Gaetz Paid Accused Sex Trafficker, Who Then Venmo'd Teen … In two late-night Venmo transactions in May 2018, Rep. Matt Gaetz sent his friend, the accused sex trafficker Joel Greenberg, $900.  The next morning, over the course of eight minutes, Greenberg used the same app to send three young women varying sums of money.

In new book, John Boehner says today's GOP is unrecognizable to traditional conservatives and dishes on his time in politics  —  John Boehner in a new memoir derides today's Republican Party as unrecognizable to traditional conservatives like himself, held hostage by both former president Donald Trump …

Vladimir Putin Has a Message: “Hey, Joe, Are You Listening?”  —  The Biden Administration can't escape the Russia problem.  —  Vladimir Putin would like a word.  All of the talk in Washington these days is about China, or our crazy dysfunctional politics, or the pandemic and its consequences.

Tucker Carlson gives passionate defense of “white replacement theory”  —  Carlson: “If you suggest that the Democratic Party is trying to replace the current electorate ... they become hysterical because that's what's true.  Let's just say it that it's true”

Prince Philip, Husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Is Dead at 99  —  The Duke of Edinburgh, who married the future queen in 1947, brought the monarchy into the 20th century, but his occasional frank comments hurt his image.  —  Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, husband of Queen Elizabeth II …

Kati Kariko Helped Shield the World From the Coronavirus  —  Collaborating with devoted colleagues, Dr. Kariko laid the groundwork for the mRNA vaccines turning the tide of the pandemic.  —  She grew up in Hungary, daughter of a butcher.  She decided she wanted to be a scientist, although she had never met one.

In gun policy address, Joe Biden exaggerates about background checks at gun shows  —  If you go to a gun show and buy a firearm from a federally licensed seller, you will have to pass a background check, just as if you went to a bricks-and-mortar gun store.  You would only escape a background check …

Trump officials celebrated efforts to change CDC reports on coronavirus, emails show  —  Political appointees also tried to blunt scientific findings they deemed unfavorable to Trump, according to new documents from House probe  —  Trump appointees in the Health and Human Services department …

The Business Community Must Act  —  When the Voting Rights Act came before Congress for renewal in 2006, corporate America had a clear message for Congress—pass the bill.  —  As early as 2005, Walmart's CEO had written both President Bush and Republican leadership in Congress in support of the reauthorization legislation.

With Warning to Democrats, Manchin Points the Way for Biden's Agenda  —  The West Virginia Democrat's latest plea for bipartisanship suggested that, to win over a critical swing vote in his own party, President Biden will first have to reach out to Republicans.

What About the Cops Who Watched George Floyd Die?  —  Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer currently on trial for the killing of George Floyd, is an all-too familiar type: a bully with a badge and gun.  During his 19 years as an officer, Chauvin was the subject of a score of misconduct complaints.

Exclusive: How Donald Trump upended Nancy Pelosi's plans, then she unraveled his  —  This story is adapted from “Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power,” which will be published April 20 by Twelve Books.  Author Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY …

‘Tiger Mom’ Amy Chua says Yale punishing her over false student allegations  —  The author of a controversial 2011 book on parenting says that Yale Law School is punishing her over false allegations raised by students by removing her from a position teaching one of the law school's “small groups …

New York Is Taxing the Rich.  Here's Who Made That Happen.  —  A budget that spends on education, homelessness and undocumented immigrants is the product of years of progressive politics, not a governor looking for a diversion.  —  About a decade ago, it became increasingly common …

Trump Put a Right-Wing Radio Host in Charge of a National Park.  Emails Show the Chaos That Ensued.  —  Click the highlighted text for more.  —  Last December 7, Michael Savage kicked off his radio program by railing yet again against the “demonic” and “fascist” governors who had locked down their states to slow the spread of COVID.

Video shows Texas GOP official seeking ‘army’ of volunteers to monitor polls in mostly Black and Hispanic Houston precincts  —  In a leaked video of a recent presentation, a man who identifies himself as a GOP official in Harris County, Tex., says the party needs 10,000 Republicans for an “election integrity brigade” in Houston.

Federal prosecutors get the green light to start offering plea deals to Capitol riot defendants, attorneys say  —  (CNN)Federal prosecutors have informed some Capitol riot defendants the Justice Department has given the green-light to cut guilty plea deals, a step toward bringing …

“The idea that we can change anything, I have given up on”: NBC News' Brandy Zadrozny on documenting the “depressing” internet  —  “Suddenly, the stupid stuff on the internet, the scary stuff on the internet, became just so mainstream and important.  And that totally should not be.”

Google Blocks Advertisers from Targeting Black Lives Matter YouTube Videos  —  “Black power” and “Black Lives Matter” can't be used to find videos for ads, but “White power” and “White lives matter” were just fine  —  Last June, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki made a big promise to help Black YouTubers.

Trump hands Rubio coveted reelection endorsement in Florida  —  Former President Trump on Friday endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) reelection bid in Florida, throwing his support behind the incumbent senator and former GOP Primary foe in his adopted home state.

Politicians dread the sting of #KHive, the fervent online fans of Kamala Harris  —  When Rep. Ro Khanna started pressing Vice President Kamala Harris to use her procedural power to push a national minimum wage hike a few weeks ago, he found himself targeted by a swarm of online Harris supporters.

Hunter Biden calls Lindsey Graham's treatment of him ‘sad’  —  President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, responded to repeated criticism from a former family friend, Sen. Lindsey Graham.  —  Hunter Biden has been promoting his memoir, which touches on his battle with addiction and his work in Ukraine …

Florida governor sues the CDC to get cruises sailing immediately  —  Making good on an earlier threat, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Thursday that the state has filed a lawsuit against the federal government demanding that cruises be allowed to resume from the United States immediately.

Scathing watchdog report reveals Capitol Police had expired ammo, ineffective shields during riot  —  Mother of injured officer to riot accomplices: How dare you?  —  (CNN)A scathing report by the US Capitol Police watchdog obtained by CNN reveals that there were even more law enforcement failures prior …

Team Cuomo's nursing-home coverup was even worse than we knew  —  Gov. Andrew Cuomo's coverup of nursing-home COVID deaths was even worse than we'd thought: It turns out his Department of Health started collecting the key data a full year ago — even as it kept the info secret in defiance …

Partial tally in Amazon union drive favors ‘No’ votes.  —  With about half the ballots counted late Thursday, votes against unionization had a more than 2-to-1 advantage over those in favor, according to a live broadcast of the counting that was tallied by The New York Times.