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.

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.

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.

For 2016 Run, Scott Walker Washes ‘Wiscahnsin’ Out of His Mouth  —  COLUMBIA, S.C. — Out on the presidential campaign trail, Gov. Scott Walker has left “Wiscahnsin” back home in Wisconsin.  He now wants to strengthen the economy, not the “ecahnahmy.”  And while he once had the “ahnor” …

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 …

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” …

Jackie Mason bashes Obama on Israel: 'It's certainly hard to tell which side he's on ... You don't hear him attacking Hamas half as much as he is attacking Bibi'  — The US president, he claims, believes 'there's no reason why they shouldn't be given a chance to operate'

FL Gov't Worker: I Was Punished After Writing the Words Climate Change  —  An employee for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection told MSNBC's Chris Hayes tonight that he was punished because he expressed his personal view on climate change and wrote the words “climate change” …

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 …

Ted Cruz Plans ‘Important Speech’ in Virginia  —  Sen. Ted Cruz's political operation appears to be strongly encouraging attendance by the media at an event in Lynchburg, Va., Monday for what's being billed as “an important speech.”  —  Aides to the Texas Republican, who has been contemplating …

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 …

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 …

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.

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.