Government
Be wary: Trump and Putin could yet bring democracy to a halt
If Russia is allowed to wield the same influence in the midterm elections as the presidential campaign, US politics may reach a point of no return<p> Joseph O’Neill is a novelist<p>In November next year the United States will hold its midterm elections. Every seat in the House of Representatives, and a …
Government (UK)Trump Falsely Blames Loretta Lynch in Son’s Meeting With Russian Lawyer
Defending his son’s meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign, President Trump wrongly blamed former Attorney General Loretta Lynch for admitting the lawyer to the United States in the first place.<p>“Somebody said that her visa or her passport was approved by Attorney …
Loretta LynchThe White House just posted the emails of critics — without censoring sensitive personal information
Some of the emails include not only full names but actual addresses and phone numbers.<p>The White House just responded to concerns it would release voters’ sensitive personal information by releasing a bunch of voters’ sensitive personal information.<p>Last month, the White House’s “election integrity” …
Identity TheftRussian-American Lobbyist: Lawyer Brought DNC-Related Documents to Trump Jr. Meeting
Rinat Akhmetshin, the Russian-American lobbyist who confirmed Friday that he attended last year’s meeting between Trump associates and a Kremlin-connected lawyer, said that the attorney brought with her a folder of information related to the DNC. According to the Associated Press, “Akhmetshin said …
Democratic National CommitteeWhy Republicans Exempted Their Own Insurance From Obamacare Rollback
The unusual nature of staff and member health benefits<p>Senate budget rules are giving opponents of the rollback of the 2010 health care law an easy …
Health CareThe White House is allowing people to publicly comment on Trump's voter-fraud commission — and it's going as you'd expect
The White House is giving people the chance to comment on President Donald Trump's voter-fraud commission — and it's going about as well as you'd expect.<p>This week, the White House posted more than 120 pages of comments it received from June 29 to July 11.<p>A post on the White House website says "any …
The White HouseHouse passes sweeping $700 billion annual defense bill
The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of a massive annual defense bill on Friday, leaving out controversial amendments on transgender troops and climate policy but backing President Donald Trump's desire for a bigger, stronger military.<p>The vote was 344-81 to pass the National Defense …
U.S. House of RepresentativesHouse Democrats scheme to force Republicans to vote to defend Trump
House Democrats said Friday they are planning to use a series of parliamentary maneuvers in the coming days to force Republicans to vote to defend President Trump on an array of controversies.<p>With some openly talking of impeaching the president, Democrats on key committees joined Minority Leader …
PoliticsDHS Debunks Trump Claim That Loretta Lynch Let Russian Lawyer Into U.S.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday evening issued a statement contradicting President Trump’s claim that Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s attorney general, allowed the Russian lawyer who met with three Trump associates, including his son, into the United States. “In Sept. 2015, …
U.S. Department of StateU.S. senators are using the equivalent of carrier pigeons to deliver their campaign finance reports
Yet when it comes to building up their reputations on the campaign trail, there’s no digital tool they’ll leave behind as they tweet, livestream and endlessly email-fundraise their way into citizens’ lives.<p>Imagine that when you deployed code, you printed it out line by line, scanned the printouts, …
Freedom of InformationTrump lawyer Marc Kasowitz to critic: 'Watch your back. . . . I already know where you live'
Marc E. Kasowitz, President Donald Trump's longtime attorney representing him in the Russia investigations, reportedly sent angry, threatening and profane emails to a random stranger who criticized him this week, cursing at the man and telling him, "I already know where you live, I'm on …
Donald TrumpTrump to Hire Lawyer Ty Cobb to Respond to Russia Probes - Bloomberg
President Donald Trump plans to put a veteran Washington lawyer, Ty Cobb, in charge of overseeing the White House’s legal and media response to …
Donald TrumpLeader Of Voter Fraud Probe Doesn't Seem To Care People Are Deregistering To Vote
Kris Kobach said it could just be a "political stunt."<p>Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), the vice chair of President Donald Trump’s commission on election integrity, on Thursday brushed off reports that people across the country are deregistering to vote amid his efforts to gather voter …
ElectionsAl Franken: Is Jeff Sessions a Lying Little Weasel?
