It's Time for an Anti-Trump Manhattan Project  —  For the last eight months or so, a significant portion of the Republican party's voters have been in thrall to a bizarre, Occupy-esque conspiracy theory, which holds as its central thesis that sabotage and pusillanimity are the root causes of the Right's recent woes.

Republican governor of Nevada Brian Sandoval being considered for Supreme Court  —  Brian Sandoval, the centrist Republican governor of Nevada, is being vetted by the White House for a possible nomination to the Supreme Court, according to two people familiar with the process.

Cruz, Trump tied in WFAA Texas poll … DALLAS - Six days before Super Tuesday, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are now tied in Texas, according to a new public opinion poll commissioned by WFAA-TV.  —  Cruz and Trump both had 32 percent support from likely and actual GOP primary voters, with a 3.9 percent margin of error.

Apple Is Said to Be Working on an iPhone Even It Can't Hack  —  WASHINGTON — Apple engineers have already begun developing new security measures that would make it impossible for the government to break into a locked iPhone using methods similar to those now at the center of a court fight in California …

Does Ben Carson Suspect His Campaign Was a Scam?  —  For months, reporters and political operatives (including me) have been pointing out that Ben Carson's campaign bears many of the hallmarks of a political scam operation.  Now Carson seems to agree.  On CNN on Tuesday, Carson discussed his year-end staff shake-up:

Charges dropped in gang rape probe at Brownsville playground after victim recants story  —  BROWNSVILLE, Brooklyn — Charges have been dropped against the five teens who had been accused of raping an 18-year-old girl at a Brownsville playground last month after the victim changed her story.

Trump Is A Rump, But He Has A Point  —  Let me begin by telling you what I think about Donald Trump.  I stress that I am not trying to tell you what you should think about The Donald; I am merely telling you what I think, how I react to him.  —  I have despised Trump for 35 or 40 years …

‘DARK DAY’: Sheriff's deputy killed, 2 deputies injured in Colorado shootout  —  Police say deputies were approached at a rural home while serving an eviction notice (KDVR)  —  DEVELOPING: A sheriff's deputy was killed and two others were injured Wednesday in a shootout shortly after serving …

Baby sitter charged with murder in death of Staten Island 16-month-old  —  STATEN ISLAND - The baby sitter charged with killing 16-month-old Staten Island toddler faced the family of the young boy amid sobs, shrieks of pain and shouts of “you should rot in hell forever.”

Silence in the Face of Evil Is Evil Itself  —  Hello, America, from Las Vegas, Nevada.  —  I got up this morning, and I prayed about what I was going to say to you today.  Because I have a lot on my mind.  And I thought to myself, “Maybe I, maybe I don't say anything.”  —  You know, it's really interesting.

‘Idiocracy’ writer: I never expected my movie ‘to become a documentary’  —  The man behind the 2006 cult sci-fi film “Idiocracy” is lamenting that his fictional movie appears to have become reality.  —  “I never expected #idiocracy to become a documentary,” tweeted screenwriter Etan Cohen …

Texas Court Clears Ex-Gov. Rick Perry of 2nd Felony Charge  —  Texas' highest criminal court tossed the second and final felony charge against former Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday, likely ending a case the Republican says helped sink his short-lived 2016 presidential bid.

New White Supremacist PAC Robocalls: 'Don't Vote For A Cuban,' Vote Trump!  (AUDIO)  —  A white supremacist super PAC is rolling out a fresh robocall campaign this week in Vermont and Minnesota telling voters, “Don't vote for a Cuban.  Vote for Donald Trump.”

Abortion Clinics Are Closing at a Record Pace  —  At least 162 providers have closed since 2011.  —  Esmé E Deprez  —  Abortion access in the U.S. has been vanishing at the fastest annual pace on record, propelled by Republican state lawmakers' push to legislate the industry out of existence.