Ex-Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson claims Rudy Giuliani groped her on January 6  —  Exclusive: in a new book, Hutchinson describes incident in which the former New York mayor put his hand ‘under my blazer, then my skirt’  —  Cassidy Hutchinson, the former Trump aide turned crucial January 6 witness …

CNN Poll: Trump leads in New Hampshire while Ramaswamy, Haley, Christie and DeSantis battle for second  —  Former President Donald Trump holds a sizable lead in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in New Hampshire, but a close contest for second place …

Centrist Dems and McCarthy's allies are in secret talks to strike a deal  —  Any Democratic participation in a plan to stop a shutdown — let alone save the speaker's gavel — would have huge conditions attached.  —  The long-shot idea that Democrats could bail out the beleaguered Speaker Kevin McCarthy is suddenly getting real.

Lin Wood: 'I didn't flip on President Trump'  —  X  —  Former Atlanta attorney Lin Wood pushed back Wednesday on the notion that he would testify against Donald Trump in Fulton County's racketeering case.  —  Wood's name turned up in a new filing by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis naming …

Merrick Garland faced fire from Republicans on Hunter Biden, Trump  —  House Republicans peppered Attorney General Merrick Garland with criticisms during the nearly six-hour House Judiciary Committee hearing.  The divide between Democratic and Republican lawmakers on a range of issues …

Trumpism costs the GOP in a crucial election, again  —  The Republican Party's increasing Trump-era tendency toward more extreme nominees and its struggles to account for the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade have already cost it plenty.  It's quite possible that these things cost …

Free COVID test kits are coming back.  Here's how to get them.  —  The Biden administration is preparing to resume taking orders for free at-home COVID-19 tests starting September 25, officials announced Wednesday.  The administration is also planning a new infusion of money to boost domestic manufacturing of the test kits.

Kari Lake to launch Arizona Senate bid next month  —  The close ally of Trump is looking to run in the swing state again.  —  Arizona Republican Kari Lake will launch a Senate run as soon as early next month, according to three people familiar with her plans.

Senate Poised to Confirm Military Chiefs, Sidestepping Tuberville Blockade  —  Three generals were on track for confirmation, but Senator Tommy Tuberville, the Alabama Republican who has been blocking them, said he would continue to hold up others over a Pentagon abortion policy.

‘We knew the numbers were bad’: Law enforcement staff raised concerns about Ron DeSantis' top crime talking point  —  Three former staffers in Florida's top law enforcement agency told NBC News they could not get behind the statement that state crime was at “a 50-year low.”

Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement  —  For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT  —  Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace.  Job gains have slowed in recent months but remain strong, and the unemployment rate has remained low.  Inflation remains elevated.

Trump vows expanded travel ban if reelected  —  Former President Trump on Wednesday vowed to reimpose and expand a travel ban that targeted several majority-Muslim countries and said he would shift parts of federal law enforcement to focus on immigration if he is elected to a second White House term.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell Resources  —  DOD is committed to increasing its efforts to reach LGBTQ+ veterans discharged under less than honorable conditions for homosexual conduct prior to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell to ensure they are aware of the process to request a correction to their military record.

Florida's “War on Woke” Is Spurring a Brain Drain  —  Thanks to Ron DeSantis's education policies, the state is seeing an unprecedented exodus of teachers, professors, and college students.  —  Pocket  —  This article appears in the October 2/9, 2023 issue, with the headline “Florida's Brain Drain.”