Politics

The House Ethics Committee said Friday it was opening an investigation into the allegations surrounding embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican facing a federal investigation into whether he violated sex trafficking laws. The top Democrat and Republican on the Ethics Committee said they were examining Gaetz for a host of potential offenses, including both

US Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is in the catbird’s seat — the pivotal politician in a 50-50 Senate. He’s the keeper of the keys to President Joe Biden’s policy kingdom, whether the President or the progressives pressuring him like it or not. And thank goodness there’s at least one Democrat with his own

The Department of Defense is seeking a sharper definition of prohibited extremist activity, among other steps, as it pushes forward with a fight against extremist ideology within the ranks, the Pentagon announced Friday. The steps include a review of current military policy that allows a service member to belong to an extremist organization as long

The Justice Department has been making public what they’ve learned about the Oath Keepers paramilitary organization — which had at least a dozen of its affiliates amid the Capitol riot — and this week revealed new details about the group’s alleged discussions to arm themselves on January 6 or to arrange for others to back

President Joe Biden has a Sen. Joe Manchin problem. Following the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the Democrat from West Virginia is starting to exert more of his legislative muscle. As Biden attempts to move forward with his ambitious infrastructure package, Manchin is threatening to cause problems for both the administration and

A Pennsylvania man accused of bear-spraying US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after the January 6 riot, is in talks with the Justice Department for a possible deal to be released from jail as he awaits trial, according to a court hearing on Friday. Julian Khater pleaded not guilty, and his attorney and

The financial future of the National Rifle Association is playing out in a contentious battle in a Texas courtroom. The country’s largest gun lobbying group is hoping a federal judge will grant it bankruptcy protection, allowing the NRA to reincorporate as a Texas nonprofit. This follows the group’s announcement in January that it was leaving

President Joe Biden‘s border coordinator is stepping down at the end of the month, the White House announced Friday — an unusual time given the administration is dealing with record numbers of unaccompanied migrant children at the US southern border. Roberta S. Jacobson was appointed as a special assistant to the President and was a

Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger became the first congressional Republican to call on his colleague from Florida, Rep. Matt Gaetz, to resign in the face of a federal investigation into sex trafficking allegations. “Matt Gaetz needs to resign,” Kinzinger tweeted Thursday night, linking to a Daily Beast article about allegations against Gaetz, the details of which

The Biden administration is spending at least $62 million a week to care for unaccompanied migrant children in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, according to government data. Over the last month, HHS announced or opened at least 11 new facilities with more on the way, leaning on convention centers, military

Federal prosecutors have arrested and charged Seth Aaron Pendley of Wichita Falls, Texas, with trying to blow up an Amazon data center. Court filings for the 28-year-old were not immediately available, but a criminal complaint distributed by a Department of Justice spokesperson indicates he was charged with attempting to, “damage and destroy, by means of

Devin Murphy, the legislative director for Rep. Matt Gaetz, has resigned his post, making him the second staffer to leave the Florida congressman’s office as the pressure continues to mount surrounding a federal investigation into sex trafficking allegations. A source directly connected to Murphy said he left the job, not specifically because of Gaetz’s legal

The Biden administration will not shut down the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline while an environmental review is conducted, a blow to the environmental and tribal groups that have rallied against the project for years. Government attorney Ben Schifman told a federal judge on Friday that the Army Corps of Engineers, which handles permits for the

The Senate Leadership Fund will support Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski in her reelection campaign, setting up a clash between the Mitch McConnell-aligned group and GOP candidate Kelly Tshibaka, who has hired some advisers to former President Donald Trump. Trump plans to campaign against Murkowski after her vote to convict him in his second impeachment trial.

In the wake of another series of mass shootings around the US, President Joe Biden announced several gun-control focused executive actions on Thursday. The actions include expanding background checks for certain types of guns, regulating stabilizing braces built for pistols, making new investments in intervention programs for violence-prone communities, and creating model “red flag” legislation