Ex-freshman, Veteran Kingpin Equal Democratic Woes

March 11th, 2010
House of Representatives | Be the First to Comment


But now, Republicans - looking for any opening to regain control of the House - are portraying newly resigned first-termer Eric Massa and veteran Charles Rangel as dual symbols of Democratic ethical misconduct.
Theres no connection between Rangels violation of House gift rules - as reported by the House ethics committee - and the ethics panels [...]


Ap-gfk Poll: Obama More Popular Than Congress

March 10th, 2010
Congress | Be the First to Comment


The latest Associated Press-GfK poll found that fewer people approve of Congress than at any point in Obamas presidency. Support has dropped significantly since January to a dismal 22 percent as the health care debate has roiled Capitol Hill. Neither Republicans nor Democrats are safe; half of all people say they want to fire their [...]


Fact Check: Lawmaker Resigns Amid Changing Stories

March 10th, 2010
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Its the latest claim in a changing stream of explanations that have propelled him from a relatively obscure Democratic lawmaker to darling of conservative talk show hosts.
But his explanation leaves out a key fact: The decision and timing of his resignation were Massas alone.
Massa could have stayed in Congress and cast votes on health care [...]


Pelosi Says Democrats Didnt Push Massa to Give Up House Seat

March 10th, 2010
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Pelosi, interviewed on “Charlie Rose,” which airs on PBS and Bloomberg Television, said that Massa, 50, first called her to say that he wasnt going to seek re-election because of a recurrence of cancer. Massa, who represented an Upstate New York congressional district, changed course and resigned on March 8, citing an ongoing House ethics [...]


Obamas Health-care Push Gets Challenge From Business Coalition

March 10th, 2010
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The campaign will last about 10 days and cost between $4 million and $10 million, said Bruce Josten, the top lobbyist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is helping lead the effort. The ads will start on national cable television and run in 17 states, Josten told reporters on a conference call. [...]


White House Tweeting Spreads Presidents Message

March 8th, 2010
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If youre PressSec - White House press secretary Robert Gibbs username on Twitter - you join the powerful social media platform and push your message across the Internet, 140 characters at a time.
Blending behind-the-scenes nuggets with a defense of President Barack Obamas record, White House and administration officials increasingly are communicating through Twitter.
The popular social [...]


Massa, Facing Harassment Complaint, Quits

March 6th, 2010
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“I am guilty,” Massa said in an interview with a Corning, N.Y., newspaper columnist.
Later in the day, Massa released a statement saying that after discovering he had a recurrence of cancer, he learned he was the subject of an ethics complaint by a male staffer who felt “uncomfortable” during an exchange with Massa. The exchange [...]


Houses Frank May Scrap Overhaul Bill With Feeble Consumer Powers

March 6th, 2010
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Senate Republicans should be forced to vote on the proposed compromise that would create a consumer-protection division at the Federal Reserve, which would be a mistake, Frank said yesterday in an interview on Bloomberg Televisions “Political Capital With Al Hunt” broadcast this weekend.
[...]


Stark Sleeps On Whether to Assume House Ways And Means Helm

March 4th, 2010
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Representative Shelley Berkley of Nevada said Stark, of California, is weighing whether he wanted to permanently relinquish his position as head of the panels health subcommittee to assume the chairmanship on what may be a temporary basis. Rangel described his departure from the post as a “leave of absence,” pending findings by the House ethics [...]


Epa Chief to as Dissent Carbon Grows

March 3rd, 2010
House of Representatives | Be the First to Comment


Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, will face lawmakers a day after Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia called for a two-year delay on greenhouse-gas regulations and top House Republicans demanded they be stopped altogether.
“The last thing we [...]