Politics

The Associated Press reports: Vice President Mike Pence turns nostalgic when he talks about growing up in small-town Columbus, Indiana, where his father helped build an empire of more than 200 gas stations that provided an upbringing on the “front row of the American dream.” The collapse of Kiel Bros. Oil Co. in 2004 was widely publicized. Less known is …

Via press release from Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs: Vice personnel working Wednesday night believed they had probable cause that state law regulating sexually-oriented businesses was violated; however, one element of the law was missed in error and charges were subsequently dismissed. The facts behind the charges and the behavior witnessed by the Vice officers are a matter of public …

CBS News reports: President Trump is holding a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Teresa May Friday, in the middle of his trip to the United Kingdom. Mr. Trump’s visit to Britain is sandwiched between the Brussels NATO summit, where he blasted allies over defense spending and trade, and ahead of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: Donald Trump Jr. and Judge Jeanine Pirro will be in Orlando on Wednesday to headline both a rally and private fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis’ campaign for governor. Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Trump, and Pirro, a Fox News personality, are scheduled to appear at an event at B.B. King’s Blues Club on …

The Daily Beast reports: In a long Facebook post this week, Sarah Palin admitted that she had been “duped” by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen for his new Showtime series Who Is America?, called him “evil,” “exploitive” and “truly sick,” and challenged him to donate the proceeds to pro-veterans charities. Today, she got her response. As his new character Dr. Billy …

“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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Washington Post reports: President Trump kicked off his trip to Europe with a biting critique of the United States’ longtime allies, declaring at a breakfast meeting that Germany “is captive to Russia.” Next to him, three of his senior officials seemed uncomfortable at times, pursing their lips and glancing away from the table. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg remains …

Florida Politics reports: A recently filed financial disclosure shows U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan celebrated the Republican Party’s successful push for tax reform in quite the lavish way. According to the disclosure, Buchanan spent between $1 million and $5 million purchasing an Ocean Alexander yacht on Nov. 16, 2017, the same day he joined 226 other Republicans and no Democrats in …

Vanity Fair reports: Despite enormous public support, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will not run for president of the United States in two years. “Unfortunately I don’t see it happening in 2020. It’s a position that requires years of hard work and experience to learn the skills. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and due to my schedule, it’s not …

The South China Post reports: Philippine Catholic bishops on Monday called for fasting and prayers after President Rodrigo Duterte called God “stupid” and questioned God’s existence in profane remarks that set him on a collision course with Asia’s largest Catholic Church. Archbishop Romulo Valles and the association of bishops that he heads called for a day of prayers on July …

The Washington Examiner reports: The House on Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution supporting NATO just hours after President Trump rebuked intergovernmental military alliance. The House approved the nonbinding measure by voice vote. The Senate passed a similar resolution on Tuesday by a vote of 97-2. Republican Sens. Mike Lee, of Utah, and Rand Paul, of Kentucky, voted against the Senate …

Just in from Pew Research: When asked which president has done the best job in their lifetimes, more Americans name Barack Obama than any other president. More than four-in-ten (44%) say Obama is the best or second best president of their lifetimes, compared with about a third who mention Bill Clinton (33%) or Ronald Reagan (32%). Which president has done …

The New York Post reports: Papa John’s can’t get out of its own way. Its stock was down more than 4 percent on Wednesday following a report that founder and chairman John Schnatter allegedly made racist comments during a May conference call in which he was receiving public relations training from an outside marketing firm. The controversial restaurateur — who …