Democrats are split on whether to support Trump-bashing senators

While some Democrats praised Flake's denouncement of Trump, the Democratic National Committee issued a statement critical of the senator. Democratic leadership sent conflicting messages following Republican Sen. Jeff Flake's dramatic Tuesday announcement that he will not run for reelection in 2018.

Pro-GOP web site funded anti-Trump dossier

A conservative website with strong ties to the Republican establishment triggered the investigation into Donald Trump's past that ultimately produced the dossier that alleged a compromised relationship between the president and the Kremlin. The Washington Free Beacon on Friday confirmed it originally retained the political research firm Fusion GPS to scour then-candidate Trump's background for negative information, a common practice known as "opposition research" in politics.

Watergate and White House interference at DOJ

A few years after President Richard Nixon resigned, Attorney General Griffin Bell gathered Justice Department lawyers in the department's elaborate Great Hall to address their independence in the post-Watergate world. "The partisan activities of some attorneys general combined with the unfortunate legacy of Watergate, have given rise to the understandable public concern that some decisions at Justice may be the products of favor, or pressure, or politics," he said in the September 6, 1978 address.

Is Fox News Hurting Donald Trump?

A thought struck me today as I watched a bit of Fox News both before and after the Mueller indictments hit: the network may actually be hurting Trump by giving him a false sense of confidence. It's common knowledge that Trump watches Fox News religiously, especially Fox and Friends in the morning.

Pelosi to tour fire ravaged areas of Northern California

Top U.S. House Democrat Nancy Pelosi and five other members of Congress plan to tour wildfire-ravaged Northern California on Saturday as families and communities begin the long process of rebuilding. Pelosi, of San Francisco, will spend a day touring the fire zones and meeting with officials and victims alongside Rep. Mike Thompson, who represents the city of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County, the hardest-hit areas in the fires.

Senator says Trump rolling back protections at Utah sites

President Donald Trump is shrinking two national monuments in Utah, accepting the recommendation of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to reverse protections established by two Democratic presidents to more than 3.6 million acres. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said he was "incredibly grateful" that Trump called him on Friday to say he is approving Zinke's proposal on Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.

Facebook vows more transparency over political ads

Under pressure in advance of hearings on Russian election interference, Facebook is moving to increase transparency for everyone who sees and buys political advertising on its site. Executives for the social media company said Friday they will verify political ad buyers in federal elections, requiring them to reveal correct names and locations.

US Senators Urge Trump To Demand Erdogan Respect Human Rights

WASHINGTON ­– On Wednesday, U.S. Senators John McCain , Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Bob Menendez , member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a bipartisan letter to President Trump today calling on the administration to urge Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to stop harassing American diplomats, to respect human rights, and to uphold democratic values in Turkey.

Pelosi to tour fire-ravaged areas of Northern California

In this Oct. 10, 2017 file photo, the remains of the Signorello Estate winery continue to smolder in Napa, Calif. Top U.S. House Democrat Nancy Pelosi and five other members of Congress plan to tour wildfire-ravaged Northern California on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, as families and communities begin the long process of rebuilding.

Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post: It’s time for Trump to put Democrats on the spot with tax reform

When Republicans brought their budget to the Senate floor last week, they were bracing for what is known on Capitol Hill as a "vote-a-rama," in which Democrats would keep the Senate in session till the wee hours, forcing Republicans to cast dozens of politically toxic votes on everything from gun control to legalizing the immigration status of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. Why? Because they knew that what was toxic for Republicans would be even more toxic for vulnerable Senate Democrats running for re-election in states President Trump won by double digits.

Trump, Corker both see disapproval ratings rise in new MTSU poll

As President Donald Trump and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., continue their public feud, both have seen an increase in their disapproval rating among Tennessee voters, according to a poll out of Middle Tennessee State University. Corker's disapproval rocketed to 41 percent, a 14-point increase from polling last spring.

Corker: Possible 2020 run against Trump not ruled out

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., talks to reporters as he heads to the floor for a vote, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., talks to reporters as he heads to the floor for a vote, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

‘This Administration Doesn’t Have a Clue.’ Meet the…

Donald Trump's latest Twitter dustup is with California megadonor Tom Steyer, who is funding a push to impeach the 45th president. On Friday morning, Trump appeared to have caught wind of the effort, criticizing the progressive activist on Twitter by calling him "wacky and totally unhinged."

South Park Beats Washington at Moral Clarity

For a huge chunk of Americans, the venerable Comedy Central show South Park is more than simply a half hour of inspired, if crass, laughs: it is also a weathervane for America's political center. Sometimes, the show does everything in its power to avoid filling that role, as in the case of trippy episodes like its Imaginationland trilogy, but just as often, it leans in, deliberately tackling politically charged subjects with varying degrees of subtlety.

Paul Gosar Versus His Siblings: Brother Calls Congressman an ‘Embarrassment’

Paul Gosar's brother called him "an embarrassment" to the family on Friday, following up on a published letter by seven siblings blasting the Arizona Congressman for his conspiracy theories. His siblings had their blistering letter published in the Kingman Daily Miner on October 24, criticizing the Prescott congressman for his debunked theories about August's white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Kansas proposes work requirement in new version of Medicaid

A proposed change to Kansas' privatized Medicaid program would compel about 12,000 adults to work to obtain benefits, making the state the first in the country to have such a requirement. Gov. Sam Brownback's administration said Friday requiring some Medicaid recipients to work would improve their lives and increase their self-esteem.