Democratic mistreatment of Brett Kavanaugh has united and awakened a sleeping GOP base

But some on the Republican side, most especially Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., felt there should be a delay in order that a deeper investigation might be launched into the allegations against the nominee. Included in the support for this maneuver were Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

US Congress Rejects Anti-LGBT Adoption Amendment

Child welfare agencies could be allowed to discriminate under a recent amendment to legislation pending before Congress that would threaten the rights of children in care. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people planning on fostering or adopting children in the US have a victory to celebrate.

Chris Murphy was excited for an FBI investigation of Kavanaugh until he got his wish

It's funny because Murphy was gung-ho for an FBI investigation before Republicans moved to make it a reality. It's worth pointing out now, just in case you were wondering how unserious Democratic lawmakers are when they say they want a fair and thorough investigation of the allegations against Kavanaugh.

U.S. House committee votes to release Trump-Russia transcripts

A U.S. House of Representatives committee voted on Friday to release dozens of transcripts of interviews from its investigation of Russia meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections, including conversations with senior associates of President Donald Trump. The House Intelligence Committee voted unanimously to send transcripts of 53 interviews to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which will scrub them of classified information before they are made public.

Kavanaugh gains key GOP senator ahead of crucial vote Source: AP

The Senate Judiciary Committee barreled toward a key vote on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh Friday, even as a top Republican acknowledged the GOP was still short the votes needed in the full Senate to confirm him for the high court following accusations of sexual assault. "We still probably got a little work to do," said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the third-ranking Republican.

House committee to release Russia probe transcripts Source: AP

The House intelligence committee voted Friday to release transcripts of more than 50 interviews it conducted as part of its now-closed investigation into Russian election interference during the 2016 presidential campaign. Among those to be released are interviews with President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, his longtime spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, and his former bodyguard Keith Schiller.

Sen. Jeff Flake, a key holdout, announces support for Brett Kavanaugh

Phoenix prosecutor Rachel Mitchell questions Christine Blasey Ford as Senators, from left, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, listen during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington.

California charges 17 people in connection with Apple store robbery scheme

Bottom line: Law enforcement officials in California are still investigating the matter but already have eight people in custody and have issued arrest warrants for nine others. Given the number of people involved and the frequency of the robberies, it was only a matter of time before the scheme started to unravel.

Blockchain Applications for Enterprise and Payments Evolve, New…

The World Food Programme and UN Women announced last week that they are collaborating in an initiative to use blockchain to aid Syrian refugee women participating in the UN Women's cash-for-work program. Building off WFP's existing Building Blocks project, which utilizes a blockchain-based system to provide cash transfers to more than 106,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan, the new system will allow refugee women to request cash back, or pay for purchases directly, at WFP-contracted supermarkets by undergoing an iris scan that links their identity to their blockchain account.

House Votes Today on ‘Tax Reform 2.0,’ But Senate Action Unlikely Before Elections

The House today is likely to approve legislation to make permanent the individual and small-business tax cuts that Congress enacted in 2017, but the Senate won't consider the measure before the November midterm elections. Today's vote is part of a three-bill package of tax relief dubbed "Tax Reform 2.0." The House on Thursday approved legislation by Rep. Mike Kelly , R-Pa., that would expand retirement savings incentives and legislation by Rep. Vern Buchanan , R-Fla., to expand tax breaks for startups.

The Cybersecurity 202: Def Con researchers came to Washington…

Not long ago, lawmakers might have been wary about showcasing the work of hackers who specialize in penetrating voting equipment. But on Thursday, organizers from the Def Con Voting Village - a collection of security researchers who hack election systems in hopes of making them more secure - received a warm welcome on Capitol Hill.

Debate? Most recent governors have been willing

While Kay Ivey is not the first Alabama governor to refuse to debate an election challenger, most of her predecessors over the last two decades have been willing to face off with their opponents. Since 1998, three of the state's four governors took on their challengers in debates.

Kavanaugh faces crucial vote this morning, White House eyes GOP senators

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh faced a crucial vote Friday as a Senate panel decides whether to move his nomination on to the full Senate a day after he adamantly denied sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford, who insisted she's "100 percent" certain he did. Meanwhile, there were signs the remarkable testimony before the panel - in which Kavanaugh angrily declared his innocence and Ford calmly recounting the moment in which she says he attacked her - had registered negatively with two organizations whose support Kavanaugh had earlier received.

In deep red Iowa, a Democratic challenger is snapping at Steve King’s heels

With dogged determination and an affable style, J.D. Scholten might just be in with a chance against the infamous GOP congressman. J.D. Scholten, Democratic candidate for Iowa's 4th congressional district, is gaining ground on his opponent, Republican Rep. Steve King.

Congress targets minimum size for airline seats

The House voted Wednesday to direct the federal government to set a minimum size for airline seats, bar passengers from being kicked off overbooked planes, and consider whether to restrict animals on planes. Those and other passenger-related provisions were included in a bill to authorize Federal Aviation Administration programs for five years.

GOP races to first Kavanaugh vote after hearing from accuser Source: AP

Senate Republicans are plowing forward with a committee vote Friday on Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to Supreme Court after an extraordinary and emotional day of testimony where he denied accusations of sexual assault as "unequivocally" false. His accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, testified that she was "100 percent" certain Kavanaugh attacked her.