How Trump Co-opts Leaders Like Bill Barr  —  Accomplished people lacking inner strength can't resist the compromises necessary to survive this president.  —  Mr. Comey is the former F.B.I. director.  —  People have been asking me hard questions.  What happened to the leaders in the Trump administration …

Rep. Joaquin Castro won't run for U.S. Senate in 2020  —  WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro has decided not to seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Sen. John Cornyn, choosing instead to continue pursuing a fast-rising career in Congress focusing on security and border issues.

How Taxpayers Covered a $1,000 Liquor Bill for Trump Staffers (and More) at Trump's Club  —  A top-shelf, closed-door drinking session.  $546-a-night hotel rooms.  A special government credit card for Mar-a-Lago.  Taxpayers foot the costs — and the president profits.

Former CIA officer Jerry Lee admits conspiracy to spy for China  —  A former CIA case officer long suspected in the intelligence community of being a devastating mole for the Chinese government admitted Wednesday he conspired to commit espionage in that country.

A 16-Year-Old Unaccompanied Immigrant Boy Has Died In US Government Custody  —  A 16-year-old unaccompanied immigrant boy died in US government custody in Texas on Tuesday, officials said.  —  The boy was handed over to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) …

Biden calls for end to U.S. support for Saudi war in Yemen  —  Former vice president Joe Biden is taking his first major foreign policy stance since officially announcing his candidacy for president by calling for the United States to end its assistance to Saudi Arabia for its war in Yemen.

Source: UNCC shooting victim jumped on gunman to save others  — Two people were killed and four others injured after a gunman opened fire in a classroom at UNCC Tuesday  — Police arrested and charged 22-year-old Trystan Terrell with 2 counts of murder and 4 counts of attempted murder

Nellie Ohr's ‘Hi Honey’ emails to DOJ about Russia collusion should alarm us all  —  First came the text messages between FBI lovebirds Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, which gave us a painful glimpse at potential political bias inside America's most famous crime-fighting bureau.

How an anti-Semitic cartoon ended up in The New York Times  —  New York (CNN Business)Reporters in The New York Times (NYT) newsroom could hear the protesters outside on Monday.  “Shame on you!” they shouted.  Some held signs that accused the newspaper of being anti-Semitic.

Prolific Alt-Right Propagandist's Identity Confirmed  —  Thanks to the anonymity of the internet, a man can become a major player in the white supremacist “alt-right” movement without ever revealing his face to his audience.  And that's just what Joseph Jordan did.

‘Democracy Dollars’: Gillibrand's plan to give every voter $600 to donate to campaigns  —  The Democratic presidential hopeful wants to use a voucher system to clean up politics — but it's got strings attached.  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., unveiled a plan on Wednesday …

The GOP's Just a Racket Now, and Trump Is Its Godfather, Barr Its Wartime Consigliere  —  We see now with a new and oddly liberating clarity that these next 18 months may well be the most consequential and frightening time in living history.  —  Michael Tomasky  —  It's May Day, and this was a Mayday all right.