EPA nomination sets stage for court struggles on climate change

The battle over climate change is heating up in Washington – as President Barack Obama’s nomination of Gina McCarthy to lead the EPAsets the stage for a struggle over regulations intended to reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions.

L.A. mayor's race digs deep for dirt

Forget the “sequester.” There’s a campaign going on involving accusations of corruption, bankruptcy, race and President Obama, gender politics, grave-digging, and even drilling for oil in Beverly Hills.

Jeb Bush: No pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants

First Read: In an apparent reversal from his past statements, former Florida Republican Gov. Jeb Bush said Monday that his immigration reform plan would "fall short" of offering a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants living in the United States — a key provision being put forward by the bipartisan group leading reform efforts on Capitol Hill.

Obama names budget, environment, energy cabinet picks

First Read: President Barack Obama nominated three more members of his second-term cabinet Monday, formally unveiling his choices to head the Office of Management and Budget, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Energy Department.

Making sense of the clashing sequester numbers

A lot of numbers are being tossed around in the raucous debate over the sequester, but there’s no agreement on the correct number to describe the size of the spending cuts required by the 2011 Budget Control Act.