The Fix

Did Lois Lerner waive her right to invoke the Fifth Amendment?

Juliet Eilperin — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:14:22 GMT

While Internal Revenue Service official Lois G. Lerner invoked the Fifth Amendment in her refusal to testify before Congress Wednesday, the fact that she gave a lengthy opening statement defending her innocence infuriated some lawmakers and prompted them to suggest … Continue reading →

Jay Carney’s charm offensive

Aaron Blake — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:27:29 GMT

Maybe it was a birthday resolution. Or perhaps a survival strategy. Whatever the case, embattled White House press secretary Jay Carney, who turned 48 on Wednesday, struck a different tone with reporters during his daily briefing. Gone was the combative … Continue reading →

Lois Lerner didn’t say anything today. Why that’s a bad thing for the Obama Administration.

Chris Cillizza — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:37 GMT

Oh Lois Lerner, you say it best when you say nothing at all. As expected, Lerner, the head of the Internal Revenue Service’s tax-exempt office, pled the Fifth Amendment rather than testify today in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform … Continue reading →

What today’s ‘nuclear option’ fight means for filibuster reform

Rachel Weiner — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:23:46 GMT

Democratic threats to reform the filibuster in the Senate are a part of of a “culture of intimidation” that includes the targeting of conservatives at the Internal Revenue Service, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) alleged Wednesday morning. While his … Continue reading →

Anthony Weiner ≠ Mark Sanford

Karen Tumulty — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:56:09 GMT

The comparisons were inevitable: two guys who became a national punchline after being caught in sex scandals make a bid for a political comeback from disgrace. But once you get past the astonishment and the snickers, the differences are more … Continue reading →

Who is Eric Garcetti?

Sean Sullivan — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:19:24 GMT

Los Angeles will have a new mayor beginning July 1. His name is Eric Garcetti, the city councilman who won a Tuesday runoff and made some history. He’ll become the city’s first elected Jewish mayor and its youngest in more than … Continue reading →

The search for the best state based political reporters continues

Chris Cillizza — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:12:26 GMT

A few weeks back, we asked the Fix community to nominate the best state-based political reporters in each of the 50 states. The response — on the blog, on Twitter, on Facebook — was overwhelming, and we’ve (papal plural) spent … Continue reading →

Anthony Weiner is running for mayor of New York City. But, can he win? And does it even matter?

Chris Cillizza — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:35:09 GMT

While you were sleeping, Anthony Weiner was announcing his decision to run for mayor of New York City this year. Now that the debate over whether or not he will run is over, the one question that remains is this: … Continue reading →

How do you handle an IG report? Ask an expert.

Juliet Eilperin — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:11:09 GMT

The controversy surrounding the Treasury Department Inspector General for Tax Administration’s report on the Internal Revenue Service has highlighted how little most people know about the standard protocol for dealing with these investigations once they’re underway. David Sampson was in … Continue reading →

Jimmy Kimmel on the Los Angeles mayor’s race (VIDEO)

Sean Sullivan — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:10:03 GMT

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel’s latest installment of “Lie Witness News” focuses on the Los Angeles mayor’s race.

It’s not just Republicans up in arms about Benghazi. That’s a problem for President Obama.

Sean Sullivan — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:30:56 GMT

Last year’s deadly attack on a diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya is shaping up as a real political problem for President Obama, with concern extending well beyond the conservative base. More than half of Americans say his administration is trying … Continue reading →

McConnell won’t block immigration bill from coming to Senate floor

Sean Sullivan — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:40:07 GMT

EARLIER ON THE FIX: Obama’s efforts are barely connecting with public, but Congress is well off target Douglas Shulman won’t apologize — yet, at least Everything you need to know about the IRS scandal Hillary Clinton remains Teflon despite Benghazi … Continue reading →

Obama’s efforts are barely connecting with public, but Congress is well off target

Sean Sullivan — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:16:27 GMT

A slim majority of Americans say President Obama is focusing on things that matter to them personally, while a clear majority say Republicans in Congress are not, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows. Fifty-one percent say Obama is mainly concentrating on … Continue reading →

Douglas Shulman won’t apologize — yet, at least

Aaron Blake — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:10:26 GMT

Former IRS commissioner Douglas Shulman doesn’t think he has to apologize for the wrongdoing that occurred at the IRS on his watch, and he repeatedly refused to do so at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday. We’ll see how … Continue reading →

Everything you need to know about the IRS scandal

Sean Sullivan — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:15:46 GMT

A week and a half has passed since the Internal Revenue Service first publicly admitted to singling out conservative groups. We know a great deal more about what happened than we did on May 10, but lots of unanswered questions … Continue reading →

Hillary Clinton remains teflon despite Benghazi

Scott Clement — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:30:39 GMT

Hillary Clinton continues to get heavily positive reviews for her work as secretary of state in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, even after renewed Republican allegations of an Obama administration related to the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya last … Continue reading →

Jim Inhofe and the “reverse NIMBY” phenomenon

Chris Cillizza — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:50:05 GMT

When the Senate considered a bill to provide billions in relief funds for Hurricane Sandy late last year, Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe (R) railed against it, insisting that “when a disaster occurs in America and emotions are high, everyone wants … Continue reading →

How much do Bill Clinton and labor matter? (And 3 other questions in the L.A. mayor’s race)

Sean Sullivan — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:21:02 GMT

It’s Election Day in Los Angeles, where voters will pick their next mayor after a long and expensive campaign. The technically nonpartisan runoff election pits two Democratic political insiders against one another: City Councilman Eric Garcetti and City Controller Wendy Greuel. The race has … Continue reading →

Jimmy Kimmel compares his commencement speech to Obama’s (VIDEO)

Sean Sullivan — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:49:26 GMT

A tale of two speeches.

Obama the uniter? Not really.

Chris Cillizza — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:30 GMT

Americans are deeply divided over President Obama’s ability to bring the country together in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, the latest sign that his pledge to end decades of partisan warfare in the nation’s capital is flagging. Forty-seven percent … Continue reading →

Rand Paul donates to New Hampshire GOP

Sean Sullivan — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:25:42 GMT

EARLIER ON THE FIX: Barbara Buono’s sneaky new ad How President Obama got out of balance on leaks E.W. Jackson complicates Cuccinelli bid Being a college coach > Being a governor On climate change, Obama faces an attack from his … Continue reading →

Barbara Buono’s sneaky new ad

Aaron Blake — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:32:15 GMT

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s opponent is out with a new ad, and it might be a candidate for sneakiest ad of the year. At first glance, Democrat Barbara Buono’s ad appears to be just a fun, cutesy new ad … Continue reading →

How President Obama got out of balance on leaks

Chris Cillizza — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:46:36 GMT

Here’s a stunning fact: The Obama Administration has prosecuted more government officials for leaking than all previous administrations combined. Combine that eye-popper with the Justice Department’s secret culling of months of phone records from AP reporters and the surveillance — … Continue reading →

E.W. Jackson complicates Cuccinelli bid

Rachel Weiner — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:18:00 GMT

A nominating convention helped put Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli on the gubernatorial ballot. It might also sink his chance to win. Nominating conventions turn out the most committed and partisan members of the party. Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a … Continue reading →

Being a college coach > Being a governor

Chris Cillizza — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:20:38 GMT

If you had any doubt about who the most important person — if salary is an indicator of importance (and it is) — is in most states in the country, the map below put together by the good folks at … Continue reading →