Barr Pressed Durham to Find Flaws in the Russia Investigation.  It Didn't Go Well.  —  The review by John Durham at one point veered into a criminal investigation related to Donald Trump himself, even as it failed to find wrongdoing in the origins of the Russia inquiry.

Michigan Senate OKs earlier presidential primary, to dismay of GOP  —  The Democratic majority in the Michigan Senate approved a measure Thursday that would move the state's presidential primary earlier in the year.  —  The 20-18 party-line vote to shift the primary from mid-March …

What Mike Pompeo Leaves Out  —  In a memoir clearly intended to prepare for a presidential run, the former secretary of state toots his own horn—but his silences are louder.  —  Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love  —  “My Mike” was the nickname that President Trump bestowed …

US inflation and consumer spending cooled in December  —  The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge eased further in December, and consumer spending fell — the latest evidence that the Fed's series of interest rate hikes are slowing the economy.  Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed …

Pro-DeSantis group to launch ‘opening salvo’ in New Hampshire at GOP meeting  —  A super PAC backing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for president in 2024 will have a presence at this weekend's New Hampshire GOP meeting, planting its flag in the state for the Florida governor and potentially setting …

Federal prosecutors discussed charging Trump in Stormy Daniels case when he left office, book says  —  Days before then-President Donald Trump left the White House, federal prosecutors in New York discussed whether to potentially charge Trump with campaign finance crimes once he was out of office …

RNC chair seeks to quell revolt, divisions ahead of tense Friday election  —  GOP leaders are voting on whether to reelect Ronna McDaniel amid demands for accountability for the party's string of electoral failures  —  DANA POINT, Calif. — A contentious battle over the future of the GOP …

Biden's Ukraine incompetence made war far bloodier.  It's time to deliver what's needed to defeat Russia  —  Sending just 31 Abrams tanks to help Ukraine battle Russia is too little, too late  —  Sen. Tom Cotton: Ukraine Abrams tanks decision is ‘long overdue’

Ambassador Olexandr Scherba's Undiplomatic Thoughts on Russia and Europe's Shocking Wake-Up Call  —  How Ukraine's desire for freedom disrupted the EU's vision for the future - until Europe had no choice but to act. … Olexander Scherba is a Ukrainian diplomat and author who served as Ambassador to Austria from 2014 to 2021.

Scoop: GOP considers copying powerful Dem donor tactic  —  Republican candidates might have to beef up grassroots fundraising operations to qualify for the first 2024 presidential primary debate, Axios has learned. … - Discussions are ongoing about the precise number of donors to require …

How Donald Trump's 2024 Campaign Bounced Back … Donald Trump spent the final months of 2022 reeling from electoral setbacks and media disasters.  Many of his high-profile endorsements in the midterm elections flopped.  His attacks on popular GOP governors in Florida, Virginia, Ohio …

Revealed: Trump secretly donated $1m to discredited Arizona election ‘audit’  —  Funding for controversial review of state's vote count in 2020 election can be traced to former president's Pac  —  One of the enduring mysteries surrounding the chaotic attempts to overturn Donald Trump's defeat …

“That just cannot stand”: Warner and Rubio united in demanding access to Trump, Biden documents  —  Washington — The Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee are urging the director of national intelligence to provide the panel with access to the documents marked classified …

‘I have no enemies, at least’: Where Santos really stands in the House GOP  —  Everyone in the Capitol seems to be talking about George Santos.  Almost no fellow Republican, however, appears to be forging real bonds with him.  —  The New York Republican became a migraine for his party …

Tucker Carlson Talks Nonsense About U.S. Invading Canada To Remove Trudeau  —  “Why should we let it become Cuba?” the Fox News host said after suggesting America launch an attack to “liberate” Canada.  —  Tucker Carlson on Thursday called for the U.S. to invade Canada and remove Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

California Senate race sets up clash of titans  —  A Senate race pitting the man who spearheaded former President Donald Trump's first impeachment, Adam Schiff, against fundraising powerhouse and wonk superstar Katie Porter would guarantee fireworks and a price tag in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

As Santos digs in, both parties ramp up campaign plans for his demise  —  A determined band of New Yorkers is already working to make George Santos a one-term member of Congress — if he lasts that long.  —  The first-term Republican's home turf of the densely packed Long Island suburbs …

More than 100 Students Walk Out of Embattled Harvard Professor Comaroff's First Class of Semester  —  More than 100 students walked out of embattled Harvard professor John L. Comaroff's class Tuesday afternoon, protesting his continued presence on campus after he was placed on leave last year …

Biden Appointees Are Looking for New Jobs — And the Market Is Hot  —  There's good news for Biden appointees eyeing the exits: Unlike your predecessors from Donald Trump's chaotic administration, you're in demand in the private sector.  —  While the 46th president has presided …

Kavanaugh touts ‘great relations’ among justices on divided Supreme Court  —  WASHINGTON — Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the Supreme Court is not as divided as members of the public might think, praising his liberal colleagues and highlighting rulings in which the justices …

The Myth of Jeffrey Zients  —  There is no reason to trust a longtime corporate stooge to serve as President Biden's chief of staff.  —  Jeff Zients, then COVID-19 response coordinator, prepares to speak at a press briefing at the White House, April 13, 2021, in Washington.

Senior ISIS Leader in Somalia Killed in U.S. Special Operations Raid  —  No civilians or Americans were killed or injured in the operation, officials said.  —  WASHINGTON — Special Operations troops killed a senior Islamic State leader in a helicopter raid in a remote area of Somalia on Thursday, a U.S. official said.

Trump unveils new education policy loaded with culture war proposals  —  Former President Donald Trump is unveiling a 2024 education policy plan, one focusing heavily on the culture war components that have animated conservatives.  —  The plan, shared in advance with POLITICO …

5 Memphis ex-police are charged with murder and jailed over the death of Tyre Nichols  —  Five former Memphis police officers have been indicted and jailed in the beating death of Tyre Nichols, who died days after a traffic stop on Jan. 7.  —  Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III …

Can Anything Be Done to Assuage Rural Rage?  —  Rural resentment has become a central fact of American politics — in particular, a pillar of support for the rise of right-wing extremism.  As the Republican Party has moved ever further into MAGAland, it has lost votes among educated suburban voters …

Paul Pelosi attack video and audio being released Friday  —  Video and audio recorded last year during the attack on Paul Pelosi will be released Friday, after a California court ruled the district attorney's office must make the materials public.  —  Audio from police interviews …

‘American Taliban’ Was Ordered Not to Meet With Extremists.  He Did Anyway  —  John Walker Lindh was supposed to steer clear of extremists while out on supervised release but the FBI spotted him hanging out with a convicted ISIS supporter … Lindh, who reportedly maintained his support …

Florida House ‘dress code’ asks women to cover their shoulders … Peter Schorsch is the President of Extensive Enterprises Media and is the publisher of FloridaPolitics.com, INFLUENCE Magazine, and Sunburn, the morning read of what's hot in Florida politics.

Biden > Obama  —  Sorry not sorry.  —  Two things: First, come hang out with me tonight and get smart about where things stand in Ukraine.  I'll be joined by Cathy Young, Ben Parker, and Shield of the Republic's Eric Edelman.  —  I'm going to learn a lot from this conversation.  I hope you will, too.

Calif. seeks to disbar Trump adviser John Eastman over Jan. 6 charges  —  The State Bar of California intends to seek the disbarment of former president Donald Trump's election attorney John Eastman for his role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election.