Patrick Leahy

3 GOP senators join call for action on toxic flame retardants

The first signs of bipartisan support for overhauling the nation's chemical safety law emerged Monday, as three Republicans joined 23 other senators calling for tough restrictions on toxic flame retardants. Citing the Tribune's "Playing With Fire"...

Tags: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa P. Jackson, Jeff Merkley, Jon Tester, Standards

Obama considers easing up federal marijuana regulation

WASHINGTON — President Obama and a key Senate Democrat said Friday they were willing to consider relaxing federal enforcement of the laws against marijuana for those who possess small amounts of the drug. They were reacting to new voter-approved...

Tags: Gil Kerlikowske, Same-Sex Marriage, Politics, U.S. Congress, Joe Mozingo

Fast track to the American dream

— Amid the skyscrapers and coal power plants in this fast-growing manufacturing city of nearly 13 million people, eager investors filed into a convention center that thumped with dance music from a Florida beach party video. On sale was the dream...

Tags: Beijing (China), Chicago Skyline, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Migration, McDonald's

Sen. Feinstein will not become Judiciary Committee chair

WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s hopes of taking over the panel that will be crucial to her efforts to renew an assault weapons ban and overhaul immigration laws were dashed Wednesday when Sen. Patrick J. Leahy decided to remain chairman...

Tags: Crime, Law and Justice, Personal Weapon Control, Barbara A. Mikulski, Assault, Politics

The initiation of Susan Rice

WASHINGTON -- A variety of insults have been deployed in opposition to Susan Rice's likely nomination for secretary of state: She is not qualified; she's too aggressive; she "misled" the public following the lethal attack on the American consulate in...

Tags: Johnny Carson, Johnnie Carson, Elections, U.S. Department of State, Lindsey O. Graham

Mikulski poised to become Senate committee chair

Tags: Central Intelligence Agency, U.S. Department of Defense, Meningitis, Barbara A. Mikulski, Security

Film review: 'Dark Knight Rises' is a promise fulfilled

And so the Christopher Nolan rendition of Batman — started in “Batman Begins” (2005) and continued in “The Dark Knight” (2008) — comes to an end, in “The Dark Knight Rises.” It stands proudly alongside...

Tags: Thomas Hardy, Howard Hughes, The Dark Knight (movie), Harry Shearer, Christian Bale

DEA Agents Accused of Hiring Hookers

KTLA News

WASHINGTON -- Three Drug Enforcement Administration agents are under investigation for allegedly hiring prostitutes in Cartagena, Colombia, a congressional source confirms to CNN. According to this source, House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King, R-...

Tags: Prostitution, Sex Crimes, U.S. Senate, Crime, Law and Justice, U.S. Department of Justice

Tags: Jason Chaffetz, Elections, Democratic Party, Politics, Trey Gowdy

Tags: U.S. Embassy, U.S. Department of State, Lifestyle and Leisure, Standards, FBI

Goldberg: The false modesty of 'nerds'

Washington is full of nerds. I know. I speak nerd, not fluently mind you, at least not anymore. But I certainly know more than a few phrases memorized from a Berlitz nerd-to-English phrase book. I can talk Dungeons & Dragons (both D&D and AD&D). I know...

Tags: Tina Fey, The New York Times, Isaac Asimov, 30 Rock (tv program), Entertainment

3 Secret Service members to leave agency amid scandal

CNn Wire Staff

The U.S. Secret Service is set to announce agent resignations amid a prostitution scandal that erupted in Colombia ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. The resignations could occur as...

Tags: Prostitution, Piers Morgan Tonight (tv program), Politics, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Sex Crimes