Exclusive: Trump campaign had at least 18 undisclosed contacts with Russians: sources  —  Michael Flynn and other advisers to Donald Trump's campaign were in contact with Russian officials and others with Kremlin ties in at least 18 calls and emails during the last seven months of the 2016 presidential race …

The Special Counsel Mistake  —  Rosenstein bends to political pressure, and here we go again.

Trump weighs downsizing Spicer's public role  —  President Donald Trump is considering scaling back White House press secretary Sean Spicer's public role, according to several officials familiar with the president's thinking, as Trump also weighs a broader shakeup of his communications shop in the wake of several scandals.

Car slams into Times Square pedestrians, killing one, injuring others  —  A speeding car plowed into pedestrians on a sidewalk in New York City's busy Times Square on Thursday, killing one person and injuring a dozen, according to witnesses, and police said the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism.

TRUMP CANCELS VISIT TO ANCIENT MASADA SITE AFTER ISRAEL REFUSES HELICOPTER LANDING  —  WORLD ISRAEL TRUMP  —  President Donald Trump has canceled a planned visit and speech at the ancient mountain fortress of Masada in Israel after authorities told him that he could not land his helicopter on top of the UNESCO-listed site.

Chaffetz to announce early departure from Congress  —  Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) is expected to announce Thursday that he is resigning before the end of this congressional term, according to three sources familiar with his plans.  —  Chaffetz did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.

Roger Ailes, who built Fox News into a powerhouse, dies at 77  —  Roger Ailes dead at 77  —  Roger Ailes, who transformed cable news and then American politics by building Fox News into a ratings powerhouse, died Thursday.  He was 77.  —  The death was announced by his family and reported on Fox News Channel.

Russia tried to take over Pentagon Twitter accounts: report  —  Russia tried to gain access to the Twitter accounts of Defense Department officials using messages carrying malware, according to Time magazine.  —  Russia is said to have sent messages to over 10,000 Pentagon Twitter users …

House Dems Smash Fundraising Records Ahead of Midterms  —  House Democrats have already raised more money in online contributions this year ahead of the midterms than they did during all of 2015, the most recently comparable year, a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee official told NBC News.

Trump isn't a toddler — he's a product of America's culture of impunity for the rich  —  “When you're a star, they let you do it.”  —  Ross Douthat's column arguing for the superiority of “25th Amendment remedies” to impeachment for Donald Trump's various misdeeds is impressive in its ability …

Chris Cornell dead at age 52  —  (CNN)Chris Cornell, lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave, died Wednesday night, his representative told CNN.  —  Cornell, 52, was in Detroit performing with Soundgarden, which had embarked on a US tour in April.  His passing was “sudden and unexpected …

If you work for Trump, it's time to quit  —  After the Comey firing and the Russia intel leak, the I'm-taking-one-for-the-team ship has sailed.  —  I've been a Republican political consultant for almost 30 years, and I've dispensed a lot of private advice.