Democrats Seethe After Georgia Loss: ‘Our Brand Is Worse Than Trump’  —  Democrats seethed, second-guessed and sought to regroup on Wednesday after a disappointing special election defeat in Georgia, with the party's campaign chief in the House of Representatives outlining alternative paths to taking power …

Most Americans say Republican healthcare plan will be harmful: Reuters/Ipsos poll  —  When U.S. Senate Republicans unveil their plan to overhaul America's healthcare system, they will face a skeptical public that already does not buy the justification for an earlier version that passed the House …

Trump, Russia and a Shadowy Business Partnership  —  An insider describes the Bayrock Group, its links to the Trump family and its mysterious access to funds.  It isn't pretty.  —  The special counsel's investigation of the White House has come more sharply into focus.

Congressional Black Caucus expected to decline Trump meeting  —  The Congressional Black Caucus is expected to reject an invitation to meet with President Donald Trump, according to four sources close to the group.  —  The Trump administration, sources said, has done nothing to advance …

A Bunch Of CIA Staff Got Fired For Stealing Snacks From Vending Machines  —  The group of employees shared a vending machine hack to steal more than $3,000 in snacks.  —  Several CIA contractors were kicked out of the agency for stealing more than $3,000 in snacks from vending machines …

Law Enforcement Shares Findings of the Investigation into the June 14 Alexandria, Virginia Shooting  —  Today, law enforcement officials shared findings to date of the investigation into the shooting that occurred at the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park on Wednesday, June 14, 2017.

DeVos picks CEO of for-profit lender to run federal student loan system  —  Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's pick to lead the department's $1.3 trillion student loan system is the CEO of a private student loan company.  —  A. Wayne Johnson, who was tapped as chief operating officer of Federal Student Aid …

Texas Couple Exonerated 25 Years After Being Convicted of Lurid Crimes That Never Happened  —  Twenty-five years after they were convicted of a crime that never happened, Fran and Dan Keller were formally exonerated on June 20 in Austin, Texas.  —  The couple's prosecution in 1992 was part …

Uber Founder Travis Kalanick Resigns as C.E.O.  —  Travis Kalanick stepped down Tuesday as chief executive of Uber, the ride-hailing service that he helped found in 2009 and that he built into a transportation colossus, after a shareholder revolt made it untenable for him to stay on at the company.

Philando Castile Video Shows a Cop Who Panicked and Killed an Innocent Man  —  Much has been made of the fact that the dashcam video of the July 6, 2016, traffic stop in which Philando Castile was killed, which was finally released to the public yesterday, does not show what was going on inside his car …

Next up: a special counsel to probe Team Obama's obstruction of justice  —  MORE FROM: … By using fired FBI Director James Comey to attack the new Republican administration, Democrats have opened up a legal can of worms for the Obama administration.  —  Under sworn questioning …

What Happened To Black Lives Matter?  —  Donald Trump's election and presidency has inspired the biggest outpouring of liberal activism in more than a decade.  But Black Lives Matter seems less visible than a year ago.  After a meteoric rise to prominence, the movement is struggling mightily …

ISIS Is Said to Destroy Historic Al Nuri Mosque in Mosul  —  BAGHDAD — The Islamic State on Wednesday night destroyed Mosul's centuries-old Al Nuri Grand Mosque and its distinctive leaning minaret, one of Iraq's most famous landmarks, according to the Iraqi and American militaries.

Saudi Arabia Rewrites Succession as King Replaces Heir With Son, 31  —  BEIRUT, Lebanon — King Salman of Saudi Arabia promoted his 31-year-old son, Mohammed bin Salman, to be next in line to the throne on Wednesday, further empowering a young, activist leader at a time when the kingdom …

Trump Organization seeks hefty tax break for Westchester golf club  —  The Trump Organization wants its tax bill cut in half at one of its high-end golf clubs, part of a longstanding Trump practice of using legal challenges and appeals to lower his corporate tax bills.

Bloomberg: Trump will win reelection because ‘the Democratic Party is going to be torn apart’  —  Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) says President Trump is likely to win reelection in 2020 because Democrats will be hamstrung by the deep fissures between the liberal and moderate wings of the party.

Democrats seek suspension of Jared Kushner's security clearance pending Russia probe  —  House Democrats are raising “serious concerns” with security clearances held by President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, saying suspicions about his contacts with Russian officials …

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Tom Cotton Intern Calls British ‘Faggots’ and Paul Ryan a ‘Cuck’ in Audio Recording  —  GOP Senator Tom Cotton's intern is not shy about spouting off incendiary comments, as the young Republican calls Speaker Paul Ryan “a cuck” and the British “faggots.”

Immigrant Literacy: Self-Assessment vs. Reality  —  Jason Richwine, PhD, is an independent public policy analyst based in Washington, D.C., and a contributing writer at National Review.  —  To measure the English ability of immigrants in the United States, researchers often rely on the opinion of the immigrants themselves.

Hillary Clinton is under investigation AGAIN for her handling of government emails and the former Secretary of State and her aides could have their security clearances revoked  — Clinton and her staffers still have security clearances which could be revoked depending on the outcome of the investigation

How The Guardian Lost America  —  The Guardian's US newsroom didn't become the voice of the Bernie left during the election.  It didn't break huge campaign scoops.  Years after winning a Pulitzer for the Edward Snowden story, Guardian US has slashed costs, leaving employees stewing about mismanagement …

Wall Street Journal fires Jay Solomon over involvement with arms dealer  —  The Wall Street Journal has fired chief foreign affairs correspondent Jay Solomon for what the paper called a “breach” and ethical lapses over his involvement with an Iranian-born arms dealer.