What happened to Michael Cohen?  Mystery ex-Trump fixer arrives at home with apparent black eye and arm in sling hours after bombshell report that president ordered him to LIE to Congress  — Longtime Donald Trump lawyer Michael Cohen arrived at his Manhattan apartment with was treated at a New York hospital with his left arm covered

White House pushes long odds strategy for wall  —  The White House has a new, long-shot idea for getting President Donald Trump's border wall: persuading the Senate to take up the president's wall request to force a deal with the Democrats, then reopen the government.

Mnuchin Flew to L.A. on Private Jet of Billionaire Michael Milken  —  WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin flew from Washington to Los Angeles this month on the private aircraft of Michael R. Milken, the billionaire “junk bond” king who pleaded guilty to securities fraud in 1990 and served two years in prison.

The shabbiest U.S. president ever is an inexpressibly sad specimen  —  Half or a quarter of the way through this interesting experiment with an incessantly splenetic presidency, much of the nation has become accustomed to daily mortifications.  Or has lost its capacity for embarrassment, which is even worse.

Trump says he'll make “major announcement” about border  —  President Trump said on Twitter that he will be making a “major announcement” about the southern border and the government shutdown on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.  —  “I will be making a major announcement concerning the Humanitarian Crisis …

Justice Department's Reversal on Online Gambling Tracked Memo From Adelson Lobbyists  —  Analysis sent to Justice Department argued that 2011 opinion that helped online gambling was wrong  —  The legal reasoning behind the Justice Department's unusual reversal this week of an opinion …

Why I refuse to walk with the Washington Women's March  —  It should not be this difficult to condemn hate speech.  Until national leaders get it right, local marches will carry the mission forward.  —  CONNECT  —  I walked away from the Women's March on Washington two years ago absolutely electrified …

Advisers to former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz are looking at him running as an independent for president in 2020  —  Advisers to former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz have been exploring the possibility of launching an independent bid for the White House in 2020, according to two people who have been informed of the discussions.

Republican Congressman: Trump's Border Crisis Is a ‘Myth’  —  A conversation with Texas Rep. Will Hurd, who knows the border better than most of his colleagues  —  WASHINGTON — Congressman Will Hurd of Texas is an increasingly lonely voice in the “build the wall” Republican Party of Donald Trump.

Defying Trump Administration, Calif. Offers Federal Workers Unemployment Benefits  —  California Gov. Gavin Newsom says the Trump administration has told states they can't offer unemployment benefits to federal employees who are required to report to work without pay during the government shutdown.

Upper East Side Restaurant Nello Bans Single Women From Eating At The Bar  —  Because, apparently, the owners consider all of us escorts, and they have “special” seating rules for them.  —  And yes, this is as disgustingly ridiculous as it sounds, so let's backtrack.

Religious Right Leaders Defend Steve King's Honor, Demand Apology from House GOP Leader McCarthy  —  Religious Right leaders and right-wing activists are rallying in support of embattled Rep. Steve King, who has been under fire since a New York Times story quoted him wondering when terms like …

Even College Graduates Can't Afford a Home on the West Coast  — College graduates priced out of some of the biggest job hubs  — But, grads can find affordable housing in many thriving cities  —  College graduates earn a lot of money in San Jose but are still $100,000 short to afford …

St. Louis newscaster apologizes for inserting slur into Martin Luther King Jr.'s name on air  —  ST. LOUIS  • A St. Louis newscaster apologized on air Thursday morning, saying that his mispronunciation of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s name that included a racial slur was “not intentional in any way.”

R. Kelly Dropped by Sony Music  —  Sony Music has decided to dissolve its working relationship with R. Kelly, Variety has learned.  —  No external announcement of the move is planned in the immediate future, says a source, who added that the company took its time to wade through the issues “responsibly” and avoid legal ramifications.

AJC poll shows a deeply divided Georgia and tough numbers for Kemp  —  Editor's note: For a detailed explanation about how this poll was conducted, see the end of this story.  —  After an intensely partisan race for Georgia governor, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll released Friday shows …

Kamala Harris picks Baltimore as site for headquarters for potential presidential campaign  —  In this photo taken on Sept. 28, 2018, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, speaks with survivors of sexual assault in Washington.

The really scandalous part of Michael Cohen's poll-fixing efforts  —  On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Michael Cohen, President Trump's former personal attorney, tried to rig online “polls” in favor of Trump.  The story isn't the latest nefarious revelation to emerge from Cohen's downfall.

Bush calls on Trump, Democrats to ‘put politics aside’ and end the shutdown  —  Former President George W. Bush on Friday called on President Trump and congressional leaders to “put politics aside” and end the partial government shutdown, which is about to enter its fifth week.

Senate panel subpoenas Roger Stone associate Jerome Corsi  —  The Senate Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed conservative conspiracy theorist and special counsel witness Jerome Corsi, his attorney told The Hill on Friday.  —  The committee is seeking both an interview and documents from Corsi …