Monday, Jan. 15

As the nation paid tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., some of his relatives sharply criticized President Trump on over his outlook on race and its effect on the country. Speaking to a congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the Rev. Bernice King, Dr. KingÕs youngest child ÒWe cannot allow the nations of the world to embrace the words that come from our president as a reflection of the true spirit of America.Ó NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/15/us/martin-luther-king-children-trump.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FKing%2C%20Martin%20Luther%20Jr.&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection  

Tuesday, Jan. 16

The New York times reported on Tuesday that Stephen K. Bannon, President TrumpÕs former chief strategist, was subpoenaed last week by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, to testify before a grand jury as part of the investigation into possible links between Mr. TrumpÕs associates and Russia, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

The move marked the first time Mr. Mueller is known to have used a grand jury subpoena to seek information from a member of Mr. TrumpÕs inner circle. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/us/politics/steve-bannon-mueller-russia-subpoena.html?emc=edit_th_180117&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=29585879

Wednesday, Jan. 17

Cardiologists not associated with the White House said Wednesday that President TrumpÕs physical exam revealed serious heart concerns, including very high levels of so-called bad cholesterol, which raises the risk that Mr. Trump could have a heart attack while in office. The presidentÕs personal physician had said that he was in Òexcellent health.Ó NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/us/politics/trump-physical-heart-health-cholesterol.html?emc=edit_th_180118&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=29585879  

John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff told Democratic lawmakers that some of the hard-line policies President Trump advocated during the campaign were Òuninformed.Ó He said that the United States will never build a wall along its entire southern border, and that Mexico will never pay for it. http://www.sentinelsource.com/mcclatchy/kelly-tells-lawmakers-that-trump-s-campaign-promises-over-border/article_728d72b2-a57b-5baa-82c6-4e95c94b699a.html

Thursday, Jan. 18

President Trump contradicted comments that his chief of staff, John F. Kelly, made on Wednesday. In back-to-back tweets Thursday morning, the president characterized the North American Free Trade Agreement Òa bad jokeÓ and said that new trade deals with Mexico would pay for the wall Òdirectly or indirectly.Ó Trump tweeted: ÒThe Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it.Ó WP: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/kelly-calls-some-of-trumps-campaign-pledges-on-immigration-and-wall-uninformed-meeting-attendees-say/2018/01/17/3e2524bc-fb86-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html?undefined=&utm_term=.90fcdc176219&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1

 

The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower courtÕs order requiring North Carolina lawmakers to revise the stateÕs congressional voting map, increasing that the midterm elections this year will be conducted using districts favorable to Republican candidates.

The lower court found that Republican legislators in the state violated the Constitution by drawing congressional voting districts to damage the electoral chances of Democratic candidates. NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/18/us/politics/supreme-court-north-carolina-gerrymandering.html

The Senate voted to extend by six years a controversial law known as section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It authorizes the National Security AgencyÕs warrantless surveillance program. Under Section 702, the government, without a warrant, may collect from American companies, like AT&T and Google, the emails, texts, phone calls and other private messages of foreigners abroad — even when those targets communicate with Americans. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/18/us/politics/surveillance-congress-snowden-privacy.html

Friday, Jan. 19

Secretary of defense, Jim Mattis revealed major changes in U.S. defense policy. After more than 16 years of focusing on the fight against terrorism, the United States is switching its priority to countering Chinese and Russian military might. Pentagon officials said the new national security strategy will provide a blueprint for years to come. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/19/us/politics/military-china-russia-terrorism-focus.html?emc=edit_th_180120&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=29585879

The federal government shut down for the first time in more than four years Friday after senators rejected a temporary spending patch and bipartisan efforts to find an alternative fell short as a midnight deadline came and went. https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/shutdown-looms-as-senate-democrats-dig-in-against-gop-spending-plan/2018/01/19/f4370868-fccd-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html?utm_term=.a233e98147d3&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1

Saturday, Jan. 20

A year after millions of people turned out for the WomenÕs March, demonstrators gathered in cities across the United States, galvanized by their disdain for Mr. Trump and his administrationÕs policies. More than 200,000 protesters attended the march in New York City. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/20/us/womens-march.html

One year to the day after taking office with vows to end dysfunction in Washington, President Trump, bitterly cast blame for the Government shutdown on Democrats. He said they had orchestrated the shutdown to mar the anniversary of his inauguration. It is the first time that a government shutdown has occurred when the White House and both houses of Congress were controlled by the same party. Mr. Trump cancelled a lavish $100,000-per-couple party to celebrate his first year in office, which was to be held at his Mar a Lago property. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/20/16912726/trump-shutdown

Sunday, Jan. 21

Adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have slept with Donald Trump not long after he married Melania, performed yesterday and today at a strip club in Greenville, South Carolina, capitalizing on her newfound fame after the Wall Street Journal reported she had received hush money before the 2016 election. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/stormy-daniels-star-of-the-latest-trump-sideshow-took-her-act-to-a-strip-club-it-was-a-scene/2018/01/21/57a469d2-fe7b-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html?utm_term=.e548201887cf&wpisrc=al_trending_now__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1