Politics

By Marshall Cohen, CNN (CNN) — In a surprise move, an Illinois judge has removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s ballot based on the 14th Amendment’s so-called “insurrectionist ban.” The decision is paused, giving Trump a short period of time to appeal. Wednesday’s unexpected decision comes as a similar anti-Trump challenge from Colorado

By Lauren Fox and Ted Barrett, CNN A powerful counterweight to former President Donald Trump is exiting stage left from Republican leadership and leaving in his wake a major showdown over the future of the party. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to step aside as the longest serving Senate leader in history comes as Republicans are at an inflection

CNN By Nick Valencia, Zachary Cohen and Jason Morris, CNN (CNN) — A key witness in the push to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis from the Georgia election case against Donald Trump had a much deeper involvement in the effort than was previously known, according to hundreds of text messages obtained by CNN. The 413

By Daniel Dale, CNN (CNN) — Former President Donald Trump is facing two prosecutions brought by a federal special counsel and two prosecutions brought by local district attorneys. Trump claimed on social media on Monday that all four prosecutions violate strict Justice Department rules, since he is a candidate for president, and therefore must be stopped

CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — Today is February 29, a leap day that occurs every four years to keep our calendar in sync with the seasons. Without the extra days, the summer we generally experience in June would eventually arrive in December after several centuries. Here’s what else you need to know to Get

By CNN Staff (CNN) — The White House on Wednesday shared a memo with President Joe Biden’s “current health summary” following his annual routine physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The president, Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote, “feels well and this year’s physical identified no new concerns. He continues to be fit for duty

By Morgan Rimmer, CNN Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi blocked quick passage of a bill on Wednesday afternoon that would have enshrined protections for in vitro fertilization and for the doctors who perform the procedure. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois requested to pass the bill by unanimous consent, meaning any one senator could block

CNN Analysis by Joan Biskupic, CNN Senior Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — The Supreme Court’s decision to hear Donald Trump’s claim that he should be shielded from criminal prosecution keeps the justices at the center of election-year controversy for several more months and means any verdict on Trump’s alleged subversion of the 2020 vote will not

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide whether Donald Trump may claim immunity in special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion case, adding another explosive appeal from the former president to its docket and further delaying his federal trial. The court expedited the case and will hear arguments the week

By Fredreka Schouten, CNN (CNN) — The Democratic-controlled New York Legislature on Wednesday swiftly approved a new congressional map that would give the party a modest advantage in US House elections this fall – just days after rejecting lines drawn by an independent redistricting commission. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the map into law later

By Nick Valencia, Zachary Cohen and Jason Morris, CNN (CNN) — A key witness in the push to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis from the Georgia election case against Donald Trump had a much deeper involvement in the effort than was previously known, according to hundreds of text messages obtained by CNN. The 413 texts

By Melanie Zanona, Kristin Wilson and Haley Talbot Congressional leaders have struck a deal on some of the appropriations bills funding the federal government, as well as a short-term stopgap measure that would extend government funding and prevent a partial shutdown ahead of a Friday night deadline. In a joint statement on Wednesday, House Speaker Mike

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — The Justice Department released a report Wednesday that found “chronic, systemic deficiencies” in Mississippi state prisons that violate prisoners’ constitutional rights. The report marks the conclusion of a federal investigation into whether three state prisons in Mississippi failed to protect incarcerated individuals from violence and puts hundreds of individuals in

CNN By John Fritze and Devan Cole, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court’s conservatives pressed the Biden administration Wednesday to justify a federal ban on bump stocks, a device that can convert a semi-automatic rifle into a weapon that can fire far more rapidly. But after 90 minutes of argument in the high-profile dispute, it

By Jeremy Herb, Annie Grayer and Paula Reid, CNN Hunter Biden went directly after the Republicans who have pursued him in their impeachment investigation over the past year, accusing GOP lawmakers in his closed-door deposition on Wednesday of peddling “baseless and MAGA-motivated conspiracies about my father.” Kicking off his highly anticipated testimony, President Joe Biden’s

CNN By Jeremy Herb, Annie Grayer and Paula Reid, CNN Hunter Biden went directly after the Republicans who have pursued him in their impeachment investigation over the past year, accusing GOP lawmakers in his closed-door deposition on Wednesday of peddling “baseless and MAGA-motivated conspiracies about my father.” Kicking off his highly anticipated testimony, President Joe

By Holmes Lybrand, CNN (CNN) — Special counsel Jack Smith wants to seal a proposed questionnaire that will be used to select the jury in the classified documents case against Donald Trump and his two co-defendants. Smith’s team told the court in a filing Wednesday it’s worried potential jurors could try and game the jury-selection

CNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here is a look at the life of former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky. Personal Birth date: February 20, 1942 Birth place: Colbert County, Alabama Birth name: Addison Mitchell McConnell Jr. Father: Addison Mitchell McConnell Mother: Julia (Shockley) McConnell Marriages: Elaine Chao (1993-present); Sherrill Redmon (1968-1980,