Even in visiting hurricane-ravaged Texas, Trump keeps the focus on himself  —  The Debrief: An occasional series offering a reporter's insights … As rescuers continued their exhausting and heartbreaking work in southeastern Texas on Tuesday afternoon, as the rain continued to fall …

Trump Pal Bought IAmAF**got.Com and VaginaBoy.Com, Then the Sites Attacked Their Mutual Enemy … Documents disclosed this week show just how far former Trump Organization adviser and convicted felon Felix Sater will go to help his one-time business associate President Donald Trump.

Rep. Rohrabacher says ‘rendezvous’ being set up with Trump to relay info from WikiLeaks' Assange on DNC hack  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said Monday that a “rendezvous” is being set up between him and President Donald Trump to relay information he received …

Mattis freezes transgender policy; allows troops to continue serving, pending study  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis late Tuesday announced that transgender troops will be allowed to continue serving in the military pending the results of a study by experts.

Judge won't vacate former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's contempt conviction without oral arguments … U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton canceled former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's upcoming sentencing hearing for his criminal contempt-of-court conviction, telling attorneys not to file replies to motions …

Tillerson moves to close State cyber office  —  has outlined a reorganization plan that would involve closing the State Department office charged with promoting U.S. cybersecurity interests abroad, according to a letter obtained Tuesday.  —  In a letter to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker

Special counsel subpoenas Manafort's former attorney and spokesman  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Washington (CNN)Special Counsel Robert Mueller has issued subpoenas to a former lawyer for Paul Manafort and to Manafort's current spokesman, an aggressive tactic that suggests an effort to add pressure on the former Trump campaign chairman.

Trump Jr. agrees to transcribed interview with Senate panel  —  Trump Jr., Manafort to testify before Senate  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)President Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has agreed to sit down for a transcribed interview with the Senate judiciary committee …

Georgia lawmaker: Talk of ditching Confederate statues could cause Democrat to ‘go missing’  —  A Georgia Republican lawmaker warned a Democratic former colleague who criticized his support for Civil War monuments on Facebook that she won't be “met with torches but something a lot more definitive” …

Houston Police officer drowns in Harvey floodwaters  —  A Houston police officer drowned in his patrol car in Harvey floodwaters, according to three department officials.  —  The officer, an HPD veteran who has been with the department for more than 30 years, was in his patrol car driving …

White House Won't Require Firms to Report Pay by Gender, Race  —  Obama-era proposal was aimed to address pay disparities  —  The White House on Tuesday said it will halt a planned Obama-era rule that would have required businesses to begin collecting data about how much they pay workers …

FBI shuts down request for files on Hillary Clinton by citing lack of public interest  —  The FBI is declining to turn over files related to its investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails by arguing a lack of public interest in the matter.

Trump appointee: Comment calling Obama's mother a ‘w@!re’ result of ‘Internet crimes’ against me  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)President Donald Trump's appointee to a Department of Energy post says inflammatory comments that appeared to have been made by him online were the result of …

Statement Regarding Kenneth Storey  —  The following was sent to The University of Tampa community this morning:  —  On Sunday, Aug. 27, visiting assistant professor of sociology Kenneth Storey made comments on a private Twitter account that do not reflect UT's community views or values.

Body-slammed reporter wants to know why Rep. Gianforte still won't grant interview  —  Reporter recounts fight with GOP candidate  —  Ben Jacobs, the reporter who was assaulted by Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte, says Gianforte has reneged on what Jacobs believed was a commitment to grant him an interview.

Pelosi Statement Condemning Antifa Violence in Berkeley  —  San Francisco — Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement denouncing the violent protests carried out this weekend in Berkeley, California:  —  “Our democracy has no room for inciting violence or endangering the public …

Yes, That's a Huge Floating Mass of Live Fire Ants in Texas  —  When there is flooding along the Gulf Coast, there are fire ants.  The invasive ants congregate into living rafts, drifting through water until they reach solid ground again.  It's a time-honed survival strategy.

The Newseum Deserves to Die  —  You know that triumphant feeling that sweeps from your brain to your toes when one of your enemies stumbles and falls into a mass of his own excrement?  Such delight overwhelmed me yesterday as the Newseum—that gilded monument to journalistic vanity …

Sean Spicer finally gets to meet Pope Francis  —  Sean Spicer has finally met Pope Francis.  —  A group of legislators and politicians from around the world gathered in Italy this week for a meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, where they were received by Pope Francis at the Vatican.

ExxonMobil refineries are damaged in Hurricane Harvey, releasing hazardous pollutants  —  ExxonMobil acknowledged Tuesday that Hurricane Harvey damaged two of its refineries, causing the release of hazardous pollutants.  —  The acknowledgment, in a regulatory filing with the Texas Commission …