5 states struggle with surging numbers of foster children

The number of U.S. children in foster care is climbing after a sustained decline, but just five states account for nearly two-thirds of the recent increase. Reasons range from creation of a new child-abuse hotline to widespread outrage over the deaths of children who'd been repeatedly abused.

Who Do Insiders Think Trump Will Select for the Supreme Court?

Every November, the Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies assembles at the Mayflower Hotel in downtown Washington. In even-numbered years, it has become tradition for leading conservative and libertarian lawyers to ponder how the recent election would affect the courts and the Constitution.

Haleya s Comet Streaks Towards Turtle Bay Dan McLaughlin 5 minutes ago

Nikki Haley's decision to accept an appointment to be the Trump Administration's Ambassador to the United Nations is a little puzzling, and for now, raises more questions about her future and the plans of this Administration than it answers. Haley is one of the party's rising stars, still young and relatively unknown nationally but firmly established in her second term as Governor of South Carolina.

Donald Trump Reaches Outside His Inner Circle

If you only read one thing: Donald Trump is venturing outside of his core group of supporters with his intent to nominate South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to the post of U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Haley was an early and vocal critic of the President-elect during the long GOP primary, endorsing Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. She reluctantly announced her intention to vote for Trump just weeks before Election Day.

Nikki Haley can expect these 4 fights as Trump’s U.N. ambassador

While speaking at the Federalist Society's annual National Lawyers Convention, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley admitted that she wasn't always the biggest cheerleader of President-elect Donald Trump but that she voted for him and was thrilled he won. She also told other Republicans that his win was not an affirmation of how the GOP conducts itself and urged others to "go back to basics."

Trump rethinks need for torture

President-elect Donald Trump, in an interview with The New York Times , suggested a turnabout on the need for torture as a tool in the fight against terrorism, which he repeatedly endorsed during the campaign. Trump suggested that he has changed his mind about the usefulness of waterboarding and other forms of torture after talking with James Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, who headed the U.S. Central Command.

US lawmakers express concern over foreign conflicts of Trump

Citing his meeting with Indian businessmen, Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns over "conflict of interest" of Donald Trump, with one Senator planning to introduce a resolution asking the President-elect to ensure that his dealings do not violate the Constitution. Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and a senior Member of Senate Finance Committee, has said he will introduce a resolution next week stating the sense of Congress that President-elect Trump should convert his assets to simple, conflict-free holdings, adopt blind trusts, or take other equivalent measures, in order to ensure consistency with the Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution.

Pentagon Warns Stopgap Spending Bill Could Hurt Terrorism Fight

Problematic shortfalls arising from a stopgap spending bill would occur in the Pentagon's operations and maintenance and training and equipment, according to the Defense Department's comptroller. The Pentagon comptroller has warned Congress that continuing to rely on stopgap spending bills will undermine U.S. forces in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a memo exclusively obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Are We Witnessing the Birth of a New Democratic Party?

Two weeks after a crushing defeat in an election in which Democrats thought they were playing to their strengths of sober competence and tolerance in the face of extremism, a change has already occurred. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders is acting as the voice of the party far more frequently than anyone could have imagined just a few years ago.

Can Trump Survive the Media Onslaught?

Dan Scavino , who now carries the title of Director of Social Media & Senior Advisor to President-elect Trump. Scavino has a fascinating bio and has worked for Trump nearly half his life, including as the former Executive Vice President and General Manager of Trump National Golf Club, Westchester.

Clinton campaign urged to challenge election results’

In a new twist in the US Elections, a number of top computer scientists are urging Hillary Clinton's campaign for a recount of vote totals in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, according to a source with knowledge of the request, reports CNN. The computer scientists believe they have found evidence that vote totals in the three states could have been manipulated or hacked and presented their findings to top Clinton aides on a call last Thursday, according to CNN.

Is Trump’s Pot Tolerance Fading?

On the same day Donald Trump was elected president, four states legalized marijuana for recreational use, while four others legalized or expanded access to medical marijuana. As a result of those ballot initiatives, most states now recognize marijuana as a medicine, and one in five Americans lives in a state that has decided to tolerate cannabis consumption without a doctor's note.

As attorney general, Jeff Sessions will hold considerable power in immigration enforcement

If confirmed as U.S. attorney general, Sen. Jeff Sessions can make major changes to the nation's immigration system by boosting prosecutions of low-level violations, hiring tough immigration judges and cutting law enforcement funds to cities that don't cooperate. While the Department of Homeland Security vets visas and enforces immigration laws, a handful of obscure offices in the Department of Justice hold vast sway over how immigration cases are heard in court and how quickly migrants can be deported.

Sessions as AG Might Mean Problems for Booming Marijuana Industry

Donald Trump's selection of Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., as his attorney general poses a threat to the booming marijuana industry. Sessions is a staunch opponent of marijuana, despite legalization of the drug for recreational use in seven states and legalization of the drug for medical use in 27 states.

Report: Democrat Harold Ford Jr. Considered for Trump Post

Ford served five terms in Congress from 1997 to 2007 following the retirement of his father Harold Ford Sr., who had served the same district since 1983. He currently lives in New York and works for Morgan Stanley, but is a frequent guest on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," where he offers political commentary.

Rubio Mum on 2018 Florida Senate Race

Sen. Marco Rubio said he was not going to "jump into an electoral argument right now." Though comfortably back in the Senate for another six years, Sen. Marco Rubio faces a tough political choice in 2018: partner or party? With fellow Florida Sen. Bill Nelson up for re-election, and incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Scott his likely challenger, Rubio shied away Monday from commenting directly on the race, according to the Tampa Bay Times .

Mandatory sleep apnea testing in works for train engineers

Federal Railroad Administration officials will require railroads to test employees for sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, which may have contributed to the crash of an NJ Transit train in Hoboken on Sept. 29. "There should be and there will be a rule," said Sarah Feinberg, FRA administrator, in an interview after a roundtable meeting with U.S. Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., Monday.

Politicians ask Justice Department about talks on Baltimore police

Maryland congressional lawmakers have asked the U.S. Justice Department about the status of talks on reforming Baltimore's troubled police department, according to a letter released on Tuesday. The letter from Maryland's senators, a senator-elect and three congressmen said they were hearing growing concern from constituents about delays in drafting the settlement.

Analysis: Rising Arab and Jewish-American fears of Trump are ignored in the Middle East

Middle Eastern countries are intent on advancing their own perceived interests regardless of the possible impact of Trump's victory and appointments on the well-being of their brethren in America. Like Jewish-Americans, Arab-Americans are getting more and more concerned about the way the Trump administration is shaping up.