National Politics

By René Marsh, Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — The Internal Revenue Service began furloughing nearly half its staff Wednesday because of the ongoing government shutdown, sparking chaos and confusion among employees as the news rippled through agency offices around the country. The agency said in an updated shutdown contingency plan that it was furloughing more

By Eric Bradner, CNN (CNN) — The only debate in the Virginia governor’s race is likely to focus on a candidate who won’t be on stage: Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, who suggested in text messages that a Republican colleague be shot in the head. Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears

By Katelyn Polantz, Kara Scannell, CNN (CNN) — Before FBI Director James Comey heads to trial in January over charges of lying to Congress, his team plans to put the prosecutors — and specifically President Donald Trump’s handpicked interim US Attorney Lindsey Halligan — on the defensive. Comey’s strategy, as outlined in court on Wednesday,

By Sarah Ferris, Annie Grayer, CNN (CNN) — Congressional Democrats are privately preparing to hold their position in the shutdown standoff for several more weeks if Republicans do not agree to their health care demands – and not even a missed paycheck for US troops will force them to yield. Inside the party, anxiety is

By Joan Biskupic, CNN Chief Supreme Court Analyst (CNN) — Retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote the Supreme Court’s 2015 opinion declaring a right to same-sex marriage, recalled on Wednesday one of the poignant realities that influenced him – and why he believes the decision would never be overturned. “A large part of the reasoning in

By Kevin Liptak, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump had been sitting in the State Dining Room for an hour and twenty-two minutes Wednesday, listening patiently as a panel of right-wing influencers recounted various tales of violence at the hands of Antifa, when an unexpected visitor arrived at the door. Secretary of State Marco Rubio,

CNN, POOL, AL QAHERA, SEE PREFONTS By Helen Regan, Dana Karni, Abeer Salman, CNN (CNN) — News of the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas was met with celebrations and joyous scenes in both Gaza and Israel, though residents on both sides of the devastating war expressed trepidation that a deal may still fall

By Eva McKend, CNN (CNN) — The embattled Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general returned to the campaign trail Wednesday as a major state police group called on him not to take office if he wins in November following the disclosure of violent text messages. Jay Jones made unannounced stops before the Henrico County Democrats

CNN By David Wright, Arlette Saenz, CNN (CNN) — The sharp divides between New Jersey’s candidates for governor in Wednesday night’s second debate were crystallized by the grades each gave President Donald Trump. Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli said Trump deserved an A. US Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, gave him an F. Ciattarelli and

By David Wright, Arlette Saenz, CNN (CNN) — The sharp divides between New Jersey’s candidates for governor in Wednesday night’s second debate were crystallized by the grades each gave President Donald Trump. Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli said Trump deserved an A. US Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, gave him an F. Ciattarelli and Sherrill

By Betsy Klein, Donald Judd, CNN (CNN) — A remarkable scene unfolded in the White House State Dining Room on Wednesday as the Trump administration convened a group of independent journalists and online commentators to share stories of violence at the hands of Antifa, an anti-fascist movement with no leadership or organization. President Donald Trump

By Samantha Waldenberg, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday for his yearly checkup, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, noting that he would also have a “planned meeting” with troops while there. Trump’s visit to Walter Reed comes

By Daniel Dale, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump has been using fictional figures to justify his controversial military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean near Venezuela. “Every boat kills about 25,000 people,” Trump said in a speech last week. “Every one of those boats is responsible for the death of 25,000 American

By Manu Raju, Alison Main, CNN (CNN) — GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene broke sharply with her party leaders on Wednesday as they tried to project a united front in the deepening standoff with Democrats over health care and the government shutdown, calling on Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the House back into session and

CNN By Annie Grayer, Ellis Kim, CNN (CNN) — Arizona’s Democratic senators got into a hallway confrontation with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday as the government shutdown’s eighth day dragged on. The clash between Johnson and Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego centered on the speaker’s decision not to swear in Democrats’ newest

By John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — Plenty of Americans have a gripe with the US Postal Service. Lebene Konan managed Wednesday to get hers in front of the Supreme Court. The Texas real estate agent and landlord claims that the USPS has for years intentionally declined to deliver her mail. She asked the nation’s highest

By Annie Grayer, Ellis Kim, CNN (CNN) — Arizona’s Democratic senators got into a hallway confrontation with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday as the government shutdown’s eighth day dragged on. The clash between Johnson and Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego centered on the speaker’s decision not to swear in Democrats’ newest congresswoman-elect

By Gloria Pazmino, CNN (CNN) — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday if elected mayor he would cancel the closure of Rikers Island – New York City’s infamous jail complex – in favor of a plan to demolish and rebuild on the existing site. Cuomo, who is running as an independent, made the

CNN, POOL, TRUTH SOCIAL, FOX NEWS By Holmes Lybrand, Hannah Rabinowitz, Devan Cole, Katelyn Polantz, Betul Tuncer, Emily Condon, Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN (CNN) — Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to two criminal charges at his arraignment Wednesday, where his lawyers said they plan to file several motions they hope will kill the