By John Solomon
How the government's punishing of the exposure of official wrongdoing can linger for years

Despite torrid heat, high humidity and lingering power outages and storm damage, the Washington area rang in the nation's 237th year as planned Wednesday.

Country music star Josh Turner, five-time Academy Award-winner John Williams, and current and past Olympic athletes headline this year's Independence Day celebration on the National Mall in the District.

Actor Matthew Broderick, country singer Josh Turner, composer John Williams and a dozen U.S. Olympic athletes will be among the headliners for this year's July Fourth celebration on the Mall.
Actor Matthew Broderick, country singer Josh Turner, composer John Williams and a dozen U.S. Olympic athletes will be among the headliners for this year's July Fourth celebration on the National Mall.
Good friends and songwriting partners Dallas Davidson and Rhett Akins share this year's BMI country songwriter and song of the year awards.
Good friends and songwriting partners Dallas Davidson and Rhett Akins share this year's BMI country songwriter and song of the year awards.
Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina are each hoping for an "American Idol" homerun.
The lights aren't out for Scotty McCreery on "American Idol."
The lights aren't out for Scotty McCreery on "American Idol."
Country singer Josh Turner and his wife are the parents of their third child, another boy.

Josh Turner figures it's only natural that he has fit in so well as a cornerback.
Turner said he chose Texas because "it's not too far from home, not too close, and they have a great program and great coaches, and I have a chance to play early."
"I know it gets crazy with recruiting during the football season and trying to balance the classwork," Turner said. "I know Texas was where I was leaning to from the beginning, so I chose just to get it out of the way now."