Louie Gohmert, who refused to wear a mask, tests positive for coronavirus  —  Rep. Louie Gohmert — a Texas Republican who has been walking around the Capitol without a mask — has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to multiple sources.  —  Gohmert was scheduled to fly to Texas …

Some Never Trumpers Are Becoming Never Republicans  —  But others in the GOP who have consistently opposed the president will help rebuild the party.  —  “Never Trump” is a house divided.  Some of the conservatives and former Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump have decided …

‘Instagram can hurt us’: Mark Zuckerberg emails outline plan to neutralize competitors … In late February 2012, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg emailed his chief financial officer, David Ebersman, to float the idea of buying smaller competitors, including Instagram and Path.

Federal Tactical Teams to Withdraw From Portland, Governor Says  —  Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon said the teams that have clashed with protesters will begin a withdrawal on Thursday.  The Oregon State Police will help secure the federal courthouse.  —  Federal tactical teams that have clashed …

Parity in Presidential Race; GOP Leads in Both Senate Contests  —  Most support mask mandates; concern about voter fraud and disenfranchisement  —  West Long Branch, NJ - Donald Trump and Joe Biden are engaged in a tight race for Georgia's electoral votes according to the Monmouth ("Mon-muth") University Poll.

Biden allies wage shadow campaign to stop Kamala Harris from becoming vice president  — A group of Biden allies, including a few of his top donors, initiated a campaign against Harris close to a month ago, just weeks before a decision is expected.  — The concerns focus on her attacks …

EXCLUSIVE: How Brett Kavanaugh tried to sidestep abortion and Trump financial docs cases  —  (CNN)Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh urged his colleagues in a series of private memos this spring to consider avoiding decisions in major disputes over abortion and Democratic subpoenas …

Trump: Republicans who oppose funding FBI building in stimulus “should go back to school”  —  President Trump said Wednesday that Senate Republicans who oppose using the next coronavirus stimulus package to fund a new $1.75 billion headquarters for the FBI “should go back to school.”

Lindsey Graham campaign ad features image of opponent with digitally altered darker skin tone  —  (CNN)Sen. Lindsey Graham's reelection campaign posted an advertisement to Facebook earlier this month featuring a digitally altered image of his opponent — who is Black — with a darker skin tone.

Column: What happened to an America where you could freely speak your mind?  —  The angry left-handed broom of America's cultural revolution uses fear to sweep through the our civic, corporate and personal life.  —  It brings with it attempted intimidation, shame and the usual demands for ceremonies of public groveling.

Exclusive: Trump never raised Russia's Taliban bounties with Putin  —  President Trump has never confronted Vladimir Putin with intelligence indicating Russia paid the Taliban to kill U.S. troops, he told “Axios on HBO” in an interview on Tuesday.  —  Why it matters: Democrats have seized on the issue …

The real stakes in the David Shor saga  —  A store boarded up amid anti-racism protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, seen on June 14.  Some businesses were damaged and looted in the protests.  Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images  —  There's a very real argument about speech in progressive spaces.

US to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany in move that will cost billions and take years  —  (CNN)The US is moving forward with President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany, a decision that has attracted bipartisan congressional opposition and roiled key allies who see the move as a blow to NATO.

New Pentagon training refers to protesters, journalists as ‘adversaries’  —  A new mandatory Pentagon training course aimed at preventing leaks refers to protesters and journalists as “adversaries” in a fictional scenario designed to teach Defense Department personnel how to better protect sensitive information.

Vallejo police bend badges to mark fatal shootings  —  They call it, “The Badge of Honor.”  For a generation, a secretive clique within the Vallejo Police Department has commemorated fatal shootings with beers, backyard barbecues, and by bending the points of their badges each time they kill …

Michigan Threatens to Slip From Trump as He Goes Quiet on Airwaves  —  The president has started spending more money on ads in much smaller Electoral College prizes like Iowa and Nevada, and in recent days his campaign stopped buying ads in Michigan entirely.

Economics is a disgrace  —  This post is personal one.  It is a painful one.  I adapted the reflections that I sent to Janet Yellen, Ben Bernanke, and Peter Rosseau recently.  I have largely redacted names, except for public interactions or my own correspondences.

Republicans suddenly sweating falling deep into House minority  —  A slew of dismal summer polls and a persistent fundraising gap have left some Republicans fretting about a nightmare scenario in November: That they will fall further into the House minority.

A Viral Epidemic Splintering Into Deadly Pieces  —  There's not just one coronavirus outbreak in the United States.  Now there are many, each requiring its own mix of solutions.  —  Once again, the coronavirus is ascendant.  As infections mount across the country, it is dawning on Americans …

Israel is ridiculous, antiquated and based on lies about other people's land, Seth Rogen says, but he's afraid to tell other Jews  —  Writer/comedian Seth Rogen was on the Marc Maron podcast yesterday, promoting his new movie “An American Pickle,” which involves Jewish life in the U.S. Maron raised …

Norwegian flag on St. Johns inn mistaken for Confederate flag.  Owners take it down  —  ST. JOHNS - The owners of a massive Civil War-era mansion turned bed and breakfast have removed a Norwegian flag that's hung outside its main entrance for two years because they say too many people …

USPS Plans to Slash Hours at Many Post Offices, Hoping to Save A Buck  —  “If I can't make it to the post office,” one local union rep for postal workers said, “I'm not going to use the post office.”  —  Aaron Gordon  —  Post offices around the country are slashing their hours …

Are ‘Shy Trump Voters’ Skewing The Polls?  —  There's not much evidence to suggest the hypothesis is true.  Here's what research since the 2016 election shows.  —  There's little question right now that former Vice President Joe Biden has the polling advantage over President Donald Trump.