EXCLUSIVE: Trump will sign GOP loyalty pledge  —  The Donald made the stunning decision to avoid complications in getting listed on primary ballots.  —  A close associate tells POLITICO that Donald Trump plans to sign a loyalty pledge Thursday that would bind him to endorse the Republican nominee, and would preclude a third-party run.

Staffer who worked on Clinton's private e-mail server faces subpoena  —  A former State Department staffer who worked on Hillary Rodham Clinton's private e-mail server tried this week to fend off a subpoena to testify before Congress, saying he would assert his constitutional right not to answer questions to avoid incriminating himself.

Judge declines divorce case, citing gay marriage ruling … A local judge contends the U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage has derailed Tennessee's ability to determine what constitutes divorce — leaving one Signal Mountain couple married against their will.

Family of children found on Turkish beach were trying to come to Canada  —  UPDATE — Immigration minister Chris Alexander suspends campaign after news that Canada rejected family's refugee bid before boy drowned.  —  The two small boys whose bodies washed up on a Turkish beach Wednesday …

Keep Calm And Ignore The 2016 ‘Game Changers’  —  If you were to rank the most exciting presidential nomination contests, the 1996 Republican race would be near the bottom.  Bob Dole, the “next-in-line” GOP candidate and the Senate majority leader, built up a huge lead in polls and endorsements early …

More Self-Inflicted Wounds  —  This column is not about me, but I start by acknowledging that I am something of a technological dinosaur.  I still read printed newspapers and I don't have a Twitter account or Facebook page.  But the reason I don't engage in social media is only in part because I'm a little challenged technologically.

Lawmakers deny park ranger's “making out” report  —  Lawmakers question deputy's nuisance report  —  ST. PAUL, Minn. - Two Minnesota lawmakers Wednesday vehemently denied a Dakota County park ranger's report that they were “making out” in a car in Eagan.  —  Rep. Tim Kelly of Red Wing …

GOP circulates loyalty pledge to box Trump in  —  <p>The GOP is taking its most aggressive step yet to force Donald Trump's hand.</p><p>The Republican National Committee on Wednesday privately reached out to GOP presidential candidates to ask whether they'd be willing to sign a pledge stating …

Donald Trump isn't rich because he's a great investor.  He's rich because his dad was rich.  —  “It takes brains to make millions,” according to the slogan of Donald Trump's board game.  “It takes Trump to make billions.”  It appears that's truer than Trump himself might like to admit.

The Populist Revolt Against Brain-Dead Politics  —  Take a deep breath.  It won't help you understand what's happening in the contest for the presidency, but it won't hurt either.  —  By contrast, many media analyses of the state of the race have reached the breathless level.

Treason of the Professors [Updated]  —  William Bradford is an Associate Professor of Law, National Security, and Strategy at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., and at the National Defense College in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  He has a Ph.D. from Northwestern and an LL.M. from Harvard.

Exposed!  Libya Security Briefs, Algeria Hostage Info & More — Hacker Threatens To Sell Hillary Clinton's ENTIRE UNRELEASED Private Emails For $500K … PICS OF  —  HILLARY  —  Just as email-gate looked to be winding down, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned a person claiming …

Mika to Huckabee: Why Do You Hate Hillary Lawbreaking, But Support KY Clerk?  —  MSNBC Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski challenged Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee Thursday morning on why he supported the lawbreaking of the Kentucky clerk refusing to issue marriage licenses, but not Hillary Clinton.

Why there's Ground Zero steel in West Point graduates' class rings  —  Cadets march into Michie Stadium before a graduation and commissioning ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point.  —  When graduates of West Point's Class of 2016 go into their years of service as officers of the Army …

Solitary Confinement Is Cruel and All Too Common  —  If mass incarceration is one of modern America's deepest pathologies, solitary confinement is the concentrated version of it: far too many people locked up for far too long for no good reason, at no clear benefit to anyone.

'Can't Buy Me Love' Star Amanda Peterson — Cause of Death ... Massive Overdose  —  Amanda Peterson — who starred in “Can't Buy Me Love” died from an accidental overdose of a deadly combination of drugs.  —  The 43-year-old disappeared just before the 4th of July and her body was found on July 5th.

Hot Air exclusive: Scott Walker speaks out on cop murders and American leadership  —  Hot Air is pleased to provide Governor Scott Walker with an opportunity to speak directly to voters in this guest column.  —  We Need a Uniter-in-Chief, Not a Divider-in-Chief  —  By Gov. Scott Walker