Putin Hints at U.S. Election Meddling by ‘Patriotically Minded’ Russians  —  MOSCOW — Shifting from his previous blanket denials, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Thursday that “patriotically minded” private Russian hackers could have been involved in cyberattacks last year …

Nigel Farage is ‘person of interest’ in FBI investigation into Trump and Russia  —  Exclusive: FBI interested in former Ukip leader's ties with people connected to US president and WikiLeaks' Julian Assange … Nigel Farage is a “person of interest” in the US counter-intelligence investigation …

White House Sources: Reince Priebus's Departure is Imminent  —  I think many conservatives have failed to appreciate having a committed Christian in the White House Chief of Staff's Office.  Reince Priebus was unappreciated as Chairman of the RNC by many on the right and often blamed for things not in his control.

First on CNN: Senators asked Comey to investigate AG Jeff Sessions for possible perjury  — CNN previously reported congressional investigators are seeking information on whether there were any encounters between now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Russia's ambassador at a Trump campaign event

Comey will testify before Senate committee next Thursday  —  Former FBI Director James Comey will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, June 8, regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, committee leaders announced on Thursday.

Ex-DNC aide hits back hard at Clinton, says her campaign ignored data on Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin  —  Hillary Clinton has found plenty of non-Hillary Clinton things to blame for her 2016 loss, including Russia, James B. Comey, debate moderators and misogyny.

Commentary: The left is winning  —  Here's an argument that seems unavoidable yet endlessly debatable: In American politics, progressives are winning, and have been for some time.  When it comes to economic policy in particular, every day it seems the Overton Window skews a few more millimeters leftward …

Everything Conservatives Said About the Paris Climate Agreement Is Already Wrong  —  The Trump administration's reportedly forthcoming decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement will not end the global effort to limit the effects of climate change.  In the immediate time frame …

‘We were used, abused and exploited’  —  As he built support for his signature political issue, Donald Trump formed a powerful partnership with a nonprofit group dedicated to families of those killed by undocumented immigrants, but now some of those families are alleging they were exploited …

Samantha Power Unmasked  —  Why would a diplomat need to know the names of Trump officials?

An open letter from Martina Navratilova to Margaret Court Arena  —  Sporting venues named for athletes, or any place, really, named for whoever, are so named for one reason.  That reason is their whole body of work.  In other words, it is not just for what this person did on the field …

Russia escalates spy games after years of U.S. neglect  —  In the throes of the 2016 campaign, the FBI found itself with an escalating problem: Russian diplomats, whose travel was supposed to be tracked by the State Department, were going missing.  —  The diplomats, widely assumed …

In her bubble, Kathy Griffin thought nothing was out of bounds in mocking Trump  —  MORE FROM: … Imagine living in a bubble so impermeable it didn't occur to you that retailing a photograph of a decapitated president's head would be a horrendous career move — a bubble in which you don't know anyone …

S&P and Nasdaq notch record highs after data deluge  —  U.S. equities traded higher on Thursday, the first trading day in June, as investors parsed through key economic data.  —  The Nasdaq composite gained 0.3 percent and hit a record intraday high earlier in the session.

How Twitter Is Being Gamed to Feed Misinformation  —  After last year's election, Facebook came in for a drubbing for its role in propagating misinformation — or “fake news,” as we called it back then, before the term became a catchall designation for any news you don't like.

Trump's special antagonism toward Germany is stupid and dangerous.  —  The fallout from President Trump's disastrous trip to Europe continues to poison the trans-Atlantic climate.  His comments about Germany have been particularly toxic—and, beyond that, stupid, reflecting no understanding …

Noose found at exhibit in African American Smithsonian museum  —  A noose was found Wednesday in a public gallery at the National Museum of African American History and Culture museum, the second such incident on Smithsonian grounds in less than a week, officials said.

Every Russia story Trump said was a hoax by Democrats: A timeline  —  There have been twists and turns over the past year in the saga of President Trump's alleged ties to Russia and Russian influence on the 2016 presidential election to help Trump win.  —  Yet one thing has remained consistent …

The Maps That Kill Competition  —  Corey Lowenstein/The News & Observer, File via AP  —  Republican State Senators Dan Soucek, left, and Brent Jackson, right, review North Carolina's congressional district map.  —  Democrats eyeing the 2018 midterm elections have a lot to feel optimistic about …

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum — Again  —  It is imperative we begin emulating the left in its tactics.  —  A couple of years ago, I suggested a completely different strategy: I wanted to pursue a kinder path.  I wanted an end to the speech wars and social media mobs and boycotts and all the rest of it.

Less Tweeting, Lawyers Beg.  ‘Covfefe,’ the President Says.  —  WASHINGTON — There was a time in the not-too-distant past when President Trump refrained from flamethrowing messages on Twitter.  —  That time is over.  —  Never mind that his aides have asked him to stop.

J.B. Pritzker sought political office from Blagojevich, 2008 FBI wiretaps show  —  In 2008, Democratic donor and businessman J.B. Pritzker had phone conversations with then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich that were recorded by FBI agents investigating Blagojevich for public corruption.

White House eyes Bannon ally for top broadcasting post  —  With sweeping new powers, the position would oversee public media reaching 100 countries.  —  The Trump administration's leading candidate to head the Broadcasting Board of Governors, a position that with recent changes would give …