SUPREME COURT: The Hill's Sam Baker: " Supreme Court appears reluctant to issue broad marriage ruling" The Supreme Court seemed to make clear this week that it is in no rush to expand the rights of same-sex couples to marry. The court made history simply by taking up the first cases it has ever heard on the issue of marriage equality. And in both cases, the justices seemed concerned with minimizing the footprint their decisions will leave.
The New York Times' Adam Liptak and Peter Baker: " Justices Cast Doubt on U.S. Law Defining Marriage" The Supreme Court appeared ready on Wednesday to strike down a central part of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, as a majority of the justices expressed reservations about the Defense of Marriage Act.
BORDER SECURITY: The Washington Times' Seth McLaughlin: " Senators touring border witness woman scaling 18-foot fence" Sen. John McCain and members of the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" tasked with carving out a comprehensive immigration package got a firsthand look at the difficulty involved in securing the U.S.-Mexican border when a woman literally climbed over a border fence right in front of them. "Just witnessed a woman successfully climb an 18-ft bollard fence a few yards from us in #Nogales," the Arizona Republican tweeted.
JULIA PIERSON: ABC News' Mary Bruce: " Julia Pierson Sworn In as First Female Secret Service Director" President Obama today praised the qualifications of his pick to lead the U.S. Secret Service, as Julia Pierson was sworn in as the agency's first female director. "I have to say that Julia's reputation within the service is extraordinary," Obama told reporters. "She's come up through the ranks, she's done just about every job there is to do at the Secret Service."
IMMIGRATION REFORM : USA Today's Aamer Madhani: " Obama: Immigration bill could pass by summer" President Obama expressed optimism on Wednesday that Congress will have a bill that overhauls the nation's immigration laws ready next month and that passage of the legislation can be completed by summer's end. "If we have a bill introduced at the beginning of next month as these senators indicate it will be, then I'm confident that we can get it done certainly before the end of the summer," Obama said in an interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo.
Politico's Anna Palmer: " Immigration talks hit the border" Overlooking a hillside dotted with big box stores, mobile homes and fast food chains just a few miles from Mexico, key Senate immigration reform negotiators gathered for a press conference to show they've found common ground on at least one issue - border security. The only problem: disagreement on the border wasn't the reason senators couldn't come up with a plan before leaving Washington last week for a two-week recess.
GAY MARRIAGE: The Wall Street Journal's Brent Kendall: " Obama's Actions Over Law Questioned" President Barack Obama believes the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, but continues to enforce it. That stance came in for serious criticism Wednesday from conservative members of the Supreme Court, and led the justices to tackle some thorny procedural questions.
OTHER: The Los Angeles Times' Michael Memoli: " Ashley Judd says no to Kentucky Senate bid" Ashley Judd put an end to speculation about a potential turn from acting to politics Wednesday, announcing that she would not challenge Mitch McConnell for his Senate seat in 2014. In a series of Twitter messages, Judd thanked her would-be supporters for their encouragement but said she needed to focus her energy on her family. "I have spoken to so many Kentuckians over these last few months who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people & new leader," Judd wrote
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