HEALTHCARE/HHS/OBAMACARE(ACA)/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Idaho officials said they will begin allowing insurers to sell new plans that don’t meet requirements set by the Affordable Care Act, a move that will test the limits of states’ ability to carve out their own health-insurance rules under the Trump administration. In a bulletin issued Wednesday [1-25-18], the Idaho Department […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Very productive bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin @Netanyahu of Israel – in Davos, Switzerland! #WEF18 https://t.co/2sZM9YI7tJ” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 25, 2018 01:03pm […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UK: “Great bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom, affirming the special relationship and our commitment to work together on key national security challenges and economic opportunities. #WEF18 https://t.co/FPP8aRDAyt” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 25, 2018 12:25pm […]
1/25/2018
INTELLIGENCE/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “A Chinese middleman who is allegedly one of the largest facilitators of North Korean trade invested around $500,000 with his wife in a fund that put them on a path toward becoming U.S. permanent residents, according to a court document filed on Thursday [1-25-18]. Law-enforcement officials seized the funds in October, and […]
1/25/2018
LEGAL/POLITICAL FIGURES/TRUMP FAMILY/DONALD JR: “Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said Thursday [1-25-18] he wants to release the transcript of the committee’s closed-door interview with Donald Trump Jr., joining Democrats on the committee who have pressed to make it public. Grassley said he will now move to release all of the panel’s interviews involving the June […]
1/25/2018
HUD/MEDIA: “A Housing and Urban Development official with strong ties to the President has apologized for calling a member of the press ‘Miss Piggy’ on Twitter Wednesday [1-24-18] night. ‘I hear #MissPiggys still on a rampage. Gee, I must’ve struck a nerve, @AprilDRyan! #BankruptBlogger,’ Lynne Patton, the HUD administrator for a region which encompasses New […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UK: “President Donald Trump on Thursday [1-25-18] talked up the strength of the U.S.’s relationship with the U.K. after meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May, despite a spell of strained relations between the two allies. Mrs. May and Mr. Trump met in Davos, Switzerland, in their first face-to-face discussions since the U.S. […]
1/25/2018
POLITICAL FIGURES/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Al Gore and President Donald Trump might disagree on many things, but the former vice president defended the Republican leader Thursday [1-25-18] on his administration’s recent decision to impose new tariffs on solar imports… Trump is also in Switzerland to participate in the annual gathering, which draws the world’s wealthiest […]
1/25/2018
SONNY PERDUE/USDA: “Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue wants more food-stamp recipients to work for that assistance, an opening salvo in what are expected to be contentious negotiations this year over the next U.S. farm bill. The nutritional-assistance benefits known as food stamps make up the biggest piece of the legislation that governs myriad aspects of food […]
1/25/2018
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/POLITICAL FIGURES: “The head of the U.S. Conference of Mayors said Thursday [1-25-18] that the Justice Department’s warning that sanctuary cities and states could be subject to federal subpoenas was a White House ‘stunt’ intended to turn a planned meeting between mayors and President Donald Trump into a ‘photo-op.’ Landrieu was among the mayors […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday [1-25-18] to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit. Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister […]
1/25/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/JAMES MATTIS/NAVY/VIETNAM: “In a move likely to irritate China, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier will probably visit Vietnam in March for the first time since the war, U.S. and Vietnamese officials said Thursday [1-25-18]. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his Vietnamese counterpart discussed a plan for a carrier visit to Da Nang in March, […]
1/25/2018
COMMERCE/INFRASTRUCTURE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue last week was nearing the end of a speech urging Congress to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure when he offered another option: At least make it easier to build things when the money can be found… President Donald Trump hasn’t said where he will find $200 […]
1/25/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Every Democratic senator from a Republican-leaning state voted Monday [1-22-18] to reopen the government, from the liberal Sherrod Brown of Ohio to the conservative Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Every one, that is, except Jon Tester. Republicans are determined to make him pay. The plainspoken Montanan was on a glide path to a […]
1/24/2018
2016 ELECTION/INTELLIGENCE/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Wednesday [1-24-18] he was willing to testify under oath in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, the latest twist in a probe that he has repeatedly denounced as a ‘witch hunt.’ Mr. Trump’s statement was more emphatic than his answer […]
