Let the Democratic Party freakout begin: Opinion

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks during a weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, June 9, 2017. Democratic Party divisions are on stark display after a disappointing special election loss in a hard-fought Georgia congressional race.

Rep. Tim Ryan: ‘Toxic’ Dems Have No Clear Economic Message

The Democratic Party does not have a clear economic message, and while social issues are important, it's the economy that will tie the party together nationally, Rep. Tim Ryan said Thursday. "When I was growing up, and you'd ask my grandfather, my grandmother, you know, why are we Democrats, and it was the Democrats are for working-class people," the Ohio Democrat told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program .

Senators Press Trump Officials for Details on Russia’s Hacks

Senators on the Intelligence Committee pressed administration officials Wednesday to disclose more about the extent of Russian hacking attempts during last year's election after the government disclosed that 21 states had been targeted. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the committee's top Democrat, unsuccessfully pressed government officials to disclose which states were the victims.

GOP: Special Election Victories Boost Trump’s Legislative Agenda

Republican Karen Handel's victory in the House race in Georgia and GOP wins in three other special elections have given a boost to President Donald Trump's legislative agenda, The Hill reported. Handel beat Democrat Jon Ossoff on Tuesday in a hotly contested race seen as a referendum on Trump and his policies.

US Officials: Russians Targeted 21 Election Systems

Russian hackers targeted 21 U.S. state election systems in the 2016 presidential race and a small number were breached but there was no evidence any votes were manipulated, a Homeland Security Department official told Congress on Wednesday. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded the Kremlin orchestrated a wide-ranging influence operation that included email hacking and online propaganda to discredit Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump, a Republican, win the White House in November.

Olympia woman says housing services saved her family

Don Benton, a former Republican Washington state senator, talks about his new job leading the U.S. Selective Service System, which registers men for a nonexistent military draft. He also talks about why he likes taking the metro in Washington, D.C. , why he no longer works at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and what really happened when he allegedly called another lawmaker "a trashy, trampy mouthed little girl."

The Latest: Former Homeland boss outlines Russia threat

U.S. officials have outlined the threat Russia posed to the 2016 vote for the White House, describing efforts to hack into election systems in 21 states and to fill the internet with misinformation. Officials also revealed what appeared to be a breakdown in communications about how severe the threat appeared, and they reported tensions the Obama administration faced in trying to publicly warn of meddling in the face of a skeptical Donald Trump .

Schools fear impact of proposed Medicaid cuts

Medicaid cuts included in House and Senate Republicans' proposed Affordable Care Act replacement bills could disproportionately harm children from low-income families, according to Vancouver Public Schools. As the U.S. Senate appears poised to vote on its version of the health care bill Thursday, school officials are letting Washington's congressional delegation know about the direct impact Medicaid rollbacks could have on students.

U.S. officials underscoring threat Russia posed to 2016 vote for White House

U.S. officials sought Wednesday to underscore for lawmakers the threat Russia posed to the 2016 vote for the White House, outlining efforts to hack into election systems in 21 states and to fill the internet with misinformation during a divisive campaign season. Officials also revealed what appeared to be a breakdown in communications about how severe the threat appeared, and they reported tensions the Obama administration faced in trying to publicly warn of meddling in the face of a skeptical then-candidate Donald Trump.

U.S. officials retrace Russia threat to 2016 elections

WASHINGTON >> U.S. officials sought Wednesday to underscore for lawmakers the threat Russia posed to the 2016 vote for the White House, outlining efforts to hack into election systems in 21 states and to fill the internet with misinformation during a divisive campaign season. Officials also revealed what appeared to be a breakdown in communications about how severe the threat appeared, and they reported tensions the Obama administration faced in trying to publicly warn of meddling in the face of a skeptical then-candidate Donald Trump.

Ex-Sept. 11 worker gets drug case pardon, fights deportation

A former ground zero worker fighting deportation to Colombia for a 1990 drug conviction received a pardon from Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday and will use it to challenge his removal from the country. Cuomo, a Democrat, said that if Carlos Cardona is deported he might not be able to receive adequate health treatments for ailments he suffers after working in the Sept.

25 years ago, – Bronco Billy’ battled county commission

Last week, we took a look at what was happening in Seymour in 1977 as reported in the Webster County Citizen under the ownership of Publisher Max Good. This week, we'll take a look at the community 25 years ago through the pages of the Citizen when Gary and I owned the newspaper.

Democrats’ disputes simmer after special election losses

Democrats were left picking up the pieces after spending millions of dollars from the party's war chest to back a young candidate in a traditionally red district outside Atlanta and pushing hard for their base of supporters from around the country to donate to him too. The loss in the high-profile, costly race was only exacerbated by a second defeat last night in a race that flew mostly under the radar: Democrats also lost a special election in South Carolina.

Jeh Johnson: Dems declined help from Department of Homeland Security after election hack

Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Wednesday told the leading House panel investigating alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election that much to his "disappointment," the Democratic National Committee declined an offer by his agency to help after they were hacked. In widely anticipated testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, Mr. Johnson provided tense and at times anguished answers about an unparalleled series of cyberattacks against last year's election.

Congressman’s wife works part-time in $240K job

In this Dec. 13, 2012, file photo, U.S. Rep. Luke Messer and his wife Jennifer Messer are photographed in their home in Shelbyville, Ind. Jennifer Messer averages a 26.5-hour work week in her $240,000-a-year job doing legal consulting for an Indianapolis suburb, according to time sheets reviewed by The Associated Press.

Turkey spends $2.6 Million to Hire Two New Lobbying and PR Firms

Last week, I wrote about a dozen public relations and lobbying companies the Turkish government had already hired. In recent weeks, the Republic of Turkey added two new such firms: Ballard Partners and Burson-Marsteller.

After Georgia, Republicans celebrating, Dems searching

Republicans can enjoy some breathing room after winning a Georgia special congressional race that morphed from an afterthought in the usually conservative Atlanta suburbs into an expensive national proxy for Washington wars ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. Democrats are left with the bitter hope of another tighter-than-usual margin, still searching for a contest where anti-Trump energy and flush campaign coffers actually add up to victory.

Republican Handel wins Georgia House seat in key contest

Republican Karen Handel has won a nationally watched congressional election in Georgia, avoiding an upset that would have rocked Washington ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. Her narrow victory Tuesday over Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia's 6th Congressional District allows Republicans a sigh of relief after what's being recognized as the most expensive House race in U.S history, with a price tag that may exceed $50 million.