Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court  —  Friends of the Court  —  Clarence Thomas' Beneficial Friendship With a GOP Megadonor  —  In early July 2008, Samuel Alito stood on a riverbank in a remote corner of Alaska.

Missing Titanic Sub Once Faced Massive Lawsuit Over Depths It Could Safely Travel To  —  The tourist submersible that went missing while exploring the Titanic wreck was previously the target of safety complaints from an employee of OceanGate, the parent company that owns the sub and runs tourist expeditions of the wreck.

The Intentionally Provocative Hunter Biden Plea Deal  —  Well, I had the wrong solstice.  In the many times we've discussed today's scenario on the podcast and in print, I predicted the Biden Justice Department would give Hunter a sweetheart plea deal right before Christmas …

Team Trump Suspects His Former Chief of Staff Is a ‘Rat’  —  The former president is sending his attorneys and allies on ‘fact-finding’ missions about what Mark Meadows is up to.  They've returned with no answers but lots of suspicions  —  EARLIER THIS YEAR, Donald Trump sent some of his lawyers …

Hunter Biden, baby mama Lunden Roberts settle child support dispute with first son's payments slashed  —  Hunter Biden and his baby mama have privately settled their child support dispute in Arkansas, according to a source close to the first son.  —  Lunden Roberts, 32 …

Judge Strikes Down Arkansas Law Banning Gender Transition Care for Minors  —  The case had been closely watched as an important test of whether bans on transition care for minors, enacted by more than a dozen states, could withstand challenges.  —  Reporting from Atlanta

Searchers for Titanic Tourist Sub Heard ‘Banging’ From Area, Internal Comms Reveal  —  An aircraft heard sounds at 30-minute intervals from the area where the sub disappeared, according to internal e-mails sent to DHS leadership obtained by Rolling Stone  —  A CANADIAN AIRCRAFT searching …

New York Passes Bill to Shield Abortion Providers Sending Pills Into States With Bans  —  The measure is one of several recently enacted by states aiming to expand access to medication abortion for patients who live where it is outlawed.  —  The New York State Legislature gave final approval …

Biden calls Chinese President Xi a dictator  —  U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator, adding that Xi was very embarrassed when a Chinese balloon was blown off course over the U.S. recently.  —  Biden made the remarks at a fundraiser in California …

CNN Poll: Trump's GOP support appears to soften post-indictment, but he holds lead in primary field  —  Former President Donald Trump's support appears to have softened following his indictment and arrest on federal charges, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

Vanderbilt turns over transgender patient records to state in attorney general probe  —  Melissa Brown Kelly PuenteNashville Tennessean  —  Vanderbilt University Medical Center has turned over transgender patient medical records to the Tennessee Attorney General's office …

‘Terrible idea’: Fellow Dems try to stop Manchin's presidential flirtation  —  Many are skeptical he'll mount a third-party White House bid.  They also fear it could hand the GOP both the Senate and the White House if he does.  —  Joe Manchin loves to keep his political options open …

Accepting Joe Rogan's invitation to “debate” RFK Jr. is a sucker's bet  —  The right has turned the word “debate” into a signifier of bad faith.  —  ∙ Paid … Last weekend, Peter Hotez — scientist, pediatrician, vaccine expert — was bringing home a Father's Day cake when he was accosted …

House to vote on Biden impeachment and Schiff censure … - That was demonstrated last week, when 20 Republicans helped to kill an iteration of the Schiff censure last week that included a $16 million fine. … - The resolution charges Biden with abuse of power and dereliction of duty over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester launches Delaware Senate run  —  Retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Carper has said Blunt Rochester is his preferred successor.  —  Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester launched her campaign for Senate in Delaware on Wednesday, becoming the top candidate to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Carper.

Trump Doubles Down on Death Penalty for Drug Dealers, Touts China's Handling: 'I Don't Know If This Country's Ready for It'  —  Fox News host Baier suggested Alice Johnson, whom Trump pardoned, would be ‘killed’ under his plan  —  A Facebook icon representing an external link to share …

House GOP messaging bills test members' patience  —  House members across the ideological spectrum are getting tired of focusing almost entirely on legislation whose only role is to fire up the base. … - “This is my sixth term, so I've seen messaging bills.

Georgia poll workers accused in Trump-backed conspiracy theories cleared of election fraud allegations  —  Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss were targets of baseless claims by election deniers.  —  Allegations of election fraud against two Georgia election workers who became the subjects …

Judge Shuts Down Trump ‘Coup Memo’ Scribe John Eastman's ‘Expert’ Witness  —  The so-called “expert” is actually a public accountant who wrote an e-book questioning the legitimacy of Biden's presidential win.  —  A disbarment hearing for conservative attorney and former Trumpworld figure John Eastman kicked off Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Leaked Audio: Michigan GOP Chair Says Outrage Over Holocaust Tweet Was ‘Completely Hilarious’  —  Kristina Karamo, a far-right hero, doubled down on her GOP organization's official tweet that invoked the Holocaust to attack gun restrictions and sparked outrage.

George Santos bail backers will be revealed Thursday, judge orders  — The identities of the people who guaranteed Rep. George Santos' $500,000 bond in his criminal fraud case will be revealed this week, a federal judge ordered.  —  The identities of the people who guaranteed …

German man in bulletproof vest attempts to enter U.S. Embassy in Paraguay, officials say  —  A German man in a bulletproof vest was arrested Tuesday after he tried to enter the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay without proper documents and police later found two guns and ammunition in his vehicle.

Remarks by President Biden at a Campaign Reception  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I'm going home now.  (Laughter.)  —  Stephanie and Mark, thanks for welcoming me into your home.  And, Gov, I tell you what, we — I tell you what: I — it's amazing the job you do.