FBI warned Trump in 2016 Russians would try to infiltrate his campaign  —  WASHINGTON — In the weeks after he became the Republican nominee on July 19, 2016, Donald Trump was warned that foreign adversaries, including Russia, would probably try to spy on and infiltrate his campaign …

Trump predicts exoneration in Russia investigation as allies fear a ‘meltdown’  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump is privately striking a less agitated tone on the Russia investigation, sources say, even insisting he'll soon be cleared in writing.

Trump Judicial Nominee Drops Out After Embarrassing Hearing, Per Senate Aide  —  Matthew Petersen is the president's third court pick to crash and burn over not being qualified to be a federal judge.  —  WASHINGTON President Donald Trump's judicial nominee Matthew Petersen has withdrawn …

Track Palin, son of former Gov. Sarah Palin, arrested for assaulting his father  —  PALMER — Track Palin, the 28-year-old son of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was arrested on assault and burglary charges after he repeatedly hit his father, Todd Palin, at the family home Saturday, charging documents say.

Franken urged to reverse his resignation  —  At least four senators are urging Al Franken to reconsider resigning, including two who issued statements calling for the resignation two weeks ago and said they now feel remorse over what they feel was a rush to judgment.

Mueller makes reckless move with seizure of Trump transition emails  —  BY JONATHAN TURLEY, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 12/18/17 07:00 AM EST THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS ARE THEIR OWN AND NOT THE VIEW OF THE HILL  —  J. Edgar Hoover used to say that “justice is just incidental to law and order.”

Amtrak train hurtles off overpass; at least 6 people killed  —  DUPONT, Wash. (AP) — An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off an overpass at an estimated 80 mph Monday south of Seattle and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing at least six people, authorities said.

The Republican tax bill got worse: now the top 1% gets 83% of the gains  —  In its last year, the bill raises taxes on more than 53 percent of Americans.  —  By 2027, more than half of all Americans — 53 percent — would pay more in taxes under the tax bill agreed to by House and Senate Republicans …

In FBI Agent's Account, ‘Insurance Policy’ Text Referred to Russia Probe  —  Agent's text was meant to convey the FBI needed to aggressively investigate allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia  —  An FBI agent's reference to “an insurance policy” in a much-debated text message …

Jennifer Rubin Is Everything She Hates about Trump Worshippers  —  The Washington Post columnist stands out among Trump-obsessed zealots who add nothing to our discourse.  —  The era of Trump has been as hard on the mind as it has been good for the muscles in the chest.

Final Tax Bill Could End Up Costing $2.2 Trillion  —  The final conference committee agreement of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) would cost $1.46 trillion under conventional scoring and over $1 trillion on a dynamic basis over ten years, leading debt to rise to between 95 percent and 98 percent …

Rebelling Republican Suburbs Offer Democrats Path to House Control  —  HOUSTON — As she sat with a glass of sauvignon blanc waiting for a women-focused Democratic fund-raiser to begin, Nancy Sharp let loose in a Texas-seasoned drawl why she and so many other onetime supporters of the Bush family were abandoning the Republicans.

News Regarding John Skipper  —  ESPN President John Skipper announced today that he is resigning from his position, citing a substance addiction problem.  Former ESPN President and Executive Chairman George Bodenheimer (who worked at ESPN from 1981-2014) will serve as Acting Chair of the company …

I Turned My Coworker Into HR When She Gave Me A Christmas Card, And She Changed My Heart  —  For years I have been one of the only Jewish people at my places of employment.  I am currently the only Jew who wears a kippah at my office every day.  In my heavily Southern Baptist and rural town …

Sources: Jerry Richardson, Panthers Have Made Multiple Confidential Payouts for Workplace Misconduct, Including Sexual Harassment and Use of a Racial Slur  — SI has learned that at least four former Panthers employees have received ‘significant’ monetary settlements due to inappropriate workplace comments …

Pence delays trip to Middle East for tax vote and amid uproar over Jerusalem decision  —  The White House announced Monday that Vice President Pence is delaying a planned trip to the Middle East in case his vote is needed to pass tax legislation — a move that also comes amid uproar …

‘He Would Probably Be a Dictator by Now’  —  Subscribe to The Global POLITICO on Apple Podcasts here.  Subscribe via Stitcher here.  —  Last year, Eliot Cohen rallied dozens of fellow veterans of Republican administrations, people like him who had served in the upper reaches of the Pentagon …

The secret backstory of how Obama let Hezbollah off the hook  —  PART I  —  A GLOBAL THREAT EMERGES  —  How Hezbollah turned to trafficking cocaine and laundering money through used cars to finance its expansion.  —  In its determination to secure a nuclear deal with Iran …