David Sherfinski

Same-sex benefits move stirs partisan rift, creates concern with states’ rights

The Senate's No. 2 Democrat on Sunday welcomed Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.'s move to extend the application of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage to the Justice Department, while a key Republican said the move could create more strife between the federal government and the states.

Schumer: Enact immigration now, delay implementation until after Obama

Rep. King: Boehner doesn’t want internal fight on immigration in election year

Rep. Peter King, New York Republican, said resistance from the GOP base after President Obama's State of the Union Address led House Speaker John A. Boehner to put plans for a push to pass immigration reform on ice, and that Mr. Boehner felt it was not worth having an internal party fight over heading into the fall elections.

Former Obama adviser Plouffe: ‘This is the window’ on immigration, won’t happen in 2015

House intelligence chairman: Concerns about terror strikes outside Olympics remain high

Napolitano: Sochi security ‘quite appropriate,’ ‘very good’

Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the level of security at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia is "quite appropriate" and "very good" based on what she has seen and what she's heard from athletes competing there.

Senate panel signs off on guns on Post Office grounds — but not in buildings

A Senate committee unanimously passed a measure Thursday to allow people to carry guns on postal service property, but killed a broader push to let gun owners carry their firearms into actual post office buildings.

Virginia Gov. McAuliffe rerouted funds for inaugural

The Virginia legislature years ago banned governors from donating excess inauguration funds to political causes, but that hasn't stopped Gov. Terry McAuliffe from finding a way to route $211,000 from his inaugural fund back to his election campaign and the Virginia Democratic Party, disclosure records show.

House GOP aide: Debt ceiling plans can’t get 218 Republican votes

Republican leaders have concluded they cannot pass a debt limit increase that also requires building the Keystone XL pipeline or repealing a provision of Obamacare, leaving some in the GOP saying they should just let a clean hike pass with mostly Democratic votes.

Va. Sen. Warner on Bieber deportation petition: ‘Is there someplace I can sign?’

The White House recently said it will provide an official response to a petition to deport embattled Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber — and Sen. Mark Warner is apparently on board.

Gun grabs under fire: Majority of Americans condemn 2nd Amendment tweaks

More Americans who are dissatisfied with the country's gun laws want them to be less strict and fewer want them to be stricter.

Wyoming had most conservative residents in 2013; D.C. most liberal

Wyoming supplanted Alabama as the country's most conservative state in 2013, with the District of Columbia the most liberal area and Vermont the most liberal state, according to Gallup.

Obama hails GOP House immigration effort as ‘progress’

President Obama said he's not going to "prejudge" what gets to his desk on immigration, but sounded optimistic that Democrats and Republicans in Congress could coalesce around some form of legislation dealing with the issue.

Rep. Henry Waxman to retire, end 40 years on Hill

Rep. Henry A. Waxman, the California Democrat who turned top liberal priorities into laws on everything from the environment to health care, announced Thursday that he will retire at the end of this year, bringing to a close a momentous 40-year career on Capitol Hill.

Senators try to sack NFL’s non-profit status

Sens. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, and Angus King, Maine Independent, have started a push to end the not-for-profit status for the National Football League, saying it's only fair to taxpayers.

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio joins Bloomberg gun group

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has joined the gun control advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns and pledged to "force this issue on the national stage" as advocates try to keep the issue alive.

Ben Carson to speak at CPAC 2014

Dr. Ben Carson will be a featured speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in March, joining other confirmed guests such as Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida at the annual gathering of grassroots conservatives.

Hillary Clinton has big lead over Dems; GOP contest wide open for 2016: poll

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton holds a commanding lead over other possible 2016 Democratic presidential contenders, while the race for the Republican nomination looks to be somewhat of a free-for-all this early in the proceedings.

House Ethics Committee ends Trey Radel investigation

The Republican congressman from Florida resigned earlier this week in the wake of trying to purchase cocaine in a sting operation in Washington, D.C., in October.

Mike Huckabee leads 2016 GOP contenders in new poll

Huckabee is the choice for 16 percent of GOP primary voters, according to a new survey from the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling, with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush close behind.