Archives for August 3, 2017 at 9:50 pm EDT

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Kelly Won’t Try to Manage Trump

August 3, 2017 at 9:50 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “Mr. Kelly has told his new employees that he was hired to manage the staff, not the president. He will not try to change Mr. Trump’s Twitter or TV-watching habits. But he has also said he wants to closely monitor the information the president consumes, quickly counter dubious news stories with verified facts, and limit the posse of people urging Mr. Trump to tweet something they feel passionately about.”

“He has privately acknowledged that he cannot control the president and that his authority would be undermined if he tried and failed. Instead, he is intent on cosseting Mr. Trump with bureaucratic competence and forcing staff members to keep to their lanes.”

Politico: Kelly gives McMaster cover in West Wing battles.

Netanyahu Suspected of Bribery and Fraud

August 3, 2017 at 9:32 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is suspected of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in two cases, Israel Police confirmed on Thursday when it requested a gag order on the ongoing talks to recruit a state witness,” according to Haaretz.

Netanyahu issued a statement saying that the allegations are “a witch hunt intended to topple the government.”

Senate Blocks Any Trump Recess Appointments

August 3, 2017 at 9:26 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Senate blocked President Trump from being able to make recess appointments on Thursday as lawmakers leave Washington for their summer break,” The Hill reports.

“Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), doing wrap up for the entire Senate, locked in nine ‘pro-forma’ sessions — brief meetings that normally last roughly a minute. The move, which requires the agreement of every senator, means the Senate will be in session every three business days throughout the August recess.”

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Secret Service Vacates Trump Tower

August 3, 2017 at 9:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Secret Service has vacated its command post inside Trump Tower in Manhattan following a dispute between the government and President Trump’s company over the terms of a lease for the space,” the Washington Post reports.

Flynn Discloses Link to Mercer-Backed Firm

August 3, 2017 at 8:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, “is revealing a brief advisory role with a firm related to a controversial data analysis company that aided the Trump campaign, the AP reports.

“The disclosure of Flynn’s link to Cambridge Analytica will come in an amended public financial filing in which the retired U.S. Army lieutenant general also discloses income that includes payments from the Trump transition team… Cambridge Analytica was heavily funded by the family of Robert Mercer, a hedge fund manager who also backed the campaign and other conservative candidates and causes.”

The Kellyanne Conway Technique

August 3, 2017 at 4:54 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Out in a few weeks: The Kellyanne Conway Technique: Perfecting the Ancient Art of Delivering Half-Truths, Fake News, and Obfuscation – With a Smile by Jarret Berenstein.

“Constantly late to work? Caught cheating on your spouse again? Can’t stop tweeting unhinged rants against your political enemies at three in the morning? Then The Kellyanne Conway Technique is the book you need.”

Mueller Has a Grand Jury

August 3, 2017 at 3:48 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Special Counsel Robert Mueller “has impaneled a grand jury in Washington to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections, a sign that his inquiry is growing in intensity and entering a new phase,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The grand jury, which began its work in recent weeks, is a sign that Mr. Mueller’s inquiry is ramping up and that it will likely continue for months.”

“Grand juries are powerful investigative tools that allow prosecutors to subpoena documents, put witnesses under oath and seek indictments, if there is evidence of a crime. Legal experts said that the decision by Mr. Mueller to impanel a grand jury suggests he believes he will need to subpoena records and take testimony from witnesses.”

Reuters adds that grand jury subpoenas have already been issued related to the June 2016 meeting between Donald Trump Jr., Russian lawyers and others.

Mueller Is Following the Trump Money Trail

August 3, 2017 at 3:47 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Federal investigators exploring whether Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with Russian spies have seized on Trump and his associates’ financial ties to Russia as one of the most fertile avenues for moving their probe forward,” CNN reports.

“Sources described an investigation that has widened to focus on possible financial crimes, some unconnected to the 2016 elections, alongside the ongoing scrutiny of possible illegal coordination with Russian spy agencies and alleged attempts by President Trump and others to obstruct the FBI investigation. Even investigative leads that have nothing to do with Russia but involve Trump associates are being referred to the special counsel to encourage subjects of the investigation to cooperate.”

