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Archive of Politics on Monday May 05, 2008
Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state. Read More
Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views. Read More
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist wrings success out of legislative session
With a sluggish economy's stranglehold on state finances, there should have been few winners at the 2008 legislative session. But Charlie Crist exits from his second session as Florida's governor with much of what he wanted. Read More
Gov accused of trading favors to get recall plan killed
Twenty-one state senators either failed to show up or didn't vote for a plan that would have given voters the right to recall Gov. Blagojevich. Read More
Governor's 'oversight' miffs Denish
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Gov. Bill Richardson left New Mexico to attend the Kentucky Derby on Saturday without telling the lieutenant governor, who takes over in his absence from the state, that he was leaving. Read More
Former governor's railcar, property raise questions about tax structure
After leaving office more than one year ago, former Gov. Frank Murkowski has traveled the world, built a cabin in Wrangell and traveled some more. In March, he led a delegation to watch democracy in action while Taiwan elected a president. Read More
Budget battle brewing
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Another budget showdown may be coming soon between Gov. Palin and state lawmakers. Read More
Kohring's lawyer makes case for leniency
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Convicted former lawmaker Vic Kohring's lawyer, John Henry Browne, says eight months in jail would be a fair sentence. Read More
Palin balances newborn's needs, official state duties
The results of Gov. Sarah Palin's prenatal testing were in, and the doctor's tone was ominous: "You need to come to the office so we can talk about it." Read More
Huckabee accepts letter of caution on portrait funds
The state Ethics Commission issued a letter of caution to former Gov. Mike Huckabee on Friday as settlement of a complaint that Huckabee failed to disclose the names of donors who paid for his portrait that hangs at the state Capitol. Read More
Trauma system will be priority in session, Wills says
Funding a statewide trauma system that could cost $25 million will be a priority during the 2007 legislative session despite what is expected to be a tight budget cycle, the next House speaker said Friday. Read More
Blow dealt by rescission of work force training funds softened, Beebe says
With the help of Arkansas' congressional delegation, Gov. Mike Beebe said Friday he has found some relief to a $4.3 million rescission of federal funds already allocated for workforce training programs. Read More
Early voting begins Monday for preferential primary
With no high-profile Senate or congressional races and the state's presidential primary a memory, election officials say they're not expecting turnout for this month's primaries and non-partisan judicial races to match the fervor of February's presidential race. Read More
AP News Analysis -- Ballot measure campaigns to be waged in Arkansas' pews
The best place to hear arguments this fall over whether to create a state-run lottery for education or to restrict public services for illegal immigrants may not be at a campaign rally. It'll be from the pews. Read More
Governor tracks storms from early radio show to late news conference
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Gov. Mike Beebe statewide radio program doubled as a weather broadcast early Friday, interrupted by several bulletins on a severe storm outbreak in the state that included some deadly tornadoes. Read More
Justice's adobe home slated for preservation
The 50-year-old adobe home where Sandra Day O'Connor often turned heated state politics into decisions over chalupas and tortillas will reign supreme once more as an arena for civic discourse. Read More
California Democrats crow over voter roll uptick
California's Democratic leaders, who have seen their share of the electorate decline by about 15 percentage points over the last three decades, are crowing about an uptick in registration. Read More
Jaime Escalante stills stands, delivers advice
Jaime Escalante, whose success in teaching advanced mathematics to inner-city Los Angeles teenagers was immortalized in the movie "Stand and Deliver," will be honored today at the Capitol. Read More
Atwater lawmaker targeted in recall draws wide support
MODESTO, Calif. - Donald Benart runs a business in Rialto, hundreds of miles from the Central California district of state Sen. Jeff Denham, and has never met the Republican lawmaker who represents this farming area. Read More
Legislators have no fundraising limit for ballot measure accounts
Karen Bass, the speaker-elect of the state Assembly, gathered checks last month from big contributors at The Kitchen, the exclusive Sacramento eatery. But Bass, like a growing number of the state's leaders, wasn't collecting funds for her re-election. Instead, the money went to a ballot measure committee she controls. Read More
Fiscal fix to go to public
The author of a proposed state budget fix announced Sunday he's bypassing his Capitol critics and making his case directly to voters, in a move sure to ignite a fierce ballot battle over the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. Read More
Mental health policy costs state Medicaid funds
At a time when officials are scrambling to find money to balance the state budget, Connecticut is losing out on millions of dollars in federal Medicaid revenue because of its continued over-reliance on nursing homes to house the mentally ill. Read More
Bill would shift care from nursing homes to communities
State Senators have approved a plan to help more than 5,000 elderly and disabled people in Connecticut move from nursing homes and other institutions back to their homes or other community settings. Read More
