politics / Top Stories
Tory MP David Wilshire to stand down over expenses rowDavid Wilshire, the Tory MP for Spelthorne, announced last night that he will stand down at the next
election after allegations that he had funnelled £100,000 in parliamentary expenses into a private company owned by himself and his partner.Wilshire agreed to stand down after a meeting with the chief whip, Patrick McLoughlin, but Conservative sources said it was his own decision after discussions with his family and friends.Earlier, Wilshire had submitted the allegations to the parliamentary commissioner for standards, John Lyon, but it was clear during the day that his efforts to defer the issue would not satisfy the Tory high command.Wilshire, a former whip and a rightwing moralist, had insisted that his arrangement had been agreed with the fees office, but it is not clear if he had invoices to justify payments to the private company. He said in a statement: "I am very conscious that the allegations and investigation will cause great distress to my family and friends. These allegatio
Guardian Friday, October 16, 2009White's war chest for Senate bid grows to $6 millionBill White, a Democrat, raised $1.55 million during the three months that ended Sept. 30, including a $414,000 contribution from himself.
Houston Chronicle Friday, October 16, 2009In New Orleans, Obama fires back at criticsNEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama fired back on Thursday at critics who say he has few accomplishments of note in his nine months in office and declared he was just getting started.
Reuters Friday, October 16, 2009Bill Targets Sentencing Rules for Crack, Powder CocaineThe Senate's second-ranking Democrat introduced a bill Thursday that would eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powdered cocaine, an issue that has frustrated judges, civil rights advocates and drug reform proponents for more than two decades.
Washington Post Friday, October 16, 2009Obama Makes His First Presidential Trip to New OrleansNEW ORLEANS, Oct. 15 -- In his first visit here since taking office, President Obama sought Thursday to reassure frustrated residents that his administration is working aggressively to repair the hurricane-damaged city and return people to their jobs and homes.
Washington Post Friday, October 16, 2009Federal Diary: Domestic-Partner Benefits as a Recruiting and Retention ToolRemember when President Obama said he wanted to make working for the
federal government "cool again"? The government's chief human resources officer told lawmakers Thursday that they need to approve a bill that extends full benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian federal employees to...
Washington Post Friday, October 16, 2009Wellness Incentives Could Create Health-Care LoopholeGet in shape or pay a price. That's a message more Americans could hear if health-care reform provisions passed by the Senate finance and health committees become law. By more than doubling the maximum penalties that companies can apply to employees who flunk medical evaluations, the legislation...
Washington Post Friday, October 16, 2009DHS Reshapes Its Immigration Enforcement ProgramA controversial federal program that deputizes state and local law enforcement agents to catch illegal immigrants is expanding under the Obama administration, despite changes announced this summer intended to curb alleged racial profiling and other police abuses.
Washington Post Friday, October 16, 2009Influential AMA's Support for Reform Is Far From CertainAt the dawn of the Cold War, when President Harry S. Truman set forth a plan for national health insurance, the American Medical Association denounced it as "one of the final, irrevocable steps toward state socialism," warning that the idea "would not only jeopardize the health of our people, but...
Washington Post Friday, October 16, 2009Obama Criticized as Too Cautious, Slow on Judicial PostsPresident Obama has not made significant progress in his plan to infuse federal courts with a new cadre of judges, and liberal activists are beginning to blame his administration for moving too tentatively on what they consider a key priority.
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