Putin Asserts Right to Use Force in Eastern Ukraine  —  MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia emphasized on Thursday that the upper chamber of the Russian Parliament had authorized him to use military force if necessary in eastern Ukraine, and also stressed Russia's historical claim …

Texas 'Boats ‘N Hoes PAC’ raising controversy  —  The PAC is registered with the Texas Ethics Commission  —  SAN ANTONIO — The name of a fundraising group made waves in the tug-of-war between Republicans and Democrats over women voters on Wednesday.  —  Political consulting firm employee …

The IRS Scandal's Smoking Gun?  —  A suspicious email could confirm Lois Lerner's culpability in recent IRS abuses.  —  In hot water  —  The so-called “smoking gun” proving the Internal Revenue Service played politics with conservative groups seeking official non-profit …

AFL-CIO chief calls Warren ‘prototype’ of good president  —  AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Tuesday that “it don't get no better” than Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) when it comes to possible holders of the Oval Office.  —  “In my opinion she is the prototype of a person …

The Obama nominee warned about politicizing the census.  —  It must have seemed like a good idea at the time.  In February 2009 a new Democratic president reached across party lines and nominated a Republican senator, New Hampshire's Judd Gregg, as commerce secretary.

When ‘Liking’ a Brand Online Voids the Right to Sue  —  Might downloading a 50-cent coupon for Cheerios cost you legal rights?  —  General Mills, the maker of cereals like Cheerios and Chex as well as brands like Bisquick and Betty Crocker, has quietly added language to its website …

The US is an oligarchy, study concludes  —  Report by researchers from Princeton and Northwestern universities suggests that US political system serves special interest organisations, instead of voters  —  The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens …

Newly Insured in 2014 Represent About 4% of U.S. Adults  —  Half of newly insured obtained health insurance through exchanges  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Four percent of Americans are newly insured this year, reporting that they have health insurance now but did not last year.

Jindo, South Korea (CNN) — Passengers aboard a sinking South Korean ferry faced a terrifying choice as the vessel rolled: obey commands barked over loudspeakers to stay in place, or don life vests and jump into the chilly ocean water.  —  “Don't move,” a voice warned, according to a recording obtained by CNN affiliate YTN.

Koch Brothers Net Worth Tops $100 Billion as TV Warfare Escalates  —  Charles and David Koch, the billionaire brothers who run Wichita, Kansas-based Koch Industries Inc., added $1.3 billion to their collective fortune yesterday on reports that U.S. industrial production gained more than forecast.

Minimum Wage, Maximum Outrage  —  No one should ever endure the kind of economic humiliation that comes with working a full-time job and making a less-than-living wage.  —  There is dignity in all work, but that dignity grows dim when the checks are cashed and the coins are counted and still the bills rise higher than the wages.

An Indecent Burial  —  Twenty-five years ago this month, with the Supreme Court's support for the right to abortion shrinking rapidly, the justices heard a case from Missouri that invited them to disavow Roe v. Wade, the precedent that 16 years earlier had given women the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.

Landrieu faces her toughest political storm to stay in Senate  —  Editor's note: The 2014 midterm elections will come down to a battle for control of the Senate.  Should Republicans tip the balance, they'll control both chambers of Congress.  CNN is looking at some of the key Senate races that will affect the balance.

Fox News Poll: Many voters say Obama lies to the country on important matters  —  Apr. 11, 2014: President Barack Obama speaks at the National Action Network's 16th Annual Convention in New York.Reuters  —  About six in ten American voters think Barack Obama lies to the country on important matters …

Progressives are wrong about the essence of the Constitution  —  In a 2006 interview, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said the Constitution is “basically about” one word — “democracy” — that appears in neither that document nor the Declaration of Independence.  Democracy is America's way of allocating political power.

Clinton vs. Bush: The real debate  —  OPINION l This past Sunday I joined a panel of distinguished pundits on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” and to the surprise of no viewers we spent a considerable amount of time discussing the prospects of a presidential race between Hillary Clinton …