Trump asked the acting FBI director whom he voted for during Oval Office meeting … Shortly after President Trump fired his FBI director in May, he summoned to the Oval Office the bureau's acting director for a get-to-know-you meeting.  —  The two men exchanged pleasantries, but before long …

Exclusive: New signs Gates may be negotiating with Mueller's team  —  Who is Rick Gates?  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  — At this stage, with Gates' charges filed and bail set, talks could concern the charges and Gates' plea  —  Washington (CNN)Former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates has quietly added …

Manchin Will Seek Re-Election but Sends Democrats a Stern Warning  —  WASHINGTON — Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia told colleagues on Tuesday that he intended to run for re-election this year after all, ending an anxiety-making flirtation with retirement and easing Democratic fears …

Clinton-Obama Emails: The Key to Understanding Why Hillary Wasn't Indicted  —  New FBI texts highlight a motive to conceal the president's involvement.  —  From the first, these columns have argued that the whitewash of the Hillary Clinton-emails caper was President Barack Obama's call …

Men Only: Inside the charity fundraiser where hostesses are put on show  —  At 10pm last Thursday night, Jonny Gould took to the stage in the ballroom at London's Dorchester Hotel.  “Welcome to the most un-PC event of the year,” he roared.  —  The sports broadcaster was there to host a charity auction …

Pat Meehan says he saw younger aide as ‘a soul mate’ but denies harassment  —  U.S. Rep Pat Meehan said Tuesday he had developed a deep “affection” for a younger aide and told her that he saw her as “a soul mate” as they talked over ice cream one night last year, but in an interview …

Evangelical leader Franklin Graham says Trump is a ‘changed person’  —  (CNN)President Donald Trump is a “changed person” amid recent reports of an alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, said the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Investigation: For some who lived in it, Keillor's world wasn't funny … When Minnesota Public Radio abruptly severed ties with Garrison Keillor in November, the sole explanation offered by the company was “inappropriate behavior” with a female colleague.  —  For his part, the creator …

EXCLUSIVE: Tammy Duckworth is pregnant; will be 1st senator to give birth  —  Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is pregnant and will become the first sitting U.S. senator to give birth.  Duckworth is holding her daughter, Abigail, during a ceremonial swearing in by Vice President Joe Biden on Jan. 3, 2017.

Potential citizenship question in 2020 Census could shift power to rural America  —  A request by the Justice Department to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census could shift the nation's balance of political power from cities to more rural communities over the next decade and give Republicans …

Sean Hannity Is Now a Favorite Weapon of Russian Trolls Attacking America  —  Soon after Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn agreed to a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller on Dec. 1, Kremlin-linked trolls began ramping up their social-media attacks on the Russia investigation.

Republicans fuel sharp rise in concerns about sexual harassment, Post-ABC poll finds  —  Concerns about workplace sexual harassment are up once again, after reaching a high point in October, with Republicans driving the latest push in labeling harassment a serious national problem.

More than 160 women say Larry Nassar sexually abused them.  Here are his accusers in their own words.  —  He was lauded as a must-see doctor for the United States' best gymnasts.  Now Lawrence G. Nassar will spend the rest of his life in prison.  Over seven days, women recounted his sexual abuse …

Inside the Dysfunctional Relationship of Donald Trump and Theresa May  —  When Theresa May returned to the grandeur of the British Embassy on Washington's Massachusetts Avenue in January last year, her aides had no idea how spectacularly awry her visit to Donald Trump's White House had gone.

The Coulter Mistake and How Not to Make It  —  The lead article at RedState this morning is about Rush Limbaugh and his embrace of conspiracy theory thinking as part of his continuous and shared quest to justify Trump.  As noted in the headline, though, it's not just Rush Limbaugh thus devolving.

NeverTrumpers face vexing question: What to make of Trump successes?  —  The start of President Trump's second year in office has given Republicans and conservatives an opportunity to review a solid list of achievements: corporate and individual tax cuts; economic growth; wage growth …

Alabama House votes to end special U.S. Senate elections  —  The crowd cheers as Democratic candidate Doug Jones is declared the projected winner of the U.S. Senate race against Republican Roy Moore on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, in Birmingham.  Shannon Heupel/Advertiser

Starbucks to boost worker pay and benefits after US lowers corporate taxes  — Starbucks is known for giving its workers more generous pay and benefits than other mass-market restaurants and retailers.  —  Starbucks will use some of the savings from the new U.S. corporate tax cuts …

Border Patrol arrests ASU instructor who gave food, water to immigrants  —  The arrest came hours after the group released videos showing some Border Patrol agents kicking over water bottles left for immigrants.  —  PHOENIX (AP) - A volunteer for group that offers aid to immigrants crossing …

Exclusive: 5 Women Sue Monster Energy Over Abusive, Discriminatory Culture  —  The women say they were bullied, harassed and even assaulted.  They're out of work, but the men who allegedly behaved badly?  They still have jobs.  —  LOS ANGELES Even as he awaits a criminal trial …

In Ohio, no one wants Gov. John Kasich's endorsement - including his former running mate who has it  —  Who wants to be Ohio's next governor?  Many Ohio politicians are interested in the job.  Wochit  —  CONNECT  —  In the Republican primary for Ohio governor, no one apparently wants …

Ursula K. Le Guin, Acclaimed for Her Fantasy Fiction, Is Dead at 88  —  Ursula K. Le Guin, the immensely popular author who brought literary depth and a tough-minded feminist sensibility to science fiction and fantasy with books like “The Left Hand of Darkness” and the Earthsea series …