NBC News a useful interactive timeline to help better understand the key details and players involved in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
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Will Congress Move to Protect Mueller?
Washington Post: “There are two bills in Congress, both of which have some Republican support, that would protect Mueller from being fired by Trump. But neither bill has been seriously considered by leadership.”
“Up until this point, Republicans had given Trump the benefit of the doubt that he wouldn’t launch a constitutional crisis. From their perspective, why take action and cause a confrontation with the president (and jeopardize their agenda) if they don’t absolutely have to?”
“Now they may now have to.”
Bush Says Trump May Drag Down GOP In Midterms
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) “warns that Republicans are in for a beating in the fall elections if congressional races focus on the rhetoric and character of President Trump,” USA Today reports.
“Bush lambasted Trump’s erratic leadership style, obsession with Twitter and ‘racist’ comments that could cost Republicans control of Congress in November if they can’t distance themselves from the former reality TV star.”
Said Bush: “If the election is nationalized and it’s not about the economy, then we’ll lose.”
Clinton Shielded Adviser Accused of Harassment
“A senior adviser to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign who was accused of repeatedly sexually harassing a young subordinate was kept on the campaign at Mrs. Clinton’s request,” the New York Times reports.
“Mrs. Clinton’s campaign manager at the time recommended that she fire the adviser, Burns Strider. But Mrs. Clinton did not. Instead, Mr. Strider was docked several weeks of pay and ordered to undergo counseling, and the young woman was moved to a new job.”
Schumer Rejects Trump’s Immigration Proposal
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) “opposes the immigration framework released by the White House — a potentially fatal blow for the prospective legislation in the closely divided Senate,” Politico reports.
Said Schumer: “This plan flies in the face of what most Americans believe.”
Baker Has Trounced Democrats In Fundraising
Boston Globe: “The major problem for the Democratic candidates is the perception that Baker, with his consistently high standing in the surveys and a never-before-seen fund-raising juggernaut, is hugely favored for reelection. Between Baker and his No. 2, Karyn Polito, the yet-to-be-formally-announced campaign has already raised more than $10.5 million.”
“For those counting along at home, that means the incumbent has 61 times the combined war chests of his Democratic opponents.”
The Battle Now Is Over Legal Immigration
NBC News: “After years of high-profile debates over a border wall and a path to citizenship, the biggest obstacle to a bipartisan deal on DACA is quickly becoming legal immigration, an issue where President Donald Trump has presided over a monumental shift in the GOP’s approach. Both sides have given ground elsewhere. A new proposal by the White House on Thursday would cede significant ground on ‘Dreamers,’ with a path to citizenship for up to 1.8 million people brought to the United States illegally as children. It also asks for $25 billion for a wall, which Democrats (at least briefly) had already suggested they would fund to a substantial degree.”
“On legal immigration, though, the proposal puts them miles apart. It reflects a fundamental and growing ideological divide between Democrats and many Republicans who view immigration as a net good and Trump and his allies, who have depicted immigrants as an unwanted burden and threatening presence. The White House is currently demanding that a deal on DACA recipients eliminate the diversity visa lottery — which issues 50,000 green cards a year in countries with few immigrants to the United States — along with family immigration categories for siblings and parents.”
Why Republicans Ultimately Get the Blame for Shutdown
Harry Enten: “When you combine the people who blamed Trump and with those who blamed congressional Republicans, you end up with 49 percent of voters saying Republican politicians were at fault vs. 32 blaming Democrats.”
“Now, is there value in knowing how blame is apportioned between congressional Republicans and Trump? Sure, I guess. But their fates are tied together politically. Polls show that how voters feel about Trump is directly connected to whether they plan on voting for Democrats or Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. And those polls match past election results, which show the president’s approval rating is highly correlated with how his party does in the midterm election.”
Bonus Quote of the Day
“I will say this with great conviction, that had the opposing party won, in my opinion, because they would have added tremendous regulation, I believe the markets would’ve been down anywhere from 25 to 50 percent.”
— President Trump, quoted by Axios, during a meeting at the World Economic Forum at Davos.
