What Mitt Romney Saw in the Senate  —  In an exclusive excerpt from my forthcoming biography of the senator, Romney: A Reckoning, he reveals what drove him to retire.  —  For most of his life, Mitt Romney has nursed a morbid fascination with his own death, suspecting that it might assert itself one day suddenly and violently.

Fact-checking McCarthy's claims while launching Biden impeachment inquiry  —  House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made several unproven claims Tuesday while announcing the opening of a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.  —  The Republican-led investigation will focus on …

Video shows Lauren Boebert giving the middle finger to an usher after being kicked out of a performance of ‘Beetlejuice’  — Rep. Lauren Boebert was escorted out of a performance of “Beetlejuice” in Denver over the weekend.  — Surveillance footage shows her giving the middle finger to an usher as she leaves the venue.

DeSantis: Criminalizing women for getting abortions ‘will not happen in Florida’  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Wednesday that he does not support criminalizing abortion in his state.  —  “We have no criminal penalty,” he said in a CBS News interview.  “The penalties are for the physician.”

DeSantis and top Fla. health official warn against COVID shots for people under 65  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the state's surgeon general are advising against the use of updated COVID-19 vaccines for anyone under the age of 65, a move that counters a new recommendation from the Centers …

Federal judge again declares Obama-era DACA program unlawful  —  A federal judge in Texas ruled Wednesday that a regulation intended to preserve the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is unlawful, delivering a major blow to the Biden administration.

A closer look at California's $267 million war on “organized retail crime”  —  On Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced the state would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to combat “organized retail crime.”  More than $267 million will be distributed in grants to 55 cities and counties across the state.

Wisconsin Republican leader asks former state Supreme Court justices to review impeachment  —  Wisconsin's Republican Assembly leader announced Wednesday that he's created a panel to investigate the criteria for impeachment as he mulls taking that unprecedented step against a liberal state Supreme Court justice.

DeSantis took undisclosed private flights and lodging through wealthy donors  —  The trips included a private flight to the prestigious home of the Masters tournament, with an overnight stay and a round of golf  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took at least six undisclosed trips on private jets …

In Poland, Testing Women for Abortion Drugs Is a Reality.  It Could Happen Here.  —  Nearly three years ago, Poland's Constitutional Tribunal effectively ended legal abortion in the country.  Since then, the Polish government has vigorously repressed the nation's reproductive rights movement …

Haley gets a bounce in New Hampshire - right into the veepstakes  —  Even supporters of Trump's rivals talk about them like potential vice presidents.  —  MERRIMACK, N.H. — Nikki Haley is finally getting a bounce in New Hampshire.  It's just not the one she wants.

In private meetings, Manchin grapples with his political future  —  Whether he runs for reelection or president, the Democratic senator has signaled he would probably leave the party and run as an independent  —  Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) is having trouble making a decision about his political future.

RFK Jr. Getting Republican Support For His Democratic Primary Bid To Unseat Biden  —  Former GOP Sen. Scott Brown hosts a “No BS” barbecue series for GOP presidential candidates and, most recently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  —  LOADING  —  RYE, N.H. — As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tries …

Jury awards $100,000 to Kentucky gay couple denied marriage license  —  The couple sued former county clerk Kim Davis, who was briefly jailed in 2015 over her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  —  A federal jury has awarded $100,000 to a Kentucky couple …

Federal staff recommend first safety rules for infant rockers after deaths stretching back over a decade  —  Rockers can pose a suffocation threat to infants when they fall asleep or are left unattended, Consumer Product Safety Commission staff wrote.  —  Staff at the Consumer Product Safety …

Milley disputes claim he recommended Trump attack Iran  —  You can watch the full interview with Gen. Mark Milley on “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.  —  CNN —  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told CNN's Fareed Zakaria in an interview Wednesday …

Court blocks Jack Smith's access to many of Rep. Scott Perry's contacts about 2020 election  —  The appeals panel concluded that prosecutors' effort to access cellphone communications with colleagues officials violated the lawmaker's constitutional immunity.

Calif. passes strongest right-to-repair bill yet, requiring 7 years of parts  —  Repair shops must disclose if they're using “non-authorized” parts.  —  California, the home to many of tech's biggest companies and the nation's most populous state, is pushing ahead with a right-to-repair bill for consumer electronics and appliances.

Ramaswamy Says He Would Fire Most of the Federal Work Force if Elected  —  Vivek Ramaswamy, whose campaign for the Republican nomination has gained attention in recent months, has vowed to dismantle much of the federal government and shutter key agencies.  —  Vivek Ramaswamy …