Politics

Judge rules secret FBI letters unconstitutional
They're called national security letters and the FBI issues thousands of them a year to banks, phone companies and other businesses demanding customer ...
Embattled Albuquerque, NM, police chief to retire
The head of Albuquerque's embattled police department says he's retiring after an eight-year tenure marred by a spike in fatal police shootings and ...
North Dakota close to banning abortions at 6 weeks
North Dakota on Friday moved closer to adopting what would be the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, with lawmakers sending the Republican ...
Colo Legislature OKs expansion of firearms checks
A landmark expansion of background checks on firearm purchases was approved Friday by lawmakers in Colorado, a politically moderate state that was the ...
Md. lawmakers vote to repeal death penalty
Maryland lawmakers approved a measure abolishing the death penalty on Friday and sent the bill to Gov. Martin O'Malley, who has long supported banning ...
House Democrat wants lethal aid for Syrian rebels
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee is calling on the Obama administration to train and arm select elements of the Syrian ...
US to beef up missile defense against NKorea
The Pentagon announced Friday it will spend $1 billion to add 14 interceptors to an Alaska-based missile defense system, responding to what it called ...
Relevance of Detroit officials in manager's hands
What role Detroit's elected leaders will play in the city's fiscal crisis is now up to a Washington, D.C., lawyer appointed by the governor to turn ...
Obama needs to charm skeptical Israelis in visit
Barack Obama's vow to take his message straight to the public during his first presidential visit to Israel will be a tough sell with many Israelis ...
Man sentenced for NYC synagogue bomb plot
An Algerian New Yorker was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday for plotting an attack on New York City synagogues, even as his lawyers continued ...
Head of US Africa command warns of Islamic threat
The chief of the U.S. Africa Command warned on Friday that threats from Islamic extremists in Africa are increasing and if unchecked could pose a ...
AP Exclusive: FBI says fed agent killing justified
An immigration agent was justified in fatally shooting a colleague who opened fire on their boss in a federal office building last year, the FBI has ...
Fla. gambling arrests may close veterans shelter
A former Army cook who fell on hard times, Debbie Bowman has been living at the Allied Veterans Center, a shelter for homeless veterans, since August.
Report: Grand jury investigating NJ Sen. Menendez
Sen. Robert Menendez is being investigated by a Miami federal grand jury for his role in advocating for the business interests of a wealthy donor and ...
GOP Sen. Portman of Ohio now supports gay marriage
Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman is now supporting gay marriage and says his reversal on the issue began when he learned one of his sons is gay.
Lawmakers want Obama to follow up outreach effort
At a recent gathering of House committee and subcommittee chairmen, Republican lawmakers were asked if they could name the legislative affairs staffer ...
UK study: Violence more likely among vets, troops
Young men who have served in the British military are about three times more likely than civilians to have committed a violent offense, researchers ...
Report makes chilling forecast on Northwest quake
More than 10,000 people could die when — not if — a monster earthquake and tsunami occur just off the Pacific Northwest coast, researchers told Oregon ...
Fla. charity figures pumped $1M to politicians
The key players behind a purported veterans charity accused of setting up illegal gambling rooms pumped more than $1 million into the campaign ...
Prosecutors: Beavers lied about campaign money
A powerful Chicago politician fond of playing slot machines spent thousands of dollars from his campaign coffers at a casino and then falsely declared ...
SC's Graham shows limits of tea party intimidation
To gauge the limits of the tea party's ability to frighten re-election-seeking Republicans into a rightward panic, spend time with Sen. Lindsey Graham ...
Census shows record 1 in 3 US counties are dying
A record number of U.S. counties — more than 1 in 3 — are now dying off, hit by an aging population and weakened local economies that are spurring ...
Possible Commerce pick leaves Chicago Board of Ed
Businesswoman Penny Pritzker resigned from the Chicago Board of Education Thursday amid speculation that the longtime ally to President Barack Obama ...
Bankruptcy expert named Detroit emergency manager
Michigan's governor appointed an auto-industry turnaround expert Thursday to steer Detroit back from the brink of ruin. The one-time symbol of ...
Lawmakers say they oppose more base closings
House lawmakers said Thursday they are opposed to a new round of military base closings in the United States and challenged Defense Department ...