Feinstein Suffered More Complications From Illness Than Were Publicly Disclosed  —  Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, whose recent bout with shingles included contracting encephalitis, is frailer than ever.  But she remains unwilling to entertain discussions about leaving the Senate.  —  Reporting from Capitol Hill

The Access Journalism-House Republican Mind Meld  —  House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks with reporters at the Capitol after returning from a meeting with President Biden, May 16, 2023.  —  I remember Duncan Black (the blogger known as Atrios) remarking that Congress would be a more functional place …

Christiane Amanpour voices dissent over Trump town hall, says she had ‘very robust exchange’ with CNN chief  —  Editor's Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter.  Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here.  —  CNN —

DeSantis expected to enter 2024 presidential race next week  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to enter the 2024 presidential race next week, two Republicans familiar with the matter tell CNN.  —  DeSantis will file paperwork next week with the Federal Election Commission declaring his candidacy …

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED … NATIONAL RESULTS  —  Recent midterms have typically involved national waves that favor one party over the other, particularly when there's backlash against a party that controls the presidency and both chambers of Congress.  —  Figure 1.  Two-Way Democratic Support in General Elections (1976 to 2022)

Pete Buttigieg Loves God, Beer, and His Electric Mustang  —  Sure, the US secretary of transportation has thoughts on building bridges.  But infrastructure occupies just a sliver of his voluminous mind.  —  The curious mind of Pete Buttigieg holds much of its functionality in reserve.

NYC hospital ‘Karen’ paid for Citi Bike at center of viral fight with black man: lawyer  —  The lawyer for a Manhattan hospital worker accused of taking a Citi Bike from a young black man — who claimed that he paid for the two-wheeler — provided receipts he says shows she was the one who purchased …

Ex-Biden Nuclear Official Sam Brinton Arrested As ‘Fugitive From Justice’  —  Sam Brinton, the “nonbinary” activist tapped by Joe Biden for a key nuclear role before he was fired for repeatedly stealing women's clothes, was arrested Wednesday night as a “fugitive from justice,” The Daily Wire has learned.

Florida Democrats think the unthinkable: We're in play  —  The Jacksonville win was just one election.  But the party hopes it represents something more.  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Democrats, long under the thumb of Ron DeSantis, are giddy the mayoral victory in Jacksonville could be the end to a long, long losing streak.

FBI employees had security clearances revoked after speaking out against ‘politicized rot’: House report  —  FBI defends suspensions, saying one employee refused to participate in an arrest and another took part in unapproved interviews with a Russian government news outlet

Supreme Court sidesteps ruling on scope of internet company immunity from lawsuits over content posted by users  —  The justices skip discussion of scope of legal immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.  —  WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday sidestepped a ruling …

The Newest College Admissions Ploy: Paying to Make Your Teen a “Peer-Reviewed” Author  —  Co-published with The Chronicle of Higher Education … On a family trip to the Jersey Shore in the summer of 2021, Sophia's go-to meal was the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich.

North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum likely to run for president  —  As potential Republican contenders Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott move closer to announcing their entries into the GOP presidential fray …

Communications director for Rep. George Santos resigns  —  The House on Wednesday voted largely along party lines, 221-204, to refer a resolution to expel Santos to the Ethics Committee.  —  Naysa Woomer, the communications director for embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), has resigned, Scripps News has learned.

Trump's Dominance in the GOP Isn't What It Seems  —  He's presiding over a movement, not a party.  —  When Donald Trump won the presidential nomination in 2016, it was widely regarded as a “hostile takeover” of the Republican Party.  Prominent Republicans ripped his lack of conservative values …

Liberal Celebrity Chef Exempt From Gas Stove Ban, California City Says  —  A California city will make an exception to its natural gas ban for world-famous chef José Andrés, after the landlords for the chef's planned restaurant warned Andrés may pull out over the regulation.

Axios-Ipsos poll: Gun violence soars as public health concern  —  Gun violence has surged ahead of the opioid crisis as Americans' top public health concern, according to the latest edition of the Axios-Ipsos American Health Index. … - 25% said the biggest threat is opioids and fentanyl, virtually unchanged since the last poll.

Electronic traffic sign in Orlando altered to show threatening, anti-gay message, police say  —  ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Police Department is attempting to determine who tampered with a digital traffic sign so that it would display a threatening, anti-gay message.

New federal lawsuit says Florida book bans are unconstitutional  —  Since December, Popular Information has detailed the extraordinary number of book bans being pursued in Escambia County, Florida.  Much of this activity is being driven by one woman, high school English teacher Vicki Baggett.

Democrats race to avoid a Biden embarrassment in New Hampshire  —  Democrats are searching for ways to get the president on the New Hampshire ballot after he pushed for changes to the nominating calendar.  —  NASHUA, N.H. — Top Democrats are scrambling for ways to avoid a catastrophe …

Greene says she feels ‘threatened’ by Bowman after Capitol steps encounter  —  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Thursday she feels “threatened” by Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) following an encounter they had the day before on the steps of the Capitol.

GOP Rep. Nancy Mace Warns Republicans Will ‘Suffer’ For Strict Abortion Laws  —  The GOP South Carolina lawmaker told CNN's Jake Tapper there would be election consequences for Republicans if they promote restrictive abortion bills.  —  Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said Wednesday the Republican Party …

School librarians face a new penalty in the banned-book wars: Prison  —  Several states have passed laws that could sentence people for years if they provide ‘obscene’ books to minors  —  Librarians could face years of imprisonment and tens of thousands in fines for providing sexually explicit …

Why the Supreme Court Is Blind to Its Own Corruption  —  The scandal surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas has further eroded the already record-low public confidence in the Supreme Court.  If Chief Justice John Roberts wonders how such a thing could have happened, he might start looking …

Taking down loathsome lefty pol Dan Goldman  —  In all the craziness of politics these days, it's worth freezing the action and focusing on a wonderful moment in the House the other day.  —  A moment of truth and clarity and a delicious takedown of one of the most loathsome Democratic politicians ever to darken its doors.

Court temporarily blocks new Montana abortion ban  —  Montana's ban on a second-trimester abortion procedure was temporarily blocked by a state court on Thursday.  —  District Judge Mike Menahan granted Planned Parenthood of Montana's request for a temporary restraining order on the enforcement …

Heat Will Likely Soar to Record Levels in Next 5 Years, New Analysis Says  —  Global temperatures are likely to soar to record highs over the next five years, driven by human-caused warming and a climate pattern known as El Niño, forecasters at the World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday.

David Zaslav Defends CNN's ‘Both Sides’ Approach With ‘Republicans Back on the Air’ as Trump Town Hall Criticism Continues … Zaslav, speaking at the MoffettNathanson Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in New York, said that previously the overall impression of CNN's brand was that it was “left-leaning.”

Biden invites Papua New Guinea leader to D.C. after canceling Pacific Island visit  —  The president pulled the plug on his planned visit to the Pacific Island nation due to the ongoing stalemate in Washington over the debt ceiling.  —  WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday invited Papua …