Leonard Leo says he will not cooperate with D.C. Attorney General tax probe

Judicial activist Leonard Leo is not cooperating with an investigation by Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb for potentially misusing nonprofit tax laws for personal enrichment, his attorney confirmed. David Rivkin, Leo’s attorney, said in a statement to POLITICO that Schwalb has “no legal authority to conduct any investigatory steps or take any enforcement measures”...

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Pro-Christie groups urge New Hampshire Dems to switch parties and back him

Chris Christie’s political operation is aggressively trying to persuade New Hampshire Democrats to switch parties to vote for the former New Jersey governor in the state’s first-in-the-nation Republican presidential primary. Two organizations aligned with Christie — who is centering his campaign around his outspoken opposition to former President Donald Trump — have launched...

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Justices voice doubts about challenge to consumer protection agency funding

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau appears likely to escape a potentially devastating blow from the Supreme Court after several conservative justices expressed doubts about arguments that the agency’s funding stream is unconstitutional. During oral arguments Tuesday, all the court’s liberal justices and at least three members of the conservative majority sounded skeptical...

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Canada’s Parliament elects first Black speaker

OTTAWA, Ont. — Canada's House of Commons has elected Liberal MP Greg Fergus as speaker — the first time a Black Canadian will hold the role. Fergus, who represents a Quebec riding across the river from Ottawa, bested six other candidates: Chris d'Entremont, Carol Hughes, Alexandra Mendès, Peter Schiefke, Sean Casey and Elizabeth May. Fergus takes on the task of presiding...

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Newsom’s says his ‘incredible’ pick for Senate can run if she wants

SAN FRANCISCO — In his first public remarks about his Senate appointment, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday it’s completely up to Laphonza Butler whether she’ll run for the seat previously held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein — before listing reasons why she’d be an ideal candidate. He also expressed some regret about saying last month he'd choose an interim senator as he praised...

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Jimmy Carter turns 99 at home with Rosalynn and other family

ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter has always been a man of discipline and habit. But the former president broke routine Sunday, putting off his practice of quietly watching church services online to instead celebrate his 99th birthday with his wife, Rosalynn, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Plains. The gathering took place in the same one-story structure...

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North Dakota state senator, his wife and 2 kids killed in Utah plane crash

BISMARCK, N.D. — A state senator from North Dakota, his wife and their two young children died when the small plane they were traveling in crashed in Utah, a Senate leader said Monday. Doug Larsen’s death was confirmed Monday in an email that Republican Senate Majority Leader David Hogue sent to his fellow senators and was obtained by The Associated Press. The plane crashed...

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