The mysterious nine-second call from the White House to a January 6 rioter: CNN reveals the rioter's identity for the first time  —  At 4:34 pm on January 6, 2021, a cell phone registered to a Capitol rioter who had stormed the building, received a phone call from a White House landline, according to records obtained by CNN.

Meadows texts reveal direct White House communications with pro-Trump operative behind plans to seize voting machines  —  As allies of then-President Donald Trump made a final push to overturn the election in late-December 2020, one of the key operatives behind the effort briefed …

Mastriano's Sputtering Campaign: No TV Ads, Tiny Crowds, Little Money  —  As he runs for governor of Pennsylvania, Doug Mastriano is being heavily outspent by his Democratic rival and trails badly in polling.  National Republicans show little desire to help him.

Putin grants Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden  —  President Vladimir Putin has granted Russian citizenship to former U.S. security contractor Edward Snowden, according to a decree signed by the Russian leader on Monday.  Snowden is one of 75 foreign nationals listed by the decree as being granted Russian citizenship.

White House: New rule will show ‘true cost’ of plane tickets  —  President Joe Biden will announce a new initiative Monday that will eventually allow consumers to see a more complete price on airline tickets — including baggage and change fees — before they buy, as the White House continues …

Pennsylvania school district accused of banning Girls Who Code book series  —  Pen America says Central York school district banned the books but officials strongly deny it in statement  —  A school district in Pennsylvania has banned the Girls Who Code book series for young readers …

Does It Matter That Investigators Are Closing in on Trump?  —  Gail Collins: Bret, which do you think is more of a threat to Trump's political future, the classified document drama at Mar-a-Lago or the legal challenge to his businesses in New York?  —  Bret Stephens: Gail …

Costs of Suspending Student Loan Payments and Canceling Debt  —  This letter responds to some questions about the effects of President Biden's August 24, 2022, announcement on executive actions affecting student loans.  — The cost of outstanding student loans will increase by $20 billion …

What just happened in Italy?  —  Much the same as what's happened in France, Great Britain, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, and the U.S.  —  What happened in yesterday's election in Italy?  —  At the purely factual level, a coalition of right-wing and center-right parties won big in an election trigged …

More Trans Teens Are Choosing ‘Top Surgery’  —  Small studies suggest that breast removal surgery improves transgender teenagers' well-being, but data is sparse.  Some state leaders oppose such procedures for minors.  —  Michael, 17, arrived in the sleek white waiting room …

Top State Judges Make a Rare Plea in a Momentous Supreme Court Election Case  —  In a surprising filing, state chief justices opposed an argument pressed by Republicans — that state legislatures may set federal election rules unconstrained by state constitutions.

California Rep. Katie Porter trashed Irvine police after they arrested man she lives with  —  California Democrat called local police department ‘a disgrace’

Pro-Life Advocate Mark Houck Offered to Talk to FBI 3 Months Ago, It Raided His Family Anyway  —  More evidence is coming to light showing that Joe Biden's Justice Department clearly targeted a pro-life man his family with a shocking home raid as a matter of persecution.

Retired wrestler says GOP Gov. Phil Bryant cut welfare funding to nonprofit because of Democratic support  — Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)  —  A former professional wrestler and defendant in the Mississippi welfare scandal is alleging that he personally witnessed Republican …

Hell Is a World in Which Everybody Writes Like Axios … In 1936, The New Yorker's Wolcott Gibbs published a celebrated profile of Henry Luce, co-founder with Briton Hadden of Time magazine.  The piece was written entirely in parodic Time-ese.  In those days Time's house style favored Homeric epithets …

McConnell works to box out Manchin  —  It's Mitch McConnell versus Joe Manchin yet again.  —  McConnell is urging Senate Republicans to vote no on advancing Manchin's permitting reform legislation as part of a government funding package, according to three people familiar with the effort.

Cayler Ellingson's alleged killer not under house arrest, no curfew after posting ‘very low’ bond: court docs  —  Former assistant US attorney says the ‘very low’ bond is ‘woefully inadequate’  —  Cayler Ellingson's former North Dakota high school holds moment of silence at Homecoming football game

As more states create election integrity units, Arizona is a cautionary tale  —  Over three years, a high-profile investigation team found little fraud, sapped government resources and deepened suspicions  —  PHOENIX — Republicans across the country have embraced an aggressive tactic …

Putin Ally Acknowledges Founding Wagner Mercenary Group  —  Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, a Russian businessman and close associate of President Vladimir V. Putin, acknowledged on Monday that he is the founder of the Wagner Group, a shadowy private military company that has fought on Russia's side in the war in Ukraine.

Ron DeSantis's vile stunt outdoes Greg Abbott in trolling cruelty  —  It's all so terribly unfair.  Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has bused more than 10,000 migrants to Democratic strongholds.  He has been doing this for months.  That's right: He cleverly figured out that dumping migrants …

Trump's ‘Special Master’ Delay Is Already Backfiring  —  For years, Donald Trump has managed to tie up lawsuits and investigations by delaying cases and hiding behind the Oval Office desk.  His latest ploy is failing miserably.  —  Former President Donald Trump has learned time and again …

Jan. 6 committee hearing will use clips from Roger Stone documentary  —  The Danish filmmakers, who previously were hesitant to cooperate with the investigation, said this week they decided to comply with a subpoena issued by the committee.  —  The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 …