Trump brings ZTE, sanctions-busting smart phone giant, back to life….

The Trump administration agreed Thursday to resurrect Chinese phone maker ZTE, in exchange for a $1 billion fine and a management overhaul meant to ensure the tech giant won't bust U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea again. The move was widely condemned in Congress, where lawmakers in both parties -- including Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn -- had warned President Donald Trump not to cave to Chinese pressure or use the enforcement action against ZTE as a bargaining chip in trade talks.

NASA’s new administrator says he’s talking to companies to…

NASA is talking to several international companies about forming a consortium that would take over operation of the International Space Station and run it as a commercial space lab, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in an interview. "We're in a position now where there are people out there that can do commercial management of the International Space Station," Bridenstine said in his first extensive interview since being sworn in as NASA administrator in April.

Grassley on Giuliani: ‘I think I would hire a new lawyer’

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, suggested Monday that the President should hire a new lawyer if his current one is telling him that he can pardon himself. "If I were President of the United States and I had a lawyer that told me I could pardon myself, I think I would hire a new lawyer," Grassley told CNN when asked if he agrees that President Donald Trump could pardon himself.

Ted Cruz says he urged Trump to pardon D’Souza

Rafael Edward Cruz The Hill's 12:30 Report - Sponsored by NSSF - Trump breaks protocol to tout jobs report When did we stop thinking big? Save the International Space Station Controversial Dinesh D'Souza tweets resurface after Trump announces pardon MORE said Friday that he was instrumental in organizing the pardon of conservative author Dinesh D'Souza over his 2014 conviction for illegal campaign donations. According to the Texas Tribune , the senator told reporters on Friday that he made the suggestion to the president when Trump was in Dallas for the annual National Rifle Association convention, where Trump gave an address.

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Seeking to comfort grieving families and shaken survivors, President Donald Trump spent more than an hour privately Thursday with some of those impacted by a Texas mass school shooting that killed 10 and wounded more than a dozen on May 18. The latest spasm of violence in a year marred by assaults on the nation's schools, the shooting at Santa Fe High School was the latest to test the president's role as national comforter-in-chief. Trump met with more than two dozen people affected by the shooting, and did not publicly share his message for the grieving families and local leaders during a meeting at a Coast Guard base outside Houston.

Bannon embraces establishment for fun and profit

Bad-boy bully Steve Bannon who evangelized the "burn it all down" approach to Republican politics now advises GOP candidates to back away from anti-establishment rhetoric. Bannon told the New York Times that "the anti-establishment thing is kind of a luxury we can't afford right now."

As Hurricane Season Begins, Cornyn Launches Preparedness Site

At the start of hurricane season, U.S. Senator John Cornyn launched a page on his website where Texans will be able to access resources and information associated with hurricane preparedness and disaster aid. Last month, Senator Cornyn introduced the Coastal Texas Protection Act , a provision of which has been included in the America's Water Infrastructure Act .

Is Roseanne Barr what America has Become?

The cancellation of Roseanne Barr's situation comedy reboot at ABC/Disney is not, as some of my more serious acquaintances on social media are saying, unimportant. Barr's attack via Twitter on former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett , is an important moment in American cultural history.

Georgia Democrat Challenges Racial Barrier in Governor Race

Georgia Democrats gave Atlanta lawyer Stacey Abrams a chance to become the first Black female governor in American history on a primary night that ended well for several women seeking office. Abrams set new historical marks with a primary victory Tuesday that made her the first Black nominee and first female nominee for governor of either majority party in Georgia.

The Republican Primary in Georgia Is Taking Racism to a Whole New Level

The Republican gubernatorial primary in Georgia has devolved in recent weeks into a chest-thumping argument over which candidate hates undocumented immigrants the most. In their rush to prove themselves, two candidates-both currently elected officials-have engaged in an escalating competition over who can personally "round up" and remove more immigrants from the state.

Texas governor vows to look at school safety after attackAssociated Press

The mass shooting at a Texas high school Friday led to promises from the state's top Republicans to look for ways to improve school safety, but none of them suggested that substantial gun restrictions could be on the table. Gov. Greg Abbott, a staunch advocate for gun rights, said at a news conference after authorities say a student killed 10 people and wounded 10 others at a high school in Santa Fe, near Houston, that he will start holding "round table" discussions on guns and school safety issues starting next week.

Democrats stick with flawed governor candidate Lupe Valdez in…

Texas Democrats are faced with a vexing choice: pick a candidate for governor that on paper matches up better against incumbent Republican Greg Abbott, or stick with a rebuilding plan and nominate the progressive candidate that could better appeal to the Hispanic voters seen as the key to sustainable success? That's the backdrop of Tuesday's Democratic runoff for governor between former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and Houston investor Andrew White, the son of former governor Mark White. White is telling Democrats that he's the best hope of beating Abbott, but many progressive primary voters see Valdez as more reflective of their liberal leanings.

Exclusive – Ted Cruz: Israel Is – Undoubtedly’a Model for Securing Our Borders

Israel "undoubtedly" serves as a model for securing America's borders, said Senator Ted Cruz during an interview on Breitbart News Sunday. "When you are surrounded by enemies who would drive you into the sea, you don't have the luxury of indulging in nonsense when it comes to national security," Cruz told host Amanda House on the eve of the U.S. embassy in Israel's move to Jerusalem.