'Little Billy's Letters' at a glance (AP)
AP - Excerpts from the responses by prominent figures to letters from "Little Billy," the grade-school alter ego of prankster Bill Geerhart, appearing in the book "Little Billy's Letters":

Senators question $1 million pay for charity's CEO (AP)

AP - A group of Republican senators is questioning high salaries and expensive travel bills for executives at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, raising issues that could jeopardize millions in federal funding for the national charity.

Obama to tap Yellen for Fed vice chair: source (Reuters)

Reuters - President Barack Obama plans to nominate San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen, a respected policy dove, to be vice chairman of the central bank, a source familiar with the process said on Thursday.

Critics of Justice Dept. lawyers under fire (AP)

AP - A conservative group's bashing of several Obama administration lawyers as the "al-Qaida Seven" has struck a nerve in the U.S. legal community, prompting even some fellow Republicans to denounce the group's attack.

Tea parties stir evangelicals' fears (Politico)
Politico - The libertarian streak in the new conservative movement worries the Christian right.

Given Obamacare, How Will Democrats Fare? (CQPolitics.com)
CQPolitics.com - President Barack Obama has taken to nonstop demonizing of the insurance industry -- a sign of desperation over the prospects of passing health care reform.

Somali tied to Islamists worked with two U.N. agencies (Reuters)
Reuters - A Somali businessman linked to Islamist rebels who likely received a ransom paid for kidnapped French aid workers was a contractor for the World Food Program and UNICEF, a U.N. report said.

Need for results drives Obama's domestic juggle (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama's intense juggling of domestic issues reflects all the realities he faces: a vast agenda, a smaller window for results this year and a need to keep promises to constituencies that will have a huge say in the fall congressional elections.

Vatican criticizes condom machines in Rome school (AP)

AP - The decision by a Rome high school to install condom vending machines has set off a storm in Italy, with the Catholic Church charging the move will encourage young people to have sex and Rome's mayor saying it sends the wrong message.

Reid's wife hospitalized after traffic accident (AP)

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.

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No previous engagement
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland plans to join President Obama at an appearance in Ohio on Monday, when the president stops by the battleground state to talk about health care reform, CNN reports. The Democratic governor is also due to receive fundraising support from Vice President Biden, who'll speak at an event for the governor's campaign Monday night.

Gillibrand opponent to declare
Former Rep. Joe DioGuardi plans to launch a campaign for the Republican nomination to take on Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand next week, City Hall reports.

Gavin Newsom's next act
San Francisco Democratic mayor plans to launch a bid for lieutenant governor.

Campbell, Whitman close in California
Despite a barrage of attacks on his ties to Sami Al-Arian and his record on the Middle East, former Rep. Tom Campbell is still the most competitive Republican candidate against Sen. Barbara Boxer, according to a new Daily Kos/Research 2000 survey. And in the governor's race, eBay CEO Meg Whitman as the more formidable of the two Republican candidates, by far.

Giannoulias backer charged with fraud
Illinois Democratic Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias's Senate campaign ended the week in much the same way it started: with uncomfortable stories about the Giannoulias family bank. After trying to go on offense against Rep. Mark Kirk Thursday -- he accused the Republican of catering to "Wall Street cronies" while in Congress -- Giannoulias got slammed, first by a report that the FDIC may put his family's Broadway Bank up for sale, and then by news that an associate and longtime contributor was charged with bank fraud.

Patrick aide could run for House
Ted Carr, an aide to Gov. Deval Patrick who worked in the Clinton administration, is reportedly considering a run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Bill Delahunt.

Rubio's reinvention
Rubio’s meteoric rise is causing some in Florida to scratch their heads.

Cuomo steps back from investigation
New York attorney general says he's recusing himself from state's investigation into Gov. Paterson.

Kilpatrick summoned by grand jury
Detroit congresswoman has been called to testify before a grand jury along with one of her aides.

DeMint courts tea party, irks GOP
The South Carolina senator is positioning himself to be the movement’s best friend in Washington.

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House Votes to Impeach Federal Judge From Louisiana

A House Judiciary Committee task force charged District Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. with a long-standing pattern of corruption.

Palin to Testify Against Alleged E-Mail Hacker

Sarah Palin is expected to head to Knoxville, Tenn., next month to testify in U.S. District Court against a University of Tennessee student who allegedly hacked the former Alaska governor's personal Yahoo! e-mail account.

Gov't May Seek More Authority on Vehicle Safety

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head says the agency will consider mandating vehicle 'black boxes,' which typically record data about whether the brake or accelerator pedals were depressed at the time of a crash. 

Chamber of Commerce to Spend Big Bucks Targeting Vulnerable Dems

After a year of pitched battle with the Obama White House over health care reform, the Chamber is now priming for a the 2010 midterm cycle in which executives say they pro-business lobby will spend close to $200 million, more than double its spending in 2008.

Sen. Reid's Wife Breaks Back, Neck in Crash

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife and daughter were being treated in a hospital Thursday for serious injuries they sustained when their vehicle was rear-ended by a truck, a spokesman said.

House Advances Measure Calling for Expanded Massa Ethics Probe

In a sign that the Eric Massa controversy may not go away any time soon, the House on Thursday advanced a Republican measure calling for the ethics committee to "investigate fully" what House Democratic leaders and their staffs knew ahead of time about the ex-congressman's alleged misconduct. 

Dems Abandon Abortion Deal, Ready Health Vote

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel emerged from a meeting in the Capitol with top Democratic lawmakers Thursday night saying, "We made a lot of decisions. We're getting towards the end."

