Can Martin O'Malley take flight?  —  The former Maryland governor wants to seize Elizabeth Warren's mantle and take on Hillary too.  Problem is almost no one knows him.  —  Lead image by Greg Kahn for Politico Magazine.  —  BALTIMORE—Martin O'Malley grins gamely when I ask him why there isn't yet a …

House Dem: Left has ‘hijacked’ party message  —  Rep. John Delaney (Md.), a centrist House Democrat, on Friday warned that voices on the left have “hijacked” his party's message.  —  “With Washington already broken, the last thing we need is a left-wing version of the tea party,” …

Exclusive: Rand Paul: ‘I will force the expiration’ of the PATRIOT Act  —  In a statement to POLITICO, Paul warns that he would not consent to any efforts to pass either an extension of current law or the USA Freedom Act.  —  Rand Paul plans to force the expiration of the PATRIOT Act Sunday …

Open carry will soon be the law in Texas … AUSTIN - Texas will soon be an open carry state.  —  The state House and Senate on Friday gave final approval to the legislation, which starting on Jan. 1 will allow those with a concealed carry license to openly tote their handguns in a shoulder or hip holster.

If I understand the history correctly, in the late 1990s, the President was impeached for lying about a sexual affair by a House of Representatives led by a man who was also then hiding a sexual affair, who was supposed to be replaced by another Congressman who stepped down when forced to reveal …

Disney Not Moving Forward With ‘Tron 3’ (Exclusive)  —  The third installment was to be directed by Joseph Kosinski and see the return of stars Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund.  —  Tron 3 won't be coming to a theater near you.  —  Disney has chosen not to move forward with a third installment in the sci-fi series, sources say.

Cops: Teacher Showed Pupils Boob Job Pix  —  Virginia educator, 34, is being probed over before/after photos  —  Police are investigating a Virginia high school teacher who allegedly showed several students before and after photos of her breast enlargement surgery, according to a court filing.

To Fill Budget Hole, Kansas G.O.P. Considers the Unthinkable: Raising Taxes  —  TOPEKA, Kan. — With the state facing a $400 million budget hole for the coming fiscal year, the conservatives who dominate the Legislature here say they are agonizing over the likelihood of doing something …

U.S. Removes Cuba From State-Sponsored Terrorism List  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Friday removed Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, a crucial step in normalizing ties between Washington and Havana and the latest progress in President Obama's push to thaw relations between …

Christian beheads jihadist in Syria revenge killing: monitor  —  AFP - The Islamic State jihadist group launched an assault on the largely Kurdish city of Hasakeh in northeast Syria on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said  —  A Syrian Christian fighter has beheaded an Islamic State group …

Longmont valedictorian silenced over speech disclosing he was gay  —  Twin Peaks charter principal also accused of outing 18-year-old to his parents  —  Second shot at a speech  —  Out Boulder is providing an opportunity for Twin Peaks Charter Academy High School valedictorian Evan Young …

How Dennis Hastert made his millions  —  The former House speaker hauled in money from lobbying, real estate, a board membership and pensions.  —  Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who was indicted Thursday for allegedly covering up the withdrawal of $1.7 million in hush money …