The Mueller Report Is Coming.  Here's What to Expect.  —  A concise report will probably act as a “road map” to investigation for the Democratic House — and to further criminal investigation by other prosecutors.  —  Mr. Katyal was an acting solicitor general under President Barack Obama.

Trump Inaugural Committee Challenged Vendor Requests and Budgeting, Documents Show  —  In the weeks before his inauguration, top officials on President Trump's inaugural committee repeatedly sounded alarms about the budgets submitted by several vendors, according to correspondence, committee records and draft budgets.

Trump White House Is Forcing Interns to Sign NDAs and Threatening Them With Financial Ruin  —  Not even the interns are exempt from the legally dubious rite of passage practiced by the Trump White House.  —  Asawin Suebsaeng  —  When the Trump White House welcomed its newest batch …

American Democracy in Crisis: The Fate of Pluralism in a Divided Nation  —  The 2018 Election  —  Views of President Trump  —  After two years in office, the public's view of President Trump remains negative.  As of late December 2018, when this survey was conducted …

Meet Under Armour CEO's Unusual Adviser: An MSNBC Anchor  —  Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank was questioned last year by the company's board over his ties to MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle, who has traveled on his private jet and provided input on a range of business matters, according to current and former executives.

Jussie Smollett paid brothers $3,500 to stage attack, police say  —  “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett paid two brothers $3,500 to stage a violent attack on him, Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said.  Smollett turned himself in to police early Thursday morning and was expected to appear in bond court later in the day.

Republican candidate's son shakes up North Carolina hearing with surprise testimony  —  John Harris said he warned his father about potentially illegal activities of a political operative the candidate eventually hired.  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — The son of Republican congressional candidate Mark Harris testified …

Trump's Inaugural Team Scrambled to Defend Staff and Record Haul  — Tricky question a year after party: What did Rick Gates do?  — Staffers came from Barrack's Colony Capital, Manafort's circle  —  The leaders of President Donald Trump's inaugural committee saw trouble coming and tried to get ahead of it.

This man could shed light on Trump mystery, Senate witness says  —  London and Moscow (CNN)Senate investigators want to question a Moscow-based American businessman with longstanding ties to President Donald Trump after witnesses told them he could shed light on the President's commercial …

“She Never Looks Back”: Inside Elizabeth Holmes's Chilling Final Months at Theranos  —  At the end, Theranos was overrun by a dog defecating in the boardroom, nearly a dozen law firms on retainer, and a C.E.O. grinning through her teeth about an implausible turnaround.

Trump Said He Ordered His Administration To Withhold Wildfire Aid To California.  FEMA Says He Never Did.  —  The president tweeted that he was cutting off disaster assistance to wildfire survivors to punish California officials.  But no record of such an order exists.

Bernie Sanders Will Hit Huge Obstacles in 2020  —  Bernie Sanders's entry into the 2020 race amounts to a big stone in a lake: It will generate ripples that touch every other candidate.  But his own path to the nomination remains rocky unless he can attract a broader coalition than he did in 2016.

Facebook decided which users are interested in Nazis — and let advertisers target them directly  —  Facebook makes money by charging advertisers to reach just the right audience for their message — even when that audience is made up of people interested in the perpetrators of the Holocaust or explicitly neo-Nazi music.

Trump claims border wall is under construction ‘right now’ using fence repair footage from 5 months ago  —  With a legal fight challenge mounting from state governments over the Trump administration's use of a national emergency to construct at the U.S.-Mexico border, the president has kicked his push for the barrier into high gear.

Howard Schultz didn't vote on latest Seattle school levies  —  The no-show was in line with Schultz's pattern of ignoring many elections over the decades, even while urging increased civic and political involvement by Americans.  —  Even after facing public criticism over his spotty voting record …

The Obama Presidential Library That Isn't  —  The Obama Presidential Center promises to be a presidential library like no other.  —  The three-building, 19-acre “working center for citizenship,” set to be built in a public park on the South Side of Chicago, will include a 235-foot-high …

Government report reveals CBO was scandalously off in Obamacare estimates  —  A new report from government actuaries has revealed that the Congressional Budget Office was scandalously off in its estimates of the impact of Obamacare's individual mandate, a miscalculation that has had significant ramifications …

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says he regrets participating in ‘Old South’ parties at Auburn University  —  Governor Bill Lee addresses audience at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 30th Commemorative Convocation at Tennessee State University's Gentry Center  —  Four decades removed from his time as a student …

Advertisers Boycott YouTube After Pedophiles Swarm Comments on Videos of Children  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Nestlé, Epic Games and other major brands said on Wednesday that they had stopped buying advertisements on YouTube after their ads appeared on children's videos where pedophiles had infiltrated the comment sections.

The Trump administration keeps breaking up migrant families.  Here's how they do it  —  Amid public outcry over the thousands of migrant children separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to keep families together.

Self-proclaimed white nationalist planned mass terror attack, government says.  ‘I am dreaming of a way to kill almost every last person on earth.’  —  A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant and self-identified white nationalist has been arrested after federal investigators uncovered a cache of weapons …

FBI's top lawyer believed Hillary Clinton should face charges, but was talked out of it  —  For most of the past three years, the FBI has tried to portray its top leadership as united behind ex-Director James Comey's decision not to pursue criminal charges against Hillary Clinton …

Road rage, hate crime or both: Shooting death of Muslim man could draw FBI scrutiny  —  Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana allows Indianapolis residents to share anonymous tips with law enforcement.  Here are a few things Crime Stoppers wants you to know before you call.  —  CONNECT11  —  TWEET11

Crazy in Gov: Why Won't the Media Discuss Trump's Mental Instability?  —  Photo illustration: Soohee Cho/The Intercept, Getty Images  —  Subscribe to the Deconstructed podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public, and other platforms.  New to podcasting?  Click here.

Scoop: McConnell recommends Kelly Craft to Trump for UN ambassador  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has spoken to President Trump and recommended U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft as the next UN ambassador, according to two sources familiar with the situation.

The Biggest Field Yet.  No Frontrunner.  A Divided Base.  Welcome to the 2020 Democratic Primary  —  Almost a year before the first votes of the 2020 -presidential contest, Democratic candidates are all over the map.  There's Elizabeth Warren in a drafty warehouse in Des Moines, Iowa …

Uniqlo says its new spring jacket was not inspired by Mao Zedong  —  Is 2019 the year that the Mao suit makes a comeback!?  —  Searching for a new look for this spring that's light, simple, and proletarian?  Well, Uniqlo has just the thing!  —  The Japanese fashion brand has introduced a new …

Town says it's ‘taken action’ after marshal's encounter with young journalist  —  The Town of Patagonia says it has taken unspecified action after Marshal Joseph Patterson was video-recorded telling a pre-teen journalist that it was against the law for her to put his image on the internet during …