Jim McDermott News

Steven Miller, the ousted chief of the Internal Revenue Service, answers questions from the House Ways and Means Committee as it holds a hearing on the extra scrutiny the IRS gave Tea Party and other conservative groups.

While many Democrats have joined Republicans in public shaming of the Internal Revenue Service for singling out conservative groups, others say the scandal is just a byproduct of muddied rules about nonprofits and political activity in the wake of the Citizens United ruling - and they're hoping that they can steer the conversation from outrage over ... (more)

It's always the "low-level" peon's fault, isn't it? When Democrats get caught red-handed abusing government powers and bullying their political enemies small and large, nobody at the top knows nuttin'. The buck stops in the janitors closet or something.

In his opening statement before a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee today, former acting IRS director Steve Miller apologized for the targeting of conservative groups by the IRS, saying: "Partisanship has no place in the IRS." After his opening statement, however, it became clear that Miller wasn't really sorry.

It's always the 'low-level' peon's fault, isn't it? When Democrats get caught red-handed abusing government powers and bullying their political enemies small and large, nobody at the top knows nuttin'. The buck stops...in the janitors closet or something.

Last month, the U.S. government stood on the sidelines as much of the world united for the final push to eradicate polio.

OBAMA BACK ON OBAMACARE OFFENSE The president is championing his namesake law again, vigorously defending it at a White House event for women on Friday and urging Americans not to be "bamboozled" by what he described as misinformation from opponents.

For months we've been writing about state efforts to label genetically modified organisms .

LEGALIZE POT: Demonstrators demand the legalization of cannabis as they walk in downtown Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2009.

As a decorated Vietnam veteran, Karl Marlantes understands the grim costs of America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as anyone: at least 6,699 U.S. military personnel dead, more than 50,000 wounded and $2 trillion in borrowed spending, with the total long-term tab expected to double or triple that.

Today, Rotary International will recognize five members of Congress as Polio Eradication Champions for their efforts to eliminate polio.

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has won a special election for his old U.S. House seat, withstanding an extra-marital affair, a days-long disappearance to meet his mistress in Argentina, a lie about where he had gone, a divorce, a trespass charge brought by his former wife, and the uncomfortable first meeting on primary night between his ... (more)

THE apparent enthusiasm in the U.S. Senate for the Marketplace Fairness Act, which passed on Monday 67-27, obscures the difficulty of getting a meaningful tax-reform bill through a gridlocked Congress.

Four members of Congress from Washington have introduced a bill that would reduce the federal tax rate small distilleries pay.

The bill would add protections for LGBT employees to federal civil rights legislation.

Associate Federal Railroad Administrator Kevin Thompson today joined Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Congressman Jim McDermott at the ribbon cutting for the newly revitalized King Street Station.

Some lawmakers fear the failure of gun-control legislation in the Senate could be a bad omen for immigration, deficit reduction and tax reform.

News about Seattle City Hall, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Seattle and King County government and more A celebration of the life of larger-than-life Seattle political consultant Blair Butterworth will be held at 10:30 on Sunday morning at Town Hall, 1119 8th Avenue.