CONCORD, N.H. – As states struggle to cut Medicaid (search) costs, New Hampshire has proposed going further by making the poorest of the poor — even families with no income at all — contribute to their coverage. No other state has ever gone so far. And even if the idea …

LOS ANGELES – Department of Homeland Security officials call criminal alien gangs a dangerous epidemic, but cities like Los Angeles have not allowed police officers to ask gang members, even those known to be in the United States illegally, about their immigration status. “Illegal aliens may not be touched by …

This is a partial transcript of “Special Report With Brit Hume,” April 14, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. Watch “Special Report With Brit Hume” weeknights at 6 p.m. ET (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: The hard, hard right, not mainstream conservatism, knows that they …

WASHINGTON – Add another name to the list of potential 2008 presidential candidates (search): Sen. Sam Brownback (search). The Kansas Republican, little known outside his home state, is using a network of social conservatives and Christian activists to raise his profile in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states critical to …

On “American Idol” (search) Wednesday night, Constantine Maroulis (search), the rocker turned Idol, was eliminated from the show, shocking an upset audience. Maroulis’ long locks and sly grin had helped make him a crowd favorite on the program, but he landed fewer votes than the other five contestants. After host …

BELLEFONTE, Pennsylvania – A county prosecutor who was reported missing late Friday failed to show up for work Monday, colleagues said. Courthouse workers declined to comment except to say Centre County (search) District Attorney Ray F. Gricar (search), 59, usually arrived by 9 a.m. Gricar’s car was found over the …

LYNCHBURG, Va – Doctors have concluded the Rev. Jerry Falwell (search) does not suffer from congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease, Falwell’s son said Sunday. Jonathan Falwell (search) said doctors made the determination Friday after conducting tests on his father. “He is doing very well,” Falwell said prior to …

WASHINGTON – House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (search) came under more fire Friday for his comments suggesting that judges who refused to further consider the Terri Schiavo (search) case could one day pay for their decisions. The Texas Republican on Friday suggested an impeachment case could be made against judges …

HARRISBURG, Pa. – A huge tax credit in the fourth-quarter helped Rite Aid Corp. (RAD) overcome disappointing sales and quadruple its earnings. Its shares slipped. The nation’s third-largest drugstore chain behind Walgreen Co. (WAG) and CVS Corp. (CVS) reported Thursday it earned $223.5 million available to common shareholders, or 35 …

There’s something about the Fockers. Few sequels ever top their first chapters at the box office. But Ben Stiller’s romantic comedy “Meet the Fockers” (search) managed to rake in a whopping $507.4 million worldwide after its release in December, besting the piddling $330.4 million its predecessor, “Meet the Parents,” pulled …