ABC News: Politics

What We Won't Learn From Lois Lerner

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:33:56 GMT

By MICHAEL FALCONE (@michaelpfalcone) NOTABLES IN THE HOT SEAT: Lois Lerner, the top IRS official who is at the center of the controversy for the targeting of tea party and other conservative groups, will refuse to answer questions at a congressional hearing today and invoke...

Watch: IRS Official to Take the Fifth; Weiner Announces Mayoral Run

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:17:41 GMT

IRS official in charge of tax-exempt groups won't testify today on targeting scandal.

The Note's Must-Reads for Wednesday May 22, 2013

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:24:54 GMT

The Note’s Must-Reads are a round-up of today’s political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com Compiled by ABC News’ Carrie Halperin, Jayce Henderson and Amanda VanAllen IRS SCANDAL The Hill’s Peter Schroeder and...

Watch: Scout's Honor? Gay Rights Advocate Seeks to Overturn Ban on Gay Boy Scouts

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:22:40 GMT

Eagle Scout says inclusion of gay Boy Scouts is only the first step

Cole: Okla. Needs Help, Not Funding Battle

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:04:24 GMT

Republican Rep. Tom Cole, whose district took a direct hit from a powerful tornado on Monday, said the residents of the tornado ravaged towns in Oklahoma need help, not a political battle over funding in Washington. “Once a disaster starts, to me that’s the end...

Immigration Reform Moves to Senate

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:02:27 GMT

The bipartisan Senate "Gang of Eight" held together despite an onslaught of amendments and some efforts to kill their comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Okla. Sens. Grapple With Disaster Votes

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:55:36 GMT

Oklahoma's Senators both opposed disaster aid after Superstorm Sandy.

Gay Marriage Yanked From Immigration Debate

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:43:55 GMT

The Senate “Gang of Eight” immigration reform bill survived perhaps its toughest challenge late in the day, as the Senate Judiciary Committee refused to approve an amendment that would have allowed gays and lesbians to sponsor their partners for immigration in the same way married...

New Evidence of Iran Support to Assad

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:43:55 GMT

The United States has new evidence that Iran and Hezbollah have direct involvement with the Syrian regime, a senior State Department official told reporters traveling with Secretary of State John Kerry in Oman. The official said that, according to the Free Syrian Army, Hezbollah and...

Citizenship Pathway Survives in Bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:23:00 GMT

The "pathway to citizenship," a key provision of the immigration reform bill designed to bring 11 million undocumented immigrants out of the shadows, came under fire today during the Senate markup of the bill.

General in Adultery Probe Suspended

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:01:24 GMT

WASHINGTON — The Army has suspended the one-star commanding general at Fort Jackson, S.C., for alleged misconduct involving adultery and an unspecified physical altercation. An Army official tells ABC News that the case does not involve sexual assault. Brig. Gen. Bryan T. Roberts was suspended...

Lew Defends Handling of IRS Scandal

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:47:24 GMT

WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Jack Lew called the unfair scrutiny the Internal Revenue Service gave some tea party groups “outrageous methods,” adding that while the “conduct was not politically motivated it was unacceptable and inexcusable.” “Administering the tax code without any hint of bias is...

IRS Official Lois Lerner to Take the Fifth

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:14:25 GMT

Lois Lerner, the top IRS official who is at the center of the controversy for the targeting of tea party and other conservative groups, will refuse to answer questions at a congressional hearing Wednesday and invoke her Fifth Amendment rights, ABC News has learned. She...

IRS 'Blemish' Prompts Senators' Scorn

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:55:55 GMT

Douglas Shulman, the former commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, said today he was “dismayed and saddened” that his agency had improperly targeting conservative groups, but declined to offer a direct apology and dismissed suggestions that he mislead Congress. The testimony from Shulman, who was...

Groups File First Suits Against IRS

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:38:24 GMT

The first group that claims they were unfairly scrutinized by the Internal Revenue Service filed suit today against the agency in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeking damages and the granting of their long-delayed tax-exempt status application. True the Vote, a Houston-based voter watchdog group, filed...

Obama Offers Support to Okla. Victims

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:27:18 GMT

Obama offers federal aid to victims of Oklahoma tornado victims.

This Week in History

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:50:06 GMT

This week in history holds some incredible events, such as the founding of the Red Cross and the Great Emigration west to Oregon. From the revolutionary war onward, check out what happened this week in history.

Watch: President Obama: Tornado Victims 'Will Have Support'

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:41:30 GMT

The president discusses relief efforts in Oklahoma for those devastated by tornadoes.

Caution and Bombast: Two GOP Responses to Scandal

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:05:58 GMT

As a trio of scandals are all combining to embarrass the Obama administration at the same time, a growing number of Republicans are worried their party will screw it up. For every cry of "impeachment," there's a louder cry from the GOP establishment not to get too far ahead of themselves, at least not yet.

Obama Floats Above The Fray - For Now

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:54 GMT

By MICHAEL FALCONE (@michaelpfalcone) NOTABLES STEADY AS HE GOES: Americans, in a new ABC News-Washington Post poll out today, sharply reject special scrutiny of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service, suspect an administration cover-up of the Benghazi incident and express substantial distrust of the federal...

Public Sharply Critical on IRS, Benghazi

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:02:53 GMT

Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll sharply reject special scrutiny of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service, suspect an administration cover-up of the Benghazi incident and express substantial distrust of the federal government more generally. Yet the national survey also finds no backlash...

Rand Paul Calls IRS Scandal Un-American

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:36:24 GMT

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul made another stop in an early voting state Monday evening, continuing to feed the speculation that he will possibly run for president in 2016. Just 10 days after stopping in the first caucus state of Iowa, he visited the first primary state of...

Apple Moved 'Golden Goose Offshore'

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:01:23 GMT

WASHINGTON — Apple has avoided paying tens of billions of dollars in U.S. taxes by creating a complex web of subsidiary companies, particularly three in Ireland, a new Senate investigation has found. The company is not accused of breaking the law, but senators said Apple...

Watch: Misconduct at the IRS: Who Knew What When?

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:56:11 GMT

White House says president responded quickly after published Inspector General report.

Watch: Misconduct at the IRS: Who Knew What When?

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:48:52 GMT

White House says president responded quickly after published Inspector General report.