Mortgage rates fall for the second week in a row

A Freddie Mac sign stands outside the company's headquarters in McLean, Virginia, U.S., on Tuesday, April 8, 2014. Senator Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat and a member of the Senate Banking Committee, said a bipartisan bill to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is too complicated and doesn't do enough to address too-big-to-fail concerns or provide assistance for affordable housing.

Senate Judiciary votes 11 to 10 to forward Ryan Bounds’ 9th Circuit nomination to Senate floor

The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday voted 11 to 10 along party lines to forward the nomination of Oregon assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Bounds for a vacancy on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to the Senate floor for confirmation. The vote followed recriminations by Democratic senators who accused Republicans of "gutting checks and balances,'' in their rush to stack the federal courts with conservative judges who are ideologically aligned.

Trump brings ZTE, sanctions-busting smart phone giant, back to life….

The Trump administration agreed Thursday to resurrect Chinese phone maker ZTE, in exchange for a $1 billion fine and a management overhaul meant to ensure the tech giant won't bust U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea again. The move was widely condemned in Congress, where lawmakers in both parties -- including Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn -- had warned President Donald Trump not to cave to Chinese pressure or use the enforcement action against ZTE as a bargaining chip in trade talks.

Trump Organization Deals In Asia Fuel Debate On Emoluments Lawsuit

A federal court hears arguments in a case brought by Democratic lawmakers about whether the Trump Organization's business dealings with foreign governments violates the Constitution's Emoluments Clause. A federal judge hears initial arguments Thursday in a emoluments lawsuit alleging that President Trump has repeatedly violated an anti-corruption provision of the Constitution.

Trump, Democrats Clash in D.C. Court Over President’s Empire

Donald Trump and Congressional Democrats will be in court Thursday sparring over whether he's personally profiting from his presidency. A group of almost 200 Democrats say he is because he's decided to hang on to his global business holdings -- enabling him to make money by doing business with foreign governments in violation of the U.S. Constitution's foreign emoluments clause.

Ted Cruz Says Imperiled Biofuel Overhaul Plan Is Not Dead

A day after a tentative agreement to overhaul U.S. biofuel policy appeared to collapse amid farm-state concerns, Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt met with the lead senator pushing for the changes: Ted Cruz. Pruitt had dinner with Cruz, a Texas Republican, at a Washington steakhouse blocks from the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday night.

Voters wanted a revolution. How’d they get stuck with corrupt Bob Menendez? | Will Bunch

Will Bunch has worked at the Daily News for 20-plus years and is now senior writer. Since 2005, he's written the uber-opinionated, fair-but-dangerously unbalanced opinion blog "Attytood," covering a range of topics ; it's been named best blog in the state by the Associated Press Managing Editors and best blog in the city by Philadelphia Magazine.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin regrets endorsing Hillary and is open to…

West Virginia's Sen. Joe Manchin is one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators heading into the 2018 midterms and, unlike most members of his party, he is running as someone willing to work with, rather than obstruct, President Donald Trump. Manchin, whose state voted for Trump by more than 40 percentage points, told Politico he regretted backing Hillary Clinton in 2016 and said he wouldn't rule out endorsing the president in the 2020 election over whomever his Democratic opponent turns out to be.

Before the Tea Party: A forgotten rebellion in Rhode Island

In this June 2015 photo provided by the Gaspee Days Committee, spectators watch an annual ceremonial burning of a replica of the ship HMS Gaspee in Warwick, R.I. The British customs schooner Gaspee had been sent in March 1772 to enforce maritime trade laws and prevent smuggling around Newport, R.I. In June 1772, a colonial ship lured the Gaspee through shallow waters of Narragansett Bay where it ran aground and was subsequently burned by colonists. Photo Credit: AP PROVIDENCE, R.I. - -- Rhode Islanders feel slighted that Bostonians get all the glory for helping spark the American Revolution with the Boston Tea Party.

President commutes term of Kardashian-championed drug offender

Flexing his clemency powers once again, President Donald Trump on Wednesday commuted the life sentence of a woman whose cause was championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West. "BEST NEWS EVER!!!!" was the exuberant twitter response from Kardashian West, who visited the White House last week to press the case of Alice Marie Johnson, 63, who has spent more than two decades behind bars, serving life without parole for drug offenses.

Graham Backs Trump on Tariff Oversight

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Wednesday backed President Donald Trump's authority to impose steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the European Union, following a closed-door meeting at the White House, The Hill reports. "Now is not the time to undercut President Trump's ability to negotiate better trade deals.

Native American woman advances in New Mexico primary Source: AP

New Mexico Democrats rallied around progressive female candidates in the primary - including the party's nominee for the Albuquerque area's U.S. House seat who will try to become the first Native American congresswoman. The Tuesday primary also set up a November race that will mean the most Hispanic congressional district in the most Hispanic state in the nation will be represented by a woman for the first time.

NKY leader of white supremacist group killed in crash; Newport woman charged with murder

Police say Emily Sherry's blood-alcohol was more than five times the legal limit when her car struck another vehicle driven by Robert Ransdell. NKY leader of white supremacist group killed in crash; Newport woman charged with murder Police say Emily Sherry's blood-alcohol was more than five times the legal limit when her car struck another vehicle driven by Robert Ransdell.