Politics Informer

National Briefing | Washington: Subpoena for Head of Benghazi Panel

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:08:25 +0000

Representative Darrell Issa issued a subpoena to Thomas R. Pickering, a retired diplomat, to force him to appear at a deposition to answer questions about his panel’s report. Full News here – NYT > Politics

link: National Briefing | Washington: Subpoena for Head of Benghazi Panel

On Capitol Hill, Sanford Picks Up Where He Left Off

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:08:25 +0000

Four years after resigning as governor of South Carolina in disgrace, Mark Sanford returned to Washington to be sworn in to the House of Representatives, where he started his political career nearly two decades ago. Full News here – The Caucus

link: On Capitol Hill, Sanford Picks Up Where He Left Off

Bishop Duncan Williams on Ghana 2012 election 1 of 3 – Politics Informer Video

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:03:07 +0000

link: Bishop Duncan Williams on Ghana 2012 election 1 of 3 – Politics Informer Video

Bill Maher On IRS Scandal: “Is It Unreasonable To Target An Anti-Tax Group?”

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:01:10 +0000

BILL MAHER, HOST: I know it's wrong. Is it unreasonable to target an anti-tax group? This is after all a group that named itself after a tax revolt that wants to abolish the IRS. It's like when a cop gets shot, the cops kind of take that personally. ### BILL MAHER: This is also a [...]

link: Bill Maher On IRS Scandal: “Is It Unreasonable To Target An Anti-Tax Group?”

‘We could lose everything’: Tea Party groups prepare to sue IRS

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:08:25 +0000

Jay Devereaux hadn’t paid much attention to the daily drumbeat of partisan politics in D.C. He wasn’t a Washington nerd, didn’t know who said what during congressional hearings nor did he care. But when news broke that the government was using taxpayer money to bail out big Wall Street banks, he started paying attention and [...]

link: ‘We could lose everything’: Tea Party groups prepare to sue IRS

Obama: IRS report’s findings ‘intolerable and inexcusable’

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 08:01:13 +0000

First Read: The IRS acted in an “intolerable and inexcusable” manner in singling out conservative advocacy groups for extra scrutiny, President Barack Obama said Tuesday evening in a statement about the emerging controversy. Full News here – NBCNews.com: Inauguration Day

link: Obama: IRS report’s findings ‘intolerable and inexcusable’

No Debt Showdown Before Labor Day

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:08:33 +0000

The U.S. government will bump up against the federal borrowing limit this weekend, though a series of emergency steps will allow it to continue paying all of the nation’s bills until after Labor Day, the Treasury secretary said. Full News here – WSJ.com: Politics And Policy

link: No Debt Showdown Before Labor Day

IRS asked anti-abortion group about content of public prayers

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:01:17 +0000

While applying with the Internal Revenue Service for tax-exempt status in 2009, an Iowa-based anti-abortion group was asked to provide information about its members’ prayer meetings, documents sent by an IRS official to the organization reveal. On June 22, 2009, the Coalition for Life of Iowa received a letter from the IRS office in Cincinnati, [...]

link: IRS asked anti-abortion group about content of public prayers

Mitt Romney Talks AP, IRS, Benghazi On “Tonight Show” With Leno, Says “I’m Not A Fan Of The President”

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:08:29 +0000

Former Gov. Mitt Romney, the Republican party's presidential nominee in 2012, received large applause as he was introduced on Friday's broadcast of The Tonight Show by host Jay Leno in his first appearance on the late night show since he lost to President Barack Obama in November. Leno asked Romney about the Obama administration's scandal-plagued [...]

link: Mitt Romney Talks AP, IRS, Benghazi On “Tonight Show” With Leno, Says “I’m Not A Fan Of The President”

IRS Timeline: What We Know So Far

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:01:13 +0000

There are still plenty of unanswered questions about how Internal Revenue Service agents in Cincinnati started targeting certain groups applying for tax-exempt status, like who first issued the directive to start looking for “tea party” groups. But testimony Friday by acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller and IRS watchdog J. Russell George filled in some blanks. [...]

link: IRS Timeline: What We Know So Far

Obama message gets sidetracked

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:09:28 +0000

First Read: The president has been trying to press messages on health care implementation and the economy but controversies have obscured him. Full News here – NBCNews.com: Inauguration Day

link: Obama message gets sidetracked

Michelle Obama urges grads to be ‘an example of excellence’

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:01:09 +0000

First Read: Addressing graduates at a historically black college in Maryland Friday, First Lady Michelle Obama urged students to “be an example of excellence to the next generation” in a time when popular culture dominates the ambitions of young African-Americans. Full News here – NBCNews.com: More politics

link: Michelle Obama urges grads to be ‘an example of excellence’

