Free Republic

You already know the background on this from Ed’s post this morning. Lerner began her testimony by reading a self-serving statement, then declared that she’d answer no questions. Trey Gowdy objected, insisting that once you start yapping in your own interest, you’re not allowed to clam up again.Issa evidently agrees — but only for the moment, I suspect. Prediction: Either he’ll reverse himself on this or he’ll bring her back simply to have her sit there and plead the Fifth repeatedly in response to the committee’s questions. He won’t hold her in contempt. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman...

The Senate delivered a devastating blow to President Obama’s agenda to regulate guns Wednesday by defeating a bipartisan proposal to expand background checks. It failed by a vote of 54 to 46, with 5 Democrats voting against it. Only 4 Republicans supported it. Democratic Sens. Mark Pryor (Ark.), Max Baucus (Mont.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Mark Begich (Alaska) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) voted against it. Reid supported the measure but voted against it to preserve his ability to bring the measure up again. GOP Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Susan Collins (Maine), Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Mark Kirk

Bridesmaids may soon be forced to sign contracts agreeing not to put on weight or get pregnant before a friend's wedding. One in five brides-to-be is so concerned that her bridesmaids might let her down that she would ask her maid-of-honour to sign a written "pre-nuptial agreement", according to a new poll. A bridesmaid contract is the latest American-style trend for brides Despite the fact that 61 per cent of brides picked a best friend as their choice of bridesmaid and 49 per cent chose their sister, 48 per cent would sack a bridesmaid who failed to stick to the...

BRIDE-to-be Sonia Wilde is likely to be upstaged on her big day by the chief bridesmaid - her pet dog, Lucy Brown. Dressed in a pink, frilly dress, complete with bonnet, the three-year-old cross collie will be the centre of attention when Sonia, 29, ties the knot with fiancé Steve Begley on October 1. The idea was originally "a bit of a joke", but when the couple popped into St Matthew's Church, Edgeley, Stockport, and suggested it to vicar Brian Statham they were surprised by his response. After a long pause, he said they could do it. Now, call centre...

A woman whose husband left her for her mother was a bridesmaid at their wedding, it has emerged. Alison Smith discovered her husband, George Greenhowe, 21, in bed with her mother, Pat, 44, just 10 days after their marriage in Angus in November 2001. The 20-year-old filed for divorce naming her own mother in the papers but then managed to forgive the pair and gave them her blessing to wed. Miss Smith told Closer magazine: "At first I was disgusted. But I gradually fell out of love with George and realised how happy he and mum were. "He never apologised...