Jan. 6 witness: Trump ‘detached from reality’ over election

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s closest campaign advisers, top government officials and even his family were systematically dismantling his false claims of 2020 election fraud on election night. But the defeated president was becoming “detached from reality” clinging to outlandish theories to stay in power. That’s the assessment from former Attorney General Bill Barr testifying…

Congressional races in California could tip balance of power

LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. House battles are taking shape that could tip the balance of power in Congress. In the heavily Democratic California, Republican House members are facing tough challenges in several districts. Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi was forced into a runoff after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions about his…

High court won’t hear appeal over McCloskeys’ law licenses

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the husband-and-wife attorneys whose law licenses were placed on probation for pointing guns at racial injustice protesters outside their St. Louis mansion in 2020. Mark McCloskey is among several Republicans running for U.S. Senate in Missouri’s August primary. McCloskey says…