DOJ defends Clinton from email subpoena  —  The Justice Department is defending former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton from a motion to subpoena her private emails under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  —  “Such action is unnecessary and inappropriate under FOIA,” DOJ officials wrote in a legal briefing filed Thursday.

Obama On Loretta Lynch: 'You Don't Hold Attorney General Nominees Hostage'  —  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama chastised Senate Republicans on Friday for refusing to confirm his attorney general nominee, saying it's inexcusable to hold Loretta Lynch “hostage” as a bargaining chip for separate legislation.

Barney Frank Says Aaron Schock Should Be ‘Exposed’ If He's Gay … Power Players  —  It took former Rep. Barney Frank 32 years to come out as gay.  —  But now, as rumors swirl alleging that retiring-Rep. Aaron Schock is gay, Frank said the Illinois Republican should be “exposed” …

The Crisis Has Exploded  —  Today, the president of the United States told the prime minister of Israel he was reassessing America's “options” with regard to Israel in light of remarks Benjamin Netanyahu made about potential Palestinian statehood and an election-day Facebook post urging Israeli right-wingers …

Paul Ryan Urges State Lawmakers Not to Set Up Health-Insurance Exchanges  —  Ways and means chairman says GOP is moving ahead on alternative to health law  —  WASHINGTON—Rep. Paul Ryan urged state lawmakers to resist setting up state insurance exchanges if the Supreme Court rules that key parts …

Steve King: I Don't Understand How American Jews Can Be Democrats  —  “But anti-Semitism is a component of this and just plain liberalism is another component.  I mean the president wants the world to be, he thinks somehow he can force the world can be the world he myopically believes it is.

Role of Hillary Clinton's brother in Haiti gold mine raises eyebrows  —  MORNE BOSSA, Haiti — Drive down the rutted dirt road a couple of miles to the guard house, then hike 15 minutes up to the overgrown hilltop, and there it is: a piece of 3.5-inch-wide PVC pipe sticking out of the ground.

Why Haven't Republicans Caught On to Marco Rubio?  —  When you try to assess candidates from the other party, even the most unsentimental among us can have a hard time separating our emotional reactions from our level-headed assessment of who's a strong contender and who isn't.

Can Washington's Gift Economy in Marijuana Work?  —  It sounds like an idea a stoner might come up with.  —  In Washington, D.C., it's now legal to possess marijuana, to grow it, to smoke it and to give it away.  But you're not allowed to trade in it.  You can give your neighbor up to an ounce …

Assad crosses Obama's imaginary red line  —  Don't look now, but the Assad regime is once again using chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war.  Reports are that it has dropped chlorine gas on civilians in recent days.  —  Readers will recall that President Obama, working with Vladimir Putin …

California proposal to legalize killing gays hard to stop  —  ›  —  ‹  —  For less than the cost of an Apple iPad, Matt McLaughlin started a statewide legal conversation.  —  An attorney from Huntington Beach, McLaughlin in late February spent $200 to propose a ballot measure …

Graham threatens to withhold UN funding  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned Thursday that he would slash U.S. funding to the United Nations if the body decides to lift its sanctions on Iran as part of a nuclear agreement.  —  “Twenty-two percent of the funding for the United Nations comes …

FBI: ‘Community deserves answers,’ in hanging of Mississippi black man  —  Preliminary results of an autopsy on the body of Otis Byrd, whose body was found hanging from a tree in rural Mississippi, strongly suggest the death was a suicide rather than foul play, sources said …

Yemen crisis: More than 100 die in attacks on Sanaa mosques  —  Suicide bombers have attacked two mosques in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, killing at least 126 people and wounding many others, reports say.  —  Worshippers were attending noon prayers at the Badr and al-Hashoosh mosques when at least four attackers struck.

Rand Paul: I Signed Cotton Letter to Help Obama ‘Negotiate from a Position of Strength’  —  Rand Paul tries to convince realists that he didn't bail on them.  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. -During a town hall meeting with employees of a cloud computing company, Kentucky Senator and potential 2016 …

Interior Department Releases Final Rule to Support Safe, Responsible Hydraulic Fracturing Activities on Public and Tribal Lands  —  Fundamental Standards Address Well Integrity, Water Protection, Disclosure of Chemicals  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following a robust and transparent public process …

Parent Sues LAUSD After Teacher Reportedly Used Racially Charged Comments In Class  —  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Brentwood parent is suing the school district, charging that a male teacher made offensive and racially charged comments in his class in front of and focused on his biracial daughter.