National Politics

Former banker Stephen Calk, who loaned Paul Manafort $16 million in an alleged bid to win a position in the Trump administration, pleaded not guilty at his brief virtual arraignment Thursday on a new conspiracy charge. The new indictment charges Calk, who was chairman and CEO of Federal Savings Bank, with conspiracy to commit financial

The Supreme Court on Thursday revived a case of a woman in New Mexico who argued she should be able to bring a claim of excessive force against police officers who shot her, even if she was not immediately apprehended at the scene. In a 5-3 majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the

Former President Donald Trump started a controversial trade war with China three years ago, putting tariffs on roughly $350 billion of Chinese-made goods — and despite the change in administration, those duties remain in place. President Joe Biden disagreed with Trump’s approach to US-China relations, but an immediate thawing of trade restrictions is unlikely after

National Republican groups are working to drive the state-by-state GOP efforts to limit voting — offering guidance to the state lawmakers drafting laws to restrict ballot access, deploying grassroots activists to key battlegrounds and raising millions of dollars to block efforts by Democrats in Congress to establish a national baseline for voting rights. Heritage Action

The Senate Rules Committee held a hearing Wednesday on a Democratic bill, called the For the People Act, which would make major changes to laws governing campaigns, voting and government ethics. Republicans have attacked the bill — also known as HR 1 in its House form and S 1 in its Senate form — as

The Small Business Administration’s watchdog received more than 1 million referrals for suspected fraud in loans from small business relief programs, including referrals for identity theft, according to an analysis released Thursday by the House select committee reviewing the federal response to the coronavirus crisis. The SBA sent its Office of Inspector General 1.34 million

World Cup champion, US soccer player and longtime equal pay advocate Megan Rapinoe highlighted the ongoing inequities and discrimination women face when it comes to compensation and sports as part of her testimony Wednesday before Congress. “What we’ve learned, and what we continue to learn, is that there is no level of status — and

President Joe Biden is holding his first formal news conference on Thursday and will likely face scrutiny over his administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the growing number of unaccompanied migrant children crossing the border and gun control, among many other pressing issues. The news conference comes more than two months into Biden’s presidency, which

The GOP-led Georgia House is expected on Thursday to approve a sweeping election bill that would limit voting rights by imposing restrictions like an ID requirement for absentee voting in a state that was key in determining control of the White House and Senate. The passage of SB 202, three days before the end of

The Olympic torch relay has begun, and the flame is on its way to Tokyo for the July start of the Summer Games. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily.

President Joe Biden’s first two months in power went remarkably smoothly considering he took office amid a once-in-a-century pandemic, a consequent economic crisis and his predecessor’s refusal to recognize his victory. But in his first formal news conference Thursday, he’ll face scrutiny on gun control and immigration, two sudden tests of leadership for which his

A delegation of White House officials and lawmakers visited Carrizo Springs, Texas, on Wednesday to see an influx facility designed to accommodate unaccompanied minors crossing the US-Mexico border — and for the first time, allowed independent media access. This facility and other shelters overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services are equipped to

The Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General found that former Auditor General of the Navy Ronnie J. Booth “engaged in a pervasive and egregious pattern of sexual harassment toward multiple female employees over a period of more than 20 years,” a release of the investigation’s findings states. The report “substantiated the allegations” that

A coalition of 14 major national media outlets, including CNN, is asking a federal court to make public police body camera and other close-up footage of rioters attacking Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick and other police with bear spray outside the US Capitol on January 6. The 10 video clips, shown by the Justice Department

Michigan Republicans on Wednesday introduced a package of election bills that would bring a raft of voting restrictions to the state, the latest example of GOP lawmakers working to change election laws in a battleground state following the 2020 election. Described by Republicans as an effort to modernize and secure the state’s elections, the bills

The Pentagon on Wednesday approved a request from the Department of Health and Human Services to temporarily house unaccompanied migrant children at two Texas military bases. At Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, children will stay in a vacant dormitory, and at Fort Bliss, temporary housing will be constructed on an empty plot of land, Pentagon spokesman