All Politics
First LookKushner loses highest-level security clearanceWhite House senior adviser and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has been downgraded from access to the nation's top secret information. The decision came from an order by chief of staff John Kelly, but was supported by Mr. Trump.聽
As midterms approach, will US offer unified defense of its elections?Lower and middle levels of government appear to be readying defenses against meddling, say experts. Robert Mueller鈥檚 indictment shows the United States knows a lot about what the Russians have been doing. The problem right now is the top, say critics.
First LookTrump holds listening session on gun violenceTeen survivors from Parkland, Fla., parents of students killed at Columbine and Sandy Hook, and others shared their perspectives during President Trump's listening session at the White House.聽
After Parkland, a new generation finds its voiceTeen activists are pushing for changes to gun laws via marches and walkouts in the wake of the recent shooting in a Florida high school. Their emerging power may be changing the long stalemate in the nation鈥檚 debate over firearms, some experts say.
Monitor BreakfastWhy Adam Schiff wants to 'follow the money'The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee talked about his 鈥榤emo,鈥� Russian meddling, security clearances - and a podcast called 'Slow Burn,' all about Watergate.
Romney, like other Trump skeptics, makes nice 鈥� for nowAs Mitt Romney launches his bid to become the next US senator from Utah, the former presidential candidate is facing a reality confronting many onetime 鈥楴ever Trumpers鈥� in the GOP: He and the president need one another.
First LookAs due date nears, Duckworth pushes Congress for greater inclusivitySen. Tammy Duckworth (D) of Illinois stands to be the first member of the Senate to give birth while in office. In the mean time, she is educating the traditionally minded Senate about accessibility and supporting efforts to expand representation for women in politics.聽
As Mueller moves forward, lingering questions about Comey and ClintonA review of the investigation into Hillary Clinton鈥檚 use of a private email server is expected to be released soon by the Department of Justice鈥檚 inspector general. It may help answer growing questions among Republicans about possible bias at the FBI 鈥� and shed light on the origins of the Trump-Russia probe.
First LookCapitol Hill reaction to Florida shooting follows a familiar scriptIn the wake of the shooting at a high school in Florida, many Democrats in Congress call for tighter gun laws, while Republicans emphasize mental health.
Monitor BreakfastWill Holder run for president in 2020?When former Attorney General Eric Holder recently came to a Monitor Breakfast, he seemed to enjoy himself so much that he made news.聽
Monitor BreakfastWhy so many temporary White House clearances? Adam Schiff wants to know.President Trump is a manager who appears to thrive on chaos and doesn't sweat details. But in the Rob Porter episode that ethos has run into the by-the-book tradition of security checks. Congressional leaders including Adam Schiff (D) are raising concerns.
[special project]A tale of two cities and murderLast year, New York saw its lowest murder rate since it began keeping modern records in the 1950s. Baltimore saw its highest in history. With numbers so stark, the stories these two cities tell invite an obvious question: Why?聽Part 1 of 2.
Real immigration debate? New senators schooled in how work got done.Thanks to a promise McConnell made to get a budget deal, the Senate is enjoying the revival of a nearly forgotten legislative process: open debate. But that may not make immigration any less of a problematic issue.
Urban renewal with a conservative flairOklahoma City 鈥� one of just a handful of big US cities run by a Republican mayor 鈥� has taken a unique approach to revitalizing its downtown, relying on public-private partnerships, paying for projects as it goes, and doing it debt-free.
Why GOP is largely silent over Trump's deficit-heavy budgetPresident Trump has led the Republican Party in surprising directions 鈥� away from a balanced federal budget being only the latest. A recent poll indicates that's not a concern to most voters.
Fiscal stimulus is back. So are bigger deficits.A rapid increase in federal debt is likely to push up interest rates and risk choking the current economic expansion. This could lead to a reckoning when debt payments start to pile up after 2019.聽
First LookTrump signs budget bill, ending overnight shutdownThe five-and-a-half hour federal freeze ended with President Trump signing a $400 billion budget deal, passed in the Senate and the House despite opposition from tea party conservatives and聽liberal Democrats.
On cusp of budget deal, Congress far from functionalThe extreme efforts involved in simply passing a budget, the most basic job for lawmakers, underscore how broken the process has become on Capitol Hill 鈥� a place many members now describe as frustrating and joyless.
First LookRecord number of transgender candidates enter 2018 electionsAn estimated 40 transgender candidates plan to run for office in the upcoming mid-term elections, signaling a tidal shift in LGBT representation in government. Many candidates cite what they see as anti-LGBT policies from the White House as motivation to run.聽聽
Memo wars: When secrets get out, what happens next?The release of the Nunes memo and its Democratic rebuttal have the potential to chill relations between the intelligence community and Capitol Hill, make allied intelligence agencies wary about sharing secrets, and amp up demands by defendants to use FISA documents in their trials.
