The Des Moines Register reports: A defiant Rep. Steve King confirmed Thursday that he will run for a 10th term as an Iowa congressman, despite controversies over his history of caustic remarks, including about race and immigration. The Kiron Republican has been criticized by national and state leaders of his own party, has been stripped of committee assignments in Congress …

Tampa’s ABC affiliate reports: Port Richey Mayor Dale Massad is charged with attempted murder after shooting at a Pasco County SWAT team Thursday morning. “I used to be up in the DC area. They had Marion Barry up there. This is Port Richey’s version. An individual that you wouldn’t believe should be in office and this is what happened,” said …

Via press release from hate group leader Tony Perkins: An “exclusive report” from NBC News said, “The Trump administration is launching a global campaign to end the criminalization of homosexuality.” There’s just one problem – besides the ambassador, it doesn’t seem that President Trump – or anyone else in the administration – authorized this “campaign.” Our own criminal laws against …

The Tennessean reports: Days after Gov. Bill Lee’s staff members said they were unaware of any photos of the Tennessee governor wearing a Confederate uniform, his office confirmed he is pictured doing so in a 1980 Auburn University yearbook. Lee attended the public university in Alabama from 1977 to 1981 and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order, a …

“We are in a civil war in this country. There’s two standards of justice, one for Democrats one for Republicans. The press is all Democrat, all liberal, all progressive, all left – they hate Republicans, they hate Trump. So the suggestion that there’s ever going to be civil discourse in this country for the foreseeable future in this country is …

The Washington Post reports: For the second time in four months, the name “Trump Place” will come down from a New York building’s facade after condo owners at 120 Riverside Blvd. voted to have the name removed. The building’s condominium board announced the decision Thursday, according to an email to building owners. The email said that, after a vote of …

From a letter jointly issued by NOM, the American Family Association, the Catholic League, the red-caped Catholic loons, and other anti-LGBT figures: We lead a coalition of more than 40 organizations that expose the censorship of conservative voices on social media. We have witnessed first hand the bias of these organizations. Facebook, Twitter, and Google/YouTube represent existential threats to the …

Just in from hate group leader Monica Cole: A new blasphemous series, “Miracle Workers,” has begun airing on Tuesday at 10:30 pm EST/9:30 pm CST with reruns airing during multiple timeslots several days of the week, including Thursday afternoon at 4:00 pm EST/3:00 pm CST on the TBS Network. The title, “Miracle Workers,” could misguide families about the content of …

NBC News reports: A Coast Guard lieutenant accused of plotting to kill prominent journalists and Democratic politicians was ordered Thursday to remain behind bars without bail for at least two more weeks as prosecutors build their case. Christopher Paul Hasson, 49, was arrested last week on drug and gun charges, but prosecutors filed court papers Tuesday describing him as a …

The Hill reports: Federally insured U.S. banks made more than $28 billion in additional profits in 2018 thanks to the Republican tax-cut law enacted at the start of the year, according to data released Thursday. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) revealed that the nation’s 5,406 federally insured banks reeled in $236.7 billion in profits last year, according to the …

The Charlotte Observer reports: Republican Mark Harris, in a stunning reversal, called Thursday for a new election in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, giving up hopes of being certified as the winner in a race marked by voting irregularities in Bladen and Robeson counties. “I believe a new election should be called,” Harris said in testimony before the state elections …

Tweets at the bottom are from reporters in the courtroom. CBS News reports: Longtime Donald Trump confidant Roger Stone told Judge Amy Berman Jackson he is “heartfully sorry” for an Instagram post on his account depicting the judge and a symbol that resembled crosshairs of a gun. Stone was ordered to court to explain the post and make his case …

Since when does proven election fraud merit a do-over? Vox reports: At a North Carolina hearing, investigators have laid out in detail an “unlawful,” “coordinated,” and well-funded plot to tamper with absentee ballots in a US House election that remains uncalled more than three months after Election Day — finally bringing clarity to one of the most bizarre election scandals …

The Blast reports: Jussie Smollett is to be released this afternoon on a $100,000 bond and is ordered to surrender his passport. During the hearing, text messages between Jussie Smollett and the brothers were read aloud to the court. Smollett was seen taking deep breaths, closing his eyes, and shaking his head. Smollett’s siblings, including Jazz, Jake and Jocqui, arrived …

The Associated Press reports: Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro is ordering the border with Brazil closed as opposition leaders plan to bring in foreign humanitarian aid from neighboring nations. Maduro said on state television Thursday he’s also considering a closure of Venezuela’s border with Colombia. Opposition leaders say they plan to mount caravans to bring aid into Venezuela from Colombia and …

CNBC reports: Paul Manafort, the former chairman of President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, will be sentenced for multiple crimes in Virginia federal court on March 8 — just five days before he is due to be sentenced in a related case in Washington, D.C., a judge ordered Thursday. Manafort, 69, potentially faces decades in prison after he is sentenced in …

Talking Points Memo reports: One of the biggest challenges facing Mark Harris Thursday as he took the stand in the North Carolina disputed election hearing was to discredit his son, whose testimony has been a body blow to the Republican candidate’s defense, while still coming across as sympathetic. Mark Harris tried to achieve this effect by mixing subtle put-downs and …

The Hill reports: Conservative firebrand Ann Coulter is weighing in on the Jussie Smollett case, after the “Empire” actor was arrested Thursday on charges he falsely claimed that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. “Alright, this particular hate crime turned out to be a hoax, but let’s remember, ALL OF THEM are hoaxes. #Smollett,” Coulter tweeted …

The New York Times reports: Nestlé, Epic Games and other major brands said on Wednesday that they had stopped buying advertisements on YouTube after their ads appeared on children’s videos where pedophiles had infiltrated the comment sections. The companies acted after a YouTube user posted a video this week to point out this behavior. For the most part, the videos …

The Washington Post reports: Peter Tork, a blues and folk musician who became a teeny-bopper sensation as a member of the Monkees, the wisecracking, made-for-TV pop group that imitated and briefly outsold the Beatles, died Feb. 21. He was 77. His death was confirmed by his sister Anne Thorkelson, who did not say where or how he died. Mr. Tork …