Politics

CBS News reports: A spokesman responding on behalf of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort issued a rare response, after CBS News confirmed Manafort was wiretapped during an investigation of the efforts of Russian operatives to influence the election. “If true, it is a felony to reveal the existence of a FISA warrant, regardless of the fact that no charges …

Three Democratic members of the US House were arrested after refusing to leave Fifth Avenue outside Trump Tower this afternoon. Talking Points Memo reports: “We’re taking the necessary steps to make it clear to President Trump, the Republicans and the Democrats that we will continue this peaceful fight for DREAMers and immigrants as long as it takes to enact legislation …

ABC News reports: A chief sponsor of Republican bill to dismantle Obamacare says he’s “never felt better about where we’re at” but stopped short of predicting the GOP has the votes to pass the measure. That word comes from South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham who spoke to reporters after Republicans’ closed-door luncheon where Vice President Mike Pence joined the lobbying …

The New York Times reports: New figures released by the U.S. Department of Commerce show a drop in international visitors to the United States by close to 700,000 in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous year. European countries were down 10.1 percent, and Mexico was off 7.1 percent in the quarter. The largest drops were from the …

The Hill reports: Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R), President Trump’s choice to serve as U.S. ambassador to Russia, said Tuesday that there is “no question” that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 presidential election. Huntsman made the declaration during his opening statement when testifying before Congress at his confirmation hearing. “There is no question that the Russian government interfered …

CBS News reports: President Donald Trump is delivering a major address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, where he is expected to discuss threats to global stability — including the Iran nuclear deal, nuclear-armed North Korea and global terrorism. A senior administration official said the president will deliver a message that “nations cannot be bystanders in history – …

The Associated Press reports: At least two people knew about child pornography on former Republican state Sen. Ralph Shortey’s computer at the Oklahoma Capitol, but failed to disclose that information to authorities until years later after police reportedly found Shortey in a motel room with a 17-year-old boy, according to newly released court records. The application for a search warrant …

The New York Times reports: Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, has elected to forgo protection by the Secret Service, according to a senior administration official, and another top White House official is losing hers. The agency ceased protecting Mr. Trump, who lives in New York City and is an executive at the Trump Organization, last week. Mr. Trump, …

Talking Points Memo reports: Hillary Clinton said in an interview that aired Monday that she wouldn’t rule out challenging the legitimacy of the 2016 election based on the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the election. “Democrats have said that they think there was Russian interference in the election, but that they’re not challenging the results of the election,” “Fresh …

The Associated Press reports: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is recommending that four large national monuments in the West be reduced in size, potentially opening up hundreds of thousands of acres of land revered for natural beauty and historical significance to mining, logging and other development. Zinke’s recommendation, revealed in a leaked memo submitted to the White House, prompted an outcry …

USA Today reports: Well then. President Trump kicked off his Monday speech before the United National general assembly with a plug for his nearby residential tower. “I actually saw great potential across the street, to be honest with you, and it’s only for the reason that the United Nations was here that that turned out to be such a successful …

The Hill reports: A Democratic candidate for a New Jersey congressional seat is firing back at President Trump’s comments that “both sides” were to blame for the violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va. Mikie Sherrill, a retired U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and former federal prosecutor, is running in the Democratic primary to unseat Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.). …

USA Today reports: President Donald Trump makes his first appearance at the United Nations in New York with multiple missions according to his administration. Monday morning he’ll speak at an event on U.N. reform. Trump also hopes to rally other countries against North Korea’s nuclear threats and convince them to help the U.S. pressure North Korea into giving up nuclear …

Politico reports: The family of former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn has set up a legal defense fund for him, soliciting donations to ease the “tremendous financial burden” from the ongoing investigations into his actions and the 2016 presidential campaign. “The enormous expense of attorneys’ fees and other related expenses far exceed their ability to pay,” Flynn’s brother …

Mediaite reports: President Donald Trump again retweeted a weird video that drew many a raised eyebrow over the weekend, this time depicted him shooting a golf ball into former political rival Hillary Clinton. And when Rep. Chris Collins was asked about it on CNN Monday morning, he began laughing, before explaining that “the president does have a sense of humor.” …

Aaron Blake writes for the Washington Post: Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer got a turn on one of Hollywood’s glitziest stages Sunday night. And he used it to laugh about the falsehoods he told the American people in an attempt to rehabilitate his image. I’m all for a good laugh. And I’ll add up front that there are …

The Guardian reports: Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday asked the head of the country’s Commission on Human Rights (CHR) if he was a paedophile for focusing on the killing of teenagers in the government’s bloody war on drugs. Duterte also suggested to lawmakers using CHR’s proposed 678 million pesos budget to buy the police body cameras if they do …

Roger Stone thinks it’s an “abomination” that Trump wore black pants with a blue jacket for a photo op with Sen. Tim Scott, who visited the White House for an alleged discussion about racism. Via Mediaite: Shortly after the meeting, the White House released an image of Scott and Trump in the Oval Office with Trump listening intently as Scott …

The Hill reports: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will answer take questions from reporters in a press briefing Friday afternoon. National security adviser H.R. McMaster and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley will also answer questions at the briefing. The briefing comes just hours after North Korea fired another ballistic missile over Japan on Friday, further …

During her appearance on last night’s Rachel Maddow Show, Hillary Clinton took aim at Facebook’s role in spreading fake news during the 2016 election. The Hill reports: “We may have our disagreements among Americans, we’re not going to let the Russians come in and divide us. And so we’re going to make Facebook own up to everything. They’ve just begun …