H.R. 1628, American Health Care Act of 2017  —  CBO and JCT estimate that enacting the American Health Care Act would reduce federal deficits by $119 billion over the coming decade and increase the number of people who are uninsured by 23 million in 2026 relative to current law.

How a dubious Russian document influenced the FBI's handling of the Clinton probe  —  In the midst of the 2016 presidential primary season, the FBI received a purported Russian intelligence document describing a tacit understanding between the campaign of Hillary Clinton and the Justice Department …

Spicer's absence in papal visit reveals Trump's family-first rule  —  Vatican City (CNN)At the most highly anticipated meeting on President Donald Trump's first foreign odyssey, the ever-shifting pecking order of a tumultuous White House was on full display.

The Pentagon Can't Believe Trump Told Another President About Nuclear Subs Near North Korea  —  “We never talk about subs!” three defense officials told BuzzFeed News after a transcript of a call between President Trump and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was published.

A Smarter Way to Interpret 2017's Special Elections  —  The results of individual special elections, like Thursday's in Montana between Democrat Rob Quist and Republican Greg Gianforte, can't always foretell what will happen in the next high-stakes midterm.  Each district presents …

The life and death of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory  —  When Seth Rich's Gmail account received an alert this week from Mega.com, attempting to start a new account on a website created by the New Zealand-based Internet businessman and convicted hacker Kim Dotcom, his family knew that something was off.

Manchester bomber Salman Abedi's father and brothers arrested, linked to ISIS, Al Qaeda  —  Manchester bomber Salman Abedi apparently wasn't the only member of his family to harbor extremist views as Libyan officials arrested the suicide bomber's father and two brothers, and uncovered what investigators called a plot for a new attack.

Israel Alters Intelligence Sharing with US  —  Israel says it has changed its intelligence-sharing protocols with the United States after President Donald Trump disclosed classified information to Russian diplomats earlier this month that had come from Israel, even though Tel Aviv had not assented to his handing it to another country.

Donald Trump's Base Is Shrinking  —  A widely held tenet of the current conventional wisdom is that while President Trump might not be popular overall, he has a high floor on his support.  Trump's sizable and enthusiastic base — perhaps 35 to 40 percent of the country — won't abandon him any time soon …

Trump Failing to Track Foreign Cash at His Hotels  —  Just before taking office, President Donald Trump promised to donate all profits earned from foreign governments back to the U.S. Treasury.  —  But MSNBC has learned the Trump Organization is not tracking all possible payments it receives …

Found at the Scene in Manchester: A Detonator, Shrapnel and a Battery  —  The bomber in the Manchester terrorist attack appeared to have carried a powerful explosive in a lightweight metal container concealed either within a black vest or a blue Karrimor backpack, and to have held a small detonator …

Ben Carson calls poverty ‘a state of mind’ during interview  —  In an interview released Wednesday, Housing Secretary Ben Carson said that a “certain mindset” contributes to people living in poverty, pointing to habits and a “state of mind” children take from their parents at a young age.

George RR Martin compares Trump to King Joffrey  —  The author behind “Game of Thrones” says President Trump reminds him of one of the more wicked rulers of Westeros.  —  “I think Joffrey is now the king in America,” George R.R. Martin says in an interview with Esquire published Wednesday.

WASH. POST DIDN'T DISCLOSE THAT WRITER WHO PENNED POSITIVE PIECE ABOUT TRUMP'S SAUDI TRIP IS PAID BY SAUDI GOVERNMENT  —  Why does the Post embarrass itself by publishing lobbyist Ed Rogers?  —  Blog ››› May 24, 2017 ››› ERIC HANANOKI

Trump should be scared, Comey friend says  —  (CNN)A friend of James Comey said Tuesday that if he were President Donald Trump he would be scared of the former FBI director's pending testimony.  —  “I found it interesting and very telling that (Comey) declined any opportunity to tell his story in private …

Baltimore attorney arrested for allegedly offering rape victim $3K to not testify, saying Trump will deport her  —  A Baltimore defense attorney was arrested in the downtown courthouse Tuesday and charged with obstruction of justice and witness intimidation for allegedly telling a rape victim …

Poll: Majority says mainstream media publishes fake news  —  Nearly two-thirds of Americans say the mainstream press is full of fake news, a sentiment that is held by a majority of voters across the ideological spectrum.  —  According to data from the latest Harvard-Harris poll …

Dems see political gold in Trump budget  —  House Democrats are hoping President Trump's newly proposed budget blueprint will be a political albatross for Republicans at the polls next year.  —  Unveiled Tuesday, Trump's fiscal 2018 budget proposal pushes sharp increases in military spending …