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 …

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.”

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 …

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?

Garage Magazine Editor-In-Chief Dasha Zhukova Sits On A ‘Black Woman’ Chair In Shocking Editorial (PHOTO)  —  How's this for a happy MLK Day?  —  The online magazine Buro 247 has published a story about Dasha Zhukova, the Russian editor-in-chief of Garage magazine, which shows …

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 …

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.”

Florida Man Claims Self-Defense After Hopping A Fence To Shoot, Kill 21-Year-Old In A Hoodie  —  On Thursday, an Orlando man shot and killed a 21-year-old who was fleeing his yard.  He didn't appear to be stealing anything, according to witness accounts.  He didn't appear to be threatening anybody.

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.

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.

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.

Wendy Davis: “empowerment” and the poor little woman; “struggle” and the man  —  There's a lot in the Wendy Davis story besides Davis and her constructed and false “narrative.”  Here is one of Davis' most recent official statements on the matter, a little masterpiece of accusing the accusers:

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 …

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 …

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.