Albert Hunt

Jack Lew Promises Quick Changes at the IRS

bloomberg.com — U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew said there will be quick results on any reshaping of the Internal Revenue Service. Acting Commissioner Daniel Werfel will "get started full-bore next Wednesday and within 30 days he will report to me and we will report to the president on actions taken," Lew told me on Bloomberg Television today.

Immigration Gives Rubio His Shot at Big Leagues

bloomberg.com — As the American baseball season begins, it seems appropriate to borrow an analogy from the sport: Will the "can't miss" young phenomenon of the political world, Senator Marco Rubio, be able to play in the big leagues? The immigration battle affords a good test.

John Podesta's Targeted Strike on White House Secrecy

bloomberg.com — John Podesta, one of the most influential policy advisers in the Democratic Party, has leveled a blistering attack on President Barack Obama for his refusal to provide the legal rationale for drone strikes. The criticism is sure to rattle the White House and congressional Democrats.

Three Decades of Big East Memories

bloomberg.com — I'll be at home in Washington this weekend, but my mind will wander to New York's Madison Square Garden and memories of Patrick Ewing, "The Pearl," Yul Brynner, Rollie Massimino and Howard Cosell. This is the final Big East basketball tournament, a casualty of the insatiable money chase in college athletics.

King Won't Forget Republican Foot-Dragging on Sandy Aid

bloomberg.com — Don't take me for granted: New York Republican Congressman Peter King says his party's opposition to federal assistance for victims of Hurricane Sandy "has changed my relationship with the party." "I won't look at them the same," he said at a Bloomberg Government breakfast in Washington, D.C., this morning.

Who Will Win Sequestration Blame Game?

bloomberg.com — Both Republicans and Democrats see a protracted sequestration working in their favor politically. A number of congressional Republican leaders, realizing that voters now blame them for any unpopular spending cuts, note that the issue isn't resonating and won't for a while.

Jack Lew's Deputy May the Most Important Person at Treasury

bloomberg.com — When White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew is named Treasury secretary tomorrow, high-powered financial types say the selection of his deputy secretary will be crucial. President Barack Obama has been advised that it's important to name someone with expertise in global financial markets, an area where Lew has limited experience.

Geithner Says Budget Deal Can Be Reached Within Weeks

bloomberg.com — You need to enable Javascript to play media on Bloomberg.com Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said he is optimistic a deal on averting the fiscal cliff could be reached within weeks after talks today between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders.

Obama Cabinet Flunks Disclosure Test With 19 in 20 Ignoring Law

bloomberg.com — On his first full day in office, President Barack Obama ordered federal officials to "usher in a new era of open government" and "act promptly" to make information public. As Obama nears the end of his term, his administration hasn't met those goals, failing to follow the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, according to an analysis of open-government requests filed by Bloomberg News.

Democrat Leaners Prefer Clinton to Obama in Poll

bloomberg.com — A plurality of Democratic-leaning voters would prefer Bill Clinton at the top of the presidential ticket even as they support President Barack Obama. Forty-nine percent of Democrats and independents who lean that way said that "if it were possible" they "wish" Clinton were this year's candidate, compared with 48 percent who said they didn't, a Bloomberg National Poll conducted Sept.