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"Team Cincinnatus": Tom Steyer Draws Name From Roman Dictator

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A rosy polling memo shows a path forward for the California hedge fund manager in the race to succeed Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Bloomberg via Getty Images

A polling memo from Tom Steyer, the California hedge fund manager considering a run for U.S. Senate, shows voters might like a climate candidate and "successful businessman" — and reveals an internal nickname: "Team Cincinnatus."

His political operation has borrowed the name from Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, the legendary Roman statesman known for his "civic virtue."

Cincinnatus, said to be the inspiration in part for Russell Crowe's character in Gladiator, came from the Roman aristocracy. But he was living in retirement as a farmer when he became dictator, called to lead the Roman infantry in the battle of Mons Algidus. Fifteen days later, Cincinnatus returned to his fields.

George Washington, who similarly left Mount Vernon to serve, is often compared to Cincinnatus. Steyer's team liked the nickname because Cincinnatus "went from farmer to general to statesman — known for civic virtue," an aide said.

The dictator was also known for his opposition to the plebeians.

"[Cincinnatus is] what the internal group has named the idea of Tom potentially running," the Steyer aide said. "From plowshares to swords."

The memo was first published on the Bay Area News Group's Political Blotter blog.

Steyer is among a handful of candidates considering bids to replace retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer. His aides have said he will make a decision by the end of the week.

Only one candidate, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, has officially declared. Harris made her run official just five days after Boxer announced she would retire, setting off the state's first open Senate race since 1992.

The memo — commissioned by Steyer's pollster, Paul Maslin — makes the case for the first-time candidate's path forward. But the survey of 600 registered Democrats and nonpartisan voters, conducted last month, relies on a set of nonspecific and strictly positive questions, revealing little about Steyer's chances.

Steyer, a climate change activist, spent about $100 million of his own money during the last election on Democrats who prioritized the environment. His super PAC, NextGen Climate, made a high-profile effort to boost the issue in 2014.

The Maslin poll shows voters believe the environment is "one of the top three priorities." The memo also says the majority of voters would like to support a "successful businessman" and a candidate who "has committed to giving away the majority of his personal wealth to help the next generation get a fair shake."

In the week since Boxer's announcement, Steyer's aides have argued in the press that their polling shows a "path" forward for the candidate. The questions in the Maslin survey, though, do not reference Steyer by name or ask voters specifically about self-funding candidates — who have historically have done poorly in California.

A Steyer aide said a horse race poll would be hard to commission at this point in the race since the field is not set and candidates aren't yet well known. "What we did do was test descriptions and then tested descriptions with specific names next to their profiles," said the aide. "Steyer immediately moved into a top-two position."

This memo, only two pages, is designed for release to a wider audience. Internal polling documents are typically much longer in length and more detailed.

Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Los Angeles mayor also considering a run, has yet to set up a political entity or commission polling. Disclosures show Harris spent $50,000 on polling one month out from her 2014 re-election as attorney general.


GOP Congressman: Mitt Romney Can Raise "$1 Billion To Beat Hillary Clinton"

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Romney called Rep. Jason Chaffetz on Saturday to talk 2016.

Brian Snyder / Reuters

HERSHEY, Pennsylvania — A top GOP congressman said Thursday he would fully support Mitt Romney if he chooses to run a third time.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the new chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters at the Republican retreat in Hershey, Pennsylvania he received a call from Romney on Saturday to discuss a potential third run for president from the twice unsuccessful presidential candidate.

"I told him if Ann Romney isn't going to run, I'd be 100% supportive of Mitt," Chaffetz said.

Chaffetz added that Romney has been "vindicated" over the past year on both domestic politics and foreign policy.

But chiefly, Chaffetz claimed Romney "can raise the $1 billion it's going to take in order to beat Hillary Clinton." And he said he's better positioned to do so than Jeb Bush is.

Chaffetz has been one of Romney's strongest and most vocal supporters on the Hill in the past.

Obama Administration Delays Deportation For Honduran Mother Living In A Philadelphia Church

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Church organizations in Philadelphia, Oregon, Arizona and other states have begun taking in undocumented immigrants who are living under the threat of deportation.

Angela Navarro

Mark Makela / Reuters

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration provided a two-year deportation deferment Thursday to a Honduran mother who has been living in a Philadelphia church.

Angela Navarro, who moved into the church to avoid a looming deportation order, is one of a handful of undocumented immigrants who have taken sanctuary in churches across the country.

According to the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, the Department of Homeland Security granted Navarro's request for a deferment Thursday and will provide her a temporary social security card and work papers. Navarro can also now begin the process of applying for citizenship, according to the group.

Navarro's case drew significant local attention, including support from Democratic Rep. Bob Brady. In a statement, Brady hailed the decision.

"I am pleased that Angela is able to return to her family. She has been a productive, law abiding resident of Philadelphia and deserves to continue to contribute to our city and our country. I was glad to work on her case and I am overjoyed that there has been a positive outcome," Brady said.

Church organizations in Philadelphia, Oregon, Arizona and other states have begun taking in undocumented immigrants who are living under the threat of deportation as part of a broader effort to highlight what they see as an uneven application of administrative deferments by the Obama administration.

Ben Carson Tells Republican Winter Meeting He's Learned From Plagiarism Incident

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“When I make a mistake, I’m willing to fess up to it. I have learned from that, be extraordinarily careful.”

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Dr. Ben Carson, a possible Republican presidential contender, addressed plagiarism in his 2012 book America the Beautiful for the first time publicly on Thursday.

"Plagiarism, there were some mistakes made there. It was a historical book. It had a lot of quotations and citations. We happened to miss a couple.I take full responsibility for that," said Carson, speaking at the Republican National Committee's winter meeting in California.

"When I make a mistake, I'm willing to fess up to it. I have learned from that, be extraordinarily careful. Going back and looking at every other book that I've ever written, so far it looks pretty good. But you must always take responsibility if you do something and it's not perfect and you must learn from that whenever it happens. And that's how you make progress, you'll never make progress by trying to act like you're perfect because none of us are."

