Accuse first and ask questions later  —  A third House committee joined the stampede to examine the IRS on Monday, and its chairman did exactly what you would expect somebody to do before launching a fair and impartial investigation: He went on Fox News Channel and implicated the White House.

Scalia Gets It Right  —  The collection of DNA evidence is a powerful crime-control tool, but it also has the potential to lead to greater invasions of privacy.  Today, a bare majority of the Supreme Court held in Maryland v. King that the former considerations should outweigh the latter.

How Christie Can Maximize the G.O.P.'s Chances in New Jersey  —  The death of Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, Democrat of New Jersey, creates a confusing electoral situation in the state.  There are conflicting interpretations of exactly what New Jersey's law requires — whether a special election …

All Good Things...  So it's been a rough month for my family and me.  It's been a rough month for the blog too.  I'm well aware that people come here to read about public affairs, not personal losses.  —  Unfortunately, family and personal matters must claim my attention for some time to come.

Anatomy of a Bogus Obamacare Argument  —  If you want to know why we can't have an honest debate about Obamacare, all you have to do is pay attention to some recent news from California—and the way a highly distorted version of it, by one irresponsible writer, has rippled through the conservative press.

Woman embroiled in Petraeus scandal sues gov't agencies  —  (CNN) - Jill Kelley, the woman described as a “Tampa socialite” who became enmeshed in last year's scandal involving former CIA Director David Petraeus, filed a lawsuit Monday alleging employees of government agencies violated her privacy.

McCarthy diagnosed with lung cancer  —  “There will be some tough days ahead and I will have to miss activities in Washington during my treatment in New York, but I will continue to be a strong advocate for the 4th Congressional District — and I remain committed to improving Long Island's schools …

Don't Trust the Pentagon to End Rape  —  LOS ANGELES — THE Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing today on sexual assault in the military.  This comes after months of revelations of rapes and other violent attacks at military bases and academies.

Obama Plans to Take Action Against Patent-Holding Firms  —  WASHINGTON—The White House on Tuesday plans to announce a set of executive actions President Barack Obama will take that are aimed at reining in certain patent-holding firms, known as “patent trolls” to their detractors …

GOP Report Warns Of Party's Apocalypse With Young Voters  —  The Republican Party's troubles with young voters are well known.  But a new internal report virtually elevates the threat level to apocalyptic, declaring that the GOP needs a “fundamental re-thinking” of its approach in order to remain viable with the younger generation.

On the Brink of a Feud With Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly Backed Down  —  A new book claims he did so on orders from Roger Ailes.  Are conservative critiques of talk radio suppressed?  —  Almost no one remembers Bill O'Reilly's searing attack on Rush Limbaugh-style talk radio hosts in 2008.

Trial Portrays Two Sides Private in WikiLeaks Case  —  FORT MEADE, Md. — The court-martial of Pfc. Bradley Manning, whose secret release of a vast archive of military and diplomatic materials put WikiLeaks into an international spotlight, opened here Monday with dueling portrayals of a traitor …