CNBC reports: The Justice Department will appeal the AT&T-Time Warner merger approval, according to a court document filed Thursday. Shares of AT&T slipped more than 1 percent in after-hours trading Thursday. AT&T General Counsel David McAtee said the company was surprised by the appeal. “The Court’s decision could hardly have been more thorough, fact-based, and well-reasoned. While the losing party …

The Birmingham Herald reports: Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore announced today he was duped by comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen in his upcoming Showtime series, “Who Is America?” Moore, a Republican who lost a special election for U.S. senate last year to Democrat Doug Jones, released a statement today with details of how he was fooled. “In February 2018, …

The Guardian reports: Theresa May will step up her efforts to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with the United States on Friday as she sits down for her first bilateral talks with Donald Trump against a backdrop of furious protest across the country. As the government released its long-awaited Brexit white paper on Thursday, she sought to placate angry Tory …

Newsweek reports: Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert of Texas exploded on FBI agent Peter Strzok during his testimony Thursday before Congress, questioning Strzok having a smirk on this face and looking innocently into this wife’s eyes and lying about an affair he had with former FBI lawyer Lisa Page. Gohmert’s tough words were met with cries from Democrats appearing at the …

“Singing his praises for no good reason sends a terrifying message to our allies. Flattering such a man is simply bizarre. That the admiration comes from an American president, well, that is unconscionable. If the White House is as confused about the nature of the threat we face from Mr. Putin as it seems to be, a meeting between our …

USA Today reports: If President Donald Trump hasn’t been brushing up on his Russian in anticipation of his Monday meeting with Vladimir Putin, it may not be a problem. If he has, he may not want to look out of his helicopter as he flies to see British Prime Minister Theresa May at her country estate on Friday. That’s because …

The Hill reports: House lawmakers are poised to question Peter Strzok on Thursday in what is sure to be a lengthy, tense standoff between Republicans and the FBI agent who once worked on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference. Strzok has been in Republicans’ sights for several months after a Justice Department inspector general investigation revealed that he …

Roll Call reports: Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s Thursday interview with David M. Rubenstein, president of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., started with an admission that he has no regrets — “none whatsoever” — about retiring. It then diverted into a wide array of topics including his replacement, future plans and policy goals for his last few months in office. …

CNN reports: Charges against adult film actress Stormy Daniels for allegedly touching three undercover detectives while performing at an Ohio strip club were dismissed Thursday, her attorney said. Daniels, who gained notoriety after suing President Donald Trump following an alleged affair, had faced three misdemeanor counts of illegally touching a patron, court records show. She posted a $6,054 bail and …

“Sir, I think it’s important when you look at those texts that you understand the context in which they were made, and the things that were going on across America. In terms of the texts that, ‘We will stop it.’ You need to understand that that was written late at night, off-the-cuff and it was in response to a series …

The Los Angeles Times reports: A day ago, ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond were prisoners at the minimum-security federal prison on Terminal Island in San Pedro, serving five-year sentences for arson. But on Wednesday, following a Tuesday pardon by President Trump, the father-and-son pair got to fly home in style to Burns, Ore., on an oil company’s private jet, riding …

The Washington Post reports: Paul Manafort has moved, over his objections, to a new jail with a history of illustrious guests. Officials confirm the former Trump campaign chairman was booked Thursday morning into the Alexandria Detention Center, a complex of low-slung brick buildings just off the Capital Beltway and a few blocks from the federal courthouse where he will be …

Rachel’s wall keeps growing and growing: President Donald Trump’s legislative affairs director is heading for the exits just as the White House gears up for a major Supreme Court nomination battle and approaches a daunting midterm election landscape. Marc Short, one of the administration’s longest-serving senior aides and a frequent spokesperson for the president on television, is planning to depart …

Apparently the deep state went 20 years back in time: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on today said members of the so-called “deep state” are behind the allegations that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) turned a blind eye to sexual abuse while he was an Ohio State wrestling coach. “I think there are people that have some loose affiliation with the deep …

“I have to respectfully disagree with former President Jimmy Carter on this one. He is absolutely wrong when he said Jesus would approve of gay marriage. Jesus didn’t come to promote sin, He came to save us from sin. The Bible is very clear. God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality. God defines sin in His …

Axios reports: President Trump wants to update the paint job on the next version of Air Force One, ditching the iconic robin’s-egg blue (which he calls a “Jackie Kennedy color”) for a bolder, “more American” look. “He can do it,” said a source, when asked about whether Trump can make the change. But the change could cause friction with the …

The Evening Standard reports: Thousands of people have signed a petition for the Trump baby blimp to be flown close to the President’s golf course in Turnberry, Scotland. Activists raised over £16,000 to make the balloon and gain permission to fly it over Parliament Square. Sadiq Khan and City Hall gave the go-ahead for it to be flown on Friday …

Mediaite reports: Donald Trump is reminding people he’s a “very stable genius.” No, seriously. The president held a surprise press conference in NATO today, during which he said Vladimir Putin is not an enemy again, shrugged off the upcoming protests against him in the United Kingdom, and claimed the summit “all came together at the end” now that America’s allies …

NBC News reports: Adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump and is suing the president, was arrested during a performance at an Ohio strip club, her lawyer said early Thursday. Michael Avenatti told NBC News that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was touched in a non-sexual manner while on stage. An …

Politico reports: U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to break with NATO and conduct American security unilaterally — if allies do not immediately meet higher military spending targets, NATO officials and diplomats said. Trump warned of “grave consequences” if allies do not immediately meet higher spending targets, derailing a morning meeting of NATO leaders with the leaders of Georgia and Ukraine …