WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he believes he is winning the "political fight" over his racist tweets and comments about four minority female House freshman Democrats.

"If people want to leave our country, they can," he said, repeating his days-old line about Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- House Democrats rejected an attempt Wednesday to force a vote on impeaching President Donald Trump, showing that anger and frustration over the president's racist tweets and other actions have not yet convinced a majority to push for his removal.

By a vote of 332 to 95, lawmakers tabled the motion a day after a divided House ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA--A New Jersey judge who prompted national outcry for granting leniency to a teenager accused of sexual assault -- specifically, that he cited the boy's "good family" and high test scores -- will no longer sit on the bench.

Monmouth County Superior Court Judge James G. Troiano had retired in 2012 but continued working as a "recall" ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Tension between the progressive and moderate factions of the Democratic Caucus are again spilling into public view ahead of a priority party vote to raise the federal minimum wage.

A day before a planned Thursday vote on a bill to incrementally increase the current $7.25 federal minimum wage to $15, Congressional Progressive ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said negotiators on a sweeping package that would lift tight discretionary spending caps and raise the debt ceiling are aiming to have a bill on the House floor next Thursday.

Accordingly, the California Democrat said, talks would need to wrap up by this Friday night in order to post legislative text ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Buena Park officials are warning residents to be prepared for coyote encounters after a bold predator recently entered a home through a doggie door and attacked two dogs, killing one in what officials called an "unprecedented" attack.

Noting an increase in coyote reports and sightings, the city of Buena Park issued a release ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- The White House said Turkey's continued participation in the F-35 fighter jet program is now "impossible" because of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision to begin receiving parts for a Russian-made missile defense system.

"The F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to learn about...Read more

Prosecutors have filed hate crime and weapons charges against a San Luis Obispo man they say sent racist greeting cards in which he threatened to shoot minorities moving into his neighborhood.

Richard Orcutt, 62, is charged with 10 felonies -- eight counts of criminal threats and two counts of possession of an assault weapon, the San Luis ...Read more

NEW YORK -- U.S. prosecutors in New York have ended their probe into whether hush money payments made to two women shortly before the 2016 presidential election violated campaign finance law, according to a court document filed Wednesday.

It was unclear whether the move to end the probe means that no further charges will be filed in the case.

...Read more

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis prosecutors have charged a former St. Louis police officer with three felony counts of third-degree assault for pepper-spraying three people during protests outside Busch Stadium in 2017.

Charging documents say Officer William C. Olsten pepper-sprayed three people without giving them an opportunity to heed any warnings or...Read more

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Former S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford is considering a 2020 primary run against President Donald Trump.

The South Carolina Republican Party's take? Take a hike -- on the Appalachian Trail, to be precise.

"The last time Mark Sanford had an idea this dumb, it killed his governorship. This makes about as much sense as that trip up the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- An LAPD officer has been charged with rape following a sexual assault investigation, authorities said Wednesday.

Officer William Rodriguez, a 10-year veteran of the LAPD who most recently was assigned to the Valley Traffic Division, was taken into custody Tuesday and relieved of his police powers. The L.A. County district ...Read more

BALTIMORE -- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has criticized President Donald Trump's tweets and comments that certain members of Congress should "go back" to other countries.

"I thought the comments were terrible and very unbecoming of a president," Hogan, a Republican, told WJZ-TV Tuesday night. "Totally inappropriate."

Hogan's statement, while ...Read more

SEATTLE -- A fourth claim has been filed against the City of Bellingham, Wash., for a 2018 incident in which the body of a man who died in the back of a paramedic unit while on the way to the hospital was used by fire-department personnel for medical training.

The city already has paid $75,000 each to two adult children of Bradley Ginn Sr., and...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland police and other city departments will not use facial recognition technology under a new policy -- the third of its kind in the United States.

The Oakland City Council unanimously approved the policy Tuesday.

San Francisco was the first U.S. city to prohibit the facial recognition technology in May, and Somerville, ...Read more

MIAMI -- A Florida man is asking for help in finding the owner of a 64-year-old wedding ring he found at a beach.

Treasure Hunter Mark DesErmia was using his metal detector on Longboat Key late last month when he found a golden ring in the water.

Inscribed inside was the name "Oldulia" and 12-25-55.

"Unique date is what first went through my ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- A sizable crowd had already gathered outside the Surplus Store early July 6 when Victor Hernandez arrived at the West Los Angeles shop to unlock the doors.

An orange banner strung between two white columns advertising earthquake and survival supplies in large block letters welcomed the nervous throngs as they filed in. Dozens ...Read more