Government in action
Monday, July 16:
Speaking at a press conference in Helsinki with
Russian President Vladimir Putin at his side, President Trump challenged the
findings of the U.S. Intelligence Community that Russian operatives, under
orders from Putin, interfered in the 2016 presidential election. ÒThey said
they think itÕs Russia,Ó Trump said. ÒI have President
Putin; he just said itÕs not Russia.Ó Trump continued, ÒI
will say this: I donÕt see any reason why it would beÓ Russia that hacked the
election. He added, ÒPresident Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his
denial today.Ó NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/16/world/europe/trump-putin-election-intelligence.html?emc=edit_ne_20180716&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=7599979120180716&te=1
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced Monday he has 'serious concerns' about
Sinclair Broadcast Group's acquisition of Tribune Media, saying he would send
the transaction through a lengthy administrative process often viewed as a
deal-killer." https://bit.ly/2Lqn4Es
Tuesday, July 17:
á
Sixteen
congressional lawmakers testified against TrumpÕs tariffs on newsprint during
the final phase hearing before the International Trade Commission. More than 50
members of Congress have written to both the Commerce
Department or the ITC in opposition. https://bit.ly/2LmyIDA
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The leaders of
Japan and the European Union signed a deal to create one of the world's largest
liberalized trade zones, a contrast to escalating trade disputes between the
U.S. and several of its trading partners. https://on.wsj.com/2Jx7C7R
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Facing sustained criticism from fellow
Republicans, his own aides, and even Fox News, Trump insisted he had misspoken
at the Helsinki news conference with Putin. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/17/world/europe/trump-putin-summit.html?emc=edit_ne_20180717&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=7599979120180717&te=1
Wednesday, July 18
A Russian woman
charged this week with serving as a foreign agent has been in regular contact
with Russian intelligence, the Justice Department says, and she attempted to
offer sex in exchange for a position with an organization she targeted.
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"Prosecutors
included that information in court
documents as part of their request that Maria Butina
be detained ahead of her trial because they say she is a 'serious' flight
risk." https://n.pr/2JzVnHL
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ICE has reported
1,310 claims of sexual abuse against detainees from fiscal years 2013 to 2017.
Though the agency maintains that this number is relatively low — close to
half a million immigrants flow through its detention system each year —
watchdog organizations estimate the occurrence of sexual abuse to be
significantly higher." https://nyti.ms/2zMViAN
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The Washington
Post reported that Trump loyalists at the
Department of Veterans Affairs are taking aggressive steps to purge or reassign
staff members perceived to be disloyal to Trump and his agenda for veterans,
ahead of Robert WilkieÕs likely confirmation to lead
the agency. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-loyalists-at-va-shuffling-purging-employees-before-new-secretary-takes-over/2018/07/18/a4462aae-892d-11e8-8aea-86e88ae760d8_story.html?utm_term=.fe00d0ab756e&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
Thursday, July 19:
The Trump administration proposed an end to
automatic protections for plants and animals under the Endangered Species Act
as well as an end to protection of habitats that foster endangered species.
U.S. Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt said, "These
rules will be very protective," and the changes would reduce the
"conflict and uncertainty" associated with many animals and plants
protected under the Act. Critics said the move was part of the anti-environmental
agenda of the Trump administration. They said it would lead to the extinction
of many species. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/07/19/us/ap-us-trump-endangered-species.html
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In a party-line
vote, Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, under Rep. Devin Nunes, defeated an attempt by panel Democrats to subpoena
the interpreter who worked for Trump during his summit with Putin https://bit.ly/2Nr7b1i
President Trump directed his aids to invite
President Putin of Russia to visit Washington, adding to the uproar and
political confusion following the Trump-Putin summit meeting in Helsinki on
Monday. The announcement apparently caught the director of national intelligence
Dan Coats unawares when he was informed of it in a live
interview by NBCÕs Andrea Mitchell. NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/us/politics/trump-putin-browder-mcfaul.html?emc=edit_ne_20180719&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=7599979120180719&te=1
Friday, July 20:
The New York Times reported prosecutors have
discovered a tape recording secretly made by Michael D. Cohen, President TrumpÕs
long-time fixer and lawyer, in which the two men discuss hush money payments to
a Playboy model two months before the November 2016 presidential election. The
model, Karen McDougal, contends she engaged in a year-long
affair with Trump in 2006, beginning just after the birth of his son, Barron.
TrumpÕs lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, confirmed the existence of the tape, but said
that Trump had done nothing wrong. The recording nevertheless cast doubt on
statements by the Trump campaign that Trump knew nothing about the payments.
NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/20/us/politics/michael-cohen-trump-tape.html?emc=edit_th_180721&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=295858790721
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Senate Finance
Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch sent a letter to Trump, urging him to reconsider
his tariff policies and warning that GOP senators may be ready to risk a
legislative confrontation with the president unless he reverses course on
trade. https://on.wsj.com/2uKQh66
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Since the summit meeting in
Helsinki on Monday, Russia has said presidents Trump and Putin reached
agreement on unspecified military matters. Pentagon officials are struggling to
understand what those agreements might be because the leaders met alone, and
President Trump apparently has not shared the nature of the agreements with the
U.S. military. Secretary of Defense James Mattis kept
a low profile at the summit in Helsinki and did not attend the Cabinet meeting
this week. The Hill:
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/398153-pentagon-put-in-bind-after-trump-putin-summit
Saturday, July 21:
á
Buzzfeed reported that emails and
documents from Tad Devine, who served at the highest levels of the Bernie
Sanders campaign, could be presented as evidence in the Special CounselÕs
prosecution of Paul Manafort, Donald TrumpÕs former
campaign chair. http://bit.ly/2A05Ahe
The Trump
administration disclosed on Saturday a previously top-secret set of documents
related to the wiretapping of Carter Page, the onetime Trump campaign adviser
who was at the center of highly contentious accusations by Republicans on the
House Intelligence Committee that the F.B.I. had abused its surveillance
powers. ...
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"The
documents made public on Saturday were heavily redacted in places ... Visible portions showed that the F.B.I. in stark terms had told
the intelligence court that Mr. Page 'has established relationships with Russian
government officials, including Russian intelligence officers'; that the bureau
believed 'the Russian government's efforts are being coordinated with Page and
perhaps other individuals associated with' Mr. Trump's campaign; and that Mr.
Page 'has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian government.'"
https://nyti.ms/2uGnL6y
Sunday, July 22:
á
The Washington Post reported that
several years ago Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh
suggested that the unanimous high court ruling in 1974 that
forced President Richard Nixon to turn over the Watergate tapes, leading to the
end of his presidency, may have been wrongly decided. http://bit.ly/2JIhbBa