Two interesting items:

Investigators have discovered communications from Russian spies about their attempts to coordinate with Paul Manafort and other Trump associates on damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
Former Trump adviser Carter Page had been under a FISA warrant since 2014, longer than previously reported.

West Virginia Governor Will Switch Parties

August 3, 2017 at 3:40 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (D), who was elected last year even as President Trump carried his state by 42 points, is expected to announce tonight at a rally with Mr. Trump that he is changing parties, the New York Times reports.

Almanac of American Politics 2018

August 3, 2017 at 3:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Coming in just a few weeks: Almanac of American Politics 2018.

Democrats Open Wide Lead in House Ballot

August 3, 2017 at 2:58 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Quinnipiac poll finds Democrats leading Republicans in the generic congressional ballot by 14 points, 52% to 38%.

Democrats Begin to See Pelosi as a 2018 Problem

August 3, 2017 at 2:56 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

McClatchy: “In a survey of 20 Democratic House candidates, only one – a former Senate staffer from Orange County, California – would state support for the congresswoman staying on as leader of the House Democratic Caucus. Of the rest, 18 declined to say if Pelosi should keep her job, while one, a political newcomer from a culturally conservative Ohio district, said he would vote for someone other than Pelosi.”

“Their refusal is a remarkable development for an already embattled minority leader. But even more significant are the implications that their refusal carries for next year’s midterm elections.”

Revisiting a Phone Call with The Mooch

August 3, 2017 at 1:38 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The New Yorker Radio Hour has audio excerpts of Ryan Lizza’s phone call with ousted White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

Why Leaking Trump’s Calls Is Dangerous

August 3, 2017 at 1:17 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

David Frum: “Leaking the transcript of a presidential call to a foreign leader is unprecedented, shocking, and dangerous. It is vitally important that a president be able to speak confidentially—and perhaps even more important that foreign leaders understand that they can reply in confidence”.

“Thursday’s leak to The Washington Post of President Trump’s calls with the president of Mexico and the prime minister of Australia will reverberate around the world. No leader will again speak candidly on the phone to Washington, D.C.—at least for the duration of this presidency, and perhaps for longer. If these calls can be leaked, any call can be leaked—and no leader dare say anything to the president of the United States that he or she would not wish to read in the news at home.”

For members: Trump has a serious leak problem.

Big Majority Approve of Transgender Service

August 3, 2017 at 1:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Quinnipiac poll finds American voters say by a 68% to 27% margin, including 55% to 39% among voters in military households, that transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military.

Republicans oppose transgender service, 60% to 32%, but every other party, gender, education, age or racial group supports transgender service by margins of 22 percentage points or higher.

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

August 3, 2017 at 1:10 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“We’re, you know, a little behind. We’ve got some things to tidy up and take care of in September. My guess is we’ll be well on the way to tax reform in October.”

— Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), quoted by the Washington Post, on the GOP legislative agenda.

An Inside Look at Trump Diplomacy

August 3, 2017 at 1:08 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jonathan Chait: “The transcript of Donald Trump’s discussion with Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull obtained by the Washington Post reveals many things, but the most significant may be that Trump in his private negotiations is every bit as mentally limited as he appears to be in public.”

“At issue in the conversation is a deal to settle 1,250 refugees who have been detained by Australia in the United States. I did not pay any attention to the details of this agreement before reading the transcript. By the time I was halfway through it, my brain could not stop screaming at Trump for his failure to understand what Turnbull was telling him.”

Top FBI Officials Were Told They Are Possible Witnesses

August 3, 2017 at 11:31 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Murray Waas: “Shortly after the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller in May, acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe told several of the highest-ranking managers of the bureau they should consider themselves possible witnesses in any investigation into whether President Trump engaged in obstruction of justice.”

“Two senior federal law enforcement officials have told me that the new revelations illustrate why they believe the potential case against Trump is stronger than outsiders have thought.”