Politics

The New York Times reports: As with everything concerning Mr. Moore, accounts vary. Alice Bircheat, the longtime bookkeeper at the Y.M.C.A., said that she recalled “not one complaint” about Mr. Moore. Terry White, 70, a former Gadsden police officer who worked security at the mall, said, “Nobody, as far as I know, ever complained.” But numerous people remembered otherwise. They …

The Hill reports: Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Sunday said he takes it as a compliment that some people suggested that he and his wife looked like villains from a James Bond movie when they posed with newly printed currency. “I never thought I’d be quoted as looking like villains from the James Bond. I guess I should take that …

From the editorial board of the Birmingham News: The seriousness of these incidents, including one involving a 14-year-old child, cannot be overstated. Nor can the growing number of accusations — from the women who were at the receiving end of unwanted adult male overtures as teens, to those who say they were physically assaulted — be parsed with talk of …

Cleveland.com reports: In public, Wesley Goodman was an up-and-coming conservative who championed pro-family and anti-LGBT causes and aspired to someday run for Congress. In private, he exchanged salacious texts and emails with gay men he met on Capitol Hill, and sent sexually suggestive messages to young men he met through conservative circles who were too intimidated to publicly complain, according …

Politico reports: Sen. Tim Scott said Sunday that it’s “in the best interest of the country” that Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore step aside, adding that there’s “a strong possibility” that a write-in candidate could retain the GOP Senate seat. “I certainly think that there is a strong possibility with a new candidate — a new Republican candidate, a proven …

“If I offended anyone, particularly the wonderful women in my life, I apologize. But if I have helped elevate the discussion on the serious issues of sexual assault, as opposed to personal indiscretions, to a new level…I make no apologies. Suggesting the admitted conduct of Senator Al Franken and the alleged conduct of Judge Roy Moore are on the same …

Politico reports: As a TV host, Donald Trump loved ratings. As president, he loves polls—as long as they show him on the upswing. He crowed on Twitter hours after landing back in Washington from his 12-day Asia tour about his Rasmussen number—46 percent—noting it was “one of the most accurate” in 2016, and decried “fake news” polls showing his approval …

Tulsa World reports: Former state Sen. Ralph Shortey has agreed to plead guilty to a child sex trafficking offense for offering to pay a 17-year-old boy for sexual “stuff” last March. In exchange for his guilty plea, federal prosecutors have agreed to drop three child pornography counts against him. A jury trial for Shorty had been set to begin Dec. …

NBC News reports: The Roy Moore scandal has unleashed a torrent of online donations to Democrat Doug Jones, who was collecting around $250,000 per day in its immediate aftermath, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity. Democrats may end up in the unlikely situation of dramatically outspending the GOP in …

Mediaite reports: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders takes the podium for the daily briefing on Friday afternoon. And based upon the events of the past 24 hours, one can pretty well guess the dominant line of inquiry from the White House press corps. Late Thursday night, President Donald Trump — apparently unable to help himself — weighed in …

Cleveland.com reports: Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O’Neill, a Democratic candidate for governor, apparently trying to head off any criticisms from his opponents, revealed his sexual escapades over the years on a Facebook post. A post on O’Neill’s official Facebook said he was speaking up “on behalf of all heterosexual males” after allegations against Democratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken came …

NPR reports: The Rev. Jesse Jackson has announced that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, saying that he first noticed symptoms “about three years ago.” Jackson, 76, released the news in what he called an update “on my health and the future.” The longtime political and social activist, who was part of Martin Luther King Jr.’s inner circle in …

Reuters reports: A tearful Menendez thanked God, his family and the jurors outside the courthouse in Newark, New Jersey, as well as two senators who testified on his behalf as character witnesses, Democrat Cory Booker and Republican Lindsey Graham. “The way this case started was wrong,” said Menendez, flanked by his grown children. “The way it was investigated was wrong. …

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is in the final flailing days of his term and Politico has published a lengthy exit interview of sorts. This might be the most interesting bit: Christie’s generous interpretation of Trump’s treatment of him even extends to his own ouster. Two days after Trump’s surprise win, Steve Bannon and Christie were seen arguing for several …

The Hill reports: Investors and customers of the Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower in Panama City carried deep ties to organized crime and drug trafficking, according to an NBC News and Reuters joint investigation. A Brazillian real estate salesman who partnered with the Trumps to attract condo buyers for the tower told NBC that the Trumps and others …

CBS News reports: A shouting match erupted in the Senate Finance hearing over the Republican tax overhaul, with Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown and Utah Republican Orrin Hatch arguing Thursday night over who benefits from the GOP plan. At the heart of the argument is new analysis by congressional number crunchers that finds this plan cuts taxes at first but by …

CNBC reports: President Donald Trump is displaying selective outrage over allegations of sexual harassment against prominent men in politics, as his own tortured past lingers over his response. Trump moved quickly Thursday to condemn accusations against Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken as “really bad,” but he has remained conspicuously silent on the more serious claims leveled against Roy Moore, the …

The Washington Post reports: President Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner received and forwarded emails about WikiLeaks and a “Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite” that he kept from Senate Judiciary Committee investigators, according to panel leaders demanding that he produce the missing records. Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent a letter to …

NBC News reports: Oops! The Pentagon says it accidentally retweeted a tweet that urged President Donald Trump to resign. Without mentioning the content of the original tweet, a Pentagon spokesman, Col. Rob Manning, said it “would not be endorsed by the Department of Defense.” The tweet was posted Thursday by a person whose Twitter handle is @ProudResister. It said, “The …

The Hill reports: A new Fox News poll released Thursday shows Democrat Doug Jones leading by 8 points in the Alabama Senate race in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against GOP candidate Roy Moore. The poll, conducted Nov. 13-15, shows that 50 percent of likely voters in deep-red Alabama and 49 percent of registered voters said they would vote …