Politics

The New York Times reports: This summer, Saudi Arabia promised the Trump administration $100 million for American efforts to stabilize areas in Syria liberated from the Islamic State. That money landed in American accounts on Tuesday, the same day that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for discussions with the kingdom’s leaders about the fate …

Talking Points Memo reports: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Thursday that he will not attend an upcoming conference in Saudi Arabia amid the fallout from the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Mnuchin has been facing mounting pressure to pull out of the conference following the disappearance of Khashoggi, a U.S..-based Saudi journalist, after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul …

Turkey’s Daily Hürriyet reports: A Turkish newspaper reported on Oct. 18 that one of the suspects involved in the disappearance of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi died in a “suspicious car accident” in Riyadh. Mashal Saad al-Bostani, a 31-year-old lieutenant of the Saudi Royal Air Forces, was among the 15 suspects who arrived and left Turkey on Oct. 2 after going …

The Guardian reports: Facebook is promoting a new “war room” as a part of its solution to election interference, unveiling a team of specialists working to stop the spread of misinformation and propaganda. It’s unclear how well it’s working. The Silicon Valley company, which has faced intensifying scrutiny over its role in amplifying malicious political content, opened its doors to …

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports: The notices posted at the polling places where Dennis Hof’s name will appear on the ballot — despite his death on Tuesday — will unlikely deter Republican voters from casting ballots in his favor on Nov. 6. “I would venture to guess that there’s a pretty good chance that he’ll be elected,” said John Koenig, …

The New York Post reports: The Trump Organization has filed a lawsuit seeking $90,000 in unpaid common charges and fees from a Trump Tower resident– six months after he died in a fire that engulfed his Fifth Avenue apartment. The board of Trump Tower Condominium, through Trump Organization lawyer Sonja Talesnik, filed the suit in Manhattan Supreme Court late Tuesday …

The Hill reports: Democrats are likely to pick up a handful of governor seats in November, according to a new forecast from data analysis site FiveThirtyEight. The forecast predicts Democratic governors will be in charge in 23 or 24 states, with Republicans holding the remaining 26 or 27 states. Republicans currently hold 33 governor’s seats, with 16 held by Democrats. …

Reuters reports: Republicans could try again to repeal Obamacare if they win enough seats in U.S. elections next month, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday, calling a failed 2017 push to repeal the healthcare law a “disappointment.” In a forecast of 2019 policy goals tempered by uncertainty about who will win the congressional elections, McConnell also blamed costly …

Politico reports: Beto O’Rourke is on the attack against Ted Cruz. The Democrat aired his first handful of TV ads directly criticizing the Republican senator Wednesday, following a debate performance Tuesday night in which he repeatedly attacked Cruz, even invoking President Donald Trump’s 2016-vintage “Lyin’ Ted” nickname and accusing Cruz of being dishonest with voters. O’Rourke’s new ads are all …

CNN reports: The Donald Trump loyalist who famously said he’d take a bullet for the President is now willing to publicly fight his former boss. Michael Cohen, the President’s former lawyer, is prepared to campaign against Trump and Republicans in the midterm elections and the 2020 presidential race, a Democrat with knowledge told CNN. Marking the latest escalation in Cohen’s …

Roll Call reports: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said today there is nothing she would trade for President Donald Trump’s border wall, setting a hard negotiating stance in advance of an expected December showdown over the issue. “It happens to be like a manhood issue for the president, building a wall, and I’m not interested in that,” the California Democrat …

The New York Post reports: Melania Trump’s Philadelphia-bound plane was forced to return to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday morning after a “mechanical issue” caused smoke to waft though the cabin, according to reports. About 10 minutes after takeoff, reporters noticed a thin haze of smoke and detected a burning smell. They were provided with wet towels to hold over …

Business Insider reports: Marijuana sales officially began in Canada on Wednesday, making it the first G7 country — and the second country in the world after Uruguay — to legalize the drug for all adults. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on a promise to legalize marijuana, and his Liberal government delivered in the form of Bill C-45, otherwise known as …

The New York Times reports: Three weeks after their last debate, Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Beto O’Rourke will face off again Tuesday night for the second and perhaps final time, as Mr. Cruz seeks to widen his lead in the polls and Mr. O’Rourke tries to restore dimming Democratic hopes that he can unseat Mr. Cruz and pull off …

Las Vegas’s ABC affiliate reports: Nevada brothel owner and GOP Assembly candidate Dennis Hof has died. The Nye County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Hof’s death Tuesday morning at the Love Ranch in Crystal, outside of Pahrump. Detectives and deputies are currently on scene and conducting an investigation into his death. Hof was 72 years old. His cause of death is unknown …

Talking Points Memo reports: Former Obama-era Housing Secretary Julián Castro says he will “likely” run for president in 2020, his strongest indication yet since he first floated a possible bid earlier this year. Castro, in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, added that he will make a “final decision” after November’s midterm elections. “I’m likely to do it,” the former …

The Washington Post reports: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pressed Saudi leaders Tuesday to move quickly with a “transparent” investigation into the disappearance of journalist Kamal Khashoggi even as Turkish officials sifted through possible evidence at the last place he was seen alive. Turkish officials have said they believe a Saudi hit team killed Khashoggi earlier this month after he …

Fort Lauderdale’s ABC affiliate reports: Lakeland police have released surveillance video showing a city commissioner shoot a man who was trying to steal a hatchet from his military surplus store. Michael Dunn is a Lakeland City Commissioner who took office in January of 2018. The shooting happened Oct. 3 at the Vets Army Navy Surplus which is owned by Dunn. …

The Week reports: Daniels mocked Trump by referencing his “umm…shortcomings,” and joked that he “perhaps” has a “penchant for bestiality.” Trump has privately attacked Daniels’ appearance and in recent weeks has been wanting to fire back at her for “mocking his manhood” in her book, The New York Times‘ Maggie Haberman reports. Now, Trump has done just that, and it …

Minnesota’s Bring Me The News reports: Republican Attorney General candidate Doug Wardlow is coming under scrutiny for comments made during a private fundraiser this week. Audio recorded by a DFL staffer obtained by Bring Me The News, which had earlier been sent to MPR, reveals Wardlow promising a mass firing of Democratic attorneys currently working at the AG’s Office under …