Greenwich schools limit Boy Scouts recruiting
GREENWICH, Conn. - The Greenwich schools superintendent has barred recruiting by Boy Scouts while classes are in session, drawing criticism from town officials and Boy Scouts supporters. Read More
Rell sits, waits and wonders about seeking re-election
Before Gov. M. Jodi Rell decides whether to run for another term in 2010, she wants to see what happens in November's state and national elections, she said in a recent interview. Read More
State energy policy at heart of dispute
When the Sustainable Energy Utility was formed last year, lawmakers envisioned a small nonprofit that could help Delawareans insulate their homes, buy energy-efficient refrigerators or install solar panels. Read More
Transfer tax fund is shrinking
The realty transfer tax, a dwindling pot of money divided among Delaware's state, county and municipal governments, could still provide some cushion to pad the state's $200 million to $250 million budget shortfall. Read More
GOP nominates Lee for governor
DEWEY BEACH, Del. -- By lunchtime Saturday, Delaware's Republican Party had drafted a candidate for governor -- retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee. Read More
Metal dealers want law scrapped
Carmen Micucio Jr. thinks state lawmakers may have dealt a death blow to the recycling business he's spent 26 years building in Glasgow. Read More
Tampa Bay area's legislative rewards small in lean budget year
Stopping lead-laced toys from being distributed and sold in Florida seemed like "an apple pie bill" to Sen. Charlie Justice. The Senate even passed it. Read More
'Pain' seen in session fallout
All eyes in the Capitol fixed on House Speaker Marco Rubio on Friday as he huddled with a handful of fellow representatives and the closing moments of the legislative session ticked away. Read More
Florida Senate sends $66.2 billion budget to governor
The Florida Senate Friday morning signed off on an austere $66.2 billion budget that carves deeply into school funding and an array of health-care programs as a result of the biggest one-year drop in revenues in state history. Read More
Winners and losers in the 2008 Florida Legislature
A list of legislation that passed in this year's regular session of the Florida Legislature, which ended Friday, from The Associated Press. Read More
Belt-tightening session comes to an end
Florida lawmakers ended their annual session Friday by approving a tight-fisted state budget and stitching together plans to provide modest health coverage to kids with autism, the working poor and small businesses. Read More
$66.2B budget will roll out Crist's health-insurance plan
The Florida Legislature skidded to the finish line of the 2008 session Friday, approving a $66.2 billion budget, help for children with autism, and a sweeping health-insurance plan sought by Gov. Charlie Crist. Read More
Florida governor praises budget, while Democrats grimace
As Gov. Charlie Crist praised the Legislature for its "great work" Friday night, his own human services secretary, Bob Butterworth, stood a few feet away and gave a very different critique of the 2008 session. Read More
Lawmakers OK health-care plan for uninsured
State legislators approved a plan to provide basic health insurance Friday for nearly 4 million Floridians who can't afford coverage, calling it "a giant step" toward protecting the poor and working poor. Read More
Rubio leaves mixed record
His last moments in power ticking away, House Speaker Marco Rubio kneaded his forehead with his hands and turned his back to the rest of the chamber. It had happened again. Read More
Governor Crist praises energy bill
Gov. Charlie Crist didn't get nearly everything he wanted. But he praised the expansive bill lawmakers did pass, legislation that could affect Floridians for decades to come. Read More
It came down to money -- and there wasn't enough
Republicans at the helm kept one eye on a fuel gauge that showed tax collections on fumes and another on the approaching storm of the November elections. The result was a $66.2-billion budget with more than $4 billion in spending cuts targeted largely at school children, the sick and the elderly. Read More
Why -- and how -- the ball on Central Florida's commuter-rail project was dropped
Central Florida's commuter-rail project failed in the Florida Legislature because its backers didn't heed a cardinal rule of politics: Know your enemy. Read More
Florida lawmakers lament lack of money
While the budget is the only thing lawmakers must do, they tackled other issues as well, ranging from deadly serious programs to expand insurance coverage of autism, the issue that brought the session to an emotional, last-minute climax to the seriously absurd: the short-lived ban against displaying bull genitalia on bumpers. Read More
Necessity, not politics, ruled '08 session
A souring economy and a worrisome election year forced Florida's Republican-led Legislature to moderate its politics in the session that ended Friday because it had no other choice. Read More
Revisions in FCAT are among changes in education
Baggy pants won't be outlawed, but the bullies will have to be stopped. Students and teachers will have more time to prepare for the FCAT. Read More
Florida governor praises budget, while Democrats grimace
As Gov. Charlie Crist praised the Legislature for its "great work" Friday night, his own human services secretary, Bob Butterworth, stood a few feet away and gave a very different critique of the 2008 session. Read More
Stark Florida budget might be weapon
Schools and health and human-services programs may not be the only losers emerging from the 2008 Legislature. Outnumbered Democrats see the stark $66.2 billion state budget as a political weapon they plan to use in attempts to unseat many Republican legislators in the fall elections. Read More
McCain needs Crist's help in Florida, poll suggests
Start measuring those vice presidential mansion drapes, Charlie Crist, because a new poll suggests John McCain will need all the help he can get in must-win Florida. Read More
Johnson draws no opposition for Congress
For the first time in 52 years, there won't be a major party election battle for the 4th congressional district. That's because no one signed up to run against Democrat freshman U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of Decatur. Read More
Richardson vows to try to eliminate car taxes again
The General Assembly went home for the year a month ago but it was clear Saturday that House Speaker Glenn Richardson has not forgotten how the 2008 session ended. Read More
Lingle angles to hold Lagareta at UH post
Setting up a possible constitutional confrontation with the Democratic-controlled Senate, Gov. Linda Lingle said a University of Hawaii regent whose nomination was rejected by the Senate can still serve for two more years. Read More
Bids for state Senate await representatives leaving seats
Although three members of the state House will not seek re-election to their current office, that does not mean they want to leave the Legislature altogether. Reps. Dwight Takamine, Josh Green and Alex Sonson, all Democrats, instead hope to open the 2009 legislative session as members of the Senate. Read More
Measure on illegal ATV use advances
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources could soon have the muscle it needs to combat a problem that has plagued Wai'anae Coast residents, pedestrians and motorists for years: Illegal all-terrain vehicles tearing along beaches, roadways and wilderness areas. Read More
Bill limits cigarettes to fire-safe versions
By 2009, smoking in your home might get a little safer after state lawmakers passed a bill requiring only fire-safe cigarettes be sold in Hawaii. Read More
Lingle pulls land talks with OHA off the table
Gov. Linda Lingle says the failure of the state Legislature to approve a ceded-lands settlement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was shortsighted and a disappointment. Read More
Shield law for journalists awaits governor's OK
Hawaii journalists would be protected from revealing their sources, notes and video recordings to the government under a measure given final approval by lawmakers last week. Read More
Bill tackles Kokee cabins flap
LIHUE, Hawaii - A bill passed last week by the state Legislature aims to end long-standing controversies about Kokee State Park in Kauai's mountainous interior. Read More
Iowa JEL representatives to attend tobacco company meeting
State officials are spending some of the state's anti-smoking money on a trip for five Iowa high schoolers and their adult mentor. Read More
Hospitals cautious when seeking to build
About 95 percent of all Iowa hospitals that apply for state approval to relocate or expand their facilities are granted permission. But that does not mean approval is easy to get. Read More
Culver laments I-380 conditions
Gov. Chet Culver says conditions on Interstate 380, which links Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, are very poor and need to be improved. Read More
Republican leaders hoping for a revival
As Iowa Democrats wait to find out who their party's presidential nominee will be, the Iowa G.O.P. has begun preparing for the fall campaign. Read More
Legislator -- Keep new law quiet
Iowa lawmakers quietly passed a bill in the final hours of the 2008 legislative session that would allow most of the state's hospitals to bypass public approval for the construction of new facilities. Read More
Supreme battling
Idaho Supreme Court Justice Joel Horton - who was appointed to the bench last September by Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter - disagrees with nearly all of the fiery contentions made by his opponent in an upcoming election. Read More
Hoffman's ties to Gov. Blagojevich now a disadvantage
State Rep. Jay Hoffman's political life has been closely tied for years with that of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Read More
IDOT to send 150 jobs out of Springfield to Downstate
The Illinois Department of Transportation is preparing to ship nearly 150 jobs from Springfield to southern Illinois, but officials say they haven't chosen the new location and don't know when the move will happen. Read More
Rezko trial at turning point
The government's corruption case against Antoin "Tony" Rezko has reached its climax with the kind of hard-hitting eyewitness testimony that at a more routine criminal trial might make a guilty verdict a slam dunk. Read More
IDOT move has hurdles to clear
A detailed analysis and public hearings will be required before the Illinois Department of Transportation can relocate 150 Division of Traffic Safety employees to southern Illinois. Read More
IDOT Annex lease expired in July
The Illinois Department of Transportation's traffic safety division is in what is known as the IDOT Annex, near IDOT's main headquarters, the state-owned Hanley Building, on Dirksen Parkway. Read More
Ill. Republicans will make recall amendment an issue in fall
Minutes after the Illinois Senate blocked a recall amendment to the state constitution, Republicans began trying to transform the decision into a political liability for Democrats. Read More
Rezko lawyer, witness bicker about cash, clout, 9/11
CHICAGO - Political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko's defense attorney and the government's last major witness bickered sharply about campaign cash, clout and even the Sept. 11 attacks Friday as prosecutors prepared to rest their case after eight weeks. Read More
State agency puts worker on administrative leave
An employee of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency employee has been put on administrative leave and was escorted from his office Thursday. Read More
Illinois creates task force to prepare for earthquakes
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois has created a panel dedicated to preparing for earthquakes. Read More
Rezko gets bail help from state employees 26.
Antoin "Tony" Rezko, the indicted political pal of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is accused of helping scores of people get state jobs. Now some of them are doing him a favor. Read More
IDOT workers say e-mail proves politics fueled firings
Lawyers for 17 former Illinois Department of Transportation workers say a recently disclosed e-mail supports their claim that Gov. Rod Blagojevich?s administration fired them for political reasons. Read More
Bomke denounces IDOT move as 'absurd'
The southern Illinois city of Benton, apparently the leading candidate to become the new home of the Illinois Department of Transportation?s division of traffic safety, has no building that would accommodate the agency, according to Benton Mayor Gary Kraft. Read More
LaHood to run for RNC committeeman
PEORIA, Ill. - Retiring U.S. Representative Ray LaHood says he plans to run for Republican National Committee's Illinois committeeman. Read More
Last-minute witness puts cloud over Rezko trial
At the last minute, federal prosecutors have inserted a surprising and powerful stinger in the tail of the biggest corruption trial in Illinois since the George Ryan case. Read More
Illinois budget in a hole, next fiscal plan in flux
Now that Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich has fended off an effort to allow him to be recalled from office, his administration is turning to another feud the governor historically has found himself engaged in with lawmakers: the state budget. Read More
Blagojevich aide owed IRS $21,548 when hired
One of Gov. Blagojevich's highest-ranking aides faced a sizable tax problem when he hired her in 2003 -- and when he promoted her almost four years later. Read More
State still renting space from felon
Even though he's no longer on the state payroll and has pleaded guilty to federal felony charges, a former top Blagojevich appointee is still getting money from taxpayers. Read More
Democrats work to sway voters in race for governor
Democrat Jill Long Thompson spoke of suspending the state sales tax on gasoline while her rival in the gubernatorial primary, Jim Schellinger, promised to restore collective bargaining for state employees. Read More
Primary party switches could aid incumbents
Voting Republican in Indiana used to be so easy. Read More
Blue-collared businessman sets sights on governor's office
Jim Schellinger's blue-collar beginnings seem miles away as he steps out of sport utility vehicle emblazoned with oversized campaign decals bearing his likeness. Read More
Long Thompson brings experience to race
Jill Long Thompson looks right at home rallying a raucous crowd of region steelworkers. Read More
Seven Democrats seek to succeed Smith in Senate
Seven Democrats are competing to replace state Sen. Sam Smith, an East Chicago Democrat whose political career was cut short by a tax evasion charge. Read More
Dean seeks to raise grass-roots army
Howard Dean went on stage between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on Sunday, but he glossed over the divide between supporters of the two presidential candidates. Read More
State schools chief not seeking re-election
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Suellen Reed announced Friday she will retire rather that seek an unprecedented fifth term. Read More
Dining with the Democratic stars
Presidential hopefuls and U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama pledged to lead a resurgence of the middle class Sunday to a swelled crowd of 2,300 gathered for the Indiana Democratic Party's annual fundraiser. Read More
Candidates for gov play second fiddle
The Democratic candidates for governor continued to take second billing to presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on Sunday night. Read More
Finding state's political pulse
Indiana is hurting. Hoosiers are feeling pinched by high gas prices and poor job prospects -- so much so that they have put the war on terror and the once over-arching immigration issue on the political back burner. Read More
Michelle Obama in Gary today
Michelle Obama will return to Gary today to stump for her husband, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. Read More
In the 1800s, Indiana ruled
Three presidential contests -- two from way back, and one you might remember -- where Democrats were divided and Hoosiers' votes were critical Read More
Schellinger, Long Thompson trade jabs over their TV ads
One features grainy, washed-out images of Jim Schellinger and tells viewers he opposes cutting gasoline taxes and that he favored raising property taxes to build the "expensive schools" he designed as an architect. Read More
Hoosiers hold Dems' fate in their hands
Indiana, which boasts of being the "crossroads of America," could be the crossroads of the Democratic presidential nominating contest when Hoosiers go to the polls Tuesday. Read More
Clinton, Obama keep up gas tax battle
WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton took their fight over gas price relief to the morning talk shows today as they braced for the crucial Indiana and North Carolina primaries. Read More
Dog track ends talks with lottery regulators
FRONTENAC, Kan. - The owner of Camptown Greyhound Park has ended negotiations with the Kansas Lottery that would reopen the racetrack with slot machines, the Lottery Commission said. Read More
Blunt makes another pick to join Ethics Commission
Gov. Matt Blunt has announced that he is picking Bloomfield lawyer James R. Tweedy to fill a Democratic spot on the state Ethics Commission. Read More
Kansas Capitol Notebook - college's foundation comes in for criticism
Rep. Ben Hodge of Overland Park has some misgivings about the 113-member, nonprofit Johnson County Community College Foundation. Read More
Immigration bill unlikely to live
It appears unlikely that the Legislature this year will pass a law cracking down on illegal immigrants and employers who hire them. Read More
Higher education funding off the table
Higher education officials Friday were upset about a budget amendment that essentially removed the possibility of post-secondary schools getting any additional funding during the wrap-up session. Read More
Medical funds added to budget
House lawmakers may have found an additional $8.6 million to help train doctors in Wichita -- though not how people originally envisioned. Read More
Legislators agree on bill to require voter IDs
Senate and House negotiators reached a tentative compromise Friday on a bill to require voters to show photo identification at the polls. Read More
Jittery lawmakers slash millions from catch-all bill
