Ex-Playboy Model, Let Out of Tabloid Contract, Can Freely Discuss Alleged Trump Affair  —  The tabloid news company American Media Inc. agreed to let a former Playboy model out of a contract that had kept her from talking freely about an alleged affair with Donald J. Trump, her lawyer said.

Trump says initial high-level meeting between U.S. and North Korea ‘went very well’  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Trump expressed optimism Wednesday that his planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un can help make the world safer, and he said his envoy, CIA Director Mike Pompeo …

How Tony Podesta, a Washington Power Broker, Lost It All  —  The Democratic lobbyist had money, connections and a rarified art collection.  Then came a divorce, Paul Manafort and Donald Trump, and his world came crashing down  —  Brody Mullins and Julie Bykowicz  —  Tony Podesta was in line to be king of K Street.

New York Attorney General Seeks Power to Bypass Presidential Pardons  —  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman of New York is moving to change New York state law so that he and other local prosecutors would have the power to bring criminal charges against aides to President Trump who have been pardoned …

‘Nerves of steel’: She calmly landed the Southwest flight, just as you'd expect of a former fighter pilot … The pilot's voice was calm yet focused as her plane descended with 149 people on board.  —  “Southwest 1380, we're single engine,” said Tammie Jo Shults, a former fighter pilot with the U.S. Navy.

Judge Holds Kobach In Contempt Of Court  —  A federal judge has ordered that Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach be held in contempt of court for disobeying her orders in the proof-of-citizenship voter registration case.  —  Judge Julie Robinson in her decision Wednesday bashed Kobach's failure …

New House FEC Reports: Rating Changes in 7 Districts  —  Speaker Paul Ryan's retirement plans could complicate the House GOP's fundraising math.  In 2017, Ryan's joint fundraising committee brought in $44 million and transferred $32 million to the NRCC.  His exit could leave GOP donors skittish.

White Evangelical Support for Donald Trump at All-Time High  —  A new PRRI survey finds white evangelical support for President Trump at an all-time high, with 75 percent holding a favorable view of the president and just 22 percent holding an unfavorable view.

Fresno State professor stirs outrage, calls Barbara Bush an ‘amazing racist’  —  A Fresno State professor called former first lady Barbara Bush an “amazing racist” who raised a “war criminal,” and expressed no concern that she could be fired or reprimanded for her outspokenness on social media.

Right-Wing Extremists Guilty In Terror Plot Against Muslim Refugees  —  Attorneys argued the Trump-backing trio had were radicalized by “chaos news,” and wrongfully targeted by the feds for “locker room talk.”  —  WICHITA, Kan. Three right-wing militiamen from rural Kansas were found guilty …

Scott Pruitt Is Now Being Investigated By The House of Representatives, Senate, White House, Office of Management and Budget, Government Accountability Office, and EPA Inspector General … This week the number of investigations into embattled EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's ethics lapses …

Senate panel moving ahead with Mueller bill despite McConnell opposition  —  (R-Iowa) said his committee will take up legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller  —  despite opposition from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  —  (R-Ky.).  —  “They got together …

The Urban Housing Crisis Is a Test for Progressive Politics  —  Several years ago, a fired-up young activist came to my door asking me to sign a petition opposing the construction of a new apartment building in the neighborhood.  The new building was to occupy what had been, for many years, a vacant lot along a major thoroughfare.

Tennessee lawmakers punish Memphis for removing statues  —  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Republican-dominated House in Tennessee voted Tuesday to punish the city of Memphis for removing Confederate monuments by taking $250,000 away from the city that would have been used for a bicentennial celebration next year.

The Hill says goodbye to 50 Most Beautiful  —  After nearly 15 years, The Hill is bidding a beautiful bye-bye to its annual 50 Most Beautiful list.  —  While it's had a remarkably gorgeous run, The Hill team feels the time has come for 50 Most Beautiful to be added to that big, beautiful list in the sky.

Comey: ‘The Republican Party has left me and many others’  —  Former FBI Director James Comey was a registered Republican for most of his life, but now he believes “the Republican Party has left me and many others.”  —  “I just think they've lost their way and I can't be associated with it …

Meghan McCain Confronts Comey: ‘J. Edgar Hoover is Rolling Over in His Grave’ Over Book Details  —  Dressed in pearls and a blood-red pantsuit, The View's conservative co-host Meghan McCain arrived fired up and ready to go for the show's special guest on Wednesday morning, former FBI Director James Comey.

