Stephen Miller was writing SOTU to blame Democrats for shutdown — until Nancy Pelosi pulled the rug out: report  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) may have thrown a wrench into President Donald Trump's primetime plan to blame Democrats for the shutdown.  —  Citing security concerns on Wednesday …

Rick Gates Tells Mueller About Trump Team's Dealings With Israeli Intelligence Firm  —  Psy Group delivered plans for ‘social media manipulation’ in 2016 and the special counsel is digging in as part of his probe into Mideast influence.  —  Rick Gates, the former campaign aide to Donald Trump …

A lot of big trucks rolling down Pancake Blvd and there aren't any sidewalks.  Gloomy early morning sky in Liberal Kansas.  Snow melt on the side of the road where I'm running.  I find a vacant lot to cut through to another street, also busy and without sidewalks.

Top HUD official's departure follows disagreements over housing policy and Puerto Rico disaster funds  —  A top Department of Housing and Urban Development official is leaving the agency Thursday following disagreements with other members of the Trump administration over housing policy …

In a West Wing in Transition, Trump Tries to Stand Firm on the Shutdown  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump has insisted that he is not going to compromise with Democrats to end the government shutdown, and that he is comfortable in his unbendable position.  But privately, it's sometimes a different story.

Democrats Fall Short in Effort to Rebuke Administration on Russia Sanctions  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans on Wednesday narrowly staved off an effort by Democrats to deal the Trump administration's Russia sanctions policy an embarrassing rebuke.  —  Eleven Republicans joined Democrats …

BREAKING: Cumming man threatened to attack White House, authorities say  —  Federal authorities on Wednesday announced a terrorist case against a metro Atlanta resident accused of plotting to destroy the White House and other Washington D.C. government buildings.

Federal agency ‘improperly’ ignored constitutional concerns before allowing Trump to keep lease to his hotel, internal watchdog says  —  The General Services Administration “ignored” concerns that President Trump's lease on a government-owned building — the one that houses his Trump International Hotel …

Trump Must Be a Russian Agent; the Alternative Is Too Awful  —  IT WOULD BE rather embarrassing for Donald Trump at this point if Robert Mueller were to declare that the president isn't an agent of Russian intelligence.  —  THE PATTERN OF his pro-Putin, pro-Russia, anti-FBI …

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a social media star, to school House Democrats on Twitter use  —  WASHINGTON - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dances outside her office, solicits instant-pot recipes and gets into fights on Twitter.  Soon you may see other Democrats taking a page from her social media playbook.

Most Personality Quizzes Are Junk Science.  Take One That Isn't.  —  Compare your results to those of your friends and family.  —  What's your personality, and what can it tell you about your true self?  Those questions have launched a thousand online personality quizzes.

Will We Ever See Mueller's Report on Trump?  Maybe.  —  WASHINGTON — The swirl of speculation surrounding the Russia investigation often assumes that the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, will release a report of his findings that will serve as the definitive explanation …

North Korean spy chief's visit to Washington shrouded in mystery  —  On Thursday night, North Korea's spy chief will arrive in Washington for his planned meetings with President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to South Korean news reports and administration sources.

Have Aliens Found Us?  A Harvard Astronomer on the Mysterious Interstellar Object 'Oumuamua  —  On October 19, 2017, astronomers at the University of Hawaii spotted a strange object travelling through our solar system, which they later described as “a red and extremely elongated asteroid.”

A Lawsuit Claims Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Retaliated Against A Staffer Who Planned To Sue The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Over An Alleged Rape  —  The woman, identified by a pseudonym, claimed in a lawsuit that she was raped by a former employee of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

FISA shocker: DOJ official warned Steele dossier was connected to Clinton, might be biased  —  When the annals of mistakes and abuses in the FBI's Russia investigation are finally written, Bruce Ohr almost certainly will be the No. 1 witness, according to my sources.

Rep. Ed Case said he's ‘an Asian trapped in a white body.’ His apology didn't help.  —  Shortly after being sworn into office two weeks ago, Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) told his new staff: “I feel the aloha.”  —  He may be feeling less of that aloha this week, after some remarks he made drew controversy …

There's Nothing Wrong With Open Borders  —  Why a brave Democrat should make the case for vastly expanding immigration.  —  The internet expands the bounds of acceptable discourse, so ideas considered out of bounds not long ago now rocket toward widespread acceptability.

John Bogle, who founded Vanguard and revolutionized retirement savings, dies at 89.  —  John C. Bogle, 89, who revolutionized the way Americans save for the future, championed the interests of the small investor, and railed against corporate greed and the excesses of Wall Street …

The Shutdown Is Hurting Trump's Approval Rating.  But Will It Hurt Him in 2020?  —  The partial government shutdown is beginning to drag on President Trump's approval rating, which is at its lowest point in months.  As of early Wednesday evening, his approval rating was 40.2 percent …

Steve Carell to Star in Netflix Comedy Based on Trump's ‘Space Force’  —  Picked up straight to series, the show is co-created by the actor and ‘The Office’ boss Greg Daniels.  —  Steve Carell and The Office creator Greg Daniels are reuniting for a Netflix series inspired by President Trump's idea …

Russian security chief warns Ukraine could lose statehood  —  “The Kiev authorities are doing everything to split Ukraine, implementing the West's scenario to break Ukraine away from Russia, while ignoring the interests of its own people,” said Nikolai Patrushev  —  /TASS/.

Jeff Sessions: Do the right thing everyday and usually things work out, but not always  —  For the first time since former United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions returned home to Alabama after being fired, he gave ABC 33/40 an exclusive interview.  —  We talked with Sessions after Monday's inaugural activities in Montgomery.

Steve King says he was just defending ‘Western Civilization.’ That's racist, too.  —  After years of making racist statements and promoting racist policies, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) may finally have gone too far.  In a recent interview, he told the New York Times, “White nationalist …

Border rancher: 'We've found prayer rugs out here.  It's unreal'  —  LORDSBURG, N.M. — Ranchers and farmers near the U.S.-Mexico border have been finding prayer rugs on their properties in recent months, according to one rancher who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation by cartels.

Goldman's Tactic in Huge Malaysian Fraud Case: Smear an Ex-Partner  —  They sound like the ingredients of a pulpy thriller: Bigamy.  Secret religious conversions.  A doctorate from a mail-order diploma mill.  Affairs with powerful women.  —  The sordid list — a mixture of facts …

House passes disaster relief bill to fund government through Feb. 8  —  The House passed a Democratic-backed emergency disaster relief bill on Wednesday that includes an amendment funding the federal government through early February.  —  The bill passed in a 237-187 vote …

Michael Cohen fears Trump rhetoric could put his family at risk: Sources  —  Michael Cohen is having reservations about his highly anticipated public appearance before Congress next month, fearing that President Donald Trump's frequent diatribes against him could put his family in danger, according to sources close to Cohen.

Exclusive excerpt: Chris Christie torches Jared  —  Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie settles scores in “Let Me Finish,” a memoir out Jan. 29 from Hachette Books, writing that President Trump “trusts people he shouldn't, including some of the people who are closest to him.”