WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama formally launched his re-election campaign Monday, urging grass-roots supporters central to his first White House run to mobilize again to protect the change he's brought over the past two years. The official start of his second White House bid, in the midst of three wars, a budget fight with Congress, and sluggish economic recovery, comes 20 months before the November 2012 election. "We've always known that lasting change wouldn't come quickly or … [Read more...]

Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay remained defiant as he faced a judge's sentence to three years in prison for a scheme to illegally influence Texas elections, insisting he committed no crime and was the victim of selective prosecution by authorities targeting his politics. "Everything I did was covered by accountants and lawyers telling me what I had to do to stay within the law," the Houston-area Republican said. "I can't be remorseful for something I don't think I … [Read more...]

BALTIMORE – Federal authorities have opened a criminal investigation of Delaware Republican Christine O'Donnell to determine if the former Senate candidate broke the law by using campaign money to pay personal expenses, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to protect the identity of a client who has been questioned as part of the probe. The case, which has been assigned to two federal prosecutors … [Read more...]