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Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, I-64

Why You Won’t Own Your Road

Fawn Johnson | May 16, 2013
Cash-strapped states such as Virginia are turning to the private sector to help finance large infrastructure projects.
Watergate Committee hearings

Watergate: When Congress Worked

Matthew Cooper | May 16, 2013
The back-stabbing, press-leaking, hyper-partisan members of the committee investigating Nixon, which began hearings 40 years ago, still made history. Here’s how. 
Young Voters

Will Millennials Become Generation X-treme?

Ron Fournier | May 5, 2013
Harvard study suggests leaders must act urgently to prevent polarization and apathy among young Americans.
Sky

Why Carbon Is So Hard to Regulate

Coral Davenport | May 2, 2013
It’s everywhere and touches everything. EPA can crack down, but only by stretching the law. 
Oklahoma City Bombing

Should Prosecutors Insist on Death for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev?

James Oliphant | May 2, 2013
Cutting a deal with the alleged Boston bomber might prevent future attacks and ensure a conviction. But it could enrage victims and disappoint the public. 
Kathleen Sebelius

After the Obama Administration's Morning-After Pill Decision

Margot Sanger-Katz | May 2, 2013
President Obama has made a series of speeches in recent weeks, delighting scientists who work on controversial areas of research and advocates for reproductive and abortion rights.
terror

Why We Defend Terrorists

Brian Resnick | May 2, 2013
What is it like speaking up for those accused of horrendous crimes? Five attorneys who have stood by bomb plotters, detainees, and murderers explain.
Mark Sanford

How Democrats Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Super PAC

Ben Terris | April 30, 2013
A day with House Majority PAC shows why unlimited spending is the norm, on both sides of the aisle.
Oregon execution room

Will Prosecutors in the Boston Marathon Bombing Case Seek the Death Penalty?

Matt Vasilogambros | April 26, 2013
Former prosecutors weigh in on the legal strategy for taking on bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Boston Bombing Sustpects

Boston Suspect's Legal Status A Test Case

Michael Hirsh | April 20, 2013
Nearly 12 years after 9/11, authorities still have not figured out how to try terrorists.
Raul Grijalva Keith Ellison

Progressives Fight Obama on Entitlements with Eye on 2014

Rebecca Kaplan | April 10, 2013
For progressive Democrats in Congress, a fight with President Obama over the inclusion of cuts to Social Security in his budget proposal may be just a warm-up for the real looming battle: the 2014 midterms.
Berlin Wall

The Lives of Thatcher, Reagan, and Pope John Paul II Prove Presence Counts, Remembering Doesn’t

Major Garrett | April 9, 2013
It is both cruel and instructive that the three pivotal and decisive foes of communism—Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John Paul II—had, in all likelihood, no memory of their world-transforming triumph when each stepped into the great beyond.
Drone

Vetting the Kill List

James Oliphant and Kristin Roberts contributed | April 4, 2013
Civil libertarians want a judge to oversee the administration’s targeted-killing program. It sounds appealing, but it could do more harm than good.
Financial regulators

Mary Schapiro and Lanny Breuer Give Us the Ultimate Dog-Bites-Man Story

Michael Hirsh | April 3, 2013
They failed to prosecute a single Wall Streeter over the 2008 disaster. Now it's home to mama.
SCOTUS Gay Marriage

House GOP Leaders Silent on Marriage Law They're Paying to Defend

Rebecca Kaplan | March 27, 2013
Republicans strategists agree with leadership's call to stay mum as the Supreme Court takes up the case, saying it's best not to distract from the party's economic message.
Supreme Court DOMA

Why Waiting on the States Could Create a Messy Future for Same-Sex Marriage

Ronald Brownstein | March 27, 2013
In two big cases this week, the justices were hesitant to impose a national standard on gay marriage. But history shows that leaving the issue to the states could leave a long-lasting patchwork.
Supreme Court DOMA

The Early Word From the Supreme Court on DOMA

Alexander Abad-Santos and Atlantic Wire | March 27, 2013
Same-sex marriage advocates may have gotten some good news from the Supreme Court on Wednesday about the Defense of Marriage Act. But they aren't quite in the clear.
Supreme Court Oral Arguments

Why 1 Gay-Rights Activist Doesn't Want a Broad Supreme Court Decision Now

Matt Vasilogambros | March 27, 2013
Following the first day of oral arguments before the Supreme Court, some gay-rights activists fear the justices seemed hesitant to rule broadly on the constitutional right for same-sex marriage. But one activist says that might be fine for now.
DOMA at the Supreme Court

Your Guide to Wednesday's Supreme Court DOMA Hearing

Adam Clark Estes and Atlantic Wire | March 27, 2013
Everything you need to know about Wednesday's Supreme Court hearing on same-sex marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act.
Supreme Court Prop 8

Justices Signal They Want to Move Slowly on Same-Sex Marriage

James Oliphant | March 26, 2013
The Supreme Court took California's gay-marriage case, but the justices seem to be aching for a reason to rule narrowly.
Supreme Court Prop 8

Your Guide to Today's Supreme Court Prop 8 Hearing

Alexander Abad-Santos - The Atlantic Wire | March 26, 2013
No more politicians switching sides. No more talk of what the polls mean. The long-awaited gay-marriage arguments at the Supreme Court have arrived, and the stakes are high for the most important civil-rights cases before the nation's highest court in years.
Same-sex Marriage

Could Overturning Gay-Marriage Bans Help the GOP?

