News Reporter: Politics A.M.: Feds’ twilight zone

Democracy Dies in Darkness

The most important politics stories today

PowerPost · Perspective

Feds' twilight zone — working without pay

Federal employees required to work without pay during the partial government shutdown are in a twilight zone. They can't stay home. They can't strike. They can't take a second job, if they're working mandatory overtime, such as some correctional officers.

By Joe Davidson · Read more

T-Mobile announced a merger needing Trump administration approval. The next day, 9 executives had reservations at Trump's hotel.

Such visits raise questions about whether patronizing Trump's private business is viewed as a way to influence public policy, critics said.

By Jonathan O'Connell and David A. Fahrenthold · Read more

Analysis

Power Up: Barr's testimony sets the stage for future fights over Mueller report

And May faces no confidence vote on Brexit.

By Jacqueline Alemany · Read more

Monkey Cage · Analysis

Many Americans say they want politicians to compromise. But maybe they don't.

Compromise is good in the abstract. But in reality? Maybe not so much.

By John Sides · Read more

PowerPost

'What have you got left?': Ocasio-Cortez taunts GOP critics obsessing over her

Conservative commentary about her intelligence, her clothing and her working-class roots has been so relentless that even some Republicans are coming to her defense.

By Elise Viebeck · Read more

PowerPost

Transcript: Ocasio-Cortez says the conservative right is 'losing the war'

The Post interviewed New York Rep. Ocasio-Cortez recently on Capitol Hill, asking the Democrat about the attention she has received from conservatives.

By Elise Viebeck · Read more

PowerPost · Analysis

Why is the GOP sticking with Trump on border wall? Look at the 2020 Senate map.

Republicans are in no hurry to end the shutdown despite polls showing most Americans blame Trump and the GOP. The polls also show growing support for the wall among Trump's base.

By Paul Kane · Read more

Analysis

Can Trump claim credit for $26 billion in savings on prescription drugs?

The president claims his policies are working, pointing to a $26 billion decline in generic drug prices. But much of that would have happened no matter who was president.

By Glenn Kessler · Read more

Analysis

How Wilbur Ross 'aggressively' tried to alter the 2020 Census and 'conceal' why, according to a federal judge

In a new opinion, a judge accuses Ross of misleading Congress and the public.

By Fred Barbash · Read more

Senate Republicans stand with McConnell on the sidelines of shutdown fight

The majority leader has effectively ceded the talks to President Trump and the Democrats, even though some GOP senators are nervous about the implications at the polls.

By Sean Sullivan · Read more

Analysis

William Barr tries to clean up his Clinton comments — but stumbles into a new Mueller problem

Barr suggests he wasn't actually calling for full-fledged probes of the Clintons, but a newly released email shows he clearly suggested those would be more substantiated than the Russian collusion probe.

By Aaron Blake · Read more

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand tells Stephen Colbert she will run for president

The New York Democrat's announcement on Colbert's CBS show further crowds the Democratic field for 2020.

By Jenna Johnson · Read more

Analysis

The Trailer: The message of Julián Castro's visit to Puerto Rico

In this edition: Julian Castro hits the Latino campaign trail, Steve King's legacy lives on, trolls shape the 2020 primary, and a campaign logo that absolutely does not belong to Amy Klobuchar.

By David Weigel · Read more