Politics on the Wire
Cable bills draw congressional ire as a la carte pricing pushed
WASHINGTON — It's time to let television viewers buy individual channels, rather than being required to pay for bundles of programming, Sen. John McCain told a Senate panel Tuesday.
Obama slams IRS targeting of Tea Party, conservative groups
President defends actions on Benghazi
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama tried to swat down a pair of brewing controversies Monday, denouncing as “outrageous” the targeting of conservative political groups by the federal IRS but angrily denying any administration cover-up after last year’s deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya.
Obama welcomes U.K. PM Cameron to White House
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron opened wide-ranging talks at the White House Monday on Syria and trade, though brewing domestic controversies were competing for the White House's attention.
Legislators return to Olympia to build a state budget
No progress has been reported in weeks since session
OLYMPIA — Washington lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday to finish their work on a two-year state budget, but with no deal reached during their two-week interim, the special legislative session could take its full allotted 30 days, if not longer.
GOP boycotts health care advisory board
WASHINGTON — House and Senate Republican leaders told President Barack Obama Thursday that they will refuse to nominate candidates to serve on an advisory board that is to play a role in holding down Medicare costs under the new health care act.
Democrats: No scandal in Benghazi deaths
WASHINGTON — Politicians love few things better than a scandal to trip up their opponents, and Republicans hope last year's fatal attack on U.S. diplomats in Libya will do exactly that to Hillary Rodham Clinton and other Democrats.
Obama, in Texas, presses middle-class jobs agenda
WASHINGTON — Offering a more upbeat view of the economy, President Barack Obama resurrected his jobs proposals Thursday, advancing modest initiatives as he pushed for action on more ambitious efforts that face resistance from congressional Republicans. “We’re poised for progress,” he declared.
Senators defeat border security provision
WASHINGTON — A far-reaching immigration bill has survived an early test, as two of its Republican authors sided with Democrats to vote against strengthening border-security provisions.
State senator's son pleads guilty to rape
OLYMPIA — The son of Washington state senator Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, has pleaded guilty to rape after a younger boy reported incidents that occurred at the lawmaker's home.
Senators discuss changing background checks bill
WASHINGTON — The Senate rejected an effort Wednesday to expand the use of firearms on some of the nation's most frequently visited federal lands, handing gun control advocates a modest success.
McMorris Rodgers opposes new casino outside Spokane
SPOKANE — U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers has joined with opponents of a large proposed Indian casino near Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane.
Mark Sanford redeems career, heading to Congres
CHARLESTON, S.C. — In a story of political redemption, Mark Sanford is headed back to Congress after his career was derailed by scandal four years ago.
S. Korean leader: Nuclear-armed North unacceptable
WASHINGTON — South Korea's President Park Geun-hye told Congress on Wednesday that she will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea and that provocative actions by the reclusive communist country "will be met decisively."
Most military sexual assault cases go unreported
WASHINGTON — They are young, often low-ranking service members out on the weekend in the late night and early morning hours. Sometimes they've been drinking. Often those who sexually assault them are in the armed forces, too. But in the vast majority of military sexual assault cases — as many as 22,000 in 2012 — the victim chooses not to report the attack or unwanted sexual contact.
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