing is painful and has consequences.  Yes, when you lose, you make adjustments.  Enough already.  Let's get on with it.  —  Yes, we have plenty of changes to make.

Moonlight Serenade  —  Whom does Mrs. Weiner work for?  —  Anthony Weiner, who resigned from Congress two years ago this Friday in a side-splitting social-media scandal, is running for mayor of New York?  We don't know why, but we're now pretty sure it's not for the money.

Obama: You Can't Fathom ‘Complexities’ of Syria Policy 'If You Haven't Been in Situation Room'  —  Charlie Rose last night asked President Obama his new Syria policy.  The president first objected to it being called a new policy.  “I'm not sure you can characterize this as a new policy.

Zell's legacy lives on: IRS goes after Tribune  —  By the time the final papers are shuffled, the IRS and local tax authorities are likely seek more than half a billion dollars from Tribune in regard to the sales of the Chicago Cubs and Newsday under former CEO Sam Zell.

Rise in illegal crossings roils immigration debate  —  There was a striking moment in the Senate Judiciary Committee's debate on the Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill when Republican Jeff Sessions and Democrat Charles Schumer argued over the number of immigrants who would be allowed …