Gautham Nagesh

The FBI arrested eight members of the Michigan militia group Hutaree this weekend on charges they planned to levy war against the government. The eight men and one woman were charged after several raids this weekend and charged with a range of crimes including seditious conspiracy, teaching/demonstrating the use of explosive materials and attempts to use weapons of mass destruction. Update: One defendant, Joshua Stone, is currently a fugitive. (more)

Senate Republicans united Thursday to voice their opposition to a recess appointment for labor lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. All 41 members of the minority signed a letter to Obama urging him not to use the upcoming recess to seat Becker after the Senate held up his nomination last month. (more)

Faced with massive structural budget deficits and a rapidly shrinking tax base, California may find relief in an unlikely place: marijuana. Pot advocates are confident the state's voters will approve an initiative this November to legalize the drug for recreational use. (more)

Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn has never been afraid to use his vast knowledge of Senate rules to make political hay. He did so again on Tuesday by offering a list of amendments to the health-care reconciliation bill designed to make Senate Democrats take tough votes against measures such as banning the government from paying for sex offenders' Viagra. (more)

While the legislative battle over expanding health insurance coverage appears over for the time being, the campaign to define the bill's effects began in earnest on Monday. Democrats are focused on explaining the bill's benefits to the public, while Republicans are contemplating various strategies to repeal the largest portions before they take effect in 2014. (more)

Alex Pappas let us know that House Minority leader John Boehner has written to Speaker Pelosi requesting a roll call vote on the health-care bill this weekend, where members will have to stand up and announce their vote out loud. Boehner is clearly looking for a visual to go with the campaign ads the NRCC is likely already cooking up with the aim of displacing moderate Democrats who support the final bill.  (more)

A sobering reminder from Gallup that despite the Administration's unwavering focus on health-care, the job market is still a long ways from recovering: (more)

Jane Hamsher of the liberal blog firedoglake remains unenthused about the Democrats' healthcare bill:  (more)

From ace reporter Alex Pappas: (more)

Thanks to my colleague Mike Riggs for allowing me to occupy his personal space for the rest of the afternoon, I'll do my best to leave things the way I found them. I'd be remiss if I didn't at least acknowledge the huge win by my alma mater Cornell over Temple in the first round of the NCAA tournament this afternoon. This year's team is probably the best thing to come out of Ithaca since S.E. Cupp. (more)

In what seemed like a premature victory lap, President Obama addressed a rally in Fairfax, Va., on Friday where he once again made a passionate argument for lawmakers to approve the health-care bill regardless of the political consequences. (more)

Republican lawmakers pressed President Obama's nominee for ambassador to El Salvador Wednesday over her former relationship with a Cuban national who may have had ties to Cuban intelligence. (more)

The House Rules Committee on Wednesday turned a single vote on a procedural issue — with some bearing on Obama's health-care bill — into a partisan back-and-forth regarding the placement of cameras in the hearing room. (more)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich announced Wednesday that he will support the health-care bill despite his objections to its contents. The Cleveland liberal suggested his mind was changed by a personal appeal from President Obama and out of concern for the precarious state of Obama's presidency. (more)

Republicans are upping the pressure on Obama diplomatic nominee Mari Carmen Aponte, demanding to see details of her background investigation conducted by the Administration. (more)

Gautham Nagesh with some analysis of the nasty federal takeover of the student loan industry: (more)

Despite last week's promise by both parties in the House to cut back on earmarks it doesn't look like the upper chamber will be joining them in their efforts any time soon. Senate lawmakers are pushing back against the call to reduce spending on lawmakers' pet projects and without pressure from the White House they are unlikely to change their stance any time soon. (more)

Senate Republicans are preparing to challenge President Obama's nominee for ambassador to El Salvador over her previous ties to an alleged asset of Cuban intelligence. (more)

A little late on this, but Detroit Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick and her office manager have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in Detroit:  (more)

The White House just release the list of Charities that will receive President Obama's Nobel Prize money, a total of $1.4 million: (more)