House majority leader to colleagues in 2016: ‘I think Putin pays’ Trump  —  KIEV, Ukraine — A month before Donald Trump clinched the Republican nomination, one of his closest allies in Congress — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy — made a politically explosive assertion in a private conversation …

Flynn, Manafort Are Key Figures In Russia Probe Mueller Will Lead  —  Former Trump aides Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort have emerged as key figures in the FBI's investigation into Russian campaign interference, which has just been taken over by a special counsel, four law enforcement officials told NBC News.

Pence Takes Steps to Build War Chest as White House Stumbles  —  Political action committee registered Wednesday with FEC  —  Neither Biden nor Cheney had active leadership PACs in office  —  While President Donald Trump's White House grapples with the fallout from his firing of the former FBI director …

Trump Team Knew Flynn Was Under Investigation Before He Came to White House  —  WASHINGTON — Michael T. Flynn told President Trump's transition team weeks before the inauguration that he was under federal investigation for secretly working as a paid lobbyist for Turkey during the campaign …

GOP fears Trump will take the Republican Party down with him  —  Republicans in Congress fear President Trump could torpedo their majorities if he doesn't save his White House from constant crisis and pivot to the issues voters elected him to deal with.  —  Trump has been besieged by his handling …

Any Half-Decent Hacker Could Break Into Mar-a-Lago  —  We tested internet security at four Trump properties.  It's not good.  —  Two weeks ago, on a sparkling spring morning, we went trawling along Florida's coastal waterway.  But not for fish.  —  We parked a 17-foot motor boat in a lagoon …

Fox Stands By DNC Murder Conspiracy Theory Even After Main Source Changes Story  —  Fox News reporter Malia Zimmerman says she spent 10 months working on her story.  —  Fox News and its Washington, D.C., affiliate, Fox 5, are standing by their conspiracy-mongering reports …

This is How Your Government Responds to Unfavorable News Coverage  —  Monday night, as the story of the President giving classified information to the Russians was in full evolution, I get a call from this guy:  —  RC Hammond, the State Department's communications advisor, who had his facts wrong about what was reported and by whom.

What Does Barack Obama Really Think of Donald Trump?  'He's Nothing But a Bullsh-ter'  —  She packs her own lunch, and he still isn't allowed to drive.  Subscribe now for all about Michelle and Barack Obama's lives after moving out of the White House - only in PEOPLE

Trump to graduates: ‘No politician in history... has been treated worse’  —  New London, Connecticut (CNN)President Donald Trump, amid his own swirling controversies, advised United States Coast Guard Academy graduates that while things aren't always fair, “you have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight.”

‘THIS IS CRAZY’: Austin man sues date for texting during movie  —  A man is suing a Round Rock woman for texting during a movie date at the Barton Creek Square theater, according to a petition filed in small claims court in Travis County.  —  Brandon Vezmar, 37, of Austin filed the claim Thursday against his date.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke accepts job in Department of Homeland Security  —  Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. will leave office next month to accept a federal appointment as an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Russian State-Run Bank Financed Deal Involving Trump Hotel Partner  —  A Russian-Canadian developer put money into a Donald Trump hotel project in Toronto after receiving hundreds of millions from a deal involving Russian state-run bank VEB.

Why liberal democracy only dies when conservatives help  —  Liberal democracy is not dead, but it's not well.  From Hungary to Poland to even the United States, far-right populists have won power, and, in a few cases, are busy consolidating it.  —  In some sense, it shouldn't be too surprising …

Alex Jones settles Chobani lawsuit and retracts comments about refugees in Twin Falls, Idaho  —  Inside the Chobani Yogurt factory in Twin Falls, Idaho.  —  Alex Jones backed down.  Again.  —  The far-right conspiracy theorist agreed Wednesday to settle a defamation lawsuit filed against him by Greek yogurt manufacturer Chobani.

Jimmy Fallon Was on Top of the World.  Then Came Trump.  —  Ambling onto the Art Deco set of “The Tonight Show” for his monologue rehearsal one Monday afternoon, Jimmy Fallon gave the crowd here at Studio 6B a warm, practiced welcome before trying out a new batch of jokes about the French election …