Politico: “Even as the president has withdrawn from the types of public events that were standard for his predecessors, he’s sustained the dinner party as a staple of presidential power – though he’s traded the high-wattage salons hosted by the Obamas for clubby interactions with people he considers peers, according to eight current and former administration officials and sources who have been to the meals. The parties, which have recently ramped up, afford Trump the chance to do something he loves – play host – a role that runs contrary to the narrative of him isolated at night in the White House.”
Trump’s Easy Campaign Promises Hit Hard Realities
“An emboldened President Trump is discovering that the policies he once described as easy fixes for the nation are a lot more complicated in reality — creating backlash among allies, frustrating supporters and threatening the pocketbooks of many farming communities that helped get him elected,” the Washington Post reports.
“Freed from the caution of former advisers, Trump has spent recent weeks returning to the gut-level basics that got him elected: tough talk on China, a promise of an immigration crackdown and an isolationist approach to national security.”
“Several people who have spoken to the president say he is telling advisers that he is finally expediting the policies that got him elected and is more comfortable without a number of aides around him who were tempering his instincts. And he often cites rising poll numbers in recent weeks as a reason he should do it his own way.”
Tillerson’s $12 Million Legacy
Politico: “It was one of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s core goals: radically reshaping the State Department to make it leaner, cheaper and modernized to the standards of a former private-sector CEO. Now that Tillerson has been fired, the vaunted ‘Redesign’ initiative he launched faces an uncertain future, but at least one clear legacy: around $12 million dollars spent just for private consultants who in some cases charged the State Department more than $300 an hour.”
“As many as 90 consultants worked on the project, according to one document. Many of the consultants have spent extensive time at the State Department, meeting with top officials, collecting and analyzing data, creating PowerPoint presentations and leading group discussions with skeptical employees.”
Trump Gets Testy at National Security Team
President Trump “grew irritated with his top military brass and national security team on Tuesday when they advised him an immediate withdrawal of US troops from Syria would be unwise and could not provide a timeline for when American forces could exit,” CNN reports.
“In a sometimes-tense meeting of his national security team, Trump complained at length about the amount of American money being spent in the region, which he said had produced nothing for the US in return.”
Mueller Witness Who Advises UAE Also Has Ties to Russia
“A witness who is cooperating in the special counsel investigation, George Nader, has connections to both the Persian Gulf states and Russia and may have information that links two important strands of the inquiry together,” the New York Times reports.
“Mr. Nader’s ties to the United Arab Emirates are well documented — he is an adviser to its leader — but the extent of his links to Russia have not been previously disclosed.”
Kudlow Talks Down Tariffs
“White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow stressed U.S. tariffs announced on Chinese goods are still only proposals that might never take effect as the Trump administration sought to tamp down fears of a trade war,” Bloomberg reports.
Said Kudlow: “None of the tariffs have been put in place yet, these are all proposals. We’re putting it out for comment. There’s at least two months before any actions are taken.”
Mueller Questions Russian Oligarchs
“Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team has taken the unusual step of questioning Russian oligarchs who traveled into the US, stopping at least one and searching his electronic devices when his private jet landed at a New York area airport,” CNN reports.
“The situations have one thing in common: Investigators are asking whether wealthy Russians illegally funneled cash donations directly or indirectly into Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and inauguration.”
“One area under scrutiny… is investments Russians made in companies or think tanks that have political action committees that donated to the campaign.”
“Another theory Mueller’s office is pursuing… is whether wealthy Russians used straw donors — Americans with citizenship — as a vessel through which they could pump money into the campaign and inauguration fund.”
Tennessee Lawmaker Improperly Used Campaign Funds
“Congressional ethics investigators say they have found substantial reason to believe Rep. John Duncan (R-TN) improperly used thousands of campaign dollars on personal expenses for himself and his family,” the Knoxville News reports.
