Politics

By The Wall Street Journal.

U.S. Politics
Bernie Sanders, Former Staffers Meet After Harassment Allegations
The Wall Street Journal. - Ken Thomas
WASHINGTON—Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday heard directly from a group of former campaign staffers who said they faced sexual harassment and discrimination during his 2016 presidential campaign.
U.S. Politics
Huawei Targeted in Criminal Probe for Alleged Theft of Trade Secrets
The Wall Street Journal. - Dan Strumpf, Nicole Hong, Aruna Viswanatha
Federal prosecutors are pursuing a criminal investigation of China’s Huawei Technologies Co. for allegedly stealing trade secrets from U.S. business partners, including technology used by T-Mobile US to
U.S. Politics
Grassley Sees Shutdown Delaying Major Trade Talks
The Wall Street Journal. - Vivian Salama, William Mauldin
WASHINGTON—The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said Wednesday that the Trump administration’s trade negotiations may be delayed as a result of the partial government shutdown, which is now on
U.S. Politics
Former Fed Leaders, Economists Rally Around Carbon Tax
The Wall Street Journal. - Timothy Puko
WASHINGTON—An all-star roster of former Federal Reserve leaders and White House economic advisers are signing on to a new statement in support of a carbon tax on businesses that sends the revenue to U.S.
U.S. Politics
At Least Four Americans Killed in ISIS-Claimed Attack in Syria
The Wall Street Journal. - Nancy A. Youssef, Raja Abdulrahim
A bombing in Syria claimed by Islamic State killed at least four Americans on Wednesday, the Pentagon said, hardening divisions in Washington over President Trump’s plan to withdraw troops from the country.
U.S. Politics
U.S.-Russia Nuclear Pact Moves Closer to Collapse
The Wall Street Journal. - Michael R. Gordon, Thomas Grove
The U.S. and Russia failed to made headway in talks this week on a 1987 treaty banning ground-based intermediate-range missiles, leaving one of the last arms-control accords between the two countries the
U.S. Politics
Supreme Court Hears Cases Involving Land Use, Alcohol Permits
The Wall Street Journal. - Jess Bravin, Brent Kendall
WASHINGTON—A lawsuit aimed at making it easier for property owners to challenge land-use regulations returned Wednesday to the Supreme Court, which held a second argument in the case for Justice Brett
U.S. Politics
Watchdog Finds Flaws in Review of Trump Hotel Lease
The Wall Street Journal. - Rebecca Ballhaus
WASHINGTON—A watchdog report released Wednesday said the General Services Administration improperly ignored a constitutional provision when it was reviewing whether to allow the Trump International Hotel
U.S. Politics
Coast Guard Members Are Caught in Shutdown
The Wall Street Journal. - Ben Kesling, Nancy A. Youssef
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Coast Guard conducts armed maritime patrols, inspects freight in Afghanistan and trains allied navies. But unlike the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps, its 40,000 active-duty servicemembers
U.S. Politics
IRS Offers Penalty Reprieve to Taxpayers Adjusting to New Law
The Wall Street Journal. - Richard Rubin
WASHINGTON—Some taxpayers who didn’t have enough money withheld from their paychecks last year won a reprieve Wednesday from the Internal Revenue Service. The tax agency said it would waive penalties some
U.S. Politics
EPA Nominee Pledges to Further Ease Environmental Regulations
The Wall Street Journal. - Heidi Vogt
WASHINGTON—President Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency told a Senate committee Wednesday that he would continue to push the White House’s deregulatory agenda and to issue rules
U.S. Politics
Pelosi Asks Trump to Delay State of the Union Address
The Wall Street Journal. - Natalie Andrews, Michael C. Bender
WASHINGTON—House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged President Trump to delay his State of the Union address—or deliver it in writing—saying unfunded security agencies weren’t equipped to protect the speech during
U.S. Politics
New House Financial Services Chair Targets Mulvaney
The Wall Street Journal. - Andrew Ackerman
WASHINGTON—House Democrats plan to target White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney over his previous role as the Trump administration’s temporary head of a federal consumer finance agency, a Democratic
U.S. Politics
Will Barr Revive the 1990s Tough-on-Crime Approach?
The Wall Street Journal. - Sadie Gurman
William Barr’s vision of law and order was forged at the height of the 1990s crack epidemic, when the consensus in Washington was that long mandatory prison sentences were the best way to fight crime.
