Texas House approves sweeping abortion restrictions  —  (Reuters) - The Texas House of Representatives approved sweeping abortion restrictions on Tuesday, including a ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy and tougher standards for clinics that perform the procedure.

Immigration reform heads for slow death  —  Republicans walked away from their 2012 debacle hell-bent on fixing their problems with Hispanics.  Now, they appear hell-bent on making them worse.  —  In private conversations, top Republicans on Capitol Hill now predict comprehensive immigration reform …

Adam Kokesh charged with possessing hallucinogenic mushrooms  —  Police searched the Northern Virginia home of activist Adam Kokesh Tuesday evening and took him into custody on a charge of being in possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms while also having a gun, authorities said.

Just in Case George Zimmerman Walks Free...  Like so many people across the country, I have followed the murder trial of George Zimmerman very closely.  As we enter what is probably the last week of the trial, I am sure that everyone is anxious about the outcome.

Exclusive: US bankrolled anti-Morsi activists  —  Berkeley, United States - President Barack Obama recently stated the United States was not taking sides as Egypt's crisis came to a head with the military overthrow of the democratically elected president.  —  But a review of dozens …

Justin Bieber Pisses Into Restaurant Mop Bucket — ‘F*** Bill Clinton!’  [VIDEO]  —  PISSES INTO RESTAURANT MOP BUCKET  —  ‘F*** Bill Clinton!’  —  EXCLUSIVE  —  Justin Bieber is an oblivious, self-important little twit who goes out of his way to make the working man's life miserable …

ENDA advances with bipartisan backing  —  Following up on an item from late yesterday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (better known as the HELP Committee) easily approved the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (better known as ENDA) this morning.

The Decline of North Carolina  —  Every Monday since April, thousands of North Carolina residents have gathered at the State Capitol to protest the grotesque damage that a new Republican majority has been doing to a tradition of caring for the least fortunate.

Begich: Is Palin even a resident?  —  Sarah Palin “quit on Alaska” as governor and “ has lost touch” with her home state, Mark Begich told POLITICO.  —  The Democratic senator said Palin, who said Tuesday she's considering challenging him for his seat in 2014, might not even be a resident …

Kerry chokes back tears in first comments on wife's health scare  —  Secretary of State John Kerry choked up on Wednesday while thanking well-wishers for their support after his wife fell ill earlier this week.  —  Kerry said his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, is “doing better” and “improving” …

Naked wife distracts victim while husband burglarizes home  —  A woman distracted a man by skinny dipping in his pool while her husband burglarized the man's home.  —  The incident occurred on the afternoon of June 27 at the victim's home on Canterbury Lane in the Camelot subdivision in Crossville, about 100 miles east of Nashville.

Wal-Mart says it will pull out of D.C. plans should city mandate ‘living wage’  —  The world's largest retailer delivered an ultimatum to District lawmakers Tuesday, telling them less than 24 hours before a decisive vote that at least three planned Wal-Marts will not open in the city if a super-minimum-wage proposal becomes law.

McDonnell's corporation, wife allegedly benefited from $120,000 more from donor  —  RICHMOND — A prominent political donor gave $70,000 to a corporation owned by Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and his sister last year, and the governor did not disclose the money as a gift or loan, according to people with knowledge of the payments.

Linchpin for Obama's plan to predict future leakers unproven, isn't likely to work, experts say  —  WASHINGTON — In an initiative aimed at rooting out future leakers and other security violators, President Barack Obama has ordered federal employees to report suspicious actions of their colleagues based …

Illinois enacts nation's final concealed-gun law  —  SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois became the last state in the nation to allow public possession of concealed guns as lawmakers rushed Tuesday to finalize a proposal ahead of a federal court's deadline.  —  Both chambers of the Legislature voted …

A brand-new U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan.  And nobody to use it.  —  The U.S. military has erected a 64,000-square-foot headquarters building on the dusty moonscape of southwestern Afghanistan that comes with all the tools to wage a modern war.  A vast operations center with tiered seating.

Poll: Majority say Snowden a whistle-blower not a traitor  —  A majority of Americans say that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden is a whistle-blower not a traitor, according to a new poll released on Wednesday.  —  The Quinnipiac University poll found 55 percent identifying Snowden …

Romney to headline NHGOP fundraiser next month  —  Mitt Romney will headline a fundraiser for the New Hampshire Republican Party next month, in what is believe to be his first political fundraiser since last year's presidential campaign, WMUR Political Scoop has learned.

Why the 2012 election was unusual — and why it wasn't  —  Back in the days after the 2012 election, when it became clear that despite losing the popular House vote, Republicans had actually won a sizeable majority in the House, plenty of speculation set in as to why: Was it gerrymandering?