Today's edition of quick hits:
* Big news for those following the Thomas Farr nomination: "Sen. Tim Scott said Thursday he will oppose the nomination of Thomas Farr to the federal bench, assuring the controversial pick will not be confirmed. The South Carolina Republican was the deciding vote in determining whether Farr, widely accused of efforts to disenfranchise black voters, would be confirmed."
* Hmm: "Senate committees investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election are combing through witness testimony for possible misleading or untruthful statements, according to three people familiar with the effort."
* I strongly suspect this was scandal related: "President Donald Trump on Thursday abruptly canceled a planned Saturday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's seizure of Ukrainian assets and personnel."
* It may just be a coincidence, but Burke was a tax attorney for Donald Trump for 10 years: "Federal agents showed up unannounced at the City Hall office of Finance Committee Chairman Ed Burke, kicked everyone out and papered over the windows Thursday morning. The nature of their visit was not known, but Ald. Burke has dodged dozens of federal investigations over five decades in Chicago politics."
* VA: "For weeks, student veterans across the country have raised an alarm about delayed or incorrect GI Bill benefit payments, which the Department of Veterans Affairs has blamed on computer issues. But on Wednesday, the department told congressional staffers that it would not reimburse those veterans who were paid less than they were owed, two committee aides told NBC News."
* Some unexpected news related to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio): "One of President Trump's staunchest defenders on Capitol Hill is bowing out of the race to become the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, anticipating that party leaders would select someone else for the position."
* Farm bill: "Lawmakers have struck a final farm bill deal that scraps a plan -- backed by House Republicans and President Trump -- that would have added new work requirements on food stamp beneficiaries, according to a key GOP senator."
* This was an interesting raid: "German authorities raided Deutsche Bank offices Thursday as part of an investigation into whether the firm helped clients launder money through tax havens. One of the employees suspected of involvement works in the division responsible for fighting financial crime, according to people familiar with the matter."
* An apology was the least they could do: "The head of a U.S. government agency has apologized to George Soros and his Open Society Foundations for the airing of a program that espoused conspiracy theories about Soros and called him a 'multimillionaire Jew.'"
* Kansas: "A man accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl unsuccessfully argued that he should not be charged with taking advantage of a child because she was actually 16 under a Kansas law that says life begins at fertilization."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.