1/24/2018
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “President Trump said on Wednesday [1-24-18] that he is open to a path to citizenship after 10 to 12 years for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, days after rejecting a bipartisan plan with that as its centerpiece. Mr. Trump once again seemed […]
1/24/2018
CRISIS/NATIONAL DEBT/PUERTO RICO: “The devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria is making Puerto Rico’s already dire financial situation even worse. The island’s leaders acknowledged late Wednesday [1-24-18] that they will not be able to pay down any portion of their more than 70 billion debt for the next five years because of the damage. Just before […]
1/24/2018
AMBASSADOR/GOP/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas was narrowly confirmed to an ambassadorship on Wednesday [1-24-18] after a six-month wait that left Kansans increasingly confused about who was in charge of their state. The Senate split 49-49 along party lines on the nomination of Mr. Brownback, a Republican who has grown unpopular in Kansas, to […]
1/24/2018
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Will soon be heading to Davos, Switzerland, to tell the world how great America is and is doing. Our economy is now booming and with all I am doing, will only get better…Our country is finally WINNING again!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 24, 2018 07:27pm […]
1/24/2018
DONALDISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “It was my great honor to welcome Mayor’s from across America to the WH. My Administration will always support local government – and listen to the leaders who know their communities best. Together, we will usher in a bold new era of Peace and Prosperity! https://t.co/dmYECTnk0a https://t.co/RSv7V7r0DT” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 24, […]
1/24/2018
CRISIS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Earlier today, I spoke with @GovMattBevin of Kentucky regarding yesterday’s shooting at Marshall County High School. My thoughts and prayers are with Bailey Holt, Preston Cope, their families, and all of the wounded victims who are in recovery. We are with you!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 24, 2018 03:26pm […]
1/24/2018
HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/LEGAL/MEDICARE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Advocacy groups sued the Trump administration Wednesday [1-24-18] to block work requirements and other changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid program, setting up a legal battle that could help define the limits of the conservative push to revamp the program in about a dozen states. The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Washington, […]
1/24/2018
INTELLIGENCE/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Senior administration officials said a legislative provision granting the Trump administration broad latitude to fund intelligence programs wasn’t devised as a way for the White House to bypass Congress, in response concerns from senators about its purpose. According to officials on Capitol Hill and in the administration, the intelligence provision was inserted […]
1/24/2018
HHS/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A majority of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm former pharmaceutical industry executive and lobbyist Alex Azar as the next Health and Human Services secretary. Azar would be charged with overseeing the Trump administration’s response to the opioid epidemic, its efforts to weaken the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, […]
1/24/2018
TRANSPORTATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao had a clear message Wednesday [1-24-18] for critics of President Donald Trump during his trip to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland: If you don’t want to hear from him, you can leave. Speaking at a panel with other U.S. government officials during the World Economic Forum in […]
1/24/2018
GOP/POLITICAL FIGURES: “The chair of the Republican National Committee said Wednesday [1-24-18] it’s too early to determine whether the GOP will continue to support Rep. Patrick Meehan, who is the subject of an ethics investigation after he reportedly used taxpayer funds to settle a sexual harassment claim. ‘Right now, we’re going to let the investigations […]
1/24/2018
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL/SANCTUARY CITIES: “President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday [1-24-18] escalated its battle with ‘sanctuary cities’ that protect illegal immigrants from deportation, demanding documents on whether local law enforcement agencies are illegally withholding information from U.S. immigration authorities. The U.S. Justice Department said it was asking for the records from 23 jurisdictions, including America’s three […]
1/24/2018
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/VENEZUELA: “Two U.S. senators called on the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday [1-24-18] to investigate allegations of drug trafficking by senior officials in the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as the country struggles with economic crisis. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions seen by Reuters, Republican Senator Marco Rubio […]
1/24/2018
TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/USDA: “A new U.S. farm bill reflecting the budget goals of the Trump administration should provide crop insurance products that let farmers withstand economic slumps and also cut out waste in nutrition assistance programs, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Wednesday [1-24-18]. USDA issued a broad set of principles it would like to […]
1/24/2018
JOBS/TAXES: “Tremendous investment by companies from all over the world being made in America. There has never been anything like it. Now Disney, J.P. Morgan Chase and many others. Massive Regulation Reduction and Tax Cuts are making us a powerhouse again. Long way to go! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 24, 2018 06:58am […]
1/24/2018
STEVE MNUCHIN/TREASURY: “U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin brushed off worries about the dollar Wednesday [1-24-18] and expressed little concern over the decision by 11 Pacific Rim countries to forge a new commercial bloc that excludes the U.S… It is unusual for a Treasury secretary to comment on where the dollar should be. Mr. Mnuchin, who […]
1/24/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration’s top sanctions envoy pressed China in high-level meetings this week to deliver on commitments to expel North Korean agents helping finance Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, urged Chinese officials in Beijing to comply with obligations under […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/POLITICS: “Sen. Chuck Schumer, having led Democrats into and out of a government shutdown, worked Tuesday [1-23-18] to mend a public breach in party ranks and to push back against progressive groups who said he capitulated to Republicans… His comments came after fierce criticism from progressive activists, who accused Democrats of throwing in the towel […]
1/23/2018
IRS/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump will nominate tax lawyer Charles ‘Chuck’ Rettig to head the IRS, multiple sources with knowledge of the White House selection process told POLITICO on Tuesday night. If confirmed by the Senate, Rettig would join the agency at one of its most challenging times, as it implements a sweeping new […]
1/23/2018
POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS: “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer fully understands, especially after his humiliating defeat, that if there is no Wall, there is no DACA. We must have safety and security, together with a strong Military, for our great people!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 23, 2018 11:07pm […]
1/23/2018
DEFENSE/NATIONAL SECURITY/TRUMP MEMORANDA: “Presidential Determination No. 2018-04 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SUBJECT: Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 4533(a)(5) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 4533(a)(5) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 […]
1/23/2018
DEFENSE/NATIONAL SECURITY/TRUMP MEMORANDA: “Presidential Determination No. 2018-03 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SUBJECT: Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 4533(a)(5) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 4533(a)(5) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 […]
1/23/2018
FBI/INTELLIGENCE: “Where are the 50,000 important text messages between FBI lovers Lisa Page and Peter Strzok? Blaming Samsung!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 23, 2018 10:54pm […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The emerging fault lines in the global trading system were laid bare Tuesday [1-23-18], as 11 Pacific Rim nations agreed to forge a new commercial bloc that excludes the U.S., while President Donald Trump signed orders to curb cheap Asian imports he said had unfairly harmed American manufacturers… The debate […]
1/23/2018
FEDERAL RESERVE/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate confirmed Jerome Powell to become the 16th chairman of the Federal Reserve, clearing the way for a new leader likely to continue raising interest rates to keep the nation’s economic expansion on track. Mr. Powell, who was confirmed Tuesday [1-23-18] by an 84-13 vote, will take over when Chairwoman […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS: “The bipartisan group of senators who intervened to help end the government shutdown now faces an even more formidable task: freeing the Senate — and perhaps Washington — from its dysfunctional rut. In sidestepping Senate leaders of both parties, members of the group have taken it upon themselves to not only quickly resolve […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/CONSUMER PROTECTION/MICK MULVANEY: “Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director, spent the weekend managing the shutdown of the federal government. On Tuesday [1-23-18], he turned his attention back to his secondary job running the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a government agency he would probably shut down if he could. In a 1,118 word mission statement […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/SYRIA/TURKEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House sent out a message aimed at mollifying Turkey’s president on Tuesday [1-23-18], suggesting that the United States was easing off its support for the Syrian Kurds. That message was quickly contradicted by the Pentagon, which said it would continue to stand by the Kurds, even as Turkey invaded […]
1/23/2018
AFGHANISTAN/LEGAL/MILITARY: “On 5,753 occasions from 2010 to 2016, the United States military reported accusations of ‘gross human rights abuses’ by the Afghan military, including many examples of child sexual abuse. If true, American law required military aid to be cut off to the offending unit. Not once did that happen. That was among the findings […]
1/23/2018
NATO/PUTIN/RUSSIA/JOE BIDEN: “I think a basic judgment has been reached that in order for Russia, with all its profound structural difficulties that it has, to be able to sustain itself and for this kleptocracy to continue, there’s—it’s much easier if you’re dealing with 28 different nations not in union with one another, not a Western […]
1/23/2018
ATTORNEY GENERAL/CRIME/FBI/JEFF SESSIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions is embracing newly-released FBI statistics as evidence that America has turned the tide in its battle against violent crime — a shift he credits in large part to the policies of President Donald Trump. The FBI numbers, covering the first six months of 2017, show overall […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump will give an address and meet with foreign leaders including U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and Rwandan President Paul Kagame while in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum later this week, the White House said Tuesday. Mr. Trump is set to leave for Davos late Wednesday [1-24-18], […]
1/23/2018
DEMS/POLITICAL FIGURES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Democratic leaders have pressed Tom Steyer privately, urging him to tone down his campaign calling for President Trump’s impeachment. They have prodded him in public, declaring on television that they consider impeachment an impractical idea. And party strategists have pleaded with Democratic candidates for Congress not to join in. But Mr. […]
1/23/2018
2016 ELECTION/JEFF SESSIONS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions was questioned for several hours last week by the special counsel’s office as part of the investigation into Russia’s meddling in the election and whether the president obstructed justice since taking office, according to a Justice Department spokeswoman. The meeting marked the first time that investigators […]
1/23/2018
AUSTRALIA/FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “They were the asylum seekers Australia rejected, and President Trump resisted: the men stuck on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea because of Australia’s offshore detention policy. Now 58 of them are on their way to the United States, boarding flights on Tuesday [1-23-18], according to American officials and asylum seekers […]
1/23/2018
FBI/INTELLIGENCE/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A top FBI agent last spring expressed skepticism about the burgeoning investigation into Trump associates’ ties to Russian electoral meddling, according to a newly released text message, a few months before his texts critical of the president cost him his role in the special counsel’s probe. The agent, Peter Strzok, sent a […]
1/23/2018
CHRIS WRAY/FBI/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump denied Tuesday [1-23-18] that FBI Director Christopher Wray threatened to resign in the wake of pressure from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make staffing changes among the senior ranks at the FBI. Sessions communicated to Wray, who was hand-picked by Trump and sworn in in August, that he […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Swiss President Alain Berset and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, among other officials, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland later this week, the White House announced Tuesday [1-23-18]. National Economic Council director Gary Cohn and national security adviser H.R. […]
1/23/2018
TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Eleven Pacific Rim nations agreed to forge a new trade bloc that excludes the U.S. on Tuesday [1-23-18], as President Donald Trump signed an order to block certain cheap Asian imports, illustrating the battle lines of a new global trade climate. The announcements underscore Mr. Trump’s challenge as he prepares to […]
1/23/2018
FEDERAL RESERVE/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Federal Reserve nominee Marvin Goodfriend told lawmakers Tuesday [1-23-18] he supports the central bank’s dual mandate to maintain stable prices and pursue maximum employment, after sharp questioning from Democrats over his past comments suggesting the Fed should focus on inflation. Democrats pressed Mr. Goodfriend at his confirmation hearing to explain his […]
1/23/2018
BORDER/POLITICAL FIGURES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WALL: “Chuck Schumer is taking his big spending boost for Donald Trump’s border wall off the table. The Senate minority leader, through an aide, informed the White House on Monday [1-22-18] that he was retracting the offer he made last week to give Trump well north of the $1.6 billion in wall […]
1/23/2018
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE/SYRIA: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he is holding Russia accountable for a new chemical weapon attack believed to be conducted by Syrian government forces near Damascus on Monday [1-22-18]. Moscow’s failure to halt chemical strikes calls into question Russia’s ability to participate in efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis, Mr. Tillerson […]
1/23/2018
VOTING: “Florida voters will get to decide in November whether to restore voting rights to many residents who have felony records, teeing up a high-stakes campaign in the critical swing state. Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner issued a ‘certificate of ballot position’ for the measure on Tuesday [1-23-18], a spokesman confirmed, and the state […]
1/23/2018
LEGAL/NET NEUTRALITY: “Montana Gov. Steve Bullock signed an executive order Monday [1-22-18] requiring telecommunications companies with state contracts to follow net neutrality principles, saying Montana would continue expectations about a ‘free and open Internet’ and called on other states to follow his lead. The executive order states that Internet, data and telecommunications contractors doing business […]
1/23/2018
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP FAMILY/MELANIA: “First lady Melania Trump, in a change of plans, will not be joining President Donald Trump on his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later this week. East Wing communications director Stephanie Grisham confirmed to CNN that the first lady’s decision to forgo the trip was based on […]
1/23/2018
ATTORNEY GENERAL/CHRIS WRAY/FBI/JEFF SESSIONS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: “FBI Director Christopher Wray felt so much pressure from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to make staffing changes among the senior ranks at the FBI that he threatened to resign from his post, a source familiar with the conversation tells CNN. Sessions communicated to Wray, who was hand-picked by President Donald […]
1/23/2018
TPP/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Negotiators from 11 Pacific Rim nations agreed Tuesday on a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, the Japanese minister in charge of TPP said, a year after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the talks. The 11 nations were close to a deal at a summit in Vietnam in November but fell […]
1/23/2018
FRANCE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump will host the first state visit of his year-old presidency in late April when French President Emmanuel Macron visits the White House, a senior administration official said on Tuesday [1-23-18]. The visit will include the first state dinner hosted by Trump and his wife, Melania, the official said. […]
1/23/2018
FAKE NEWS/JOHN KELLY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Thank you to General John Kelly, who is doing a fantastic job, and all of the Staff and others in the White House, for a job well done. Long hours and Fake reporting makes your job more difficult, but it is always great to WIN, and few have won more […]
1/23/2018
CHINA/INDONESIA/JAMES MATTIS/NATIONAL SECURITY: “U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis pushed for more extensive security ties Tuesday [1-23-18] with strategically located Indonesia, part of new drive to shore up Southeast Asian countries against intimidation by China in the South China Sea. Mr. Mattis is making a short tour that will also take him to Vietnam, days […]
1/23/2018
FEDERAL RESERVE/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Federal Reserve Board nominee Marvin Goodfriend on Tuesday [1-23-18] defended his past focus on inflation, saying that while earlier warnings about runaway prices were ‘absolutely’ proved wrong, it was the Fed’s credibility in controlling inflation that has allowed unemployment to fall so low. In contrast to warnings that low interest rates […]
1/23/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Nobody knows for sure that the Republicans & Democrats will be able to reach a deal on DACA by February 8, but everyone will be trying….with a big additional focus put on Military Strength and Border Security. The Dems have just learned that a Shutdown is not the answer!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, […]
1/23/2018
CYBERWAR/GOP/INTELLIGENCE/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA: “Senior U.S. congressional Democrats urged social media companies on Tuesday [1-23-18] to investigate reported actions by automated Russia-linked accounts, in connection with a Republican memorandum that was said to be critical of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of President Donald Trump’s ties with Russia. Senator Dianne Feinstein, a senior member of the Senate […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/MIKE PENCE/PALESTINE: “Vice President Mike Pence visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday [1-23-18], marking his last major official engagement in the city on his trip to the Middle East. Pence slipped a personal note into the wall, and then placed his right hand on it to pray for a few […]
1/23/2018
BORDER/DREAMERS/IMMIGRATION/NATIONAL SECURITY/POLITICS: “U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday [1-23-18] sought a way forward on an immigration deal including protection for ‘Dreamer’ immigrants and border security before federal funding runs out again next month. On Monday, the Republican-led Congress passed a measure signed into law by President Donald Trump to fund the federal government through Feb. 8 following […]
1/23/2018
FBI: “In one of the biggest stories in a long time, the FBI now says it is missing five months worth of lovers Strzok-Page texts, perhaps 50,000, and all in prime time. Wow!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 23, 2018 06:55am […]
1/23/2018
FBI: “In one of the biggest stories in a long time, the FBI says it is now missing five months worth of lovers Strzok – Page texts, perhaps 50,000, all in prime time. Wow!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 23, 2018 06:51am […]
1/23/2018
FAKE NEWS/MEDIA: “Even Crazy Jim Acosta of Fake News CNN agrees: ‘Trump World and WH sources dancing in end zone: Trump wins again…Schumer and Dems caved…gambled and lost.’ Thank you for your honesty Jim!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 23, 2018 06:31am […]
1/23/2018
TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “State legislatures across the U.S. will be wrestling in coming months over how to respond to federal income-tax cuts that, paradoxically, could raise tax bills at the state level. Many states typically follow the federal government’s rules for deductions, exemptions and other breaks. When federal rules change, as they did under the […]
1/23/2018
CLIMATE CHANGE/ENERGY/KEYSTONE/OIL/PIPELINES: “President Donald Trump has resurrected the Keystone XL pipeline, renounced the Paris climate agreement, opened a long-disputed Alaska refuge to oil drilling and ordered his agencies to erase Obama-era regulations on the petroleum, coal and power industries — all in the name of asserting U.S. ‘energy dominance.’ But from here on, his victories […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Big win for Republicans as Democrats cave on Shutdown. Now I want a big win for everyone, including Republicans, Democrats and DACA, but especially for our Great Military and Border Security. Should be able to get there. See you at the negotiating table” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 22, 2018 11:30pm […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Congress approved a measure Monday [1-22-18] to fund the government for about three weeks and halt a three-day shutdown, after Senate Democrats accepted GOP leaders’ assurance that they would bring an immigration bill to the floor in the coming weeks. The House, as expected, then followed suit and approved the bill, 266-150. […]
1/22/2018
MILITARY/TERRORISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. military commander overseeing the war against Islamic State visited the city once claimed by the group as its capital, saying Monday [1-22-18] that a more difficult campaign now must begin to help local residents regain control and prevent a slide back into extremist hands. Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of […]
1/22/2018
TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “There are good ways to start measuring how much the Trump tax cuts might be helping American workers. Tracking the bonus announcements flowing from corporations is not one of them… For the most part, though, they are not indicative of the windfalls that companies are reaping from the $1.5 trillion tax law […]
1/22/2018
TAXES: “Congress is apparently not done cutting taxes, even after passing a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul last year. The deal struck by Democrats and Republicans on Monday to end a brief government shutdown contains $31 billion in tax cuts, including a temporary delay in implementing three health care-related taxes. Those delays, which enjoy varying degrees […]
1/22/2018
SUPREME COURT/VOTING: “Pennsylvania’s congressional district map is a partisan gerrymander that ‘clearly, plainly and palpably’ violates the state’s constitution, the state’s Supreme Court said on Monday [1-22-18], joining a string of court decisions that have struck down political maps that unduly favor one political party. The court banned the current map of 18 House districts […]
1/22/2018
BUSINESS/COMMERCE/LOBBYING/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Lobbying by U.S. business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable surged in the last three months of 2017 as lawmakers negotiated and finalized legislation that deeply cut the taxes companies pay. The amount spent on lobbying by the Business Roundtable, a group of chief executive officers at […]
1/22/2018
2016 ELECTION/ETHICS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A government-watchdog group filed complaints Monday with the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department asking the agencies to investigate a $130,000 payment arranged by President Donald Trump’s lawyer to a former adult-film star before the 2016 presidential election. Common Cause, based in Washington, D.C., said the payment, revealed in […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/JOBS/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The federal workers showed up at their offices on Monday [1-22-18] morning. They collected their desk plants and food from break-room refrigerators. They shut down their government equipment. They went home to take aimless walks and wait. But by the afternoon, hundreds of thousands of federal employees across the country were left […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate standoff that sparked a three-day government shutdown ended Monday [1-22-18] when Democrats accepted GOP leaders’ assurance that they would bring an immigration bill to the floor in the coming weeks. The agreement will keep the government running for several weeks, but did little to resolve the underlying policy fights over […]
1/22/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration said Monday it would impose new trade barriers aimed at protecting domestic makers of solar panels and washing machines from a recent surge of cheap imports. The moves begin what Trump aides say will be a year of tougher trade actions, aimed in particular against China… Specifically, […]
1/22/2018
DEMS/POLITICS: “Emboldened by statewide victories last year in Virginia and Alabama, Democrats are setting their sights this fall on another Deep South prize once thought to be out of reach: Georgia’s governorship, a seat the party hasn’t held in more than 15 years. The party has two major candidates with a lot in common: Stacey […]
1/22/2018
DEMS/DREAMERS/IMMIGRATION/POLITICS: “Liberal activists are furious with Democratic senators after most of them agreed to reopen the federal government without a firm path to shielding young immigrants from deportation. As the third day of the shutdown dawned, liberal advocates and immigration groups fired off a joint statement blasting as ‘unacceptable’ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s offer […]
1/22/2018
ETHICS/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Less than three days after he was removed from the U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee, Republican lawmaker Patrick Meehan asked the panel to investigate allegations he engaged in sexual harassment and misused official resources. The committee on Monday [1-22-18] said it had become aware of public allegations about the misconduct […]
1/22/2018
HHS/RELIGION: “A small cadre of politically prominent religious activists inside the Department of Health and Human Services have spent months quietly planning how to weaken federal protections for abortion and transgender care — a strategy that’s taking shape in a series of policy moves that took even their own staff by surprise. Those officials include […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate voted to advance a bill that would reopen the federal government after a brief shutdown, as Democrats agreed to a short-term pause in their standoff with Republicans over immigration policy. The vote was 81-18, easily passing the needed 60-vote threshold. Two Republicans joined 15 Democrats and one independent in opposing […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/DEMS/GOP/POLITICS: “In a dramatic turnaround, Senate Democrats voted to re-open the government on Monday [1-22-18] after receiving a commitment from Republicans to hold a vote on immigration legislation — paving the way to end the three-day shutdown. The Senate voted 81-18 to move forward on a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8 after […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/MILITARY/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The first two military families who will not receive death benefits because of the government shutdown have been named. 1st Lt. Clayton R. Cullen, of Indiana, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Kevin F. Burke, of California, who were both assigned to the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, were killed […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump may be presiding over the first government shutdown ever to occur when one party controls Washington, but in his own telling he is just beginning to master the ways of the capital… Whether the shutdown amounts to a political victory for Trump — or a dire miscalculation — remains […]
1/22/2018
ATTORNEY GENERAL/FBI/JEFF SESSIONS/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL: “Attorney General Jeff Sessions pledged Monday [1-22-18] evening to fully investigate how the FBI failed to preserve five months of text messages between two high-level officials involved in the investigations of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. ‘We will leave no stone unturned to confirm with certainty why these text messages are […]
1/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/MIKE PENCE/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Vice President Mike Pence on Monday [1-22-18] said the U.S. will open its embassy in Jerusalem next year, a move that Arab leaders warn undercuts efforts to reach a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians. In the final leg of a three-nation visit to the Middle East, Mr. Pence told […]
1/22/2018
IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A White House spokesman on Monday [1-22-18] labeled the immigration plan presented by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin ‘amnesty,’ and slammed the two lawmakers as ‘dishonest’ in their presentation of the plan to President Donald Trump. ‘Senator Graham and Senator Durbin called the President and told him they had a bipartisan […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “End the Democrats Obstruction! https://t.co/tzBXilvW1b” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 22, 2018 10:13am […]
1/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “If you were getting whiplash from the Middle East last year, brace for more in 2018. The region has always possessed a unique capacity to surprise, in part because so many of its decision makers are autocrats or absolute monarchs who can enact major policy changes without the long deliberations and […]
1/22/2018
BUDGET/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Lawmakers on Monday entered the third day of the government shutdown planning a noon vote in the Senate to break the impasse, in an effort to prevent it from hardening into a prolonged standoff that would become increasingly difficult to resolve. Republicans have proposed a bill that would reopen the government for […]