Secret documents reveal donors behind $330 million for Trump's ballroom  —  The records offer a panoramic view of a fundraising campaign that is extraordinary for its size and opacity.  —  Loading...  $2.5M  —  $25M  —  $10M  —  $5M … $1M  —  $20.3M … $7.5M … $2.5M

Trump's New Press Secretary: Not-Quite Attorney at Law  —  Katie Zacharia told The New York Times that the confusion over her legal credentials is the result of one big misunderstanding.  —  Is President Trump's new press secretary a lawyer — or did she just play one on TV?

Trump's ice maiden is under fire  —  With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner  —  Good Thursday morning.  Here's an eye-popper to start your morning.  Get in touch.  —  FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Texas Democrat James Talarico raised a record-breaking $64 million this summer …

Russia Was Losing.  Enter President Trump.  —  It's horrible to have to type these words, but the president of the United States is throwing Vladimir Putin a lifeline.  He is turning the American government against Ukraine, funding Russia and — perhaps worst of all — playing directly into Putin's theory of victory.

Ex-Florida congressman Matt Gaetz accused in suit of sex trafficking young women  —  Two women have filed a federal civil lawsuit accusing former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and two others of participating in an alleged sex trafficking scheme involving young women, drugs and traveling across state lines.

Wide majority of Americans oppose livestreaming Nidal Hasan's execution: ABC/Post/Ipsos poll  —  A slim majority support the Fort Hood shooter's execution by firing squad.  —  This undated photo provided by the Bell County Sheriff's Department shows former Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan.

GOP Rep On Iran War: ‘There Is No War As We Speak’  —  Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) represents a competitive district and sought to downplay the political impact of the war in Iran.  —  WASHINGTON — Rob Wittman, a Republican congressman from Virginia, doesn't think of President Donald Trump's war in Iran as a war.

Trump's former Senate pick backs Democrat in New Hampshire … - “His ability to navigate the complex landscape of our economy, tackle the national debt with a steady hand, and work towards solutions that bridge divides is especially critical in today's challenging political climate.”

Eastern Shore forum erupts as Rep. Andy Harris clashes with audience, threatens reporter removal  —  A highly emotional candidate forum on the Eastern Shore ended Tuesday night with drama — but it wasn't jabs between the candidates.  —  In a forum with Democratic challenger Dan Schwartz …

America's wits' end election approaches  —  A quartet of polls out this week carry a stark message: Americans feel disgruntled, dizzy and down on the man in the White House.  —  Why it matters: The vibes going into the midterms are bleak, with a large majority of voters wanting significant change.

Bonus 257: Hard Questions About Court Expansion  —  Those who maintain that any Supreme Court reform *must* include Court expansion should have to answer some difficult questions about the precedent it would set and the effects it would produce.  —  ∙ Paid

US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and family were at Aurora temple when Palatine man tried to carry out attack  —  U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said he and his family were at the Aurora Hindu temple Sunday when authorities allege a 19-year-old Palatine man attempted to carry out a mass shooting there.

Nasty email fight between 2 top Trump appointees spills into the open  —  Two top appointees of President Donald Trump, including the deputy secretary of State, have been embroiled in a monthslong fight that include accusations of leaks to the media and “bizarre” threats of defamation …

Authorities investigate ‘suspicious substances’ mailed to congressional offices  —  Authorities are investigating letters containing “suspicious substances” sent to multiple Capitol Hill offices, according to a notice sent to senior congressional staff.  “Law enforcement officials are working …

Exclusive: US considering using ‘mother of all bombs’ against Iran, sources say  —  Donald Trump The Middle East US military Federal agencies  —  The US military has developed new strike plans that include potentially using the so-called “mother of all bombs” to target Iranian energy infrastructure …

Exposing AdFection: How Discover-Tech Turned Targeted Ads Into a Pipeline for Zero-Click Mercenary Spyware  —  This is the first-ever public confirmation of zero-click mercenary spyware delivered via targeted ads.  We call the technique AdFection, and show how it was used to infect devices at Al Jazeera with Candiru's spyware.

A Reader on What He Thinks We Get Wrong About Trump  —  In this first installment of “Sound Off,” Patrick Healy, assistant managing editor for The New York Times, speaks with Mark Jacob, former metro editor for The Chicago Tribune, who shares his criticism of Times coverage.  —  “There's just a lack of bravery.

FBI agents and analysts fired for roles in Trump classified files probe sue to get their jobs back  —  FBI employees fired for their roles in the investigation of President Donald Trump's retention of classified documents at his Florida estate sued on Thursday to get their jobs back …

Ilhan Omar Investigation Aims to Build Case for Stripping Her Citizenship  —  Authorities have subpoenaed members of the Democratic congresswoman's family as part of a broader look at their immigration paperwork  —  WASHINGTON—The Trump administration's investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar …

Trump formally asserts executive privilege in legal fight over Kennedy Center's closure  —  Washington — President Trump has formally invoked executive privilege to shield certain records from Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio as part of her ongoing legal challenge to the president's effort …

North Carolina early voting begins, with students targeted by suppression schemes  —  This summer, Shia Rozier watched her state's top election officials vote against a polling place on her university campus — again.  Sitting front row, she held a sign.  It showed the distance, over a mile …

Grace Hopper Confab's Sudden Cancellation Raises Alarm for Women in Tech  —  The cancellation of this year's Grace Hopper Celebration, one of the largest gatherings of women in technology, is the latest example of how the retreat from diversity initiatives is reshaping opportunities for women in tech.

Glitch Delays 600,000 Voter Registrations in Texas as Early Voting Looms  —  Voting rights groups sued the Texas Department of Public Safety and the secretary of state over delayed voter registrations that overwhelmed local election workers.  —  A computer error caused a backlog of hundreds …

Scoop: Inside Elon Musk's massive Texas rescue mission … - Musk's rescue gave Paxton's sleepy campaign new life and showed why the world's richest person is the X factor in the push to prevent a midterm debacle for President Trump's party. … - Instead, Musk's money allowed Republicans …

Vance's Talarico Attacks Show His Penchant for Personal Broadsides  —  At a rally in Texas, the vice president suggested the Democratic Senate nominee is gay, a comment criticized as homophobic.  —  Almost from the moment James Talarico became the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas …