Washington establishment strikes back as Trump finds himself with a special counsel

The naming Wednesday of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate the Russian government's meddling in the U.S. election, including ties to Trump's campaign, abruptly shifted the balance of power in Washington. The city's permanent political class forcefully reasserted itself against an antagonistic president determined to bring them to heel.

S.L. mayor, Utah senators jockey for Trump’s ear on monuments

The Democratic leader of Utah's capital city and a pair of Utah Republican congressmen were jockeying for the president's ear on public lands Friday. The jostling comes as U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke considers whether the president should shrink or rescind Utah's national monuments.

Rising GOP figure Tom Cotton in Iowa as Trump faces turmoil

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton was meeting Friday with Republican activists in the early presidential testing ground of Iowa, walking a delicate path by raising his national political profile at a time of turmoil for Donald Trump's White House. The 40-yer-old freshman Republican senator was scheduled to headline the Pottawattamie County Republican Party's annual fundraiser in Council Bluffs in conservative western Iowa.

Grassley Slams FCC Over Security Guard Manhandling Reporter

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley Friday strongly criticized Federal Communications Commission security guards who manhandled a reporter Thursday at the agency's headquarters. "The Federal Communications Commission needs to take a hard look at why this happened and make sure it doesn't happen again," Grassley said in his Friday statement.

Tulsa police officer acquitted in death to return to duty

A white Oklahoma police officer acquitted in the killing of an unarmed black man last year will be allowed to return to the force - although she won't be allowed on patrol, Tulsa's police chief said Friday. Police Chief Chuck Jordan announced in a one-sentence email that officer Betty Jo Shelby will return to active duty.

Notre Dame Protest of Pence Twists Catholic Social Teaching Alexandra DeSanctis 58 minutes ago

This Sunday, vice president Mike Pence will return to his home state of Indiana to deliver the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame. For the third time in several years, the school's graduation ceremony will be plagued by controversy, as a group of students plans to walk out during Pence's speech.

The Latest: Tulsa cop acquitted in death to return to duty

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, left, listens as Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan speaks during a press conference, Thursday, May 18, 2017, in Tulsa, Okla., about the not guilty verdict in Tulsa police office Betty Jo Shelby's manslaughter trial. A jury on Wednesday acquitted Shelby, a white Oklahoma police officer who says she fired out of fear last year, when she killed Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man with his hands held above his head.

Risch’s ‘weasel’ remark draws protest

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., left, speaks with Idaho Sen. James Risch before a Senate Intelligence Committee last week. Idaho Sen. Jim Risch's defense of President Donald Trump's reported May 10 disclosure of classified intelligence to Russian officials is the trigger for another protest Friday at the senator's Boise office.

Staunch conservative lawmaker tipped to be new US ambassador in Prague

Not Donald Trump's first, Czech born, wife Ivana Trump, but a staunch conservative lawmaker now appears to be the front runner to be the next US ambassador to the Czech Republic. A bigger contrast with the previous incumbent under former president Barack Obama could hardly be found.

Trump says he’s ‘very close’ to naming an FBI director

Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman gives a 'thumbs-up' as he leaves the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 17, 2017. The White House says President Donald Trump will be interviewing four potential candidates to lead the FBI.

Chaffetz resignation latest twist in GOP oversight of Trump

As Chairman of the House Governmental Oversight Committee , Rep. Jason Chaffetz was a determined investigator of the Obama administration and of Hillary Clinton 's use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. That looked like it was changing this week when reports emerged that former FBI director James Comey had taken notes after Trump privately asked him to end a probe into his former National Security Adviser before firing Comey.

‘Behind the Headlines’: Chaffetz and Comey, Chaffetz and Herbert, Huntsman and Russia

Rep. Jason Chaffetz invites former FBI Director James Comey to testify publicly over a memo regarding a special request from President Donald Trump. Former Gov. Jon Huntsman awaits nomination as ambassador to Russia more than two months after accepting the job.

Farm Bureau: Stop Federal Water Extortion

FARM BUREAU: STOP FEDERAL WATER EXTORTION May 19, 2017 Source: American Farm Bureau Federation news release Land managers in the West increasingly demand that ranchers who work federal land surrender their water rights to the government or get off the range. It's extortion and a form of unconstitutional taking that simply has to stop, Randy Parker, Utah Farm Bureau's vice president of national government affairs, told the House Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.

‘This can’t continue for a whole lot longer’: Former…

Former senator of Pennsylvania and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum delivered a stark warning for President Donald Trump, as his administration was hobbled by a barrage of damaging news reports over the last 10 days. "Unlike Democrats, who will never break with a president, no matter what they do - I mean I don't care, they can find him with a smoking gun and a picture, they wouldn't break with him - Republicans will," he said on CNN Friday night.