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WASHINGTON -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday turned down an invitation to meet privately with Senate Democrats next week during his visit to Washington, saying the session "could compound the misperception of partisanship" surrounding his trip.

Netanyahu had previously accepted an invitation from Republican leaders to address a joint meeting of Congress on March 3 and speak about Iran. The GOP leaders did not consult with the Obama administration, which the White House and even former Secretary of State James Baker, a Republican, called a breach of protocol.

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Former Secretary of State James Baker says he can't remember the last time a foreign leader was invited to address Congress without the president...

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on Monday invited Netanyahu to meet in a closed-door session with Democrats during his visit, saying a private meeting would be a "wholly appropriate opportunity" for him to discuss issues facing the U.S. and Israel. The GOP invitation, the Democrats said, "sacrifices deep and well-established cooperation on Israel for short-term partisan points - something that should never be done with Israeli security and which we fear could have lasting repercussions."

But Netanyahu declined the invitation on Tuesday and expressed regret about the politically fraught tone of his trip.

"I regret that the invitation to address the special joint session of Congress has been perceived by some to be political or partisan," Netanyahu wrote. "I can assure you that my sole intention in accepting it was to voice Israel's grave concerns about a potential nuclear agreement with Iran that could threaten the survival of my country."

Netanyahu said to meet with Democrats "at this time could compound the misperception of partisanship regarding my upcoming visit."

More than a half dozen House and Senate Democrats have said they will skip the speech, calling it an affront to President Obama and the administration as they engage in high-level negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Vice President Joe Biden will be traveling and has no plans to attend the speech.

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Netanyahu won't meet privately with Democrats

For Harry Reid and his Senate Democrats, revenge is a dish best served bold.

For years, they complained that the Republican minority had tied the chamber in knots. But now, just weeks into their stint in the minority, Democrats are brazenly using the same knot-tying procedures.

Four times, they used filibusters to block the majority from bringing up a Department of Homeland Security funding bill that would undo President Obamas executive orders on immigration. And even after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell essentially surrendered on Monday splitting the immigration proposal from the funding bill Democrats continued grandstanding gleefully on Tuesday, confident that if parts of the Homeland Security department shut down in the coming days Republicans will be to blame.

And so Reid (Nev.) led about 30 Senate Democrats and a couple of uniformed firefighter chiefs into a basement room in the Capitol complex Tuesday afternoon for a pep rally daring Republicans to let funding run out for DHS and essentially declaring the GOP majority soft on terrorism. With terrorists threatening to attack America, we must fund Homeland Security and fund it now, said Reid, who, wearing Wayfarer sunglasses and sporting ghastly facial bruises because of a recent accident, seemed downright scary as he invoked terrorist beheadings.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) asked of the Republicans: Are they going to prioritize politics? Or are they going to prioritize national security?

Top Senate Democrats insisted on Tuesday that legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security be passed before members would consider debate on immigration. (AP)

And Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, where the Mall of America is the target of a new terrorist threat by the Somali group al-Shabab, told Republicans to get these firefighters funded, to fund our security and not to send a message to al-Shabab that were just going to shut down Homeland Security.

All of this must make McConnell wonder why he wanted so much to become majority leader. The Kentucky Republican is making a good-faith effort to keep his promise not to have a shutdown. But he is finding out that the Senate is just as ungovernable under his Republican control as it was under the previous management.

For his troubles, McConnell is the target of carping by conservatives and is so far receiving no assistance from House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). Hes also an easy mark for mischief-making Democrats, who are now enjoying the advantage Republicans did for years: Its easier to stop things from happening than to make them happen.

On the Senate floor Tuesday morning, McConnell described his proposed surrender. My preference remains with the legislation thats already passed the House, he said, referring to the plan to make homeland-security funding conditional on the demise of Obamas immigration orders. But Im ready to try another way. I hope our friends across the aisle will demonstrate similar flexibility.

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Milbank: Harry Reid takes the stage in the DHS fiasco

The movie star created a stir during her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award acceptance speech at Sunday night's Oscars, when she said: "To every woman who gave birth to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights. It's our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America."

The comment was a hit in the moment, with Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez effusing their support.

Now, likely 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Labor Secretary Tom Perez and other Democrats are using those comments as a way to raise an issue that's been central to their party's economic message in recent years.

"I think we all cheered at Patricia Arquette's speech at the Oscars -- because she's right," Clinton told an audience of women working in Silicon Valley's technology industry in California on Tuesday.

