New Orleans ex-mayor Nagin led culture of corruption: prosecutors
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – Prosecutors accused former New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, who led the city during Hurricane Katrina, of running a graft scheme that netted him cash, vacation trips and granite supplies in exchange for contracts to help rebuild the…
MSNBC apologizes for Cheerios tweet that offended Republicans
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said on Thursday he accepted an apology from the president of MSNBC over a tweet from the network that said “the rightwing” might disapprove of a Cheerios television ad featur…
Powerful Illinois House Speaker pushes corporate tax cut
CHICAGO (Reuters) – With big Illinois state income tax increases set to partially expire in 2015, the Democratic head of the state’s House of Representatives on Thursday introduced a bill to permanently reduce the corporate tax rate.
Obama administration nominates new NSA boss
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Navy’s top cyber warrior was nominated by President Barack Obama on Thursday to head the National Security Agency at a time when the embattled unit is under fire for spying on Americans and allies.
Republican plan would grant U.S. citizenship to some undocumented children
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A series of immigration reform steps floated on Thursday by Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives would grant citizenship for some children brought into the United States illegally by their parents and halt depo…
Yellen to be sworn in as first woman Fed chair next week
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Janet Yellen, the first woman to chair the Federal Reserve in its 100-year history, will take over the reins of the U.S. central bank on Saturday and formally be sworn in next week, the Fed said on Thursday.
Senior Democratic Congressman Waxman to retire
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic U.S. Representative Henry Waxman of California, a leading liberal who helped craft President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul, said on Thursday he would retire from Congress at the end of the year.
On policy tour, Obama pledges to revamp job training
WAUKESHA, Wisc. (Reuters) – President Barack Obama promised to overhaul federal jobs training programs on Thursday on the second leg of a tour intended to highlight his proposals to improve the fortunes of low- and middle-income Americans.
U.S. Senate passes bill to delay hikes in flood insurance rates
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In a rare act of bipartisanship, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill on Thursday to delay dramatic increases in federal flood insurance premiums for millions of Americans.
Republicans urge Obama to pressure Democrats on trade deals
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Top Republicans in the House of Representatives on Thursday called on President Barack Obama to “get his own party in line” behind the fast-track trade negotiation authority that he called for in his State of the Union address.
