memeorandum: Justice Dept. sues a university for firing a professor who switched gender (Susan Svrluga/Washington Post)

10:30 AM ET, March 31, 2015

Top Items:

Gov. Pence, fix ‘religious freedom’ law now — We are at a critical moment in Indiana's history. — And much is at stake. — Our image. Our reputation as a state that embraces people of diverse backgrounds and makes them feel welcome. And our efforts over many years to retool our economy …

Mike Pence / Wall Street Journal:

Ensuring Religious Freedom in Indiana — Our new law has been grossly misconstrued as a ‘license to discriminate.’ That isn't true, and here's why. — By — Last week I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, known as RFRA, which ensures that Indiana law will respect religious freedom …

New York Times:

In Indiana, Using Religion as a Cover for Bigotry — Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, who last week signed a religious-freedom law driven by bigotry against gays and lesbians, has been complaining that the law's opponents — which include top business leaders and civil-rights groups — are spreading “misinformation.”

Discussion: Washington Post, Guardian, The Week, AMERICAblog News, Salon, Human Rights Campaign Blog, Bloomberg View, Daily Kos, American Spectator, WOOD-TV, The Daily Caller, bizjournals and WLFI-TV

Erik Eckholm / New York Times:

Eroding Freedom in the Name of Freedom — When the federal government adopted a religious protection act in 1993, same-sex marriage was not on the horizon. — An informal coalition of liberals and conservatives endorsed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act because it seemed to protect members …

Discussion: Washington Post, National Journal, Religion Clause and Josh Blackman's Blog

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

Questions For Indiana's Critics — I know that I should say something about the backlash and debate over Indiana's version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but it's been hard to come up with something that I didn't already say in my column when it was Arizona's variation on the same law …

Discussion: RedState, The Week, Hot Air, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Obsidian Wings, Bloomberg View, ThinkProgress, National Review, The Anchoress and alicublog

Hugh Hewitt / The Hugh Hewitt Show:

Jeb Bush On The Indiana Law, Iran, and Hillary — Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is making a California swing this week, and came by the studio today: — Audio: — 03-30hhs-bush-1 — 03-30hhs-bush-2 — Transcript: — HH: I begin with a great drop-in guest, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush joins me in the studio.

Discussion: Fox News, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Washington Post, Washington Blade, Business Insider, New York Times and Bloomberg Business

Wall Street Journal:
The New Intolerance — Indiana isn't targeting gays.

Discussion: CNN and Hot Air

ABC News:
GOP Presidential Hopefuls Back Indiana ‘Religious Freedom’ Law

Discussion: New York Times, No More Mister Nice Blog, BarbWire.com, Re/code, OnPolitics, Raw Story, Hit & Run, Washington Post and CNN

Catherine Rampell / Washington Post:
Is inclusiveness good for the economy?

Discussion: ncronline.org, Bloomberg View, Common Dreams, USA Today, The Huffington Post and Boston Globe

Matt Wilstein / Mediaite:
Ben Carson Has a Hot Take on Indiana's ‘Religious Freedom’ Law

Discussion: Washington Post

Tom Davies / Associated Press:
Indiana Lawmakers Try to Quiet Firestorm Surrounding New Law

Discussion: Common Dreams

Emily Zanotti / American Spectator:
Wilco Cancels IN Show But Not Shows In 9 Other RFRA States

Discussion: Bloomberg Business and WGN-TV

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Rubio backs religious freedom law

Discussion: The Right Scoop

Brian Eason / Indianapolis Star:
Ballard to legislature: Add sexual orientation as protected class

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Politico, Raw Story and Towleroad News #gay

Alex Swoyer / BREITBART.COM:
EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Ben Carson: ‘Absolutely Vital’ Americans Stand Up For Indiana's Religious Freedom Law

Discussion: Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Charlotte Observer, Cruz for President, USA Today, Washington Times, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Mediaite, Wall Street Journal, Political Insider blog, Talking Points Memo and Bloomberg Business

Washington Post:

Poll: Clear majority supports nuclear deal with Iran — By a nearly 2 to 1 margin, Americans support the notion of striking a deal with Iran that restricts the nation's nuclear program in exchange for loosening sanctions, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Wall Street Journal, Mediaite, Politico, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Colorado Independent, The Hill, Prairie Weather, The Times of Israel, Power Line and Political Wire

Jordan Fabian / The Hill: Rabbi warns Obama against appeasing Iran

Numbers / Pew Research Center for the People …:
More Approve Than Disapprove of Iran Talks, But Most Think Iranians Are ‘Not Serious’

Discussion: Politico, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Post, ABC News and Hot Air

Jack Gillum / Associated Press:

Clinton also used iPad for email; mixed personal, work chats — 1 photo — WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton emailed her staff on an iPad as well as a BlackBerry while secretary of state, despite her explanation she exclusively used a personal email address on a homebrew server …

Discussion: Politico, Bloomberg Business and Hot Air

Susan Svrluga / Washington Post:

Justice Dept. sues a university for firing a professor who switched gender — The U.S. Justice Department is suing an Oklahoma university, charging that school officials discriminated against a professor who changed gender during her time working there. — Rachel Tudor was hired …

Discussion: Weekly Standard

Chicago Tribune:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel opens big lead on mayoral challenger Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia — Mayor Rahm Emanuel has opened up a substantial lead on challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia with only a week to go in the runoff campaign, a new Chicago Tribune poll has found. — Emanuel has the backing of 58 percent …

Discussion: Politico and Chicago

Michael C Bender / Bloomberg Business:

Jeb Bush's Biggest Weakness May be His Biggest Annoyance — The former Florida governor's family name is both a blessing and a curse. — MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.-Eating a buffet breakfast inside a Brazilian steakhouse about a mile from the waves crashing on South Carolina's coast …

Discussion: FishbowlDC

Jason Silverstein / NY Daily News:

EXCLUSIVE: NYPD investigating video of cop unleashing xenophobic rant on Uber driver (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN VIDEO) — The NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating a video that appears to show a plainclothes cop unleashing a xenophobic rant on an Uber driver during a traffic stop …

Discussion: Raw Story and New York Magazine

Ben Terris / Washington Post:

He's got a 'Downton Abbey'-inspired office, but Rep. Aaron Schock won't talk about it. — The Rayburn House Office Building is a labyrinth of beige offices. — And then, there's . . . Rep. Aaron Schock's new digs. — Bright red walls. A gold-colored wall sconce with black candles.

Discussion: ABC News and OnPolitics

Scott Stump / Today:

Ashton Carter on defeating ISIS, talks with Iran — and Biden's ‘close talking’ at his swearing-in — In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with TODAY's Savannah Guthrie, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter says he's “confident” the United States and its coalition of allies can defeat ISIS, but says the victory could take time.

Discussion: Politico, Daily Mail and New York Magazine

Lawrence Hurley / Reuters:

Supreme Court rejects free speech appeal over Cinco de Mayo school dispute — CBS Local - Officials in Morgan Hill are concerned about protesters converging at Live Oak High School on Cinco de Mayo, after a court upheld the school's decision to discipline students wearing American flag ...more t-shirts.

Discussion: Hot Air and Scared Monkeys

Lawrence Hurley / Reuters:
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Obamacare ‘death panel’ challenge

Discussion: Daily Kos and LifeNews.com

Tina Nguyen / Mediaite:

Andrew Sullivan: I Stopped Blogging Because ‘It Was Killing Me’ — Andrew Sullivan, the man who practically invented blogging and Mediaite's own personal Jesus, revealed in an interview that he'd shut down The Dish because of the emotional tolls of blogging at a grueling pace.

Discussion: Liberaland