Close Trump aide Hicks declines to answer questions about time in White House

Hope Hicks, a close aide to President Donald Trump, declined to answer questions about the administration on Tuesday from members of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee investigating Russia and the 2016 U.S. election, lawmakers said. The president seemed to defend her shortly before her House appearance, taking to Twitter early on Tuesday to say: "WITCH HUNT," a phrase he has used in the past to describe the Russia investigations.

GOP seeks the return of earmarks after pas…

A trio of respected Republicans is pushing for the return of some earmarks to Capitol Hill, saying it's time to restore Congress' full power of the purse - and drawing passionate pushback from conservative groups who say the GOP would betray its voters if it returned to pork barrel spending. A vote on the rules change is expected behind closed doors among House Republicans on Wednesday, and if it's successful, the GOP will try to make a change for the entire Congress.