GOP Senators Embrace Awkward Russia Probe That Could Hurt Trump
The investigation, which will involve scouring highly classified material, is still in its early stages, but Republicans are so far joining Democrats on the panel in pledging to conduct it in a serious manner.
bloomberg.com
White House confirms conversation with FBI about Trump and Russia
Reince Priebus, FBI director James Comey and deputy director Andrew McCabe had a conversation which appears to violate justice department rules.
theguardian.com
Democrats: WH contact with FBI an 'outrageous breach of the FBI's independence'
Congressional Democrats sharply criticized President Donald Trump Friday over a CNN report that the FBI rejected a recent White House request to publicly knock down media reports about communications between Trump's associates and Russians known to US intelligence during the 2016 presidential campaign.
cnn.com
DHS report disputes threat from banned nations
Analysts at the Homeland Security Department's intelligence arm found insufficient evidence that citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries included in President Donald Trump's travel ban pose a terror threat to the United States.
hosted.ap.org
Republican lawmakers introduce bills to curb protesting in at least 18 states
From Virginia to Washington state, legislators have introduced bills that would increase punishments for blocking highways, ban the use of masks during protests, indemnify drivers who strike protesters with their cars and, in at least once case, seize the assets of people involved in protests that later turn violent.
washingtonpost.com
GOP Obamacare Plan Would Cover Fewer People; Blowback Grows
It would do away with the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that all Americans have health coverage or pay a fine, and replace it with rules that let people choose not to buy insurance, instead paying higher premiums or penalties if they need it later.
bloomberg.com
Kansas Republicans Sour on Their Tax-Cut Experiment
The state legislature nearly reversed Governor Sam Brownback’s signature policy after a voter rebellion. His economic legacy, one GOP lawmaker says, “is going down in flames.”
theatlantic.com
Detroit GM workers speak on layoffs as deadline draws near
Workers at the General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant are watching the clock tick down toward a scheduled March 3 date for the elimination of the second shift at the facility, impacting some 1,300 jobs.
wsws.org
Work Stoppage at Ports Would Have Ripple Effect
A proposed one-day work stoppage led by the International Longshoremen’s Association at ports on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts would hit those regions hard economically, observers say.
bna.com
Dakota protesters regroup, plot resistance to other pipelines
Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline who were pushed out of their protest camp this week have vowed to keep up efforts to stop the multibillion-dollar project and take the fight to other pipelines as well.
reuters.com
Documents Indicate Germany Spied on Foreign Journalists
Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the BND, apparently spied on large numbers of foreign journalists overseas over the course of several years, including employees of the BBC, Reuters and the New York Times.
spiegel.de
Russian Defense Minister Says His Military Has Tested 162 Weapons In Syria
The Kremlin has never made a secret that its intervention on behalf of the Syrian government has been an excellent opportunity to show off its new military prowess.
npr.org
