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A top Senate Democrat expressed fresh fears yesterday that President Donald Trump may have interfered with the U.S. governments review of AT&Ts bid to buy Time Warner.

At issue is a report in The New York Times that suggested that Trumps close aides have explored whether to use the deal as leverage against CNN, which is owned by Time Warner. The cable news network has covered Trump fiercely since his election, and the president has opened a full-on Twitter war against CNNs reporting.

The governments merger reviews, however, are supposed to be independent from political influence and the potential for White House interference riled Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the leading Democratic lawmaker on her chambers top competition committee. In a letter sent to the Justice Department on Friday, she demanded the agency detail any conversations its had with Trump or other White House officials about AT&T, Time Warner and CNN.

Any political interference in antitrust enforcement is unacceptable, Klobuchar wrote. Even more concerning, in this instance, is that it appears that some advisers to the President may believe that it is appropriate for the government to use its law enforcement authority to alter or censor the press. Such an action would violate the First Amendment.

Previously, Trump himself has blasted the AT&T-Time Warner deal: During the 2016 presidential campaign, he essentially threatened to block it.

After winning the White House, however, Trump opted to nominate Makan Delrahim, a well-known corporate competition lawyer, to the leading antitrust post at the Justice Department. And Delrahim months before accepting his appointment publicly said that AT&Ts proposed merger did not pose a major antitrust problem.

The issue still arose during Delrahims confirmation hearing, where lawmakers asked if Trump had ever raised the deal with him. In response, Delrahim assured the Senate: I was not asked, nor have I provided, any commitments or assurances regarding any potential enforcement actions or pending matters before the Antitrust Division.

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A top Democrat is worried Trump interfered in the government's review of the AT&T-Time Warner deal - Recode

After more than four years as publisher of the Weatherford Democrat, Jeff Smith announced plans to retire Nov. 3.

After much consideration, my wife and I have decided it is time for a major change in our lives, Smith said. The decision to retire was based on a combination of things, but family played the largest part.

Ive got sons and grandkids on both coasts and now Ill have the freedom to spend more time with them.

Smith started his career in advertising sales in the yellow page industry. After 15 years with Trader Publishing he moved into the newspaper industry as the Automotive Advertising Manager with the Fort Worth Star Telegram in 2006.

He joined CNHI, the parent company of the Weatherford Democrat and Mineral Wells Index, in August of 2008 working on their digital sales team as the automotive specialist.

In 2011 he became the companys Director of Training and Development working with the organizations sales teams.

In April of 2013 Smith was named senior publisher of the Weatherford Democrat and its two sister publications, the Cleburne Times Review and Mineral Wells Index. In addition to those responsibilities he was also named the Regional Sales Director, overseeing the sales activities of the 12 CNHI papers in Texas.

CNHI has been wonderful to me and my family, providing us with several great opportunities, Smith said. I am very grateful to them. It has also been one of the great experiences of my life to operate these newspapers.

The managers and staff in all three locations are terrific. They are loyal, dedicated and hardworkingin what has increasingly become a challenging environment.

Throughout his 30-plus years in newspapers, Smith has seen many changes in the industry.

Much has been written about the future of newspapers and even in the relatively short time that I have been here we have seen drastic changes in how news is consumed, he said. Five years ago, 25 percent of our online traffic was mobile ... now it is 75 percent. Upwards of 50 percent of consumers claim they get their news from social media. Our industry will certainly have to adapt to these trends because it will continue to evolve.

Regarding the current climate and opinion of the news media, Smith said the Democrat and Index are not immune to the criticism.

We have fielded our share of complaints regarding both our opinion page and our hard news coverage, he said. It seems more and more that people only want to read or hear what supports their personal opinion. Because of the extreme polarization it has become much more difficult to strike a balance that is acceptable.

I am very proud of our local news coverage, Smith continued. While many of the things we uncover are uncomfortable for the community to learn about, it is our job to report what we find. You can expect that to continue. We take our watchdog role very seriously.

Those guiding principles sometimes will come at a cost, Smith said.

