David Brock I knew Brett Kavanaugh during his years as a Republican operative.  Don't let him sit on the Supreme Court.  —  We were part of a close circle of cynical hard-right operatives being groomed for much bigger things.  —  Created with Sketch.  —  I used to know Brett Kavanaugh pretty well.

Trump Administration Discussed Coup Plans With Rebel Venezuelan Officers  —  The Trump administration held secret meetings with rebellious military officers from Venezuela over the last year to discuss their plans to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro, according to American officials …

Obama vs. Trump: The clash everyone's waited for arrives  —  But on Friday, at least, the current president barely mustered a response to the blistering critique leveled against him by his predecessor.  —  URBANA, Ill. — Barack Obama went hard.  Donald Trump hardly responded.

plaidshirtguy at Trump rally is ... a Billings high schooler  —  Billings West High School senior Tyler Linfesty learned Thursday morning during first period that he had been selected for VIP treatment at President Donald J. Trump's rally at MetraPark.  —  Linfesty had applied for tickets to the rally earlier in the week.

Elliott Broidy's Mistress Shera Bechard Says He Demanded She Get Abortion  —  Shera Bechard also accused Elliott Broidy of having unprotected sex with her—'without telling her he had genital herpes.' Broidy denies the claims.  —  Lachlan Cartwright  —  A major Republican fundraiser allegedly demanded …

Ryan, McConnell try to coax Trump away from shutdown — using props and flattery  —  The top two Republicans in Congress arrived at the White House this week armed with props aimed at flattering and cajoling President Trump out of shutting down the government at the end of this month.

According to Donald Trump, a lot of people are crying around Donald Trump  —  WASHINGTON - Something remarkable happened, according to Donald Trump, when Donald Trump arrived at his campaign rally in Evansville, Indiana last week.  —  Nine “miners” greeted him backstage.

Michael Cohen seeks to tear up Stormy Daniels deal, wants money back  —  (CNN)Michael Cohen's shell company, Essential Consultants, filed a status report Friday evening agreeing to tear up the original 2016 agreement with adult film star Stormy Daniels, in which Cohen arranged to pay her $130,000 …

Trump Executives Face U.S. Campaign-Finance Probe, Source Says  — Manhattan prosecutors continue inquiry after Cohen guilty plea  — What did Weisselberg know and sign off on as company's CFO?  —  Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether anyone …

Letter confirms Vatican received McCarrick complaint in 2000 … VATICAN CITY — A 2006 letter from a top Vatican official confirms that the Holy See received information in 2000 about the sexual misconduct of now-resigned U.S. cardinal, lending credibility to bombshell accusations of a cover …

To Secure Better Housing, Top Diplomat Pulls Rank on the Military  —  WASHINGTON — As a congressman and before he moved to Washington full-time, Mike Pompeo lived in a 5,500-square-foot house in Wichita, Kan., replete with vaulted ceilings, four bedrooms and five bathrooms …

Papadopoulos breaks silence, 'can't guarantee' he didn't tell Trump campaign about Russian dirt  —  Watch Jake Tapper's interview with the ex-Trump campaign aide in CNN Special Report “The Mysterious Case of George Papadopoulos” Saturday at 8 p.m., ET.  —  Washington (CNN)Former Trump …

Manafort Weighing Plea Deal to Avoid New Criminal Trial, Source Says  — Talks said to center on possible admissions, sentencing length  — Ex-Trump campaign chief was convicted in Virginia last month  —  Paul Manafort's lawyers have talked to U.S. prosecutors about a possible guilty plea …

Dallas Police Officer Kills Her Neighbor in His Apartment, Saying She Mistook It for Her Own  —  A Dallas police officer fatally shot a neighbor inside the man's apartment late Thursday night, claiming that she mistook his apartment for her own and believed he was an intruder, the police said.

>> Defunding UNRWA is an example of Trump's ‘peace’ plan |  Analysis  —  The administration deliberated for a number of weeks whether or not to include the East Jerusalem hospitals in its budget cut, since some of these hospitals are supported by influential Christian groups in the United States.