“The expenses totaled more than $100,000 and include trips for Duncan’s family and friends… Other expenses outlined in the 57-page report include thousands of dollars for membership dues and private parties, including baby showers and bridal dinners, at the Club LeConte in Knoxville and membership dues at the Knoxville Quarterback Club.”
Judge Skewers Manafort’s Case Challenging Mueller
A federal judge tore into all of the legal arguments that a lawyer for Paul Manafort made in his long-shot civil case to convince her that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation has run amok and should be reined in, Reuters reports.
Said Judge Amy Berman Jackson: “I don’t really understand what is left of your case.”
Petit Mulls Congressional Bid in Connecticut
State Rep. William Petit Jr. (R), whose wife and daughters were murdered in a home invasion, confirmed to the Hartford Courant that he is considering a run for Rep. Elizabeth Esty’s (D-CT) House seat.
“Petit is arguably the most high-profile of the potential contenders in the swing district, which Esty has represented since 2013.”
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Oklahoma Governor Downplays Teacher Demands
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) signed a measure giving teachers a $6,100 pay raise and then told CBS News their demands were like those of a teenager.
Said Fallin: “Teachers want more. But it’s like kind of having a teenage kid that wants a better car.”
For members: The Teacher Strikes Are a Big Problem for Republicans.
[alert type=”general” dismiss=”no”]Oklahoma ranks 49th in teacher pay.[/alert]
Lawmaker Says Father Sought Conversion Therapy for Her
Maryland Del. Meagan Simonaire (R) said in a dramatic speech she would vote for a ban on conversion therapy for homosexuality and revealed that her father — state Sen. Bryan Simonaire (R) — asked her to try the discredited treatment after she revealed she was bisexual, the Capital Gazette reports.
The younger Simonaire, who is not seeking re-election after one term, split with her father’s opposition on the measure. The senator tried to block the ban on the Senate floor last week, saying families should have the right to use “loving” conversion therapy.
Rob Porter Hired by Trump’s 2020 Campaign Manager
“Former Trump aide and accused wife-beater Rob Porter may have landed himself a new gig at the Trump campaign,” the Daily Mail reports.
“Within days of being let go as staff secretary to President Trump, alleged wife abuser Porter was hired by Brad Parscale, the president’s 2020 campaign manager… In addition to leading the Trump campaign, Parscale also has a political branding and strategy business… It is believed Porter is being paid by Parscale’s company with the intention of involving him in the campaign at some point in the future.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“Ask the working people in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan about Wall Street. Wall Street supported and cheered on the export of their jobs. To hell with Wall Street if they don’t like it. It’s time somebody stood up to them and Donald Trump is the perfect guy.”
— Stephen Bannon, in an interview with Reuters, on the negative stock market reaction to Trump’s trade policy.
Justice Department Thinks Collusion Is a Crime
Jeffrey Toobin: “Is collusion a crime? That is one of the central questions of the investigation into Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. elections. Even if it could be proved that Donald Trump and his supporters worked with the Russian government, or with Russian citizens, to win the Presidential race, would that activity have violated United States law? It’s long been an article of faith for Trump supporters, and for Trump himself, that collusion is not illegal. As the President told the Times in an interview last December, ‘There is no collusion, and even if there was, it’s not a crime.'”
“Now, it appears, Trump’s own Justice Department may have a different view. That conclusion appears in a document released earlier this week, in the course of pre-trial litigation in the case of Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chairman, on charges including money laundering.”
Stone Made Prediction Same Day He Dined with Assange
“Roger Stone appeared on the InfoWars radio show the same day he sent an email claiming he dined with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange — and he predicted ‘devastating’ upcoming disclosures about the Clinton Foundation,” CNN reports.
“Stone’s comments in his August 4, 2016, appearance are the earliest known time he claimed to know of forthcoming WikiLeaks documents.”
Attempt to Denounce Neo-Nazis Fails Again In Tennessee
“For the second time in recent weeks, a resolution denouncing neo-Nazis and white nationalists has died in the Tennessee General Assembly,” the Tennessean reports.