BuzzFeed News discovered earlier in January that there were several instances of plagiarism in Carson's book. The plagiarism included a website from 2001, SocialismSucks.Net, a book by conservative historian W. Cleon Skousen, a Liberty Institute press release, several blog articles, and a CBS News article.

Zondervan, the HarperCollins imprint which published the book, said it would update future printings and Carson apologized in a statement to BuzzFeed News at the time.

Arizona To Become First U.S. State To Require Students Pass Civics Exam

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The state governor says he will sign the bill, which requires high school students to pass a civics exam based on the U.S. citizenship test in order to graduate.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey gives his State of the State address in the House of Representatives in Phoenix.

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

The proposal requires students to correctly answer 60 out of 100 questions that are from the civics portion of the U.S. citizenship test.

Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey previously told the Associated Press he would sign the bill and hoped it would be the first lawmakers bring to his desk.

A number of states are considering similar legislation as part of an initiative led by the Joe Foss Institute located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Foss, who died in 2003, was a Marine Corps pilot and later a South Dakota governor. He founded the nonprofit institute with his wife in 2001 because he said he wanted to teach young Americans about freedom and public service.

The institute says 15 states are considering the test this year, and they hope to have all 50 states require the test by 2017, which will be the 230th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution.

The North Dakota House of Representatives approved the same measure Thursday, which will now go to the Senate for consideration.

Critics of the measure questioned whether it was an appropriate place for Arizona to put its efforts as the state faces a budget deficit and an education funding crisis.

GOP's "Rising Stars" Include Latinos From Florida, Utah With Future Ambition

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Anitere Flores, who has been rumored as a possible Senate candidate if Marco Rubio runs for president, and Sean Reyes, Utah’s attorney general in the middle of the immigration battle, spoke to BuzzFeed News after an RNC “Rising Stars” event.

Sean Reyes, left, and Anitere Flores, second to left, were two of the GOP rising stars at the RNC winter meetings in San Diego along with Hadley Heath and Conrad James.

Adrian Carrasquillo/BuzzFeed

SAN DIEGO — With immigration still at the forefront of conversation, Republicans showcased a slate of women and minority Republicans at the party's annual winter meetings.

Though it hasn't translated into big electorate gains, Republicans have in recent years produced a class of younger, diverse lawmakers particularly at the gubernatorial level, like Govs. Susana Martinez, Brian Sandoval, and Nikki Haley.

On Wednesday, the goal was the next, next generation: Among them were Anitere Flores, a 38-year-old Cuban-American state senator from Florida, who has been mentioned by Republicans as a possible Senate candidate if Marco Rubio runs for president, and Sean Reyes, Utah's attorney general, a Mormon of Hispanic and Asian descent, who joined the multi-state lawsuit against President Obama over his executive actions on immigration.

"I think that it's important for people to see that folks in the Republican Party look and sound and talk like them," Flores told BuzzFeed News. "People now across the country can see the Republican Party doesn't just look like what you think it looks like, it also looks young, Hispanic, women as well."

The youthful Flores told the assembled group of Republicans that getting women to run for office is a passion of hers and told BuzzFeed News she tries to recruit Latina candidates when she talks at the Cuban-American bar association or to young women lawyers.

Reyes spoke about Utah joining the 25-state coalition suing the president over his executive actions on immigration that are being called unconstitutional by Republicans.

"For me that wasn't really a lawsuit about immigration policy, it was about procedure and the rule of law," Reyes said.

He noted that Utah was stymied by the Department of Justice when it wanted to pass a collection of bills aimed at addressing problems with the immigration system because Congress has the "absolute province" to pass immigration laws and he said it's this reasoning which shows Obama went too far.

"Everyone is frustrated that Congress hasn't done something about [immigration] and we call on Congress to act in a prudent but expeditious manner on that issue," he said. "But in the meantime, no amount of frustration can justify breaking the law. I and a number of my colleagues felt the president clearly overstepped his boundaries."

Flores reacted to the House GOP vote Wednesday to undo Obama's immigration actions, saying while she was troubled by the president's actions, the burden is on Republicans to lead now that they are in charge and taking on immigration through a must-pass Department of Homeland Security bill is not the way to do it.

"We need to come up with a solution and the solution isn't just, 'We don't like what Obama did.' OK, we don't like what Obama did, now what?" she said.

Reyes said his state of Utah and the Republican Party are probably more diverse than they're given credit for and said diversity is important because it shows communities that members of the party share their values.

Reyes also told the incredible story of being part of an October sting operation that stretched from Utah to Colombia, where he posed as an American who wanted to have sex with child sex slaves to help rescue 127 children as young as 10 years old.

He has also conducted stings in Utah and called on those in attendance to learn about Operation Underground Railroad, which helped lead the effort, and fights child sex trafficking.

"We can make a difference, all of you, the Republican Party can lead out on this issue," he said.

Flores, a daughter of Cuban exiles, talked about her strong opposition to another recent Obama announcement — his effort to normalize relations with Cuba — and said she disagrees with the conventional wisdom that young people support working with Cuba, while older Cuban-Americans represent the main opposition.

"There are a generation of folks my age, that look like me, that are opposed to Cuba, so I question whether it's a generational issue," she said.

She said the Cuban government has committed human rights, freedom of the press and freedom of religion violations for over 50 years and tens of thousands of people have died for the cause of a free Cuba.

"So as an American citizen I question what were all those lives for? If now, after 50 years, we're just going to turn the other way and say 'It's OK, we're just going to start having economic dealings with you,'" she said. "Freedom should be more important than economics. If the United States isn't standing for freedom then who is?"

She addressed reports that unnamed Republican sources think she would make a viable U.S. Senate candidate if Rubio runs for president.

"I'm not really sure, certainly there are a lot of different options," Flores said. "You just hope that people keep talking. We'll see, but right now I've got six years left if I win reelection in the Senate and I'm happy to stick with that and then we'll take it from there."

Hadley Heath, the director of health policy at the Independent Women's Forum and Conrad James, a physicist turned state House representative in New Mexico were also featured at the event.

GOP Congressman: Attacks In Paris Show We Need To Secure The Canadian Border

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“To me it could be more likely that our threat could come in from Canada on our open borders there as well,” Rep. Lou Barletta said. A major focus of this week’s joint Republican retreat has been addressing U.S. immigration policy.

