Bill Clinton called Donald Trump weeks before he launched 2016 bid  —  Former president Bill Clinton had a private telephone conversation in late spring with Donald Trump at the same time that the billionaire investor and reality-television star was nearing a decision to run for the White House, according to associates of both men.

There is No Pro-Life Case For Planned Parenthood  —  I'm hoping to do something broader about the abortion issue in this space soon, given the prominence that the debate over Planned Parenthood funding has suddenly assumed.  But for this week a word (well, a few words) on the argument …

Police: Active shooter reported dead at Nashville area theater  —  Metro Police report the shooter at the Carmike 8 Cinema is dead.  —  The Nashville Fire Department confirmed that shots were being fired at the Carmike 8 Cinemas on Bell Road at 1:55 p.m.  —  Police responded to a shots fired call about 1:15.

The GOP Is About to Become the Party of Trump  —  When Donald Trump takes center stage at Thursday's Fox News debate in Cleveland, it will be a critical moment for the Republican Party.  Until recently, Americans mentally categorized Trump as a celebrity entertainer and interpreted …

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals says Texas voter ID law violates Voting Rights Act  —  A “Vote” sign points to sample ballots and the voting station at the Lamar County Services Building, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014 in Paris, Texas.  Early voting for Texas' March primary election …

George W. Bush causes a stir at George Allen courthouse when called for jury duty  —  Being summoned for jury duty at the George L Allen Sr Courts Building in downtown Dallas was anything but dull for Sheri Coleman.  —  In fact, Coleman and other jurors were in for quite the surprise Wednesday morning …

THREE MEMBERS OF 2012 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN STAFF CHARGED WITH CONCEALING PAYMENTS MADE TO STATE SENATOR  —  Three members of a 2012 presidential campaign committee were charged with offenses relating to the concealment of payments made to a former Iowa State Senator.

The Hill's Whip List: House Dems divided on Iran deal  —  President Obama is counting on House Democrats to help save the Iran nuclear deal, but many are still on the fence about the controversial accord.  —  Republicans appear unified against the deal, which lifts sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.

TMZ About to Get Taste of Own Bitter Medicine ... From The New Yorker  —  The magazine is finalizing a year-in-the-making story on the Warner Bros.-owned celebrity news site and its hyper-aggressive honcho Harvey Levin, and he — and WB — are very nervous.

Poll: Americans, 4 to 1, choose religious freedom over gay rights  —  Share Tweet Reddit Digg Mail Print SMS More  —  Americans reacting to the Supreme Court's approval of same sex marriage desire a truce between religious freedom and gay rights, but if pushed, overwhelmingly side with protecting …

Police: Plea for help with rent payment saves woman from captivity, rape  —  A 34-year-old Lenexa man is accused of holding a woman captive for four months and raping her at least twice during the ordeal.  —  Tuesday afternoon, Anthony Darryl Allen appeared before a Johnson County judge who set Allen's bond at $500,000.

O'Malley: Dems tilting race toward Hillary Clinton  —  CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA — Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley in an exclusive interview Wednesday with The Hill accused party insiders of trying to tilt the primary contest in Hillary Clinton's favor.

Why Jeb Bush's Pitch to the Koch Brothers Should Scare You  —  Jeb Bush speaks at a small business town hll meeting in Longwood, Florida, on July 27.  —  At the Koch brothers' big California confabulation last weekend, each of the invited candidates who submitted to questioning on the main stage …

John Kerry on the Risk of Congress ‘Screwing’ the Ayatollah  —  When I met with Secretary of State John Kerry in his office this past Friday, it was apparent that he was in an exceedingly feisty mood, and it's not easy to display feistiness when you're trapped, as he was, in a recliner.

Steve King Says It's Legal, So I Tried To Marry My Lawnmower  —  “You could marry your lawnmower with this decision,” Iowa Congressman Steve King said last week about the recent Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage.  —  Something about that statement didn't seem very... accurate.