Trump's Russia Director To Leave National Security Council Amid Impeachment Inquiry  —  Tim Morrison, the top Russia official on President Trump's National Security Council who is scheduled to testify in the impeachment inquiry on Thursday, is expected to leave his White House post imminently …

After McConnell advice, Trump lays off GOP senators on impeachment  —  Sitting inside the White House, Mitch McConnell gave Donald Trump some straightforward advice: Stop attacking senators — including Mitt Romney — who likely will soon judge your fate in an impeachment trial.

Kamala Harris to slash staff, restructure campaign as she hemorrhages cash  —  Kamala Harris is dramatically restructuring her campaign by redeploying staffers to Iowa and laying off dozens of aides at her Baltimore headquarters, according to campaign sources and a memo obtained Wednesday by POLITICO …

Trump judicial nominee breaks into tears in hearing over scathing finding that he's ‘arrogant, lazy’ and ‘an ideologue’  —  Lawrence J.C. VanDyke openly wept on Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee as he was confronted with a blistering review from the American Bar Association …

Why I Haven't Gone Back to SCOTUS Since Kavanaugh  —  Some things are worth not getting over.  — Unbelievable and Know My Name Show the Harm a Sexual Assault Investigation Can Do to a Survivor  —  It's been just over a year since I sat in the hearing room and watched the final act of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing.

Democrats hoped they'd win over Republicans on impeachment.  But it's not looking that way so far  —  As the House prepares to hold its first vote related to the impeachment inquiry of President Trump, senior House Democrats appear to have all but given up on getting much Republican support for their effort …

USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll: Biden's lead over Warren narrows in a turbulent Democratic field  —  Susan Page Savannah Behrmann Jeanine SantucciUSA TODAY  —  WASHINGTON — Former vice president Joe Biden continues to lead a turbulent field for the Democratic presidential nomination …

Trump Tweets Faked Photo of Hero Dog Getting a Medal  —  The joke photo appeared to use an image from a 2017 Medal of Honor ceremony.  The medal recipient was amused.  —  President Trump on Wednesday shared an altered photograph of himself placing a medal around the neck of the dog injured …

Tulsi Gabbard Drops a Big Hint About Running a Spoiler Campaign for Trump  —  “Hillary Clinton emerged recently to claim, with no basis in fact, that I am being ‘groomed’ by the Russian government to undermine America,” claims Tulsi Gabbard in a Wall Street Journal op-ed today.

Ilhan Omar faces blowback after voting ‘present’ on Armenian genocide resolution  —  Armenian advocacy groups expressed dismay that Omar did not back the measure, which overwhelmingly passed the House by a 405-to-11 margin.  —  Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., faced criticism Wednesday after voting …

Jeffrey Epstein's Autopsy ‘Points to Homicide,’ Not Suicide, Pathologist Claims  —  The pathologist hired by Mr. Epstein's brother said evidence suggested strangulation.  The authorities disputed the claim.  —  A forensic pathologist hired by Jeffrey Epstein's brother claimed on Wednesday …

Katie Hill's Estranged Husband Claimed To His Parents He Was Hacked Before Nude Pictures Of Her Were Published Online  —  Kenny Heslep told his parents he had been hacked.  Weeks before the nude pictures of Rep. Katie Hill were published, he asked a local podcaster if he wanted “the whole story.”

‘I Was Proud to Do This Work With Him’: David Simon on James Franco Controversy  —  ‘The Deuce’ co-creator explains how he and HBO evaluated the actor's conduct in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations, and why they allowed him to stay on the show  —  As a show about pornography …

Twitter Says It Will Ban All Political Ads  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Jack Dorsey, Twitter's chief executive, said on Wednesday that the social media service would ban political ads on its platform, in a stark contrast to rival Facebook, which has faced blowback for taking a hands-off approach to political advertising.

Mulvaney was left in the dark on al-Baghdadi operation  —  President Trump's acting chief of staff first learned of the raid when it was already underway, raising questions about his status in the White House.  —  WASHINGTON — Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney first learned …

Trump caused Murray Energy's bankruptcy  —  A revelation from the largest private coal company's bankruptcy filing.  —  Welcome to HEATED, a newsletter for people who are pissed off about the climate crisis—written by me, Emily Atkin.  —  If you've been forwarded this email, you can sign up for your own subscription here: