White House Envisions Tillerson Ouster From State Dept., to Be Replaced by Pompeo, Within Weeks  —  WASHINGTON — The White House has developed a plan to force out Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, whose relationship with President Trump has been strained, and replace him with Mike Pompeo …

Army veteran says Franken groped her during USO tour in 2003  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)An Army veteran says Sen. Al Franken groped her in December 2003, telling CNN that while she was deployed in Kuwait, the Minnesota Democrat cupped her breast during a photo op.

Graphic, Disturbing Details of Matt Lauer's Alleged Sexual Misconduct  —  A bombshell Variety report alleges Lauer gave one female colleague a sex toy, and more.  —  Shocking new allegations have emerged about the sexual misconduct scandal that is quickly enveloping Matt Lauer.

Conservative Megadonor Robert Mercer Funded Project Veritas  —  The connection between the Mercer family and the controversial activist group recently busted for an undercover sting has not previously been documented.  —  The Mercers, secretive billionaires who are among President Trump's …

Trump tells confidants that a government shutdown might be good for him … President Trump has told others that a government shutdown could be good for him politically and is focusing on his hard-line immigration stance as a way to win back supporters unhappy with his outreach to Democrats this fall …

Senate GOP tax bill would add $1 trillion to the deficit, Congress' analysts conclude  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) … The Republican plan for a massive tax overhaul steamed toward Senate passage on Thursday, even as a nonpartisan congressional scorekeeper …

Donald Trump's ‘working visit’ to UK dropped as tensions with Theresa May grow over president's far-Right retweets  —  US diplomats have dropped plans for Donald Trump to conduct a visit to Britain in January amid a war of words between the two countries' leaders.

Writer Jenny Lumet: Russell Simmons Sexually Violated Me (Guest Column)  —  The screenwriter of ‘Rachel Getting Married’ and ‘The Mummy’ (and the daughter of filmmaker Sidney Lumet) details a terrifying encounter with the legendary music producer, who says he is stepping down from his businesses in the wake of the new claims.

Exclusive — Roy Moore Campaign to Jimmy Kimmel: If You Want to ‘Mock Our Christian Values,’ ‘Come Down Here’ to Alabama to ‘Do It Man to Man’  —  THEODORE, Alabama — The U.S. Senate campaign of Judge Roy Moore is firing back at Jimmy Kimmel and his paid trickster Rich Barbieri—also known as …

Rep. Joe Barton: I will not seek re-election  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Joe Barton, whose private life came under national scrutiny after sexual images he shared in an extramarital relationship were made public, won't seek re-election.  —  The Ennis Republican announced his retirement in an interview …

The Trump Administration Is Mulling A Pitch For A Private “Rendition” And Spy Network  —  A private company has proposed that the US government pay it millions to undertake intelligence and covert operations.  —  Reporting From Washington, DC  —  WASHINGTON — The White House and CIA …

Congress secretly paid near $100,000 to settle harassment claims against disgraced congressman  —  The Congressional Office of Compliance secretly paid close to $100,000 in taxpayer funds to settle sexual harassment claims from at least two young male staffers who worked for disgraced former …

Ahead of Vote, Promised Treasury Analysis of Tax Bill Proves Elusive  —  WASHINGTON — In pitching the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, has said repeatedly that the plan will pay for itself through a surge of economic growth and that over 100 people in Treasury are …

Four men allege sexual misconduct by Senate president's husband  —  He was a policy advocate who made his living trying to persuade legislators on Beacon Hill to help nonprofit groups.  He was exhausted after a working dinner with a group of senators and their spouses on that fall night in 2015.

Kate Steinle's accused killer found not guilty of murder  —  Jurors have found Jose Ines Garcia Zarate not guilty of killing Kate Steinle on Pier 14 in San Francisco in July 2015 in the trial that sparked a national debate over illegal immigration.  —  Jurors reached the decision Thursday …

The Winner of the 1st Annual Fake News Trophy Is ...  Voters agree with President Trump that so-called “fake news” is a serious problem in America today.  If a Fake News Trophy were to be awarded this year, the winners should be Fox News or CNN depending on which political party you're in.

John Conyers Hospitalized For Stress-Related Illness Amid Sex Scandal  —  DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - U.S. Congressman John Conyers is hospitalized for a stress-related illness.  —  Family spokesperson Sam Riddle confirmed Thursday morning that the 88-year-old Detroit Democrat is seeking treatment …

Paul Manafort Reaches Bail Deal With Mueller  —  A month after turning himself in for charges he faces connected to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort reached a bail deal with Mueller's team, according to court documents filed by Manafort's lawyers Thursday.

The White House expects Trump to get even more outrageous  —  Exhausted by the Trump presidency?  Brace yourself: White House officials expect Trump to be even more outrageous and cocksure in coming months.  —  What we're hearing: Officials tell us Trump seems more self-assured …

Nine Women Accuse Israel Horovitz, Playwright and Mentor, of Sexual Misconduct  —  In 1986, Maddie Corman was a 16-year-old actress performing Off Broadway as her mother lay dying in a hospital bed, hours after having a stroke.  Backstage, Ms. Corman was consoled by Israel Horovitz, the show's 47-year-old playwright and her mentor.