GOP senator praises McCain but says he's ‘partially to blame’ for White House flag controversy  —  Washington (CNN)Republican Sen. James Inhofe told reporters Monday that Sen. John McCain was “partially to blame” for the controversy over the lowering of the White House flag.

Manafort Sought Deal in Next Trial, but Talks Broke Down  —  Negotiations stalled after Mueller raised issues  —  Paul Manafort's defense team held talks with prosecutors to resolve a second set of charges against the former Trump campaign chairman before he was convicted last week …

BREAKING: Divided Three Judge Court Holds North Carolina Congressional Redistricting an Unconstitutional Partisan Gerrymander, Considers New Districts for 2018 Elections  —  In a case with potentially national implications both short term and long, a three judge district court in North Carolina …

“Trump Is Nuts.  This Time Really Feels Different”: Trump Rejects “War Council” Intervention, Goes It Alone  —  With his closest allies defecting, the president increasingly trusts only his instincts.  He “got joy” from stripping former C.I.A. director John Brennan's security clearance.

In Defending Trump, Is Giuliani a Shrewd Tactician — or ‘Untethered’?  —  Rudolph Giuliani, President Trump's lawyer, detailed for the first time his strategy for representing the president, in blunt and divisively political terms.  —  The man identified these days as President Trump's lawyer seems vaguely familiar.

Lanny Davis Says He Was A Source For CNN's Trump Tower Story  —  Attorney Lanny Davis says he was an anonymous source in a July CNN story that reported his client, Michael Cohen, had privately claimed that President Trump had advance knowledge of the infamous Trump Tower meeting between his son …

The Catholic abuse scandal now leads all the to way the Vatican  —  An ecclesial straight shooter.  A reliable character.  A serious man.  That's how sources familiar with Carlo Maria Viganò describe the Italian archbishop, who served as the Vatican ambassador to the United States from 2011 to 2016.

Whistleblower Exposes Key Player in FBI Russia Probe: “It was all a Set-up”  —  Former DOD employee uncovered a long history of questionable behavior by FBI informant  —  Key player in Russia probe appears to have significant ties to Russian government  —  Adam Lovinger, a former Defense …

Ted Cruz Opts for Campaign Trail Instead of Senate Votes  —  When Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell nixed much of the August recess, it raised the prospect that vulnerable Democrats might miss valuable campaign time, but it appears to also be having an effect on Republicans.  Case in point: Sen. Ted Cruz.

Poll: Rep. Duncan Hunter leads by 8 points in reelection bid following federal indictment  —  U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter leaves an arraignment hearing Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in San Diego.  Hunter and his wife Margaret pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges they illegally used his campaign account for personal expenses.

Here Are The Rumors And Hoaxes We're Tracking About The Jacksonville Shooting  —  A shooting at a Madden NFL 19 tournament in Jacksonville, Florida, left two dead and 11 injured Sunday.  The suspect has been named as David Katz, a participant in the tournament.

Bloomberg News reassigned reporter after Wells Fargo CEO called to complain  —  A Bloomberg News reporter who covered Wells Fargo was reassigned earlier this year after the bank's CEO called the news organization's editor in chief and complained about the reporter, multiple people familiar with the matter told CNN.

White House role in FBI headquarters plan detailed in watchdog report  —  GSA and its inspector general differ on whether the agency administrator misled Congress over White House involvement.  —  Officials from the General Services Administration may have misled Congress about the White House's role …

Stormy Daniels Isn't Backing Down  —  Michael Avenatti and Stormy Daniels, photographed in New York.  Zac Posen dress.  Tiffany & Co. earrings.  —  Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, October 2018  —  BY THE TIME I knock on the door of Stormy Daniels's room at the Roger Smith Hotel …

Why Trump cancelled Pompeo's trip to North Korea  —  Last Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced he was departing on his fourth trip to Pyongyang.  On Friday, just hours before Pompeo was supposed to leave, President Trump tweeted that the trip was off.

‘Rachel Maddow Show’ Tops Cable For Fourth Consecutive Night, Even With Guest Host  —  No Rachel Maddow, no problem for MSNBC.  The Rachel Maddow Show extended its winning streak over all of cable to four nights on Friday, despite Ali Velshi filling in as its host.

Tibbetts' father: Hispanic locals ‘Iowans with better food’  —  BROOKLYN, Iowa (AP) — The killing of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts has prompted criticism of the U.S. immigration system because the man charged in her death is a Mexican farmworker.

Kushner Companies and Michael Cohen Accused of Falsifying Building Permits to Push Out Tenants  —  Charles Kushner, the developer whose son Jared Kushner is a senior adviser to President Trump, and Michael Cohen, the president's former personal lawyer, face scrutiny in New York for claims …

Secret message board drives 'pizzagate'-style harassment campaign of small businesses  —  The theorists are inspired in part by a far-right news website that has been used by prominent Republicans for fundraising efforts.  —  In January, Andrew Richmond, a co-founder of a Toronto-based chain …