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Russian Lawmakers Defend Flynn

February 14, 2017 at 6:57 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Leading Russian lawmakers rushed to defend President Trump’s former national security adviser on Tuesday after he resigned for misleading senior White House officials, including Vice President Pence, about his contacts with Russia,” the Washington Post reports.

“The heads of the foreign affairs committees in both Russia’s upper and lower houses of parliament chalked up Michael Flynn’s resignation to a dark campaign of Russophobia in Washington, and said it would undermine relations between the White House and the Kremlin.”

Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser

February 13, 2017 at 11:08 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Embattled White House national security adviser Michael Flynn resigned Monday night, two sources tell CNN.

“The move comes less than a month into the job, making him one of the shortest-serving senior presidential advisers in modern history.”

“The sudden exit marks the most public display yet of disarray at the highest levels of the new administration, which has faced repeated questions over a slew of controversies and reports of infighting among senior aides during its first three weeks.”

Omarosa Claimed Officials Have ‘Dossier’ on Reporters

February 13, 2017 at 10:55 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Omarosa Manigault, who is now a communications official in the Trump administration, “got into a heated argument with a White House reporter just steps from the Oval Office last week, according to witnesses. The reporter, April Ryan, said Manigault ‘physically intimidated’ her in a manner that could have warranted intervention by the Secret Service,” the Washington Post reports.

“Ryan also said Manigault made verbal threats, including the assertion that Ryan was among several journalists on whom Trump officials had collected ‘dossiers’ of negative information.”

White House Searching for Replacements for Flynn

February 13, 2017 at 10:13 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jared Kushner “is involved in a search for candidates to replace Michael Flynn,” Politico reports.

“The list of possible replacements includes retired Gen. David Petraeus, who’s scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House this week… Other possibilities: Stephen Hadley, who served as national security adviser under President George W. Bush; Tom Bossert, who also served as a national security aide under Bush and now oversees cybersecurity under Trump; Adm. James Stavridis, dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts; and Department of Homeland Security head John Kelly.”

Mnuchin Is Confirmed as Treasury Secretary

February 13, 2017 at 10:11 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Senate confirmed financier Steven Mnuchin as the next Treasury secretary in a 53-47 vote Monday evening, placing him in a leading position to advance President Donald Trump’s plans to revamp financial regulation and the U.S. tax code,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

White House Told Flynn Was Vulnerable to Blackmail

February 13, 2017 at 10:10 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Michael Flynn, the embattled national security adviser, faced an uncertain future on Monday as White House officials delivered conflicting messages about whether he still enjoys the confidence of President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence,” the New York Times reports.

“The Justice Department had warned the White House that Mr. Flynn had misled senior Trump administration officials about whether he had discussed American sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s regime during a phone call with Russia’s ambassador to the United States weeks before the inauguration, and that he could be open to blackmail by Russia.”

“At the same time, Mr. Pence has told administration officials that he believes Mr. Flynn lied to him by saying he had not discussed the topic of sanctions on a call with the ambassador in late December.”

The Washington Post reports the Justice Department warned that Flynn was potentially vulnerable to Russian blackmail.

Puzder’s Nomination In Jeopardy

February 13, 2017 at 5:57 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Four Republican senators have told their leadership they are withholding support for Andrew Puzder, President Trump’s choice for labor secretary, “setting off an intense effort by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and business groups to bring at least two back into the fold so that the nomination does not fail,” CNN reports.

The four, sources say, are Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA).

Key Republican Won’t Seek Trump’s Tax Returns

February 13, 2017 at 5:55 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, won’t use the power he has to request President Trump’s tax returns, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Brady “brushed aside Democrats’ calls for a committee inquiry into Mr. Trump’s taxes and conflicts of interest, saying it would set a precedent for intrusive looks by Congress into individual taxpayers.”

“As chairman of the tax-writing panel, Mr. Brady has the power to get Mr. Trump’s returns from the Internal Revenue Service and review them in closed session with other committee members. The committee can also make the returns – or portions of them – public by submitting a report to the full House.”

White House Still Not Coming to Flynn’s Defense

February 13, 2017 at 5:04 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Michael Flynn’s position as President Trump’s national security adviser appeared to be in peril on Monday as Democrats stepped up their attacks and the White House remained stonily silent,” The Hill reports.

“Sensing blood on the water, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) called the revelations that Flynn spoke about sanctions with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office — and then allegedly misled Vice President Mike Pence about it — ‘proof he should not be entrusted with our national security.’ Meanwhile, reports of turmoil at the National Security Council gave further ammunition to longtime critics of Flynn who believe him to be a loose cannon.”

USA Today: “Trump himself, caught in the hallway by reporters, declined to answer questions about whether he still has confidence in Flynn.”

