White House Memo Justifying CFPB Takeover Was Written by Payday Lender Attorney  —  The lawyer who wrote the Office of Legal Counsel memo supporting the Trump administration's viewpoint that the president can appoint Mick Mulvaney as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau represented …

Here's why I plan to vote for the Senate tax bill (and my colleagues should step up)  —  One of the fundamental problems in Washington is the attitude that the money that people make belongs to the government.  That's why you hear arguments about how much a tax cut “costs,” …

Michael Flynn's lawyer meets with members of special counsel's team, raising specter of plea deal  —  The lawyer for President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn met Monday morning with members of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team, the latest indication …

Marine Colonel Announces He's Running Against Roy Moore: ‘Hold My Beer’ … When retired Marine Col. Lee Busby read it was too late for a write-in candidate for the Alabama senate race, he said, “Hold my beer, we will just see about that.”  —  Busby told The Daily Beast on Monday he is launching …

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.

Trump White House ethics lawyer exits  —  The ranks of former White House ethics lawyers available to comment on the ongoing controversies engulfing President Donald Trump's administration has just grown by one — an attorney who's certain to offer a much different perspective …

“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 …

White House Weighs Personal Mobile Phone Ban for Staff  —  The White House may ban its employees from using personal mobile phones while at work, raising concerns among staff including that they'll be cut off from family and friends, according to five administration officials.

Trump calls Warren ‘Pocahontas’ at event honoring Native American veterans  —  President Trump on Monday referred to Sen. Elizabeth Warren  —  (D-Mass.) as “Pocahontas” at an event honoring Native American “code talkers” who served in World War II.  —  “You were here long before any of us were here …

Tufts postpones Scaramucci event after he threatens to sue student, paper  —  Tufts University postponed a Monday event featuring Anthony Scaramucci, a former Trump White House spokesman, after he threatened to sue a student and the school newspaper for defamation following the publication of an op-ed column criticizing him.

SPOTTED at Mar-a-Lago  —  SPOTTED AT MAR-A-LAGO: Trump and first lady Melania Trump were seated at the main dining table Saturday night with Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter and his wife Laurie, according to a tipster.  Trump and former CIA Director James Woolsey had a “lengthy conversation” at his table.

Claire McCaskill Took Action to Hide Travel on Private Plane From Public  —  Email records show FAA was asked to hide tracking data of Democratic senator's plane in April  —  Sen. Claire McCaskill (D., Mo.) took action earlier this year to make her family's private plane untrackable by the public …

Nazis: They're just like us!  —  Why should the New York Times have all the fun?  —  I spoke to the man who starts fires.  He thinks everything ought to be on fire.  He wants the whole world to burn.  (I live in a fireproof house.)  He wore a nice tie.  He had a tattoo of a smiley face.

Al Franken apologizes for past sexual misconduct  —  Democratic Sen. Al Franken apologized to his staff, the people of Minnesota, and “everyone who has counted on him to be a champion of women” for his past history of sexual misconduct during a press conference outside of his office Monday.

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.