Lawyers with supreme court business paid Clarence Thomas aide via Venmo  —  Payments to Rajan Vasisht, an aide from 2019-21, underscore ties between the justice and lawyers who argue cases in front of him  —  Several lawyers who have had business before the supreme court …

DeSantis donors privately worry about campaign as Florida governor lags in 2024 polls  — Some of Ron DeSantis' fundraisers have recently heard concerns from donors about the trajectory of the the campaign.  — The governor continues to lag former President Donald Trump in GOP primary polls.

Arizona Man Cited in Conspiracy Theories Sues Fox News for Defamation  —  Ray Epps, a two-time Trump voter, says Tucker Carlson repeatedly and falsely named him as a covert government agent who incited the Jan. 6 attacks.  —  Ray Epps, the man at the center of a widespread conspiracy theory …

Republican Gains in 2022 Midterms Driven Mostly by Turnout Advantage  —  An examination of the 2022 elections, based on validated voters  —  An examination of the 2022 elections, based on validated voters  —  How we did this Terminology  —  In midterm elections that yielded mixed results …

FBI Director Chris Wray defends agency amid onslaught of GOP criticism  —  Republican lawmakers are expected to press Wray over Trump, Hunter Biden investigations  —  FBI Director Christopher A. Wray is testifying Wednesday before Congress, in a hearing likely to feature extensive criticism …

Suspect in Larry Nassar stabbing said ex-doctor made lewd remark watching Wimbledon, AP source says  —  A prisoner suspected of stabbing Larry Nassar at a federal penitentiary in Florida said the disgraced former sports doctor provoked the attack by making a lewd comment while they were watching …

Rough Days for Biden, Rougher Days for Trump  —  WAS LAST WEEK “hellish” for President Joe Biden?  Is he in for a cruel summer, filled with setbacks, scandal and calls for him to step aside because he's too old?  On the contrary.  The cruel, hellish summer of setbacks and scandal is coming for Donald Trump.

White House warns reporter Simon Ateba about his press-room outbursts  —  In a first for Biden's press office, the formal reprimand cites ‘continued interruptions’  —  Escalating its feud with an assertive reporter, the White House on Tuesday issued a formal warning to Simon Ateba …

Georgia sues True the Vote over refusal to show ‘2000 Mules’ evidence  —  X  —  Texas-based group objected to subpoena seeking proof of voting fraud  —  The Georgia State Election Board is suing True the Vote over the organization's failure to comply with subpoenas that would back up its allegation …

China-based hackers breached email accounts, Microsoft says  —  Microsoft said late Tuesday a known group that primarily focuses on hacking Western governments to spy on them had successfully breached some accounts.  —  Hackers in China recently broke into the email accounts of around 25 organizations …

A Sea Otter Is Stealing Surfboards Near Santa Cruz, California  —  California wildlife officials are hoping to apprehend a 5-year-old sea otter, who has a knack for riding the waves after committing longboard larceny.  —  Annie Roth lives in Santa Cruz, Calif., where she knows enough to stay away from sea otters in the ocean.

MSNBC Expert Arrives At Darkly Hilarious Take On Tommy Tuberville  —  Eddie S. Glaude Jr. made MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace crack up with his zinger aimed at the senator from Alabama.  —  MSNBC guest Eddie S. Glaude Jr. riffed on Nicolle Wallace's takedown of Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on Tuesday, drawing cackles from the host.

WATCH: Train Conductor Tears Passenger a New One for Spewing Racist Crap  —  “Look at me,” he told the woman on the Connecticut train line.  “You will never ride my train again.”  —  A commuter Karen was forced to humble up during a ride through Connecticut last week after a conductor threatened …

CPI Report Shows Inflation Eased to 3% in June  —  Fed officials are still likely to raise interest rates when they meet later this month  —  U.S. inflation eased last month to its slowest pace in more than two years as underlying price pressures moderated more than expected.

NASA releases spectacular image to celebrate James Webb Space Telescope  —  The James Webb Space Telescope was designed to tunnel deeper into space and farther back in time than any previous observatory, with the audacious goal of seeing the very first galaxies that lit up the young universe.

Judge acquits Broadway actor on all counts in Capitol riot case  —  James Beeks says he is no longer a member of the Oath Keepers and was “duped” by the organization.  —  WASHINGTON — A federal judge acquitted an Oath Keepers member and former Broadway actor on all counts Wednesday …

McCarthy confronts bleak reality as conservatives undercut GOP agenda  —  It's not just the Pentagon policy bill that's delayed on the floor.  Prepare for further Republican drama over government spending and a big tax bill.  —  The conservative fever that's plagued Speaker Kevin McCarthy for weeks is showing no signs of breaking.

Tax prep sites gave millions of taxpayers' info to Facebook and Google  —  A new congressional report, following reporting by a tech news outlet, finds three tax sites were sharing personal user data  —  About 10 million people type their personal financial information into H&R Block …

S.F.'s Anchor Brewing is shutting down after 127 years  —  Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate  —  San Francisco institution Anchor Brewing Co., the godfather of steam beer, is shutting down after 127 years.  —  The brewery was “losing millions of dollars a year,” said Anchor spokesperson Sam Singer.

The campaign of Chris Christie's dreams  —  Who needs to wake up to the political realities of 2024 — Trump loyalists, or the anti-Trump candidate?  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. — Chris Christie has a dream.  Not a fantasy, though some might call it that, but rather a waking ambition that he is pursuing with open eyes.

Hollywood Studios' WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall  —  EXCLUSIVE: Regardless of whether SAG-AFTRA goes on strike this week, the studios have no intention of sitting down with the Writers Guild for several more months.

“He's Fiercely Protective”: Trump Aide Walt Nauta May Pay the Ultimate Price for Loyalty  —  The former Navy cook remains glued to the ex-president in Mar-a-Lago—"I don't think King Charles has anyone this good," says one senior adviser.  But could the threat of decades in prison drive the valet to turn on Trump?

Ukraine: Russian general reported killed in attack on Berdyansk hotel  —  A senior Russian general has been killed in a missile strike in Ukraine, Russian sources have said.  —  Lt Gen Oleg Tsokov is said to have died in a strike on a hotel housing Russian military commanders in Berdyansk, on Ukraine's occupied southern coast.

It's Not Just Trump.  Right-Wing Defendants Keep Saying the DOJ Framed Them, Too.  —  With Gal Luft's indictment, the Deep State's conspiracy expands.  —  Back in April, when Manhattan prosecutors charged Donald Trump with falsifying business records, the MAGA faithful who protested outside …