President Obama's Dragnet  —  Within hours of the disclosure that the federal authorities routinely collect data on phone calls Americans make, regardless of whether they have any bearing on a counterterrorism investigation, the Obama administration issued the same platitude it has offered every …

Christie Picks Chiesa, New Jersey's Attorney General, to Be Interim Senator  —  Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey on Thursday announced the appointment of Jeffrey S. Chiesa, the state's attorney general, to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Frank R. Lautenberg.

Manhunt over, Deval Patrick tied one on  —  Candid gov discusses attacks  —  By:  —  Gov. Deval Patrick gave a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the horrific days after the Boston Marathon bombings, telling employees at a Cambridge marketing firm yesterday he got “quite drunk” the day after the intense manhunt finally ended.

In Gay Marriage Debate, Both Supporters and Opponents See Legal Recognition as ‘Inevitable’  —  OVERVIEW  —  As support for gay marriage continues to increase, nearly three-quarters of Americans - 72% - say that legal recognition of same-sex marriage is “inevitable.”

Report Says IRS Approved Tax-Exempt Status For Twice as Many Conservative Groups as Liberal Groups  —  Here's an interesting tidbit from the newsletter Tax Notes.  As we all know by now, the IRS applies extra scrutiny to a group applying for tax-exempt status if it suspects the group is political in nature.

House votes to defund Obama's ‘administrative amnesty’ for immigrants  —  The House voted Thursday morning to defund President Obama's orders that allow officials to focus deportation efforts on illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes.  —  Republicans have argued that these orders amount …

Grand Bargain Loses Center For American Progress Support In Major Blow To Austerity  —  WASHINGTON — The Center for American Progress, a pillar of the Democratic establishment in Washington is walking away from the broad negotiations aimed at reaching a “grand bargain,” …

Health care law's unpopularity reaches new highs  —  President Barack Obama's signature health care reform law remains unpopular with the American public just months before it fully goes into effect, according to the new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.  —  The poll shows 49 percent …

Jury acquits escort shooter  —  Ezekiel Gilbert denied he meant to kill Craigslist escort.  —  A Bexar County jury on Wednesday acquitted Ezekiel Gilbert of murder in the death of a 23-year-old Craigslist escort.  —  Gilbert, 30, embraced defense attorneys Bobby Barrera and Roy Barrera Sr …

GOP to Darrell Issa: Cool it  —  Shortly after Darrell Issa dubbed Jay Carney a “paid liar” on CNN last Sunday, House Republican leadership staffers called the California Republican's aides with a message: Cool it.  —  Issa's aides promptly responded: The remark was over the top, they agreed …

‘War on women’ returns  —  Still, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is cooking up state-by-state releases calling on possible GOP Senate candidates to condemn remarks from GOP leaders.  —  “These comments make Todd Akin look moderate.  Republicans have offended women across the country,” said DSCC spokeswoman Regan Page.

Kirk to Eric Holder: Is DOJ spying on Congress? … Attorney General Eric Holder refused to answer when asked if the Justice Department is spying on Members of Congress, citing the need for a classified conversation, which lawmakers accepted while asking him to make sure that evidence of such surveillance is not destroyed.

Mass. pair sues New York Post over Marathon bombing portrayal  —  A Massachusetts teenager and his 24-year-old friend filed a defamation lawsuit against the New York Post Wednesday in Boston, accusing the tabloid of falsely portraying them as suspects in the deadly Marathon bombings by plastering …

Atheist Chaplains Would Call Fallen Soldiers ‘Worm Food,’ GOP Congressman Says (VIDEO)  —  WASHINGTON — There are no atheists in foxholes, the saying goes.  Republicans in Congress don't want them in the military chaplain corps, either.  —  That's after New Jersey Democratic …