'It's like nothing we have come across before': UK intelligence officials shaken by Trump administration's requests for help with counter-impeachment inquiry  —  As impeachment inquiries heat up, president's people are busy pursuing a counter offensive aimed at discrediting Mueller's findings that Russia interfered in 2016 election

Sean Doolittle on declining White House invite: 'I don't want to hang out with somebody who talks like that'  —  Ever since Sean Doolittle was traded to the Washington Nationals in the summer of 2017, the reliever was often asked whether he would visit the White House after winning the World Series.

Smugglers are sawing through new sections of Trump's border wall  —  SAN DIEGO — Smuggling gangs in Mexico have repeatedly sawed through new sections of President Trump's border wall in recent months by using commercially available power tools, opening gaps large enough for people and drug loads …

Beto O'Rourke Drops Out of the Presidential Race  —  The former Texas congressman, who energized Democrats in a Senate race last year, began his White House run to great fanfare but failed to build significant support.  —  Former Representative Beto O'Rourke of Texas announced that he is dropping …

Growing number of GOP senators consider acknowledging Trump's quid pro quo on Ukraine  —  A growing number of Senate Republicans are ready to acknowledge that President Trump used U.S. military aid as leverage to force Ukraine to investigate former vice president Joe Biden and his family …

The Whimpering Terrorist Only Trump Seems to Have Heard  —  President Trump offered a vivid account of the ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi “crying and screaming” in the final minutes before his death.  The only problem: No one else knows what he's talking about.

Top White House official tried to find out if ambassador went rogue or acted at Trump's direction on Ukraine  —  Top WH Russia adviser finishes closed-door testimony, says he was worried about call transcript leaking  —  (CNN)A top White House official told lawmakers he tried to find …

In Trump's Twitter Feed: Conspiracy-Mongers, Racists and Spies  —  In September, an obscure Twitter account promoting a fringe belief about an anti-Trump cabal within the government tweeted out a hashtag: #FakeWhistleblower.  —  It was typical for the anonymous account …

In Iowa, Biden confronts a growing threat: Pete Buttigieg  —  DES MOINES — Joe Biden dropped to fourth place in Iowa, according to a new poll released Friday, his worst showing to date in the pivotal early state.  —  A few hours later, at the largest gathering to date for any 2020 event, it was clear why.

'I'm the best-paid interpreter in the world': Indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas touted windfall from Ukrainian oligarch  —  New York (CNN)Earlier this year, Lev Parnas, the indicted associate of Rudy Giuliani, received a sudden windfall of money from a prominent Ukrainian oligarch …

‘This is going to cause down-ballot damage’: Warren's $20 trillion health plan fails to quiet critics  —  The most-vulnerable Democrat in Colorado's state House, Bri Buentello, is dreading door-knocking in her rural district now that Elizabeth Warren dropped her massive “Medicare for All” plan into the presidential arena.

Kamala Harris closes campaign offices and fires staff in New Hampshire  —  (CNN)Sen. Kamala Harris is closing three of her four presidential campaign offices in New Hampshire and has fired all her field organizers in the state as she homes in on her struggling campaign in Iowa, an aide tells CNN.

Trump says Chad Wolf now acting Homeland Security chief, adding to confusion about transition  —  President Trump told reporters Friday evening that Chad Wolf is the new acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, but it was unclear whether a formal appointment had occurred …

Baton attack during June protests in downtown Portland lands man in prison for nearly 6 years  —  June 29 2019 downtown Portland baton attack  —  A 24-year-old man who hit another man over the head with a baton in June during dueling downtown Portland demonstrations was sentenced Friday to nearly six years in prison.

Devin Nunes in Twitter lawsuit demands emails from Democratic strategist  —  Rep. Devin Nunes wants to compel a former Democratic National Committee employee and a Democrat-supporting law firm to turn over their communications with anonymous writers who criticize him on Twitter.

Rules of impeachment, then and now: ANALYSIS  —  Republicans say the impeachment process isn't fair.  Democrats say it's the fairest ever.  —  The cleanest answer to this question is that the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.  —  When it comes to these new impeachment rules …

Federal prosecutors examining possible contacts between Giuliani and former Rep. Bob Livingston over Ukraine: Sources  —  A new name in the House impeachment inquiry, former Republican Rep. Bob Livingston, has surfaced in the ongoing investigation by federal prosecutors in New York into efforts …

Experts on Trump's conduct: ‘Plainly an abuse of power, plainly impeachable’  —  Republicans may argue Trump's actions were not impeachable - but scholars say it's a solid example of a high crime  —  Was what he did really so bad?  And even if it was bad - was it truly impeachable?

Beto O'Rourke exits — and leaves broken hearts in his wake  —  Hundreds of supporters of Beto O'Rourke had come in from all over the country to cheer their candidate on at the big Democratic dinner, which launches the final stretch toward next February's Iowa caucuses.

‘Divorced from the facts’: DOJ shoots down claims Strzok and the FBI trapped Flynn  —  The Justice Department shot down claims by former Trump national security adviser Mike Flynn's lawyers that former FBI agent Peter Strzok and others at the bureau “set up” their client in a court filing.