U.S. House committee votes to release Trump-Russia transcripts

A U.S. House of Representatives committee voted on Friday to release dozens of transcripts of interviews from its investigation of Russia meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections, including conversations with senior associates of President Donald Trump. The House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously to send transcripts of 53 interviews to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which will scrub them of classified information before they are made public.

House committee to release Russia probe transcripts Source: AP

The House intelligence committee voted Friday to release transcripts of more than 50 interviews it conducted as part of its now-closed investigation into Russian election interference during the 2016 presidential campaign. Among those to be released are interviews with President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, his longtime spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, and his former bodyguard Keith Schiller.

GOP pushes ahead after wrenching day of Ford, Kavanaugh testimony Source: Cox Media Group

As Republicans in the Senate moved a step closer to confirming Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh early next week, many on Capitol Hill - and in the nation - were still digesting the riveting testimony of both Judge Kavanaugh, and his accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who alleged that Kavanaugh sexually attacked her at a party in the summer of 1982, a charge Kavanaugh sternly denied. In the wake of the hearing, it was quickly obvious that few minds were changed in the Senate after the testimony, as Republicans said there was no need for further delay on the Kavanaugh nomination.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein rails against Brett Kavanaugh’s ‘aggressive and belligerent’ behavior

The fiery testimony from Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday has drawn rebukes from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with some saying his temperament shows he's unfit to serve on the nation's highest court. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committee's ranking member, said she has not seen a judicial nominee behave in that manner before.

California charges 17 people in connection with Apple store robbery scheme

Bottom line: Law enforcement officials in California are still investigating the matter but already have eight people in custody and have issued arrest warrants for nine others. Given the number of people involved and the frequency of the robberies, it was only a matter of time before the scheme started to unravel.

The Cybersecurity 202: Def Con researchers came to Washington…

Not long ago, lawmakers might have been wary about showcasing the work of hackers who specialize in penetrating voting equipment. But on Thursday, organizers from the Def Con Voting Village - a collection of security researchers who hack election systems in hopes of making them more secure - received a warm welcome on Capitol Hill.

Debate? Most recent governors have been willing

While Kay Ivey is not the first Alabama governor to refuse to debate an election challenger, most of her predecessors over the last two decades have been willing to face off with their opponents. Since 1998, three of the state's four governors took on their challengers in debates.

Top takeaways from Christine Blasey Ford, Brett Kavanaugh hearing

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford , who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were teenagers, both testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Ford said during her testimony that she was "100 percent" sure that Kavanaugh assaulted her, while Kavanaugh said that he was "100 percent" sure he had not done anything of the kind.

American Bar Association Asks Senate to Delay Kavanaugh Vote

Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on his nomination be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, focusing on allegations of sexual assault by Kavanaugh against Christine Blasey Ford in the early 1980s. In an 11th-hour letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, the American Bar Association called on senators to delay a committee vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh until the FBI can complete an investigation into claims he sexually assaulted women in high school and college.

Congress targets minimum size for airline seats

The House voted Wednesday to direct the federal government to set a minimum size for airline seats, bar passengers from being kicked off overbooked planes, and consider whether to restrict animals on planes. Those and other passenger-related provisions were included in a bill to authorize Federal Aviation Administration programs for five years.

Kavanaugh denies sexually assaulting anyone

In an emotional day like few others in Senate history, California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford quietly but firmly recounted her "100 percent" certainty Thursday that President Donald Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court had sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers - and then Brett Kavanaugh defiantly testified he was "100 percent certain" he did no such thing. That left senators to decide whether the long day tipped their confirmation votes for or against Trump's nominee in a deeply partisan fight with the future of the high court and possibly control of Congress in the balance.

Congress sends bill to Trump to avert government shutdown

Congress has approved a bill keeping the government open through Dec. 7, as lawmakers move to avert a government shutdown looming next week. Trump's signature would avert a partial government shutdown set to begin Monday, weeks ahead of the Nov. 6 elections that will determine control of Congress.

Dianne Feinstein at center of replay of controversy that got her elected

A quarter-century ago, a national controversy over a Supreme Court nominee's alleged sexual misconduct triggered the wave that swept Dianne Feinstein and three other women into the Senate. It was initially in a letter received by the California lawmaker that Christine Blasey Ford accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in 1982.

Kavanaugh hearing: What we learned from testimonies of judge and accuser

The US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh produced hours of fiery, emotional testimony. Both Mr Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing him of sexual assault when they were high school students, appeared before senators on Thursday.

Angry Kavanaugh denies accusation as Ford recalls – laughter’ during alleged assault

Brett Kavanaugh denied allegations that he sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford when both were high school students and angrily told Congress that Democrats were engaged in "a calculated and orchestrated political hit". In her own testimony, Ms Ford told the same Senate Judiciary Committee that she was "100%" certain a drunken young Mr Kavanaugh had pinned her to a bed, tried to remove her clothes and clapped a hand over her mouth as she tried to yell for help.