Mia Love Vulnerable In Re-Election Race
A new Salt Lake Tribune-Hinckley Institute of Politics poll shows Rep. Mia Love (R) with a small 5-point edge over Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams (D), 47% to 42%, “a slightly narrower lead than she had three months ago and just outside of the margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.”
Key factor: “While 48% of voters statewide approve of Trump’s job performance, just 42% do in the 4th congressional district — and 56% disapprove. So neither Love nor McAdams will be successful by cuddling up to the president.”
Will Trump Try Again to Fire Mueller?
On June 12, 2017, Newsmax CEO told PBS that he thought President Trump was “considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he’s weighing that option.” On the same day, political analyst April Ryan told CNN there was “mass hysteria” in the White House over the president possibly firing Mueller.
Why is the story back?
Bill Kristol speculates that White House counsel Don McGahn believes Trump may soon try to fire Mueller again: “Unless the story came out now by accident, the sources (McGahn and allies) are probably worried Trump is about to try again to fire Mueller, and wanted to stir up a preemptive push back.”
He adds: “Why would Trump have returned to the idea of firing Mueller now? He may recently have learned how much Mueller now knows. He also soon has to agree to be interviewed or not, may have decided not, and thinks firing might be better than refusing to talk and/or taking the fifth.”
Mueller Knows Trump Was Trying to Obstruct Probe
Renato Mariotti: “As we learned Thursday in the New York Times, there was indeed a need to protect Mueller back in June, when Trump ordered the firing of special counsel due to ‘conflicts of interest’ that were not actually conflicts and appear to be thinly veiled excuses to get rid of Mueller. Trump also considered firing Rosenstein and replacing him with Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, the No. 3 Justice Department official, so she could oversee Mueller. According to the Times, Trump has wavered for months about whether he wants to fire Mueller, which is an ‘omnipresent concern among his legal team and close aides.'”
“This is an important piece of evidence because it comes after Trump fired Comey and learned that he was under investigation for obstruction of justice. It should be easy for Mueller to prove that Trump read or viewed legal analysis discussing the possibility that Trump obstructed justice by firing Comey. Trump’s desire to fire Mueller despite knowing that firing a law enforcement official overseeing the Russia investigation could raise obstruction concerns is strong evidence that Trump’s intent was to obstruct the investigation. The excuses offered by Trump also bolster Mueller’s case, because they indicate that the president realized that firing Mueller to impede the investigation would be perceived as wrongful.”
Mike Allen: “These actions were taken in office knowing the whole world is watching for a cover-up. It’s the ultimate unforced error — and reason many around Trump fear him testifying.”
White House Immigration Proposal Is Already Dead
Jonathan Swan: “The White House framework on immigration reform that leaked yesterday — then was released early — is a non-starter those on the left, having spoken to progressive immigration leaders in close touch with top Democrats.”
Trump Denies Ordering Firing of Mueller
Quote of the Day
“I have literally been on Air Force One once and there were several people in the room when I was there. He says that I’ve been talking a lot with the president in the Oval about my political future. I’ve never talked once to the president about my future and I am never alone with him.”
— U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, in an interview with Politico, denying rumors she’s having an affair with President Trump.
Kennedy Will Deliver State of the Union Response
Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA), a rising star in the Democratic Party, will deliver the Democratic response to President Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday, Politico reports.
“Kennedy is a closely watched member of the House Democratic Caucus, not only because of his famous last name, but for his future ambitions. Many Democrats expect Kennedy to follow in the footsteps of his elders and run for Senate when a seat opens in Massachusetts.”
Meehan Will Not Run for Re-Election
Rep. Pat Meehan (R-PA) “will not seek reelection, about a week after news reports that he used taxpayer dollars to settle a former aide’s sexual harassment claim — and following the harsh response to his description of the woman as his ‘soul mate,'” the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Ellison Explores Run for Minnesota Attorney General
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the progressive congressman and deputy chair of the DNC, is exploring a run for Minnesota attorney general, Politico reports.
“Lori Swanson, the current attorney general, is expected to run for governor, leaving the race open. With his active organizing and fundraising base — amplified through his close alliance with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — Ellison would likely scramble a field of lesser known candidates that’s begun to take shape.”
