As the Latest Christie Story Evolved, The Times Should Have Noted a Change  —  In the digital age, news evolves before our very eyes.  A story breaks and goes online with perhaps a few rough paragraphs.  Soon after, more details are added, new angles explored and writing is tuned up.

First on CNN: Conservative group pushes to topple GOP leaders in Congress  —  Washington (CNN) - A conservative group is launching a new campaign which calls on “the GOP leadership in both the House and the Senate to step aside.”  —  ForAmerica told CNN that it's putting six figures behind its …

Bridget Kelly invokes Fifth Amendment, declines to produce subpoenaed documents  —  Governor Christie's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Kelly, will not turn over documents in response to a legislative subpoena, her lawyer said Monday, making her the second person to invoke constitutional protections against self-incrimination.

Big Tech puts ‘down payment’ on connecting schools  —  Private companies are getting behind President Barack Obama's new push for increased access to high-speed Internet access and technology — to the tune of what they say is more than $750 million in services, training and hardware.

Trick Websites Dupe Democrats Into Donating To Republicans  —  The National Republican Congressional Committee has set up a number of websites that look like they could be a Democratic candidate's campaign page, unless you read the fine print.  They may even violate a Federal Election Commission regulation …

Sandra Fluke files in California for congressional bid  —  Women's rights activist Sandra Fluke appears to be moving forward with a run for Congress.  —  Fluke has filed with the California state Democratic Party to seek its endorsement in the race for retiring Rep. Henry Waxman's (D-Calif.) …

Mississippi Most Religious State, Vermont Least Religious  —  Average religiousness of states continues to range widely  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Religiousness across the U.S. in 2013 remained similar to previous years.  With 61% of its residents classified as very religious …

Carper: US should ‘lead way’ in Bitcoin regulation  —  Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) called on the U.S. to “lead the way” on regulation of Bitcoin after a new study found most countries do not have rules in place to address virtual currencies.  —  “The United States may not be as far behind …

California man points gun at Girl Scout at his door to sell cookies  —  A California man was taken into custody over the weekend after he allegedly pulled a gun on a young Girl Scout who was selling cookies.  —  A press release from the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner's office that the father of the girl …

Olson and Boies, Legal Duo, Seek Role in 2 Cases on Gay Marriage  —  WASHINGTON — Theodore B. Olson and David Boies, the star legal duo who defied skeptics by successfully challenging California's ban on same-sex marriage, are seeking to play a central role in the next round of marriage cases …

What accounts for declining abortion rates?  —  “The abortion rate in the United States dropped to its lowest point since the Supreme Court legalized the procedure in all 50 states, according to a study suggesting that new, long-acting contraceptive methods are having a significant impact …

The Case for Socialized Law  —  Inequality has bent American justice.  Here's a radical way to fix it.  —  Maintain and refine, maintain and refine.  That's how progressives talk about the welfare state these days.  After nearly a century of expanding government with programs like Social Security …

Ted Cruz makes nice  —  At a GOP lunch last week, Sen. John McCain noted that “some crazy guy from Texas” stormed out during President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.  —  “Hey,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz chimed in, “I didn't walk out of the State of the Union.”  —  The packed room erupted in laughter.

Cancer ‘tidal wave’ on horizon, warns WHO  —  The globe is facing a “tidal wave” of cancer, and restrictions on alcohol and sugar need to be considered, say World Health Organization scientists.  —  It predicts the number of cancer cases will reach 24 million a year by 2035, but half could be prevented.

State police cite 44 for trespassing after ‘Add the Words’ protest blocks Senate  —  Frustrated after eight years of rejection, a group of Add the Words supporters blocked the entrance to the Idaho State Senate chamber at the Capitol in Boise Monday morning.

Karzai Arranged Secret Contacts With the Taliban  —  KABUL, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has been engaged in secret contacts with the Taliban about reaching a peace agreement without the involvement of his American and Western allies, further corroding already strained relations with the United States.

Congress Took More Free Trips in 2013 Than in Any Year Since the Abramoff Reforms  —  The tally: 1,887 trips at a cost of $6 million, new data from LegiStorm shows.  —  Members of Congress and their aides took more free trips around the world in 2013 than in any year since new restrictions …

Rob Andrews to retire  —  Longtime New Jersey Rep. Rob Andrews will announce that he is leaving Congress, according to multiple senior Democrats.  —  Andrews has represented the heavily Democratic Philadelphia area suburbs since 1990.  —  Andrews has been under investigation …

Obamacare will reduce incomes of most Americans  —  BARACK OBAMA OBAMACARE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BROOKINGS INSTITUTION ENTITLEMENTS  —  There's no doubt the Affordable Care Act will redistribute wealth in America.  People at the top of the income ladder will pay more; people at the bottom will benefit.

Obama Aides Doubt Clinton Strategy  —  “She doesn't need this,” says Benenson.  —  Mike Theiler / Reuters  —  Top advisers and former aides to Barack Obama say Hillary Clinton is repeating the mistakes she made in 2008, building a machine in lieu of a message and lumbering toward …

Scenes from the GOP Civil War  —  Republicans are supporting Democratic colleagues' Senate candidacies, while others, like Barry Goldwater, Jr., are embracing subsidies for clean energy—all small steps across old battle lines.  —  The U.S. Senate is a clubby place, so it shouldn't be all that surprising …