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Full coverage of Congress, including the House of Represenatives and the U.S. Senate. The Washington Post and washingtonpost.com provide analysis of Capitol Hill.
Updated: 9 min 49 sec ago
Rangel says colleagues who similarly sought donations were not punished
Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) has chosen a less-than-collegial defense to charges that he violated House ethics rules when he asked corporate donors with legislative interests to give to an academic center bearing his name.
Charles B. Rangel - Democratic - United States Congress - United States House Committee on Ways and Means - Republican Party
Charles B. Rangel - Democratic - United States Congress - United States House Committee on Ways and Means - Republican Party
Categories: News
Wyly brothers built an empire side-by-side
Born during the Depression in a northeast Louisiana plantation town of 3,000, Charles Wyly and his younger brother Sam have been inseparable since childhood: numbers 3 and 13 on the state-championship high school football team , business partners who turned ideas into billion-dollar companies,...
Sam Wyly - United States - U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission - California - History
Sam Wyly - United States - U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission - California - History
Categories: News
Maxine Waters will go to trial rather than settling potential ethics charges
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) has decided against settling potential House ethics charges for her role in helping to steer federal funds to a bank, choosing instead to proceed to a trial, a source familiar with the process said Friday night.
United States - House of Representatives - Democratic - Government - Legislative Branch
United States - House of Representatives - Democratic - Government - Legislative Branch
Categories: News
SEC charges billionaire Texas brothers who donate to GOP with fraud
Sam and Charles Wyly, billionaire Texas brothers who gained prominence spending millions of dollars on conservative political causes, committed fraud by using secret overseas accounts to generate more than $550 million in profit through illegal stock trades, the Securities and Exchange Commission...
Fraud - Business - Allegedly Unethical Firms - One Complainant - Articles
Fraud - Business - Allegedly Unethical Firms - One Complainant - Articles
Categories: News
Republicans continue Senate filibuster of small-business bill, stymie Democrats
In a fresh blow to President Obama's jobs agenda, the Senate on Thursday shelved a plan to create a $30 billion loan fund for cash-strapped small businesses, delaying final passage of a top administration priority until September at the earliest.
Filibuster - Senate - United States - Government - Legislative Branch
Filibuster - Senate - United States - Government - Legislative Branch
Categories: News
Democrat Rangel charged with 13 ethics violations
The House ethics committee charged Rep. Charles B. Rangel with 13 separate violations of House rules Thursday, saying his various financial dealings broke the "public trust." The long-awaited release of the charges against Rangel at an afternoon hearing was the first formal step toward a possible...
United States - Business - Products and Services - Healthcare - Disability
United States - Business - Products and Services - Healthcare - Disability
Categories: News
Unusual bunch of foes to postal rate increase unites as Affordable Mail Alliance
By the time the U.S. Postal Service announced plans to raise rates earlier this month, an unusual alliance of customers was in place to oppose it.
Categories: News
Small businesses emerge as big campaign issue for Democrats and Republicans
As President Obama and his adversaries look for winning themes in the run-up to the November congressional election, both sides are noisily clamoring to prove their support for a critical constituency: America's small-business owners.
Small business - United States - Democratic - Business - Politics
Small business - United States - Democratic - Business - Politics
Categories: News
Obama to sign bill targeting violent crime on Indian reservations
A measure designed to ease stubbornly high rates of violent crime, including rape and sexual assault, within Indian reservations will be signed into law by President Obama on Thursday.
Crime - United States - President - Research - Barack Obama
Crime - United States - President - Research - Barack Obama
Categories: News
Some senators expected to block Postal Service's proposal to limit mail delivery
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said Wednesday that senators who oversee the U.S. Postal Service's budget will block a proposal by the head of that agency to drop Saturday mail delivery.
United States Postal Service - United States - Postal Service - Government - Mail
United States Postal Service - United States - Postal Service - Government - Mail
Categories: News
Charlie Rangel, falling with grace
The moment Charlie Rangel walked into the ballroom for a luncheon with the National Urban League on Wednesday, he was surrounded by reporters and cameras.
Charlie Rangel - Democratic - Charles B. Rangel - Television - Ethics
Charlie Rangel - Democratic - Charles B. Rangel - Television - Ethics
Categories: News
2010 likely to bring more negative campaign ads than ever, analyst says
It's getting ugly out there. In Florida, Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek unveiled his first TV ad Monday, a disco-themed portrait of primary opponent Jeff Greene as a billionaire carpetbagger and Wall Street hustler who "helped to fuel the economic meltdown." Brad Ellsworth also rolled ...