More than once we have lost advertising dollars because a story hits a little close to home. It is unfortunate that some customers cannot separate the two but it happens and it is certainly their prerogative to do so. That risk is always present but will not deter us from our purpose of reporting accurate and necessary information to the good people of Weatherford and Parker County.

As the news industry continues to evolve and reinvent itself, community newspapers will continue to play a vital role in a city like Weatherford, Smith said.

Smith has also observed the growth and advancement of Parker County during his tenure.

As a community, Parker County has grown and we are absolutely in a position to rapidly go to the next level, he said. Theres strong leadership here, especially in the business community. I think that will position the county positively for the growth to come.

Were no longer a sleepy little county.

The development of the papers Community Advisory Board will help the Democrat to evolve along with the community, Smith said.

Im proud that weve initiated a community advisory board... thats the first step toward becoming more relevant in the community.Our advisory board members have been candid yet supportive in our role here.

Staff members have also played a large part in supporting him, Smith said.

Ill miss them ... everybody works really hard, he said. Ive watched our editorial staff mature and become better writers.Our sales staff, business office staff and circulation are very dedicated, in spite of the everyday challenges they face.

Im not sure I couldve lasted this long without the people in this building.

While Smith may be retiring from the newspaper industry, he will not be idle, and plans on maintaining the community connections he has made, including involvement with Careity Foundation and membership with Rotary Club of Weatherford.

[Careity and Rotary] are some of the finest people I have ever had the pleasure of being involved with, he said.

On the business end, Smith also planson developing a consulting firm that will allow him to use his skill set in the medical revenue industry.

I am cursed with a high level of energy so doing nothing just wont work, Smith said. This new business will allow us the freedom to spend more time with family.

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Democrat publisher Smith to retire - Weatherford Democrat

COUNCIL BLUFFS Theresa Greenfield of Des Moines has announced she will seek the 3rd Congressional District seat in Iowa.

Greenfield, 53, becomes the fourth candidate in the Democratic primary. Rep. David Young, a Republican, currently holds the seat.

Im running for Congress because Iowans know it will take Iowa values mixed with a heavy dose of can-do common sense to overcome the problems we face here and in Washington, Greenfield said in a statement.

Greenfield worked for more than a decade as an urban planner before becoming the president of developer Rottlund Homes of Iowa in 2007, her campaign said. She is now the president of Colby Interests, a Des Moines real estate firm.

Greenfield grew up on a farm in Minnesota near the Iowa border. She attended Iowa Lakes Community College, Iowa State University and Mankato State University in Minnesota. Greenfield said she would fight for workers and their families, working to provide opportunities and well-paying jobs, along with health care that is available and affordable.

Greenfield joins a primary field that includes others involved in Democratic causes in years past: businesswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines, writer and web series host Heather Ryan of Des Moines, and psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner Paul Knupp of Des Moines.

The Democratic primary for the seat is scheduled for June 5, 2018. The 3rd District covers the southwestern quadrant of Iowa, including Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Page, Montgomery and Cass counties.

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Fourth Democrat enters the race for David Young's seat in Iowa - Omaha World-Herald

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Within hours of filing a high-profile ballot campaign this week against Oregons new health care tax, Republican Rep. Julie Parrish lodged a formal complaint against a Democratic lawmaker with whom she sparred over questions about her motives and personal interests during a public hearing in Salem last weekend.

Parrish - who is attempting to block a multimillion-dollar tax on hospitals and insurers with Republican Reps. Cedric Hayden and Sal Esquivel - says Democratic Rep. Dan Rayfields questions about how much she stands to personally profit from her pending ballot effort violated rules of the chamber where they both serve, the Oregon House.

The spat took place last Saturday toward the end of Parrishs 45-minute testimony before the House Rules Committee, which Rayfield vice-chairs, in a hearing room packed with constituents and lobbyists.

Parrish was there to oppose tweaks being made to Senate Bill 229, which the Legislature has since approved, that would establish a special election in January explicitly for a possible ballot challenge led by Parrish to a multimillion-dollar health care tax.

