memeorandum: Ethics issues tarnish congressional image (John Bresnahan/Politico)

3:00 AM ET, February 13, 2012

Top Items:

BBC:

Greek MPs pass austerity plan amid violent protests — The BBC's Mark Lowen: “It was some of the worst violence Athens had seen for months” — Greece's parliament has passed a controversial package of austerity measures, demanded by the eurozone and IMF in return for a 130bn-euro ($170bn; £110bn) bailout to avoid default.

Discussion: naked capitalism and Suburban Guerrilla

Reuters:

Greek lawmakers pass austerity bill as Athens burns — (Reuters) - Greece's parliament approved a deeply unpopular austerity bill Monday to secure a second EU/IMF bailout and avoid national bankruptcy, as buildings burned across central Athens and violence spread around the country.

Discussion: Power Line and The Raw Story

New York Times:

Greek Parliament Passes Austerity Plan as Riots Rage — ATHENS — After violent protests left dozens of buildings aflame in Athens, the Greek Parliament voted early on Monday to approve a package of harsh austerity measures demanded by the country's foreign lenders in exchange for new loans to keep Greece from defaulting on its debt.

Discussion: Mish's Global Economic …, Guardian, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Runnin' Scared and The Raw Story

Sahil Kapur / tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPMDC — McConnell: GOP Will Fight To Let ANY Employer Deny Birth Control Coverage — Not satisfied with President Obama's new religious accommodation, Republicans will move forward with legislation by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) that permits any employer to deny birth control coverage …

Discussion: Crooked Timber, The New Republic, CBS News, Democracy in America, TBogg, Daily Kos, Brad DeLong, The Reality-Based Community, Balloon Juice, The Moderate Voice and Washington Monthly

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs:

Now the GOP Wants to Permit Any Employer to Deny Contraception Coverage — The Republican Party's descent into Dark Ages misogyny continues; now Mitch McConnell, sensing that the GOP is on a reactionary roll, is planning to introduce legislation to let any employer deny contraception coverage.

Tucker Carlson / The Daily Caller:

Inside Media Matters: Sources, memos reveal erratic behavior, close coordination with White House and news organizations — This is the first in a Daily Caller investigative series on Media Matters For America. Daily Caller reporters Alex Pappas and Will Rahn contributed to this report.

Discussion: TBogg, Atlas Shrugs and FishbowlDC

Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:

Rep. Ron Paul not conceding Maine vote — Rep. Ron Paul is not conceding the GOP's Maine caucuses, which state party officials and major networks called Saturday for rival Mitt Romney. — With 84 percent of precincts reporting, Romney has 39 percent to Paul's 36 percent …

Discussion: The Raw Story and Blue Mass Group

Josh Lederman / The Hill:

Santorum suggests Romney may have rigged CPAC poll — Rick Santorum suggested on Sunday that Mitt Romney's campaign may have rigged a straw poll of conservative activists by paying the entrance fee for supporters. — Romney beat Santorum by 7 points Saturday in a straw poll of almost 3,500 attendees …

Discussion: Politico, The Huffington Post, Politics, Liberal Values, The Impolitic, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Moderate Voice, The Political Carnival, The Other McCain, Ballot Box and Weasel Zippers

Glenn Thrush / Politico:
Santorum suggests Romney rigged CPAC vote

Discussion: American Spectator and Outside the Beltway

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs:

Fox News Commenters Respond to Whitney Houston's Death With Deluge of Hatred and Racism — I don't even know what to say about this any more. There's a real sickness running rampant in the right wing; the Fox News comment thread on Whitney Houston's death is yet another disgusting deluge …

Fox News:
Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

Discussion: The Other McCain

John Bresnahan / Politico:

Ethics issues tarnish congressional image — The 112th Congress is the most unpopular ever, but is it the most corrupt? — The dire headlines about bad behavior by members of Congress are everywhere: At least a dozen House members are under investigation for ethical or potential criminal charges …

Discussion: The Page

Trip Gabriel / New York Times:

Gingrich Money Hunt Faces Obstacles — Newt Gingrich recently joined Gov. Rick Perry of Texas on a conference call with more than 50 “bundlers” who had powered Mr. Perry's formidable campaign-cash machine. — Mr. Perry asked his top financial rainmakers to raise money for Mr. Gingrich …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

ABCNEWS:

‘This Week’ Transcript: Jack Lew, Paul Ryan and Rick Santorum — Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum on “This Week” (ABC News) — STEPHANOPOULOS: Good morning, everyone. Many of you have been following that breaking news overnight that the singer, Whitney Houston, died yesterday in Los Angeles.

Discussion: Althouse and Washington Post

Leigh Ann Caldwell / CBS News:
W.H. official: Contraceptive rule stands

Discussion: CNS Blog, US Politics, Brilliant at Breakfast and Washington Wire

Laurie Goodstein / New York Times:
Bishops Reject White House's New Plan on Contraception

Discussion: The Hill, Towleroad News #gay, The Daily Beast, Blue Mass Group, Feministe, The Moderate Voice, ThinkProgress and Hullabaloo

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:

We Need a Second Party — WATCHING the Republican Party struggling to agree on a presidential candidate, one wonders whether the G.O.P. shouldn't just sit this election out — just give 2012 a pass. — You know how in Scrabble sometimes you look at your seven letters and you've got only vowels that spell nothing?

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Daily Kos

Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
Election 2012: Republicans united on goal — beat Obama — divided on how to get there

Discussion: State of the Union, Washington Monthly and Los Angeles Times

Tara Brady / Daily Mail:

'Do not follow me down the road to jihad. Go and get a good education in the West': Osama Bin Laden's extraordinary instructions to his young children — Osama Bin Laden told his children to live peacefully in the West where they would get a good education, his brother-in-law has revealed.

Discussion: Don Surber, BLACKFIVE and Jihad Watch