Breakthrough Covid cases: At least 125,000 fully vaccinated Americans have tested positive  —  WASHINGTON — At least 125,000 fully vaccinated Americans have tested positive for Covid and 1,400 of those have died, according to data collected by NBC News.  —  The 125,682 “breakthrough” …

Justice Department says Russians hacked federal prosecutors  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Russian hackers behind the massive SolarWinds cyberespionage campaign broke into the email accounts some of the most prominent federal prosecutors' offices around the country last year, the Justice Department said Friday.

Trump Pressed Justice Dept. to Declare Election Results Corrupt, Notes Show  —  “Leave the rest to me” and to congressional allies, the former president is said to have told top law enforcement officials.  —  WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump pressed top Justice Department officials late …

Let It Rip  —  How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Live With The Virus  —  It started with a text. … He asked me to be on call if he needed something.  A day later, he wrote, “Felt cruddy last night — chills, a little sweats, but slept 10 - 11 hours and slightly better so far today.”

Rep. Madison Cawthorn tried to board plane with gun; could face fine, status loss  —  ASHEVILLE - U.S. House member Madison Cawthorn had his gun taken by airport police and will likely face a federal fine and loss of a special security status, local and federal officials said.

Biden appoints Trump-critic Khizr Khan to religious freedom commission  —  President Biden announced Friday that he will appoint Gold Star father Khizr Khan, who famously criticized former President Trump during the 2016 campaign, to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Congress fails to extend eviction moratorium expiring Saturday … WASHINGTON — House Democrats on Friday failed to push through a last-minute extension of the federal eviction moratorium that expires Saturday, leaving town for a seven-week recess without holding a vote.

Governor DeSantis: Florida Parents Are Free to Choose  —  Citing Parents' Bill of Rights, DeSantis protects right of parents to decide question of masks in schools for their children  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Florida parents, students …

Chuck Todd is dead wrong: Liberal bias defines modern journalism  —  NBC Political Director Chuck Todd argued this week that media bias does not exist, with the “Meet the Press” moderator declaring that the industry needs to join him in fighting back on what he characterized as just a GOP talking point.

Mike Lindell is now hoping Supreme Court allows a do-over election: 'Maybe that's a thing'  —  On the far-right Brandon Howse Live radio program on Friday, MyPillow CEO and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell suggested that perhaps the Supreme Court will allow a do-over of the election without electronic voting machines.

Require the vaccine.  It's time to stop coddling the reckless.  —  Pay people to get vaccinated, no matter whether that is unfair to those who didn't receive checks for jabs.  Require them to do so as a condition of going to work or enrolling in school.  Do whatever it takes — and …

Get Ready for the ‘No-Buy’ List  —  First Big Tech censored speech.  Now they want to shut deplorables out of the financial system.  —  8 hr ago … When I helped create PayPal in 1999, it was in furtherance of a revolutionary idea.  No longer would ordinary people be dependent on large financial institutions to start a business.

Fact check: Is Kevin McCarthy a ‘moron’?  —  After Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy this week decried the House's new face mask requirement, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) replied with a considered response: “He's such a moron.”  —  Mean!  But if the dunce cap fits ...

Vaccine mandates are popular  —  Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they'd support federal, state or local governments requiring everyone to get a coronavirus vaccine, according to a new survey conducted by The COVID States Project.  —  Why it matters: This kind of blanket mandate hasn't even been proposed, at any level of government.

Fed's Brainard: Can't wrap head around not having U.S. central bank digital currency  —  Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard on Friday laid out a range of reasons for “urgency” around the issue of developing a U.S. central bank digital currency, including the fact that other countries such as China are moving ahead with their own.

‘A rush to get shots’  —  Vaccine holdouts in coronavirus hot spots including Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri are rolling up their sleeves as the delta variant hits home.  —  They were unmoved by the urgings of President Biden to get vaccinated.  They've spurned calls from the nation's leading doctors …

Ruth Pearl, seeker of justice for her murdered journalist son, Daniel, dies at 85  —  The premonition came to Ruth Pearl in her sleep.  In her dream, her son, Daniel Pearl, was in danger.  When she awoke, she rushed to the computer and implored him in an email to respond right away.