Politics

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — My Pillow owner and right-wing conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell will have to pay $5 million because of a contest he initiated at one of his “cyber symposium” events after the 2020 election, a federal judge confirmed Wednesday. Robert Zeidman, a software developer, took Lindell up on a so-called “Prove

CNN By Evan Perez and Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Alexander Smirnov was initially prized by the FBI as a solid source who had relationships with corrupt foreign business and government officials, but his appeal grew when he revealed he also had connections with foreign intelligence services, according to multiple sources. The FBI’s management of Smirnov is drawing fresh

By Evan Perez and Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Alexander Smirnov was initially prized by the FBI as a solid source who had relationships with corrupt foreign business and government officials, but his appeal grew when he revealed he also had connections with foreign intelligence services, according to multiple sources. The FBI’s management of Smirnov is drawing fresh scrutiny

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — An alleged leader of a Japanese organized crime syndicate has been charged with attempting to sell weapons-grade nuclear materials from the leader of an ethnic insurgent group in Myanmar, according to a new indictment from the US Justice Department. Takeshi Ebisawa, an alleged leader in the yakuza who was

CNN By Ebony Davis, CNN (CNN) — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Wednesday she believes an embryo is a baby following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children and those who destroy them can be held liable for wrongful death. “I mean, I think embryos, to me, are babies,” Haley said during a

CNN By Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — Former President Donald Trump asked the judge overseeing the civil fraud case to delay enforcing the $355 million judgment against him for one month. In a letter to Judge Arthur Engoron, Trump’s attorneys accuse New York Attorney General Letitia James of an “unseemly rush” to enforce the judgment

By Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — Former President Donald Trump asked the judge overseeing the civil fraud case to delay enforcing the $355 million judgment against him for one month. In a letter to Judge Arthur Engoron, Trump’s attorneys accuse New York Attorney General Letitia James of an “unseemly rush” to enforce the judgment by

By Priscilla Alvarez and MJ Lee, CNN (CNN) — The White House is considering executive action to restrict migrants’ ability to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border if they crossed illegally – a maneuver reminiscent of controversial action from the Donald Trump era and is sure to invite fierce backlash from immigration advocates and progressives. The handling of the

By Camila DeChalus and Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — Commander Biden, President Joe Biden’s family dog, bit US Secret Service personnel in at least 24 incidents at the White House and other locations, according to new internal USSS documents obtained by CNN. That number does not include additional incidents CNN has previously reported involving executive residence

By Ebony Davis, CNN (CNN) — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Wednesday she believes an embryo is a baby following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children and those who destroy them can be held liable for wrongful death. “I mean, I think embryos, to me, are babies,” Haley said during a pull-aside

By Tami Luhby and Haley Talbot, CNN (CNN) — With a partial government shutdown looming at the end of next week, House leaders are discussing an agreement that would provide extra nutrition assistance for new moms and young children, addressing one big sticking point in the federal funding negotiations. But the possible deal is already

CNN Editorial Research Here is a look at the life of former US Secretary of Energy and former Texas Governor Rick Perry. Personal Birth date: March 4, 1950 Birth place: Paint Creek, Texas Birth name: James Richard Perry Father: Joseph Ray Perry, a farmer Mother: Amelia (Holt) Perry Marriage: Anita (Thigpen) Perry (November 6, 1982-present)

By Katie Lobosco, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Internal Revenue Service said Wednesday that it will begin dozens of audits this spring examining the personal use of corporate jets as it ramps up its enforcement efforts. The announcement is part of the Biden administration’s effort to tout how the IRS is using money provided by

By MJ Lee and Alex Marquardt, CNN (CNN) — The Biden administration is racing against the clock as it attempts to secure a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war before Ramadan next month, with senior US officials believing that the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza is the only plausible way to bring the first pause to the deadly conflict since a seven-day truce in

CNN By Annie Grayer, CNN House Republicans are entering a critical phase of their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden as a pair of high stakes interviews with the president’s son, Hunter, and brother, James, over the next two weeks could determine the fate of their flailing investigation. The closed-door interview with the president’s brother Wednesday comes as Republicans

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Special counsel David Weiss asked a California judge Wednesday to send indicted ex-FBI informant Alexander Smirnov back to jail while he awaits trial. A magistrate judge in Las Vegas released Smirnov on Tuesday, finding that even enough Smirnov posed a flight risk, he could be released under certain conditions. Those

By Daniel Dale, CNN Washington (CNN) — Days before South Carolina’s Republican presidential primary, former President Donald Trump’s campaign has released an ad attacking rival Nikki Haley over her supposed stance on the state’s gasoline tax when she served as governor. But the Trump ad has the same problem as previous attacks from former Republican candidates in the

By John Fritze and Ella Nilsen, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court’s conservatives expressed skepticism over the Biden administration’s efforts to reduce smog and air pollution wafting across state lines during arguments Wednesday in the most significant environmental dispute at the high court this year. Three Republican-led states, industry groups and electric utilities want the