Free Republic

Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Thomas Suozzi of New York, Vincente Gonzalez of Texas, Anthony Brindisi of New York, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Max Rose of New York and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia attended the midday White House meeting in the Situation Room. The lawmakers are not part of Democratic leadership, which has been leading congressional negotiations, and are rank-and-file members mostly hailing from more moderate congressional districts...

Americans can expect to play a game of 'Where in the World is President Obama?' all through 2016 as the White House is working to line up at least six trips abroad for the lame duck leader. Politico is reporting that the only continents the president has ruled out are Antarctica and Australia, and while Africa won't be a solo destination, there's a chance Obama could swing through his father's home continent as part of another trip. He's making the trips to secure his foreign policy legacy – working on issues like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and ridding the world of...

Houston police are considering a plan to charge the Critical Mass bicycle group as safety concerns draw officers away from their regular duties. The event, which sees thousands of riders take to the streets on the last Friday of every month, has operated in cities across the world for over 20 years..... Four officers in two police cars help riders through intersections, with officers driving ahead and behind to clear the path. Houston police say they are now exploring the possibility of riders footing the bill for those services, as happens now for big funeral processions and for some busy...

NJ Transit sent four employees to the Super Bowl in New Orleans—including a key rail official who was in charge of the Hoboken terminal when dozens of rail cars and locomotives, left to sit in low-lying yards, were damaged during superstorm Sandy—at a taxpayer cost of $14,505, expense reports show. The bills, obtained by The Record through an Open Public Records Act request, include: $7,800 for lodging from Jan. 31 through Feb. 4, 2013;$5,241 for airfare;$423 in miscellaneous expenses.The intent of the visit was to ground NJ Transit officials in procedures used to handle transportation and security at the Super...

Let’s look into abuse, namely the wholesale abuse of taxpayer money. I don’t mean raising taxes. I mean the indiscriminate spending of tax money by government officials. It’s bad enough that the General Services Administration blew $823,000 in tax dollars on a posh, five-day spending spree in Las Vegas at a "training conference." No, I’m talking about the recklessness of the president of the United States, as he spends your money on travel for himself and his wife. Here’s a man who is supposed to set a reasonable example, when, in fact, the best word for his behavior is extravagant....

Authorities are organizing what appears to be the largest security operation ever for an inauguration, bringing in thousands of extra police, agents and troops to handle crowds as President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in. Security officials are bracing not just for the ceremony and parade Jan. 20 but also for at least 70 concerts, balls and other events surrounding the inauguration. Those include the welcome celebration featuring Obama on Jan. 18 at the Lincoln Memorial, which could draw 500,000 people, according to the D.C. mayor's office. "You've gone from a one-day event to a four-day event," said Joseph Persichini Jr.,...

The Democratic Presidential field may grow by one today.According to a senior aide to former one term United States Senator and Former Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun will reveal around 1:00 PM ET, VIA written statement the 'course of her exploration' of her future.She will spend the rest of the day giving interviews, explaining why she is either running for Senate or thinking about running for President