The 2016 nightmare is already repeating itself  —  The latest developments in the Michael Flynn case should prompt us to revisit one of the most glaring failures in political journalism, one that lends credibility to baseless narratives pushed for purely instrumental purposes, perversely rewarding bad-faith actors in the process.

FBI serves warrant on senator in investigation of stock sales linked to coronavirus  —  Federal agents seized a cellphone belonging to a prominent Republican senator on Wednesday night as part of the Justice Department's investigation into controversial stock trades he made as the coronavirus …

Inside Trump's coronavirus meltdown  —  When the history is written of how America handled the global era's first real pandemic, March 6 will leap out of the timeline.  That was the day Donald Trump visited the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

After Wisconsin court ruling, crowds liberated and thirsty descend on bars.  'We're the Wild West,' Gov. Tony Evers says.  —  On Wednesday night in the heart of downtown Platteville, Wis., just hours after the Wisconsin Supreme Court threw out the state's stay-at-home order, Nick's on 2nd was packed wall to wall, standing room only.

Postal Services launches review of package delivery fees as Trump influence grows  —  Deputy Postmaster General Ronald A. Stroman will leave before new agency head Louis DeJoy takes the helm  —  Weeks before a Republican donor and top White House ally becomes postmaster general …

5 takeaways from coronavirus whistleblower Rick Bright's testimony  —  A Trump administration vaccine expert who says he was removed from a key role for raising concerns about the federal government's coronavirus response — and its promotion of unproven drugs to treat the virus — testified Thursday before Congress.

Coronavirus Is Making Young People Very Sick.  I Was One of Them.  —  Young, healthy people like me are getting very, very sick from the disease caused by the coronavirus.  —  Ms. Gay is a member of the editorial board.  —  The day before I got sick, I ran three miles, walked 10 more …

Private jet company founded by Trump donor gets $27 million bailout  — A private jet company founded by a donor to President Donald Trump received nearly $27 million in government funding under a program run by the Treasury Department, according to government filings.

Michigan Cancels Legislative Session to Avoid Armed Protesters  —  Michigan closed down its capitol in Lansing on Thursday and canceled its legislative session rather than face the possibility of an armed protest and death threats against Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Pentagon fires its point person for Defense Production Act  —  Jennifer Santos, the Pentagon's industrial policy chief who oversees efforts to ramp up production of masks and other equipment to help fight Covid-19, was fired from her job this week and will move to a position in the Navy, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The New York Times Surrendered to an Outrage Mob.  Journalism Will Suffer For It.  —  In a time in which even a virus has become the subject of partisan disinformation and myth-making, it's essential that mainstream journalistic institutions reaffirm their bona fides as disinterested purveyors of fact and honest brokers of controversy.

Trump's marks for handling COVID-19 outbreak decline - CBS News poll  —  Americans continue to say they trust medical professionals for virus information, but Republicans also rank President Trump about as highly among their trusted sources, even as others give him his lowest marks to date for handling the outbreak.

NYT: EPA will not limit chemical compound linked to fetal damage  —  The Environmental Protection Agency will no longer impose limits on perchlorate, a toxic chemical compound linked to fetal and infant brain damage, the New York Times reports.  —  Where it stands: “The agency has determined …

Ex-detective charged in death of Ahmaud Arbery lost power to make arrests after skipping use-of-force training  —  Gregory McMichael's law enforcement certification was suspended in 2019 after repeated failures to complete required training, according to records acquired by The Washington Post.

Trump's company has received at least $970,000 from U.S. taxpayers for room rentals  —  The U.S. government has paid at least $970,000 to President Trump's company since Trump took office — including payments for more than 1,600 nightly room rentals at Trump's hotels and clubs …

Appeals court greenlights emoluments suit against Trump  —  A lawsuit accusing President Donald Trump of violating the Constitution by accepting foreign government money through his luxury Washington hotel can proceed to fact-gathering about Trump's profits, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

McConnell pines for Pompeo as Kansas chaos looms  —  Senate Republicans have a problem in Kansas.  And they still think Mike Pompeo is the solution.  —  Staring at a messy primary, a credible Democratic challenger and a real battle for Senate control, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell …

The Curious Case of the People Who Want to “Reopen” America—But Not Wear Masks  —  The coronavirus, you may have heard, is a biological weapon engineered in a Chinese lab and unleashed—accidentally?— on America by the godless communists.  At least, according to Alex Jones.  —  That's one theory, anyway.

Company tied to Trump campaign manager gets PPP loan  —  A company whose largest shareholder is Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale received nearly $800,000 from the federal coronavirus relief fund for small businesses, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

23% of Republicans Think GOP Should Nominate Someone Other Than Trump  —  Republicans overwhelmingly expect President Trump to be their nominee this fall, but nearly one-in-four GOP voters would prefer someone else.  —  The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds …

Aspen Institute to return $8 million in small business funds  —  Day after saying it needed SBA money to fill budget shortfalls, a non-profit think tank reverses course  —  The Aspen Institute think tank announced it would return $8 million in federal small-business funds after a Thursday meeting of its board of trustees.

Obamagate was the worst crime ever committed and here is what it was  —  “What is the crime exactly that you're accusing him of?”  —  “You know what the crime is.  The crime is very obvious to everybody.  All you have to do is read the newspapers, except yours.”

Chinese State Media Warn Country Will Interfere in U.S. Election  —  China is threatening to meddle in the upcoming U.S. presidential election as retribution for a flurry of American lawsuits seeking to hold Beijing accountable for the spread of the coronavirus.

Gov. Greg Abbott is limiting enforcement of COVID-19 orders, but many cities already took a lax approach  —  Texas cities and counties have dramatically different interpretations of the state's COVID-19 emergency orders.  Complaint data from a dozen cities shows that disparate approaches to enforcement …

Transcripts: Clinton Aides Allied With Fusion GPS Pair After Election — to Re-Push Anti-Trump Dossier  —  Above, Hillary Clinton with her 2016 campaign chairman John Podesta.  He testified that he backed a new post-election, anti-Trump effort with Fusion GPS's principals and Daniel Jones …

New York Sent Recovering Coronavirus Patients to Nursing Homes: ‘It Was a Fatal Error’  —  The state reversed its policy after mounting criticism and deaths.  The mandate is part of broader scrutiny of weaknesses at long-term care facilities that have made them hot spots for Covid-19.

Mike Pompeo's politicisation of foreign policy is so damaging  —  The secretary of state is confusing global leadership with bashing his opponents … For a man acknowledged to be highly intelligent, Mike Pompeo has a long history of talking nonsense.  As a greenhorn House member …