Trump ousts State Department watchdog  —  President Donald Trump has removed State Department Inspector General Steve Linick and replaced him with an ally of Vice President Mike Pence — the latest in a series of moves against independent government watchdogs in recent months.

Obama Says U.S. Lacks Leadership on Virus in Virtual Commencement Speech  —  The virus has “torn back the curtain on the idea that the folks in charge know what they're doing,” the former president said.  “A lot of them aren't even pretending to be in charge.”

Two Coasts.  One Virus.  How New York Suffered Nearly 10 Times the Number of Deaths as California.  —  California's governor and San Francisco's mayor worked together to act early in confronting the COVID threat.  For Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio, it was a different story, and 27,000 New Yorkers have died so far.

Rep. Justin Amash says he won't run for president  —  Rep. Justin Amash, the Michigan congressman who left the Republican Party last year, said on Twitter that he will not run for president this year after saying last month that he would seek the Libertarian Party's nomination.

We could stop the pandemic by July 4 if the government took these steps  —  A $74 billion investment in testing, tracing and isolation could rescue the economy — quickly  —  With the unemployment rate at its highest level since the Great Depression — 14.7 percent and climbing …

Alaska legislator compares pandemic safety measures at Capitol to Nazi treatment of Jews  —  JUNEAU — A Nikiski Republican lawmaker opposed to pandemic safety measures at the Alaska Capitol compared them to Nazi Germany's labeling of Jews in an email exchange Friday with fellow members of the Alaska House of Representatives.

Lockdown protesters shout ‘be like Sweden’ — but Swedes say they are missing the point  —  “The Swedish strategy is very much relying on the individual's trust in the state,” one Swede told NBC News.  —  STOCKHOLM — Known for its socialized health care, progressive tax system and liberal social policies …

Horsford admits to extramarital affair after podcaster discloses relationship  —  Congressman Steven Horsford is seen at Kiel Ranch Historic Park on May 29, 2019.  (El Tiempo)  —  Nevada Rep. Steven Horsford on Friday acknowledged that he'd carried on a longstanding affair with a former intern …

Trump pushes McConnell to embrace ‘Obamagate’  —  “Time is running out.  Get tough and move quickly, or it will be too late,” the president tweeted.  —  Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell.  Alex Wong/Getty Images  —  President Donald Trump is appealing directly …

I sent masks to health workers but the Trump administration seized them instead of helping  —  One month ago, as COVID-19 spread across the county and critical personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, gloves, surgical gowns and face shields continued to be in short supply …

Georgia candidates embrace group with extremist ties  —  A Georgia state representative running for Congress is facing criticism from across the political spectrum for a photo showing him alongside a longtime white supremacist activist from Dahlonega.  —  The photo shows Rep. Matt Gurtler …

Tennessee to lift capacity restrictions on restaurants & retail, to allow large attractions to open  —  NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - The governor's office announced Tennessee will lift capacity restrictions on restaurants and shops and instead focus on social distancing best practices.

Man charged in death threats to Michigan governor, AG  —  WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (AP) — A man accused of making credible death threats against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel has been charged on a terrorism count, the Wayne County prosecutor's office said Friday.

Trump's GOP ‘party of health care’ has no coverage plan for millions amid pandemic  —  President Trump left no doubt what he wanted his GOP allies to focus on, diverting to the TV cameras before he entered a private huddle of Senate Republicans.  —  “Let me tell you exactly what my message is …

Amid reports of White House clashes with CDC, experts raise alarms about lack of coronavirus screening at airports  —  WASHINGTON — As the nation begins to reopen amid  —  the coronavirus pandemic, some people are looking to the skies — and experts don't necessarily like what they see …

YouTube censors epidemiologist Knut Wittkowski for opposing lockdown  —  Big Tech companies are aggressively tamping down on COVID-19 “misinformation” — opinions and ideas contrary to official pronouncements.  —  Dr. Knut M. Wittkowski, former head of biostatistics, epidemiology …

FDA halts Bill Gates coronavirus testing program  —  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) halted a coronavirus testing program promoted by billionaire Bill Gates and Seattle health officials pending reviews.  —  The program sought to send test kits to the homes of people both healthy …

Stacey Abrams Wants More Than the Vice Presidency  —  She wants the Democrats to reach a different kind of swing voter — those who otherwise stay home.  And she says she can help Joe Biden do it.  —  The clapping hands appeared on the screen one, two, a flurry of emojis flashing under …

Raytheon Finds Ally in Trump Aide: Selling the Bombs Killing Civilians in Yemen  —  President Trump sees arms deals as jobs generators for firms like Raytheon, which has made billions in sales to the Saudi coalition.  The Obama administration initially backed the Saudis too, but later regretted it as thousands died.

Trump's Cordon Un-sanitaire  —  No White House reporter I've ever known was looking to harm anyone, much less the president of the United States, but the federal government never took chances.  Covering Barack Obama and now Donald Trump, I can't recall a single instance when the security cordon surrounding the president frayed.

Now More Than Ever, Facebook Is a ‘Mark Zuckerberg Production’  —  For years, he was an obsessive C.E.O. in some ways, distant in others.  Then Facebook's problems became too acute to leave to anyone else.  —  SAN FRANCISCO — On Jan. 27, at a regularly scheduled Monday morning meeting …