How Schumer might get the last laugh on impeachment trial  —  Chuck Schumer lost the first impeachment trial battle to Mitch McConnell.  But the Democratic leader and his party insist they can still win the war.  —  While Senate Majority Leader McConnell has locked up enough Republican votes …

Sanders surges as progressives flock to him over Warren  —  IOWA CITY, Iowa — Something's happening with Bernie Sanders that looked unlikely to many a few months ago: Progressive leaders and organizations are lining up behind him, not Elizabeth Warren, in the lead-up to voting.

Trump authorized Soleimani's killing 7 months ago, with conditions  —  The timing raises new questions about the Trump administration's stated justification for taking out the top Iranian general.  —  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump authorized the killing of Iranian …

Bloomberg blasts role of early states in Democratic nominating process in CNN op-ed  —  Bloomberg: Trump would ‘eat alive’ other candidates  —  Washington (CNN)Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg blasted his party's nominating system in a CNN op-ed for placing an outsized emphasis …

With its 228 delegates and Super Tuesday slot, Texas looms in the presidential primary  —  The focus is on the early states, but candidates are also paying attention to Texas.  Early voting starts here before the Nevada and South Carolina primaries wrap up.

Video: Iran police shoot at those protesting plane shootdown  —  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian security forces fired both live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting against the Islamic Republic's initial denial that it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, online videos purported to show Monday.

Killing of Soleimani reflects an aggressive national security team not inclined to curb Trump  —  President Trump has from his earliest days in office raised the possibility of killing Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the powerful Iranian military commander who died this month in a U.S. military drone strike.

McConnell walks impeachment tightrope  —  FLORENCE, Ky. - It is not easy these days to lose as a Republican running in ruby-red Kentucky.  But that is what happened here in November in the governor's race, when the caustic incumbent managed to alienate enough of his base to fall just short.

William Barr, Trump's Sword and Shield  —  The Attorney General's mission to maximize executive power and protect the Presidency.  —  Last October, Attorney General William Barr appeared at Notre Dame Law School to make a case for ideological warfare.  Before an assembly of students and faculty …

Canadian billionaire Frank Giustra providing luxe hideout for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle  —  Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been hiding out at the home of Canadian billionaire Frank Giustra, whose close ties to the Clintons have created international controversy, Page Six can exclusively reveal.

In McGahn Case, an Epic Constitutional Showdown  —  1.7k  —  WASHINGTON — “Has there ever been,” the judge asked, “an instance of such broad-scale defiance of a congressional request for information in the history of the Republic?”  —  It was the first Friday of the new year …

Foiled in U.S. Courts, Anti-Trump Lawyer Got Results Taking Ukraine Cases to Mueller and FBI  —  When the FBI began investigating Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman - the indicted pair who worked with Rudy Giuliani on his Ukraine inquiries - one of the first people agents interviewed early last year was Kenneth McCallion.

UPDATING Oscar Nominations: Snubs Include JLo, Beyonce, Eddie Murphy, “1917” for Editing, No Women Directors, “The Farewell,” “Cats,” Just 1 African American Nominee  —  The 2020 Oscar nominations are here.  Snubs include Jennifer Lopez for “Hustlers.”  Eddie Murphy for “Dolemite” and everything for that movie.

Protesters interrupt Buttigieg at Iowa rally  —  Protesters with a local Black Lives Matter group disrupted an event being held in Des Moines, Iowa, by South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) on Sunday.  —  Videos showed demonstrators wearing “Black Lives Matter” shirts being led out by security while chanting …

James Fallows' thought experiment about Trump  —  James Fallows asks the audience to “try to think of a personality like the one who's currently in the White House in any other position of responsibility,” and asks, “would you want somebody with this kind of temperament to be in a position …

The Republican case for Biden  —  It isn't easy to support a Democrat after an attachment to Republican politics that began when I watched the 1992 GOP convention at age 12.  Eventually I worked on Capitol Hill as a Republican senior counsel for the House Financial Services Committee …

In surprise, Benedict openly defends clerical celibacy as Francis considers married priests  —  VATICAN CITY — Retired Pope Benedict XVI has coauthored a new book defending the Catholic Church's practice of a celibate priesthood, in a shocking move that comes as Pope Francis is considering …

FISA court selects former Obama admin lawyer, left-wing blogger to oversee FBI's surveillance reforms  —  Devin Nunes, R-Calif., discusses the FISC's appointment of former Obama DOJ lawyer, as well as whistleblower matters.  —  The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) …