Politics

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Visitors are seen reflected in the rain streaked Vietnam Memorial wall by the Christmas tree in the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 21, 2011. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

Selena Hajiani, at center, with William Hynes, both of Albany, N.Y., holds an ornament with a photograph of a soldier who went missing in the Vietnam War, on the Christmas tree at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 21, 2011. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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River guide Andy Andrzejewski hoists a bass taken from the Occoquan River. (Gene Mueller/The Washington Times)

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** FILE ** This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Army shows Pvt. Danny Chen, 19, who was killed Monday, Oct. 3, 2011, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, File) (AP Photo/U.S. Army, File)

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North Korean military personnel cry as they visit the Kumsusan Memorial Palace to pay their respects to leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service)

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A demonstrator gestures under a large poster of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a rally in Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

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Tokyo Electric Power Co. President Toshio Nishizawa, right, looks up as Japan's Nuclear Crisis Minister Goshi Hosono, left, speaks during a press conference at the headquarters of TEPCO, the operator of the tsunami-damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, in Tokyo Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, shortly after Japan's prime minister announced that the nuclear plant has achieved a stable state of "cold shutdown," a crucial step toward the eventual lifting of evacuation orders and closing of the plant. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

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Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican, officially filed nominating petition papers comprising 16,026 signatures Tuesday to the State Board of Elections on behalf of his preferred GOP presidential candidate. (The Washington Times)

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Michael Graham, who plays Santa, walks through Tyson's Corner Center before his morning shiftn. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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Michael Graham, who plays Santa, changes back into civilian cloths in his dressing room for his afternoon lunch break. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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Michael Graham, who plays Santa, waves to children and shouts, "Ho, ho, ho," at the start of his morning shift at Tyson's Corner Center. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

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Jacob J. Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, speaks during the National Chanukah Menorah Lighting on the Ellipse. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Bill Choyke, of Washington, D.C., third from left, sits with his granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Brister, 5, during the National Menorah Chanukah Lighting. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Rabbi Levi Shemtov, from left, Jacob J. Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Rabbi Abraham Shemtov light the National Chanukah Menorah on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 20, 2011. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times) **FILE**

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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney waves as he wife, Ann, applauds after a campaign speech in Bedford, N.H., on Tuesday. Mr. Romney indicated that he favors campaigns themselves being able to accept and spend donations of any size. (Associated Press)

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**FILE** U.S. Defense Undersecretary Michele Flournoy (left) meets with Gen. Ma Xiaotian, the People's Liberation Army's deputy chief of staff (right) during a bilateral meeting Dec. 7, 2011, at the Bayi Building in Beijing. (Associated Press)

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GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has seen his polling numbers rise in the weeks leading up to the Iowa caucuses.

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Then-Minnesota state Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch was forced out of the post last week amid rumors of an “inappropriate relationship” with a Senate staffer. (Associated Press)

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In this Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 photo, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano speaks during an interview in his office at City Hall in New Haven, Conn. DeStefano, the 10-term mayor of New Haven, helped illegal immigrants come out of the shadows five years ago with an ID card program. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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** FILE ** In this Sept. 14, 2009 photo, Encana Corp. placed two 2400 gallon water containers inside this unit on Louis Meeks' property in Pavillion, Wyo. The ranking Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee — Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe — is asking the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for more information about an EPA investigation into groundwater contamination in a Wyoming gas field. (AP Photo/Casper Star-Tribune, Kerry Huller)