FEC Fines Ensign Family

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:08:40 +0000

The Federal Election Commission has fined former Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) and his parents $ 54,000 for improper severance payments to Cindy Hampton, a former campaign aide who had an extramarital affair with the Nevada Republican, Politico reports. “Doug Hampton, Cindy Hampton’s husband, was deputy chief of staff in Ensign’s Senate office at that time, [...]

link: FEC Fines Ensign Family

Gawker Crackstarter

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:01:11 +0000

Gawker is trying to raise $ 200,000 to buy the video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine so they can publish it online. Full News here – Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire

link: Gawker Crackstarter

Krauthammer On IRS Commissioner: “You’ve Got To Be A Knave Or A Fool To Say That And An Idiot To Believe It”

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:08:41 +0000

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: The testimony from [Steven] Miller comes under the category of 'how stupid do you think we are?' Here's a guy who said that the IRS openly discriminated against groups on the basis of their politics, but the action was not a political action. It was instead an attempt at efficiency. You've got to [...]

link: Krauthammer On IRS Commissioner: “You’ve Got To Be A Knave Or A Fool To Say That And An Idiot To Believe It”

Capping week of scandal management, Obama says focus remains on jobs

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:02:29 +0000

First Read: It hasn’t been a fun week in the West Wing, but President Barack Obama insisted Friday that his focus remains on job creation despite Washington’s tendency to get “distracted” by political battles. Full News here – NBCNews.com: More politics

link: Capping week of scandal management, Obama says focus remains on jobs

U.S. Opens Door to More Gas Exports

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:09:30 +0000

The Obama administration cleared the way for broader natural-gas exports by approving a $ 10 billion facility in Texas, a milestone in the U.S. transition into a major supplier of energy for world markets. Full News here – WSJ.com: Politics And Policy

link: U.S. Opens Door to More Gas Exports

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:01:32 +0000

“For me personally, it has been a good week.” – White House press secretary Jay Carney, quoted by the New York Times, on being in the hot seat over the controversies swirling around the administration. Full News here – Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire

link: Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

Republicans Should Go Easy on Obama

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:08:26 +0000

Charlie Cook, National JournalWith the newest controversy over Justice Department subpoenas of Associated Press reporters’ and editors’ telephone records, President Obama and his administration find themselves drawing fire from three different directions. Last week’s stories indicating that the Internal Revenue Service targeted tea-party groups and other conservative organizations for investigation sent a shiver down the [...]

link: Republicans Should Go Easy on Obama

Congressional Hearings on I.R.S. Scandal Begin

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:01:15 +0000

The Treasury Department’s inspector general testified that he had informed senior officials of an audit of the agency’s treatment of applications for exemptions. Full News here – NYT > Politics

link: Congressional Hearings on I.R.S. Scandal Begin

Labor nominee wins committee OK but faces uncertain future

Politics Informer — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:02:11 +0000

On party-line vote, a Senate committee Thursday approved President Barack Obama’s nomination of Thomas Perez to head the Department of Labor. Full News here – NBCNews.com: Capitol Hill

link: Labor nominee wins committee OK but faces uncertain future

Issa issues subpoena to Benghazi review board leader

Politics Informer — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:09:50 +0000

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa has issued a subpoena to depose the ambassador charged with leading the review of the attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans. Full News here – NBCNews.com: Capitol Hill

link: Issa issues subpoena to Benghazi review board leader

Obama’s Budget Would Cut $1 Trillion From Deficit

Politics Informer — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:02:06 +0000

The plan includes limiting the deductions and exclusions high-income families can claim, increasing taxes on tobacco products and adopting a new minimum tax on income over $ 1 million. Full News here – NYT > Politics

link: Obama’s Budget Would Cut $1 Trillion From Deficit

Christie Says It Would Have Been Political Not to Appear in Ads

Politics Informer — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:08:32 +0000

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) “defended his starring role in publicly funded tourism ads that Democrats say gives him an unfair advantage in the race for governor,” the Newark Star Ledger reports. Said Christie: “I don’t see any advantage due or undue to me. I’m doing my job and if I was unwilling to [...]

link: Christie Says It Would Have Been Political Not to Appear in Ads

Mitt Romney To Fox: ‘It Kills Me’ To Not Be President – Politics Informer Video

Politics Informer — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:03:26 +0000

Mitt Romney To Fox: ‘It Kills Me’ To Not Be President. Obama Is Still ‘Campaigning. Mitt Romney opened up to Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace about his presid… Video Rating: 3 / 5

link: Mitt Romney To Fox: ‘It Kills Me’ To Not Be President – Politics Informer Video