GOP frets behind the scenes over potential Trump 2024 bid  —  Republicans largely oppose forming a commission to examine the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, hoping to block out further Donald Trump-induced chaos while they try to retake Congress next year.  —  The former president is making clear he isn't going anywhere.

Are Democrats sleepwalking toward democratic collapse?  —  “I'm not sure people appreciate how much danger we're in.”  —  Donald Trump may be out of Washington, but his spirit very much lives on in the party he left behind.  This month, Republican congressional leaders Kevin McCarthy …

Associated Press tells staff it made mistakes in firing of Emily Wilder  —  The news service is facing criticism and internal dissent for terminating a junior staffer based on her social media activity.  —  Senior managers at the Associated Press admitted fault on Wednesday in the firing …

Biden to Propose $6 Trillion Budget to Boost Middle Class and Infrastructure  —  The president's plans to invest in infrastructure, education, health care and more would push federal spending to its highest sustained levels since World War II.  —  WASHINGTON — President Biden will propose …

Enough of Fauci's lies!  —  Dr. Anthony Fauci was absolutely adamant that the National Institutes of Health has never funded dangerous research on bat viruses in the Chinese lab suspected of being the source of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was questioned by Republican Sen. Rand Paul two weeks ago.

San Jose mass shooting: Ex-girlfriend of suspect Samuel Cassidy alleged rape and violent, alcohol-fueled ‘mood swings’  —  The Valley Transportation Authority employee suspected of fatally shooting eight coworkers Wednesday morning before turning the gun on himself had been accused of raping …

Book reveals Bernie's hotel demands: King-size beds and 60-degree rooms  —  Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is a demanding hotel guest whose requirements would make even the most pampered celebrity blush, according to a new book detailing Democratic Party politics.

Understanding QAnon's Connection to American Politics, Religion, and Media Consumption  —  THREE COMPONENTS OF THE QANON CONSPIRACY MOVEMENT  —  Three Components of the QAnon Conspiracy Movement  —  The far-right conspiracy theory movement known as QAnon emerged on the internet in late 2017 …

The Senate: Sununu's Vital Choice  —  Dear Readers: Virginia lost one of its most prominent and successful political figures on Tuesday, as former Sen. John Warner (R-VA) died at the age of 94.  Warner served for three decades in the Senate (1979-2009), becoming known for his expertise …

‘The only Bush who got it right,’ as far as Trump is concerned  —  No Republican political family has been as tormented by Donald Trump as the Bush dynasty.  —  Now Trump has one more opportunity to twist the knife, as George P. Bush — the last remaining Bush in public office …

Juan Williams Is Suddenly Out at Fox News' ‘The Five’—And Insiders Are Blaming Co-Host Greg Gutfeld  —  Multiple sources familiar with the matter said Gutfeld said a major driver behind Williams' departure was Gutfeld's desire for “The Five” to return to the studio.

U.S. Faces Outbreak of Anti-Semitic Threats and Violence  —  In the wake of clashes in Israel and Gaza, synagogues have been vandalized and Jews have been threatened and attacked.  —  A brick shattering a window of a kosher pizzeria on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Senate GOP doubts grand jury charges would weaken Trump  —  Senate Republicans see a special grand jury investigation into President Trump's business practices by Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. as more evidence that Democrats want to keep Trump in the spotlight to drag them down in the midterm election.

Paul Ryan to Call for GOP to Lessen Reliance on Trump  —  The former House speaker wants Republicans to avoid focusing on cultural skirmishes at the expense of policy issues  —  Former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, in a speech Thursday evening at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California …

White House tells Trump complainers: get over it  —  The White House has a simple message for Trump appointees venting to the media about losing their jobs since President Biden took office: get over it.  —  Why it matters: The White House has been methodically clearing house …

Amy Cooper Sues Former Employer for Racial Discrimination  —  Ms. Cooper, who made the call after a man asked her to leash her dog in Central Park, says that she was discriminated against because of her race.  —  Amy Cooper, a white woman who last year became an international symbol …

Orlando doctor pressed marijuana company seeking business in Florida to give $10K to Matt Gaetz campaign  —  An Orlando medical marijuana entrepreneur arranged access to U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz for the top executive at a cannabis-industry company looking to do business in Florida …

On the Ground … The Woke-Industrial Complex  —  Lockheed, the nation's largest defense contractor, sends key executives on a mission to deconstruct their “white male privilege.”  —  The Social Order  —  Last year, Lockheed Martin Corporation, the nation's largest defense contractor …

U.S. Jobless Claims Extend Decline to New Pandemic Low  —  Claims, a proxy for layoffs, edged lower to 406,000 in the week ended May 22  —  Worker filings for jobless benefits fell again to a fresh pandemic low, extending a steady downward trend and adding to signs of a healing labor market as the economy opens more fully.

Top Wisconsin Republican Robin Vos hires former cops to investigate November election  —  MADISON - Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is hiring retired police officers to investigate aspects of the November election, joining with Republicans from around the country who have questioned President Joe Biden's victory.

Can Removing Highways Fix America's Cities? … ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Built in the 1950s to speed suburban commuters to and from downtown, Rochester's Inner Loop destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, replacing them with a broad, concrete trench that separated downtown from the rest of the city.

US democracy is still in the danger zone  —  Threat has outgrown Trump as Republican states seek to control what happens in future elections  —  Early into Donald Trump's presidency, the Economist Intelligence Unit downgraded the US to a “flawed democracy”.  Unfortunately it still belongs there.

Biden Administration Defends Huge Alaska Oil Drilling Project  —  The administration says the country must pivot away from fossil fuels but backed a project set to produce 590 million barrels of oil over 30 years.  —  WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is defending a huge Trump-era oil …