Consumer bureau's top lawyer sides with Trump in leadership clash  —  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's top lawyer sided with the Justice Department over President Donald Trump's appointment of Mick Mulvaney to lead the CFPB as a leadership battle over the controversial watchdog agency escalated.

Senate GOP tax bill hurts the poor more than originally thought, CBO finds  —  The Senate Republican tax plan gives substantial tax cuts and benefits to Americans earning more than $100,000 a year, while the nation's poorest would be worse off, according to a report released Sunday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

‘Ashamed’ Franken says he'll return to work on Monday  —  Breaking an eight-day silence, the Minnesota senator tells the Star Tribune that he needs to regain trust of those he's let down.  —  Sen. Al Franken broke his eight-day silence Sunday, reaching out to Minnesota media outlets to talk …

Bharara compares Trump to Jan Brady after Russia tweet  —  For U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara invoked the classic sitcom “The Brady Bunch” after President Trump lamented coverage of the Russia investigation, comparing Trump's “Russia, Russia, Russia” comment to Jan Brady's famous “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” line.

Readers Accuse Us of Normalizing a Nazi Sympathizer; We Respond  —  The Reader Center is a newsroom initiative that is helping The Times build deeper ties with our audience.  —  We have asked our national editor, Marc Lacey, to respond to feedback on our recent profile of a white nationalist.

More Than 180 Women Have Reported Sexual Assaults at Massage Envy  —  Across the US, people go to Massage Envy spas in search of a soothing, affordable escape.  More than 180 people say what they got instead was sexual assault.  But the billion-dollar company says that's not its problem to solve.

Meredith Corporation To Acquire Time Inc. To Create Premier Media And Marketing Company Serving Nearly 200 Million American Consumers  —  Meredith Adds Leading Media Brands to Already Strong Portfolio of National and Local Media Properties, Creating Media Powerhouse With $4.8 Billion in Revenues …

“She Didn't Want This Come Hell or High Water”: Inside Melania Trump's Secretive East Wing  —  Understanding the most enigmatic First Lady—and unusual marriage—in modern political history.  —  I. “NOT MY THING”  —  Back in 2014, when Donald Trump was considering yet again a run for president …

Congress races to fix secret hush money system as “a lot more” revelations expected  —  Capitol Hill veterans expect that “a lot more” sexual-harassment settlements by lawmakers will be uncovered.  So now there's a race to strengthen workplace rules that are scandalously archaic.

FBI gave heads-up to fraction of Russian hackers' US targets  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI failed to notify scores of U.S. officials that Russian hackers were trying to break into their personal Gmail accounts despite having evidence for at least a year that the targets were in the Kremlin's crosshairs, The Associated Press has found.

THE LAST DETAIL  —  When Donald Trump won the presidency, many Americans hoped John McCain would live up to his maverick image and resist his agenda.  But after the senator was diagnosed with brain cancer in July, his contrarian resolve revealed itself in unexpected ways that may shape his legacy—and our future.

Roy Moore Is Deplorable, and Donald Trump Condoning His Sins Is Unforgivable … A society where nothing is forgivable is as untenable as one where every transgression is hand-waved away.  The things we forgive in the name of compassion should be many.  The things we forgive in the name of comity should be large.