Pittsburgh Police Prepare For Possible Riots In Event Trump Fires Mueller  —  PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Police are gearing up for possible protests in the event President Donald Trump fires special counsel Robert Mueller.  —  A memo went out to the police department from Victor Joseph …

Whaa!  Some senators worry about babies on the floor  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Who doesn't like babies?  —  That question quietly wound through back channels in the Senate this week after a proposal to allow tiny humans, the progeny of senators, into the tradition-bound, male-dominated chamber.

'People don't realize': Trump and the historical facts he wants you to know  —  The Debrief: An occasional series offering a reporter's insights … As President Trump announced that South and North Korean leaders have his blessing to discuss a permanent end to the military conflict between …

Colonel demoted, immediately retired from Air National Guard over dinosaur puppet video  —  The Tennessee Air National Guard colonel who led a re-enlistment ceremony in which a senior noncommissioned officer recited her oath using a dinosaur puppet has been demoted and retired.

Data firm leaks 48 million user profiles it scraped from Facebook, LinkedIn, others  —  Exclusive: Profile data was scraped without user consent or knowledge to “build a three-dimensional picture” on millions of people.  —  Video: Scraped and leaked: 48 million users' social profiles

How Trump's NASA Nominee Used a Nonprofit He Ran to Benefit Himself … Rep. James Bridenstine (R-Okla.) is a former Navy pilot with virtually no management experience in any large organization.  But the Oklahoma Republican has been tapped by President Donald Trump to take over the National Aeronautics …

Trump accuses Stormy Daniels of ‘a total con job’ with artist's sketch … Donald Trump has said Stormy Daniels is pulling “a total con job” by promoting an artist's sketch of a man she says threatened her to keep silent about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump years ago.

Here's where New Yorkers think upstate New York is … Cynthia Nixon's primary challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) has meant wading into tricky, controversial waters.  Take, for example, her interview with the New York Times Magazine over the weekend.  Sure, she advocated the legalization …

AZ GOP Appears To Back Off Attempt To Rig Rules For McCain's Senate Seat  —  Arizona Republicans appeared to back off their efforts Wednesday to rig the rules to keep Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) seat in their column, pulling from the state Senate floor a proposed change in state law …

Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer endorses Kevin de León in his insurgent bid against Sen. Dianne Feinstein  —  Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer is endorsing state Sen. Kevin de León in his insurgent challenge to fellow Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein …

The day outspoken Barbara Bush regretted speaking her mind  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Barbara Bush leaned over the seat on Air Force Two and glared at me.  It was 1984, and her husband, Vice President George Bush, was running for re-election with President Ronald Reagan.

De Blasio's rat-killing demonstration is a complete disaster  —  One wily rat made NYCHA look like a Mickey Mouse operation Tuesday in Brooklyn.  —  Mayor de Blasio and workers from the Housing Authority were outwitted by the rodent during a press event at a Bushwick project …

The Dark Side of the Starbucks Stand-Down  —  Unconscious-bias training is a rather sinister business.  —  By now the story is all over America.  Earlier this month, two black men entered a Starbucks store in Philadelphia.  They were apparently waiting for a friend before ordering …

In Pro-Trump Tennessee, Democrats Count on a Familiar Face to Flip a Senate Seat  —  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — President Trump won 92 of Tennessee's 95 counties in the 2016 election, making this state a seemingly daunting target for Democrats hoping to flip a seat in the Senate.

California has eight of 10 most polluted U.S. cities  —  A new study be The Health Effects Institute explains that most of the world is breathing air deemed dangerous by The World Health Organization.  Tony Spitz has the details.  Buzz60  —  Forget the Golden State.  California should be called the Smoggy State.

As opponents debate, Kay Ivey dog-whistles ‘Dixie’  —  Kay Ivey insists she's too busy being governor to debate her Republican challengers.  Instead, she's taking her message directly to the people of Alabama, 30 seconds at a time, in paid political advertising that conveys the warmth and charm …

Sean Hannity, Michael Cohen and the ethics of disclosure  —  I've been watching hours and hours of nonstop coverage about Sean Hannity.  —  And while what was disclosed in a federal court in Manhattan is clearly newsworthy, many of Fox's competitors have made no effort to hide their glee in slamming the top-rated host in cable news.

US targeting NAFTA deal in three weeks: Sources  — Top officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico will attend meetings slated to take place tomorrow and Friday.  —  The U.S. is aiming to reach a deal in principle with Canada and Mexico on the North American Free Trade Agreement in the next three weeks …