White House's top Russia official put on leave pending investigation  —  It's another jolt of uncertainty to an office in the White House that has seen significant turnover during the past year.  —  The top White House official responsible for Russia and Europe has been put …

The Big Ask of Black Voters: Trust the Government  —  Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg are trying to woo older black voters with policy.  Those policies may be why they're struggling to win their support.  —  DANVILLE, VA. — Ten minutes into a small community meeting …

McConnell Creates ‘Kill Switch’ To End Impeachment If It Becomes ‘Circus Run By Adam Schiff’  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has reportedly created a “kill switch” for President Donald Trump's upcoming Senate impeachment trial that would allow for the president's legal team …

House Democrats may call new impeachment witnesses if Senate doesn't  —  Key House Democrats pressing the Senate to hear from new witnesses in President Trump's impeachment trial are leaving the door open to another possibility: calling those witnesses themselves if Senate Republicans do not.

Why Trump had to hire this legal odd couple  —  This is what happens when you don't pay your legal bills.  —  President Trump, whose businesses and now campaign have left a long trail of unpaid bills behind them, has never discriminated when it comes to stiffing people who work for him.

Suspect fatally shot 2 Honolulu officers, set fire that destroyed several homes: Sources  —  HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Two police officers were fatally shot Sunday, a third was injured and at least four homes in an affluent Diamond Head neighborhood were destroyed by fire …

No escape: Senators to be quiet, unplugged for Trump trial  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — No cellphones.  No talking.  No escape.  —  That's the reality during the Senate's impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, which will begin each day with a proclamation: “All persons are commanded to keep silence, on pain of imprisonment.”

Even C-SPAN Is Piqued: Senate Puts Limits on Trial Coverage  —  The Senate will control the cameras during the impeachment trial, limiting what viewers see, and reporters will be confined to roped-off areas.  —  News coverage of President Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate began last week …

Klobuchar is the one  —  Amy Klobuchar earned our endorsement.  —  She won it from an editorial board that, like much of the electorate just two weeks away from the Iowa caucuses, has struggled with how to assess the large field of candidates vying for the Democrats' 2020 presidential nomination.

Richmond Gun Rally: Is A Virginia Cop Giving 4Chan's /pol Board Inside Info?  —  On Monday, January 20, the city of Richmond, Virginia will be host to a massive gathering of militias and individual gun owners, protesting against a series of proposed bills in the state legislature.

How U.S. Firms Helped Africa's Richest Woman Exploit Her Country's Wealth  —  LISBON — It was the party to be seen at during the Cannes Film Festival, where being seen was the whole point.  A Swiss jewelry company had rented out the opulent Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, drawing celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio …

Pomp and censorship: Trump impeachment trial already reveals a broken America  —  For a nation forged in bloody revolution against an unjust monarchy, America sure loves the pomp and circumstance of ancient royalty.  That was driven home for the umteenth time on Saturday when I flipped on CNN …

Steve Bannon Wants to Save Trump — So He's Launched a Podcast  —  It's been two and a half years since Steve Bannon was exiled from the Trump administration, but the former White House chief strategist is still trying to coordinate messaging for the president.

The National Archives' dangerous corruption of history  —  WaPo: National Archives admits to altering 2017 photo  —  David M. Perry is a journalist and historian.  He's the senior academic adviser to the history department at the University of Minnesota.  Follow him on Twitter.