In Ukraine Phone Call, Alarmed Aides Saw Trouble  —  WASHINGTON — No one bothered to put special limits on the number of people allowed to sit in the “listening room” in the White House to monitor the phone call because it was expected to be routine.  By the time the call was over 30 minutes later …

NRA Was ‘Foreign Asset’ To Russia Ahead of 2016, New Senate Report Reveals  —  The National Rifle Association acted as a “foreign asset” for Russia in the period leading up to the 2016 election, according to a new investigation unveiled Friday by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo blames angry ‘leftists’ for impeachment of Trump and predicts ‘quote unquote inquiry’ will cause gridlock  —  Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized “leftist” Democrats for pushing Congress into launching an impeachment inquiry of President Trump and predicted the probe would lead to government gridlock.

Nancy Pelosi: An Extremely Stable Genius  —  When asked if it was possible that impeachment might backfire, the Speaker of the House insisted that politics has nothing to do with it.  “It doesn't matter,” she said.  “He has given us no choice.”  Before we begin to grapple with the gravity …

Kremlin says it hopes U.S. would not release Trump-Putin calls, like it did with Ukraine  —  Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “we would like to hope that it wouldn't come to that in our relations.”  —  MOSCOW — Russia has voiced hope that the U.S. administration …

“It's Management Bedlam”: Madness at Fox News as Trump Faces Impeachment  —  A Trump identity crisis at Fox as Hannity frets, Lachlan Murdoch prepares for a post-Trump future, Paul Ryan whispers in Rupert's ear, and Shep Smith and Tucker Carlson trade blows. n public, Donald Trump's allies …

Effort to shield Trump's call with Ukrainian leader was part of broader secrecy effort  —  The White House has taken extraordinary steps over the past two years to block details of President Trump's phone calls with foreign leaders from becoming public, following embarrassing disclosures early …

Trump hasn't filled top watchdog jobs at Pentagon, CIA, other agencies  —  Nine of the government's top watchdog jobs — the independent officials charged with handling whistleblower complaints and keeping an eye on unusual agency activity — have not been filled by President Donald Trump.

We hear you.  You're angry.  Here's what we are doing about it.  —  We took appropriate action because there is nothing more important in journalism than having readers' trust.  —  CONNECT  —  The Des Moines Register staff has heard from hundreds of people in the past few days upset …

The Inscrutable Mike Pence  —  PIETY AND POWER  —  Mike Pence and the Taking of the White House  —  After losing his first campaign for Congress, a penitent Mike Pence swore off the dark side of politics.  In a confessional essay in 1991, he wrote that “negative campaigning is wrong” and set out rules for himself for the future.

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA undercover agent, says ‘acting’ officials are part of the problem  —  Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), a freshman congresswoman from a previously Republican district and a former CIA undercover agent, was among the seven moderate-to-conservative Democrats …

Impeach him, anyway  —  Protesters demanding the impeachment of Donald Trump in New York on June 7, 2018.  Erik McGregor/LightRocket/Getty Images  —  The case for impeachment, even if it can't oust Trump.  —  In Federalist 65, Alexander Hamilton considers the problem of impeachment.

October Democratic debate to take place on one night  —  (CNN)The CNN/New York Times Democratic presidential debate in October will occur on one night, the Democratic National Committee told campaigns Friday.  —  “To address several inquiries we have received we are writing to let you know that …

Bernie Sanders wants to eliminate rich people  —  One of Bernie Sanders' charms, according to his followers, is that he's an unapologetic advocate for his beliefs.  Never mind that most of the 20th century stands as a monument to the catastrophic dangers of his collectivist philosophy, Bernie's no phony!

How a conservative columnist helped push a flawed Ukraine narrative  —  Back in March, the Hill newspaper published a series of stories and interviews that seemed, at the time, to be mainly of interest to foreign-policy wonks.  —  John Solomon, the paper's executive vice president …

Trump Killed the Seriousness of Impeachment  —  Impeachment proceedings used to be news of unquestionable gravity.  The week showed it's just more fodder for the ideological and culture wars.  —  John F. Harris is founding editor of POLITICO and author of “The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House.”