Washington’s top tax official was fired on Wednesday as President Barack Obama sought to stem a rising tide of criticism over the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups for special scrutiny. Seeking to regain the initiative amid a series of controversies that have threatened his second-term agenda, Obama said new leadership was needed to [...]

It’s been a scandal-filled week in Washington, one where Iowa’s Congressional delegation has united, at least in the need to sort out what went wrong. First was a committee hearing on the Benghazi incident, followed by news that the Internal Revenue Service had been targeting Tea Party groups to investigate misuse of non-profit status, and [...]

Local agencies react to a transportation safety board’s vote to support a lower blood alcohol limit for drivers. The National Transportation and Safety Board decided Tuesday to push states to reduce the legal limit from 0.08 to 0.05. The Board also recommends targeting repeat offenders and using in-vehicle alcohol detection technology among other strategies. Linn County [...]

DES MOINES – Sen. Rand Paul won a standing ovation for declaring Hillary Clinton unfit for higher office, but a full house at an Iowa GOP fundraiser was quiet when he called for immigration reform and outreach to Latinos and African Americans. Otherwise, it was a noisy, enthusiastic, sometimes raucous crowd Friday night at the [...]

After deflecting questions about her plans for months, former state Sen. Swati Dandekar is taking the first steps toward running for an open U.S. House seat in northeast Iowa. The Marion Democrat confirmed today supporters are forming an exploratory committee and she will decide before fall whether she will run for the 1st District seat [...]

Russia and the United States agreed to seek new peace talks with both sides to end Syria’s civil war, but opposition leaders were skeptical on Wednesday of an initiative they fear might let President Bashar al-Assad cling to power. Visiting Moscow after Israel bombed targets near Damascus and as President Barack Obama faces renewed calls [...]

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly on Monday to give states the power to enforce their sales tax laws on online purchases, but the legislation faces a tougher fight in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 69 to 27 to back the measure, which pits brick-and-mortar stores like Wal-Mart Stores Inc and cash-hungry [...]

Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey will not run for the U.S. Senate in 2014, he said Thursday morning. “After talking with my family and thoughtful consideration,” Northey said he decided to forgo the open-seat Senate race and continue in his current role. “I feel at this time I can be more effective serving Iowans as [...]

He’s embarrassed he hasn’t decided whether he’ll run for the U.S. Senate in 2014, but Rep. Steve King has been too busy. “I never thought it would be into May without an answer,” King told reporters Wednesday in Ames. “I just don’t know the answer and I’m embarrassed that I don’t know the answer.” He’s [...]

Gov. Terry Branstad’s political shot at U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Waterloo, may have inadvertently winged GOP ally, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, as well. The five-term GOP governor told reporters at his weekly news conference Monday that he was confident Iowa Republicans are going to find “a really good candidate” to seek the U.S. Senate [...]