The early morning sun rises behind the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC.
- Edward Snowden says He Took no Secret Files to Russia: “What would be the unique value of personally carrying another copy of the materials onward?” he asked, the New York Times reports. He added, “There’s a zero percent chance the Russians or Chinese have received any documents.” [NYT]
- Jim DeMint: We Won’t Back Down on Obamacare [WSJ]
- Caribbean Cruz: ” Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz potentially violated ethics rules by failing to publicly disclose his financial relationship with a Caribbean-based holding company during the 2012 campaign, a review of financial disclosure and company documents by TIME shows.” [TIME]
- From the Right, Dispair, Anger, and Disillusion: “On talk radio and in the conservative blogosphere, the bipartisan vote on Wednesday to reopen the government without defunding President Obama’shealth care law was being excoriated as an abject surrender and betrayal by spineless establishment Republicans. But for glum and frustrated conservative voters on Thursday around breakfast tables in eastern Tennessee, in the shadow of a military base in Colorado Springs and on the streets of suburban Philadelphia, it was as much a surrender to reality as to Democratic demands.” [NYT]
- Why the GOP will get the last laugh: “But what did Democrats actually win? Did the president get a blank check? Is Obama-care beyond the reach of this Congress or the next? Those two fights are ideal political territory for the GOP.” [Boston Globe]
- How the Tea Party Will Die [Bloomberg]
ICYMI: More from TIME.com
Why Texas is Our Future [Magazine]
Jeh Johnson is Obama’s Next Pick for Homeland Security Chief [Swampland]