House ethics committee investigating Rep. Chris Collins for insider trading allegations

The House ethics committee is investigating New York Rep. Chris Collins, the first Republican on Capitol Hill to endorse Donald Trump's presidential campaign, for potentially violating federal law and House rules regarding insider trading. The outside, non-partisan Office of Congressional Ethics began a review of Collins' activity in March and voted to send its findings to the House ethics panel in July, which can formally launch investigations and recommend any sanctions against any lawmaker it determines has broken any rules.

Trump begins Obamacare dismantling with executive order

President Donald Trump took his first steps Thursday toward fulfilling his vow to dismantle Obamacare, signing an executive order that he says will bring affordable health insurance to millions more people. The order broadly tasks the administration with developing policies to increase health care competition and choice in order to improve the quality of health care and lower prices.

Pols on the Street: Upstate Republicans Point at Scary Philly

BY JOE SHAHEELI Western and midstate Republicans are warming up for the 2018 political season by sharpening their teeth on controversial Philadelphia news. Majority Chairman Daryl Metcalfe and 15 Republican members of the House State Government Committee sent a letter to Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro A. CortA s in response to a report by City Commissioner Al Schmidt that some non-citizens were registered to vote, largely through irregularities in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's "motor voter"A process.

The Latest: Trump pushes Sen. Rand Paul to support tax plan

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., smiles at President Donald Trump during an event to sign an executive order on health care in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Washington. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., smiles at President Donald Trump during an event to sign an executive order on health care in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Washington.

Ryan blames high-tax states as GOP lawmakers balk on plan

House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday lambasted high-tax states like California, New York and New Jersey, arguing the rest of the country is "propping up profligate, big-government states" even as they pay billions more in taxes than they receive in return from the federal government. Ryan's attack came as he defended the Republican tax proposal that would repeal the federal deduction for state and local taxes, saying it has forced the rest of the country to support those states' high taxes and reckless spending.

Facebook’s Sandberg Criticizes Twitter for Censoring Blackburn Ad

Being interviewed by Axios Executive Editor Mike Allen at the Newseum in Washington D.C. Thursday morning, Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg criticized social media rival Twitter for censoring an ad from Tennessee Congresswoman Marsh Blackburn announcing her Senate campaign . Allen spent most of the exchange, which was simulcast live on MSNBC in the 9 a.m. ET hour, grilling Sandberg on reports that groups with Russian ties bought political ads on Facebook during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Rep. Zeldin’s Bipartisan Veteran Loan Guarantee Bill Passes House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee

October 12, 2017 - Congressman Lee Zeldin announced today that his bill, the Flexible VA Loan Guarantee Act passed the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity unanimously with bipartisan support on October 11, 2017. The Flexible VA Loan Guarantee Act would eliminate the loan limit or the "maximum guarantee amount" of a loan that the VA can guarantee for a veteran, providing the VA with the flexibility to determine the appropriate limit for all veterans' loans.

With sketchy tax-reform details, year-end planning could be challenging

Some year-end tax planning tips are still worth heeding, but possible tax reform, with sketchy details, could make things tougher. With sketchy tax-reform details, year-end planning could be challenging Some year-end tax planning tips are still worth heeding, but possible tax reform, with sketchy details, could make things tougher.

House to vote Thursday on $36.5 billion disaster aid bill

The House will vote Thursday on a disaster relief bill following a series of devastating hurricanes and massive wildfires that have ravished parts of the United States. While the Trump administration requested $29 billion in supplemental spending last week, it asked for additional resources Tuesday night, including $4.9 billion to specifically to fund a loan program that Puerto Rico can use to address basic functions like infrastructure needs.

Plan to scrap state and local tax deduction hits resistance

The noise of car engines enveloping the streets of the French capital might in the future become a memory for Paris pedestrians. The Department of Veterans Affairs has abruptly dropped plans to suspend an ethics law barring employees from receiving benefits from for-profit colleges.

Trump Expected to Sign Order Side-Stepping Obamacare Rules

President Donald Trump was expected to sign an executive order on Thursday that would make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bones health insurance plans and circumvent rules put in place by Obamacare, though such an order could face legal challenges. Stymied in Congress by the failure of Senate Republicans to roll back former President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare law, Trump's executive order would represent his administration's latest effort to undermine the law without legislation.

House of cards, part II

While denying that his political organization was favoring the candidacy of Roza Calderon, and denying that they were in a relationship, Paul Smith appears to have admitted the affair in a series of texts to another lover. While watching Maroon 5 perform at BottleRock, a Napa Valley music festival in late May, Roza Calderon snapped a photo and uploaded it to her Instagram page, @ElectRoza2018.

Marines invited to Marine Corps birthday celebration in Manchester

The Manchester Expeditionary Brigade, a group of local volunteers, will host a celebration of the 242nd U.S. Marine Corps birthday at the Executive Court Banquet Facility in Manchester on Friday, Nov. 10. Each year on Nov. 10, regardless of location, Marines pause to observe the Marine Corps birthday, often sharing a meal followed by birthday cake ... (more)

In case you didn’t take Trump’s threat to the First Amendment seriously

President Donald Trump's supporters have reveled in his and his administration's assault on the media. Trumpkins were thrilled when then-chief strategist Stephen Bannon declared the media to be the "opposition party."