The Big Lie is the GOP's one and only truth  —  Liz Cheney's downfall shows how the GOP threat to democracy is getting worse.  —  Rep. Liz Cheney (WY), the third-ranking Republican in the House, is set to be stripped of her leadership post.  Her crime?  Voting to impeach Trump and then …

April's expected hiring boom goes bust as nonfarm payroll gain falls well short of estimates  — Hiring was a huge letdown in April, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by a much less than expected 266,000.  — The unemployment rate rose to 6.1%, the Labor Department said.

Institutionalizing Trumpism  —  Republican officials are rendering an unequivocal verdict: They want to cement former President Trump's politics and policies into the foundation of the GOP for many years to come.  —  Why it matters: The debate over Trump's post-election hold on the GOP is over …

The Jolt: Why Keisha Bottoms isn't running for election - and who might jump in now  —  Politics is a fickle beast.  In the span of two years, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has gone from one of President Joe Biden's most prominent surrogates — important enough to get vetted as a potential VP pick …

POLITICO Playbook: Scarred DeSantis staffers form a support group  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  There may be turbulence ahead for Rep. ELISE STEFANIK as she wrestles the GOP leadership post from Rep. LIZ CHENEY (R-Wyo.) next week.  DONALD TRUMP is sold on the New York Republican after her unbending show …

4 Years After an Execution, a Different Man's DNA Is Found on the Murder Weapon  —  Lawyers' request to conduct additional DNA testing before Ledell Lee was executed had been denied.  —  For 22 years, Ledell Lee maintained that he had been wrongly convicted of murder.

4 ex-cops indicted on US civil rights charges in Floyd death  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd's arrest and death, accusing them of willfully violating the Black man's constitutional rights …

The ‘headache’ Trump left behind for Biden on the White House lawn  —  (CNN)The project that's currently tearing up the White House's South Lawn initially landed on Donald Trump's desk.  —  The White House was in need of substantial upgrades to its future security apparatus …

‘Belonging Is Stronger Than Facts’: The Age of Misinformation  —  Social and psychological forces are combining to make the sharing and believing of misinformation an endemic problem with no easy solution.  —  There's a decent chance you've had at least one of these rumors, all false …

‘They Own The Media’: New Van Morrison song amplifies antisemitic trope  —  Legendary singer-songwriter Van Morrison released a new song on streaming platforms Thursday whose title espouses a classic antisemitic trope.  —  The lyrics of the song, “They Own The Media,” never indicate who the pronoun in its title refers to.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Allen West embarrasses himself in one-man push-up contest  —  Zero, zero, zero...  Video evidence shows retired Army Lt. Col. Allen West can move his body as if doing a push-up but it is unclear whether or not he can still do one correctly.

Elon Musk: Memelord or Meme Lifter?  —  The billionaire has been posting content creators' work without credit.  Some are frustrated; others, simply puzzled.  —  Elon Musk — the Tesla chief executive, SpaceX founder and soon-to-be “Saturday Night Live” host — is an open admirer of memes.

Jobs surprise triggers battle over federal aid  —  For conservatives, the report suggested that generous pandemic-era benefits are discouraging workers from taking jobs, while progressives argue corporate America has to offer higher wages.  —  A sign looking to hire employees is displayed …

Democrats on FEC blast decision to drop probe into Trump hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels: ‘Defies reality’  —  The Federal Election Commission on Thursday dropped its inquiry to determine whether Donald Trump violated campaign finance laws when his personal lawyer paid an adult-film actress $130,000 …

We're in it Together!  Bobby Valentine for Stamford  —  With great humility and perspective from a lifetime of service, I'm asking for your support to be the next Mayor of Stamford - the city I'm proud to have alw...

Marjorie Taylor Greene Insists Capitol Rioters Weren't Trump Supporters  —  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has sought to distance supporters of former President Donald Trump from the January 6 Capitol riot.  —  During a town hall in Rockmart, Georgia held on Wednesday, Greene …

USCP Response to OIG Report #3  —  The United States Capitol Police has already taken significant steps to implement the recommendations detailed in the Office of Inspector General's (OIG) third flash report on counter-surveillance and threat assessments.  —  All recommended policy updates …

Eric Adams Says He Has Something to Prove.  Becoming Mayor Might Help.  —  Mr. Adams is the top fund-raiser in the New York City mayoral race, with key endorsements and strong polling, but he still faces questions about his preparedness for the job.  —  Nearly three decades ago …

And Then There Was One: G.O.P. Defends Its Last Seat in Queens  —  The party struggles to hold on in an increasingly diverse borough, even as it fights its own internal battles.  —  In heavily Democratic Queens, Councilman Eric Ulrich is a political oddity: He's the only Republican elected …

Defend U.S. troops against sexual assault and harassment in the military - finally  —  Our View: Congress has indulged the generals enough.  After multiple scandals and individual nightmares, revise military law on sexual assault cases.  —  The Editorial BoardUSA TODAY

New Study Estimates More Than 900,000 People Have Died Of COVID-19 In U.S.  —  A new study estimates that the number of people who have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. is more than 900,000, a number 57% higher than official figures.  —  Worldwide, the study's authors say …

The Wuhan-Lab Theory Is Not Far-Fetched.  Just Look at China's Reckless Rocket Program  —  On the menu today: The Chinese space program is about as careful and safety-conscious as the Chinese viral-research program; a deep look at the mounting evidence pointing to a lab leak …