Other Democrats praised Arquette's comments, too. Among them were House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, Perez, the Labor secretary, and Valerie Jarrett, one of President Barack Obama's top White House aides.

Democrats have pushed a bill intended to close the pay gap between men and women by offering new legal protections to women who complain that they're being underpaid relative to their male peers, and by having the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission collect gender and racial pay data.

The bill failed to clear the 60-vote procedural threshold in the Senate last year -- and it's all but certain not to advance now that Republicans control both the House and the Senate, leaving Democrats to raise the issue on the presidential campaign trail instead.

Republicans argue there are already enough protections on the books to ensure women have the right to equal wages.

Clinton's comments come as The New York Times reports she plans to make her gender -- and potential to break the "glass ceiling" and become America's first female president -- a central theme in her widely expected 2016 campaign.

During her speech Tuesday, Clinton recalled being pregnant while working in an Arkansas law firm that had no maternity leave policy. She also called the tech industry the "wild west," and said it needs to be more welcoming to women.

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Clinton, Dems embrace Arquette's equal pay pitch

Democrats on a Maryland Senate panel grilled Gov. Larry Hogans nominee for transportation secretary Monday about the future of the Purple Line light-rail project and decided to call him back for more questions before voting on his confirmation.

It did not appear that the nomination of Pete K. Rahn was in serious jeopardy, but his rocky confirmation hearing which also touched on several other controversies highlighted continuing tensions between the Democratic-led legislature and the new Republican governor.

Besides putting off a vote on Rahn, the Senate Executive Nominations Committee delayed decisions on four other Hogan nominees Monday night, with one Democrat accusing Hogans choice for environment secretary of dodging and weaving in his responses to the panel.

After the hearings, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) predicted that some of Hogans nominations would draw some no votes from Democrats when they reach the Senate floor. But I think theyll be confirmed, Miller said, adding that the Senate should give Hogan wide discretion in choosing leading members of his administration.

Before Monday, the Senate had voted on 12 other of Hogans Cabinet nominees, approving all of them, though some after delays. Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer said the governor is confident that his latest batch of nominees will ultimately be successfully as well.

Governor Hogan has selected some of the best and brightest from Maryland and around the country to serve the people of our state, Mayer said. We have the utmost confidence that these talented and dedicated individuals will be confirmed.

Several Democrats pressed Rahn about the likelihood that Hogan will move forward with the Purple Line, the planned 16-mile rail connection between Prince Georges and Montgomery counties. Hogan expressed skepticism about the project during last years campaign, saying Maryland needed to focus more on building roads.

Transportation officials said last week that they were pushing back by five months a major bid deadline for companies seeking to build and operate the $2.45billion project.

Rahn said Monday that he has asked the firms to find ways to cut the projects cost without altering the lines length or route. He said he is maintaining an open mind on both the Purple Line and a light-rail line planned in Baltimore. I have not precluded these projects going forward, he told the senators.

Rahn was also pressed on Hogans proposal to cancel scheduled increases in gasoline taxes, which Democrats contend would leave very little money for either mass transit or road projects in coming years.

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Democrats grill nominee for Md. transportation chief about Purple Line

Democrats are chomping at the bit for a chance to replace disgraced ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver next year in the downtown seat he has held for the past four decades.

Silver, 70, indicted on federal corruption charges Thursday, was first elected to the Assembly in 1976 in a district that takes in the Lower East Side, Chinatown and the Financial District.

But the crafty pol, who was forced out as speaker Feb. 2, days after his corruption arrest, is contesting the charges brought by Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara, which allege the assemblyman accepted millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks.

If hes convicted, Silver would have to forfeit his seat, but some Democrats arent waiting to see whether the wounded politico survives the criminal case.

Im very seriously looking at running for his Assembly seat, said downtown Democratic district leader Paul Newell, who garnered nearly a quarter of the vote in a 2008 Democratic primary challenge to Silver.

People are saying, Its time to move forward. We need a new kind of representative, Newell said. Silver has lost a lot of his ability to deliver.

Another downtown Democratic district leader, lawyer Jenifer Rajkumar, also is eyeing Silvers seat, sources said. Rajkumar previously ran for City Council.

Baruch College public-affairs Professor Doug Muzzio said, Theres blood in the water. Im sure youre going to see more candidates who want to run for Silvers seat. Id be surprised if theres not more than two candidates.

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Democrats are itching to replace Sheldon Silvers seat