GOP Rep. on Border Security: 'Congress Doesn't Have to Do Anything'  —  “Why would I help Joe Biden approve his dismal 33 percent [approval rating]?”  Rep. Troy Nehls said in a video obtained by Rolling Stone … The GOP has done all it can to raise hell over the issue …

Trump spent more than he took in during 2023  —  His total legal bill is staggering.  And it left one of his primary committees with little cash on hand.  —  Donald Trump's political operation spent millions more than it took in over the past year due, in part, to massive legal costs incurred by the former president.

House passes $78 billion tax bill in bipartisan vote  —  The House passed a $78 billion tax bill on Wednesday that boosts the child tax credit and reinstates business deductions that were rescinded during the Trump administration, sending the bipartisan, bicameral legislation to the Senate for consideration.

Fani Willis Axed Employee Who Blew Whistle on Misuse of Federal Funds  —  Embattled Georgia DA has a ‘pattern’ of ‘ethical violations, abuse of power’ and misusing funds, whistleblower says  —  Fani Willis may have fired the employee who warned her about mishandling federal funds.

Federal judge throws out Disney's lawsuit against DeSantis  —  “This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here,” Disney said Wednesday.  —  TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Disney lost a major battle in its bitter struggle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis …

2024 Matchups: Biden Opens Up Lead Over Trump In Head-To-Head, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Haley Leads Biden 1 On 1, But Trails When Third Party Candidates Are Added  —  mail_outline  —  As signs point to the 2024 presidential election being a repeat of the 2020 race between …

Man Posted YouTube Video With Father's Severed Head While Ranting About Joe Biden  —  Justin Mohn was arrested in Pennsylvania after his mother found the headless corpse.  His social media shows a long history of troubling far-right conspiracy theories and talking points.

Trump's big NY fraud verdict won't come until next week: source  — A verdict in Trump's NY fraud trial won't come until February, a source told Business Insider.  — Judge Arthur Engoron had said he'd try to get it done by the end of January.  That won't happen.

Kari Lake's fundraising puts her behind in Arizona Senate race  —  She ended the year with a little over $1 million in bank — and $308,000 in debt.  —  Kari Lake raised more money challenging the results of her last election than she did running for a new one.

Study finds that once people use cargo bikes, they like their cars much less  —  Even some one-car households ditched vehicles in favor of cargo bike-sharing.  —  Cargo bikes started as something you'd see in images from Europe—bakfiets loaded up with groceries or sometimes kids.

FACT SHEET: One Year After Train Derailment, Biden-Harris Administration Continues to Support People in East Palestine, Ohio and Nearby Communities and Hold Norfolk Southern Accountable  —  President Biden to visit East Palestine, Ohio in February  —  One year ago, on February 3, 2023 …

California introduces first-in-nation slavery reparations package  —  The set of bills notably excludes direct cash payments.  —  SACRAMENTO, California — California state lawmakers introduced a slate of reparations bills on Wednesday, including a proposal to restore property taken by …

Lucas shows gun, students feel fear Tuesday at the Statehouse  —  Students from Burris Laboratory School in Muncie who were visiting the Statehouse Tuesday say they felt threatened after Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, opened his coat and flashed a handgun.  —  The students, members …

Johnson says Ukraine aid and border policy reform ‘likely’ to be split  —  House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told the three leaders of the Baltic parliaments that President Biden's national security supplemental that includes aid for Ukraine is “likely” to be split up over concerns …

John Podesta to succeed John Kerry as top U.S. climate diplomat  —  The veteran Democratic political strategist will add the role to his duties at a crucial time for President Biden's climate agenda  —  President Biden will tap senior adviser John D. Podesta to replace outgoing U.S. special …

Rep. Ilhan Omar and Members of Congress Call on Biden Administration to Address Human Rights Abuses in El Salvador  —  Washington, D.C. - Today, a group of Members of Congress led by Representative Ilhan Omar sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Biden Administration …

Social media CEOs to face grilling from senators on child safety  —  Sen. Josh Hawley called on Zuckerberg to directly apologize.  —  Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, speaks to victims as he testifies during the US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis” …

Nikki Haley says Texas can secede from US if it wants but 'isn't going to'  —  That view contradicts centuries of history and precedent.  —  Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley attends a Lady Hawkeyes Tailgate campaign event in Coralville, Iowa, December 30, 2023.

‘Squad’ members Tlaib and Bush sole votes against bill to bar Oct. 7 attackers from entering US  —  Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Cori Bush (D-MO) were the only House members to vote against a bill that would bar Hamas members and those who participated in the attacks against Israel last year from entering the United States.

NY Gov. Kathy Hochul suggests deporting mob of migrants who pounded on cops in caught-on-camera attack near Times Square  —  Republican pols are lining up to demand that the rowdy migrants nabbed in a caught-on-camera attack on two NYPD cops in Times Square get deported …

Scoop: State Department reviewing options for possible recognition of Palestinian state  —  Secretary of State Tony Blinken asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza …

House Republican reported for doing pull-ups at the top of Capitol dome  —  The Capitol Visitor's Center reported Rep. Rich McCormick to the sergeant at arms for “unsafe actions” while on a tour, according to an email reviewed by POLITICO.

Takeaways from the AP's look at the role of conspiracy theories in American politics and society  —  Conspiracy theories are older than the republic.  But experts say it would be wrong to dismiss believers as simply stupid or deranged.  (Jan. 31)(AP video: Allen Breed, Eugene Garcia, Daniel Kozin)