Elahe Izadi | March 26, 2013
Taking the politically tough issue off the table would benefit the Republican Party.
Ted Olson

Prop 8 Challenger Ted Olson Was My Lawyer

Matthew Cooper | March 25, 2013
The conservative litigator takes his fight for same-sex marriage to the Supreme Court. What I learned about why he's such a fierce and clever advocate.
SCOTUS Gay Marriage

At the Supreme Court, Waiting Through Sleet, Snow, and an Onslaught of Questions From Journalists

Ben Terris | March 25, 2013
What it's like to spend days outside the Supreme Court waiting to hear oral arguments about same-sex marriage.
Anthony Kennedy

Gay Rights Cases May Force Anthony Kennedy to Choose Between 2 Great Legal Loves

Garrett Epps - The Atlantic | March 25, 2013
Will the Supreme Court justice honor states' rights or gay rights? He has a long track record of support for both.
stealth combat drone demonstrator Neuron

When the Whole World Has Drones

Kristin Roberts | March 21, 2013
The precedents the U.S. has set for robotic warfare may have fearsome consequences as other countries catch up.
Health Care

Obamacare at Age 3: Still Too Young for Prognosis

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 19, 2013
Most major components of the Affordable Care Act don't go into effect until next year.
happy feet

The Economics of Hawking Foreign-Made DVDs—for $11 Billion

Philip Bump - The Atlantic Wire | March 19, 2013
Earlier today, the Supreme Court ruled that books produced under copyright and sold inexpensively overseas could be legally resold in America. So how rich are you about to get shipping Chinese copies of DVDs stateside? We do the math.

National Security Insiders: It's Possible for Congress to Oversee Drone Program

Sara Sorcher | March 11, 2013
Plus: A narrow majority says Chuck Hagel will be a good Defense secretary.
Josh Sheinkman

Five Staff Positions to Watch During Senate Confirmation Hearings on Energy Nominees

Amy Harder | March 10, 2013
Here are some key staffers involved in the vetting of Obama's nominees for his second-term energy and environment team.
Rand Paul at the Capitol

Rand Paul and Washington's Night of Hypocrisy

Matthew Cooper | March 7, 2013
Rand Paul’s filibuster was surprising, compelling, and a perfect window into Washington’s hypocrisy.
Supreme Court

Here Come the Culture Wars: Court Hears Cases on Affirmative Action and Gay Marriage

Beth Reinhard | March 7, 2013
Democrats concerned that rulings could mobilize conservative base ahead of 2014 midterms.
Bob Ney

Disgraced Ex-Congressman Attacks John Boehner in New Book

George E. Condon Jr. | March 5, 2013
Imprisoned for his role in the Abramoff scandal, former Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio has some scores to settle.
dna

What Is a Gene And How Does it Apply to the Law? The Supreme Court Still Doesn't Know.

Brian Resnick | March 1, 2013
DNA was  discovered 60 years ago this week, and since then it's been muddling up the legal system.
Deborah Firestonewrote

Former Iran Hostages Are Still Seeking Justice

Jill Lawrence | February 28, 2013
'Argo' won the Oscar. But the 52 Americans held captive for another 14 months didn't get their feel-good ending.
Sen. Rand Paul

Rand Paul: 'We Shouldn't Be Crisscrossing the Skies With Drones'

Sara Sorcher | February 28, 2013
The senator is concerned about the administration's use of drones for surveillance—and targeted killing—in the U.S.
Antonin Scalia

The Supreme Court Seems Ready to Send Voting Rights Issue to Congress

Matthew Cooper | February 27, 2013
The justices seem certain to strike down or change the Voting Rights Act. What Congress and President Obama might do.
Court

High Court's Conservatives Cast Doubt on Key Voting Rights Act Provision

Scott Bland | February 27, 2013
The conservative and liberal wings of the Supreme Court sparred Wednesday morning over the future of the Voting Rights Act, as the Court heard arguments in a case that challenges one of the central pillars of the law protecting racial minorities' right to vote. The case, Shelby County, Ala. v. Hold...
Rand Paul

Rand Paul Pledges to Hold Up Brennan’s CIA Nomination Until He Gets Answers on Drones

