Texas attorney general opens probe into Media Matters over report on X ads  —  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said Monday that his office is opening an investigation into Media Matters for America over its recent reports accusing X, the platform formerly known as Twitter …

Billionaires are lining up to fund Donald Trump's anti-democratic agenda  —  The more disturbing Trump's public proclamations become, the more US plutocrats seem to want him to win  —  As an ever-greater portion of the nation's total wealth goes to the top, it's hardly surprising that ever …

Israel-Hamas deal on hostage release and ceasefire is imminent, sources say  —  A deal between Israel and Hamas to free dozens of hostages and declare a multi-day ceasefire is imminent and could be announced by the Qatari mediators as soon as Tuesday, two sources with direct knowledge of the issue told Axios.

Many now see Haley as Trump's top GOP challenger.  She faces hurdles ahead.  —  Jockeying in a tier below the former president has moved, with Haley surging into a distant second place  —  HOOKSETT, N.H. — Nikki Haley has in many ways pushed past Ron DeSantis to become the top alternative to Donald Trump …

Tux-Wearing Christian Nationalists Laugh About Their Influence, Live From Mar-a-Lago  —  The pastor with whom Speaker Mike Johnson prayed to ward off God's judgment made the case for Christian dominion at Trump's Florida domain  —  CHRISTIAN NATIONALISTS WERE out in force at Mar-a-Lago on Friday night …

Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao Agrees to Step Down, Plead Guilty  —  Zhao's crypto exchange will also admit wrongdoing and agree to pay $4.3 billion in fines  —  The chief executive of Binance, the largest global cryptocurrency exchange, plans to step down and plead guilty …

House GOP's Biden impeachment effort heads into final stage  —  The conference plans to depose Hunter Biden in December and is working to tie up other threads before January — when advocates hope they can start moving toward a vote.  —  House Republicans are closing in on a make-or-break moment …

The Trump Threat Is Growing.  Lawyers Must Rise to Meet This Moment.  —  American democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law are the righteous causes of our times, and the nation's legal profession is obligated to support them.  But with the acquiescence of the larger conservative legal movement …

Mike Johnson's America: Revisit landmark SCOTUS decisions and use government to ‘restrain evil’  —  Mike Johnson, the new speaker of the House, voiced support for revisiting Supreme Court decisions that struck down restrictions on the use of contraception, barred bans on gay sex …

How a Maine Businessman Made the AR-15 Into America's Best-Selling Rifle  —  Neither a gun enthusiast nor a right-wing ideologue, Richard Dyke used political connections and lobster giveaways to build Bushmaster, the company that popularized assault-style rifles.  —  Under the Gun: How Gun Violence Is Impacting the Nation

App payment confusion causes IRS to delay $600 sales reporting threshold — again  —  Taxpayers and gig workers who use apps such as Venmo and Paypal to make money selling personal goods and services don't have to worry about the new $600 threshold for reporting sales on form 1099-K to the IRS this year.

Matt Gaetz at 21% approval rating in Florida, poll says  —  A new poll shows U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz is a polarizing figure in Florida, both in and outside of the Republican Party.  —  A poll from the Florida Atlantic University Mainstreet PolCom Lab released last week showed that 57% …

Utah special congressional election sees GOP ex-House staffer face Democratic legislator  —  Republican Celeste Maloy and state Sen. Kathleen Riebe are competing to become the first woman in Utah's congressional delegation since 2019 and only the fifth in history.

90 Minutes in a Van With Dean Phillips  —  “I am the anti-defeat candidate.”  —  Like many politicians, Representative Dean Phillips likes to look people in the eye.  And because he's a politician, Phillips can glean things, just as President George W. Bush did when he peered into Vladimir Putin's eyes and saw his soul.

Attorney for Alleged MI Fake Elector Wants Co-Defendants to ‘Shut Up’  —  Some defendants in a scheme to overturn Michigan's 2020 presidential election results claim they were acting on Trump's orders.  —  During a September fundraiser for his client, an attorney for a defendant …

Silicon Valley Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is retiring  —  For the first time in two decades, a Silicon Valley congressmember is poised to retire and shake up the South Bay's political landscape — with many local Democrats reportedly eyeing the seat.  —  Multiple sources in Sacramento …

Cornel West sets his sights on a key battleground state  —  The independent candidate is well positioned to capitalize on Biden's weaknesses in a certain swing state.  —  Independent presidential hopeful Cornel West is taking aim at Michigan by courting voter groups that Joe Biden is struggling with …