Outside the Beltway

F.B.I. Director Comey tells Congress that it’s investigation into new emails revealed no information to change its conclusions about Hillary Clinton and her email server.

Donald Trump started out his campaign by telling us that the American dream is dead, and he returned to those dark and pessimistic themes in his acceptance speech last night.00

When it comes to the protections of the Fourth Amendment, it doesn’t matter if you’re “guilty” or “innocent,” it protects all of us.

The man who was brought in to clean up the I.R.S. after the alleged targeting scandal became public is facing censure and possible impeachment. Proving that there really is such a thing as a thankless job.

Bowe Bergdahl’s Court Martial has been delayed until 2017, which raises the possibility that comments by Donald Trump could result in Bergdahl getting off scot-free.

Even as Hillary Clinton heads toward winning the Democratic nomination for President, there’s an server-sized shadow over her campaign.

An agreement purportedly made ten years ago by a former prosecutor could mean the end of the criminal charges against Bill Cosby.

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore tells Probate Judges they should not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, in clear defiance of the law and his duties as an officer of the Court.

The probability that the shootings in San Bernardino were at least inspired by ISIS and/or other Jihadist terror networks is increasing.

Two months after seemingly promising to remain loyal to the Republican Party, Donald Trump is again refusing to rule out an independent run for the White House next year.

There was far too much pseudoscience in evidence during the Republican Debate on Wednesday.

Rowan County, Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis says she won’t interfere in the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

A trial court Judge in Oregon is the latest public official to refuse to do his job.

The RNC wants Donald Trump to sign an oath that he will not run as a third-party candidate if he doesn’t win the Republican nomination.

States who try to use loyalty oaths to keep Donald Trump off the ballot will be running afoul of the Constitution.

A Clerk in Kentucky appears to be headed for a showdown with a Federal District Court Judge that she is destined to lose.

Lindsey Graham recently retired as a colonel in the Air Force Reserves after 33 years of service. He missed most of the last twenty.

Jason Kottke points me to Stan Carey’s summary of Jack Grieve’s study of regional variations in swearing patterns across the United States.

Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is likely going to Federal Prison very soon.

A County Clerk in Kentucky is being sued because she thinks she can refuse to do her job and still keep that job.

In week a that has seen discussion of lost causes, the Chief Justice of the Alabama Surpreme Court appears poised to fight one last battle.

A new North Carolina law allows government employees to decline to perform their jobs by claiming it violates their “religious liberty.”

Beau Biden, the former attorney general of Delaware and son of Vice President Joe Biden, has died of brain cancer at the age of 46.

A Cleveland police officer has been acquitted of manslaughter and other charges in a case that resulted in the death of two African-American individuals.

Seymour Hersh is out with a conspiracy theory about the death of Osama bin Laden that just doesn’t make sense.

House Republicans are set to vote on a bill banning abortion in almost all cases after twenty weeks. What they can’t do is explain where the Constitution gives Congress the power to do this.

The Justice Department will not pursue contempt charges against Lois Lerner because it has determined that she did not waive her rights under the Fifth Amendment.

Arkansas, North Carolina, and Virginia may soon see the same battle over RFRA laws that is playing itself out in Indiana

The Nun Of The Above Edition OTB Caption Contest^TM is now over.

The first popularly elected African-American Senator, and the first African-American Senator to serve since the end of Reconstruction ended, has passed away.

The “Wassup” “Wassail” Edition OTB Caption Contest^TM is now over.

For better or worse, Marion Barry was a fixture in D.C. politics for much of the 40 year period of home rule that began in 1975.

A 69-year-old former polygraph examiner for the Oklahoma City police department has been indicted for coaching people to thwart the machines.

States may not add to Federal requirements for voter registration, the Court rules. Which makes perfect sense.

An idea whose time has come? Not really.

The Khorasan Group is, functionally, al Qaeda. Or is it?

It would appear that someone needs to introduce the Air Force to Article VI of the Constitution.

Chris McDaniel’s meritless, quixotic challenge to the Mississippi GOP Senate Primary is reaching it’s expected conclusion.

A big setback for Mississippi’s erstwhile Tea Party candidate for Senate.

Tea Party backed candidates may have lost most of the GOP primary battles, but they’ve won the war for control of the Republican agenda.

Six weeks have passed since the primary, and Chris McDaniel has revealed he really doesn’t have much to complain about other than the fact that he lost.

Your tax dollars, not at work.

Led by Speaker John Boehner, Republican leaders are trying to placate calls for impeachment.

A case out of Louisiana raises serious First Amendment issues.