FBI agent who sent anti-Trump texts defiantly fends off GOP attacks

Peter Strzok, the FBI agent who sent anti-Trump texts, engaged in angry exchanges with House Republicans Thursday as he testified for the first time in public at a joint hearing before the House Judiciary and Oversight committees. One of the first exchanges began when Rep. Trey Gowdy, A South Carolina Republican, said he "didn't give a damn" as Strzok tried to explain the "context" around the texts including one that said "we will stop it," referring to then-candidate Donald Trump.

‘Constitutional Conservatives’ Lose Interest in Holding Trump Accountable

When Rep. Jim Jordan , Rep. Mark Meadows , Rep. Justin Amash , and six other colleagues co-founded the House Freedom Caucus in January 2015, there was ample reason for libertarians to cheer. Unlike the soft-spined conservatism of the larger Republican Study Committee, the Freedom Caucus promised to be much more hardcore about spending, war, constitutionalism, and oversight of the executive branch.

Congress takes a baby step on reclaiming trade powers

On Wednesday, the United States Senate took what Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, called a "baby step" towards reasserting congressional authority over U.S. trade policy. By an 88-11 vote, the Senate approved a nonbinding resolution requesting that language expressing the need for a congressional role in tariffs imposed on national security grounds be included in an appropriations bill currently being negotiated.

Democratic candidate says he won’t back Pelosi for Speaker

A Democrat seeking to flip Ohio's 1st Congressional District in November says he won't support U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi for Speaker if the party regains control of the House of Representatives. Cincinnati's Aftab Pureval has joined a growing list of Democratic congressional candidates who are distancing themselves from the House minority leader from California.

Hearing on Russia probe devolves into shouting match

An embattled FBI agent whose anti-Trump text messages exposed the Justice Department to claims of institutional bias vigorously defended himself at an extraordinary congressional hearing that devolved into shouting matches, finger-pointing and veiled references to personal transgressions. Peter Strzok on Thursday testified publicly for the first time since being removed from special counsel Robert Mueller's team following the discovery of texts last year that were traded with an FBI lawyer in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.

5 takeaways from FBI agent’s explosive congressional hearing

In an explosive, hourslong congressional hearing Thursday, FBI agent Peter Strzok was defiant as Republicans unleashed blistering attacks, saying his anti-Trump sentiment - captured in personal text messages - is evidence of bias at the Justice Department. Democrats threw their support behind Strzok with gusto.

Rep. Bishop introduces bill that would make it easier for states to drop daylight saving time

A new bill introduced by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, Wednesday would give states power to decide if they will continue observing daylight saving time. The bill, H.R. 6331 , also known as the Daylight Act, would also make it easier for states to decide to maintain daylight saving time year-round and keep observing it as is.

Little testifies on grazing policy

Lt. Gov. Brad Little was among a set of four witnesses who appeared Thursday before a House subcommittee which held an oversight hearing on public lands grazing. Republicans on the House Natural Resources Committee have in recent months been moving toward significant changes to the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Equal Access to Justice Act, which allows groups who successfully prove in court that federal agencies violated federal rules to recover attorney fees.

Senators blast Trump on trade, vow to press for change in policy

Republican and Democratic U.S. senators blasted Trump administration trade policy on Thursday and vowed to press ahead with legislation to give Congress a say in decisions to impose tariffs on national security grounds. Prompting criticism from many of his fellow Republicans and business groups as well as Democrats, Trump has imposed levies on imports of steel and aluminum from close allies including Canada, Mexico and Europe and is considering some on automobiles and auto parts.

Initiative 77 Saga Continues

The saga of the "One Fair Wage DC" initiative, known as Initiative 77 - which would grant all D.C. workers, including tipped workers, a $15-an-hour minimum wage by July 15, 2020 - continues. Despite strong opposition from restaurateurs and many servers and bartenders themselves, D.C. voters approved the measure in the June 19 primary election by a margin of 56 to 44 percent.

Senators blast Trump’s ‘reckless’ tariffs, warn of impact on farmers, …

WASHINGTON Republican and Democratic senators expressed rising concern Thursday about the economic impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs, saying they are hearing complaints from dock workers, soybean farmers and manufacturers whose livelihoods depend on trade. The lawmakers also said they want to see the Trump administration explain the strategy behind the tariffs and what the expectations are for success.

Donald Trump Jr., Jeanine Pirro to headline events for Ron DeSantis in Central Florida

Donald Trump Jr. and Judge Jeanine Pirro will be in Orlando on Wednesday to headline both a rally and private fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis ' campaign for governor. Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Trump, and Pirro, a Fox News personality, are scheduled to appear at an event at B.B. King's Blues Club on International Drive in Orlando at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

New MuellerGate Developments Prove ‘Deep State’ Conspiracy Against Trump

For months, I've been saying the Mueller "investigation" is not an investigation, it's a cover-up , the objective of which is to conceal the Obama administration's illegal surveillance of the Trump campaign, while also manufacturing an appearance of wrongdoing by Trump. Muller has not yet produced any evidence of the "collusion" that he was expected to find, and why? Because this was a phony conspiracy theory created by Clinton operatives, using Fusion GPS in an attempt to fabricate an illusion of "collusion" that did not actually exist.

The Latest: Yelling, chaos over FBI agenta s anti-Trump texts

The Latest on testimony to Congress by a former FBI agent involved in the Clinton email and Russia probes : FBI special agent Peter Strzok says a text message saying "we'll stop" the election of Donald Trump was written in response to a series of events including Trump's "disgusting" insult of the family of a fallen American soldier. Strzok says in congressional testimony that the text reflected his view that the American people would not elect someone "demonstrating that behavior."

Ryan Says Trump’s Trade Policies Put U.S. Economy at Risk

House Speaker Paul Ryan drew a stark difference between his vision for trade and that of President Donald Trump, rejecting tariffs and warning that pulling out of trade agreements is a threat to the U.S. economy. "We risk having American products locked out of new markets, jobs moved overseas, and a decline in American influence," Ryan said Thursday at the Economic Club of Washington.

Why Cagle’s home county may be linchpin in Georgia GOP’s governor’s race Source: WSB-TV

On a sweltering Friday in late June, Gov. Nathan Deal huddled inside a bank boardroom with some of Hall County's most prominent business leaders. The three dozen people knew exactly what was coming: a heart-to-heart with the governor on the race to succeed him.

MSNBC’s Schmidt Claims McConnell ‘Delegitimized’ Kavanaugh, Supreme Court

Appearing as a guest on Wednesday's The 11th Hour with Brian Williams , MSNBC contributor Steve Schmidt claimed that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell "delegitimized" Justice Anthony Kennedy's seat on the U.S. Supreme Court -- and the Court itself -- as he reacted to the selection of Judge Brett Kavanaugh as Kennedy's replacement. He also repeated a debunked claim that "Kennedy's son is Trump's banker at Deutsche Bank" -- a claim which was even disputed by his liberal MSNBC colleague, Stephanie Ruhle.