Why the Post passed on Ezra Klein  —  The Washington Post would do anything for Ezra Klein.  Well, almost anything.  —  For nearly five years, the Post has steered a bounty of financial resources to its star economics columnist and blogger.  It has allowed him to have a contributor deal with MSNBC …

SEAN HANNITY TO LEAVE NEW YORK AFTER ANDREW CUOMO'S ANTI-CONSERVATIVE RANT  —  In a radio interview last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) made some disparaging comments about pro-life conservatives, stating they had “no place in the state of New York because that's not who New Yorkers are.”

Obamacare in Red and Blue America: Two Charts Tell the Story  —  Everybody knows that red state officials aren't enthusiastic about Obamacare.  Some of them are even trying to undermine it.  But are they succeeding?  Are they actually holding back the law?

Former Va. Gov. McDonnell and wife charged in gifts case  —  View Photo Gallery — McDonnell's time in office comes to a close: Gov. Robert F. McDonnell was supposed to be in the thick of the race to succeed him.  Instead, the Republican found himself relegated to the role of passive observer …

The GQ Cover Story: Katy Perry  —  Not very long ago, she was strumming a guitar on the street and getting paid in avocados.  Today she's the most cartoonishly ubiquitous pop star on Earth.  Katy Perry gives Amy Wallace an earful about aliens (real), her world-famous body (real), her …

Florida House candidate Joshua Black calls for hanging of President Obama  —  ST. PETERSBURG — As Americans honored the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, a Republican candidate for Florida House District 68 said President Barack Obama should be hanged for war crimes.

How Bad Does the GOP Need Chris Christie?  Really Bad.  —  Without the scandal-engulfed New Jersey governor, Republicans don't have a candidate who could even come close to the votes needed to win the presidency in 2016.  —  Well, well, well, today is an interesting day: it's Chris Christie's re-inauguration day.

NC NAACP chief denounces extremists of all kinds, including conservatives  —  COLUMBIA, SC — In a speech of fire and thunder Sunday evening, one of today's best-known civil rights activists denounced what he said was narrow-minded political and religious thinking that has “put extremism on steroids.”

Mike Lee to give tea party SOTU response  —  Sen. Mike Lee will deliver the tea party's response to the president's State of the Union Address, a major tea party group announced Tuesday.  —  The Utah Republican will speak immediately after the traditional Republican response to the State of the Union …

David Vitter Announces Run for Governor  —  Sen. David Vitter, R-La., announced Tuesday that he will run for governor next year, confirming the biggest open secret in Bayou State politics and on Capitol Hill.  —  “After much thought, prayer and discussion with Wendy and our children …

AMC movie theater calls “federal agents” to arrest a Google Glass user  —  A long time Gadgeteer reader contacted me today through Google Hangouts to tell me that he had a story that he thought I'd be interested in reading.  He then forwarded me a long email with a story from a very good friend of his.

The Dr. V Story: A Letter From the Editor  —  How “Dr. V's Magical Putter” came to be published  —  “How could you guys run that?”  —  We started hearing that question on Friday afternoon, West Coast time, right as everyone was leaving our Los Angeles office to start the weekend.

ASU fraternity suspended after ‘offensive’ MLK party  —  A representative for Arizona State University said school officials have suspended Tau Kappa Epsilon's chapter operations while they investigate an unregistered Greek event that has many on campus offended.

Government conspiracy theories aren't crazy: Column  —  From the IRS to the NSA, Americans have reasons not to trust the Obama Administration.  —  At a tax symposium at Pepperdine Law School last week, former IRS chief counsel Donald Korb was asked, “On a scale of 1-10 ... how damaging is the current IRS scandal?”

Federal Appeals Court Says Jurors Can't Be Excluded Because They Are Gay  —  The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issues broad ruling providing “heightened scrutiny” protection for sexual orientation discrimination claims.  —  Members of the public cast shadows as they line up in front …

Pastor Tells O'Reilly How Obama Is Laying the Groundwork for the Anti-Christ  —  Pastor Robert Jeffress sat down with Bill O'Reilly Monday night to argue that President Obama is laying the groundwork for the rise of the Anti-Christ because he is “conditioning” people to rely on government support.

Bill Gates Backs Marijuana Legalization In His State  —  “An experiment” in Washington state.  —  Tobias Schwarz / Reuters  —  Bill Gates voted “yes” on the 2012 referendum that legalized marijuana in his home state, he told BuzzFeed in an interview Tuesday.

First on CNN: GOP urges candidates to stand ground on abortion  —  Washington (CNN) - A faction of conservatives will introduce a resolution at this week's meeting of the Republican National Committee urging GOP candidates to speak up about abortion and respond forcefully against Democratic efforts …

Conservative Reformers Need To Make DC Listen  —  Ross Douthat's recent New York Times column argues the most consequential recent development for the GOP has been “the fact that reform conservatism suddenly has national politicians in its corner.”  Indeed, Douthat writes: Sen. Mike Lee …

Patrick Kennedy to President Obama: Pot has changed  —  Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy says President Barack Obama is wrong about the dangers of marijuana, saying that the drug today is not like what the president smoked in his youth.  —  The former eight-term Rhode Island Democrat …