As Kansas lawmakers work toward final adjournment, Senate leaders are getting nervous about the economy and the current level of state spending. Read More
Lawmakers want to sue Sebelius over coal plants
Kansas House leaders Friday introduced a resolution to allow the Legislature to sue Gov. Kathleen Sebelius over coal-fired electric power plants. Read More
House rejects Senate's budget changes
The House voted overwhelmingly Saturday evening to reject a wrap-up budget from the Senate that swept out all new spending. The 4-116 vote sent the bill back to a negotiating committee. Six members of the House and Senate have been working to develop a budget, but haven't been able to come to an agreement. Read More
Doctor training gets funding
Rural rotations by doctors who get specialized training in Wichita will be funded by $1.5 million included in a health care reform package sent to the governor Saturday. Read More
Coal bill backers try new strategy
Kansas lawmakers struggled to end the 2008 legislative session Saturday, mounting last-minute efforts to resurrect two rejected coal plants. Read More
Coal debate still not resolved
Old-timers like to say politics is the art of compromise. The line holds true most of the time in the Legislature. Consider the Houdini-like escapes from a school-finance quagmire in 2006 and the bloody battle that accompanied expansion of casino gambling during 2007. Read More
Cancer treatments don't slow lawmaker
It?s 7:30 a.m., and Rep. Marti Crow, D-Leavenworth, makes her way into the State Capitol in Topeka. By now, the Kansas Legislature has been in session for four months. Read More
Enduring cancer without coverage
When Tracie Revis started her fight against cancer more than two years ago, she didn't expect to take on a health care system ill-equipped to handle an uninsured 20-something. Read More
Governor to consider health care bill
Legislators sent Gov. Kathleen Sebelius health care legislation that supporters say provides greater access to health care for many Kansans and saves them money on insurance. Read More
Coal power plant issue keeps lawmakers from wrapping up
It was supposed to be the last day of the wrap-up session. But another coal plant measure emerged Saturday, the Senate adjourned in a huff and said it may not come back, and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius gave the session a general thumbs down. Read More
Mining veteran to head DNR
A veteran state mining official will be the new commissioner of the Department for Natural Resources, said Environmental and Public Protection Secretary Bob Vance. Read More
Cazayoux wins 6th District
The Baton Rouge area has a Democratic congressman for the first time in three decades. Read More
No rest for Democrats after Cazayoux win
WASHINGTON - One down, two to go. That's how national Democrats are viewing Saturday's stunning victory by state Rep. Don Cazayoux for Louisiana's 6th Congressional District seat. Democrats now move on to Mississippi, where their candidate has forced a runoff in the special election for what was considered a "safe" Republican district. Read More
Bridge police change has no support
A bill to abolish the Causeway Police Department and transfer law enforcement duties on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and the Huey P. Long Bridge to the State Police is failing to attract much support among legislators whose constituents traverse the bridges. Read More
Winning Democratic campaign not at rest
For the first time in three decades, the Baton Rouge area has sent a Democrat to Congress. In a New Orleans-area district controlled by the GOP for about the same time, a Republican won easily in the race to replace Gov. Bobby Jindal in the seat. Read More
Phone legislation picks its prey
State lawmakers are trying to find ways to protect the public from distracted drivers without imposing a complete ban on communicating with cellular telephones while driving. Read More
Analysis -- Jindal proposes budget changes -- with control
Gov. Bobby Jindal's proposed revamp of the state's construction spending represents a fundamental change in the way the state budgets for construction projects, but it may be overstatement to call it a sweeping reform. Read More
Is Democrat's win in Louisiana a false hope
Even as Democrats rejoiced Sunday at having snatched a Louisiana congressional seat long held by Republicans, observers warned it doesn't necessarily mean voters are spurning the GOP. And the victor's hold on the seat could be shaky, one analyst said. Read More
Jindal asks Bush for levee cash
WASHINGTON - Making his second national television appearance of the week, Gov. Bobby Jindal used a speech to The National Press Club on Friday to call on the Bush administration to free up pledged levee money. Read More
Proposed cuts lead to budget limbo
Just a few weeks ago, lawmakers talked about reining in the growth of state government by slashing Gov. Bobby Jindal's first state operating budget by 5 percent. Read More
Lawmakers deciding on bill to scrap income tax
The Louisiana Legislature is considering a bill that would phase out state income taxes. SB 87 has been approved by the Louisiana Senate and is expected to be reviewed by the House Ways and Means Committee, possibly as early as this week. Read More
Democrats call victory a sign G.O.P. tactic failed
WASHINGTON - The Democratic victory in a special House election in Louisiana this weekend was interpreted by leading Democrats on Sunday as a sign that Republicans would fail in their efforts to damage Congressional candidates by tying them to national figures and presidential contenders. Read More
Republicans lose in Louisiana stronghold
Republicans lost a long-held House seat Saturday after trying to bring down the Democratic candidate by aligning him with Barack Obama. Read More
Louisiana Dem Cazayoux nabs GOP seat in Saturday House special
Democratic state Rep. Don Cazayoux scored a nationally significant takeover victory in Saturday's election to fill the vacant and formerly Republican-held seat in Louisiana's 6th Congressional District. Read More
A House dividing
One is an amiable, glad-handing pol from the North Shore, the other a boyish-looking former high school athlete from suburbs southwest of Boston. And while House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi insists he plans to stay in his powerful post, the two rivals to succeed him are engaged in a fierce behind-the-scenes battle, sensing their time may soon come. Read More
Legislator describes threat as unnerving
As state Representative Jennifer M. Callahan listened to a budget debate on the House floor on Thursday, a fellow Democrat approached her and told her he was upset about comments she had previously made about his role in the possible succession of Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi. Read More
