NBC News reports: The House Judiciary Committee is building out its legal team with an eye toward an aggressive oversight agenda, tasking new outside attorneys with a review of issues that could be at the heart of an impeachment case against President Trump. The Democratic-led panel on Tuesday received approval to hire two “special oversight counsels” — Norm Eisen [photo], …

NBC News reports: Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán was found guilty on Tuesday of crimes spanning more than a quarter of a century, during which prosecutors said he smuggled more than 200 tons of cocaine into the U.S. After a nearly three-monthlong trial and six days of deliberations, a New York jury found the alleged Sinaloa cartel leader …

Via press release from hate group leader Mat Staver: Liberty Counsel filed a petition today urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review King v. Christie, a case that upheld a ban on change counsel which the High Court expressly abrogated last year by name. New Jersey passed a law banning licensed mental health professionals from providing and clients from receiving …

The Wall Street Journal reports: President Trump on Tuesday knocked a bipartisan deal to avert a government shutdown while providing some funding for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. “I can’t say I’m happy. I can’t say I’m thrilled,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting. He did not say whether he would sign or veto the proposal but added he …

The Hill reports: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused the GOP and President Trump of copying her 2016 campaign slogan on Tuesday. Clinton quoted a Monday night post from the GOP’s official Twitter account that featured the words “we’re only getting stronger together” with Trump superimposed on the image. Trump said the line during his rally Monday night in …

The Houston Chronicle reports: Hundreds of people who worked or volunteered in Southern Baptist churches have been charged with sex crimes, an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News reveals. It’s not just a recent problem. In all, since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, the newspapers found. …

The Washington Post reports: The White House is firming up plans to redirect unspent federal dollars as a way of funding President Donald Trump’s border wall without taking the dramatic step of invoking a national emergency. Done by executive order, this plan would allow the White House to shift money from different budgetary accounts without congressional approval, circumventing Democrats who …

Politico reports: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is making moves toward a possible run for president, soliciting City Hall staffers with national political experience and preparing to travel to the early primary state of New Hampshire this week, several sources familiar with his plans told POLITICO. After a visit to Harvard’s Kennedy School to discuss his time as …

Tucson’s ABC affiliate reports: U.S. Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut, Mark Kelly announced early Tuesday morning that he is running for U.S. Senate in Arizona in 2020. Kelly will run against Sen. Martha McSally, who was recently appointed by Gov. Doug Ducey to take over late Sen. John McCain’s seat. “This campaign is about the people of Arizona, …

ABC News reports: A family-owned Christian grocery store with several locations in Southeast Arkansas is dealing with backlash as customers argue a weekly ad mailer included a controversial political message. The ad book was sent to four Mac’s Cashsaver stores in Arkansas. According to the store, the mailer typically includes a religious or political message. The current mailer includes a …

The Associated Press reports: In what is being billed as Spain’s “trial of the century,” a dozen politicians and activists face charges in the Supreme Court over their involvement in Catalonia’s push for independence in 2017. The trial, which started Tuesday, sees those in the dock facing charges including rebellion and sedition. The trial is expected to last at least …

The Texas Observer reports: Late Monday evening, attorneys for the National Butterfly Center asked a federal judge to block the Trump administration from building a border wall at the refuge or using the center’s property as a pass-through to build elsewhere. The motion alleges that federal agents and contractors have been driving without permission through the Rio Grande Valley refuge’s …

Newsweek reports: British comedian John Oliver thinks President Donald Trump could be in for a second term, calling those who think America is halfway through his presidency optimistic. The comedian made the comments on Monday night’s episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “We just passed the midterm point in Trump’s hopefully first and only term.” Colbert told Oliver. …

CNN reports: Meredith Watson, who has accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of rape, also says she was raped by former Duke University basketball player Corey Maggette, according to her attorney. Maggette, who went on to play 14 seasons in the NBA and is now a freelance basketball analyst on Fox Sports West, denied the allegation in a statement to …

The New York Post reports: Council Speaker Corey Johnson said Monday that Bronx Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. should step down for making an inflammatory remark about the gay community. “I think he should resign. It’s not up to me, but I think what he said is totally unacceptable,” Johnson said during a press briefing in Albany, where he testified on …

The Huffington Post reports: Sean Hannity, a cable news soldier for President Donald Trump, flayed a preliminary spending deal on border security Monday night and urged Republicans to oppose it. “Any Republican that supports this garbage compromise, you will have to explain,” Hannity said, interrupting the network’s coverage of the president’s El Paso, Texas rally to voice his views. “Look …

The New York Times reports: House and Senate negotiators on Monday night agreed in principle to provide $1.375 billion for fencing and other physical barriers at the Mexican border, part of a broader agreement that would stave off another partial government shutdown without funding President Trump’s wall. The agreement would allow for 55 miles of new bollard fencing, with some …

The BBC reports: A supporter of US President Donald Trump has attacked a BBC cameraman at a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas. Sporting a Make America Great Again cap, the man shoved and swore at the BBC’s Ron Skeans and other news crews before being pulled away. Mr Skeans said the “very hard shove” came from his blindside. “I …

The Week reports: About 30 minutes into his rally, Trump said he had been challenged by “a young man who’s got very little going for himself except he’s got a great first name. So we have, let’s say, 35,000 people tonight, he has 200 people, 300 people — not too good,” Trump claimed. “That may be the end of his …

Tampa’s Fox affiliate reports: Just a few hours after a Florida man stole weapons, he posted photos of the items on social media, deputies said. Pasco County deputies said the theft occurred on February 4. Investigators said 23-year-old Steven Jeffcott smashed the back door of the victim’s home to enter. Once inside, he stole a Sieko watch, a shot gun, …