The very political pattern of Trump's pardons  —  Trump pardons his own hagiographer and a family ‘friend’ who criticized Mueller.  —  President Trump's pardons were self-serving before, and they became even more so Wednesday night, after he pardoned two prominent conservatives who had already completed their sentences.

Company owned by Brazilian crooks received $62 million in Trump bailout cash meant for struggling U.S. farmers  —  The Trump administration has forked over more than $62 million — taxpayer cash that was supposed to be earmarked for struggling American farmers — to a massive meatpacking company owned …

Governor Ivey Issues Statement After Signing the Alabama Human Life Protection Act  —  MONTGOMERY - Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday signed into law the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, after both houses of the Alabama Legislature passed HB314.  —  Upon signing the bill, Governor Ivey released the following statement:

Working People First |  Bill de Blasio 2020  —  When we put working families first in New York City, the city got stronger.  That can happen for our country, too.  Learn about my candidacy for president of the United States of America to put working families first.

Democrats are badly blowing it against Trump.  A brutal new TV ad shows how.  —  Nancy Pelosi has succeeded in stifling impeachment talk.  The Post reports that the House Speaker privately told Democrats to stick to policy and forget about an impeachment inquiry, and not a single Democrat uttered a word in protest.

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.

Facebook busts Israel-based campaign to disrupt elections  —  JERUSALEM (AP) — Facebook said Thursday it banned an Israeli company that ran an influence campaign aimed at disrupting elections in various countries and has canceled dozens of accounts engaged in spreading disinformation.

Missouri Senate passes bill to ban abortions at 8 weeks  —  JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led Senate has now passed a bill to ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy.  —  Senators approved the legislation 24-10 early Thursday with just hours left before a Friday deadline to pass bills.

SAT to Give Students ‘Adversity Score’ to Capture Social and Economic Background  —  New score comes as college admissions decisions are under scrutiny  —  The College Board plans to assign an adversity score to every student who takes the SAT to try to capture their social and economic background …

‘Get Scavino in here’: Trump's Twitter guru is the ultimate insider  —  Shortly after President Donald Trump announced plans to yank U.S. troops out of Syria last December, a group of lawmakers came to the White House to talk him out of the idea, which critics called a threat to national security.

EPA watchdog suggests agency recover $124,000 in Pruitt's ‘excessive’ travel expenses  —  The Environmental Protection Agency should consider recovering nearly $124,000 in improper travel expenses by former EPA chief Scott Pruitt, the agency's inspector general recommended Thursday.

De Blasio, Etc.: Why Are So Many Implausible Democrats Running?  —  The party has created incentives for hopeless candidates to prolong their campaigns.  You can't blame them for trying.  —  Okay, I was wrong.  Earlier this year, I guessed repeatedly that the Democratic presidential field …

Toddler apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border dies after weeks in hospital  —  A 2½-year-old Guatemalan boy apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border died Tuesday night in El Paso after several weeks in the hospital, according to the Guatemalan Consulate and another person with direct knowledge of the case.

White House Seeks Social Media Sob Stories from Conservative Snowflakes  —  Was someone mean to you on Twitter?  The White House wants to know about it.  As of Wednesday, a new tool on the White House website allows visitors to report suspected “political bias” from social media companies.

The corporations backing Alabama's war on women  —  On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a draconian bill that would effectively ban all abortions in the state.  The radical legislation would be a dramatic step backward for women's rights and gender equality — banning abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

Trump won't stop coining nasty nicknames for his foes — but the media must stop amplifying them.  —  I was talking to an acquaintance recently about Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign.  —  He liked the Massachusetts Democrat's detailed policies and was impressed with her recent CNN town hall presentation.

Western Companies Get Tangled in China's Muslim Clampdown  —  Kraft Heinz, Adidas and Gap are among the companies whose supply chains run through Xinjiang  —  AKSU, China—Western companies, including brand name apparel makers and food companies, have become entangled in China's campaign to forcibly assimilate its Muslim population.

We Cannot Resign Ourselves to Dismay and Disenfranchisement  —  As more people of color claim political power, efforts to block them will accelerate — unless we act.  —  Ms. Abrams is the founder of the voting rights group Fair Fight Action.  —  ATLANTA — In the mid-1960s, when my father was a teenager, he was arrested.

Silver Bulletpoints: Why Did All The White Guys Stampede Into The Race So Late?  —  Today is Thursday, May 16, 2019, which means we have 538 days4 worth of #content to bring you until the 2020 presidential election.  In today's edition of Silver Bulletpoints, we'll ask the age-old question …

Extended term for Trump?  No way, most Americans say  —  Large majority of Americans support respecting the peaceful transfer of power, according to new UVA Center for Politics-Ipsos poll  —  The lion's share of Americans believes that respecting the results of elections and the peaceful transfer …