President Trump dismissed three potential Republican presidential primary challengers — former Reps. Mark Sanford (R-SC) and Joe Walsh (R-IL) as well as former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld (R) — as “Three Stooges” as he gears up for his reelection campaign in 2020.
Biden Says We Must Shame the Racists
Joe Biden said that racism in America is institutional and it is a “white man’s problem visited on people of color,” arguing that the way to attack the issue is to defeat President Trump and shame the racists he has emboldened, the AP reports.
Taking aim at incendiary racial appeals by Trump, Biden said that a president’s words can “appeal to the worst damn instincts of human nature,” just as they can move markets or take a nation into war.
Trump Allows New Logging in Alaska National Forest
“President Trump has instructed Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to exempt Alaska’s 16.7 million-acre Tongass National Forest from logging restrictions imposed nearly 20 years ago,” the Washington Post reports.
“The move would affect more than half of the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest, opening it up to potential logging, energy and mining projects. It would undercut a sweeping Clinton administration policy known as the ‘roadless rule’ that has survived a decades-long legal assault.”
Trump Repeatedly Clashed with G7 Leaders Over Putin
“A sharp and sometimes bitter disagreement broke out between President Trump and several G7 leaders over whether to allow Russia back into their club during a welcome dinner on Saturday,” CNN reports.
“Trump, as he did in public over the course of the summit, ardently advocated for it… As the leaders discussed issues like Iran and fires in the Amazon rainforest, Trump interjected and asked why Russia should not be included in the talks, given its size and role in global affairs.”
“That met sharp resistance from some of the leaders, principally German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.”
Deutsche Bank Subpoena Would Include Tax Returns
“Deutsche Bank wouldn’t say publicly on Tuesday whether it has President Trump’s tax returns. Yet the bank acknowledges the US House would see people’s tax returns — possibly even those of Trump family members — if the bank fulfilled a subpoena related to Trump,” CNN reports.
“The bank, in its filing Tuesday, argued that there are ‘statutory, contractual, and privacy concerns’ that have made it reluctant to name whose tax returns it has that would fall under the spring 2019 House subpoena.”
Executive Director of Log Cabin Republican Quits
Jerri Ann Henry, the executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, has resigned following a controversial decision by the organization’s board to endorse President Trump, the Washington Blade reports.
Henry told CNN: “Log Cabin was once a civil rights organization with conservative principles. That’s why I joined on. Now it’s mostly about happy hours.”
Falwell Steered University Land Deal to Personal Trainer
“Evangelical leader and prominent Donald Trump backer Jerry Falwell Jr personally approved real estate transactions by his nonprofit Christian university that helped his personal fitness trainer obtain valuable university property,” Reuters reports.
“Around 2011, Falwell, president of Liberty University in Virginia, and his wife, Rebecca, began personal fitness training sessions with Benjamin Crosswhite, then a 23-year-old recent Liberty graduate. Now, after a series of university real estate transactions signed by Falwell, Crosswhite owns a sprawling 18-acre racquet sports and fitness facility on former Liberty property.”
Barr Plans $30K Holiday Party at Trump’s Hotel
Attorney General William Barr booked President Trump’s D.C. hotel for a 200-person holiday party in December that is likely to deliver Trump’s business more than $30,000 in revenue, the Washington Post reports.
Ex-Kansas Governor Calls for Primary of Watkins
Former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer (R) is publicly encouraging state Treasurer Jake LaTurner (R) to abandon his campaign for Senate and instead primary Rep. Steve Watkins (R-KS), Politico reports.
Trump Diverts Money from Disaster Relief to Border
“The Trump administration is pulling $271 million in funding from the Department of Homeland Security, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund, to pay for immigration detention space and temporary hearing locations for asylum-seekers who have been forced to wait in Mexico,” NBC News reports.
Tom Steyer Waits on One More Poll
Quinnipiac says it will release a Democratic presidential race poll tomorrow at 8 a.m., which might be the final chance for Democratic candidates to make the DNC debate criteria.
Tom Steyer needs to reach at least 2% support in this poll to make the cut.
If this is indeed the last poll before tomorrow’s qualification deadline, it means the rest of the candidates are officially shut out. Tulsi Gabbard and Marianne Williamson each need to reach the threshold in more than one poll to qualify.
Trump Has Mentioned His Resorts at Least 70 Times
Washington Post: “As president, Trump has averaged two weekly visits to Trump Organization properties and has mentioned the names of four of those properties — Bedminster, Mar-a-Lago, Turnberry and Doral — at least 70 total times in White House speeches, interviews and tweets.”
Hickenlooper Endorsement Divides Colorado Democrats
“A decision by national Democrats to throw their support behind John Hickenlooper in Colorado’s U.S. Senate race sparked an intense email discussion among state Democratic Party officers over the weekend, with allusions to Nazism, criticisms of Hickenlooper and calls for formal opposition,” the Denver Post reports.
“The emails offer a window into an intraparty conflict that is sure to spill out in public for weeks and months to come as Democrats debate who should be their nominee to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner.”
Trump Isn’t Beating Obama on the Economy
Steven Rattner: “Time for a reality check on Mr. Trump’s economic accomplishments, using two key measuring sticks: how well the economy is doing, compared with its performance under President Barack Obama’s leadership, and whether it has performed up to Mr. Trump’s promises.”
“The short answer is, the economy’s performance is not much different than it was under Mr. Obama and far short of what Mr. Trump pledged.”
Federal Judge Blocks Missouri’s 8-Week Abortion Ban
“A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won’t take effect Wednesday after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented,” the AP reports.
“The law includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest. If courts don’t uphold the eight-week ban, the measure includes a series of less-restrictive bans ranging from 14 weeks up to 20 weeks.”
Two Senators Denied Entry by Russia
Two U.S. senators said that Russia had denied them visas, NBC News reports.
“Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said that he had planned to visit Russia as part of an upcoming congressional delegation including Democrats and Republicans. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said that he was also denied a visa. Both lawmakers are members of the chamber’s Foreign Relations Committee and have been critical of Russia in the past.”
Warren Overtakes Biden as Most Favorable Candidate
The favorite presidential candidate of Democrats is actually not polling leader Joe Biden: It’s Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who sports the highest net favorability rating (+54 percentage points vs. +52 percentage points), according to FiveThirtyEight.
Indeed, according to The Economist’s 2020 primary tracker, slightly more people are considering voting for Warren than are considering Biden, even though Biden is currently the most popular first choice.
Trump Pushes Back on ‘Nasty Rumor’ of Bed Bugs
President Trump blamed “Radical Left Democrats” for spreading a “false and nasty rumor” about a bedbug infestation at his golf resort in Doral, Florida after he said he would like to hold next year’s Group of Seven summit at the property, the Washington Post reports.
Tweeted Trump: “No bedbugs at Doral. The Radical Left Democrats, upon hearing that the perfectly located (for the next G-7) Doral National MIAMI was under consideration for the next G-7, spread that false and nasty rumor. Not nice!”
