On April 25, former President Donald Trump argued to the United States Supreme Court that the Constitution crowned him absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for acts taken during his presidency. The facially alarming argument made startling headway with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and ...Read more

Donald Trump is in court right now. But not everyone understands that this is not a “hush money” case. He isn’t charged with being unfaithful to his wife or even with paying a woman to keep quiet about his affair. He is charged with falsifying business records, which is illegal, no matter who you are.

I have read about the case, but I don...Read more

Since the opening of the Donald Trump’s New York trial — when the former president’s counsel told the jury that the prosecution’s star witness “cannot be trusted” — the defense has telegraphed its principal strategy: Eviscerate Michael Cohen.

As Trump’s fixer and attack dog at the time of the alleged crimes, Cohen was more ...Read more

Acting Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan held Donald Trump in contempt for his violations of a gag order in his criminal hush money case. The penalty? A paltry $9,000. Nonetheless, the judge cautioned the former president that continued violations might result in “incarceratory punishment,” just as they might for any other ...Read more

A comprehensive election bill that gained final approval by the Democratic-led Illinois legislature on Thursday would give Democrats a significant advantage toward keeping their legislative majorities before any votes are even cast in the Nov. 5 general election.

Democrats already enjoy legislative supermajorities in the Illinois House and ...Read more

NEW YORK — Jurors at Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial on Thursday heard audio of him discussing plans to pay hush money to a Playboy model with his former fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen — tying him to the deal his legal team has vigorously sought to distance him from.

“I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Sen. Roger Marshall on Thursday claimed a Congressional push to combat antisemitism violates Christian scripture.

A bill that overwhelmingly passed the House by a 320-91 vote Wednesday evening, would require the Department of Education’s division of civil rights to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s ...Read more

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail this week, but while taking very different detours — one to handle sensitive presidential tasks and the other to appear before a criminal jury.

Biden was in North Carolina on Thursday to address supporters in the coastal town of Wilmington, which has the same ...Read more

WILMINGTON, N.C. — During a Thursday visit to Wilmington, President Joe Biden touted $3 billion in newly released federal funding to help water utilities nationwide find and replace lead service lines.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $15 billion to identify and replace lead service lines. The Environmental Protection Agency has ...Read more

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Taylor Shelton, a South Carolina woman in her mid-to-late 20s, wasn’t planning to get pregnant. She took precautions, including having an intrauterine device.

But it wasn’t foolproof, and she discovered she was pregnant at the four-week mark.

Shelton went to a crisis pregnancy center in Charlotte, North Carolina, which...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — President Joe Biden traveled to Charlotte Thursday to honor the law enforcement officers killed in a mass shooting.

The president’s daily schedule announced he’d be at Charlotte Douglas International Airport around midday to “pay his respects to the brave law enforcement officers killed and wounded in the line of duty ...Read more

Donald Trump is sharpening his focus on a possible running mate by taking a page from his days hosting reality show “The Apprentice” and parading the top contenders for the slot in front of rich benefactors this weekend.

Contestants jockeyed for a job with his business empire for over a decade on the NBC show, with Trump pitting them ...Read more

NEW YORK — A judge considered holding Donald Trump in contempt yet again on Thursday for more potential gag order violations as his hush money trial resumed in Manhattan.

Before jurors took their seats for the day, state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan heard arguments from prosecutors and the former president’s attorneys concerning four ...Read more

WASHINGTON — In a surprise election twist, a candidate running for Congress is suspending her campaign as voters have already headed to the polls to cast their ballots in the May 14 Republican runoff.

Kelly Daughtry announced Thursday that she would no longer run to represent North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District. She endorsed her ...Read more

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden defended the right to protest peacefully but demanded that “order must prevail,” as demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war have wreaked havoc on U.S. college campuses.

“There’s the right to protest but not the right to cause chaos,” Biden said at the White House Thursday, his first extended ...Read more

President Joe Biden will expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Yolo County, a move that aims to safeguard nearly 134,000 acres including a ridgeline known as Molok Luyuk, which holds significance for local Native tribes.

Formerly known as Walker Ridge, the earthen backbone rising east of Clear Lake boasts unique geology and ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Amid criticism of Florida’s six-week abortion ban, state health regulators issued emergency rules Thursday clarifying what medical conditions qualify for exceptions under the new law.

The rules say that if a woman’s water breaks prematurely, inducing delivery is not defined as an abortion, nor is the treatment of an ...Read more

President Joe Biden, in an unscheduled speech at the White House Thursday, tried to walk a fine line between advocating for the free speech rights of pro-Palestinian protesters at college campuses while condemning the occupation of buildings and threats and intimidation reported toward Jewish students.

Biden in his address to the nation said it...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis has tried lately to shore up his relationship with former President Donald Trump and soften his much-maligned public image even as his culture war agenda continues.

He’s signed laws to allow chaplains in public schools, mandate teaching kindergartners about the history of communism, and ban lab-grown meat ...Read more