Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal  —  Federal prosecutors have gathered evidence of the president's participation in deals to buy the silence of a former adult-film actress and an ex-Playboy model.  The deals have led Trump's former lawyer …

Republicans Freak Out as New Ballots Threaten Florida Senate Win  —  New ballots in Broward County have conspiracy theorists — including the state's top elected officials — calling for an investigation of Democrats.  —  As the Republican margin in the Florida Senate race narrowed …

Matthew Whitaker is a crackpot  —  The acting attorney general of the United States is a crackpot.  —  Matthew G. Whitaker, installed in the job by President Trump to replace Jeff Sessions, was asked in 2014, during an ill-fated run in the Republican senatorial primary in Iowa, about the worst decisions in the Supreme Court's history.

Inside Kris Kobach's losing Kansas campaign: ‘Check logic and reason at the door’  —  Kris Kobach blamed money.  He blamed history.  He didn't blame himself for losing a race for governor in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2 to 1.  —  “Obviously, if we'd had more money …

Trump Threatens to Retaliate Against Reporters Who Don't Show ‘Respect’  —  President Trump said on Friday that he might revoke the credentials of additional White House reporters if they do not “treat the White House with respect,” lobbing another threat at the news media two days …

In revealing new memoir, Michelle Obama candidly shares her story  —  As Michelle Obama's highly anticipated memoir “Becoming” arrives, it's clear that the former first lady is occupying a space in the culture beyond politics.  With an arena book tour featuring A-list special guests …

Trump is telling people he wants to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross by the end of the year  — President Donald Trump is telling people he wants to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross by the end of the year, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Sessions, in Last-Minute Act, Sharply Limits Use of Consent Decrees to Curb Police Abuses  —  WASHINGTON — Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions has drastically limited the ability of federal law enforcement officials to use court-enforced agreements to overhaul local police departments accused …

Why Aren't Democrats More Excited About the 2018 Results  —  For a party that had a great night on Tuesday, Democrats aren't really acting like it.  Yes, they lost at least three Senate incumbents, but given the exposure they were up against, this is not such a bad result.

Zinke is the Cabinet official most vulnerable to Democratic probe, White House fears  —  White House officials have identified Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as the Cabinet member most vulnerable to a congressional probe under a Democratic majority in January, putting the colorful secretary closer …

Last Slide  —  But state Republican Chairman Jonathan Lines raised the level of accusations, saying Fontes, a Democrat, “cannot be trusted to administer elections in Arizona.”  —  Amy Chan, former state election director under Republican Secretary of State Ken Bennett, tweeted …

The Latest: Burns prevent immediate IDs of 5 dead from fire  —  PARADISE, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on California's wildfires (all times local):  —  Sheriff's officials in Northern California say the five people found dead in vehicles torched by a wildfire's flames could not immediately …

Leak: Axios Editor Concedes Problems With HBO ‘S**tshow’ But Assures Staff That Haters Are Just Jealous  —  “They hate ya cause they ain't ya,” one employee wrote.  —  Their weekly staff meeting had become a crisis debriefing, and Axios employees were wondering where things had gone wrong.

Thousand Oaks Gunman's High School Coach Speaks About Sexual Assault  —  NEWBURY PARK (CBSLA) — The Thousand Oaks shooter's high school track coach says that he assaulted her.  —  “I turned on the news and I was watching it and when they said his name my jaw just dropped,” said Dominique Colell.

A Vox Co-Founder Got Doxed on Twitter by a Hate-Spewing Incel, and Twitter Allowed It  —  If verified users with huge followings can't get Twitter to enforce its safety rules, what hope does everyone else have?  — It Took Me Less Than an Hour to Find Illegal Animal Products at a Chinese Traditional Medicine Market

Exit polling gives Golden an edge in 2nd District ranked-choice count.  See each candidate's road to victory.  —  AUGUSTA, Maine — Assistant Maine House Majority Leader Jared Golden is favored to beat U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin in a ranked-choice voting count that could decide the tight race …

Presidential Proclamation Addressing Mass Migration Through the Southern Border of the United States  —  The United States expects the arrival at the border between the United States and Mexico (southern border) of a substantial number of aliens primarily from Central America who appear …

Democrats could win 40 House seats, the most since Watergate  —  Democrats have won at least 33 seats, but they look poised to win closer to 40 — there are 13 races that are either not called or too close to call, and Democrats have a solid chance of winning seven of those.

Democrats Plan to Pursue Most Aggressive Gun-Control Legislation in Decades  —  Focus spurred by an incoming class of lawmakers with ‘F’ NRA ratings who campaigned on the issue  —  WASHINGTON—Democrats say they will pass the most aggressive gun-control legislation in decades when they become …

I'm a Saudi activist.  Twitter put my life in danger.  —  Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi women's rights activist, is the author of “Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening.”  —  In May 2011, the secret police took me from my home in Saudi Arabia in the middle of the night, while my 5-year-old son was sleeping.