Getty Images John Moore

HERSHEY, Pennsylvania — Rep. Lou Barletta, who serves on the Homeland Security Committee, told reporters Friday that in light of recent terror attacks in Europe he has been focusing not only on securing the border to the south, but to the north as well.

"To me, it could be more likely that our threat could come in from Canada on our open borders there as well," the Republican from Pennsylvania said.

He made his comments towards the end of this week's joint Republican retreat, where one priority has been addressing U.S. immigration policy and, more immediately, funding the Department of Homeland Security. Due to a short term funding bill passed last year, DHS needs to be re-funded by Feb. 27.

This is not the first time Barletta has turned his attention to the Canadian border. His Visa Overstay Act in the last Congress sought to implement changes to Canadian border security.

Members coming in and out of meetings at the Hershey Lodge over the last two days have said leadership has been open to input from members from across the party spectrum on how to fund DHS should their bill fail in the Senate. They are also listening to suggestions on how to tackle immigration policy overall, which many say will likely come with piecemeal legislation rather than a comprehensive bill.

The House passed a bill this week to fund DHS long term, but it also included language to defund the president's immigration executive order and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote on the bill, or some version of it, but it seems unlikely to pass the upper chamber. The Senate would need at least six Democrats to sign on to the bill.

The promise for action on immigration was also made by Republican leadership at last year's retreat and it never materialized, which has caused some skepticism to this year's renewed promise for action. Still, Republican pushing for an immigration bill say there are several hurdles to getting anything done, including the president's executive order.

Despite recent intra-party squabbles, the feeling among members, at least publicly, is that with control of both sides of the Hill and the ability to go to conference, they can finally manage to get something done. Even Rep. Steve King, a notorious thorn in leadership's side, told BuzzFeed News early talks with leadership have been "good and constructive and reflect the general will of the conference."

One Republican Congressman described this year's proposal as having "a little more meat on the bones," especially when talking about border security, which Republicans have said needs to be the first step if to passing an immigration bill this Congress.

"No one person will get it exactly the way they want it, and that's been difficult for us to be able to compromise," said Rep. Michael Conaway, a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee. "Another year of a broken system and people understanding that this is not going to get better on its own. Ignoring it is not the right answer.

Obama On Mitt 2016: "No Comment"

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President Obama doesn’t bite when asked to weigh in on the possibility Mitt Romney might run for president again.

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WASHINGTON — President Obama may be the only Democrat in town not ready to wax endlessly about the idea of Mitt Romney running for the Republican presidential nomination again.

Obama beat Romney in 2012 and the two had lunch at the White House shortly thereafter. Last week, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said he was not aware of any further contact between the two men since then. At a joint press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron Friday, Obama didn't seem interested in discussing the prospect of Romney going before the voters again in a presidential race.

"I have no comment," Obama said when asked about the news Romney is considering a third run for the White House.

Other Democrats in D.C. are happy to comment on the potential of a Romney bid.


Supreme Court Will Hear Four Cases Challenging Same-Sex Marriage Bans

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A decision in the Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee cases, expected by late June, could lead to the end of such bans across the country. [Update: The Obama administration will “urge the Supreme Court to make marriage equality a reality for all Americans.”]

AP/Carolyn Kaster

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court announced on Friday that it will take up four cases challenging state bans on same-sex couples' marriages — a long anticipated move that could lead to nationwide marriage equality.

The cases ask the justices whether Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee bans on same-sex couples' marriages and bans on recognition of same-sex couples' marriages from out of state violate the Constitution's due process and equal protection guarantees.

The two questions granted by the court for argument are: 1) "Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex?" and 2) "Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-state?"

There will be 90 minutes of argument on the marriage question and 60 minutes of argument on the marriage recognition question, per the court's order.

The coming showdown before the justices over same-sex couples' marriage rights has quickly become seen as inevitable following the Nov. 6, 2014, decision of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the bans in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The ruling set up a disagreement with other appeals courts to have considered the issue; the 4th Circuit, 7th Circuit, 9th Circuit, and 10th Circuit courts of appeals all have struck down such bans on various grounds.

The justices generally step in once such a circuit split has been created — a fact referenced last year by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg when she was discussing the pending marriage cases across the country — and, on Friday, the justices took the leap.

This will be the second time the justices take on the issue. In March 2013, the Supreme Court heard arguments over the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8 marriage amendment. Come June 2013, however, the court dismissed the case on a technicality — leaving the final resolution of the question for another day.

The justices did, however, decide that the Defense of Marriage Act's federal ban on recognition of same-sex couples' marriages is unconstitutional — a decision that set up the wave of decisions striking down state bans in the year and a half since.

As of now, 35 states and Washington, D.C., have marriage equality, with same-sex couples marrying in some counties in two other states: Kansas and Missouri. That leaves 13 states in which there is no legal right for same-sex couples to marry. In addition to the four states seeking review on Friday, the other states include Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas — in which the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard appellate arguments earlier this month — as well as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Now, lawyers and outside parties will raise the question about state laws to the justices again in briefs that will be filed in coming months.

The same-sex couples plaintiffs' briefs will be due by 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27. The states' briefs will be due by 2 p.m. Friday, March 27. The reply briefs from the plaintiffs will be due by 2 p.m. Friday, April 17.

Then, likely in late April, the justices will hold arguments over the issue — which would mean a decision, and possible nationwide resolution of the issue, would be expected by late June.

Here is the order from the Supreme Court:

Here is the order from the Supreme Court:


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Documents Detail Neighbors' War Against Romney's Beachfront Mansion

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The House that Mitt built.

The outside of Romney's proposed home.

California Coastal Commission

Neighbors of former Gov. Mitt Romney waged an organized campaign to prevent him from building a 11,000-square-foot mansion on his La Jolla, California, property, documents from the City of San Diego and California Coastal Commission show.

Their concerns centered around Romney's claim to own the land in front of the proposed beachside home and the size of his home, which residents said would both change the character of the community and possibly privatize a beach they had long-considered public.

