Senate panel OKs president’s pick to lead troubled VA

A Senate panel voted Tuesday to approve President Donald Trump's nominee to lead Veterans Affairs, a department beset by political infighting and turmoil over providing health care. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee agreed on voice vote to back Robert Wilkie, currently serving as a Pentagon undersecretary.

Sen. John McCain’s illness could complicate President Donald Trump’s…

Trump's Monday night prime-time announcement of the nomination of Kavanaugh, a former attorney and top aide to President George W. Bush, would move the high court in a more conservative direction for decades to come. The president described Kavanaugh as "one of the finest and sharpest legal minds" of the modern era and called on the U.S. Senate to move quickly to confirm him.

Pruitt leaves poison pill at EPA for glider-truck emissions rule

In his last act as EPA Administrator on Friday, Scott Pruitt vacated an Obama-era ruling that dramatically restricted sales of polluting "glider" trucks. Pruitt's earlier efforts to repeal the ruling were opposed by a broad, bipartisan coalition of environmentalists, public health advocates, truck makers, and some Republican representatives from states with other manufacturing interests.

House Freedom Caucus votes to officially support Jim Jordan

The conservative House Freedom Caucus has voted to support its co-founder, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, as he faces accusations of turning a blind eye to alleged sexual abuse more than two decades ago. Emerging from the weekly meeting late Tuesday night, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican, said the group voted unanimously to support Jordan.

Lisa Page plans to defy GOP subpoena for her testimony, her lawyer says

Former FBI lawyer Lisa Page is defying a congressional subpoena and will not appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for a scheduled closed-door interview. Page's lawyer Amy Jeffress said in a statement that the committee issued a subpoena on Saturday without providing Page with the scope of the interview and before she was able to view the materials that had been produced to Congress, such as her anti-Trump text messages exchanged with FBI agent Peter Strzok.

What they’re saying in Maryland about SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh

Judge Brett Kavanaugh speaks to the crowd after U.S. President Donald Trump nominated him to the Supreme Court during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House July 9, 2018 in Washington, D.C. ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, TCN - OUTS ** Judge Brett Kavanaugh speaks to the crowd after U.S. President Donald Trump nominated him to the Supreme Court during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House July 9, 2018 in Washington, D.C. ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, TCN - OUTS ** President Donald Trump nominated Marylander Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Monday evening.

GOP Senate candidate Kevin Cramer: I told Trump to avoid ‘affirmative action pick’ for Supreme Court

Rep. Kevin Cramer, a Republican running for the Senate in North Dakota, said last week he advised President Donald Trump not to be pressured into making his Supreme Court nomination "some sort of affirmative action pick." The comments by Cramer, who is challenging Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in one of the marquee Senate races of November's midterm elections, came Friday on KTGO-AM's "The Morning Lowdown" with host Dennis Lindahl.

As Trump prepares to unveil Supreme Court pick, both parties…

With hours to go until President Trump reveals his choice to succeed Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court, the White House on Monday named former senator Jon Kyl of Arizona as the "sherpa" who will guide the eventual nominee through the Senate, while Democrats and Republicans continued to spar over the four leading candidates. Kyl, a Republican who rose to the No.

The Latest: Ex-athletic director unaware of abuse claims

This Oct. 22, 2015 file photo shows U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Capitol Hill. Two men who were wrestlers at Ohio State University in the 1990s say Jordan isn't being truthful when he says he wasn't aware of allegations team doctor Richard Strauss was groping male wrestlers, NBC reported Tuesday, July 3, 2018.

Ethics review sought as ex-coaches at Ohio St. defend Jordan

This Oct. 22, 2015 file photo shows U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on Capitol Hill. Two men who were wrestlers at Ohio State University in the 1990s say Jordan isn't being truthful when he says he wasn't aware of allegations team doctor Richard Strauss was groping male wrestlers, NBC reported Tuesday, July 3, 2018.

GOP Rep Introducing Bill to Limit Trump’s Trade Powers

Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., is set to introduce a bill curtailing President Donald Trump's authority to impose specific tariffs, The Hill is reporting. The legislation, expected to be introduced on Monday, would require Trump to gain congressional approval before he could impose tariffs "in the interest of national security," according to the website.

Trump still pondering Supreme Court pick as big reveal nears

President Donald Trump said Sunday he was still deliberating his decision on a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy as his self-imposed deadline for an announcement neared amid furious lobbying and frenzied speculation. "I'm very close to making a final decision.