Sara Sorcher | February 26, 2013
Sen. Rand Paul sees it as a very simple question, which could easily be answered with a “yes” or a “no”: Can the Obama administration authorize the use of lethal force—such as a drone strike—against a U.S. citizen on American soil?
Customs and Border Protection's Predator B

The Backlash Against Drones

Sara Sorcher | February 21, 2013
Flying robots can improve policing and assist in search-and-rescues. But they're also good at domestic spying, and that raises privacy concerns.
Supreme Court

Why Campaign Finance Laws Are Under Fire

Scott Bland | February 19, 2013
The Supreme Court's decision to review limits on campaign donations could foreshadow more regulations being lifted.
Marco Rubio cameras

Can Marco Rubio Live Up to the Hype?

Beth Reinhard and Scott Bland contributed | February 14, 2013
He's the GOP's Barack Obama, a fresh-faced politician with an immigrant name, a playlist full of rap, and a collection of fawning press clips. The challenge: He's selling the same old party message.
Voting Rights

Voting Rights Act Faces a Supreme Test

Matthew Cooper | February 14, 2013
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority may modify a key part of the Voting Rights Act. But it’s unlikely to eviscerate it.
valor

It Was Declared Unconstitutional. So Why Is the Stolen Valor Act Getting Another Go?

Ben Terris | February 6, 2013
Much to the eye roll of the ACLU, Congress is pushing forward to make it (again) illegal to lie about military service.
Dreamers

Opinion: We Need to End Our 'Natural Experiment' With Undocumented Children

Robert Courtney Smith | February 4, 2013
America and Congress now face a stark choice on immigration -- whether to continue the tragic “natural experiment” with a generation of children of immigrants, or to embark on a more inclusionary project that reflects American values. 
Drone Strike funueral

Targeted Killings: Obama’s Endless War

James Kitfield | January 31, 2013
Even as it pulls forces out of Afghanistan, the Obama administration wants to continue high-tech targeted killings in the war against terrorists.
Mary Jo White

After Taking on Terrorists, Can Mary Jo White Handle Tycoons?

Michael Hirsh | January 24, 2013
As U.S. attorney, she took down John Gotti and the “blind sheikh.” As head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, she would be hunting a different kind of game.
Gay Marriage Protest

Gay Rights Groups Want Action, And They Expect Obama to Deliver

Jim O'Sullivan | January 23, 2013
Gay-rights advocates have a long list of asks for the White House, and they expect Obama to deliver.  

How Obama Can Tackle Climate Change Without Congress

Coral Davenport | January 22, 2013
President Obama’s Inaugural Address was his boldest, clearest signal to date that he intends to take on the challenge of fighting climate change as a signature achievement of his presidency. 
Abortion Protest at Supreme Court

As Roe v. Wade Turns 40, Foes Focus on State Capitols

Beth Reinhard | January 22, 2013
President Obama’s reelection bid emphasized abortion rights more than any other presidential campaign in history, but the battle will be most heated in the states.
Inauguration Photos from the Capitol

What Obama Wants and What Congress Will Give Him

Stacy Kaper and Rebecca Kaplan and Coral Davenport and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and and Amy Harder contributed | January 21, 2013
How the president's vision fits with what Congress is likely to do.
Obama

When Are Kids Political Props?

Matthew Cooper | January 16, 2013
That NRA ad. Kids for gun control. What's too much?
gun store

4 Problems Obama Will Face In Gun Control Push

Fawn Johnson | January 15, 2013
Washington is on edge over gun violence and possible new gun laws, which means there will be a lot of talk over the next few months about the business of selling and owning firearms, violent images in the media, the influence of the National Rifle Association, gun culture, hunting ducks--you name it.

Political Insiders: Republicans Divided on How to Address Gay Marriage

Alex Roarty and Naureen Khan and Peter Bell | January 10, 2013
Plus, Democrats aren't sold that Chuck Hagel is President Obama's best choice for Defense secretary.
Trucking pollution

Obama Faces Dilemma on 'Mother of All’ Climate-Change Regulations

Coral Davenport | January 10, 2013
How President Obama could clean up carbon emissions—alone.
matsch

Does America's Highest-Security Prision Mistreat Mentally Ill Inmates?

Andrew Cohen - The Atlantic | January 4, 2013
He's tough. He's courageous. He tried Timothy McVeigh. Now Richard Matsch takes on another critical case: a civil rights lawsuit alleging prisoner abuse and neglect.

What Changes Will Survive the Supreme Court?

June 26, 2012
The countdown to the Supreme Court's decision in the health care case is on. Chief Justice John Roberts said Monday that the justices would be issuing rulings in the remaining cases on Thursday, which means, barring some extraordinary circumstance, that we will know then whether the Affordable Care Act will stand, fall, or move forward in some partial form.
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