Outside the Beltway

A Federal Appeals Court has ruled that the N.S.A.’s data mining program is illegal, but its ruling may not have a very big impact.

So far at least, there’s little evidence in the polls that Hillary Clinton has been hurt by the news reports about the financial dealings of the Clinton Foundation.

Bernie Sanders is running for President. He’s not going to win, but he’s not running because he thinks he can win.

The GOP race remains tight, but some candidates have benefited from their entry into the race more than others. Overall, though, Hillary Clinton continues to dominate.

The debate over whether kids need to be vaccinated against communicable diseases baffles me.

With no real opponents in the race for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton has no reason to rush getting into the race.

An American freed from captivity, and potentially huge changes in America’s diplomatic and trade relationship with Cuba.

Another round of election losses is leading Democrats to contemplate the direction they should take going forward.

The Fourth and Fifth Amendments do not prevent the police from compelling you to unlock your phone if you used fingerprint scan technology to lock it, Virginia Judge has ruled.

Despite speculation, both Angus King and Joe Manchin will stay with the Democratic caucus. And that makes sense for both of them.

Big victories for advocates of marijuana legalization.

A 29 year old woman will end her life in less than a month. That should be her choice.

The die is cast.

Self-described socialist Bernie Sanders is contemplating an independent run for the presidency.

Congress seems ready to avoid having to vote on expanded attacks against the Islamic State

Another area where the law has yet to catch up to technology.

A prairie populist challenger for Hillary Clinton?

Crony capitalism in The Sooner State.

The state where the same-sex marriage battle began is just days away from legalizing same-sex marriage.

The U.S. sends a mostly weak signal to the Egyptian military.

A Colorado 6-year-old with a penis has successfully sued for the right to use the girls’ restroom.

New developments in a still very new area of the law.

POLITICO is joining the stampede toward metered paywalls. In a twist, it will remain free in regions where it’s most popular.

The American people no longer seem to care if their political leaders are divorced.

DOMA’s trip to SCOTUS was practically baked into the legislation.

Mr. Paul Goes To Washington.

Applications to America’s Law Schools are down, because the nature of the legal profession is changing.

Josh Marshall explains what it’s like to be a non-gun person in a very pro-gun culture.

Some people on the right apparently want to return to this map.

The Mid-Atlantic region is under the gun.

No, the electoral college does not encourage the candidates to pay special attention to the small states.

The Defense of Marriage Act is under challenge through a unique angle: estate taxes.

The race will go on after Super Tuesday, but the outcome seems ineviable

Mitt Romney is likely to put considerable distance between himself and his opponents tomorrow.

Our political scene has changed drastically since Bob Kerrey was last in the Senate.

An important vindication of the right against self-incrimination.