Jon WienerQuestions, and answers, about Trump voters, Bernie voters, and Russians.The post Al Franken: Is Jeff Sessions a Lying Little Weasel? …
Liberal POVHouse passes defense bill that would create 'Space Corps'
<b>(CNN) —</b> The House on Friday passed a massive defense policy bill that would launch a new "Space Corps" over the objections of the White House and the Pentagon.<p>The National Defense Authorization Act, a $696 billion measure that sets Pentagon policy and authorizes spending levels, easily cleared the …
PoliticsSean Hannity calls for an investigation into Special Counsel Robert Mueller
Sean Hannity called for an investigation into whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller should recuse himself because of his friendship with former FBI Director James Comey. He made the comments on Fox News Thursday.<p>“We also need answers about the reports that the FBI, James Comey, offered to pay …
Contract BridgeDefense bill calls climate change a national security threat
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House decisively approved a defense policy bill on Friday that declares climate change a national security threat, demands rigorous oversight of the Pentagon's cyber operations and rejects the Trump administration's bid to close military bases.<p>Lawmakers voted …
Keith EllisonTrump’s ‘Election Integrity Commission’ Dumped Citizen Complaints Online Without Redacting Their Contact Info
While the Trump administration’s contempt for basic cybersecurity has been an ongoing problem both ways large and small, nowhere has it been more visible, or more criticized, than in the president’s supposed “Electoral Integrity Commission.” The commission demanded the voting records and personal …
Data ProtectionJudge throws out conviction of activist who laughed during Jeff Sessions confirmation
A Washington judge on Friday ordered a retrial in the case of an activist who was arrested after laughing during Attorney General Jeff Sessions's Senate confirmation hearing in January.<p>Desiree Fairooz's arrest and conviction had sparked outrage from those who felt that it set "a dangerous …
Jeff SessionsThe future of DACA suddenly looks very shaky
If Trump makes 780,000 young immigrants vulnerable to deportation again, all hell might break loose.<p>President Trump looks like he might be gearing up to touch the third rail of immigration policy in 2017: ending the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allowed young …
ImmigrationAmerica seems less than thrilled about Trump's election integrity commission
White House releases colorful emails of public feedback on demand for voter information for commission, formed on basis of unfounded claims by Trump<p>Donald Trump’s controversial election integrity commission, which critics see as a blatant voter suppression effort, is facing a public backlash.<p>The …
South DakotaThere was no reason to keep this hidden.
It’s not a secret that this administration — this incompetent know-nothing administration — continues to receive overwhelming support from the …
ReligionNew lawsuit claims Trump’s “voter fraud panel” violates the Watergate-era federal Privacy Act
The first order of business for President Donald Trump’s Commission on Election Integrity was supposed to be collecting data on millions of …
Voter FraudTrump's voting commission already failing to protect private info
After Donald Trump, still annoyed about losing the popular vote, created a ridiculous “voter integrity” commission, a public-comment process began, …
The White HouseRepublicans spurn CBO, say they might use Trump administration to score Obamacare repeal
Republicans say the CBO will take too long to score their bill — but it also probably won't score it well<p>During their protracted attempt to overturn Obamacare, congressional Republicans have been repeatedly stymied by the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan government agency that normally …
RepublicansCould A Census Without A Leader Spell Trouble In 2020?
John Thompson was appointed by President Barack Obama to head the U.S. Census Bureau in 2013 and had worked there for 27 years before running it. So the announcement in May that he was resigning — smack in the middle of a one-year term extension — came as a surprise to many, including census …
U.S. CensusThe Trump Administration Wanted Comments On The "Voter Fraud Commission" And People Dragged Them Instead
Ask and you shall receive.<p>Posted on July 14, 2017, 14:12 GMT<p>President Donald Trump launched a "Voter Fraud Commission" in May to investigate his claim that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election – despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud.<p>Alain Jocard / AFP / Getty Images<p>The …
ElectionsHow Long Can Connecticut's Prison Reform Last?
Governor Dannel Malloy’s allies worry the policy changes implemented under his watch will be undone once he leaves office.<p>When Dannel Malloy, the Democratic governor of Connecticut, entered Germany’s Heidering Prison two years ago this summer, he saw something more akin to an American college …
PrisonThe Latest: Pelosi calls for independent Russia commission
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and the investigation into his campaign's potential ties to Russia (all times local):<p>9:50 a.m.<p>House Democrats are renewing calls for a vote on an independent commission to investigate Russia's election meddling and ties to the Trump …
Donald TrumpKushner's lawyer dropping out of representing him: report
Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner's lawyer is stepping back from representing him as the probe into collusion between the Trump campaign and …
Jamie Gorelick