Miller Got His Start Pestering Hispanic Students

February 13, 2017 at 1:17 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Univision spoke to high school classmates of Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller and found he “had few friends, none of them non-white. They said he used to make fun of the children of Latino and Asian immigrants who did not speak English well.”

“Early on, Miller began to write opinion columns in conservative blogs, the local press and the high school’s own newspaper, The Samohi. He also contributed at times to the national radio show of Larry Elder, a conservative African American, and once invited him to speak at the school. Displaying his hostility toward minorities, Miller complained to school administrators about announcements in Spanish and festivals that celebrated diversity.”

Mar-a-Lago Guest Takes Picture with Nuclear ‘Football’

February 13, 2017 at 12:25 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A visitor to President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida posted a photo with a person he says is responsible for carrying the black bag that contains the nuclear launch codes for the president of the United States,” The Hill reports.

“The existence of the nuclear football isn’t classified. Still, the pictures raise questions about the access enjoyed by Mar-a-Lago members, who have seen their annual membership fee double to $200,000 since Trump won the presidency.”

Christie Summoned to White House

February 13, 2017 at 10:53 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is scheduled to have a lunch meeting with President Trump in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, the Newark Star Ledger reports.

“The meeting comes as speculation intensifies that President Trump has grown unhappy with several members of his inner circle and their performance in the first month of the administration…. Christie, a fellow Republican who has been a longtime friend and confidant to Trump, is expected to discuss a broad range of topics with the president.”

Who Benefits from a White House Shake Up?

February 13, 2017 at 10:00 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

Nearly every major newspaper has speculation this morning that a big White House shake up is coming. Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Press Secretary Sean Spicer — or some combination — are all potentially on the chopping block.

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Ross Plans to Keep Stakes In 11 Companies

February 13, 2017 at 9:59 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Wilbur Ross Jr. plans to keep millions of dollars invested in offshore entities whose values could be affected by policies that he implements as commerce secretary,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Mr. Ross, the 79-year-old private-equity billionaire whom President Donald Trump has nominated to run the Commerce Department, has said that if he is confirmed, he will sell at least 80 business assets and investment funds over the next several months. But he plans to hold on to investments in an oil-tanker company and 10 other entities that invest in shipping and real-estate financing… It isn’t clear why Mr. Ross is retaining these 11 assets.”

How to Connect Trump to Reality

February 13, 2017 at 8:32 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

John Oliver said that even though he normally likes to focus on wonky subjects his first show of 2017 must “address something even bigger: the concept of reality itself.”

Trump Flubs Japanese Prime Minister’s Name

February 13, 2017 at 7:58 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Paul Krugman: “When I travel to Asia, I’m fairly often met at the airport by someone holding a sign reading ‘Mr. Paul.’ Why? In much of Asia, names are given family first, personal second — at home, the prime minister of Japan is referred to as Abe Shinzo. And the mistake is completely forgivable when it’s made by a taxi driver picking up a professor.”

“It’s not so forgivable, however, if the president of the United States makes the same mistake when welcoming the leader of one of our most important economic and security partners. But there it was: Donald Trump referring to Mr. Abe as, yes, Prime Minister Shinzo.”

“Mr. Abe did not, as far as we know, respond by calling his host President Donald.”

Mixed Signals on Whether Flynn Will Survive

February 13, 2017 at 7:55 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Mike Allen: “Any purge will begin with national security adviser Mike Flynn, for lying to Vice President Pence about contacts with Russia on sanctions. In retrospect, that was clear as soon as Trump told reporters Friday evening on Air Force One that he didn’t know about the story, which had been on the front page of that morning’s Washington Post. It was a way for Trump to dodge showing support for Flynn.”

Said one top source: “Spread the butter: He is toast. Lying to Pence damaged Pence’s credibility and the administration’s. That is an unpardonable sin.”

However, a top administration official tells CNN that Flynn has no plans to resign and there are “no expectations that he will be fired.”

Trump Already Talking About Replacing Priebus

February 13, 2017 at 6:58 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Mike Allen: “After watching Trump clean house several times during the campaign, everyone feels on thin ice. This naturally breeds insecurity, ass-covering and endless leaking. Those who don’t fear for their hide are busy gaming out how they rise when someone falls. Trump feeds all of this. It’s why an insider describes the White House hierarchy as ‘fragile.'”

Said one person close to the White House: “These people are insecure because Trump does not respect them. He does not because they have not made any money. He respects Stephen Bannon and Gary Cohn because they are financially successful.”

“Trump has already consulted friends about his next chief of staff. I’m told that to avoid admitting error, Trump plans a smooth transition from Priebus, perhaps by making him a Cabinet secretary!”

Playbook: “In the next few days, we’ll continue to hear a bunch of new names for chief of staff. Replacing Reince right now would be a sure sign of turmoil. But D.C. insiders have been placing bets since inauguration on which senior staff member would be out first. Will it be Reince?”