Bombshell leak to Toronto Star upends NAFTA talks: In secret ‘so insulting’ remarks, Trump says he isn't compromising at all with Canada  —  WASHINGTON—High-stakes trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. were dramatically upended on Friday morning by inflammatory secret remarks …

AP sources: Lawyer was told Russia had ‘Trump over a barrel’  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior Justice Department lawyer says a former British spy told him at a breakfast meeting two years ago that Russian intelligence believed it had Donald Trump “over a barrel,” according to multiple people familiar with the encounter.

Trump administration withholds 100K Kavanaugh pages  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is withholding more than 100,000 pages of Brett Kavanaugh's records from the Bush White House on the basis of presidential privilege ahead of the Supreme Court nominee's confirmation hearing.

Don't be so sure Mueller will back off before midterms  —  It's just over 60 days until the midterm elections.  As we approach that mark, there's increasing chatter about their potential effect on the investigation by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.  Some claim Justice Department …

The Village Voice Is Officially Dead  —  Three years after buying The Village Voice, and a year after the paper shut down its print edition, owner Peter Barbey told the remaining staff today that the publication will no longer be posting any new stories.  —  “Today is kind of a sucky day …

Lobbyist Sam Patten Pleads Guilty to Steering Foreign Funds to Trump Inaugural  —  WASHINGTON — An American lobbyist on Friday admitted brokering access to President Trump's inauguration for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians in a scheme that highlighted the rush by foreign interests to influence the new administration.

Police reports detail Beto O'Rourke's 1998 DWI arrest  —  WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke has long owned up to his drunken driving arrest 20 years ago, describing it in a Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News op-ed piece earlier this week as a “serious mistake for which there is no excuse.”

Racist robocalls tied to neo-Nazi group target Andrew Gillum  —  Robocalls against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum that say they were paid for by a neo-Nazi group in Idaho are going out to voters in Tallahassee.  —  The automated calls are narrated by someone pretending …

‘Cosby Show’ actor Geoffrey Owens spotted bagging groceries at NJ Trader Joe's  —  “Cosby Show” alum Geoffrey Owens, who played Elvin Tibideaux, the young doctor who married into the Cosby family on the famous sitcom, was photographed working at a Trader Joe's in New Jersey.

Two Indicted for Making Corporate Contributions to U.S. Senate Campaign  —  The former president of a Kentucky-based corporation and a political consultant were both indicted today for using corporate funds to make contributions to the campaign of a candidate for U.S. Senate and for causing …

Rest in peace, Lindsey Graham  —  We lost two mavericks within a week.  —  On Saturday, we lost the legendary John McCain.  —  On Tuesday, we lost his loyal sidekick, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham.  —  Graham remains alive and well, but after serving for two decades as Robin to McCain's Batman …

Trump's Approval Number Nose-Dives, Dems' Blue Wave Might Be Building: IBD/TIPP Poll  —  Just 36% say they approve of the job President Trump is doing, a 5-point drop from last month, according to the latest IBD/TIPP poll.  Fifty six percent disapprove of Trump's job performance, up from 53% the month before.

Live stream: Stevie Wonder about to perform to honor Aretha Franklin  —  A weeklong celebration of the life of the Queen of Soul ends today as Detroit and the world say a final goodbye to Aretha Franklin.  Freep.com will carry a live stream here from before the service through the procession.

Trouble for Trump: Disapproval at a high, 63% back Mueller, half favor impeachment  —  Disapproval of Donald Trump is at a new high, support for the Mueller investigation is broad and half of Americans in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll favor Congress initiating impeachment proceedings against the president.

Democratic House candidate Abigail Spanberger suffers the kind of election year smear John McCain would recognize  — Democratic House candidate Abigail Spanberger faces her own smear campaign that ties her to terrorism when actually she spent eight years as a CIA counterterrorism agent.

Why on Earth Is Trump Making Infomercials From the Rose Garden?  —  You may be wondering why, throughout the second half of August, the president of the United States has been standing in the Rose Garden and yelling.  —  On August 17, he yelled about manufacturing.

Family members question Julia Salazar's claims  —  The state Senate candidate says she grew up in a ‘working-class immigrant family.’  —  State Senate candidate Julia Salazar has attracted significant, often fawning, media coverage, an army of enthusiastic volunteers, endorsements …

Plaintiffs in N.C. gerrymandering case say new maps not an option for November  —  The plaintiffs who persuaded federal judges to declare unconstitutional North Carolina's Republican-drawn congressional maps have “reluctantly concluded” that there is not enough time to draw new maps in time for the November elections.