Trump Launches into Courtroom Tirade About ‘Witch Hunt’ Fraud Case, Claiming He Deserves Damages  —  The former president didn't wait for the judge's permission before reciting a roughly five-minute rant that he's being ‘persecuted’  —  Donald Trump launched into a tirade Thursday …

Democrats Propose Bill to Neuter Militias  —  The “Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act” would effectively limit most militia activity.  —  Militias who like to spend their weekends training to overthrow the government could find themselves running afoul of federal law …

Hogan steps down from No Labels board amid 2024 speculation  —  Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) stepped down as co-chair of No Labels last month, raising speculation about a potential third party presidential campaign.  —  Hogan's resignation letter, dated Dec. 15 and first reported …

Kim Reynolds Has Another Account, @Kimberl26890376, and Opinions About Donald Trump  —  In recent months, the Republican governor of Iowa has used a secondary account on X to share her unfiltered feelings on the Republican presidential primary race.  —  Not long after the calendar turned to 2024 …

Ohio woman who miscarried at home will not be criminally charged, grand jury says  —  Brittany Watts, 34, had been charged with a felony for abuse of a corpse after she miscarried in her bathroom and was later admitted to a hospital for a life-threatening hemorrhage.

Secret Recording Shows NRA Treasurer Plotting to Conceal Extravagant Expenses Involving Wayne LaPierre  —  Audio obtained by The Trace and ProPublica reveals, in real time, the gun lobbying group enacting a plan that would conceal payments for fancy hotels, limousines and other luxury expenses connected to its longtime CEO for a decade.

Feds charge eBay over employees who sent live spiders and cockroaches to couple; company to pay $3M  —  Online retailer eBay Inc. will pay a $3 million fine to resolve criminal charges over a harassment campaign waged by employees who sent live spiders, cockroaches and other disturbing items …

Maryland Elections Board member arrested on Jan. 6 riot charges resigns  —  Carlos Ayala, nominated to the state's top election board by Republicans last year, allegedly wore a ‘Stop the Steal’ button while breaching the U.S. Capitol  —  A top Maryland elections official was arrested this week …

Bomb Threat Made at Home of Judge in Trump's Bank Fraud Trial  —  A bomb squad rushed to Justice Arthur F. Engoron's house on Long Island, a source told The Daily Beast.  —  The danger surrounding Donald Trump's bank fraud trial in New York escalated just hours before its final hearing on Thursday …

Ramaswamy backs Trump before Supreme Court in 14th Amendment case  —  Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday filed a brief backing former President Trump as the Supreme Court decides whether he can be disqualified from the ballot under the 14th Amendment.

The Plot Thickens in the Fani Willis Corruption Allegations  —  These Fani Willis allegations are getting crazier by the day.  By now, I'm sure you've read Athena Thorne's intrepid report on the accusations that Willis hired an attorney with whom she is supposedly carrying on an extramarital affair …

Musk uses megaphone to promote misleading claims about voting, push for severe restrictions  —  This week, Elon Musk has repeatedly promoted false and misleading claims about voting to his 168 million followers on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter.

Federal judge rules book ban lawsuit against Florida school can move forward  —  U.S. District Judge Kent Wetherell ruled on Wednesday a lawsuit against a Florida school over it pulling books off its shelves has standing to move forward, a win for those who have been raising the alarm about book bans in schools.

Renewable energy grows at fastest rate in decades: IEA  —  Renewable energy expanded more than 50 percent last year compared to 2022, potentially putting the international goal of tripling capacity by 2030 in sight, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Trump's Lawyers Argue Biden Can Assassinate Him  —  The arguments were stupid to begin with, but one judge's question SEALed the deal.  —  I CONFESS TO A LONGSTANDING PREFERENCE for the Army's Delta Force over the Navy's SEAL Team Six.  The preference is not rational—it is the product …

U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine Was Poorly Tracked, Pentagon Report Concludes  —  The Defense Department's inspector general found that American defense officials and diplomats in Washington and Europe had failed to quickly or fully account for all of nearly 40,000 weapons sent to Ukraine.

Hunter Biden attends House committee vote to cite him for contempt, walks out on Marjorie Taylor Greene  —  The votes came hours after Hunter Biden strolled smiling into the Oversight meeting, sparking a fierce reaction among lawmakers who called him a coward and other names.

Donald Trump must share in Anthony Fauci's ignominy  —  This week, former decadeslong director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and professional human manifestation of “the science,” Anthony Fauci, was grilled on COVID-19.  —  A Republican-led House select subcommittee hearing …