Capitol Hill Blue

Is Obama striking a balance between threats and rights?

Forecasting the changing nature of threats against the U.S. for years to come, President Barack…

Doug Thompson

IRS targeting of right-wing: Stupid is as stupid does

When the incredibly-stupid Internal Revenue Service decided to target and harass right-wing groups it rescued the rapidly-fading tea party from sinking in the political obscurity it so richly deserves. In so many ways, it’s hilarious that the IRS thought the tea party and its affiliated organizations were worth scrutiny or…

News

Obama lifts ban on transfer of prisoners from Gitmo to Yemen

President Barack Obama is lifting his self-imposed ban on transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen, where a leadership upheaval has improved the country’s security but not eliminated a terrorist organization…

IRS official who took the fifth before Congress replaced

The Internal Revenue Service official who led the unit that targeted tea party groups and publicly disclosed the activity has been replaced, making her the third top IRS official moved…

Unions not lining up behind Obamacare

When President Barack Obama pushed his health care overhaul plan through Congress, he counted labor unions among his strongest supporters. But some unions leaders have grown frustrated and angry about…

News

Attempts to broaden scandal beyond IRS not working so far

Three days of congressional hearings about the Internal Revenue Service‘s targeting of conservative political groups have lawmakers looking for ways to widen an investigation that has so far been largely…

Obama approval rating remains pretty much the same

The economy is recovering, the White House is dealing with multiple controversies, and President Barack Obama appears generally unaffected either way. Several recent polls show the president sustaining an overall…

Obama’s national security speech looks at drones, Gitmo

President Barack Obama on Thursday is expected to address some of the thornier aspects of national security policy, including drone strikes, the prison at Guantanamo Bay and the dire threats…

House set to vote on varible-rate student loans

House lawmakers are ready to pass legislation that links student loan rates to the financial markets in spite of a veto threat from President Barack Obama. Supported by Republicans, the…

Former IRS boss pleads ignorance on targeting of right-wing groups

The man who led the Internal Revenue Service when it was giving extra scrutiny to tea party and other conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status told Congress on Tuesday that he…

Star witness will take the fifth in IRS hearing

A House committee taking Congress’ latest look at the Internal Revenue Service‘s mistreatment of tea party groups will apparently have to do so without input from the star witness.…

Immigration bill headed to full Senate

A far-reaching bill to remake the nation’s immigration system is headed to the full Senate, where tough battles are brewing on gay marriage, border security and other contentious issues, with…

A Weiner returns to politics to run for New York City Mayor

Two years after resigning from Congress in a lewd photo scandal, former U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner announced in a video message early on Wednesday he is running for New York…

Senior White House aides knew about IRS targeting

White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and other senior advisers knew in late April that an impending report was likely to say the IRS had inappropriately targeted conservative groups,…

Former IRS chief set for grilling on Capitol Hill

Lawmakers are getting their first chance to question the former head of the Internal Revenue Service, the man who ran the agency when agents were improperly targeting tea party groups.…

A muddled history of media probes by government

It was a rare moment in relations between the media and the government: In 2008, FBI Director Robert Mueller called the top editors at The New York Times and The…

Final decisions near on immigration bill

The Senate Judiciary Committee hopes to nail down an elusive compromise on high-tech visas and may punt a controversy over gay marriage to the full Senate as it makes final…

Military sexual abuse victims seek help from VA

More than 85,000 veterans were treated last year for injuries or illness stemming from sexual abuse in the military, and 4,000 sought disability benefits, underscoring the staggering long-term impact of…