Rand Paul’s Near 13-Hour Filibuster Receives Mixed Reviews
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid praised Sen. Rand Paul’s stamina and conviction after his nearly 13-hour filibuster, but some of Paul’s Republican colleagues were less than impressed with the Kentuck…
Senator Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat, Won’t Seek Another Term
Roll Call/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, announced Thursday evening that he will not run for reelection in 2014.Levin, 78, said the decision for him was “extremely…
Rand Paul Ends Nearly 13-Hour Filibuster Against John Brennan
Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) — At 12:39 a.m. Eastern time Thursday, Sen. Rand Paul ended his filibuster blocking John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA in protest of the Obama administration’s policy that allows the potential use of dr…
President Obama, GOP Senators Break Bread
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — President Obama and Republican senators had a “good exchange of ideas” Wednesday evening during their roughly two-hour-long dinner at the posh Jefferson Hotel, just blocks from the Whi…
Brennan Confirmation Delayed by Rare Talking Filibuster
Jamie Rhodes/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — With federal offices shut down due to snow and John Brennan poised to be confirmed as CIA Director, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, considered an outspoken libertarian, did plenty of speaking as he engaged in a tr…
Ashley Judd ‘Seriously Considering’ Senate Bid
Mike Coppola/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Actress Ashley Judd is “seriously considering” running for Senate, according to Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear.Beshear, a Democrat, spoke with Judd on the phone last week about her potential Senate bid …
Sen. Kelly Ayotte Keeps Door Open for ‘Big Agreement’ on Budget
ABC News(WASHINGTON) — While the White House and Congress failed to reach an agreement to avoid automatic spending cuts that began taking effect on March 1, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said she is still open to the idea of a “big agreement”…
Obama’s “Jedi Mind Meld” a Sci Fi Faux Pas
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — It had no real bearing on his press conference about the very serious matter of the U.S. deficit and the upcoming sequester, but the President showed himself to be neither committed Trekkie nor St…
Senate Could Question HSBC ‘Too Big To Jail’ Case
C for allegedly helping Mexican drug gangs launder money.The decision not to prosecute HSBC came despite what attorneys there said was compelling evidence that the bank for years helped Mexican drug cartels move cash, concealed transactions involving r…
Upcoming Fiscal Deadline May Prove Helpful in Dealing with Sequester
iStockPhoto/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — As unbelievable as it might seem, yet another fiscal deadline hangs over Washington. Unless Congress agrees to extend funding by March 27, the federal government will shut down, but this latest deadline may actuall…
Politicians Get Heated During Senate Judicial Hearing on Gun Violence
Allison Shelley/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — It was an emotional day on both ends of the spectrum at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence Wednesday. A father of one of the Newtown victims broke down in tears while testifying, and polit…
McConnell: President Is Offering ‘Armageddon or Tax Hikes’ to Avert Sequester
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said President Obama is offering only two options to avert the looming sequestration cuts — “Armageddon or tax hikes.”“Instead of engaging with us, the p…
Senate Finance Committee Votes to Approve Jack Lew’s Nomination
Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — The Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to approve Jack Lew’s nomination for secretary of the Treasury.The approval came with a 19-5 vote. All the “no” votes came from Republican senators — John Cor…
Sens. McCain, Graham to Meet with Obama on Immigration
Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) — President Obama on Tuesday will meet with the two top Republicans who are leading the Senate effort to draft comprehensive immigration reform legislation.Obama will sit down at the White House Tuesday afterno…
Senate Expected to Vote on Hagel Secretary of Defense Nomination
Junko Kimura/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — After a battle lasting nearly two months, characterized by tough interrogation and a partisan divide, lawmakers are expected to confirm President Obama’s nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next secretary of defens…
Boehner Not Blinking in Budget Deadlock
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — With sequestration set to strike on Friday, House Speaker John Boehner returned to the Capitol after a nine-day recess with no apparent change in his political posture: If the $85 billion cuts are…
Obama Enlists Governors to Help Get Sequester Deal
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — With less than five days to prevent $85 billion in sweeping, automatic budget cuts, President Obama Monday asked the nation’s governors to help pressure Congress to compromise on a deal to a…
Will Ashley Judd Challenge Mitch McConnell for Senate?
Mike Coppola/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Actress Ashley Judd is making moves to take on GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.She hasn’t announced it yet, but her biggest supporter in Kentucky, Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth, tells ABC News, “I woul…
Rep. Eliot Engel: The Sequester Is ‘Stupid’
ABC (WASHINGTON) – Speaking Sunday morning on ABC News’ This Week, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-NY, called the automatic spending cuts — also known as the “sequester” — that are scheduled to go into effect on March 1 a &ldquo…
Planned Parenthood TV Ad Hits Senate Minority Leader
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — Planned Parenthood is airing a new TV ad attacking Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.The Kentucky Republican joined a brief with 10 other GOP lawmakers this week supporting the craft chain Ho…