David Johnston and Neil Lewis

The Obama administration is moving to solidify one of the most significant shifts of resources put into place under President George W. Bush: the transformation of the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation into agencies where the top priority is counterterrorism rather than conventional law enforcement.

Greg Giroux

Political parties don’t really get the luxury of an off year, as demonstrated by reports filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reported raising $3.5 million and the National Republican Congressional Committee took in $2 million in February, according to reports that the two House campaign organizations filed on Friday with the Federal Election Commission.

Thomas D. Elias

There they go again, attacking the earmarks most members of Congress attach to federal spending bills.

This time, at least, President Obama isn't wholly in the chorus dumping on projects stuck into a $408billion spending bill he just signed. Often called pork, these items get funded without the usual bureaucratic federal application process. Obama railed against them while campaigning last year and his 2008 Republican rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, is right there griping loudly again.

Jacqui Cheng

The 2009 version of the Cell Tax Fairness Act has been introduced to the US House of Representatives, renewing hopes that users of phone and data services will get some tax relief. The bill was introduced earlier this week by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Trent Franks (R-AZ), who seek to impose a five-year moratorium on any new discriminatory wireless taxes. Translation: the same wallet-pillaging tax rates would remain in place, but they wouldn't go up for five years.

Roy Mark

Rep. Zoe Lofgren is seeking a five-year moratorium on any new state or local discriminatory wireless taxes or fees. In the last four years, the effective rate of taxation on wireless services increased four times faster than the rate for other taxable goods and services.

Ralph Warner

U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, who has represented San Jose in Congress since 1994, will be this year's commencement speaker at graduation in May.

Lofgren, who first represented the university's surrounding area on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from 1981 to 1994 and before joining the Congress, said she was excited when offered the opportunity by SJSU President Jon Whitmore.

Gifts, just 'cuz they're such terrific people

It's politicians' favorite time of year — time to disclose their personal finances for all the public (or at least nosy reporters) to see!

March is the month that lawmakers and high-ranking officials must disclose their sources of income and gifts received during the previous year. IA spent some time last week looking at the forms of our local legislative delegation. We share with you some of the highlights:

Stephanie Pappas

UC Santa Cruz, Foothill-De Anza Community College and NASA Ames Research Center will partner to build a green research campus in Silicon Valley, university and NASA officials announced Friday.

"We envision a vibrant and sustainable community of students, teachers, researchers and Valley partners who will contribute to the economic vitality of the region," UCSC chancellor George Blumenthal told an audience at NASA Ames in Mountain View, where the new campus will be built.

David Perlman

A billion-dollar multi-university campus complete with major laboratories, classrooms and homes for 3,000 people will rise one day at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View - provided the money comes in over the next 20 years.

The ambitious joint venture, sponsored by UC Santa Cruz and the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, was announced Friday at the Ames center. The goal is to integrate the education and research project with the entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley.

Carolyn Lochhead

When Rep. George Miller of Martinez this week introduced "card check" legislation that would make it much easier for workers to organize, he plunged the Obama administration into a fight that has the potential to rival former President Bill Clinton's gays-in-the-military controversy.