NIKKI HALEY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/UN: “The American envoy to the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, said on Wednesday [12-6-17] that it was an ‘open question’ whether American athletes would be able to attend the Olympics in South Korea in February given the tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The Winter Games are to be held Feb. 9-25 […]
12/7/2017
DEMS/HOLIDAY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The latkes were fried and the kosher lamb chops were prepared on Thursday, just as in past years, for the first White House Hanukkah party of the Trump era. But there was one prominent break with tradition: President Trump did not invite Democratic lawmakers. Mr. Trump, who prizes loyalty and seldom forgets […]
12/7/2017
FAKE NEWS/MEDIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Days after Donald J. Trump launched his presidential campaign in June 2015, James O’Keefe, the conservative disrupter famous for trying to use secret recordings to embarrass liberals and journalists, visited Trump Tower and gave Mr. Trump a preview of his latest hidden camera video intended to undermine Hillary Clinton. The footage, […]
12/7/2017
DEMS/POLITICS: “Former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the last Democrat to win statewide office in Tennessee, announced on Thursday [12-7-17] that he would run for the seat being vacated by Senator Bob Corker, handing his party a conceivable, if extremely narrow, path back to a Senate majority in 2018. Mr. Bredesen, a wealthy business executive and two-term […]
12/7/2017
CHRIS WRAY/FBI/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Christopher A. Wray, the director of the F.B.I., defended his work force on Thursday [12-7-17] in a politically charged hearing on Capitol Hill, rebutting President Trump’s accusation that the bureau was in ‘tatters’ and fending off attacks from Republicans on personnel… Mr. Wray was pressed by Republicans on the political […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/POLITICS: “Congress passed a two-week funding bill Thursday [12-7-17], staving off a government shutdown a day ahead of the deadline. But lawmakers face a turbulent next few weeks as they try to clinch a broader budget deal by the end of the year. Senators approved the measure on a 81-14 vote, soon after the House […]
12/7/2017
ETHICS/POLITICS: “The House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into Rep. Blake Farenthold over allegations that he sexually harassed a former aide and then retaliated against her when she complained about it. The committee said new evidence in the matter, which was first reviewed in 2015, warranted an investigation. Earlier Thursday [12-7-17], the panel said it […]
12/7/2017
ETHICS/INTERIOR/RYAN ZINKE: “Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke spent more than $14,000 on government helicopters this summer to take himself and staff to and from official events near Washington, D.C., in order to accommodate his attendance at a swearing-in ceremony for his replacement in Congress and a horseback ride with Vice President Mike Pence, according to previously […]
12/7/2017
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL/MICHAEL FLYNN/NATIONAL SECURITY: “President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, will face a different judge to be sentenced than the one who took Flynn’s guilty plea to a felony false statement charge last week, court records show. Judge Emmet Sullivan was randomly assigned to take over the case after Judge Rudolph Contreras […]
12/7/2017
HOLIDAY/MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump erred in their efforts to mark Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day on Thursday, misquoting one of the president’s predecessors and misstating the date of the attack on social media. ‘National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day – *A day that will live in infamy!* December 7, 1941,’ […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/HOUSE OF REPS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “House Republicans passed a stopgap spending bill Thursday [12-7-17] to ward off a government shutdown Friday. But GOP leaders on both sides of the Capitol face a turbulent next few weeks as they try to clinch a broader budget deal with Democrats by the end of the year. The measure […]
12/7/2017
MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Across the battlefields, oceans, and harrowing skies of Europe and the Pacific throughout the war, one great battle cry could be heard by America’s friends and foes alike: ‘REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR.’ https://t.co/dfev02TwIr” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 7, 2017 04:10pm […]
12/7/2017
MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Today, as we Remember Pearl Harbor, it was an incredible honor to be joined with surviving Veterans of the attack on 12/7/1941. They are HEROES, and they are living witnesses to American History. All American hearts are filled with gratitude for their service and their sacrifice. https://t.co/x5LDl25o30” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 7, […]
12/7/2017
MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Today, the U.S. flag flies at half-staff at the @WhiteHouse, in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. https://t.co/LkXsBx2JF8 https://t.co/ogmpydr5LK” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 7, 2017 03:04pm […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/HUD/VA/VETS: “Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin has killed a plan to shift money from a major homelessness program in response to a wave of protest from veterans’ advocates, who said the move would aggravate conditions for chronically ill and vulnerable vets. Advocates for veterans, state officials and even officials from HUD, which co-sponsors the $460 […]
12/7/2017
MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Today, our entire nation pauses to REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR—and the brave warriors who on that day stood tall and fought for America. God Bless our HEROES who wear the uniform, and God Bless the United States of America. #PearlHarborRemembranceDay?? https://t.co/qGhlsPlxtH” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 7, 2017 11:16am […]
12/7/2017
MILITARY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day – ‘A day that will live in infamy!’ December 7, 1941” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 7, 2017 10:04am […]
12/7/2017
EDUCATION/FEDERAL RESERVE: “College has become out of reach for large numbers of students, making it harder for them to earn more than their parents and limiting economic mobility, Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William Dudley said Thursday. College costs have risen faster than wages for decades, driving more students to take out loans. […]
12/7/2017
LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP FAMILY/DONALD JR: “President Donald Trump’s eldest son on Wednesday [12-6-17] refused to discuss with congressional investigators a father-son conversation earlier this year about how to handle fallout from revelations that he met with a Russian attorney during the 2016 campaign, according to people familiar with the matter. During the more than seven-hour […]
12/7/2017
DEMS/LEGAL/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Senator Al Franken of Minnesota announced Thursday [12-7-17] he would resign from the Senate after his support among Democrats crumbled, becoming the highest-profile casualty in the growing list of lawmakers felled by charges of sexual harassment or indiscretions. Mr. Franken said he would resign in coming weeks. Nearly all of the Senate’s Democratic […]
12/7/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The first signs of strain with President Donald Trump’s administration among his closest Arab allies have surfaced over the policy shift on Jerusalem, an indication that the U.S. is at risk of alienating potential partners in the pursuit of Mideast peace and the building of a coalition to counter Iran. […]
12/7/2017
ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s decision Wednesday [12-13-17] to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital could temporarily derail the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, two senior White House officials acknowledged after Trump’s speech… That ‘derailment’ was a cost the White House was prepared to accept to fulfill Trump’s campaign promise. And two senior White House officials said […]
12/7/2017
ENERGY/ENERGY [ALT]/EPA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas will lead a delegation of lawmakers in a meeting with President Donald Trump on Thursday to argue for changes to the nation’s biofuels policy to protect oil refining jobs. The meeting comes after the Environmental Protection Agency last month announced a slight increase in the […]
12/7/2017
BUSINESS/GOP/LOBBYING/TAXES: “Lobbyists have launched an all-out effort to save tax breaks and protect powerful industries as the Republicans’ tax overhaul lurches toward President Donald Trump’s desk. Builders and real estate interests are pushing to save the mortgage interest deduction. Businesses are fighting to strip out a last-minute provision inserted into the Senate bill that would […]
12/7/2017
BUDGET/DEMS/HOUSE OF REPS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump will face off with Democratic leaders of Congress on Thursday [12-7-17] in a high-stakes White House meeting intended to bridge differences over a spending bill and preventing a government shutdown… Trump and Congress are facing a deadline of midnight Friday to pass new spending legislation or […]
12/6/2017
ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP MEMORANDA: “Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of State SUBJECT: Suspension of Limitations under the Jerusalem Embassy Act By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 7(a) of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-45) (the “Act”), I hereby determine that […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/YEMEN: “President Trump pressed Saudi Arabia on Wednesday [12-6-17] to fully end its blockade of food, water, medicine and fuel into Yemen, a rare humanitarian rebuke to the Middle East ally that he has firmly embraced since taking office. Saudi Arabia joined Yemen’s civil war, which pit the country’s leaders against […]
12/6/2017
CUBA: “Doctors treating the US Embassy victims of mysterious, invisible attacks in Cuba have discovered brain abnormalities as they search for clues to explain the hearing, vision, balance and memory damage, The Associated Press has learned. It’s the most specific finding to date about physical damage, showing that whatever it was that harmed the Americans, […]
12/6/2017
GOP/TAXES: “Republican leaders moved closer on Wednesday [12-6-17] to resolving some key differences between the House and Senate tax bills, though several big issues, including the size of the corporate tax cut, remained in flux… Once the conference committee process begins, lawmakers will begin formally hashing out the remaining differences, including what to do about […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Ten days before Donald J. Trump took office, Sheldon G. Adelson went to Trump Tower for a private meeting. Afterward, Mr. Adelson, the casino billionaire and Republican donor, called an old friend, Morton A. Klein, to report that Mr. Trump told him that moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “There was no dancing in the rain-soaked streets, no jubilant horn-honking or waving of the blue-and-white flag. But there were blustery statements from Israeli politicians… News that President Trump would formally recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and take steps to move the United States Embassy to the city seemed to […]
12/6/2017
CRISIS/HEALTHCARE/PUERTO RICO: “For an overburdened pediatrician trying to care for a child who was in pain, needed hip surgery, and was displaced from his home in the wake of Hurricane Maria, it seemed a godsend — a modern military hospital ship sent from its berth in Virginia to help with medical care in Puerto Rico. […]
12/6/2017
DEMS/POLITICAL FIGURES: “More than 30 of Al Franken’s Democratic colleagues urged him to quit the Senate after the rumble of new sexual-misconduct allegations left the former comic teetering on resignation. The Minnesota senator’s office said he would make an announcement Thursday [12-7-17] about his future but pushed back against reports that he had already decided […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump granted U.S. recognition to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday, veering from decades of U.S. policy and launching an uncertain chapter in Washington’s decadeslong quest for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Mr. Trump also ordered the State Department to begin moving the U.S. Embassy to […]
12/6/2017
LEGAL/MICHAEL FLYNN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Congressional Democrats said Wednesday [12-6-17] they have evidence from a confidential whistleblower that within minutes of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, then-national security adviser Michael Flynn sent assurances to former business partners that a plan to build nuclear reactors across the Middle East was ‘good to go.’ Democrats on the House oversight […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital and begin the process of moving the U.S. embassy here from Tel Aviv sent ripples across the local political scene on Wednesday [12-6-17], with many legislators voicing strong support for Trump’s decision and others warning that any hopes for a […]
12/6/2017
EX-IM BANK/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Export-Import Bank faces a crucial test as early as next week, with a Senate panel weighing a vote on his nomination. A majority vote against the troubled pick, Scott Garrett, could effectively end his candidacy. Sen. Mike Crapo (R., Idaho), the chairman of the […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I am also directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem… https://t.co/YwgWmT0O8m” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 6, 2017 04:14pm […]
12/6/2017
BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA): “The pace of U.S. health-care spending grew in 2016 at a slower tempo than in previous years, decelerating in part because coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act that had propelled the faster rate leveled off, according to a new federal report. Spending on all health care increased 4.3% in 2016, according to a […]
12/6/2017
FBI/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/LEGAL/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA: “Two U.S. senators wrote to the Justice Department’s inspector general on Wednesday [12-6-17] requesting more information about the FBI agent who was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller’s team over private text messages he allegedly sent during the election that were critical of President Donald Trump. Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron […]
12/6/2017
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Join me live from the @WhiteHouse via #Periscope https://t.co/wLXKoISSTG” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 6, 2017 01:05pm […]
12/6/2017
GOP/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who’s been adamantly opposed to Republican Alabama Senate hopeful Roy Moore, posted a photo Tuesday of a check with his signature on it that was addressed to Moore’s Democratic rival, Doug Jones. Flake’s Twitter account posted the image of the $100 check along with the caption, ‘Country over Party.’ […]
12/6/2017
ETHICS/LEGAL/POLITICAL FIGURES/WOMEN: “Democratic senators called for Sen. Al Franken to resign on Wednesday [12-6-17], in the wake of a series of allegations of sexual misconduct, in a dramatic shift that narrows the likelihood the Democratic lawmaker will be able to stay in his seat. The wave of statements from the senators, including a member of […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/POPE FRANCIS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Pope Francis called Wednesday [12-6-17] for the preservation of Jerusalem’s ‘identity’ in the wake of President Donald Trump’s expected move to declare the city the capital of Israel… Also on Wednesday, the leaders of Christian communities in Jerusalem told Trump in an open letter that recognizing the city as Israel’s […]
12/6/2017
CALIFORNIA/CRISIS: “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in the path of California’s wildfires. I encourage everyone to heed the advice and orders of local and state officials. THANK YOU to all First Responders for your incredible work! https://t.co/g9y9PkB352” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 6, 2017 11:11am […]
12/6/2017
DONALDISM: “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 6, 2017 10:00am […]
12/6/2017
REX TILLERSON/RUSSIA/STATE/UKRAINE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday [12-6-17] he is hopeful that Moscow and Washington can bridge differences and agree on a peacekeeping force for Ukraine. U.S. and Russian negotiators have been trying to reach a deal on a peacekeeping force in Eastern Ukraine that could help stop the fighting between the […]
12/6/2017
FBI/MICHAEL FLYNN/MIKE PENCE/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA: “New revelations about Michael Flynn’s lies to the FBI are laying bare Vice President Mike Pence’s in-the-dark strategy when it comes to Russia’s election meddling, raising new questions about whether he could have been left in the dark as he has argued for nearly a year. Advisers have long insisted that […]
12/6/2017
2016 ELECTION/INTELLIGENCE/LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP FAMILY/DONALD JR: “President Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., returned to Congress on Wednesday [12-6-17] to face questions from lawmakers about alleged Russian efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. election and possible collusion with Moscow by his father’s presidential campaign. Trump arrived shortly before 10 a.m. EST (1500 GMT) for what was […]
12/6/2017
INTELLIGENCE/LEGAL/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Congressional investigators are scrutinizing trips to Europe taken last year by several associates of President Donald Trump, amid concern they may have met with Kremlin-linked operatives as part of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. Several people close to then-candidate Trump visited Europe during and after the campaign, including his […]
12/6/2017
GOP/TAXES: “Republicans’ tax-rewrite plans are riddled with bugs, loopholes and other potential problems that could plague lawmakers long after their legislation is signed into law… In many cases, Republicans are giving taxpayers little time to adjust to sometimes major changes in policy. An entirely new international tax regime, one experts are still trying to parse, […]
12/5/2017
STATE/TRUMP MEMORANDA: “Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of State SUBJECT: Delegation of Authority Under Sections 506(a)(2)(A) and 652 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, subject […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Despite appeals and warnings from world leaders, President Donald Trump is poised to reverse decades of U.S. policy on Wednesday [12-6-17] by declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and beginning the process of moving the U.S. Embassy to the holy city, a step that threatens to spark unrest across the Middle East […]
12/5/2017
LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “Lawyers clashed Tuesday [12-5-17] in a Manhattan courtroom over whether a defamation lawsuit brought by a woman who has accused President Trump of unwanted sexual advances should be allowed to proceed in New York State Supreme Court. The president’s lawyer, Marc E. Kasowitz, argued that the state court has no jurisdiction over […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “For decades, America’s chief diplomat has been greeted in Europe’s heart with broad smiles and open arms. That tradition appeared to have been suspended on Tuesday [12-5-17]. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson’s reception in Brussels was distinctly chilly, as disappointment among European diplomats in President Trump’s nationalistic tone and insulting messages […]
12/5/2017
POLITICAL FIGURES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump’s sudden decision on Monday [12-4-17] to endorse Roy S. Moore and direct the Republican National Committee to restore funding for the embattled Senate candidate in Alabama undercut party officials who have disavowed him. But it did not surprise them. Mr. Trump’s improvisational, and often impulsive, political decision making has […]
12/5/2017
DHS/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate voted on Tuesday [12-5-17] to confirm Kirstjen Nielsen as the secretary of homeland security, elevating a top White House aide and former agency official to oversee the department central to President Trump’s plan to crack down on illegal immigration and beef up border security. The vote was 62 to 37. […]
12/5/2017
FEDERAL RESERVE: “Robert S. Kaplan, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, is ready to raise the Fed’s benchmark interest rate at the Fed’s final meeting of the year in mid-December. The economy is gaining strength, and Mr. Kaplan said it made sense to raise rates while times were good, so that the Fed […]
12/5/2017
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/MEDIA/RUSSIA: “The Russian government declared the broadcasters Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty ‘foreign agents’ on Tuesday [12-5-17], in retaliation for a similar action against Russian state-run news outlets in the United States. The Kremlin-financed television station RT America and its affiliated news agency, Sputnik, complied last month with an order from […]
12/5/2017
CALIFORNIA/GOP/TAXES: “Though the House and Senate have voted to repeal the deduction for state income taxes in Republican tax overhaul plans, it isn’t dead yet. California Republicans are pushing for an income-tax deduction in the final tax bill being worked out by lawmakers in a House-Senate conference committee on tax legislation… In November, 11 of […]
12/5/2017
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Join me this Friday in Pensacola, Florida at the Pensacola Bay Center! Tickets: https://t.co/zA7SGgWqBE https://t.co/QzFdxQdgAL” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 5, 2017 06:13pm […]
12/5/2017
MIKE PENCE/TRUMP FAMILY/MELANIA: “On Wednesday [12-6-17] morning, first lady Melania Trump will make a return visit to Texas, accompanied by second lady Karen Pence, according to the White House. Landing in Corpus Christi, Trump and Pence are scheduled to get an update on recovery efforts in the region, which in August was devastated by Hurricane […]
12/5/2017
GOP/LEGAL/POLITICAL FIGURES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The GOP hierarchy is splitting over the party’s controversial Senate nominee in Alabama, with the Senate campaign committee continuing to withhold support for Roy Moore despite President Donald Trump’s decision to endorse him. Sen. Cory Gardner (R., Colo.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told reporters Tuesday morning that there […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/UN/VENEZUELA: “Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Rafael Ramírez, said Tuesday [12-5-17] he resigned his post at the request of President Nicolás Maduro, who has been unseating political adversaries as his authoritarian government shores up control. Mr. Ramírez’s departure marks a dramatic fall for one of Venezuela’s most powerful politicians and comes in the […]
12/5/2017
LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/WOMEN: “Sexual harassment allegations against President Donald Trump dating back to his days hosting the reality TV show ‘The Apprentice’ will be raised in a New York courtroom Tuesday [12-5-17] afternoon, where a judge will hear arguments on a motion to dismiss a suit brought by a former contestant who says Trump groped […]
12/5/2017
DREAMERS/GOP/IMMIGRATION: “Moderate Republicans in Congress are seeking to lead on a possible solution for young undocumented immigrants, as a group on Tuesday pushed their leadership to reach a deal by the end of the year. Thirty-four Republicans on Tuesday [12-5-17] signed a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan urging him that Congress should act ‘immediately’ […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump outlined his intentions to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in a call with President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday according to Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh. The Palestinians said that Abbas warned Trump in the call against the dangers of such a step and added that […]
12/5/2017
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA: “The federal government spent nearly $7 million investigating Russian meddling in the presidential election between May and September, the Justice Department announced Tuesday [12-5-17]. Special counsel Robert Mueller spent $3.2 million over that time. Another $3.5 million has separately been spent by law enforcement personnel working on the investigation but who do […]
12/5/2017
TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Yesterday, I was thrilled to be with so many WONDERFUL friends, in Utah’s MAGNIFICENT Capitol. It was my honor to sign two Presidential Proclamations that will modify the national monuments designations of both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante… https://t.co/jiTHcPovCi https://t.co/dIpdAUVoRB” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 5, 2017 12:46pm […]
12/5/2017
CRIME/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration ramped up arrests of people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally in 2017, but the number of deportations fell below even the lowest level recorded during the Obama administration, the government said Tuesday [12-5-17]. That is partly because the number of people caught crossing the border illegally plummeted […]
12/5/2017
LEGAL/POLITICAL FIGURES: “Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) has announced he is leaving Congress and endorsing his son, John Conyers III, to replace him following allegations of sexual harassment. ‘I’m in the process of putting my retirement plans together, and I will have more about that very soon,’ Conyers, 88, told a Detroit radio station… Conyers is […]
12/5/2017
BANKING/FEDERAL RESERVE/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate Banking Committee voted Tuesday [12-5-17] to advance the nomination of Federal Reserve governor Jerome Powell to be the next chairman of the U.S. central bank. All but one of the panel’s Democrats— Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.)—joined Republicans to approve Mr. Powell’s nomination by a 22-1 vote. ‘His years […]
12/5/2017
INTERIOR/LEGAL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A group of Native American tribes filed suit against President Donald Trump and a host of administration officials on Monday [12-4-17], alleging that Trump’s decision to significantly shrink Bears Ears National Monument is ‘in violation of the United States Constitution and the Antiquities Act of 1906.’ Representatives from the Hopi, Zuni, Ute […]
12/5/2017
IRAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on European allies to work with Washington to tackle Iran’s missile program and its regional activities, saying Tehran’s behavior cannot go unanswered. Speaking in Brussels alongside European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Mr. Tillerson said Iran’s interference in Yemen, its exporting of weapons and militias […]
12/5/2017
LEGAL/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/TRUMP BUSINESS: “Deutsche Bank AG received a subpoena earlier in the fall from U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller’s office related to the lender’s business with President Donald Trump, according to a person briefed on the matter. The subpoena requested documents and data about accounts and other dealings tied to client relationships with Mr. Trump […]
12/5/2017
GOP/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “As Republicans near the finish line on a long-sought tax overhaul, President Donald Trump has committed them to taking up a welfare-revamp fight next. Mr. Trump has repeatedly said he is interested in kick-starting a debate around means-tested social programs, with allies seeing significant political rewards from taking up the issue even […]
12/5/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration’s expected announcement on the future status of Jerusalem has the potential to derail tenuous U.S. attempts to revive moribund Middle East peace talks, reaction from capitals in the region suggests. Arab leaders across the Middle East are making last-ditch appeals to the U.S. not to declare Jerusalem the […]
12/4/2017
IMMIGRATION/LEGAL/SUPREME COURT/TRAVEL BAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Supreme Court on Monday [12-4-17] said the Trump administration for now can implement all parts of its latest ban on travelers from certain countries, a significant boost to the White House after a string of setbacks in lower courts. The high court’s action came in a brief written order […]
12/4/2017
INTERIOR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump is expected to announce a historic reduction to Bears Ears National Monument on Monday [12-4-17], a sprawling region of red rock canyons in Utah that has been at the center of a national fight over how much land a president can legally set aside for protection. The Trump administration plans […]
12/4/2017
INTERIOR/TRUMP EXEC ORDERS: “President Donald Trump signed orders Monday [12-4-17] that significantly reduce the size of Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, marking the largest ever withdrawal of federally protected lands in the U.S., experts say—an act already facing a legal challenge. Bears Ears, established just last year by President Barack Obama, will […]
12/4/2017
HOUSE OF REPS/GOP/TAXES: “House conservatives threatened to derail a key tax vote on Monday [12-4-17] in an attempt to win more influence over the GOP’s spending strategy, just four days before the deadline to fund the government. In a dramatic political stunt, more than a dozen members of the House Freedom Caucus withheld their support […]
12/4/2017
2016 ELECTION/CAMPAIGN/PAUL MANAFORT/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and an associate with ties to Russian intelligence drafted an op-ed article last week about Mr. Manafort’s work for Russia-aligned interests in Ukraine, according to a court document filed Monday [12-4-17] by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. The filing seeks tougher […]
12/4/2017
FBI/LEGAL/MICHAEL FLYNN/MIKE PENCE/ROBERT MUELLER/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “The White House’s chief lawyer told President Donald Trump in January he believed then-national security adviser Michael Flynn had misled the FBI and lied to Vice President Mike Pence and should be fired, a source familiar with the matter said Monday [12-4-17]. The description of the conversation […]
12/4/2017
CONSUMER PROTECTION/CYBERWAR/MICK MULVANEY: “The Trump administration’s interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said he has frozen the agency’s collection of personal information due to cybersecurity concerns, a step in changing policies criticized by the financial industry. Mick Mulvaney, who is splitting his time as acting CFPB director and the White House’s budget chief, […]
12/4/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/UN: “The United Nations’ chief diplomat will travel to North Korea on Tuesday [12-5-17] for political talks, according to the U.N., in a rare, high-level visit by the world body. Jeffrey Feltman, undersecretary general for political affairs, will be in Pyongyang for three days meeting senior regime officials on what the U.N. described […]
12/4/2017
IMMIGRATION/LEGAL/SUPREME COURT/TRAVEL BAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday [12-4-17] handed a victory to President Donald Trump by allowing his latest travel ban targeting people from six Muslim-majority countries to go into full effect even as legal challenges continue in lower courts. The nine-member court, with two liberal justices dissenting, granted his administration’s […]
12/4/2017
POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump threw his support behind Alabama candidate Roy Moore on Monday [12-4-17], calling the Senate hopeful, who has been accused of sexual misconduct, and tweeting that ‘we need Republican Roy Moore to win’ in order to push through the president’s agenda… Trump seemed to warm to Moore after endorsing […]
12/4/2017
CYBERWAR/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS: “Two fundraising staffers for the National Republican Senatorial Committee who broke into the computer servers of the House GOP campaign arm resigned late last week, Republican sources said. The staffers, Laura Kleffner and Krista Madaio, had previously worked at the National Republican Congressional Committee. POLITICO first reported last week that the NRSC […]
12/4/2017
NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/USDA: “Morale among many of the Agriculture Department’s legal staff has plummeted since Stephen Vaden, the Trump administration’s nominee to be USDA General Counsel, assumed leadership in March, say several agency attorneys from across the country. Vaden, who arrived at USDA in January as part of President Donald Trump’s beachhead team and was […]
12/4/2017
BUSINESS/POLITICS FIGURES: “The Alabama business community is on the sidelines of the state’s high-stakes Senate special election, with some leaders refusing to back Republican nominee Roy Moore because of concerns that the controversies dogging his candidacy could be bad for the local economy. After seeing its favored candidate, incumbent Republican Sen. Luther Strange, lose in […]
12/4/2017
LEGAL/MICHAEL FLYNN/NATIONAL SECURITY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The guilty plea by President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser inspired dueling narratives over the weekend. To Mr. Trump’s supporters, the charge against Mike Flynn for making false statements was evidence that investigators were nowhere near proving collusion with Russians to interfere in the 2016 president election, the matter […]
12/4/2017
MEDIA/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A must watch: Legal Scholar Alan Dershowitz was just on @foxandfriends talking of what is going on with respect to the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. political history. Enjoy!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 4, 2017 07:35am […]
12/4/2017
DOW/TAXES: “With the great vote on Cutting Taxes, this could be a big day for the Stock Market – and YOU!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 4, 2017 07:03am […]
12/4/2017
GOP/POLITICS: “Putting Pelosi/Schumer Liberal Puppet Jones into office in Alabama would hurt our great Republican Agenda of low on taxes, tough on crime, strong on military and borders…& so much more. Look at your 401-k’s since Election. Highest Stock Market EVER! Jobs are roaring back!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 4, 2017 07:00am […]
12/4/2017
DEMS/GOP/TAXES: “Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 4, 2017 […]
12/4/2017
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. and South Korean militaries began five days of simulated war drills on the peninsula Monday [12-4-17], involving bombers, fighters and thousands of troops, less than a week after North Korea tested its most advanced missile. The annual drills, known as Vigilant Ace, are aimed at developing interoperability […]
12/4/2017
FBI/INTELLIGENCE/JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: “The Justice Department has agreed to allow congressional investigators to interview a key FBI employee believed to have served as the main contact, or ‘handler’ of, former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, who compiled the so-called ‘dossier’ of allegations about President Donald Trump’s connections to Russia, according to a department spokesperson. The interview, […]
12/4/2017
BUSINESS/GOP/TAXES: “Senate Republicans, in their push to pass a sweeping tax bill, undermined a research-and-development tax credit many companies use to encourage innovation, and business interests are in revolt. Late Friday [12-1-17], just hours before the Senate voted for the bill, Republicans decided to preserve the corporate alternative minimum tax instead of repealing it as […]
12/3/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP PEOPLE/JARED KUSHNER: “The man who would bring peace to the Middle East strode onto the stage and peered out at a room full of people who have tried and failed. Tall and thin, confident and calm, Jared Kushner, rookie negotiator, made his debut in front of the world of veteran diplomatic hagglers on […]
12/3/2017
IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “The Trump administration has quit participating in talks on a proposed United Nations agreement to improve ways of handling global flows of migrants and refugees, describing it as a subversion of American sovereignty. The administration’s decision to renounce the talks on the agreement, the Global Compact on Migration, was announced in a […]