Colombians vote to renew tainted Congress (AFP)

AFP - Colombians vote Sunday to renew both houses of their scandal-tainted Congress as major political parties choose candidates for the May election to succeed President Alvaro Uribe.

States scramble after high court election ruling (AP)

AP - The U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of decades-old campaign spending limits gives states scant time to face an election-year dilemma: brace for a flood of new money in politics, or find new ways to rein it in.

Obama, Medvedev encouraged on arms talks accord (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama on Saturday had what the White House described as an "encouraging" phone conversation with Russian President Dmitrty Medvedev as the two countries sought to work out the remaining issues on a treaty to significantly reduce nuclear arsenals.

AP Source: Colo. woman held in terror probe (AP)

AP - A U.S. official says a Colorado woman has been detained in Ireland in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate a Swedish cartoonist whose sketch offended many Muslims.

Serbian police detain 9 over alleged war crimes (AP)
AP - Serbian police have detained nine former paramilitary fighters suspected of killing civilians and looting homes during the Kosovo war, a war crimes prosecutor said Saturday.

Political Economy: Earmarks, Smearmarks (CQPolitics.com)
CQPolitics.com - Again, we're talking about earmarks as if all this posturing will make much of a difference -- either to the bottom line, the credibility of Congress or the government's ability to meet the needs of the country.

Despite brashness, Bunning still a hero in Ky. (AP)

AP - Irascible Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning has been a pariah among his congressional colleagues. Back in the conservative swath of northern Kentucky he calls home, though, he's being heralded as a hero.

AP Exclusive: Pentagon gun was from Memphis police (AP)

AP - Two guns used in high-profile shootings this year at the Pentagon and a Las Vegas courthouse both came from the same unlikely place: the police and court system of Memphis, Tenn.

A POLITICO survey: The tea party's least favorite Republicans (Politico)
Politico - A survey of grass-roots tea party leaders cites John McCain as the largest GOP disappointment.

Russia-US nuclear treaty ready soon: Kremlin (AFP)

AFP - US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev have agreed that Washington and Moscow are close to reaching agreement on a new nuclear disarmament treaty, the Kremlin said.

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Hayworth ties to ALIPAC questioned
Sen. John McCain's campaign is calling on his primary challenger to disavow the backing of an anti-illegal immigration group that the campaign alleges permits the use of derisive epithets used for immigrants on its website. It's the latest iteration of one of McCain's most consistent messages: that Hayworth, a vocal immigration hawk, holds views that go beyond the conservative mainstream and into the fringe

Matheson foe keeps hammering 'gavel'
One of Utah Rep. Jim Matheson’s Republican challengers is continuing to attack the congressman over his brother’s nomination to the federal bench.

Moderates' demand for Obama wanes
Some Democrats are unenthusiastic about riding the president's coattails this year.

A POLITICO survey: The tea party's least favorite Republicans
A survey of grass-roots tea party leaders cites John McCain as the largest GOP disappointment.

Giannoulias gives up Giannis's cash
Illinois Treasurer and Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias released a statement Friday announcing he's donating to charity "all campaign contribution" he received from accused bank fraudster Nick Giannis and his family.

Giannoulias returns contributions
Alexi Giannoulias announces he's donating to charity "all campaign contribution" he received from accused Nick Giannis and his family.

Rubio's spending
Adam Smith pens a story on Marco Rubio's use of a political committee for not obviously political purposes.

Crash won't end Reid's reelection run
He hasn't changed his plans on seeking reelection following a car accident involving his wife.

Whitman launches half hour ads
Republican Meg Whitman will begin airing half hour ads across California to boost her campaign for governor, reaching out to voters beyond Republicans who will participate in the June primary. Whitman strategist Mike Murphy told POLITICO the ads will be airing at various times in the coming weeks across cable and broadcast, in media markets across the state, hoping to make Californians more familiar with Whitman’s policy positions.

AFL-CIO endorses Bernero for Mich. governor
The Michigan AFL-CIO endorsed Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero for governor Friday, giving the Democrat the backing of the largest labor group in the state.

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Democrats Dump Student Aid Overhaul Into Health Care Bill

If a yearlong struggle to pass sweeping health care reform that will affect every American wasn't enough for Democrats, they have now decided to add a sweeping overhaul of student aid to the bill.

Georgia Considers Outlawing Abortions Based on Race, Gender

Georgia lawmakers are poised to take up a controversial bill that would outlaw abortions prompted by the baby's race or gender, an issue that has inspired a billboard campaign claiming a racial conspiracy is behind the termination of pregnancies.

Pelosi Expresses Confidence Health Bill Will Pass

Pelosi declined to say when House members would vote on a health care bill, or how many votes that she had secured. Although she added that lawmakers were "on the verge of making history."

Ex-U.S. Secretary of State Kissinger Released From S. Korea Hospital

A hospital official says Kissinger's condition was 'not serious' while he was being treated at Seoul's Severance Hospital and he had recovered after a day of medical treatment, spokesman Han Jin-ho said.

GOP Accuses Dems of 'Bitter' Drive to Pass Health Bill

Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts says in the weekly GOP radio and Internet address that 'an entire year has gone to waste.'

Stupak Claims Committee Chairman Wants Government to Fund Abortions

The pro-life Democrat leading the charge in the House against passage of the Senate health insurance reform bill said Friday that a key committee chairman told him that Democrats want abortions to be paid by a federally-funded nationalized health insurance system.

Specter Accuses Sestak of Misleading About White House Offer for Job

Sen. Arlen Specter took a shot at his Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary opponent on Friday, suggesting Rep. Joe Sestak was milking his claim that the White House offered him an administration position if he dropped his challenge to Specter.

