Trump won’t declassify Democratic memo on Russia probe, tweets that it was – political’

President Trump blocked on Friday the release of a classified Democratic memo rebutting Republican claims that top federal law enforcement officials had abused their surveillance powers in spying on a former Trump campaign aide. WASHINGTON - Citing national security concerns, the White House has notified the House Intelligence Committee that President Donald Trump is ''unable'' to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBI's Russia probe.

Lobbying expenses spiked as Congress shaped tax overhaul

This Dec. 3, 2015, file photo shows an existing home for sale in Roswell, Ga. Money spent on lobbying by corporations, trade associations and special interest groups spiked during the final three months of 2017 as they battled for the biggest breaks possible in the most dramatic rewrite of the U.S. tax code in more than 30 years.

Trump won’t declassify Democratic memo on Russia probe

Citing national security concerns, the White House has notified the House Intelligence Committee that President Donald Trump is "unable" to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBI's Russia probe. to the committee Friday that the memo contains "numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages" and asked the intelligence panel to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department.

Kim Jong-un asks South Korean leader to Pyongyang summit

SECOND Trump staffer resigns over claims he beat his wife: Speechwriter steps down after former partner says he ran over her with a car, put a cigarette out on her hand and threw her into a wall 'Hypocrite' Trump refuses to release Democrat rebuttal to GOP memo on Russian election meddling for 'security' reasons after overruling the FBI to make the Republican report public 'We sold everything to do this and lost it in 20 minutes': Couple, who ditched their lives to move to a 28-foot sailboat despite having no experience on the water, have to be rescued when their boat SINKS two days in Hope is fading: Trump is 'increasingly frustrated with Hope Hicks' amid the Rob Porter scandal and believes she 'let her relationship with the wife-beater cloud her judgement' White House Chief of Staff John Kelly told Trump he was willing to resign over botched handling of Rob Porter case, sources say ... (more)

For cashiered lawyers, it wasn’t about cash

Newly elected Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell at his law office in downtown Scranton. Butch Comegys / Staff Photographer Story by Kohut Don't bother arguing because you probably won't change the mind of someone who sees nothing but politics in new Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell asking four staffers to resign this week.

California Focus: Statea s election boss beats Trump on voting panel

It's not often that an obscure state official manages to lay a serious defeat on the President of the United States. But that's what Alex Padilla pulled off early this year, and he did it without any gloating.

Immigration fight looks tougher after budget debate

Republican leaders, top Democrats and President Donald Trump are all claiming big wins in the $400 billion budget agreement signed into law Friday. But the push to pass the massive legislation underscored enduring divisions within both parties, and those rifts are likely to make the next fight over immigration even more challenging.

Donald Trump says he will not declassify Democratic memo on Russia probe

The White House has formally notified the House intelligence committee that president Donald Trump is "unable" to declassify a memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations about abuse of government surveillance powers in the FBI's Russia probe. Citing national security concerns, White House counsel Don McGahn said in a letter to the committee that the memo contained "numerous properly classified and especially sensitive passages" and asked the Democrats to revise the memo with the help of the Justice Department.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra visited officials in Fresno on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Friday in Fresno that employers must protect confidential information about employees when federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ask questions. The advice from the state's top law enforcement officer comes only days after at least 40 workers at Bee Sweet Citrus in Fowler lost their jobs after federal immigration agents began checking employee records, searching for people who are not legally allowed to work in the United States.

Mulvaney emerges as a leading candidate to replace Kelly as White House chief of staff

To continue reading this premium story, you need to become a member. Click below to take advantage of an exclusive offer for new members: John Kelly, White House chief of staff, listens during a Customs and Border Protection roundtable discussion with at the CBP National Targeting Center in Sterling, Virginia, on Feb. 2, 2018.

HUD chief Carson surveys storm damage in Fayetteville 16 months after Matthew

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson and Republican 9th District Congressman Robert Pittenger visited homes hit hard by the hurricane and reassured Mayor Mitch Colvin and other city leaders that those impacted by the storm have not been forgotten. More than half of the buildings at the 100-unit Mt Sinai Homes complex off Murchison Road, near Fayetteville State University, were damaged by the storm, and repairs are still being made to apartments in the federally subsidized complex.

FEMA contractor says she is a “scapegoat” in controversy over canceled contract

The woman at the heart of a controversy surrounding a cancelled $156 million contract to provide 30 million meals for victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico says she is being turned into a scapegoat for problems with how FEMA handles contracts with small businesses. House Democrats have asked for the Oversight Committee to subpoena FEMA officials to explain why the contract was issued to a small company called Tribute Contracting, LLC run by Atlanta-based business owner Tiffany Brown - the sole employee listed for that business.

Roy Moore is not running for governor as qualifying period ends

Twice elected as the state's Supreme Court chief justice and twice a candidate for governor, Moore did not declare his candidacy and pay his entrance fee by the close of the qualifying window Friday at 5 p.m. After Moore failed in his bid to win a seat in the U.S. Senate last year, there were speculation and rumors that he might shift his focus to the race for governor. During the Senate campaign, which Democrat Doug Jones won, the governor's race was considered to be a fallback option for candidates.

All sides claim budget win; immigration fight looks tougher

Republican leaders, top Democrats and President Donald Trump are all claiming big wins in the $400 billion budget agreement signed into law Friday. But the push to pass the massive legislation underscored enduring divisions within both parties, and those rifts are likely to make the next fight over immigration even more challenging.

Trump ‘weighing his options’ on releasing Democratic memo

The White House said Friday that President Donald Trump is "weighing his options" as he decides whether to release a classified memo drafted by Democrats that counters GOP allegations that the FBI abused U.S. government surveillance powers in its Russia probe. The president's careful consideration of the Democratic memo is in contrast to his enthusiastic embrace of releasing the Republican document, which he pledged before reading to make public.

The Dancin’ with Bart Hester Edition

The Little Rock Police Department's decision to fire a black recruit for using a racial slur in an old social media post, the state of UAMS, a constitutional initiative and Tom Cotton - all covered on this week's podcast. "Blaze," the new bio-pic-ish feature film about cult singer/songwriter and Arkansas native Blaze Foley, and its star, Little Rock native Ben Dickey, are earning critical praise after the new film debuted Sunday at Sundance.

Shutdown over as Congress passes massive budget bill

The 240-186 vote came in the pre-dawn hours, putting to bed a five-and-a-half hour federal freeze that relatively few would notice. The 240-186 vote came in the pre-dawn hours, putting to bed a five-and-a-half hour federal freeze that relatively few would notice.

Trump signs budget deal, government to reopen

President Donald Trump on Friday signed a $400 billion budget deal that sharply boosts spending and swells the federal deficit, ending a brief federal government shutdown that happened while most Americans were home in bed and most government offices were closed, anyway. The House and Senate approved a bill to keep the government funded through March 23, overcoming opposition from liberal Democrats as well as tea party conservatives to endorse enormous spending increases despite looming trillion-dollar deficits.