Gov. Mark Dayton likely to tap Lt. Gov Tina Smith as Franken replacement  —  Dayton appears likely to pick Smith if Franken quits.  —  Lt. Gov. Tina Smith is likely to be Gov. Mark Dayton's choice to replace Sen. Al Franken if he resigns as expected, which would set in motion a cascade of job openings and reshape Minnesota politics.

Exclusive: Previously undisclosed emails show follow-up after Trump Tower meeting  —  Analyzing Donald Trump Jr.'s House testimony  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Washington (CNN)The British publicist who arranged the June 2016 meeting with Russians and Donald Trump Jr. sent multiple emails …

Exclusive: Former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. Fired For Misconduct By Morgan Stanley  —  A woman who was interviewed as part of the company's HR probe separately told HuffPost that Ford harassed her one evening in Manhattan several years ago.  —  Former Democratic Congressman Harold Ford Jr …

MSNBC Reverses Decision To Fire Contributor Sam Seder  —  Progressive radio and television personality Sam Seder will be offered his MSNBC contributor job back and plans to accept, according to multiple MSNBC sources.  —  Seder and MSNBC were set to part ways when his contributor contract expired next year …

Less-guarded Sessions spars with interns in internal DOJ video  —  This summer, in the midst of President Donald Trump's criticism of the Justice Department and Attorney General Jeff Sessions in particular, Sessions said during a private event that the U.S. legal system must be …

The Democratic party is fine  —  It is the most united American party in modern political history.  —  Take down  —  It is the most united American party in modern political history.  —  Welcome to TAKE DOWN, a new column in which Sean McElwee holds pundits accountable for their hot garbage takes …

Cory Gardner: The NRSC ‘Will Never Endorse’ Roy Moore  —  As Donald Trump and the RNC move to support the Alabama Senate candidate, one group stands firm.  —  A protester holds up a sign as Roy Moore, not pictured, speaks during a campaign rally in Fairhope, Alabama, on Tuesday.

Former McCain aide Steve Schmidt: Trump's ‘impairment is chilling’  —  's (R-Ariz.) former presidential campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, said early Thursday that President Trump  —  was “clearly slurring his words” during an announcement that the U.S. will recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital …

Trump had for months been determined to move U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem … During a visit to his Mar-a-  —  Lago resort in March, President Trump approached legal scholar Alan Dershowitz to talk about the Middle East.  —  While Trump questioned Dershowitz, a confidant …

Silicon Valley Is Sneaking Models Into This Year's Holiday Parties  —  “Ambiance and atmosphere models” contractually obligated to pretend they're party guests are in record demand from local agencies.  —  Along with a seemingly endless string of harassment and discrimination scandals …

Lindsey Vonn: I won't be representing US President at Winter Olympics  —  St Moritz, Switzerland (CNN)A number of US athletes have spoken out against Donald Trump during his presidency — and skier Lindsey Vonn has become the latest to have her say.  —  Targeting Olympic gold …

Ex-cop Michael Slager faces 19 to 24 years in prison for shooting death of Walter Scott  —  Former South Carolina police officer Michael Slager faces 19 to 24 years in prison for the deadly shooting of unarmed black man Walter Scott.  —  U.S. District Judge David Norton ruled today …

Pelosi: Dems will oppose short-term spending bill  —  House Democrats will oppose a short-term spending bill when it comes to the floor Thursday afternoon, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi  —  (D-Calif.) said hours before.  —  The announcement puts the onus on GOP leaders to gather …

Trump to Release Infrastructure Plan in January, Official Says  —  White House turning to infrastructure in 2018 after taxes  —  Advocates bemoan ‘missed opportunity’ to get a bill this year  —  President Donald Trump plans to keep pushing his legislative agenda in 2018 by releasing …

Trust no one: Scholar risked all to document Islamic State  —  The historian carried secrets too heavy for one man to bear.  —  He packed his bag with his most treasured possessions before going to bed: the 1 terabyte hard drive with his evidence against the Islamic State group …

AP Interview: On North Korea, senator says China a problem  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — China is more of a problem than a partner for the United States on dealing with nuclear-armed North Korea, a leading Republican senator and ally of President Donald Trump told the Associated Press during a wide-ranging interview Thursday.

Op-Ed Dylan Farrow: Why has the #MeToo revolution spared Woody Allen?  —  Director Woody Allen attends a special screening of “Wonder Wheel” in New York City on Nov. 14.  (Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press) … We are in the midst of a revolution.

San Francisco activists see irony in Yass, a queer startup backed by tech wealth  —  Now a new startup is raising eyebrows over its links to Peter Thiel and its decision to open in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood  —  ne by one, San Francisco's iconic gay clubs and queer centers have shut their doors …

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Identified as Buyer of Record-Breaking da Vinci  —  U.S. government intelligence and a Saudi art-world figure familiar with the purchase say Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman used a proxy to purchase the 500-year-old ‘Salvator Mundi’

The Closing of the Republican Mind  —  When Ronald Reagan passed his historic tax cut in 1981, he won support from 25 Democrats in the Senate and 113 in the House.  —  When George W. Bush passed his sweeping tax cut in 2001, he won support from 12 Democrats in the Senate and 28 in the House.