WSJ: Millionaires Go Missing

Here’s a two-minute drill in soak-the-rich economics:
Maryland couldn’t balance its budget last year, so the state tried to close the shortfall by fleecing the wealthy. Politicians in Annapolis created a millionaire tax bracket, raising the top marginal income-tax rate to 6.25%. And because cities such as Baltimore and Bethesda also impose income taxes, the state-local [...]

The Hill: Housing market shows more weakness

Despite congressional efforts, the housing market continues to show record levels of weakness and may continue to be months away from reaching a bottom, new data released on Thursday indicate.
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported that more than 12 percent of mortgages are either in foreclosure or at least one payment late — the [...]

The Hill: FEC reports more lobbyist bundlers

At least four more lobbyist bundlers have been reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), according to new filings with the agency.
A report by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) disclosed that four lobbyists collected $209,700 in campaign contributions for the political committee during the month of April.

The Hill: Lobbying World

Chris Collins has been named vice president and director of public policy for the Foundation for AIDS Research, or amfAR. Collins was a staff adviser to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and worked on legislation to combat AIDS.
• Caroline Fredrickson is the new executive director for the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. [...]

The Hill: Earmarks for Campaign Cash?

Common Cause released a new report [pdf here] Wednesday showing that just the members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense inserted more than $355 million in earmarks into the 2008 defense spending bill on behalf of their campaign contributors. Those contributors, according to campaign disclosure reports, donated a total of $1.3 million to the [...]

St. Petersburg Times: Lakeland’s Sen. Dockery may join race for governor

State Republican leaders may be working overtime to clear the gubernatorial field for Bill McCollum, but one energetic Republican state senator isn’t ready to get on board.
“The Republican Party’s in trouble now, and I’ve spent my entire adult life building up the party,” said state Sen. Paula Dockery, who said she is seriously considering running [...]

St. Peterburg Times: Gov. Crist signs $66.5 billion budget, breaks tax pledge

TALLAHASSEE — Breaking a pledge against raising taxes, Gov. Charlie Crist signed Florida’s $66.5 billion budget into law Wednesday and barely used his veto pen.
Crist vetoed only two items: a small pay cut for some state workers and a measure to take $6 million from a trust fund that’s used to process concealed weapons [...]

Politico: Which senators could lose in Sonia Sotomayor vote?

Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation to the Supreme Court may already seem all but assured, but there’s still a summer full of drama to be had: Which senators will distinguish themselves in the confirmation process, and which will wind up as damaged goods?
There’s plenty of peril to go around.
Republicans may face a backlash if they’re [...]

The Hill: THE BIG QUESTION, May 27: Sonia Sotomayor and the Senate

The Big Question is a feature where influential lawmakers, pundits and interest group leaders give their answers to a question that’s driving discussion in news circles around the country.
Some responses are gathered via e-mail, while others are gathered in person via tape recorder.

Politico: Roland Burris tapes raise fresh questions

Embattled Illinois Sen. Roland Burris was secretly recorded by the FBI having a detailed conversation about fundraising for then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who ultimately appointed the Illinois Democrat to Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.
“God knows, No. 1, I, I wanna help Rod,” Burris said, according to newly disclosed details of a Nov. 13 telephone call [...]