Negative campaigning - Politics - Campaigns and Elections - Election Reform - Republican
Negative campaigning - Politics - Campaigns and Elections - Election Reform - Republican
Categories: News
DNC plan tries to tie Republican Party to fringe 'tea party' elements
Democratic leaders unveiled a plan Wednesday to link the Republican Party to some of the most extreme elements of the "tea party" movement, seeking to define all GOP candidates as outside the mainstream by highlighting such tea party talking points as ending Medicare and privatizing Social Security.
Republican - Democratic National Committee - United States - Politics - Parties
Republican - Democratic National Committee - United States - Politics - Parties
Categories: News
FBI director says Justice Dept. is investigating possible exam violations
The Justice Department's inspector general is investigating whether hundreds of FBI agents violated rules in taking a 2009 exam meant to ensure that they could follow aggressive investigative guidelines without intruding on Americans' privacy rights, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III acknowledge...
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Robert Mueller - United States Department of Justice - United States - Government
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Robert Mueller - United States Department of Justice - United States - Government
Categories: News
Jim Traficant's trying times of 2002 could be repeated for Rep. Charles Rangel
The last time a congressman was put on trial before his congressional peers, he showed up late for his hearing, accused investigators of faking evidence and cracked lame jokes to break the tension.
James Traficant - United States - Charles B. Rangel - Government - US House of Representatives
James Traficant - United States - Charles B. Rangel - Government - US House of Representatives
Categories: News
Bill on political ad disclosures falls a little short in Senate
Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked legislation requiring fuller disclosure of the money behind political advertising, derailing a major White House initiative and virtually ensuring an onslaught of attack ads during this year's midterm election season.
Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate - United States - Government - Senate - Legislative Branch
Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate - United States - Government - Senate - Legislative Branch
Categories: News
House approves $37 billion war-funding bill
The House on Tuesday approved spending an additional $37 billion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, overcoming the opposition of some Democrats who have concluded that the Afghan conflict is unwinnable.
Iraq War - Iraq - Warfare and Conflict - War in Afghanistan - United States
Iraq War - Iraq - Warfare and Conflict - War in Afghanistan - United States
Categories: News
Kerry's lonely push on climate change
He fell just short of winning the White House in 2004. Four years later, he was rumored to be a leading contender to be secretary of state, until President-elect Barack Obama stunned everyone by tapping his former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Climate change - Environment - John Kerry - Joe Lieberman - Activism
Climate change - Environment - John Kerry - Joe Lieberman - Activism
Categories: News
WikiLeaks documents cause little concern over public perception of war
The Obama administration and its allies in Congress sought Monday to turn the leak of more than 91,000 classified documents about operations in Afghanistan into an affirmation of the president's decision to shift strategy and boost troop levels in the nearly nine-year-long war.
Wikileaks - History - Twentieth Century - Wars and Conflicts - World War I
Wikileaks - History - Twentieth Century - Wars and Conflicts - World War I
Categories: News
Quote:
"The only thing wrong with the democratic process is the failure to use it."
- Seymour Graubard
Did You Know?
From 1996 - 2005, for households earning more than $130,000, the cost of health coverage increased from 2.6 percent of total income to 3.3 percent. While households earning below $27,300, already paying an incredible 14 percent of total income for health coverage, saw their costs rise to 20 percent.
Source: The McKinsey Quarterly
By The Way...
| 36 | have been accused of spousal abuse. | |
| 7 | have been arrested for fraud. | |
| 19 | have been accused of writing bad checks. | |
| 117 | have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses. | |
| 3 | have done time for assault. | |
| 71 | cannot get a credit card due to bad credit. | |
| 14 | have been arrested on drug-related charges. | |
| 8 | have been arrested for shoplifting. | |
| 21 | currently are defendants in lawsuits. | |
| 84 | have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year. | |
| NBA or NFL? | ||
| Neither. | ||
| It's the 535 members of the United States Congress! | ||
Barack Obama Accepts the Democratic Party Nomination
News
LINKS
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A Quiet End for Boys Choir of Harlem
Michael Moore: America's Teacher
Top Obama Fundraisers Get Jobs
F.D.I.C. Chief Criticizes Reform Plan
Federal Researchers Find Lower Standards in Schools
The State of Financial Reform: Banks Have Too Much Leeway
Small Business Faces Sharp Rise in Costs of Health Care
Senate Global Warming Bill Is Seeking to Cushion the Impact on Industry
Big Lessons From a Little Bank You've Never Heard Of
Nationalizing The Banking System
Making The Public Into A Political Force
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