Become a member to get many great benefits -- exclusive analysis, trending news, a private podcast, no ads and more!
Quote of the Day
“Look, there’s not going to be a government shutdown. It’s just not going to happen.”
— Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by The Hill., noting he “can’t imagine” Democrats “want to shut down the government over an issue that’s not an emergency.”
Senate Investigation Finds an Obstruction of Justice Case
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) told NBC News that a Senate investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election has revealed a possible obstruction of justice case against President Trump.
Said Feinstein: “I think we see this in the indictments, the four indictments, and pleas that have just taken place and some of the comments that are being made… I see it in the hyper-frenetic attitude of the White House, the comments every day, the continual tweets. And I see it most importantly in what happened with the firing of Director Comey, and it is my belief that that is directly because he did not agree to ‘lift the cloud’ of the Russia investigation. That’s obstruction of justice.”
Operative Offered Trump a ‘Kremlin Connection’
“A conservative operative trumpeting his close ties to the National Rifle Association and Russia told a Trump campaign adviser last year that he could arrange a back-channel meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, according to an email sent to the Trump campaign,” the New York Times reports.
“A May 2016 email to the campaign adviser, Rick Dearborn, bore the subject line ‘Kremlin Connection.’ In it, the N.R.A. member said he wanted the advice of Mr. Dearborn and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), then a foreign policy adviser to Mr. Trump and Mr. Dearborn’s longtime boss, about how to proceed in connecting the two leaders.”
“Russia, he wrote, was ‘quietly but actively seeking a dialogue with the U.S.’ and would attempt to use the N.R.A.’s annual convention in Louisville, Ky., to make ‘first contact.'”
Moore Leads Among Likely Voters
A new CBS News poll finds the U.S. Senate contest in Alabama looks to be highly dependent on turnout.
Roy Moore (R) has a lead over Doug Jones (D), 49% to 43%, among the likely voters who are most apt to vote on Dec. 12. Among all registered voters, the contest is even.
McConnell Backs Off Opposition to Roy Moore
Asked if he believes Roy Moore (R) should be in the U.S. Senate under a cloud of child molestation allegations, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told ABC News, “I’m going to let the people of Alabama make the call.”
Trump Accuses Comey of Lying
President Trump tweets this morning: “I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!”
Axios has the backdrop:
Former FBI director James Comey has testified under oath that Trump told him in January, “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go,” a remark he interpreted as a direction from the president. Trump’s critics have cited that as potential obstruction of justice, particularly after his Saturday tweet that he “had to fire” Flynn because he lied to the FBI (hence, Trump would have known Flynn committed a crime before allegedly asking Comey to back off).
Related for members: Will Trump Now Try to Fire Mueller?
Trump Finds a Way to Bypass His Chief of Staff
Wall Street Journal: “The president on occasion has called White House aides to the private residence in the evening, where he makes assignments and asks them not tell Mr. Kelly about the plans, according to several people familiar with the matter. At least once, aides have declined to carry out the requested task so as not to run afoul of Mr. Kelly, one of these people said.”
“The president, who values counsel from an informal group of confidants outside the White House, also sometimes bypasses the normal scheduling for phone calls that give other White House staff, including Mr. Kelly, some control and influence over who the president talks to and when.”
Gutting Social Security and Medicare Is Next
Join now to continue reading.
Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.
Kushner Still Can’t Get His Security Clearance
“Jared Kushner is a security risk embedded in the West Wing since he still hasn’t passed a comprehensive background investigation required of anyone seeking a permanent security clearance—and no one will question the president’s decision to put his son-in-law in a crucial government role,” experts and officials tell Newsweek.
“Newsweek spoke with seven of the nation’s leading law firms specializing in security clearance law, with clients throughout the Trump administration and federal government. All seven said Kushner’s security clearance should be suspended until investigators can determine whether his failures to disclose information were intentional. Meanwhile, the White House has claimed the delay in Kushner’s clearance is normal due to a backlog in applications.“
Was Michael Flynn Asked to Wear a Wire?
The Guardian: “Section eight of the deal reached by Donald Trump’s former national security adviser in the inquiry into Russian meddling in the US election is entitled ‘cooperation.’ It specifies that as well as answering questions and submitting to government-administered polygraph tests, Flynn’s cooperation ‘may include … participating in covert law enforcement activities.’”
“Long-time students of federal law enforcement practices agreed, speaking anonymously, that ‘covert law enforcement activities’ likely refers to the possibility of wearing a concealed wire or recording telephone conversations with other potential suspects. It is not known whether Flynn has worn a wire at any time.”
Will Trump Now Try to Fire Mueller?
Join now to continue reading.
Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.
Kushner Keeps Tillerson in Dark on Middle East Talks
“Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is increasingly alarmed by what he sees as secret talks between Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — fearful that the discussions could backfire and tip the region into chaos, according to three people familiar with Tillerson’s concerns,” Bloomberg reports.
“The central goal of the Kushner-Prince Mohammed negotiations … is for an historic agreement featuring the creation of a Palestinian state or territory backed financially by a number of countries including Saudi Arabia, which could put tens of billions of dollars toward the effort.”
Quote of the Day
“What has been shown is no collusion, no collusion. There’s been absolutely no collusion, so we’re very happy.”
— President Trump, quoted by the Washington Post.
Billy Bush Books Colbert Appearance
The Hollywood Reporter says Stephen Colbert has added a special first-time guest for his Monday show: Billy Bush.
“The visit marks the first late-night appearance for Bush since the former Today host was fired over the infamous Donald Trump ‘grab them by the pussy’ audio that surfaced ahead of Trump’s election.”
Inside the Special Counsel’s Office
Washington Post: “In the past two months, Robert Mueller and his team have received private debriefs from two dozen current and former Trump advisers, each of whom has made the trek to the special counsel’s secure office suite. Once inside, most witnesses are seated in a windowless conference room where two- and three-person teams of FBI agents and prosecutors rotate in and out, pressing them for answers.”
“Often listening in is the special counsel himself, a sphinxlike presence who sits quietly along the wall for portions of key interviews. This picture of Mueller’s operation — drawn from descriptions of witnesses, lawyers and others briefed on the interviews — provides a rare look inside the high-stakes investigation that could implicate Trump’s circle and determine the future of his presidency.”
Levin to Retire from Congress
Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) has decided not seek re-election to a 19th term, the Detroit News reports.
Said Levin: “I just thought the time had come. I thought that I would look for other ways to carry on the efforts I’ve been involved with.”
A Look Inside the Trump Campaign
The Washington Post obtained an early copy of Let Trump Be Trump by Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie.
Key quote: “Sooner or later, everybody who works for Donald Trump will see a side of him that makes you wonder why you took a job with him in the first place.”
Also interesting: Lewandowski describes how staffer Sam Nunberg was purposely left behind at a McDonald’s because Nunberg’s special-order burger was taking too long. “Leave him,” Trump said. “Let’s go.” And they did.
