On Tuesday, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) grilled former Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman over allegations that he presided over the institutional targeting of conservative groups for undue scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status. Cornyn pressed Shulman to apologize for the conduct of his agency over the course of his tenure. Shulman replied that the Inspector General’s report has absolved him of culpability for those abuses. Cornyn began by noting that Steven Miller, the former IRS acting commissioner, opened his testimony before the Senate panel with an apology. Cornyn asked Shulman if he, too, would begin by apologizing for the IRS’ systemic targeting of conservative groups. “I’m deeply, deeply saddened by this whole set of events,” Shulman replied. … [Read more...]

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) chastised his colleagues on Tuesday, during in opening remarks at Senate hearing examining tech giant Apple’s avoiding tens of billions of dollars in taxes. Instead of “bullying” one the country’s best “success stories,” Paul suggested the Senate panel bring in a “giant mirror.” Congress, not Apple, should be on trial, he charged. Yesterday, reports said a Senate panel found that Apple “avoided billions in taxes in the United States and around the world through a web of subsidiaries”… Congressional investigators found that some of Apple’s subsidiaries had no employees and were largely run by top officials from the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. But by officially locating them in places … [Read more...]

There isn’t much good news coming out of the Oklahoma City area today after yesterday’s devastating tornado. But for one woman in Moore, Oklahoma who lost her home, a miracle occurred when she discovered her missing dog beneath the expansive rubble. Barbara Garcia described the horrific scene to CBS News live on the air, saying that after the tornado hit, “I hollered for my little dog and he didn’t answer, didn’t come, so I know he’s in here somewhere.” During the interview, someone in CBS’ crew spotted a dog beneath the wreckage and as the camera panned to find it, Garcia realized that is was hers. Members of the crew helped Garcia free her dog and as the two were reunited, she said, “Well I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be okay, but … [Read more...]

These are historic and troubling times. The unprecedented and brazen efforts by high-ranking elements within the Obama administration to silence whistleblowers and intimidate any reporters that would speak with them have starkly framed the choice the political press now faces. The administration has thrown the gauntlet down before the media with their display of abject disregard for the watchdog Fourth Estate. To the White House’s chagrin, the media will respond. In a two-fold assault on the freedom of the press, President Barack Obama’s Department of Justice has been implicated in efforts designed to intimidate both the press and their sources. The DOJ’s acquisition of the two months of phone records from the Associated Press represents an audacious attempt to scare government … [Read more...]

On the ground in Moore, Okla., this morning, CNN’s Chris Cuomo interviewed Rep. Mark McBride about Monday’s devastating tornado and the disaster relief that has begun. Cuomo repeatedly urged the “congressman” on whether his colleagues will cut through politics and bump the relief effort up on their Washington, D.C., priority list. Only one problem: McBride is not a congressman and he has nothing to do with Washington. He’s a state representative in Oklahoma. “This is not meant as a finger-pointing of any way,” Cuomo said while repeatedly referring to McBride as a congressman, pressing him on how the local schools lack storm shelters despite being in the middle of what is commonly referred to as “Tornado Alley.” After McBride explained … [Read more...]