The Wire: March 15, 2013

Accountability
7:58 a.m.
TWT
VA failed to encrypt vets' personal data, leaving it vulnerable to hackers
The Veterans Affairs Department has been routinely transmitting veterans’ personal data — including medical information and Social Security numbers — over unsecured Internet connections, leaving the information vulnerable to hacking and fraud, according to an internal watchdog that faults the agency for violating the government’s own security requirements.
Other
9:00 p.m.
Tim Bradley back in ring after Pacquiao stunner
Timothy Bradley no longer cares whether anyone thinks he won his fight with Manny Pacquiao last year. At least that’s what he’s telling everybody who keeps asking about it.
Letters
1:36 p.m.
TWT
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Shame on McCain and Graham
Sens. John McCain, Arizona Republican, and Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, would do well to make amends for their unreasonable and callous rebuke of Sen. Rand Paul and the Tea Party — unless they are willing to give up their seats to a new generation of Republicans.
Letters
1:35 p.m.
TWT
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: U.S. already running on borrowed money
Your editorial “Crowding out the future” (Feb. 28) is incorrect about entitlements and debt interest crowding out all other spending, consuming every penny of federal revenues by 2025.
Letters
1:35 p.m.
TWT
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Heed Hamilton
Ever since I can remember (58-plus years), I have been a proud gun owner. As a child, I owned children’s toy guns, also proudly. I have owned all types of firearms, with different types needed for different applications in the same way a golfer needs numerous clubs or a baseball player needs a variety of bats. The big difference between these inanimate objects is the ownership of my firearms is protected (at least by constitutionally cognizant courts, legislators and executives) under our Bill of Rights. There is no Bill of Needs.
Letters
1:34 p.m.
TWT
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Uncle Sam less resourceful?
President Obama canceled public tours of the White House in response to sequestration cuts (“White House visitors, get lost,” Comment & Analysis, March 8). Before doing so, did the president consult with Alan Krueger, chairman of his Council of Economic Advisers?
Tennis
1:30 p.m.
Redfoo and 'Heroes' actor to make US Open bids
Rapper Redfoo of LMFAO and “Heroes” actor Sendhil Ramamurthy have entered the U.S. Open national playoffs in their bids to earn berths in the final Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year.
Hockey
10:45 a.m.
NHL Calendar
April 3 _ NHL trade deadline.
Politics
6:05 a.m.
TWT
Democrats step back from Ashley Judd for Senate drive
Hollywood actress-turned-Senate-hopeful Ashley Judd may have a harder time winning the hearts and minds of Democrats to support her campaign against Sen. Mitch McConnell after all.
Economy
5:28 a.m.
Stocks close lower, ending winning streak
U.S. stocks fell Friday, ending the longest winning streak for the Dow Jones industrial average in nearly 17 years.
Politics
5:23 a.m.
TWT
Obama seeks trust to fund gas alternatives
On a day when a jump in gas prices helped end the stock market’s two-week winning streak, President Obama said the U.S. must wean its cars and trucks entirely away from gasoline by the middle of the next decade.
National
5:23 a.m.
Colo. passes expansion of firearms checks
A landmark expansion of background checks on firearm purchases was approved Friday by lawmakers in Colorado, a politically moderate state that was the site of last year’s gruesome mass shooting at a suburban Denver movie theater.
Local
5:18 a.m.
TWT
Maryland poised to ban death penalty
The General Assembly in Maryland is poised to pass a bill banning capital punishment in the state. Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley is behind the push and will certainly sign the bill into law once it hits his desk, The Associated Press reports.
Politics
5:18 a.m.
TWT
Sen. Elizabeth Warren: U.S. success due to government regulation
The government not only has a right to regulate the American people, but regulation is really the key to the country’s success, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said on Thursday.
Politics
5:18 a.m.
TWT
Obama mocks freshman lawmaker in closed-door session
Freshman Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee got a quick schooling on Capitol Hill politics this week, after President Obama answered his long-winded question with a snappy dress-down, served on a plate of mocking tone.
Security
5:18 a.m.
