Menendez charges put Iran legislation in doubt  —  Sen. Robert Menendez's (N.J.) decision to step aside temporarily as ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee following his indictment on Wednesday could jeopardize Congress's chances of passing Iran legislation.

Indiana Pizza Place — Forced to Close Doors After Refusing to Cater Gay Weddings  —  INDIANA PIZZA PLACE  —  Forced to Close Doors  —  AFTER REFUSING TO CATER GAY WEDDING  —  EXCLUSIVE  —  Memories Pizza — the first Indiana business to declare it would refuse LGBT business …

Exclusive: ‘Religious freedom’ proposal with limited LGBT protections taken to Pence  —  Indiana Republican leaders are vetting the language with business leaders.  —  Indiana Republican leaders are vetting a deal with key business leaders that grants protection for gay and lesbian residents …

DOJ: No contempt charges for former IRS official Lois Lerner  —  The Justice Department will not seek criminal contempt charges against former IRS official Lois Lerner, the central figure in a scandal that erupted over whether the tax agency improperly targeted conservative political groups.

MSNBC ‘Debate’ on Indiana Law: ‘Cut His Mic Off!’  —  The Heritage Foundation's Ryan Anderson (with whom I happen to disagree on same-sex marriage) appeared on Ed Schultz's MSNBC program (cough) last night to discuss Indiana's religious freedom law, and the resulting conversation culminated …

It's time to go, John: The never-ending Iran talks  —  Iranian leaders and aides speak outside after a meeting with Sec. of State John Kerry in Lausanne, Iran.  —  The only remaining leverage the United States has in negotiations with Iran is the central presence at those negotiations of our secretary of state, John Kerry.

Durbin's job in jeopardy?  —  Sen. Dick Durbin's job as Democratic whip is in danger in the absence of a crucial endorsement from New York Sen. Charles Schumer, the incoming Democratic leader, say Senate aides.  —  Democratic aides say Schumer's backing could make or break Durbin's bid …

Boehner in Israel: ‘The world is on fire’  —  JERUSALEM — John Boehner thinks the “world is on fire.”  And America isn't doing nearly enough to stamp it out.  —  The House speaker's decision to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before Congress last month sparked criticism …

California Imposes First Mandatory Water Restrictions to Deal With Drought  —  PHILLIPS, Calif. — Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday ordered mandatory water use reductions for the first time in California's history, saying the state's four-year drought had reached near-crisis proportions after a winter of record-low snowfalls.

With his Iran deal, Barack Obama is for the 300 million souls of the United States what Andreas Lubitz was for the 150 souls on the German Wings flight - a deranged pilot flying his entire nation into the rocks.  After the fact, among the smoldering remains of American cities, the shocked survivors will ask, why did he do it?

Where does Harry Reid draw the line?  My column about Reid and his Mitt Romney tax attack that was killed  —  Now that CNN's Dana Bash has found Harry Reid to be unrepentant about his Mitt Romney tax lies, it's finally time to publish a column I wrote contemporaneously with the Nevada senator's McCarthy …

MSNBC ratings crater as NBC looks for new direction  —  Yes, yes, it's easy to laugh at the travails of MSNBC, but there are some important lessons from its audience collapse.  Deadline Hollywood detailed the destruction yesterday, using a Dickensian motif in comparing MSNBC to Fox.

Two Years Later, You'll Still Be Made to Care  —  In the last twenty-four hours, much of the mainstream media has shown itself perfectly willing to serve as agents of Satan (or should I use Moloch to make you feel better?).  Most of the news anchors, reporters, and opinion writers of the press …