More than two dozen La Jolla residents signed and sent a letter in 2013 to the California Coastal Commission requesting a public hearing about the Romneys' plans, and various neighbors expressed their concerns to the city in emails during a public comment period in 2011. Several residents did also express support for Romneys' proposed home in 2013 to Commission.

The Coastal Commission rejected the claims against Romney building the home in October of 2013, and gave Romney's plans the green light.

Romney's tensions with his neighbors has been noted but before but the emails and the extent of the campaign against him have not been previously reported.

"We along with several of our neighbors on Dunemere have concerns about the potential impact based on the size, scale and mass of the proposed project compared to the prevailing neighborhood development on Dunemere Drive itself," two Romney neighbors — couple Randy Clark and Tom Maddox — emailed the city of San Diego in 2011.

Maddox and Clark were profiled in the 2012 New York Times article "The Candidate Next Door," which touched on Romney's unpopularity in the neighborhood and neighbors' opposition to his plans to build the mansion. As noted in the Times story, the couple refused to sign a letter in support of the project when asked by Romney's architect.

"The street is very unique to the area and most of the homes are on a completely different size and scale," added the couple in their email. "Our home along with the other homes on Dunemere that are in the immediate vicinity are much much smaller than the size of the proposed development. The neighborhood dates to the 1920-1940 time period and our home as well as others immediately next to or across from the Romney house are very small In size and are of a unique character. The lot sizes are relatively small, the street is one way with limited access."

Romney's plans to build the 11,000-square-foot mansion at the site of his existing home first came to light during the 2012 presidential election in the Politico story "Mitt Romney's 4-car fantasy home."

That story sparked cries that Romney was out of touch, and included a line about Romney's home including a car elevator — a detail that was frequently mocked in the months that followed. Politico, which was provided the plans for Romney's home by a rival campaign (and then independently verified their contents) did not post the blueprints for Romney's home, due to concerns raised by the Secret Service.

The blueprints have since been posted online multiple times by city and state entities.

The concerns the home would dwarf the majority of homes in the community was expressed in several other emails to the city from neighbors during the comment period.

"I'm concerned that an 11,000 square foot house with 8,000 square feet above ground is not consistent with the character of the street and the immediate Beach Barber Tract area," wrote neighbor Gidon Cohen.

"Most homes on the street, while varying significantly in style, are of modest size ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 square feet, which gives the street its unique character. While I favor a property owner's right to build the home of his/her choice, I would hope this can be done in a way that does not compromise the character of the street. I know there are other neighbors , who share my concerns , and hope you give voice to this point of view as you deliberate the merits of the project."

The Romney's next door neighbors likewise expressed concern about the Romney home negatively affecting the neighborhood's character.

"We have lived next door to the Romney house since 1978. We are concerned about the potential negative impacts of the project upon the neighborhood," wrote Steven and Carolyn Runyan.

"Our primary concern is that the proposed development would be out of proportion for the neighborhood. The size of the proposal would be disproportionately larger any other house on Dunemere Drive. The Romney house would be much larger than the mean/average size of the houses in the neighborhood. Therefore, statistically, it would have to be considered the outlier."

A man living across the street from Romney echoed these concerns.

"My home is located....directly across from the proposed Romney project," wrote Walter Turek. "I am extremely concerned and opposed to the size and scope of the proposed project."

Tracy Feldsott, a former La Jolla resident who had objected to the proposed Romney residence prior to her move, told BuzzFeed News that there were several issues with the proposed project, given the geography and geology of the site.

"I'm from La Jolla, and used to use that beach. It's very, very crowded there" she said, adding that she was opposed to the project "because it would close off the beach, but also because the land around there is sandstone. If they're going to go down [to build a 4,591 square-foot basement], it's going to affect other people, I believe."

Feldsott added that that "the streets are so narrow" in the neighborhood that "when they come, the streets have to be closed off, and the neighbors are all inconvenienced."

"This is just a ridiculous use of the land," she said.

One La Jolla resident whose name appeared in the letters of opposition is actually supportive of Romney and his construction plans.

"I'm definitely a fan of Gov. Romney, I voted for him, I was totally for that," said Jack Clancy who signed the letter calling for a hearing on the appeal to BuzzFeed News. "I don't know how it came out that I was against the building at all. I was totally in agreement with everything he was doing prior to. When the Secret Service were here, I even bypassed my daily walk with my dog just to help those guys out."

"I'm so happy that he's going to be a neighbor of ours. Please put me on the good list."

Another neighbor who lived next door to the Romneys, Jeff Lepore, wrote in support saying that "this new home will enhance our neighborhood greatly in character and value."

In a surprise appearance before the San Diego city council during a public comment period in 2013, Ann Romney herself spoke out against the delays in building her home and troubles she and Mitt encountered.

"Notice defects can be problematic for transparent government and public participation, two things that Mitt and I strongly support," she said as she citing that inaccurate details that were published in the newspaper concerning the public comment period.

As noted by the LA Times the main floor is 4,681 square feet, the second floor is 1,790 square feet and the basement is 4,591 square feet.

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Included in the Coastal Commission report on Romney's mansion, as well, was a letter in opposition from a previous resident of the home, whose parents had once owned the property.

"As far as my parents were concerned the beach has always been public property," wrote Steele Lipe. "Unlike the East Coast where beaches and their access are virtually all private property California beaches to my knowledge are public property and the State through its Coastal Commission has been vigilant in keeping it so."

"Therefore, I am truly skeptical and dismayed that the beach beyond the seawall should be or could be considered private property. If that is the case, then the owner has the right to cordon off the beach and prevent its use."

In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Lipe said he was "distressed" by what Romney was doing.

"Mitt Romney took a bulldozer to the house," he said. "It wasn't big enough for him and his family."

"He tried to be a nice guy but he so out of touch with people," said Lipe of the election.

Former Romney neighbor Anthony Ciani, an architect and advocate of keeping the beach in front of the Romney's home public, led the drive to stop the construction of Romney's mansion.

Ciani appealed the City of San Diego's planning commission's approval of Romney's home to the California Coastal Commission, which would have final say on the matter.

Ciani raised a number of issues about the Romney's home is his appeal.

