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House Republicans yesterday declared "something fishy" about the major tuna company in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco district being exempted from the minimum-wage increase that Democrats approved this week. "I am shocked," said Rep. Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican and his party's chief deputy whip, noting that Mrs. Pelosi campaigned heavily on promises of honest government. "Now we find out that she is exempting hometown companies from minimum wage. This is exactly the hypocrisy and double talk that we have come to expect from the Democrats."

As part of their first 100 hours plan, Democrats are pushing a hike in the minimum wage. It's going to happen, with several Republicans and even President Bush prepared to go along with it. But did you know that American Samoa...a Democrat stronghold...is being exempted from the minimum wage increase? And just what are the reasons being given for this? According to the chairman of the House, Education and Labor Committee, Democrat George Miller of California, the economy of American Samoa doesn't have the ability to handle the United States' minimum wage and should be exempt. Nice try...want to know...

StarKis(t)ing Nancy Pelosi [Kathryn Jean Lopez] There are some real stars in the 110th minority. Among them, Eric Cantor and Patrick McHenry. They called out some Nancy Pelosi fishy business earlier this week. Here’s the story, as relayed by the Fox and Friends gang: STEVE DOOCEY: We teased you with this a moment ago. On Wednesday the U.S. House passed a bill that says the minimum wage in this country will rise over time from $5.15 an hour to $7.25. Now, here's the thing. Included in the small print is the fact that the minimum wage will now include the...

WASHINGTON - New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) is snuffing out one of Congress' enduring prerogatives, still cherished by some lawmakers — the right to smoke near the floor of the House. Pelosi, D-Calif., announced Wednesday that effective immediately, House members would no longer be able to light up in the ornate Speaker's Lobby off the House floor where lawmakers mingle during votes. The room is often hazy with smoke, as it was Tuesday night as the House voted on anti-terror legislation; Minority Leader John Boehner (news, bio, voting record), R-Ohio, often has cigarette in hand, for...

New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) is snuffing out one of Congress' enduring prerogatives, still cherished by some lawmakers — the right to smoke near the floor of the House. Pelosi, D-Calif., announced Wednesday that effective immediately, House members would no longer be able to light up in the ornate Speaker's Lobby off the House floor where lawmakers mingle during votes. The room is often hazy with smoke, as it was Tuesday night as the House voted on anti-terror legislation; Minority Leader John Boehner (news, bio, voting record), R-Ohio, often has cigarette in hand, for example. "The...

Speaker Pelosi Delivers Victory for the Right to Breathe Clean, Smoke-Free Air Says Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by William V. Corr, Executive Director, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: By declaring the Speaker's Lobby of the U.S. Capitol to be smoke-free, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today sent a powerful message to the nation about the serious dangers of secondhand smoke and the need to protect everyone's right to breathe clean, smoke-free air. From office buildings to restaurants and bars to the Capitol of the United States, all workers and the public should...

This doesn't look right.

Quite a makeover for newly sworn House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as her national image morphed from leader of the San Francisco liberal elite to Italian Catholic mom from Baltimore. There was her photo-op return to the Little Italy neighborhood where she grew up as Nancy D'Alesandro, the mayor's daughter. There was the visit to St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, where they still recite Mass in Italian several times a year. "It's clear Republicans are reeling today based on her outreach to Italian Catholics who, as we know, have deserted the Democratic Party in the Midwest in droves,'' said San...

Pelosi hints at denying Bush Iraq funds 12 minutes ago House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said newly empowered Democrats will not give President Bush a blank check to wage war in Iraq, hinting they could deny funding if he seeks additional troops. "If the president chooses to escalate the war, in his budget request, we want to see a distinction between what is there to support the troops who are there now," she said in an interview broadcast Sunday. "The American people and the Congress support those troops. We will not abandon them. But if the president wants to add to...

As Democrats take control of Congress today with ambitious plans for a new agenda, early signs of bipartisan cooperation have all but evaporated on Capitol Hill, shattering Democrats' hopes for a smooth transition into power. Starting next week, Democrats also plan votes on hiking the minimum wage; boosting funding for embryonic stem cell research; cutting student loan interest rates; and enacting 9/11 Commission recommendations that call for enhanced cargo screening and better emergency communication systems, among other proposals. In each case, Democratic leaders are bringing bills directly to the House floor, short-circuiting the time-consuming committee process that allows members of...

If Bill Clinton was Elvis, Hillary was the Statue of Liberty, inspired by Pelosi's triumph (more about that in a future story) and welcoming the huddled masses, who were pushing each other out of the way to take pictures with her. At night, we gathered at the National Building Museum for a celebration concert and Democratic Party fundraiser. Filmmaker Peter Kaufman, a friend of Christine Pelosi's, set the tone of the evening's festivities. He quoted someone else he'd heard that day: "She's the most powerful Italian since Caesar.''