Pols take 1st step to stop phantom voting
In the wake of a phantom voting scandal reported by the Herald, lawmakers voted unanimously Friday night to establish a special committee to recommend a secure voting system for the House chamber. Read More
Deval's bench warmer$
The more things change, the more they stay the same on Beacon Hill. Especially when it comes to judicial picks. Gov. Deval Patrick named three lawyers to the bench this week, two of whom were (surprise!) campaign donors. Read More
Rogers aims to woo GOP solons
A top House powerbroker looking to succeed Speaker Sal DiMasi is quietly courting a small core of Republicans - a sign the hardball jockeying for votes has hit a critical stage even as the embattled North End Democrat remained silent over open defiance to his wishes. Read More
Rep details colleague threat
A state rep who has accused another lawmaker of threatening her during budget deliberations said yesterday she went public to initiate reform in a House chamber where she says some power-hungry reps use intimidation to silence dissenting opinion. Read More
GOP struggles to turn tide on Beacon Hill
Massachusetts Republicans are hoping to reverse a half-century tumble toward political obscurity with the help of a cadre of fresh-faced candidates like Arthur Vigeant. Read More
In teen's memory, a mental health push
The teenager spoke so eloquently about the wild cycles of bipolar disorder that she drew tears from a State House audience last May. Read More
Wind power debate whips up controversy
Self-styled "green" leaders across the country face a conundrum over wind power: Do they alienate part of their constituency by leveling pristine forests to build wind farms, or irritate the other part by rejecting a promising source of renewable energy? Read More
Labor group backs slots
A union group that represents more than 300,000 area workers endorsed a referendum yesterday to legalize slot machine gambling in Maryland, an announcement that underscores the institutional support proponents will have in the lead-up to November's vote. Read More
Gay rights at standstill
Gay and lesbian activists thought they had a friend in Martin O'Malley. Read More
Gas tax holiday not in state's future
With gas prices continuing to reach new heights, the part of the cost controlled by federal and state governments is coming under increasing scrutiny as some politicians lobby for a break during the summer driving season. Read More
Outside groups swayed Md. vote
Political interest groups working outside the traditional confines of campaign finance laws spent more than $4.3 million in two Maryland congressional races during this year's primary, according to newly released campaign finance reports, and their success in defeating two incumbents here could portend an expensive and aggressive effort nationwide to target other swing districts in the coming months. Read More
Powerful groups align behind slots
Superficially, the battle over November's slot machine referendum is starting to resemble a fight between a heavyweight and a flyweight. Read More
Rep. Crockett to seek re-election to HD 57
State Rep. Patsy Garside Crockett, D-Augusta, has announced she is seeking re-election as the representative of House District 57, which includes the northwest sections of Augusta. Read More
CHINA Utility to move home to make way for line
CHINA -- Debbie Tracy never suspected her property on Pleasant View Ridge Road would be part of a more than billion dollar project. Read More
At convention, largest turnout in party history
Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis wore a grin that could be seen from across the Augusta Civic Center when he stepped to the podium to address the state party convention over the weekend. The more than 2,500 delegates and alternates on the floor represented the largest turnout in party history. Read More
Use of Maine?s Clean Election Fund leveling off
The popularity of taxpayer-funded legislative races seems to have peaked after years of dramatic growth, according to figures compiled by the state Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, which administers the program. Read More
Michigan governor released from hospital after surgery
LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Jennifer Granholm has been released from a hospital four days after emergency surgery for an intestinal obstruction. Read More
Government officials get input on Great Lakes levels study
MUSKEGON, Mich. -- Government officials gathering public input on a massive Great Lakes water levels study were told during a meeting in Michigan to tread lightly when tinkering with the lakes. Read More
CMU student ends plans to run for House
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich . -- A Central Michigan University student who has drawn attention for his clashes with university administrators over the hiring of an assistant professor says he's ended his campaign the state House. Read More
Medical Society takes 'neutral' position on stem cell ballot initative
After five years of supporting embryonic stem cell research, the Michigan State Medical Society changed its policy Sunday to a neutral position on the controversial issue that may appear on the November ballot. Read More
Granholm released Saturday after surgery
Gov. Jennifer Granholm left Sparrow Hospital on Saturday, four days after undergoing surgery to repair an intestinal blockage. Read More
At The Capitol / Minimum wage bill approved in House
A plan to raise Minnesota's minimum wage to as much as $7.90 an hour by July 2009 cleared the House on Thursday, but Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he can't live with the bill as it stands. Read More
Minnesotans worry Rev. Wright controversy overblown
Yesterday marked the first Sunday since presidential candidate Barack Obama publicly severed ties with his longtime pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, over comments Wright made during a speech last week at the National Press Club. Read More
Governor, leaders hold more budget talks; no breakthrough
Gov. Tim Pawlenty and legislative leaders met again into the evening Sunday in an attempt to reach a deal to solve the state's $935 million budget deficit. Read More
Taxpayers paid for game warden meeting, records show
When game wardens from across North America were invited to a conference in St. Paul last year, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources rolled out the welcome mat -- and pulled out the taxpayers' checkbook. Read More
