Chris Christie Becomes Powerful Figure in Donald Trump Campaign  —  Defeated by Donald J. Trump in the 2016 primaries and derided by fellow Republicans for his subsequent embrace of Mr. Trump, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has quietly emerged as one of the most influential advisers …

Fox targeted by FEC Dems in first-ever vote to punish debate sponsorship  —  Finally making good on long-harbored anger at conservative media, Democrats on the Federal Election Commission voted in secret to punish Fox News' sponsorship of a Republican presidential debate …

Presidential Race Shaping Up Similarly to 2012  —  PPP's newest national poll continues to find the Presidential race shaping up pretty similarly to how the 2012 contest played out, with Hillary Clinton holding a 4 point lead that matches Barack Obama's final margin of victory last time around.

Trump skepticism hardens in GOP  —  Over the past several weeks, Donald Trump has managed to deliver several scripted speeches that stayed on message.  He's hired top staffers to bulk up his skeletal campaign.  And he's kick-started a fundraising operation, while focusing most of his rhetorical fire on Hillary Clinton.

Sources: Donald Trump Listened In On Phone Lines At Mar-A-Lago  — Several workers said Trump used the equipment to secretly listen in on phone calls in the mid-2000s.  —  At Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach resort he runs as a club for paying guests and celebrities, Donald Trump …

After Saying He Forgave Loans to Campaign, Trump Won't Release Proof  —  When Donald Trump said last Thursday he was forgiving over $45 million in personal loans he made to his campaign, the announcement drew plenty of coverage.  Many even reported Trump's statement as if the deal was done.

Democrats groan after Bill Clinton meets Loretta Lynch  —  Attorney General Loretta Lynch described her Monday meeting with Bill Clinton aboard a private plane as “primarily social,” but some Democrats are struggling to stomach the optics of the attorney general's meeting with the former president …

Nothing sorry about Trump One  —  ABOARD TRUMP ONE — The candidate loosened his tie and offered me some advice.  —  “Whatever you do, don't apologize,” he said.  “You never hear me apologize, do you?  That's what killed Jimmy the Greek way back.  Remember?  He was doing okay 'til he said he was sorry.”

Boris Johnson rules himself out of Tory leadership race  —  Main public face of Brexit makes shock announcement hours after his key ally Michael Gove launched his own campaign  —  Boris Johnson has unexpectedly ruled himself out of the Conservative leadership race, hours …

House Plans Vote on Guns Next Week  —  Ryan tells members package would prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns  —  Democrats Plan Dozens of Events Wednesday to Protest Gun Violence Another Gun Protest on the House Floor In the End, Gowdy Declines to Assign Blame for Benghazi

Mika's hush-hush divorce fuels Joe romance chatter  —  MORE FROM:  —  “Morning Joe” hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough could soon go public as a couple.  Page Six has exclusively learned that Brzezinski and her husband of 23 years have quietly divorced.

Naked man takes over Times Square, screams about Donald Trump  —  A naked man screaming “Donald Trump where are you!” turned Times Square into an open-air peep show Thursday morning, ambling to the top of the red staircase in Duffy Square where he put on a bizarre one-hour spectacle, and then jumped off.

Navy report: Failure at every level for US ships captured by Iran  —  Iran video appears to show U.S. sailor in tears  —  Washington (CNN)A devastating new report by military investigators released Thursday found that the 10 sailors captured by Iranians in January suffered from “failed leadership” …

Trump: Rivals who don't back me shouldn't be allowed to run for office  —  on Wednesday hammered his former primary rivals for going back on a pledge to back the eventual GOP presidential nominee.  —  Trump said his primary opponents who now refuse to support his candidacy should not be allowed …

At 150, KKK sees opportunities in US political trends  —  BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Born in the ashes of the smoldering South after the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan died and was reborn before losing the fight against civil rights in the 1960s.  Membership dwindled, a unified group fractured …

Russia to release Clinton emails?  —  U.S. intelligence agencies are said to be closely watching Russian online blogs and other postings for any signs that Moscow hackers have covertly obtained the bulk of Hillary Clinton's email messages stolen from her private email server and are preparing to make them public.

Nancy Grace to Depart HLN After 12 Years (Exclusive)  —  EMAIL ME  —  One of cable's most recognizable and controversial figures tells THR she will embark upon a new chapter involving “a very large digital component.”  —  Nancy Grace, who parlayed her stint as a successful prosecutor …

Trump's Pennsylvania campaign is missing in action  —  Nearly everyone can agree that Donald Trump's path to the White House goes through Pennsylvania.  —  But local party leaders in some of the state's most pivotal counties say there's been almost no outreach from his campaign so far …

French president endorses Clinton  —  French President François Hollande on Thursday endorsed Hillary Clinton  —  for president, saying it would complicate relations between Europe and the U.S. if Donald Trump  —  “The best thing the Democrats can do is to get Hillary Clinton elected …