Trump stands by statements on Mexican illegal immigrants, surprised by backlash  —  Republican presidential candidate and real estate mogul Donald Trump on Saturday stood by statements he made recently that too many illegal immigrants from Mexico are criminals, but said he was surprised …

Clinton campaign corrals media  —  Story highlights  —  Gorham, New Hampshire (CNN)Hillary Clinton's campaign used a rope to keep journalists away from the candidate on Saturday while she walked in this small town's July Fourth parade.  —  The ensuing photos of journalists …

The Supreme Court and the Politics of Fear  —  WHEN he ran for president the second time almost half a century ago, Richard M. Nixon made Earl Warren's Supreme Court a target of his campaign.  It was a brilliant move.  His accusation that the court had tilted “too far in weakening …

Gov. Walker and Wisconsin GOP Retreat on Open Records Limits  —  In a sudden reversal amid a stinging backlash, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and GOP legislative leaders said they agreed Saturday to completely remove a part of the proposed state budget that would severely roll back open records laws.

Alligator Attacks And Kills 28-Year-Old Man  —  Investigators, a witness and friends are revealing the harrowing accounts of the first recorded fatal alligator attack in Texas and more about the victim.  —  A justice of the peace tells KFDM News Tommie Woodward, 28, is from St. Louis, but moved to Orange with his twin brother.

Billy Joel Marries Alexis Roderick in Surprise Wedding at His Estate  —  Surprise!  —  Billy Joel and Alexis Roderick got married on Saturday evening.  —  The couple “surprised guests at their annual July 4th party by exchanging vows in front of their family and close friends,” the singer's spokeswoman said in a statement to PEOPLE.

GOP punts on Confederate symbolism in Capitol  —  House Republicans are struggling with the question of whether to remove the Confederate image from around the Capitol complex — and they seem in no hurry to commit themselves one way or another.  —  Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson …

China's Unsettling Stock Market Collapse  —  An investor is reflected in a screen showing stock information at a brokerage house in Hefei, Anhui province.  (Reuters)  —  This summer has not been calm for the global economy.  In Europe, a Greek referendum this Sunday may determine whether the country will remain in the eurozone.

What the Declaration of Independence Really Claimed  —  (As we celebrate Independence Day, I thought I would post a couple excerpts about the Declaration of Independence from my forthcoming book, Our Republican Constitution: Securing the Sovereignty of the People (which is now available for pre-order on Amazon).

Health Insurance Companies Seek Big Rate Increases for 2016  —  WASHINGTON — Health insurance companies around the country are seeking rate increases of 20 percent to 40 percent or more, saying their new customers under the Affordable Care Act turned out to be sicker than expected.

Greece Referendum Day live: Fears a major Greek bank will run out of cash as EU threatens to withdraw euro  —  Now this would be a turn up for the books.  AEP has heard rumours that Yannis Stournaras, the current Bank of Greece governor and former finance minister, is set to head …