Monday, Jan. 29
The
House Intelligence Committee on voted to release a GOP-crafted memo alleging
what some Republicans said are ÒshockingÓ surveillance abuses at the FBI and
the Department of Justice. Democrats said the memo is part of an assault by
Republicans to undermine special counsel Robert MuellerÕs probe into Russian
interference in the 2016 presidential election. The Hill: http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/371280-house-intel-votes-to-make-nunes-memo-public?userid=280231
Andrew
McCabe stepped down as deputy director of the FBI on Monday, in response to intense
pressure from President Trump and Republicans in Congress who have been urging
his dismissal. McCabe had planned to leave the FBI in 2018, but will go on
leave immediately, and then retire in mid-March, when he is eligible to receive
full pension benefits. Republican allies of Trump have called for McCabeÕs
resignation, accusing him of bias in his handling of the Hillary Clinton email
case. The Hill: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/371216-deputy-fbi-director-mccabe-stepping-down-report?userid=280231.
Tuesday, Jan. 30
House
speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) defended Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general.
He said Rosenstein is doing a Òfine jobÓ overseeing the Russia investigation,
and that President Trump should not fire him. The president has reportedly
considered removing Rosenstein, who authorized extending surveillance of a
Trump campaign official following TrumpÕs inauguration. The Hill: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/371375-ryan-rosenstein-doing-a-fine-job?rnd=1517326894/?userid=280231
Speaker
Paul D. Ryan said he wanted Americans to see a secret memo that represents the
early stages of the Trump-Russia investigation as shocking, he also he
cautioned Republican members of the House not to use the memo to attack Robert
S. Mueller III, the special counsel directing the investigation. ÒThis is a
completely separate matter from Bob MuellerÕs investigation, and his
investigation should be allowed to take its course,Ó Mr. Ryan said. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/us/politics/secret-memo-mueller-russia-investigation.html?emc=edit_tnt_20180131&nlid=29585879&tntemail0=y
In his
first State of the Union address, President Trump called for bipartisan action
on infrastructure development and immigration. He asked a deeply divided Congress
nation to work together after an unprecedented first year of confrontation and
partisanship. The president highlighted the growing economy and surging stock. ÒThis
is our new American moment,Ó he said. ÒThere has never been a better time to
start living the American dream.Ó The Hill: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/371525-trump-makes-case-hes-stoking-american-dream?userid=280231
Reporters
from The New York Times fact-checked President TrumpÕs first State of the Union
address. They found numerous falsehoods and misleading statements taken out of
context. It was consistent with the presidentÕs first year in office, when
Trump has been caught telling one lie after another. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/us/politics/fact-check-sotu.html
Wednesday, Jan. 31
Brenda
Fitzgerald, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned
the day after reports that she traded tobacco stocks while heading the agency. ÒThis
morning Secretary Azar accepted Dr. Brenda FitzgeraldÕs resignation as Director
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,Ó said a statement from the
Department of Health and Human Services. The resignation occurred in the middle
of the nationÕs worst flu epidemic in nearly a decade The Hill: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/371592-cdc-head-resigns-after-report-she-traded-tobacco-stocks?userid=280231
Thursday, Feb. 1
In a
speech at a Republican retreat in West Virginia, above, Mr. Trump criticized
Democrats for not applauding at his State of the Union address. Earlier, he
boasted — incorrectly — that the address drew the highest number of
viewers in the speechÕs history. He was off by millions (and his address ranks
ninth). NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/01/us/politics/trump-ratings-crowd-size.html?emc=edit_ne_20180201&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=75999791&te=1
Friday, Feb. 2
House
Republicans released a previously secret memo written by Republican staff
members of the House Intelligence Committee and declassified by President
Trump. The highly controversial is disputed by Democrats. It asserts that
F.B.I. officials abused their authority and favored Democrats in the early
stages of the Russia inquiry. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/02/us/politics/nunes-memo-gop-fbi-annotated.html?emc=edit_ne_20180202&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=75999791&te=1
On
Friday, stocks tumbled by more than 2 percent, propelling the market to its
worst week in two years.
The
immediate cause appeared to be the jobs report, showing that the strong U.S.
economy might finally be translating into rising wages for American workers
— a sign that inflation take hold in the not-too-distant future. Investors
are concerned that low interest rate may rise sooner and more quickly than they
had anticipated. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/business/stock-market-interest-rates.html?emc=edit_ne_20180202&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=75999791&te=1
The
worst flu season in nearly a decade continues apace and has filled emergency
rooms and medical centers across the nation. The 2017-18 flu infections have surpassed
those of the 2014-15 season, when 710,000 Americans were hospitalized and
56,000 died. The New York Times reported that this year, 53 children have died;
by the time the flu season ended in 2015, 148 children had died. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/health/flu-symptoms-virus-hospital.html?emc=edit_ne_20180202&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=75999791&te=1
Saturday, Feb. 3
In the
109 years of the FBIÕs existence, it has come under fire for invading the
privacy of citizens and abusing their civil rights. From the ÒRed ScaresÓ of
the 1920s to McCarthyism to infiltration of the civil rights movement, to
overreach in digital surveillance, the Bureau has often weathered sever
criticism. The FBI is again under intense scrutiny, but unlike the past, it is not
from the left or centrist politicians. The attacks are coming from conservative
Republicans, who have traditionally offered the Bureau their unfailing support.
President Trump has led the charge. WP: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/inside-the-fbi-anger-worry-work--and-fears-of-lasting-damage/2018/02/03/899a7442-086f-11e8-94e8-e8b8600ade23_story.html?undefined=&utm_term=.1a314e48b6a4&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1
President
Trump refused to say whether he had confidence in Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy
attorney general, who appointed special counsel Robert Mueller. RosensteinÕs
tenure as the top top Justice Department official overseeing the Russia probe was
thrown into question. When Trump was asked if he still had confidence in Rosenstein
or was more likely to dismiss him following the release of the controversial
Republican memo, he responded ÒYou figure that one out.Ó WP: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-department-official-overseeing-mueller-and-russia-probe-under-increasing-pressure/2018/02/02/08586ea0-06c8-11e8-8777-2a059f168dd2_story.html?utm_term=.fc0825ae6ded&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1
Sunday, Feb. 4
Republicans
prospects in the midterm elections may be improving, as recent polls that show
their numbers improving. An enthusiastic President Trump hyped the shift in
public sentiment reflected in recent polls during a Republican retreat in West
Virginia. ÒI just looked at some numbers, youÕve even done better than you
thought,Ó Trump told the Republican retreat. http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/372101-gop-growing-optimistic-about-midterm-chances?userid=280231