New York Charges Paul Manafort With 16 Crimes.  If He's Convicted, Trump Can't Pardon Him.  —  [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]  —  Paul J. Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman, has been charged in New York with mortgage fraud …

Exclusive: Lawyer said Michael Cohen could ‘sleep well tonight’ after speaking to Rudy Giuliani  —  Washington (CNN)An attorney who said he was speaking with President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani reassured Michael Cohen in an April 2018 email that Cohen could “sleep well tonight” …

Riding around with Beto O'Rourke as he comes to grips with a presidential run.  —  It's nine P.M. on a Thursday night and Beto O'Rourke is trying to manage a couple of life-altering and possibly world-historical political events while also driving his family home from a Mexican restaurant.

Facebook's Data Deals Are Under Criminal Investigation  —  Federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook struck with some of the world's largest technology companies, intensifying scrutiny of the social media giant's business practices as it seeks to rebound from a year of scandal and setbacks.

Lori Loughlin's Daughter Olivia Leaves Yacht of USC's Board of Trustees Chairman  —  As Lori Loughlin traveled from Vancouver to L.A. Tuesday night to surrender to federal authorities in the college bribery scandal — which got her daughter, Olivia Jade, into USC — Olivia spent the night …

Twitter reveals big changes to conversations and new camera features  —  The changes are meant to make good on the company's promise to promote “healthy conversation.”  —  Twitter is teasing some of the biggest changes to its social media service since it first launched in 2006 …

Whitaker ‘did not deny’ talking to Trump about Cohen, personnel at SDNY, top Democrat says  —  The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee said Wednesday that former acting attorney general Matthew G. Whitaker “did not deny” that President Trump “called him to discuss the case” …

Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she has ‘zero’ sympathy for parents caught in college admissions scam  — Sen. Elizabeth Warren told MSNBC that she has “zero” sympathy for the dozens of parents charged in what the Justice Department says is the biggest college admissions scandal it's ever prosecuted.

Inside the Shadowy, Totally Legal World of High-Priced College Consultants  —  For prices up to $1.5 million, parents can buy a five-year, full-service package of college admissions consulting from a company in New York City called Ivy Coach.  —  The service begins as early as eighth grade …

U.S. Grounds Boeing Planes, After Days of Pressure  —  After days of mounting pressure, the United States grounded Boeing's 737 Max aircraft on Wednesday, reversing an earlier decision in which American regulators said the planes could keep flying after a deadly crash in Ethiopia.

Fox News Contributor Salaries Revealed In Financial Disclosures  —  At least 10 members of the Trump administration have served as on-air contributors for the network.  —  Across cable news, the salaries paid to on-air contributors remain shrouded in mystery, ranging by network and by market demand for the contributor's expertise.

I Learned in College That Admission Has Always Been for Sale  —  The bribery scandal is no more abhorrent than the completely legal industry that helps many wealthy kids get into the schools of their dreams.  —  Ms. Stauffer is a writer.  —  Shortly after my freshman year of college …

The Astonishing Hypocrisy of Media Matters  —  If there's one thing we can absolutely count on in our post-ethical partisan era, it's that for every scandal, there is, in short order, a similar — sometimes astoundingly similar — scandal on the other side.  Sometimes, the comparisons …

Trump May Have an Unlikely Re-election Ally  —  The Democratic Party's crowded field and messy rules could lead to months of infighting and an ugly convention.  —  Mr. Wasserman is the House editor at The Cook Political Report.  —  Donald Trump's low approval ratings have attracted a crush …

GOP megadonor Mercer family donated to nonprofit conservative group that focuses on historic values of ‘English-speaking peoples’  — The Republican megadonor family led by billionaire Robert and daughter Rebekah Mercer once donated to the Anglosphere Society, a group of conservative activists that promotes …

Jacob Wohl Faked Death Threats Against Himself  —  One came from a phony account the wingnut provocateur created and ran just before he was banned from Twitter. … Right-wing personality Jacob Wohl appears to have faked death threats against himself.  —  Wohl and fellow provocateur Laura Loomer went …

Bipartisanship in 2020?  Not so fast, some Democrats say  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — When John Hickenlooper announced his Democratic presidential campaign, he vowed to sit down with the Senate's top Republican if he wins in 2020 — the kind of milquetoast pitch for bipartisanship that White House hopefuls have made for generations.

Rudy Giuliani and wife Judith Nathan ripped by judge for making divorce trial ‘unpleasant’  —  It's getting ugly.  —  A Manhattan divorce judge said Wednesday that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his estranged wife Judith Nathan are headed toward a bitter matrimonial trial.

Lee, fifth GOP senator, to vote against Trump's border declaration  —  GOP Sen. Mike Lee (Utah) says he will vote for a resolution disapproving of President Trump's national emergency declaration on the southern border, becoming the fifth Senate Republican to announce his support for the measure.

Georgetown Rich Kid ‘Gloated’ After Allegedly Cheating SATs  —  Isabelle Henriquez is one of the only students accused of willingly participating in the fraud—and now her degree may be in jeopardy.  —  Scott Bixby  —  According to her LinkedIn page, Isabelle Henriquez is “a rapid learner” …

House Democrats Target Ivanka Trump (but Through a Side Door)  —  WASHINGTON — Rhona Graff, President Trump's longtime executive assistant, was asked for documents related to foreign governments providing gifts or money to Ivanka Trump or her businesses.  —  Anatoli Samochornov …

Senate rebukes Trump with vote ordering U.S. military to end support for Saudi-led war in Yemen  —  The Senate voted Wednesday to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen, its latest rebuke of the Trump administration's continued embrace of the Saudi regime despite growing …

Lynch Testimony Reveals Bias and Intent For Failing To Give Trump Defensive Briefing  —  President Donald Trump's campaign was never given a defensive briefing by the FBI, despite mounting concerns that Russians were allegedly trying to penetrate the campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

You Have to Pay the Right Person  —  Also SSG and pattern matching.  —  Matt Levine is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering finance.  He was an editor of Dealbreaker, an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, a mergers and acquisitions lawyer at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz …

Clinton email server administrator getting deposed  —  The first of several former Obama administration officials and former aides to Hillary Clinton is set to be deposed Thursday after a judge ruled in January that they must answer questions under oath about the 2012 Benghazi terror attacks and the Clinton email scandal.