TWT
Senior Pentagon official to visit South Korea amid threats from North
Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will make a two-day visit to Seoul this weekend to discuss escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, amid reports that the Pentagon is increasing U.S. missile defenses in the wake of nuclear threats from North Korea.
Security
5:18 a.m.
TWT
CIA can't refuse requests for documents on drone program, court rules
The CIA cannot refuse to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests about its program using remotely piloted drone aircraft to kill terror suspects, now that officials have publicly acknowledged it, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
Politics
5:09 a.m.
TWT
GOP's Rob Portman now supports gay marriage, has homosexual son
Sen. Rob Portman, a longtime opponent of gay marriage, has changed his views on the issue after his son came out to him and his wife two years ago.
Security
9:48 p.m.
TWT
U.S. to increase missile defenses
The Pentagon will increase its missile defenses over the next few years to address potential threats from Iran and North Korea’s progress in developing long-range missile capabilities, Pentagon officials said Friday.
Entertainment
10:00 a.m.
Argentine publisher reissues book on Pope Francis
The naming of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis has inspired the enthusiasm not only of many Roman Catholics, but also of a publisher planning to re-launch a book about him by his official biographer, Sergio Rubin.
Soccer
9:00 a.m.
Rehhagel picked to make Germany popular in Greece
He pulled off one of soccer’s greatest historic upsets. Now Otto Rehhagel has been handed a task equally challenging: to make Germany popular again in crisis-hit Greece.
Health
3:15 a.m.
Donor in rabies cases had symptoms, wasn't tested
A 20-year-old Air Force recruit who died of rabies had symptoms of the disease but wasn’t tested before his organs were transplanted to four patients, one of whom died of rabies nearly 18 months later, federal health officials said Friday.
Golf
9:45 p.m.
Golf Capsules
Adam Scott had a breakthrough with his short game this winter, and it’s so good now that he hardly even has to use it.
Ncaa
8:15 p.m.
Dez Wells, Maryland upset Duke to reach ACC semifinals
Wells was 9 of 13 from the field and 10 of 10 from the free throw line to lead the seventh-seeded Terrapins (22-11), who delivered the first big shocker of the week in Greensboro and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2009.
Politics
5:44 p.m.
TWT
CPAC 2013: 'We will not be demonized, and we will not be silent,' NRA's LaPierre says
National Rifle Association executive vice president and CEO Wayne LaPierre struck a defiant tone during an address Friday morning at the Conservative Political Action Conference, saying that advocates of the Second Amendment will never back down, despite the “elitists” who constantly denigrate and mock them.
Entertainment
4:45 p.m.
Documentary lays bare Morton's wrongful conviction
Handcuffed and being bundled into a police car after his conviction for killing his wife, Michael Morton called out to a nearby cluster of reporters.
Entertainment
4:00 p.m.
Yo! Rocky's house in South Philly is for sale
Want to live like Rocky Balboa? The Italian Stallion’s house is on the market.
National
3:58 p.m.
TWT
Rachel Maddow: Newtown shooter only reloaded 4 times, so AR-15s should be banned
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said new information about the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., proves that a ban on assault-type weapons, including AR-15s, is necessary.
World
3:57 p.m.
TWT
Taiwan to attend Vatican ceremony, despite threats from China
Taiwan’s president has decided to attend the installation ceremony of Pope Francis in Vatican City, a rare move that’s sure to spark China’s ire.
National
3:57 p.m.
TWT
National Archives joins White House in cutting back tours
First the White House, now the National Archives. Once again, the sequester is to blame for canceled tours.
World
3:28 p.m.
TWT
U.S. military sues Tokyo plant over nuclear disaster
Members of the U.S. military who were tasked with helping Japan with the clean-up and recovery from its 2011 nuclear power leak are now suing, claiming the company lied and downplayed dangers.
World
3:28 p.m.
TWT
U.S. stands by sanctions on Greek shipper
The Obama administration shot back Friday at a Greek shipping magnate who made headlines this week for claiming the U.S. Treasury Department had wrongly accused him of helping Iran evade international oil sanctions.