U.S. Politics
Shutdown Set to Eclipse Longest in Modern History
The Wall Street Journal. - Kristina Peterson, Michael C. Bender, Rebecca Ballhaus
WASHINGTON—The partial government shutdown has matched the longest in modern U.S. history, an impasse of 21 days under President Bill Clinton. With no end in sight, the current shutdown entered its 22nd
U.S. Politics
Trump Administration Plans Effort to Let States Remodel Medicaid
The Wall Street Journal. - Stephanie Armour
The Trump administration is readying guidance that could let states remodel their Medicaid programs to more closely resemble block grant proposals favored by Republicans during their failed effort to the
U.S. Politics
Mother of American Jailed in Iran Pleads for His Release
The Wall Street Journal. - Jessica Donati
WASHINGTON—A U.S. Navy veteran who has been jailed in Iran on undisclosed charges suffers from cancer and may die without access to medical care, according to his mother, who pleaded for his release in
U.S. Politics
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Staffs Up for Likely 2020 Presidential Run
The Wall Street Journal. - Ken Thomas
WASHINGTON—New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is closing in on announcing a 2020 presidential campaign, signing up key staff members and planning her first trip to Iowa, according to people familiar
U.S. Politics
U.S. Probes Boeing Satellite Deal Backed by China
The Wall Street Journal. - Brian Spegele, Kate O’Keeffe
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commerce Department are investigating Boeing Co.’s relationship with a satellite startup backed by a Chinese government-owned firm, following an article
U.S. Politics
A Texas Tent City for Migrant Children Is Closed
The Wall Street Journal. - Alicia A. Caldwell
A sprawling tent city used to house unaccompanied migrant children has been closed after a policy change by the Trump administration made it easier to place children with sponsors in the U.S. The tent
U.S. Politics
Government Workers Turn to Emergency Loans
The Wall Street Journal. - Yuka Hayashi
WASHINGTON—Tens of thousands of workers affected by the government shutdown have applied for emergency loans and requested delays in mortgage payments, as many of them on Friday missed their first paycheck.
U.S. Politics
Trump Organization Hires Lawyer to Oversee Responses to Democrats' Investigations
The Wall Street Journal. - Rebecca Ballhaus, Vivian Salama
The Trump Organization has hired a lawyer who formerly worked in the White House Counsel’s Office to handle the expected onslaught of investigations from House Democrats, according to people familiar the
U.S. Politics
Cold War Games: U.S. Is Preparing to Test the Waters in Icy Arctic
The Wall Street Journal. - Ben Kesling
WASHINGTON—The Navy is planning to expand its role in the Arctic as climate change opens up more ocean waterways and the U.S. vies with great-power rivals Russia and China for influence in the far north.
U.S. Politics
Ex-Defense Executive Named Deputy National Security Adviser
The Wall Street Journal. - Vivian Salama
WASHINGTON—National Security Adviser John Bolton named former defense contracting executive and Reagan administration official Charles Kupperman as deputy national security adviser on Friday. Mr. Kupperman
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Justice Ginsburg to Miss Another Week of Proceedings
The Wall Street Journal. - Brent Kendall
WASHINGTON—Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will miss another week of Supreme Court proceedings but her recovery from cancer treatment is on track and there is no sign of any remaining disease, the court said
U.S. Politics
White House Contemplates Weeks More of Shutdown
The Wall Street Journal. - Michael C. Bender
WASHINGTON—The partial government shutdown, now three weeks long, would become the longest in history tomorrow. And it may extend for weeks to come. President Trump’s aides have started preparations for
U.S. Politics
Capital Journal: Shutdown's 21st Day; Scenarios That Could End Stalemate; Trump's Emergency Decision
The Wall Street Journal. - The Wall Street Journal
This is the web version of the WSJ’s Capital Journal newsletter. You can see the newsletter here and sign up for daily delivery here. Shutdown: The partial government shutdown enters day 21. Federal employees
News (U.S.)
Democratic-Led States Press Ahead With Health-Care Expansion Plans
The Wall Street Journal. - Stephanie Armour
Democratic-led states and cities are moving swiftly to push expanded public health-care proposals following their November midterm victories, drawing criticism from some Republicans and spurring debate
U.S. Politics
Pentagon Pushes Forward on Syria Pullout Amid Uncertainty
The Wall Street Journal. - Nancy A. Youssef, Dion Nissenbaum
The U.S. military is moving ahead with its plans to withdraw all troops from Syria, in keeping with a White House directive in December, even though a U.S.-Turkey rift appears likely to delay the pullout,