Gaetz sought pardon related to Justice Department sex trafficking probe  —  Testimony by a former White House aide is the first indication the congressman sought protection from the inquiry  —  Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) told a former White House aide that he was seeking a preemptive pardon …

The story of the praying Bremerton coach keeps getting more surreal  —  When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that Bremerton assistant football coach Joseph Kennedy had the right to pray on the field, it wasn't widely understood then that the court had also ordered the school district to give him his job back.

Tucker Carlson: Martha's Vineyard GoFundMe for illegal migrants won't actually go to them  —  It's all fun and games for a sanctuary city, or island until illegal migrants actually show up.  The hypocrisy of limousine liberals was brutally exposed by FNC's Tucker Carlson during his opening monologue on Friday night.

In Ohio, Vance scrambles to ramp up campaign after mounting GOP criticism  —  Although party strategists voice confidence Vance will still prevail, they say they fear he wasted precious time, requiring a financial bailout that limited resources for GOP candidates in other states

‘A Crisis Coming’: The Twin Threats to American Democracy  —  The United States has experienced deep political turmoil several times before over the past century.  The Great Depression caused Americans to doubt the country's economic system.  World War II and the Cold War presented threats from global totalitarian movements.

Trump used ‘almost mob-style extortion’ to try to convince AT&T to sell CNN to Rupert Murdoch, new book claims  — Trump and his aides tried to push AT&T's CEO to sell CNN to Rupert Murdoch, a new book claims.  — AT&T's CEO was “beyond pissed,” and executives described “almost mob-style extortion,” per the book.

Women Turned Off by Billionaire's Conservative Dating App  —  The Peter Thiel-backed dating app “The Right Stuff” is already off to the wrong start. … A new pro-Trump dating app backed by right-wing tech billionaire Peter Thiel has not even launched yet, but it's already facing lots of rejection.

Activists Fear Green Groups May Help Dems Pass Manchin Permitting Bill  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at the G7 meeting in Berlin today.  —  Sources in the environmental justice movement say they're concerned that some big environmental groups have yet to take a hardline stance …

'Y'all are scared': The huge, looming fight over abortion referendums  —  As their party confronts the vexing political fallout of the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade, some Republicans — especially those in tough 2022 races — are taking things a step further in trying to rid themselves of the issue …

Joe Biden Plans Campaign Rally in Florida During Political Fight with Ron DeSantis  —  President Joe Biden will campaign in Florida later this month as he continues criticizing Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R), who is running for reelection.  —  The White House confirmed that Biden will attend …

50 migrants arrive at Vice President Kamala Harris' residence, 6 more buses to NYC  —  Vice President Kamala Harris accused Republican governors of ‘dereliction of duty,’ after claiming border ‘secure’  —  Another group of migrants dropped off outside VP Harris' DC residence

IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine  —  Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is once again receiving electricity directly from the national grid after engineers repaired one of the four main external power lines that have all been damaged during the conflict …

Farewell to Outlook, and nearly 70 years of essays, arguments and criticism  —  Perspective by Robert G. Kaiser and Steve Luxenberg  —  Outlook, the print section of commentary and analysis that has graced this newspaper's Sunday edition for nearly 70 years, came into the world quietly on Dec. 19, 1954.

Gableman suggests ‘revolution’ to keep government honest  —  MADISON (WKOW) — Speaking at a Republican dinner event in Appleton last week, newly-released audio captured Michael Gableman suggesting revolution was the ‘only way to keep government honest.’  —  Gableman delivered the remarks …

As India Joins China in Distancing From Russia, Putin Warns of Escalation  —  After India's prime minister said that now is not the time for war, an increasingly isolated Mr. Putin threatened “more serious” actions in Ukraine while insisting he was ready for talks.

How the WH views the DeSantis stunt  —  Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration.  With help from Allie Bice.  —  Earlier this week, Florida Gov. RON DESANTIS rounded up 50 Venezuelan migrants from Texas and transported …