Trump Lashes Out At Critics, Makes Incendiary New Claims About Mexico  —  In a lengthy written statement Monday, Donald Trump doubled down on his recent remarks about Mexican immigrants being “rapists” and criminals, making the additional claim that “tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border.”

APNewsBreak: Cosby said he got drugs to give women for sex  —  5 photos  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bill Cosby admitted in 2005 that he got quaaludes with the intent of giving them to young women he wanted to have sex with, and that he gave the sedative to at least one woman and “other people …

Amanda Peterson Dies — 'Can't Buy Me Love' Star Dead at 43 … KIDD KIDD  —  BONDSMAN TO THE RESCUE WITH $105K  —  ... Plus a Hot Dog

‘The devil is taking control’: Watch SC senator derail Confederate flag debate with insane gay marriage rant  —  DON'T MISS STORIES.  FOLLOW RAW STORY!  —  South Carolina state Sen. Lee Bright (R) began debate about removing the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds on Monday …

Confessions of a Clinton reporter: The media's 5 unspoken rules for covering Hillary  —  The reporter's job is to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable” — a credo that, humorously, was originally written as a smear of the self-righteous nature of journalists.

The Romney half-century?  —  Not a very good Fourth for The Donald.  South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R), a candidate for president in 2016, stated it plainly: “He's running to be president of all of us.  It takes a level of maturity and thoughtfulness and demeanor that's not being exhibited here.”

White House defends immigration policies after killing of San Francisco woman  —  The White House on Monday defended its immigration policies and blasted Republicans following the killing of a San Francisco woman — allegedly by an illegal immigrant.  —  When asked if the case was a failure …

Video shows punch that led to QB De'Andre Johnson's arrest  —  FSU quarterback De'Andre Johnson at the Tallahassee bar Yiannis, State Attorney's Office  —  The State Attorney's Office released surveillance video today of Florida State University quarterback De'Andre Johnson punching a woman at a bar last month.

Eric Holder: The Justice Department could strike deal with Edward Snowden  —  Former attorney general Eric Holder said today that a “possibility exists” for the Justice Department to cut a deal with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that would allow him to return to the United States from Moscow.

Officials: US jets scramble to intercept Russian bombers off California, Alaska coasts on July 4  —  This file photo shows a Russian Tupolev Tu-95 plane photographed by the Norwegian Air Force outside the coast of Norway in 2007.  (Reuters)  —  While the United States celebrated Independence Day …

Walker office already acts as if records exemption is law  —  Madison— Gov. Scott Walker announced over the weekend that Republicans were abandoning their plan to create new exceptions to the state's open records law, but for months the all-but-certain presidential candidate has been operating as if one exemption already was in place.

Unyielding eurozone gives Athens last chance  —  Peter Spiegel in Brussels, Claire Jones in Frankfurt and Kerin Hope in Athens  —  Athens will be given a final chance to present a new reform plan to eurozone leaders on Tuesday night despite a hardening attitude to Greece in many capitals …

The next big liberal cause: universal child care  —  Universal child care is becoming a central pillar of the liberal agenda — one that, if it is ever realized, could take its place alongside some of the great progressive reforms of the 20th Century, and possibly the Affordable Care Act …

Obama on ISIS Threat: “Ideologies Are Not Defeated With Guns, They Are Defeated By Better Ideas”  —  After consulting with military leaders at the Pentagon this afternoon President Obama held a press conference on the growing threat of ISIS.  President Obama declared the United States “will never be at war with Islam.”

Democrats face narrow path to retake Senate in 2016  —  The 2016 map is favorable for Democrats, but margin for error is slim.  —  Democrats can take back the Senate in 2016 after a stinging, nine-seat defeat last year — but their path is narrow, and any gains could be fleeting.

‘Smell flowers, not smoke’: Seattle curbs cigarettes in parks  —  Smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products in Seattle's parks became illegal on Monday, as the U.S. Pacific Northwest's largest city joined other American metropolises in restricting puffing in public.