Petition deadline is here - but sign with caution
Ken McKoy, a veteran political activist and African-American pastor, would never dream of adding his name to a petition seeking to curb affirmative action in Missouri. Read More
State workers honored at annual event
Although Friday's weather turned out to be sunny, organizers - fearing rain and soggy grass from a thunderstorm the night before - held the annual State Employee Recognition Day indoors Friday at the Truman Office Building. Read More
Four groups make deadline to file initiative petitions
Supporters angling to get their initiative petitions on the November ballot dropped off boxes filled with petitions and tens of thousands of signatures Sunday. Read More
Group fails to get enough signatures for anti-affirmative action amendment
A group seeking to bar many state affirmative action programs missed a Sunday deadline to submit its initiative petition. Read More
Democrat AG candidates' resumes make for competitive race
Democrats Steve Bullock, John Parker and Mike Wheat are in a tough spot. Each wants to be Montana's next attorney general. Each has raised enough money and brings enough legal and political experience to make the three-way race truly competitive. That's the rub. Read More
Election 2008 -- Absentee voters asked to wait a bit
The buildup to Montana's primary election intensifies this weekend, with mass voter-registration drives around Missoula leading up to Monday - the first day voters can cast an absentee ballot in the historic presidential race. Read More
Republican attorney general hopefuls emphasize background, legal opinions
Lee Bruner and Tim Fox have almost nothing bad to say about each other. The two Republican lawyers are in a gentlemanly showdown to be the GOP's attorney general candidate in November. The primary race, which has kept both Fox and Bruner busy for months, but hardly measured a ripple outside political circles, will be decided June 3. Read More
8 candidates eye lieutenant governor post
The lieutenant governor has few powers -- presiding over the state Senate, serving on the State Board of Education and completing whatever tasks the governor might assign. Read More
Candidates crisscross the state
HERTFORD, N.C. - Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue headed east. Former President Bill Clinton went west. In between, dozens of candidates on the ballot in Tuesday's primary election campaigned Sunday, looking for those last undecided voters who could make the difference between a win and a loss. Read More
Moore, Perdue keep icy distance
DURHAM, N.C. - After months of slugging it out in a bitter Democratic race for governor, state Treasurer Richard Moore and Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue shared a stage one last time Sunday -- without acknowledging each other. Read More
N.C. primary enjoys rare spotlight
Not in two decades has North Carolina mattered in the presidential selection process. Read More
Latino values clear, but the voter rolls are not
Henry Cisneros says the future of the Democratic Party lies with Latinos. The former Cabinet secretary said Friday that the country's growing Hispanic population in the United States will be a vital constituency in the future. He said that the surge won't change the party's issues much because they are already "part of the American dream." Read More
Analysts expect biggest primary turnout ever
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Candidates up and down the ballot started revving up their voter-turnout efforts Sunday, setting the stage for a bigger-than-ever N.C. primary finish. Read More
Youthful political interest surges
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Tilden Hagan spends his days cruising college campuses trying to pick up students. His line: Let me tell you about my mom. Read More
Voters skip state, local races
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The crowd at the Joel Coliseum Annex didn't need much priming. In response to the call of "Fired Up," the audience of about 2,000 responded "Ready to go!" as they waited for Sen. Barack Obama to begin his town hall meeting last week. Read More
Races big and small -- It's almost primary day in Southeastern N.C.
On Tuesday, North Carolina voters will head to the polls and separate the nominees from the wannabes. Read More
Elections reveal new face of race and gender
He voted early. And how. Trevon Stapler is only 17, but seeing as he turns 18 by Nov. 4, the rules let him vote in the primary. So he did, for Sen. Barack Obama, in early voting at the Forsyth Board of Elections. Read More
Candidates turn focus to getting people out to vote
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As the Democratic battle for North Carolina entered its final weekend, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama criss-crossed the state yesterday, urging their supporters to get out and vote. Read More
Star Power? Effect of celebrity support on campaigns is not clear
Kumar, the marijuna-smoking character in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, is endorsing Barack Obama. And Betty, the bespectacled girl with the heavy-metal smile on Ugly Betty, has stumped all over the country for Hillary Clinton. Read More
Many N.C. races getting little attention
They are competing to oversee North Carolina's public-employee pensions, schools and workplaces, but candidates for statewide offices without the word "governor" in the title struggle for attention every four years. Read More
N.C. finds itself with a crucial role in presidential primaries
Bill Clinton called it "critical." Hillary Clinton called it a "game changer." Read More
State party defies McCain, runs ad
The North Carolina Republican Party ran its ad featuring Barack Obama and his former pastor for four days this past week, openly defying John McCain's calls to pull the spot. Read More
North, south Omaha stand to reap state tourism funds
Sure, the Berkshire stockholders in town know about the gems at Borsheims, but not many visitors to Omaha discover what some might consider tourism diamonds in the rough. Read More
Clean elections could be victim of budget
The state agency that oversees campaign spending by 6,000 political candidates each year and enforces a growing maze of ethics laws is struggling with the prospect of an 18 percent budget cut. Read More
McGreeveys' divorce trial set to begin
She claims she was duped into marriage by a closeted gay man who needed the cover of a wife to advance his political career. He says he gave her a child and the coattails she rode to the governor's mansion, thus fulfilling the marriage contract. Read More
School budgets without voters?
