Assault weapons ban loses steam  —  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said on Monday that a controversial assault weapons ban will not be part of a Democratic gun bill that was expected to reach the Senate floor next month.  —  After a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) …

Assassination ‘Joke’ Sheriff Doubles Down, Compares Critics To Nazis  —  Plymouth County, MA Sheriff Joe McDonald (R)  —  A day after ThinkProgress and others reported that Joseph D. McDonald, Jr. (R), Sheriff of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, told a “joke” at a Republican St. Patrick's …

Is the House in Play?  A District-by-District Assessment  —  Three weeks ago, I discussed whether the House is likely to flip control next year by looking at historical trends and “big picture” questions.  Those trends show that the Democrats' task is a challenging one.

The Last Letter  —  A Letter to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney From a Dying Veteran  —  I write this letter on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War on behalf of my fellow Iraq War veterans.  I write this letter on behalf of the 4,488 soldiers and Marines who died in Iraq.

The GOP Faces 2 Stark Choices: Change or Go Over the Cliff  —  As they head into the future, Republicans need to decide whether they will follow the path of hope or the road to ruin.  —  The past 96 hours should provide thinking Republicans both hope and despair about their party's future.

Erica Werner of the Associated Press Reads More Into Rand Paul's Speech Than is There  —  Erica Werner of the Associated Press gives us a textbook example of why talking about immigration in the United States is so hard.  She reads into statements things that are not there.

GOP catfight: Michael Steele calls Reince Priebus ‘numb nuts’ … The catfight between former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele and his replacement, Reince Priebus, has reached screech level, with Steele belittling the party's new focus on minorities as old news.

Cyprus Rejects Bank Deposit Tax, Scuttling Bailout Deal  —  NICOSIA — The Cypriot Parliament rejected an international bailout package on Tuesday that had sought to tax bank depositors to pay a big part of the bill, despite a revision that would have exempted small bank accounts from the levies.

The Progressive Shift  —  There is a statue outside the Department of Labor of a powerful, rambunctious horse being reined in by an extremely muscular man.  This used to be a metaphor for liberalism.  The horse was capitalism.  The man was government, which was needed sometimes to restrain capitalism's excesses.

Scott trails Crist by 12 points  —  Rick Scott's approval numbers have seen no improvement over the last two months, even after his decision to allow Medicaid expansion in Florida.  33% of voters continue to approve of the job he's doing to 57% who disapprove.

What ‘Lean In’ Misunderstands About Gender Differences  —  There is much to admire in Sheryl Sandberg's book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.  It is full of funny stories about her brilliant career and helpful advice for workplace success.  As former chief of staff …

Houston-Area Tea Party Leader Had Ties to Fascist Party … As recently as 2003, the president of the Greater Fort Bend County Tea Party had a very different title: director of propaganda for the American Fascist Party.  —  James Ives, a prominent Tea Party activist who has hosted statewide rallies …

Staffers Told Washington Examiner Will Cease Daily Publication  —  Today's layoffs at the Washington Examiner extend beyond the Local section.  Staffers are being told that the paper will cease daily publication in June to become a weekly political magazine and website, according to two sources who attended a meeting about the change.

Paul Ryan's Ax Isn't Sharp Enough  —  THE latest budget proposal by Representative Paul D. Ryan, called “The Path to Prosperity,” is anything but.  It fails to seriously address runaway government spending, the most pressing problem facing our nation.  I cannot vote for something that would trick …

Samsung Preparing Wristwatch as It Races Apple for Sales  —  Turf War: Samsung Races Apple for First Smartwatch  —  Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) is developing a wristwatch as Asia's biggest technology company races against Apple Inc. (AAPL) to create a new industry of wearable devices that perform similar tasks as smartphones.

Israelis to push Obama for release of spy  —  JERUSALEM—When President Barack Obama arrives in Israel on Wednesday, it'll be tough for him to miss the campaign pressing him to release an American-born man convicted of spying for Israel: Jonathan Pollard.  —  As buses carrying …

Supreme Court to release same-day audio of marriage arguments  —  The Supreme Court will release audio recordings on the same day it hears oral arguments over same-sex marriage — a rare step reserved for especially high-profile cases.  —  The court will hear oral arguments next Tuesday …

7 Marines killed during explosion at Nevada's Hawthorne Army Depot  —  An explosion at a military ammunition storage facility in Nevada during a Marine Corps training exercise killed seven U.S. Marines and wounded several others, military officials said.  —  The North Carolina-based soldiers …

Day in the Life: Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.)  —  ITK proudly presents a new semi-regular feature, detailing a day in the life of lawmakers and their staff.  For our premiere piece, Rep. David Schweikert, 51, describes his caffeine- and Twitter-fueled routine that took place on March 12.

Rush Limbaugh: RNC Report Wrong, GOP Didn't Get ‘Landslided’ In 2012, Must Be More Conservative  —  Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh on Monday dismissed a recently released Republican National Committee report that encouraged the party to modernize.  Limbaugh argued instead that the party is not conservative enough.

Voice of Elmo Sued — Allegations of Crystal Meth Sex Parties  —  Sex Parties  —  EXCLUSIVE  —  Kevin Clash, the longtime voice of Elmo, has been sued by a man who claims ... when he was a minor, Clash lured him to engage in lurid, crystal meth sex parties.

Chipotle Cancels Sponsorship of Utah Boy Scouts Event  —  A day after admitting that its sponsorship of the Utah Scout-A-Rama violated its corporate non-discrimination policies, Chipotle told ThinkProgress Tuesday that it has cancelled its support.  —  In an email, company spokesman Chris Arnold wrote:

House GOP grills top Obama immigration official over release of illegal detainees  —  House Republicans grilled the Obama administration's top immigration official on Tuesday for releasing more than 2,000 illegal immigrants from detention facilities.  —  Republicans accused the administration …