As tensions began escalating in the last half of the debate, Rayfield brought up Parrishs political consulting work with her friend Lindsay Berschauer, who recently launched a political action committee against the health care tax, and the paychecks she earned last year for managing Republican Dennis Richardsons successful bid for Secretary of State.

I think one of the things that Im struggling with is, you moonlight as a political consultant, he told Parrish. The real question that I want to ask you, are you coming here today as a consultant or are you here as a legislator and do you intend to profit off of this referendum?

Parrish did not answer the question directly, but acknowledged her ties and rattled off other political connections of the committees five Democrats before saying, Seriously Rep. Rayfield, your question is out of line.

In her complaint filed with the Legislatures chief clerk, Parrish said Rayfields questioning was hostile and disparaging and not germane to the topic about a January special election. She accused Rayfield of violating a House chamber rule for committees that says members must confine discussion to the question under debate, avoid personalities and not impugn the motives of another members vote or argument.

Parrish asked that a special committee on conduct be appointed, citing another House rule, so the events from that meeting are heard in a manner as to determine an unbiased outcome.

The House rules cover a range of guidelines, everything from monotonous meeting procedures to imposing strict bans on fundraising or accepting campaign donations while House members are busy passing laws in Salem once a year.

On Friday, said she hadnt heard a response to her complaint, which Rayfield says wont amount to anything because she misinterpreted the rules and their enforcement.

I wasnt impugning her motives, I was asking about her motives. I dont think Julie read the House rules thoroughly, said Rayfield. If youre a House member and you feel your motives have been impugned, then what you end up doing is, in the moment, you say, I feel as though Ive been impugned and get a ruling on that right then.

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GOP lawmaker says Democrat impugned her motives - Washington Times

There are rumblings that freshman Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., may be a challenge to President Trump in 2020, but it appears some within her own party are not convinced.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the senior senator in Harris state, told The New York Times Thursday that Harris still needs to prove herself at her current job.

She just got here, Feinstein said, when asked about Harris future on a national stage. She continued, What she should do is concentrate on being a good, and possibly a great, United States senator. The rest will either happen or not happen.

Harris was elected in California in 2016, becoming the states first new senator in two decades. She is also the first black politician to represent the state. She was also the first woman elected the states attorney general. Former President Obama was once criticized by calling her by far, the best looking attorney general in the country. The crowd laughed, and he responded, Its true!

Harris fame grew during the questioning of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in June. The exchange was tense, with Harris interrupting Rosenstein as he started to say there wasnt enough time to explain the answer.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (Reuters)

Republican Sen. John McCain first interjected, out of turn, with a plea to the committee chairman, Sen. Richard Burr: Mr. Chairman, they should be allowed to answer the question.

As the exchange between Harris and Rosenstein continued, Burr interjected and asked Harris to suspend.

The chair is going to exercise the right to allow the witnesses to answer the question, and the committee is on notice to provide the witnesses the courtesy which has not been extended all the way across extend the courtesy for questions to get answered.

Rosenstein then went on to answer the question, saying he believes Mueller has adequate authority.

The exchange comes months after Republicans voted to cut off Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren while she was reading a letter by Martin Luther King Jrs widow, Coretta Scott King, critical of then-Senate colleague and attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions.

After the intelligence hearing, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, a senior Democrat on the panel, tweeted: @SenKamalaHarris was getting facts onto the record. I was not interrupted by @senatorburr when I asked tough questions. She was.

Politico blared the headline, Trump hearings launch Kamala Harris.

Wade Randlett, a longtime Democratic fundraiser in Silicon Valley, told the magazine, The dominant trend in Democratic Party politics is fresh, new and interesting thats what people are looking for not old, steady and establishment. And Kamala is the trifecta on that.

Feinstein, 84, for her part, did tell the paper she is on the way to becoming a good friend of Harris.

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'She just got here': Feinstein offers subdued response about Harris' 2020 potential - Fox News