The House of Representatives this week was supposed to consider an appropriations bill covering commerce, justice and science agencies. Instead, they turned their attention to scandals Republicans want to pin on the Obama administration. One is about a series of emails the White House released between national security officials in the wake of the September 11, 2012 attacks on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi. Congress also voted this week to hold former IRS Commissioner Lois Lerner in contempt. The Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram is holding more than 200 girls they kidnapped, and some Republicans say Hillary Clinton should have designated Boko Haram as a terrorist organization when she was at the State Department. In other Clinton-related news, Monica Lewinsky speaks out in Vanity Fair. Elswhere, Eastern Ukrainians are scheduled to vote on an independence referendum. At the same time, Vladimir Putin said he was pulling troops back from the border. That's a lot of mixed messages.
Reid Wilson (Washington Post) moderates from the Center. On the Left, Robert Scheer (TruthDig.com). Rich Lowry (National Review) is on the Right.
Banner Image: People take part in a vigil held in the wake of the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, in Washington May 9, 2014. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts