Politics

The Washington Post reports: Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh says he was “not perfect” in high school, drank beer with friends, but denies sexual assault. In his prepared testimony for Thursday’s Senate hearing, Brett M. Kavanaugh said he drank beer usually on weekends and “sometimes I had too many.” “In retrospect, I said and did things in high school that make …

The Rising reports: The counsel of the conservative organization representing Brett Kavanaugh on Wednesday said that the FBI should have probed Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee before they were revealed to the press. “I agree, they should have investigated this,” Carrie Severino told Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton when asked why the FBI did …

The Guardian reports: The Trump administration has warned Tehran that there would be “hell to pay” if it continued to “cross” the US and its allies. The threat was delivered by the national security adviser, John Bolton, a longtime Iran hawk who told an audience of anti-Tehran activists: “The murderous regime and its supporters will face significant consequences if they …

CBS News reports: Even as world leaders step up to the podium at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, the lion’s share of attention will be down the hall, where President Trump will be chairing the Security Council. It will be his first experience in leading a session of the U.N.’s most powerful body, where the U.S. currently holds the …

USA Today reports: New polls show Democrats doing well in the Great Lakes industrial states that were crucial to President Donald Trump’s victory. Democratic senatorial candidates have double-digit leads in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to Ipsos Public Affairs polls released Wednesday. Democrats running for governor in those states also have healthy advantages. Democratic challenger Tony Evers is ahead of …

“I have no doubt that the Russians have every intention of making life difficult for every American. This has been going on for decades. So please know, the American people should know, that the U.S. government is actively engaged in efforts to ensure the Russians, Chinese, Iranians, North Koreans – all of those – with malintent for America, will not …

Politico reports: Democrats have all the cover they need to vote in lockstep against Brett Kavanaugh. But a half-dozen of them have refused to go there, even after the pair of sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee. Democratic insiders are feeling more bullish than ever that the party’s 49 caucus members ultimately will oppose Kavanaugh. Yet the undeclared …

The Hill reports: The attorney for the second woman to accuse Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct said Wednesday that the woman, Deborah Ramirez, is willing to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the alleged incident. “She would be willing to testify, but we can’t even talk to the Senate Judiciary Committee about what that would look …

The New York Times reports: Tom Steyer, the billionaire investor and Democratic activist, has directed his political operation to spend more than $5 million aiding Andrew Gillum’s campaign for governor of Florida, an enormous investment that will test whether fired-up Democratic voters can flip control of a state long dominated by Republicans. The campaign between Mr. Gillum, who is the …

CNBC reports: The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, according to a notice sent out by the panel. The committee will choose whether to approve Kavanaugh’s nomination fewer than 24 hours after Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford appear before the panel to discuss Ford’s allegation that Kavanaugh sexually …

Politico reports: Senate Republicans have hired an attorney to use as a questioner of Christine Blasey Ford at Thursday’s high-stakes hearing on a sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh but are declining to name her. Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told POLITICO on Tuesday as he entered the Capitol for a weekly GOP meeting that “we aren’t …

France 24 reports: French President Emmanuel Macron called for “dialogue and multilateralism” to resolve the world’s crises in a speech at the UN Tuesday delivered minutes after US President Donald Trump blasted international “interference” in policy-making. “What will bring a real solution to the situation in Iran and what has already stabilised it? The law of the strongest? Pressure from …

The New York Times reports: Representative Chris Collins, a New York Republican indicted on insider trading charges, just jumped back into the race for his House seat, but he’s already making waves with a negative ad. Mr. Collins attacked his Democratic challenger for the Buffalo-area seat, Nate McMurray, in a racially tinged television ad that draws on a video that …

Wired reports: Twitter on Tuesday announced a new policy addressing “dehumanizing speech,” which will take effect later this year, and for the first time the public will be able to formally provide the company with feedback on the proposed rule. The policy will prohibit “content that dehumanizes others based on their membership in an identifiable group, even when the material …

Via press release from right wing lobbyist Jack Burkman: After allegations of sexual assault stalled the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Jack Burkman, a D.C.-based lawyer and lobbyist, is offering a $25k reward for information on Kavanaugh’s three accusers. As rumors regarding the timing and potential of political motivation swirl, Burkman hopes to uncover the truth and supply …

Just in from Quinnipiac Polling: In the Florida U.S. Senate race, which could be critical to control of the Senate this year, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson moves into a 53 – 46 percent likely voter lead over Gov. Rick Scott, the Republican challenger, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today. This compares to a 49 – 49 percent …

NBC News reports: Arizona’s closely watched Senate race is a statistical tie, according to a new NBC News / Marist College poll that shows Democrat Kyrsten Sinema leading Republican Martha McSally by three points with likely voters, within the poll’s margin of error. The poll finds Sinema garnering 48 percent support from Arizona likely voters in a two-way contest, while …

CNN reports: President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton brought a prop to the UN General Assembly to underscore the Trump administration’s primary theme: the US stands on its own. Bolton waved a copy of the Constitution, a little booklet meant to symbolize the message of sovereignty US officials will hammer home during the year’s largest gathering of world …

Roll Call reports: Rep. Beto O’Rourke on Tuesday defended Sen. Ted Cruz after the senator and his wife were swarmed by protesters while they were having dinner at a Washington restaurant. O’Rourke is attempting to unseat Cruz in November’s Senate election. A RealClearPolitics average of polls in the race shows Cruz with a 4.5 percentage point lead in the race. …

ABC News reports: White House press secretary Sarah Sanders would not offer any assurances that President Trump will allow the special counsel investigation to continue without delay if Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein exits the Justice Department, telling “Good Morning America” Tuesday that she doesn’t want to get ahead of the process. Asked by ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos …