Arizona's Trent Franks to Resign Jan. 31  —  Updated 7:24 pm |  Arizona Republican Trent Franks said Thursday he is resigning from Congress effective Jan. 31 amid an Ethics Committee investigation into discussions he had with two female staffers about surrogacy.

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 …

Justice Department Moves To Investigate Planned Parenthood's Fetal Tissue Practices … The Justice Department is taking steps to investigate Planned Parenthood, The Daily Beast has learned.  —  The head of Justice's office of legislative affairs has sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee asking …

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 …

Stark Partisan Divisions Over Russia Probe, Including Its Importance to the Nation  —  Trump's style, Twitter use top ‘disappointments’ among supporters  —  A majority of Americans say they think senior members of Donald Trump's administration definitely or probably had improper contacts …

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 …

Here's Why Democrats Forced Al Franken to Do the Right Thing—And Why They May Come to Regret It … So Al Franken is out.  It was the right thing for him to do.  I guess.  What he did was wrong.  It wasn't asking-a-14-year-old-girl-to-take-her- clothes-off wrong, but it was wrong.

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 …

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.

Heavy winds and dry air could prolong Ventura County wildfire for weeks, officials say  —  Gusty Santa Ana winds and bone-dry conditions continued to stoke major wildfires in Southern California on Thursday as Ventura County fire officials said the battle there could last well over a week.

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.

The Steele Dossier on Trump and Russia Is Looking More and More Real  —  When news surfaced at the beginning of the year that British intelligence agent turned private investigator Christopher Steele had compiled a report on Donald Trump's ties to Russia, news reports immediately treated its findings as radioactive.

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 …

On eve of Trump visit, Mississippi blacks say he's brought back troubles of the past  —  JACKSON, Miss. — The president is coming to America's poorest, blackest state to open a civil rights museum on Saturday, and people in the neighborhoods surrounding that gleaming tribute to the past …

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 …

Trump's richest friends are asking for changes to the GOP tax plan, and he's listening … Some of President Trump's wealthiest New York friends have launched a last-minute campaign to pressure him for changes to the GOP tax bill, telling the president personally that the current plan would drive up their taxes and hurt his home state.

Ex-Governor's Run Gives Democrats a Bit More Hope of Retaking the Senate  —  WASHINGTON — Former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the last Democrat to win statewide office in Tennessee, announced on Tuesday that he would run for the seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker, handing his party a conceivable …

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 …

Al Franken, the latest casualty of the ‘Weinstein’ effect, now a victim of sexual McCarthyism  —  It looks like Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) will become the latest casualty of the “Harvey Weinstein effect:” he is expected to announce his resignation amidst mounting pressure from Democrats to step …

Donald Trump — keeper of promises  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Washington (CNN)A politician who actually does what he told voters he would do seems almost unfathomable in Washington, a town of broken promises.  For Donald Trump, being a president who delivers is especially crucial …

Former Colorado GOP chairman Steve Curtis found guilty of voter fraud, forgery  —  republican found guilty of voter fraud |  DENVER - Steve Curtis, the former chairman for the Colorado Republican Party, was found guilty Thursday by a Weld County jury of voter fraud and forgery.

Grindelwald casting  —  When Johnny Depp was cast as Grindelwald, I thought he'd be wonderful in the role.  However, around the time of filming his cameo in the first movie, stories had appeared in the press that deeply concerned me and everyone most closely involved in the franchise.

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 …

‘Girls’ Writer Murray Miller's Lawyers Retract Claim That Assault Accuser Demanded Money  —  Lawyers for “Girls” writer Murray Miller — who has been accused of sexual assault by actress Aurora Perrineau — had initially claimed that Perrineau had demanded money from Miller.

Zinke booked government helicopters to attend D.C. events  —  Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke spent more than $14,000 on government helicopters this summer to take himself and staff to and from official events near Washington, D.C., in order to accommodate his attendance at a swearing-in ceremony …