Special election in Minnesota may test anti-Trump winds, affect Senate control

Today's special election for a Cottage Grove-area state Senate district will provide the latest barometer for how Democrats can capitalize on a midterm swoon for Republicans nationwide and cue up a fight for control over a closely divided Senate. But the Democratic and Republican candidates are doing their best to tune out the high stakes surrounding the unusual Monday special election, instead focusing on their legislative credentials from previous stints at the Capitol.

Memo still in Democrats’ plans

Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are prepared to black out parts of their memo about the FBI's Russia investigation to ensure there's no harmful spilling of secrets, then try again to get President Donald Trump to let it come out. A White House aide said on Sunday that he's confident it will be released once Democrats "clean it up."

DeFranciso nomination for governor no slam dunk

The following is an expanded version of the second item from my "Albany Insider" column from Monday's print editions: When Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb surprisingly dropped out of the GOP race for governor Friday, the assumption was Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco was now the front-runner to take on Cuomo. But that's not a guarantee even as he has picked up a number of county chairmen endorsements since Kolb dropped out, numerous Republican leaders and operatives say.

As Congress Debates Immigration, DREAMers Are In Limbo Along With Their Families

Kim Jong-un's Sister Turns on the Charm, Taking Pence's Spotlight - PYEONGCHANG, South Korea - When the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, decided to send a large delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea this month, the world feared he might steal the show. Pence: The United States is ready to talk with North Korea - Despite the mutual chilliness between U.S. and North Korean officials in South Korea last week, behind the scenes real progress was made toward a new diplomatic opening that could result in direct talks without preconditions between Washington and Pyongyang.

Trump to Israel Hayom: The Palestinians are not looking to make peace

Kim Jong-un's Sister Turns on the Charm, Taking Pence's Spotlight - PYEONGCHANG, South Korea - When the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, decided to send a large delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea this month, the world feared he might steal the show. Pence: The United States is ready to talk with North Korea - Despite the mutual chilliness between U.S. and North Korean officials in South Korea last week, behind the scenes real progress was made toward a new diplomatic opening that could result in direct talks without preconditions between Washington and Pyongyang.

Abuse Case Exposes Fissures in a White House in Turmoil

Pence: The United States is ready to talk with North Korea - Despite the mutual chilliness between U.S. and North Korean officials in South Korea last week, behind the scenes real progress was made toward a new diplomatic opening that could result in direct talks without preconditions between Washington and Pyongyang. Kim Jong-un's Sister Turns on the Charm, Taking Pence's Spotlight - PYEONGCHANG, South Korea - When the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, decided to send a large delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea this month, the world feared he might steal the show.

Democrats Will ‘Clean Up’ Their Blocked Memo Into the Russia Investigation

Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are prepared to black out parts of their memo about the FBI's Russia investigation to ensure there's no harmful spilling of secrets, then try again to get President Donald Trump to let it come out. A White House aide said Sunday he's confident it will be released once Democrats "clean it up."

Election may test anti-Trump winds, affect Senate control

Monday's special election for a Cottage Grove-area state Senate district will provide the latest barometer for how Democrats can capitalize on a midterm swoon for Republicans nationwide and cue up a fight for control over a closely divided Senate. But the Democratic and Republican candidates are doing their best to tune out the high stakes surrounding the unusual Monday special election, instead focusing on their legislative credentials from previous stints at the Capitol.

Judiciary leaders want action on preventing sexual misconduct in courts

The leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee want to know how the agency overseeing the operation of federal courts is addressing sexual misconduct and harassment in the judiciary. Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, and top Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California wrote in a letter to the head of the federal courts' administrative agency that they were "deeply troubled" by news reports and allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate workplace behavior in the court system.

Murkowski: Bill would create new Native corporations

A proposed bill would give 100,000 acres of federal land in total to Native groups in five Southeast Alaska towns, according to Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Murkowski discussed the proposed legislation Wednesday during a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining, saying a major component of the legislation involves the formation of Native corporations in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Tenakee and Haines.

GOP senators introduce version of White House immigration framework

A group of Republican senators on Sunday night released a version of President Donald Trump's immigration proposal ahead of a floor debate on immigration this week. The proposal is expected to be one of several amendments the Senate will consider this week as it debates immigration.

The “Steele Dossier” on a Me:Why I won’t praise the FBI lie & spy machine

Do we hate Trump so much, we'll cheer FBI perjury, cheer the monstrous FISA star chamber and the surveillance horror show exposed by Ed Snowden? Like it or not, that creepy little GOP shill Rep. Devin Nunes, revealed facts that should scare us. First, FBI agents failed to tell the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court that the file it used to justify spying on a US citizen, the "Steele dossier," was paid for by Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Maine’s lame duck governor to work until ‘very last minute’

In this Sept. 22, 2017 file photo, Maine Gov. Paul LePage attends a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss health care and tax reform in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House Complex in Washington.

Devin Nunes Hates the Media So Much He Made His Own News Site

According to a Politico report , Nunes' re-election campaign owns a site that looks and functions as a conservative news outlet-except for the fine print at the bottom: "Paid for by the Devin Nunes Campaign Committee." Resembling a local, conservative news site, "The California Republican" is classified on Facebook as a "media/news company" and claims to deliver "the best of US, California, and Central Valley news, sports, and analysis."

Jeff Flake: Rob Porter scandal could hurt the GOP in the midterms

Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake said the way the White House handled the domestic violence abuse allegations against former staff secretary Rob Porter could hurt the GOP at the ballot box in November. Flake said on NBC's "Meet The Press" the situation in the White House, and President Trump's failure to express sympathy for the two women Porter allegedly abused, could be a political problem for the party.

Mark Meadows: ‘The swamp is obviously deeper’ in Washington under Trump

Rep. Mark Meadows said the spending deal, in which Republicans agreed to more domestic spending in exchange for a massive bump in military funds, shows influence-peddling in Washington has grown worse, not better. The chairman of the House Freedom Caucus says a spending deal passed last week by Congress shows "the swamp is obviously deeper" now, despite President Trump's campaign promise to "drain the swamp."