The state Department of Education is considering removing voters from the school district budget process so long as the proposed tax increase for a given municipality is below the state-imposed cap. Read More
Overtime for NJ state workers rose $16M last year
Overtime costs for state workers rose $16 million last year, even though the number of New Jersey employees dropped, according to a report in the Courier Post. Read More
Bruce leads first group of inductees into New Jersey Hall of Fame
If you ask the Boss, New Jersey rarely gets the respect it deserves. Read More
Corzine fulfills vow to himself
He went out a little fast, but then again, he'd been looking forward to this for a long time. Read More
Workers comp, hospital funding on legislature's agenda
The Legislature returns to Trenton today with a slate of more than a dozen Senate and Assembly committees taking on issues from workers' compensation to monitoring the fiscal health of hospitals. Read More
Corzine shifts to back gas-tax holiday plan
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is shifting gears to support a federal gas tax holiday this summer. Read More
McGreevey fireworks set to begin
As Jim and Dina Matos McGreevey's three-and-a-half-year separation approaches the duration of their marriage, they are about to become unhitched - finally - when their divorce trial starts tomorrow. Read More
Newly conceived NJ Hall of Fame inducts 15 of its finest
TRENTON, N.J. - Fifteen prominent New Jerseyans were inducted into the state's new Hall of Fame on Sunday night _ even though the actual hall doesn't exist yet. Read More
Governor's 'oversight' miffs Denish
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Gov. Bill Richardson left New Mexico to attend the Kentucky Derby on Saturday without telling the lieutenant governor, who takes over in his absence from the state, that he was leaving. Read More
Attorney general says he complied with gift law
A company building a uranium enrichment plant in New Mexico paid for part of Attorney General Gary King's expenses when he traveled to the Netherlands in March to tour a similar uranium plant. Read More
NM Democratic Party chairman endorses Obama
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. ?The state Democratic Party chairman, who also is a New Mexico superdelegate, has endorsed Barack Obama's presidential bid. Read More
eadly exposure: Plutonium-related cancers plague children of the Manhattan Project
On its unclassified surface, the quiet mountain town of Los Alamos seemed an idyllic place to raise children in the 1940s and 1950s. Read More
Sewer rate rises proposed
Some residents could see their sewer rates increase by 33 percent or more over the next five years under a proposal by the Clark County Water Reclamation District. Read More
Porter's nudge greenward
Washington - Going green has never been more popular. Shop at a department store, get a reusable tote bag. Channel surf and see celebrities greening their mansions. Take a summer vacation, make it energy efficient. Read More
TOUGH TIMES: Less help as more need aid
An economic downturn, a wave of foreclosures and anemic state and local budgets are combining into a stark reality for those who work with housing and the homeless: People need more help at the exact time that there's less help available. Read More
Nevada judge faces removal in odd courthouse saga
LAS VEGAS - Within six months of being sworn in, District Court Judge Elizabeth Halverson was locked out of her courtroom by the chief judge and accused misusing her position, tainting juries, treating her staff like personal servants and falling asleep on the bench. Read More
Mischief-making blockers are signature gatherers? bane
Russ Stevens walks out of the North Las Vegas DMV office and is approached by a woman asking him to sign a petition in favor of raising casino taxes to benefit teachers and schools. Read More
UNLV math prof to run for State Assembly seat
A UNLV mathematics professor, Paul Aizley, has announced he will run as a Democrat for the Nevada's open State Assembly District 41 seat. Read More
Political notebook - Lawmaker on ballot mission
A lot of legislators had it easy two years ago, coasting to re-election totally unopposed. Read More
A divorce is sought by governor of Nevada
LAS VEGAS - Gov. Jim Gibbons of Nevada, whose marital problems have been a titillating sideshow to the state's more serious budget problems, filed for divorce on Friday, starting a legal battle to force his wife of 24 years to vacate the governor's mansion. Read More
State lawyer resigns amid no-show probe
An attorney under investigation for an alleged no-show state job resigned his post Friday, defending his work but saying he did not want to become a "distraction." Read More
Law Day 'dimmer' for Kaye
Chief Judge Judith Kaye spent her final Law Day address Friday singing a familiar refrain -- that judges need a raise. Read More
Paterson nominates executive director for port authority
Gov. David A. Paterson announced on Friday that he had nominated Christopher O. Ward, a former executive with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, to be the authority's executive director. Mr. Ward, 53, would succeed Anthony E. Shorris, who was appointed to the job last year by Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Read More
Paterson backs away from trooper comments
Gov. David Paterson said Friday in a radio interview that he admitted past marital affairs in part because he feared an "out-of-control" element in the State Police that he said was investigating politicians. But later Friday, he told reporters he had no proof that out-of-control troopers were targeting politicians. Read More
Paterson says he feared exposure by state police
Gov. David A. Paterson said on Friday that he decided in March to admit publicly to an extramarital affair because he feared that a rogue unit of the New York State Police would disclose the information to embarrass him. Read More
$147M in pork headed home
Lawmakers are showering $147 million in pork-barrel spending on 10,000 programs, agencies and charities back home this election year. Read More
Governor, other top Dems call on Dann to resign
All statewide Democratic elected officials and legislative leaders are calling on embattled Attorney General Marc Dann to resign from office. But Dann is rebuffing the request. Read More
Gas-tax plan draws skeptics
That pain shooting from the gas pump to your wallet is real. But the consensus among economists, industry experts and consumers is that a federal gas-tax holiday won't ease the hurt. Read More
Ohio school head looks for new job
Ohio Superintendent Susan Tave Zelman, facing criticism and a potential ouster from the governor, has begun looking for a new job. |
