Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) tweeted that he thinks singer Cyndi Lauper is “hot” and then quickly deleted it 12 minutes later, the Washington Post reports.

Of course, the Sunlight Foundation tracks politicians’ deleted tweets and saved a copy.

Earlier this year Cohen unintentionally disclosed on Twitter that he had a 24 year old daughter that he only found out about three years ago.

Washington Post: “For the first time in a while, members
of the two parties — at least some of them — appear to be talking about
getting things done, even without the deadline of a manufactured crisis
looming.”

David Hawkings counts “more than 80 advocacy groups — from all along the ideological spectrum and from every mainstream and obscure corner of the policy universe — have come up with their own algorithms for measuring every member’s level of loyalty with a single letter or number.”

The Cloakroom: The next time you scoff at something dumb said by a lawmaker on Capitol Hill, keep in mind how they got there.

David Hawkings says don’t expect a groundswell of solidarity from members of Congress with President Obama’s symbolic gesture of giving back five percent of his pay.

“A relative handful already turn back some of their salaries as a gesture of fiscal discipline. (The money goes to a special Treasury deficit-reduction fund.) And a few more will be doing so for political reasons in the coming months, and especially if their re-election prospects look dicey next year.”

“But beyond sticking by the salary freeze they imposed on themselves four years ago, don’t look for any legislative groundswell to reduce congressional paychecks across the board. So many members have such safe seats that they see no need to make such a move, plus many of them are having trouble managing their two-city lives on $174,000 a year.”

Top Republicans, including Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), are beginning to pile on to fellow GOP Rep. Don Young of Alaska for his use of a racial slur to describe Latino workers, Roll Call reports.

Said Boehner: “Congressman Young’s remarks were offensive and beneath the dignity of
the office he holds. I don’t care
why he said it — there’s no excuse and it warrants an immediate
apology.”

House Speaker John Boehner told the Republican caucus that they have “forged a new tactical plan” that is forcing President Obama to recalibrate on issues of taxes, spending and job creation, the Washington Post reports.

Boehner also quotes at length from Congressman Lincoln, a book recapping the 16th president’s brief tenure in the House citing Lincoln’s warnings about government debt “growing with a rapidity fearful to contemplate.”

He concludes: “Republicans may be the minority party in Washington – but because we forged a plan together and have stuck to it, our actions as a team over the past couple of months have made a difference for all Americans.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) “got into a late-night verbal altercation with U.S. Park Police officers earlier this month, pulling rank in an attempt to get out of a parking ticket near the Lincoln Memorial,” Politico reports.

“He told the Park Police that his congressional parking placard allows him to park in that spot, and he’s on the committee that oversees the agency.”

Roll Call: “The growing clout of Latino donors and voters has quietly boosted the fortunes of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which has gained members, political leverage and fundraising power in the 113th Congress.”

“If I shoot it, I’m gonna eat it.”

— Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA), interviewed by National Review, about hunting a lion in Zimbabwe which “wasn’t particularly tasty. It was kind of chewy, but I ate it too.”

“My campaign headquarters last summer we shared with a dispensary. You could see the sign, it was like: ‘Marijuana, Jared Polis.’ Marijuana outperformed me by 10 points, so it was a great association for me.”

— Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), quoted by National Journal, on a medical marijuana dispensary in his home state of Colorado which legalized recreational use of marijuana in last year’s elections.

After comparing his past statements to his current ones, Steve Benen gives the award to Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) “has been in political trouble since news reports revealed he pressured a former patient of his to get an abortion after they had an affair, details that emerged during divorce proceedings. Later, after he won reelection, reports showed he and his wife had agreed to have two abortions before their divorce,” National Journal reports.

“But unlike some other scandal-wracked politicians like Anthony Weiner, Eric Massa, or Eliot Spitzer, DesJarlais hasn’t become an outcast at all. Republican leaders haven’t punished him. He still holds positions on the Agriculture and, yes, the Oversight and Government Reform committees. Even more glaring: He’s getting fundraising assistance on Tuesday from six influential colleagues, including three committee chairmen (GOP Reps. Darrell Issa of California, John Kline of Minnesota, and Frank Lucas of Oklahoma) and two potential Senate candidates (Kline and Rep. Tom Price of Georgia).”

USA Today:
“Thirty-two members of Congress dispensed more than $2 million in
campaign funds to pay relatives’ salaries during the 2012 election
cycle.”

House Speaker John Boehner says he’s turning down President Obama’s invitation to be in the U.S. delegation to the installation of Pope Francis, the AP reports.

“The Ohio Republican says in a statement that he’d like to go, but it’s impossible with his duties including the budget debate and hosting the Irish prime minister at the Capitol.”

David Hawkings: “You’ll have Pope Francis to thank for a shortened period of legislating next week — and for an exception to new limitations on members’ overseas trips imposed by the sequester. House votes are sure to be called off Tuesday, the day of the papal inaugural mass at the Vatican, and more than a dozen lawmakers are likely to be sent there as the official congressional delegation.”

“Politically, there are two very simple rationales for scrambling the pre-recess schedule and spending more than is in the budget on a quick round trip to Rome: The American public won’t mind, and the members of Congress will demand it.”

USA Today reports Vice President Biden will lead a U.S. delegation to Rome for the installation ceremony of Pope Francis.

“Congress has some of the lowest approval ratings in recent history, but it hasn’t stopped House lawmakers from disproportionately loving their jobs,” Roll Call reports.

According to a new Congressional Management Foundation study, 89% of House members said they felt satisfaction that they were “performing an important public service.” When asked whether they were satisfied with their understanding of how their “job contributes to society as a whole,” 90% answered in the affirmative. In response to the statement, “my work gives me a sense of personal accomplishment,” 95% agreed.

Conservative House lawmakers are threatening to torpedo bills that violate the so-called Hastert Rule, according to The Hill.

“The warning, delivered Monday by two right-leaning rank-and-file members, puts more pressure on Speaker Boehner (R-OH) and his lieutenants to only pass bills that attract the support of ‘the majority of the majority.'”

Politico: “If it seems like inside-the-Beltway legislative wonkery, it’s not. Voting against the rule, as it’s called, is a loud statement that members disagree with leadership’s priorities. And since Democrats almost always oppose the rule — the measure that sets parameters for floor debate — GOP leadership has to have 218 Republicans on board to get it passed. If a rule fails, the House cannot debate the underlying bill, and the legislative process is ground to a halt.”