New York Attorney General Appoints Special Counsel in Paterson Probe

Former Chief Judge Judith Kaye will also probe whether the governor lied about his intentions to pay for World Series tickets.

Senate Health Bill Would Up Costs for Millions in Middle Class, Analysis Finds

A nonpartisan study is casting new doubt on President Obama's campaign pledge not to raise taxes on the middle class

Watchdog Accuses Obama Justice Department of Ignoring ACORN Fraud

The Obama Justice Department administration shut down an investigation into ACORN last year, ignoring evidence of fraud at the community group, a government watchdog claimed Thursday, citing investigative documents it obtained

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Ethics panel gets Massa case
House Democrats on Thursday stopped a Republican bid to force an investigation of Democratic leaders aimed at determining whether they covered up sexual-harassment allegations against ex-Rep. Eric Massa. Even in failure, Republicans planted questions about when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi learned about allegations from Mr. Massa's employees that he sexually harassed male staff members. The freshman New York Democrat resigned Monday amid a slew of conflicting statements in which he confirmed and denied that he groped staff members and argued that none of the contact was sexual. By trying to make Democratic leaders rather than Mr. Massa the investigative subjects, ...

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Exports nominee tied to 2 watch list firms
President Obama's pick to oversee export controls at the Commerce Department is a trade lawyer whose recent clients include two companies on a government watch list and a shipping business that agreed to pay millions of dollars last year to resolve a federal probe into shipments to Iran, Sudan and Syria. All three companies have had recent interests before the government office that Eric Hirschhorn would oversee if he is confirmed as undersecretary of commerce for industry and security. Under Mr. Obama's ethics rules, appointees are prohibited from working on matters involving recent clients unless they obtain a special waiver. ...

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House GOP bans earmarks for members
In a move to break with Republicans' big-spending past, House Republicans voted Thursday to ban their members this year from requesting earmarks, or pork-barrel spending projects. House 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 were serious about reform by adopting an immediate, unilateral ban on all earmarks," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican. "But ...

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Immigrant rights advocates, poised to rally, pressure Obama
Immigrant rights groups say President Obama has bought himself some breathing space after a tense meeting Thursday, but that the White House will have to show real progress on an immigration bill by March 21 when tens of thousands of immigrant rights marchers are scheduled to rally in Washington. Mr. Obama met Thursday with immigrant rights activists, then later met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and with Sens. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, and Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, who are working on a bipartisan bill to legitimize the status of the 11 million illegal immigrants now in the ...

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House Dems confident of passing health reform
House Democrats on Thursday said they're closing in on the votes needed to pass President Obama's health care overhaul, as they try to muscle past obstacles such as controversial abortion language and difficult reconciliation rules. A top House Democrat, Rep. Henry A. Waxman, predicted the House can pass the health care overhaul without the support of anti-abortion Democrats, dismissing the notion that stronger language is needed to prevent federal dollars from being used for abortions. The House Budget Committee plans to start the reconciliation process Monday with a vote to pass a bill under the complicated rule structure, which allows ...

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Obama pledges to boost U.S. exports
President Obama on Thursday ordered an all-out effort by the U.S. government to increase exports to create more jobs amid record-high unemployment. "This morning, I signed an executive order instructing the federal government to use every available federal resource in support of that mission," the president told the roughly 1,200 people attending the Export-Import Bank's annual conference in Washington. As part of the president's initiative, he also has created the Export Promotion Cabinet, which will include officials from the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor and State to execute his plan to double U.S. exports in five years. Mr. Obama said ...

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House KOs call for speedy Afghanistan withdrawal
In an overwhelming show of bipartisan support for President Obama's troop surge in Afghanistan, the House on Wednesday soundly defeated a resolution setting a timetable for withdrawal. The vote, which marked the first time the House has had a full debate on Afghanistan since Mr. Obama announced his surge last year, unleashed years of pent-up frustration from liberal Democrats and a few conservative Republicans angry over the direction the 9-year-old conflict has taken. But the 356-65 vote against withdrawal was a dominant endorsement to give Mr. Obama the time he's asked for to stabilize the troubled nation. "Have we forgotten? ...

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Both parties in House start war over pork
Pork-barrel spending may be on its last legs in the House as Republicans and Democrats join in a bidding war to outdo each other over fighting abusive earmark spending. House Democrats, who control the chamber, said Wednesday they'll impose a ban on earmarks where the government sends money to for-profit corporations, while House Republicans are slated to vote Thursday on whether to impose a complete one-year moratorium on themselves - and increase pressure on Democrats to follow suit. House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, told his colleagues in a closed-door meeting Wednesday that the moratorium vote will test ...

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Rove: We mishandled Katrina recovery
The Bush administration mishandled the rescue effort after Hurricane Katrina, said Karl Rove, the top adviser to former President George W. Bush. Mr. Rove, 59, said the administration should have used a 1807 law that gives the federal government authority to take control of an insurgent U.S. state. "It was a mistake," Mr. Rove said Thursday in discussing his recent memoir on The Washington Times' "America's Morning News" radio show. "We should have used the legal authority to declare the state an insurgent, taken the political heat of pushing out the state's governor and overruling the African-American mayor of New ...

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Dodd to offer own version of bank regulation bill
Unable to muster bipartisan agreement on key banking provisions, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, chairman of the Senate banking committee, said Thursday he will offer his own version of a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations without Republican support. "Clearly, we need to move along," he said. A month of talks between the Connecticut Democrat and Sen. Bob Corker, Tennessee Republican, had found common ground, but details on key provisions, including consumer protections and other sticking points, remained unsettled. "As time moves on, you just limit the possibilities of getting something done, particularly a bill of this magnitude and this complexity," Mr. ...

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