Exclusive: Trump fixer Cohen says he helped Falwell handle racy photos  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Months before evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr.'s game-changing presidential endorsement of Donald Trump in 2016, Falwell asked Trump fixer Michael Cohen for a personal favor, Cohen said in a recorded conversation reviewed by Reuters.

House Democrats threaten salaries of Trump officials who block interviews  —  House Democrats are threatening the salaries of Interior, Commerce and Justice Department staff if they block ongoing committee investigations.  —  House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings …

The nightmare scenario for Democrats on Trump's corruption  —  The administration's categorical refusal to release President Trump's tax returns heightens the difficult question Democrats face, and raises the prospect of a nightmare scenario — both in political and substantive terms.

Iran moving ballistic missiles by boat, US officials say  —  Washington (CNN)Intelligence showing that Iran is likely moving short-range ballistic missiles aboard boats in the Persian Gulf was one of the critical reasons the US decided to move an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers into the region …

Sandra Bland, It Turns Out, Filmed Traffic Stop Confrontation Herself  —  AUSTIN, Tex. — As Trooper Brian Encinia angrily threatened her with a stun gun from just outside her car window, Sandra Bland recorded the encounter on her cellphone, shown in a newly-released, 39-second video …

Trump Furious With Ally David Bossie Over His Reported Self-Dealing  —  The president even instructed top officials on his campaign to retaliate against his former deputy campaign manager.  But as of Tuesday, nothing had come.  —  On Monday morning, Donald Trump was incensed over a report …

Putin Accomplice Mitch McConnell Says Case Closed  —  During the 2016 election, CIA director John Brennan informed congressional leaders that Russian intelligence was interfering in the election in an effort to help Donald Trump win.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed the conclusion, and depicted it as a frame-up.

Pete Buttigieg: God doesn't belong to a political party, but 'I can't imagine' God would be a Republican  —  Washington (CNN)South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg has made clear throughout his upstart 2020 presidential bid that he believes Democrats should embrace religion and decry those who try …

James Comey is in trouble and he knows it  —  James Comey's planet is getting noticeably warmer.  Attorney General William Barr's emissions are the suspected cause.  —  Barr has made plain that he intends to examine carefully how and why Comey, as FBI director, decided that the bureau …

Anti-Jacob Wohl Protest Tied to Jacob Wohl's Email Address  —  Conservative activist Jack Burkman tweeted Tuesday morning that he's expecting “hundreds of leftist protestors” to gather outside an upcoming press conference he'll be holding with fellow far-right troll Jacob Wohl.

CIA warns Arab activist of potential threat from Saudi Arabia  —  Pro-democracy campaigner Iyad el-Baghdadi has been vocal critic of Saudi crown prince  —  The CIA has warned Norway that a prominent Arab activist who is living in the country under asylum protection is facing a potential threat …

U.S. removes climate change references at Arctic Council, says melting sea ice will open trade  —  The Arctic Council ministerial in Rovaniemi, Finland ended on Tuesday without a ministerial declaration, due to U.S. objections over referencing climate change and the Paris Climate Agreement.

State Department Continues Fight to Strip Gay Couple's Two-Year-Old Son of Birthright Citizenship  —  The State Department has demanded that one of the couple's twin sons have a DNA test to prove he's the biological son of a U.S. citizen.  —  Scott Bixby  —  Ever since twins Aiden …

“This Is Do-or-Die”: Joe Biden's “Electability” Argument Is How Democrats Lose Elections  —  When Democrats play it safe and “fall in line,” the results are devastating—as Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry made plain.  If Biden wins the nomination next year, it will be because Democrats went with their heads, not their bleeding hearts.

U.S. ambassador to Ukraine is recalled after becoming a political target  —  The Trump administration has recalled the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine abruptly and ahead of her scheduled departure, after she became a target of political attacks by conservative media outlets and Donald Trump Jr. Democrats …

Trump's steel tariffs cost U.S. consumers $900,000 for every job created, experts say  —  Pressure is growing on Trump to remove steel and aluminum tariffs.  —  President Trump has shown little interest in removing the steel and aluminum tariffs he imposed more than a year ago despite growing …

Trump Pardons Ex-Army Soldier Convicted of Killing Iraqi Man  —  President Trump on Monday granted a full pardon to a former Army lieutenant who previously served five years in prison for fatally shooting an Iraqi man in American custody.  —  During a deployment in Iraq in 2008 …

Jill Biden Says 'It's Time To Move On' From Anita Hill Controversy  —  Jill Biden is accomplished in her own right — she holds two master's degrees and a doctoral degree.  But then, her husband is the former vice president and a top contender for the Democratic presidential nomination for 2020.

Twitter suspends AOC ‘Press Release’ parody account  —  Twitter suspended the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Press Release (parody) account, which poked fun at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.  —  Conservative and right-wing Twitter users pointed out the account, which had tens of thousands …

Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar freed from prison: witnesses  —  YANGON (Reuters) - Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they were convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act walked free from a prison on the outskirts of Yangon on Tuesday after spending more than 500 days behind bars, witnesses said.

Kim Kardashian Quietly Helped Free 17 Inmates in 90 Days  —  Kim Kardashian is helping free inmates at an amazingly high rate, and she's been doing it rather quietly ... until now.  —  We've learned Kim and her legal team helped 17 prisoners gain freedom over the last 3 months or so …

The Transformation of Bernie Sanders  —  If you want to appreciate the return of the left as a significant force in American politics, treat yourself to a quiet evening with the 2012 Democratic Party platform.  This vast accumulation of words, over 26,000 in all, contains no fewer than 42 invocations of …

Trump Is Governing by Grievance  —  It was a meeting about maritime shipping, but President Donald Trump had other things on his mind.  As he spoke privately with Republican lawmakers in the White House's Roosevelt Room, Attorney General William Barr was all over TV testifying to a Senate committee about the Russia investigation.