The Coastal Commission's report:

"The appellant contends that the project does not conform because the bulk and scale of the proposed residence is out of character with the surrounding community, the City's CDP does not properly protect public use of the beach area, the proposed residence will be threatened by geologic risks during its estimated 75 years of economic life, the project blocks vertical public access through a set of existing concrete stairs, the project will have a negative impact on the water quality of the beach, and the project does not protect a historically significant structure."

The Commission staff rejected the claims and said "that no substantial issue exists with respect to the grounds on which the appeal has been filed."

After the home was eventually approved by the Coastal Commission, LA Times columnist Robin Abcarian reported the Romneys would provide public access to the beachfront.

Ciani and Matthew A. Peterson, the attorney who lobbied to push through the development project for Romney — and repeatedly butted heads with Ciani — resolved some issues in a phone call after the plan's approval the LA Times further reported.

Ciani still contended the Romneys did not own the beach.

Romney's attorney and lobbyist declined a request by BuzzFeed News to comment on the process and confirm details, but said Romney and his wife were deciding whether to keep or sell their home once the construction was completed.

"Mitt and Ann's plans are firm. They will be completing the construction of the home by the end of the year, but no decision has been made at this time whether to keep it, or sell it. That is all I have for you at this time."

Multiple emails to Romney's communications team received no response.


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Romney: The World Is A Mess

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As rumors ramp up that Mitt’s considering another run, he emphasizes the failures of “Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama” foreign policy, economic opportunity, and addressing poverty.

Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

SAN DIEGO — Mitt Romney didn't directly answer speculation he would run for president again on Friday night in San Diego, but he did lay out a short version of a stump speech, repeatedly attacking Hillary Clinton's foreign policy and emphasizing broad economic opportunity — and poverty.

Speaking from the USS Midway, a former aircraft carrier turned museum, at the RNC winter meetings, Romney argued the 2016 election will be about the post-Obama era. But then he said three things would be most important: an aggressive foreign policy (making the world a "safer place"), economic opportunity, and addressing poverty in the United States.

Romney listed off a litany of trouble spots in the world, taking pains to include Clinton's name in his description of the foreign policy approach, and other general nods toward her work as secretary of state under President Obama (such as, "if we press the reset button," a reference to the relationship with Russia).

While Romney did not explicitly say he is running for president again in 2016, his three principles could be seen as a vision of a different campaign. Romney, who many believe showed a softer, more personal side only after losing in 2012, spoke about how his wife Ann knows his heart and has seen him work with people who are very poor when he was a pastor. He also called it a "human tragedy" that the middle class in America doesn't believe their children's future will be better than their own.

Last week Romney told a group of 30 Republicans donors that he was seriously considering running for president for a third term and began making calls to former aides and supporters, according to reports.

"She believes people get better with experience," Romney said of his wife on Friday night, before vowing that they would both support whoever the nominee ends up being in 2016. His only small hint was that he was giving "serious consideration" to the future.

He also touched on what many would expect to be Democratic territory, saying that under Obama the rich got richer and income equality got worse.

Romney's timeline was likely influenced by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush's announcement that he will run in 2016 as well, suddenly crowding an already large and varied field, that seems likely to include New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Sens. Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, among others.

Rumbles that Romney will seek the Republican nomination yet again have been met tepid support, though, in some conservative and media circles and among other candidates.

Paul recently said that Romney "had his chance," Cruz and other Republican senators didn't have many words of encouragement.

The Supreme Court Has Been Preparing The Country For Marriage Equality

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A majority of the court already has made the outcome of the same-sex marriage showdown — nationwide marriage equality — almost certain.

Getty Images/Drew Angerer

WASHINGTON — On Friday, the Supreme Court announced that it will be deciding the question of same-sex couples' marriage rights this year.

Left unsaid, however, was the fact that the outcome is almost certain: nationwide marriage equality by July of this year.

Since the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act's ban on federal marriage recognition in 2013, the nation's lower courts have created significant momentum toward this moment.

But it is the Supreme Court's actions over the past 15 weeks, and the broad set of cases the court agreed on Friday to hear this spring, that makes the coming ruling practically preordained.

By issuing several orders in recent months allowing for more and more same-sex couples to be marrying in more and more states, the Supreme Court has made nationwide marriage equality a far less radical decision. It also has made it so that a decision upholding state marriage bans as constitutional would cause significant, difficult problems.

The Supreme Court has, in fact, played the key role in creating the national landscape that now exists: Same-sex couples are marrying in, at least parts of, 37 states and Washington, D.C.

On Oct. 5, 2014, that number was 19 states and D.C.

And though there have been no opinions explaining why the Supreme Court has done what it has done since then and though the decisions do not, technically, bind the court, there is at least a majority of the court comfortable creating this landscape, which would be difficult and extraordinarily painful to undo.

In that time, the Supreme Court's actions have directly or indirectly led to same-sex couples being allowed to marry in 14 of the additional states with same-sex couples marrying now.

The justices, on Oct. 6, 2014, denied five states' requests for the court to hear their cases and reverse the appeals court decisions that struck down marriage bans. That decision to deny those writs of certiorari meant same-sex couples began marrying in those states, as well as in six other states within those appeals court circuits.

Then, the Supreme Court refused to issue stays (or holds) of lower court rulings in Idaho and later Alaska while the states attempted to appeal the rulings. Those orders, which came with no reasoning, followed the decision of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to strike down Idaho and Nevada's bans. Because there already was an appeals court ruling in favor of marriage equality that applied to those states, the orders were seen as being similar to the court's Oct. 6 decision.

But then, on Dec. 19, 2014, the Supreme Court denied a stay during Florida's appeal of the federal marriage case challenging its ban. In Florida, unlike in any of the other states where the justices allowed same-sex couples to begin marrying, the appeals court for that circuit had not ruled on the issue.

This decision by a majority of the justices to allow same-sex couples to marry while appeals are ongoing — and before the Supreme Court has resolved the issue itself — means that a majority of the court is comfortable with that reality becoming the default.

More than that, the decision to allow same-sex couples to marry before the Supreme Court has decided the issue creates more legitimacy for an eventual decision striking down the bans by increasing the number of states where same-sex couples already can marry. At this point, a decision striking down such bans nationwide only changes the situation in 15 states. Before the justices started down this path on Oct. 6, 2014, it would have meant changing the law of more than 30 states.