Former Maryland Gov. Ehrlich Plans Rematch Against O'Malley

Former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich is laying the foundation for a rematch against Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley and is likely to announce his candidacy as early as March 25

Democrats Question Obama's First-Year Travel Record

With the fate of President Obama's top legislative priority so uncertain, a number of prominent Democratic strategists have begun questioning whether the president's aides should have scheduled more domestic travel during his first year in office, starting soon after Inauguration Day.

Utah GOP Leader Resigns After $150G Nude Hot-Tubbing Payoff

Utah's House majority leader resigned from the Legislature Saturday, two days after his confession about sitting nude in a hot tub with a teenage girl 25 years ago stunned this conservative state.

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Dems: 'Won't be long' for health care
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Under White House pressure to act swiftly, House and Senate Democratic leaders reached for agreement Friday on President Barack Obama's health care bill, sweetened suddenly by fresh billions for student aid and a sense that breakthroughs are at hand. "It won't be long," before lawmakers vote, predicted Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She said neither liberals' disappointment over the lack of a government health care option nor a traditional mistrust of the Senate would prevent passage in the House. At the White House, officials worked to maximize Obama's influence over lawmakers who control the fate of legislation that has ...

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House to put loan reform in health care bill
House Democrats plan to tack a major reform of the nation's student loan system onto the health care overhaul bill, a move that could help corral votes in the House but might make the bill's passage more complicated in the Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that the reconciliation bill will also remove federal assistance to banks and lenders such as Sallie Mae for providing student loans. The reconciliation bill is the package of changes to the health care bill already passed by the Senate in December. The companion bill will be presented to the Senate under special rules ...

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Pay raise sought for bilingual fed workers
A key member of Congress says federal workers should be paid more for using their bilingual skills at work, and he's introduced a bill to boost those folks' pay by 5 percent. Rep. Michael M. Honda, California Democrat and chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said those bilingual workers deserve to be rewarded for their extra skills - something the government doesn't regularly do right now. "I understand the difficulties that immigrants face communicating in English while they acquire fluency," Mr. Honda said. "The bill addresses these challenges by promoting the use of bilingual skills throughout the federal ...

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Sen. Reid's wife hospitalized in auto crash
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife remained hospitalized Friday with serious injuries suffered when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the minivan she and their daughter were riding in on a suburban Virginia interstate, officials said. Landra Reid, 69, suffered a broken back and neck in Thursday's crash, but her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Mrs. Reid and their daughter, Lana Barringer, 49, were taken by ambulance to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va. The daughter was released Thursday night, hospital spokesman Tony Raker said. Mrs. Reid was in serious condition, but Reid aides said she was ...

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Inside the Beltway
TRILLION JILLION KAZILLION There is a bumper sticker out there that says, "Don't tell President Obama what comes after a trillion." And there are wags who suggest Mr. Obama's face should be on a trillion-dollar bill, if and when we ever have one. But what's a trillion, let alone the $9.7 trillion Mr. Obama's budgets would add to the national debt over the next decade. Rep. Tom Price, Georgia Republican, and his very nimble Republican Study Committee have assembled their own comparisons to help voters understand "the value of one trillion." A few examples: "With one trillion dollars, you could ...

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With ban, GOP calls duel on earmarks
In a move to break with the GOP's big-spending past, House Republicans voted Thursday to ban their members this year from requesting earmarks, the pork-barrel spending that directs money to pet projects in home districts. The Republicans, who passed the moratorium by voice vote in a closed-door meeting, said they have now put pressure on the rest of Congress - Republicans in the Senate, and Democrats in both chambers - to follow their lead. "Today, House Republicans took an important step toward showing the American people we're serious about reform by adopting an immediate, unilateral ban on all earmarks," said ...

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Pelosi: Confident House will pass health care
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday she's confident the House will pass health care legislation and dismissed Republican criticism that she did not have enough votes for the measure. "We're very excited about where we are and will not be deterred by estimates that have no basis in fact," she said during a dedication of the renamed Lim P. Lee Post Office in San Francisco. The post office was renamed after the nation's first Chinese-American postmaster. Pelosi declined to say when House members would vote on a health care bill, or how many votes that she ...

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Sen. Brown bashes 'bitter' health push
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Newly arrived Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts accused President Barack Obama and Democrats on Saturday of a "bitter, destructive and endless" drive to pass health overhaul legislation that Brown warned would be disastrous. "An entire year has gone to waste," Brown said in the weekly GOP radio and Internet address. "Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, and many more jobs are in danger. Even now, the president still hasn't gotten the message. "Somehow, the greater the public opposition to the health care bill, the more determined they seem to force it on us anyway." Brown ...

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Senate, Obama spar over health plan's pet projects
UPDATED: WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says he wants projects helping specific states yanked from the health care bill Congress is writing. Democratic senators, being senators, beg to differ. The Senate-approved health measure lawmakers hope to send to Obama soon would steer $600 million over the next decade to Vermont in added federal payments for Medicaid and nearly as much to Massachusetts. Connecticut would get $100 million to build a hospital. About 800,000 Florida seniors could keep certain Medicare benefits. Asbestos-disease victims in tiny Libby, Mont., and some coal miners with black lung disease or their widows would get ...

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Political Scene
HOUSE Lawmakers vote to impeach judge The House has voted to impeach a federal judge from Louisiana. A House Judiciary Committee task force charged District Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. with a long-standing pattern of corruption. The first of four impeachment articles was approved 412-0 on Thursday. The second passed 410-0. The case goes to trial in the Senate, where a two-thirds vote is needed to convict Judge Porteous of high crimes and misdemeanors. Judge Porteous was accused of taking cash from lawyers and gifts from a bail bondsman; lying to the Senate and the FBI to win confirmation; and ...

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