Margaret M. Heckler, congresswoman, HHS secretary and…

Margaret M. Heckler, an eight-term Republican congresswoman from Massachusetts who later became an embattled secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services under President Ronald Reagan before serving as U.S. ambassador to Ireland, died Aug. 6 at a hospital in Arlington, Virginia. She was 87. Throughout much of her career, Heckler was a groundbreaking figure who often forged her way in law and politics as one of the few women in the male-dominated fields.

Florida attorney general race pits establishment candidates against newcomers

In the race to replace Attorney General Pam Bondi , both the Republican and Democratic primaries feature an establishment-backed candidate facing a challenge from a rival seeking to ride a groundswell of support to victory. On the GOP side, Tampa-area judge Ashley Moody has received Bondi's endorsement, along with the backing of other top Florida Republican leaders, including most of the GOP sheriffs in the state.

Colleagues disagree with Himes on Dodd-Frank changes

In this July 21, 2010 file photo, President Barack Obama, left, stands with Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., second left, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., second right, and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., after he signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection financial reform bill in Washington.

Trump signs bill easing post-2008 crisis restraints on banks Source: AP

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed into law a measure that loosens key restraints for banks imposed after the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession. Savoring the legislative triumph, he called it "the next step in America's unprecedented economic comeback."

How gerrymandered is Massachusetts?

The subject of partisan redistricting - in which incumbent political parties redraw legislative maps to their own advantage - is once again receiving national attention , as the Supreme Court considers gerrymandering cases in Wisconsin and Maryland. Pennsylvania was also recently forced to redraw its U.S. congressional map , which heavily favored Republicans.

Hearing planned on electric competition

Following Attorney General Maura Healey's call for an end to the competitive electric supply market, House and Senate lawmakers are gearing up to hold an oversight hearing to question companies cited by Healey about what she described as deceptive business practices. The Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, co-chaired by Rep. Thomas Golden of Lowell and Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington, is planning the hearing, according to the committee, to "consider immediate protective measures and the implications of those actions," learn about best practices in other states and explore issues related to the market that Healey said were beyond the scope of her review.

Former OKC Mayor blames homosexuality for moral decline

Rather than celebrating the diversity and expansion of Oklahoma City, former Mayor Kirk Humphreys appears to hang on to old stereotypes.? In the December 10th episode of Flashpoint, Humphreys and Oklahoma State Representative Emily Virgin joined moderator Kevin Ogle. In discussing the #MeToo movement, increased allegations of sexual harassment nation-wide and the resignation of US Senator Al Franken, the subject of homosexuality arose.

Watchdog official sues over Trump appointment

The deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the Trump administration on Sunday to block the president's appointment of Mick Mulvaney as interim director of the agency. The deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the Trump administration on Sunday to block the president's appointment of Mick Mulvaney as interim director of the agency.

Barney Frank rips Mulvaney’s appointment to CFPB

Former Rep. Barney Frank pushed back Saturday on the White House's assertion that President Donald Trump has the authority to appoint an interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, saying the independence of watchdog agency was a key consideration when Congress passed the law to create it in 2010. "We gave a lot of attention to how to structure the CFPB and how to protect its independence, because its job is to go after some very powerful forces in the economy," the Massachusetts Democrat, who authored the law with then-Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, told CNN in an interview.

Ex-congressman: The truth can’t get me fired anymore

Retiring Sen. Bob Corker's recent comments about the White House -- that it's an adult day care center and that President Donald Trump's temperament could set us "on the path to World War III" -- reveal a basic truth about what happens to you when you leave Congress: You get to tell the truth. Many of us who've left elected life feel a sense of liberation, as if our tongues are no longer strapped to the right or left sides of our mouths.

AP Explains: House GOP takes aim at financial regulations

Then-Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., right, and then-House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., speak May 21, 2010, to reporters outside the White House in Washington after their meeting with President Barack Obama. House Republicans are targeting the financial regulations established by a Democratic-led Congress after the Great Recession.

Financial institutions see relief potential relief from rules

In a divided Washington, where few issues generate bipartisan support, relief from financial regulations for smaller banks seems to be a singular exception. As President Trump, Republican members of Congress, and bank lobbyists look to overhaul banking rules put in place after the 2008 financial crisis, some regulatory advocates agree that targeted changes for smaller institutions are needed.

The Politicization of Everything

There is a quote that is often attributed to former U.S. Representative Barney Frank: "'Government' is simply the name we give to the things we choose to do together." When Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick quoted Rep. Frank at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, I just rolled my eyes.

Warren and consumer groups mount defense as Trump eyes changes to financial regulations

President Trump on Friday took the first step toward unwinding Wall Street reforms put in place during the depths of the financial crisis, sparking outrage from consumer groups across the country. After a meeting with business executives, including the head of JP Morgan Chase & Co.