Additionally though, and perhaps making the outcome of this spring's Supreme Court showdown even more certain, the Supreme Court would be opening up an unprecedented mess if it upheld the bans now as being constitutional.

April DeBoer, right, speaks as her partner Jayne Rowse, left, looks on during a news conference in Ferndale, Mich., Friday, Jan. 16, 2015. The couple is challenging Michigan's ban on same-sex couples' marriages.

AP Paul Sancya

If the justices rule that Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee's bans are constitutional, that means that questions are going to be raised — and litigation is going to be filed — over the legitimacy of the now-closed cases in which review was denied in October 2014. In fact, the same thing would happen as to any state in which marriage equality was the result of a court decision that the ban was unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution.

More striking, there would be questions raised — as already have been raised in Michigan — about the validity of marriages entered into by same-sex couples during the times when the respective state bans were declared unconstitutional.

It is almost incomprehensible to imagine the majority that created this landscape would turn around and force the rest of the country to take these painful steps to tear it apart.

But all actions suggest there is a majority of the court that does not wish to see that and plans, after April's arguments, to craft a ruling striking down those remaining bans and bringing nationwide uniformity to the issue.

The clearest indication that the court seeks uniformity: They took cases involving both marriage itself and recognition of same-sex couples' marriages entered into out-of-state.

Although some have suggested that this means the court could consider ruling in favor of same-sex couples on the recognition issue while deciding against them on the marriage issue, such a decision would still create complex problems in states where same-sex couples have legally married. Taking both issues is an "all in" approach that will require an "all in" decision.

The past 15 weeks have shown, time and time again, that a majority of the Supreme Court is not only ready for, but has been preparing the country for, a decision enforcing nationwide protection of same-sex couples' right to marry.


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The Not Especially Special Relationship

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If the British Prime Minister visits Washington and nobody notices, did it really even happen?

Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

WASHINGTON — If you blinked at the wrong moment this week, you likely would have missed British Prime Minister David Cameron's whirlwind visit to Washington.

Obama didn't take the prime minister to a ball game or out for hotdogs, as he has in the past. Rather than a state dinner or some more formal meal, Obama, Vice President Biden, and Cameron shared what the White House called a "working dinner" Thursday night.

On the menu, prepared for the men by the White House chef, were pickled wild mushrooms, herb crusted lamb, and a selection of American red and white wines. A fancy meal, but without the trappings of 2012 meal Obama and Cameron shared at the White House, a full State Dinner with celebrity guests and performances by John Legend and Mumford & Sons.

In fact, their only joint public appearance — a press conference during which they announced a new joint cyber security initiative — didn't even crack the front pages of the Washington Post or New York Times.

That's not to say the two leaders don't have a solid relationship. British and U.S. government officials said Obama and Cameron remain in close contact and that the two leaders routinely call each other to discuss issues of concern to both nations. And despite a significant amount of daylight between the two over the handling of the Syrian revolution, there is very little tension between them on most issues.

Timing, world events, and the careful twists and turns of diplomacy likely played a part in a Cameron visit that lacked the pomp, circumstance, and off-campus photo-ops of previous trips by the U.K. leader to the United States.

"Early on when the guys are getting to know each other, there's more interest in doing things that are … a little more off the beaten path," said Tommy Vietor, a former top national security aide in Obama's White House. "In the context of a major attack on Paris, a state dinner with all the trappings would probably seem out of touch."

"This is 'let's get down to business and really talk about some terrorism issues,'" he said.

Asked about the more simple affair this time around, the administration played up the many issues on the shared plate of the two world leaders.

"The United Kingdom is an uniquely close friend and steadfast ally, and the president was pleased to begin the New Year by working with Prime Minister Cameron on a wide range of issues," National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan told BuzzFeed News in an email, "including economic growth, international trade, cybersecurity, Iran, ISIL, counterterrorism, Ebola, and Russia's actions in Ukraine, and reaffirming the enduring special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom."

Though other news maybe pushed it out of view, the White House did play up the visit. The prime minister held a joint White House press conference with Obama Friday where Obama talked up the "friendship" between the two men and called Cameron "personally an outstanding partner."

On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest noted the "special relationship" between the United Kingdom and the United States when he previewed the visit in a briefing aboard Air Force One.

Optics may have played a role in a Cameron visit that lacked the joint outings and star-studded dinners of visits past. But there's also the diplomacy to consider, Vietor said.

"You sort of have the capacity to do so many state dinners a year," Vietor said, "and if one country gets a lot, other countries feel slighted."

No One Really Knows How Secure Government Social Media Is

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There’s no centralized way to find out if the proper security measures are being used to protect government accounts.

WASHINGTON — There are now more than 5,000 social media accounts operated by the federal government, spanning departments, agencies, and public officials, and delivering information directly to U.S. citizens and beyond.

But the security for these accounts is operated by employees from disparate agencies that essentially run them as they see fit.

Currently, there is no government-wide requirement that users use two-step verification to protect their accounts. There is no easy way for federal officials to know if an account was set up using an official government email address or someone's private gmail. And hundreds of government accounts still haven't been verified by the companies that host them.

The lack of verification and security for accounts like this poses an obvious problem. Earlier this week, hackers took over social media accounts used by U.S. Central Command and turned them into propaganda tools for ISIS. Beyond revealing CENTCOM's vulnerability, the hack was more embarrassing than damaging — because the hackers made it very clear the account had been broken into.

Other hackers have been more nuanced. When the main Twitter account run by the Associated Press was attacked in 2013, hackers posted realistic reports of an explosion at the White House. The stock market dropped more than 100 points.

Social media is relatively new, especially in government years, and the feds have been slow to develop government-wide guidelines or rules on how to run social media accounts. After the CENTCOM hack, the General Services Administration is scrambling to shore up security standards — an effort that essentially entails telling employees to improve their social media security, but with few guarantees.

On Thursday, Justin Herman, the federal-wide social media program lead at GSA's Office of Innovative Technologies, hosted a hastily-assembled webinar entitled "How Government Can Prepare for and Respond to Social Media Hacks."

The webinar had the tone of an IT department demonstration at a large company. Herman, Lt. Anastacia Visneski, a digital media officer with the Coast Guard, and representatives from Facebook and the Twitter-access application HootSuite spoke over rotating slides about the need for difficult to break passwords, two-step verification, phishing scams, and Facebook settings — sometimes in the most basic terms.

"Just by doing a little bit of social engineering I can find out a lot about who you are. You know what your favorite football team is, what your dog's name is, all that stuff," said Sajji Hussain, a D.C.-based representative for HootSuite.

He described going to an agency's Twitter account, checking its list of followers, finding the feed's administrator by checking that list against LinkedIn or other social networks, and breaking into the account by simple guessing of passwords that are too simple.

"I go to your Twitter account and find you that you live in Pittsburgh, you love the Pittsburgh Steelers, and your dog's name is blah-blah," he said. "Now I can start guessing, right?"

Hussain suggested users find "complex passwords" that can't be guessed through research, and not to use the same login and password on all the social media accounts they use.

In bureaucracy as sprawling as the federal government, users can differ greatly when it comes to digital sophistication. And that can provide avenues for hackers. Visneski described the popularity of phishing scams that try to get a user to open an email attachment ("this picture of you partying in high school is going to get you fired" is especially good at caputring federal employees, she said.)

The GSA effort to upgrade social security faces some difficulties: GSA officials don't have the authority to enforce security rules, for one. Additionally, private-sector social media platform guidelines have sometimes made it tough for government workers to prevent the basic security systems in place that could prevent future CENTCOMs.

According to the government's social media registry, there are more than 5,000 social media accounts run by government agencies spread across dozens of familiar platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Vimeo, and LinkedIn. Each agency runs its own, its own way, and often the most basic security precautions can be ignored for convenience's sake.

Current and former government social media users interviewed by BuzzFeed News after the CENTCOM Twitter hack described vastly different approaches to security. One former government employee said her agency didn't employ two-step verification on its social media accounts because it was too cumbersome to use the system with multiple social-media account administrators. Others described social media tools as being relegated to the bottom of the priority list, and control put in the hands of junior staffers.

In an email after the webinar, Herman wrote that it's not currently feasible for the federal government to have a central repository of social media account administrators and content.

"The government has thousands of social media accounts and thousands of public servants managing them, making a one-stop approach not only improbable but impractical — each agency must customize the guidance we have and lessons we learn for their own unique missions," he wrote. GSA's existing social media management structure — which includes a public-facing tool allowing internet users to determine if a purported government account is real or not — will "help inform and track adoption of protective advances like two-factor authentication with .gov or .mil email addresses and government devices including IPads and Android devices," Herman wrote.

GSA runs a digital government portal for federal employees that provides resources on all sorts of basic digital securiy etiquette. But in most cases, the social media experts in the government can only hope those resources are being used. Most of the time, it will take another high profile hack before they find out for sure.

The maturing of social media as a business tool can also provide more chances for security. Past rules at Facebook required users to use personal email accounts to register pages. That posed a problem for the security experts who say running government business through official .gov or .mil email addresses is the easiest way to prevent problems. Facebook has changed its rules as the site has become a key component of communication for private and public firms and agencies; in an email, a Facebook representative told BuzzFeed News nowadays "we actually prefer it," if government representatives use their work addresses to manage their work accounts.

Companies like Twitter and other social media outlets have begun adding two-step verification to their logins and creating systems that allow for multiple administrators to take advantage of them. Spreading news of those new security protocols and trying to get them adopted is now a main focus of the social media team at GSA.

They may have some new help in their efforts. The CENTCOM attack and the stepped-up concern over cybersecurity emanating from the White House after the recent attack on Sony Pictures could lead senior leaders at the Pentagon and civilian side of the government to pay much closer attention to how social media accounts are run, say people who work with government social media.

For now, concern over hacking is running high. Thursday morning, the Central Intelligence Agency posted a tweet in Russian quoting Boris Pasternak, the author of Dr. Zhivago.

"Just while we were talking, we got an email from the CIA," Herman said in the midst of the webinar. "They said, 'Hold on a second, will people think our account was hacked because we tweeted in a different language?'"

Mitt Romney And Jonathan Gruber, A Love Story That Will Haunt Him In 2016

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Videos, op-eds, and press releases show a close connection between Romney and Gruber.

Gary Cameron / Reuters

As Mitt Romney mulls a third run for president, one person is sure to make his way into attack ads against the former Massachusetts governor: Obamacare adviser Jonathan Gruber.

Gruber, a professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, played an important role in crafting the Massachusetts health care law signed by Romney. He would go on to help develop the Affordable Care Act.

Gruber was widely criticized last year after videos of him were uncovered saying that Obamacare's passage depended on "the stupidity of the American voter."

Videos, op-eds, and press releases show a close connection between Romney and Gruber.

To determine if the $1 billion would be enough, Jonathan Gruber of MIT built an econometric model of the population, and with input from insurers, my in-house team crunched the numbers. Again, the result surprised us: We needed far less than the $1 billion for the subsidies. One reason is that this population is healthier than we had imagined. Instead of single parents, most were young single males, educated and in good health. And again, because health insurance will now be affordable and subsidized, we insist that everyone purchase health insurance from one of our private insurance companies.

The three members to be appointed by the Governor to serve on the Connector's board are actuary Bruce Butler, health economist Jonathan Gruber and Rick Lord, CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), who will represent the interests of small business.


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Senate Homeland Security Chair: DHS Shutdown Wouldn't Hurt National Security

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Sen. Ron Johnson explained why a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security wouldn’t be so bad.

AP J. Scott Applewhite

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said Tuesday he isn't concerned about the potential shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

"Even in the last government shut down only 13.6% of DHS employees were furloughed," Johnson said. "So the national security aspects, the aspects of the department that keeps America safe, are continuing to function no matter what happens in this very dysfunctional place."

Congress passed a budget last year that only funds DHS through the end of February in order to set up a legislative battle over the president's executive actions on immigration.

The deadline to fund DHS is Feb. 27.

