Nicaraguan Diplomat Found Dead In New York

By AJ Swartwood

A diplomat from Nicaragua was found dead with his throat slashed when his driver came to pick him up in the Bronx Thursday morning, police said. It is believed that he was a counselor for the Permanent Mission of Nicaragua to the United Nations. Sources said the man, whose name has yet to be released, was on his way to the UN General Assembly this morning…

Biden: Tea Party Wins Could Be Good For Democrats

Vice President Joe Biden remarked Thursday that the Tea Party candidates who have won recent primary upsets in Alaska and Delaware could be help Democrats by energizing the party’s base.

“Maybe the best thing to happen to us lately is the tea party wins,” Biden said during a fundraiser for in Maryland for Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) “Maybe it’ll shake some of our constituency out of their lethargy.”

Biden added that he remained a stalwart believer in Democrats’ ability to maintain their Congressional majorities.

“I guarantee you we’re going to have a majority in the House and a majority in the Senate,” Biden said.

Sanders Will Not Vote To Confirm OMB Nominee

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a liberal lawmaker who caucuses with the Democrats, has released a statement saying he will not support the nomination of Jacob ‘Jack’ Lew to become President Obama’s next OMB Director.

“Jack Lew was kind enough to meet with me last week in my office and to answer my questions at a Senate Budget Committee hearing. Frankly, I found too many echoes of the failed policies of the past in his responses to my questions on trade policy, Social Security, deregulation of banks and other issues.,” Sanders said.

“Reluctantly, I will not vote to confirm Mr. Lew to be director of the Office of Management and Budget,” he added.

Murkowski To Remain Atop Senate Energy Panel

Senate Republicans have decided against stripping Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) of her position as the ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Murkowski lost her Republican primary battle last month to Joe Miller, a conservative lawyer who was backed by various Tea Party groups. Murkowski has since announced that she will run in the general election this November as an Independent candidate…

Rahm Emanuel Could Leave White House By Next Month

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will likely leave the Obama administration by next month, according to a reports from various news outlets.

Emanuel is widely suspected to be eyeing a run for mayor of Chicago following Richard M. Daley’s announcement that he would not seek the position for a seventh term.

Prior to joining the White House, Emanuel served in Congress for three terms and in 2006 was named the Chair of the Democratic Caucus. His district, Illinois’ fifth, included part of Chicago.