A trial that has riveted the world of philanthropy ended today with the conviction of Alberto W. Vilar, a man who pledged, and sometimes gave, millions of dollars to the arts.

As any reader of suspense novels knows, it’s hard to keep good spies down. Punish them, banish them, take away their trench coats, they, nonetheless survive.

After pumping more than a half million dollars into overturning gay marriage in California, Jim Dobson’s Focus on the Family has fallen on hard economic times.

Apparently, a billionaire has the prerogative to change his mind.

Is New York’s former governor staging a comeback?

Washington lawyer Gregory B. Craig is no stranger to high-profile clients. And he’s no stranger to the White House, either.

Back in January, when Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was still a long-shot for the Democratic nomination, CBS anchor Katie Couric asked him what books he would bring to the White House.

They don’t come much more networked than Valerie Jarrett.

The curtain is coming down on the trial of a man who loved opera, perhaps too much.

And now comes Obama the movie.

The Connecticut senator dissed Democratic nominee Barack Obama during the presidential campaign. But he has also been a benefactor to many of the colleagues likely to decide his fate.

Barack Obama isn’t the only person in his extended family taking on a big challenge.

Will she or won’t she? The possibility of a more public profile for Caroline Kennedy, who stepped out of the shadows to play a prominent role in Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, is a subject of intense political speculation.

It turns out that it’s no easy thing to stock a new presidential administration with policy experts who have never worked as lobbyists - especially when the Democratic party has been out of power for eight years.

These are tough times, so perhaps it makes sense that Barack Obama is prepared to bring a second enforcer into the White House.