Televangelist Pat Robertson: Alabama's abortion ban is ‘extreme’ and has ‘gone too far’  —  Longtime televangelist Pat Robertson decried Alabama's new abortion ban as “extreme,” saying on his show on Wednesday that the state legislature has “gone too far.”  —  Alabama's law …

Trump, frustrated by advisers, is not convinced the time is right to attack Iran  —  The Trump administration has been on high alert in response to what military and intelligence officials have deemed specific and credible threats from Iran against U.S. personnel in the Middle East.

Trump pardons billionaire friend Conrad Black, who wrote a book about him  —  President Trump gave a full pardon to a longtime friend who last year authored a glowing book about Trump's successes.  —  Conrad Black was convicted in 2007 on fraud charges, including alleged embezzlement, and obstruction of justice.

POLITICO Playbook PM: What George W. Bush's economist said about Trump behind closed doors  —  BEHIND THE SCENES ... LARRY LINDSEY, President George W. Bush's National Economic Council director, spoke Tuesday separately to both the elected House GOP leadership and top committee Republicans …

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to announce presidential bid  —  Bill de Blasio is not exactly popular back home, but he has a record of progressive accomplishments that allies think will resonate with Democratic voters.  —  WASHINGTON — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will declare …

No ‘do-over’ on Mueller probe, White House lawyer tells House panel, saying demands for records, staff testimony will be refused  —  The letter rejects the committee's standing to investigate President Trump for possible obstruction of justice.  — Carol D. Leonnig, Josh Dawsey -  · - 1 hour ago -

Scoop: Kamala Harris/Fox News  —  Scoop: Sen. Kamala Harris Will Not Appear On Fox News For A Town Hall  —  Presidential candidate and California Sen. Kamala Harris will not appear on Fox News for a moderated town hall, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Barr asks Pelosi at event: ‘Did you bring your handcuffs?’  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr tried out a little contempt humor on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with interesting results.  —  The setting was the National Peace Officers Memorial Day service Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol.

Kasich adviser will lobby against potential Russia sanctions  —  John Weaver, the top strategist for John Kasich's presidential campaign in 2016, has registered as a foreign agent and plans to lobby against potential sanctions on Russia.  —  Weaver signed a contract last month to lobby …

Trump Immigration Plan Emphasizes Immigrants' Skills Over Family Ties  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump will unveil on Thursday a plan to overhaul parts of the nation's immigration system that would impose new security measures at the border and significantly increase the educational …

Dispute erupts over whether Brennan, Comey pushed Steele dossier, as DOJ probe into misconduct begins  —  A high-level dispute over which senior government officials pushed the unverified Steele dossier amid efforts to surveil the Trump campaign has broken out into the open again …

“You Have to Have a Plan to Deal with Them”: How the Media Fell Out of Love with Beto O'Rourke  —  Parsing the the factors (privilege, intersectionality, more press scrutiny, strategic miscalculation, multiple opponents, Vanity Fair) that contributed to O'Rourke's early-season swoon.

The Met Will Turn Down Sackler Money Amid Fury Over the Opioid Crisis  —  The Metropolitan Museum of Art said on Wednesday that it would stop accepting gifts from members of the Sackler family linked to the maker of OxyContin, severing ties between one of the world's most prestigious museums …

Intuit CEO in Internal Video: Hiding Free TurboTax Was In “Best Interest of Taxpayers”  —  ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom based in New York.  Sign up for ProPublica's Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox as soon as they are published.

Texas used money from the Help America Vote Act to help pay for its botched voter citizenship review  —  The expenditure appears to comply with the federal law, but Democratic lawmakers say it flies in the face of the act's initial purpose to improve elections and voter access.

'Didn't want to wait'  —  Nine Central American migrants faced dire peril when their makeshift rafts capsized in the rain-swollen Rio Grande.  Border Patrol agents were their only hope.  —  Nine Central American migrants faced dire peril when their makeshift rafts capsized in the rain-swollen Rio Grande.

The Trump Admin Is Scrubbing Obamacare From Government Sites  —  PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS never been coy about his desire to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.  While that pledge has faced setbacks in Congress, his administration has managed to gut Obamacare by other means, like cutting financial support.

GOP lawmaker indicted for trying to trade his vote for cash, lying to the FBI, authorities say  —  The text message, which allegedly offered up a lawmaker's vote in exchange for cash, ended with a famous five-word phrase: “We never had this discussion.”  —  But a federal grand jury has accused …

Cruz warns ‘Space Force’ needed to prevent space pirates  —  Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said this week that it was important to fund President Trump's proposed “Space Force” in order to prevent possible space pirates.  —  “Since the ancient Greeks first put to sea, nations have recognized …

CREW Requests Ron DeSantis NDA on Election Interference  —  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reportedly met with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security following the revelation in the Mueller Report “that ‘at least one’ Florida county had its election information accessed by Russian hackers in 2016.”

The Forward's “Both Sides” Approach Has Failed  —  THE FORWARD is a treasured institution in Jewish media.  Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish language socialist newspaper, in its English incarnation it has at times sought to speak for the entire Jewish community.

Jeff Sessions's Grave Conflict of Interest  —  Last year, in March 2018, then Attorney General Jeff Sessions enlisted his subordinates to lie on his behalf that he did not know he was under federal investigation when he fired then Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe—an investigation initiated …

The Zogby Poll®: Trump's job approval tops 50%; A majority of Millennials approve of Trump; Nearly half of Generation Z voters approve of Trump; Trump is winning back Hispanic, Independent, college educated and urban voters … A new Zogby Poll® of 852 likely voters nationwide in the U.S. …

Behind Twitter's Plan To Get People To Stop Yelling At One Another  —  SAN FRANCISCO — In March, Twitter cofounder Biz Stone tweeted a screenshot of an iPhone homescreen along with a message: “Notice our new prototype? ...  It's called ‘twttr.’ The bird flew away from the app icon representing: Simplicity.

Key Democrat to help Lipinski—despite primary threat  —  U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, a fellow Illinoisan and head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is slated to star at a fundraiser for the Southwest Side congressman.  —  By On Politics  —  As Southwest Side congressman Dan …