House intel panel chairman downplays need for special prosecutor on Russia

The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Monday downplayed the need for a special prosecutor to probe contacts between the Russian government and members of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, after a fellow Republican called for an independent investigation. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told reporters in Washington that there was no evidence of serious crimes with regard to contact between Trump associates and Russian intelligence.

School budget set, reflects 6.3% increase in state funding

Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, led a group of legislative budget writers who crafted the public school budget that won approval in the Idaho Legislature's joint budget committee on Monday morning, Feb. 27, 2017, With no disagreement on the final divisions of the public school budget, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has now set the public schools budget for next year at $2.041 billion, a 6.3 percent increase in state general funds. Gov. Butch Otter had called for a 6.4 percent increase.

White House: No Reason to Pretend POTUS Is Friendly With the Media

If the television-obsessed President Donald Trump watched Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday night on HBO, he got a jolt of reality from Congressman Darrell Issa, the slippery Republican conservative from California. Issa was asked by the host whether Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III should recuse himself from the FBI investigation of Trump's campaign and its contacts with Russian operatives.

Kasich: GOP Should Side With Dems To Stop Conservatives

Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a stalwart supporter of Obamacare's Medicaid expansion, thinks the congressional effort to repeal the health care law needs to shift left to court Democrats instead of conservative members of the GOP. Kasich was the first Republican governor to expand Medicaid in his own state and is vocally pushing Congress to preserve the extra federal funding for broadened Medicaid eligibility during Obamacare repeal.

Man who tried to stop Kansas shooting says he was a more than happya to risk his life to save others

A Kansas man who's been called a hero for trying to stop a deadly shooting last week said he was "happy" to risk his life to save others and that he's grateful for how his community has united following the incident. Ian Grillot, 24, intervened to stop a gunman who witnesses said yelled "get out of my country" before shooting two Indian men in Olathe, Kansas last Wednesday, killing one.

Arkansas delegation makes excuses for skipping town hall

Indivisible Central Arkansas drew several hundred people to a "Missing Persons" town hall Sunday afternoon at St. Michael's Episcopal Church attended only by photographs of Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton and U.S. Rep. French Hill. Here's a link to video of the event.

The Note: GOP congressman calls for special prosecutor for Trump-Russia

The big story: Of all the bubbling questions and potential scandals of the early Trump administration, the one that now appears likely to hold is about Trump campaign contacts with Russians. There are sufficient questions surrounding these communications to merit a serious investigation, many in Washington believe.

AP sources: White House to propose boosting defense spending

The White House will propose boosting defense spending and slashing funding for longtime Republican targets like the Environmental Protection Agency in a set of marching orders to agencies as it prepares its budget for the upcoming fiscal year. President Donald Trump's proposal for the 2018 budget year, which will be sent to agencies Monday, won't make significant changes to Social Security or Medicare, according to an administration official.

‘We love peace’: Hundreds march in support of Indian killed in Kansas shooting

Hundreds of people in Kansas City joined a peace march and prayer vigil, celebrating the life of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla cut short in a senseless triple shooting incident at a pub in an apparent hate crime. IMAGE: People march before a vigil for Srinivas Kuchibhotla at a conference center in Olathe, Kansas.

California’s Republican Party is buoyed by Trump, but struggles for relevance at home

San Diego Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric attends the California Republican Party convention Saturday in Sacramento. They toasted their airy new downtown headquarters with views of the Capitol and decorated with pictures of Ronald Reagan and other memorabilia from the party's storied history in the state.

Trump’s Cabinet has to work as a cleanup crew

After President Donald Trump said that deporting undocumented immigrants was "a military operation," Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, speaking in Mexico, clarified that there would be "no use of military force in immigration operations." After Trump, standing next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, upended decades of U.S. policy by saying he was open to a one-state solution to the conflict in the Middle East, U.N. envoy Nikki Haley asserted that the United States "absolutely" supports a two-state solution.

Historically black colleges push for financial support

Presidents from a majority of the country's historically black colleges and universities are in Washington this week, calling for $25 billion in the upcoming budget to help address priorities including infrastructure, college readiness and financial aid as President Trump prepares to sign an executive order aimed at signaling his commitment to the schools. Trump met briefly with the college leaders on Monday, posing for a photograph in the Oval Office before the group met with Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

The Latest: White House to seek big boost in defense dollars

Host President Donald Trump, makes a toast during a dinner reception for the annual National Governors Association winter meeting Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at the State Dining Room of the White House, in Washington. The White House is preparing to propose boosting defense spending and slashing funding for longtime Republican targets like the Environmental Protection Agency.

Nominee to be Navy secretary withdraws

The USS John C. Stennis sails in the Philippine Sea. The Trump administration's choice to become the next Navy secretary has pulled his name from consideration, the Pentagon said Sunday, the second nominee to head a military service who has bowed out in recent weeks.