Security
3:28 p.m.
TWT
U.N.: U.S. drones violate Pakistan's sovereignty
The head of a U.N. agency that investigates human rights and counterterrorism said the United States is violating Pakistan’s sovereignty with drone strikes.
Politics
3:17 p.m.
TWT
Democrats' budget a 'left-wing manifesto,' says Mitch McConnell
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he asked Democrats to bring forth “a thoughtful budget” that tabled tax hikes and worked toward balancing spending with cutting. What he got, however, was a far cry from that.
Politics
3:17 p.m.
TWT
Democratic Sen. Harry Reid, GOP push to switch to 2-year budget
Sen. Harry Reid, who heads a Democratic-controlled Senate that hasn’t passed a budget in more than three years, says bringing forth a tax-and-spend plan each year — as required — is too hard.
National
3:15 p.m.
TWT
Many U.S. Catholics want Pope Francis to hold the line, inspire
Parishioners and visitors at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception expressed hope Thursday that Pope Francis will call the church establishment back to its core mission and values — and perhaps bring wayward elements of the flock back into line.
National
3:15 p.m.
TWT
State Department dodges hearing on U.S. pastor detained in Iran
A Republican lawmaker expressed shock that State Department officials dodged a Friday hearing to discuss the ongoing saga of imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini.
Politics
3:14 p.m.
TWT
Ann Coulter rips Dianne Feinstein for crocodile tears over guns
Conservative commentator and author Ann Coulter described Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s reaction to tough talk on the Second Amendment as Hillary-esque drama.
Baseball
2:30 p.m.
Mets' Wright has moderate rib strain, will rest
New York Mets third baseman David Wright has a moderate strain on the left side of his rib cage that will shut him down until next week, leaving his status for opening day uncertain.
Baseball
2:30 p.m.
MLB pitchers lost in translation no more
There were times in the low minors when Mariano Rivera felt totally lost on the mound. That was, before he got a good grasp of his cut fastball _ and English.
Entertainment
11:15 a.m.
Lil Wayne 'recovering' in hospital after seizure
Lil Wayne has been hospitalized, but according to his camp and his official Twitter account _ he’s OK.
Pruden On Politics
9:58 a.m.
TWT
PRUDEN: There’s nothing like a brawl
Two cats fighting on the back fence can ruin a man’s sleep, but in the cat world, the noisy arguments between Tom and his feline lady friends rarely settle anything. All they accomplish is more cats.
Politics
7:24 a.m.
TWT
CPAC 2013: Romney urges GOP to look to governors for guidance
Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, returned Friday to the political stage for the first time since his disappointing loss in the November election, urging conservatives to learn from the mistakes that he made on the campaign trail to take back the White House and Senate — and put conservative principles in place.
Golf
6:30 a.m.
A not-so-perfect 10 for John Daly
John Daly at least was proud of a beautiful pitch from 30 yards to a foot of the cup.
Technology
6:30 a.m.
3 astronauts return to Earth from space station
A Soyuz space capsule carrying an American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts has landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan, returning the three men to Earth after a 144-day mission to the International Space Station.
Racing
5:00 a.m.
Kyle Busch sets track record at Bristol
Count Kyle Busch among those who likes NASCAR’s new race car.
Racing
5:00 a.m.
Stars claim top starting spots at Sebring
Stars from all makes of racing will be on display Saturday, leading their respective classes to the green flag the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Technology
4:00 a.m.
Judge rules secret FBI letters unconstitutional
A federal judge has ruled that the FBI’s practice of issuing so-called national security letters to banks, phone companies and other businesses is unconstitutional, saying the secretive demands for customer data violate the First Amendment.
Basketball
4:00 a.m.
Column: Kobe's right, and NBA should've done more
Kobe Bryant has had plenty of calls go his way during 17 seasons in the NBA, so it would be easy to dismiss his complaints in the ongoing debate about how he sprained his ankle.
Ncaa
4:00 a.m.
Syracuse, Georgetown set for 1 more Big East clash
Syracuse and Georgetown, one more heavyweight clash in Madison Square Garden.