House Republicans passed a bill to fund the department last week, but their bill removes all funding for the presidents' executive actions and also defunds the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The White House has promised to veto the bill.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week the Senate would vote on that bill anyway, or some version of it, though it's unlikely to pass the upper chamber, where at least six Democrats would need to cross party lines to get it to the president's desk. And with legislation like the Keystone pipeline still on the Senate's docket, it'll be tough for the Senate to pass a bill in time to meet the deadline.

Johnson also said he wants to hold hearings on the president's executive order prior to a vote on the bill in order to determine whether DHS "can even administer" Obama's executive order.

When asked about the process leading up to a vote on the bill, which includes the possibility of allowing Democrats to introduce amendments, Johnson hedged.

"I'm not sure we're going to have an open process on every piece of legislation, but I know Senator McConnell is absolutely dedicated to respecting the rights of the minority party and having a very open process and full debate in the Senate, which is a good thing.

Mike Huckabee Says He's "Increasingly, Obviously" Moving Toward Running For President

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“I told some people if I walked away from a wonderful gig that I had at the Fox News channel just to have my Saturdays free I need to have my head examined.”

Mike Huckabee Facebook

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said he's increasingly heading toward making a decision on whether to run for president.

"Increasingly, obviously, that's kinda the direction I'm heading," Huckabee said on South Florida First News radio. "I told some people if I walked away from a wonderful gig that I had at the Fox News channel just to have my Saturdays free I need to have my head examined. So clearly, I'm moving in that direction but my timetable is still sometime in the spring."

Huckabee quit his Fox News show in early January to consider a presidential bid, and has been doing radio interviews to promote his book God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy.

Here's the audio of Huckabee:

w.soundcloud.com

Marco Rubio Advises Joni Ernst To Come Hydrated To Her State Of The Union Response

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Quench your thirst.

Dorsey Shaw/BuzzFeed

Marco Rubio has some advice for Joni Ernst as she delivers the Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address tonight: come hydrated.

"I think you should drink water before and not during the response that's my first piece of advice, as opposed to me," Rubio said on the Michael Medved Show.

Rubio was criticizing himself for famously stopping mid-speech in 2013 to take a drink from a Poland Spring water bottle.

"The second piece of advice would be to be herself," Rubio said. "Speak from the heart about her shared experience as a grandmother, as a mother, as a war veteran. As someone who understands what middle class America is like especially in middle America. And speak to the prospective of how Republican policies of limited government and free enterprise are better for the people who are trying to make it than the policies of stale, antiquated, and old-fashioned ideas coming from the left."

Here's the audio of Rubio's comments:

w.soundcloud.com

Florida Lawmakers Want To Require Screenings Of Conservative Film In Schools

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Florida students may soon be required to attend a screening of America, Imagine a World Without Her unless they get a note from a parent.

Florida students would be required to attend screenings of the widely panned conservative film America, Imagine a World Without Her under twin bills proposed by state lawmakers.

Florida students would be required to attend screenings of the widely panned conservative film America, Imagine a World Without Her under twin bills proposed by state lawmakers.

Writer/director John Sullivan, along with actors Janitta Swain, John Koopman, Caroline Granger, Don Taylor and writer/director Dinesh D'Souza attend the premiere of film at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live.

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Via Getty Images

If approved, all school districts in Florida would have to ensure that their middle and high schools hold a screening of the film for 8th- and 11th-graders every year. Each student would be required to attend unless his or her parent requests in writing that they be exempt.

Hays told The News-Press that the bills are a way for the state legislature to combat what he feels is a negative bias against America in the public school system. He did not return a request for comment from BuzzFeed News.

"Frankly, it's embarrassing that we allow these lies to be taught in our school system," Hays told the newspaper. "Unfortunately, our parents and our school board members have not kept up with the misrepresentation of American history that is being perpetrated in our school system, and this movie gives a totally different view."

However, one teacher asked about the proposal by The News Press said he disagrees that there is an anti-American bias in the curriculum. Tom Faasse said if the bill passes he would want to show his students other films too.

"We teach our kids to look at all perspectives. Each war has winners and losers," he said.

America, which was released last year, is the work of conservative filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza. The film seeks to dispel what it claims are negative, liberal biases against America in society by imagining what would happen if the country was never founded.

Critics eviscerated the film — which holds an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — as a poorly crafted piece of propaganda.

"Graced with a hilariously definitive title, America is astonishingly facile, a film comprised entirely of straw man arguments," David Ehrlich of The AV Club wrote.

Hays told The News Press that he hopes to screen the film for his fellow lawmakers before the legislative session starts in March.

HealthCare.gov Is Sharing Personal Data With Third Party Firms

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The website, which serves as an online market exchange for health coverage, is sharing some details about its users — including age, income, and zip code — with third party data firms.

A man looks over the Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare) signup page on the HealthCare.gov website.

Mike Segar / Reuters

When a user applies for coverage on the website, outside data firms are sent information about the person, including age, income, zip code, smoking habits, pregnancy status, and more.

The information can also include a computer's IP address, which could lead to identifying a person's name or address. It's not clear what other information may be accessible.

The AP report came as President Obama planned to announce new initiative during Tuesday's State of the Union address to protect personal data online against hackers.

The government said the information being disseminated by HealthCare.gov is being used to analyze and improve the consumer experience, and outside firms are not allowed to use the data for their own interests. Third parties that are able to access the data include Google, Twitter, and many online advertising providers.

The AP reported that there is no evidence the personal data has been misused, but it raises specific concerns regarding online privacy. Google and other companies tailor ads to users' interests based on previous internet activity that has been tracked on a computer or mobile device.

Although, Obama spokesman Aaron Albright said outside vendors "are prohibited from using information from these tools on HealthCare.gov for their companies' purposes."

In a letter to the White House, U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), HealthCare.gov contains "very sensitive information about millions of Americans."

"Individuals should know that when they use Healthcare.gov, their information is being properly protected," the senators wrote.

In their letter, Hatch and Grassley asked Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner to respond to their request in September for more information on the security of HealthCare.gov.

They asked for a response to that request by Feb. 3.

"Sharing information for unofficial purposes is completely unacceptable," the letter stated.

The Obama administration has yet to explain how it is protecting users' privacy or how it knows third parties are complying with security policies.

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