FBI Is Investigating Florida Company Where Whitaker Was Advisory-Board Member  —  Active case is being handled by FBI Miami office; acting attorney general oversees FBI  —  The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting a criminal investigation of a Florida company accused of scamming millions …

Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal  —  Federal prosecutors have gathered evidence of the president's participation in deals to buy the silence of a former adult-film actress and an ex-Playboy model.  The deals have led Trump's former lawyer …

Inside Kris Kobach's losing Kansas campaign: ‘Check logic and reason at the door’  —  Kris Kobach blamed money.  He blamed history.  He didn't blame himself for losing a race for governor in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2 to 1.  —  “Obviously, if we'd had more money …

We Thought We Knew Faith, Until We Didn't The making of a white-nationalist poster girl.  —  Long before Faith Goldy became a poster girl for white nationalism, she was one of the most popular students at our all-girls private school in Toronto, Havergal College.

Trump administration to end refueling for Saudi coalition aircraft in Yemen  —  The Trump administration is ending the practice of refueling Saudi coalition aircraft, halting the most tangible and controversial aspect of U.S. support for the kingdom's three-year war in Yemen, people familiar with the situation said.

Zinke is the Cabinet official most vulnerable to Democratic probe, White House fears  —  White House officials have identified Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as the Cabinet member most vulnerable to a congressional probe under a Democratic majority in January, putting the colorful secretary closer …

How the race between Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke became the closest in Texas in 40 years  —  Two years ago, Beto O'Rourke was a little-known congressman from El Paso and Ted Cruz's re-election was considered a foregone conclusion.  Then everything changed. … “Who?”

Democrats Plan to Pursue Most Aggressive Gun-Control Legislation in Decades  —  Focus spurred by an incoming class of lawmakers with ‘F’ NRA ratings who campaigned on the issue  —  WASHINGTON—Democrats say they will pass the most aggressive gun-control legislation in decades when they become …

Tensions rising between Mueller, Manafort over level of cooperation: Sources  —  Talks between Special Counsel Robert Mueller and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort have grown increasingly tense over Manafort's apparent lack of cooperation with the investigation, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Why Aren't Democrats More Excited About the 2018 Results  —  For a party that had a great night on Tuesday, Democrats aren't really acting like it.  Yes, they lost at least three Senate incumbents, but given the exposure they were up against, this is not such a bad result.

Trump is telling people he wants to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross by the end of the year  — President Donald Trump is telling people he wants to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross by the end of the year, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Leak: Axios Editor Concedes Problems With HBO ‘S**tshow’ But Assures Staff That Haters Are Just Jealous  —  “They hate ya cause they ain't ya,” one employee wrote.  —  Their weekly staff meeting had become a crisis debriefing, and Axios employees were wondering where things had gone wrong.

Bodies found in burnt cars as Calif. fire incinerates town  —  PARADISE, Calif. (AP) — Five people were found dead in their burned-out vehicles after a Northern California wildfire incinerated most of a town of about 30,000 people with flames that moved so fast there was nothing firefighters could do, authorities said Friday.

A Vox Co-Founder Got Doxed on Twitter by a Hate-Spewing Incel, and Twitter Allowed It  —  If verified users with huge followings can't get Twitter to enforce its safety rules, what hope does everyone else have?  — It Took Me Less Than an Hour to Find Illegal Animal Products at a Chinese Traditional Medicine Market

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom names former Clinton advisor his chief of staff … Moving swiftly to fill the highest-ranking member of his nascent administration, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom tapped Ann O'Leary, a longtime policy advisor to Hillary Clinton, to serve as his chief of staff and a leader of the transition team this fall.

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz assembles an elite PR team as he considers running for president  — Former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz is putting together an elite public relations team as prepares to release a civic-minded new book and considers running for president in 2020.

'We Can't Stop Brexit'  —  Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn believes that politics have left young people behind.  In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, he speaks about Brexit, the crisis of social democracy in Europe and the uphill battle to unite his party.  —  The man upon whom the hopes …

The unbridled joy of dogs catching treats  —  With the midterm elections now in our rear-view mirror, perhaps you need a break from the partisan bickering.  —  Or maybe you're just tired of tragic news headlines and looking for a reason to smile.  —  Well, here you go: Bask in the joyful simplicity of dogs catching treats.

I was at the protest outside Tucker Carlson's house.  Here's what actually happened.  —  About a dozen protesters visited Tucker Carlson's home Wednesday evening with signs, a megaphone, and a tambourine.  —  The incident, video of which was taken offline shortly after being posted …