Monday, Feb.
6
á
Ten former top
security officials, including Madeleine Albright and Michael Hayden, wrote to
the U.S. Appeals Court that the Muslim ban Òwas ill-conceived, poorly
implemented, and ill-explained.Ó
á
The White House,
in reaction to an assertion by President Trump that the Òvery dishonest pressÓ
ignores terrorist incidents, released a list of 78 terrorist attacks, many of
which were extensively covered by the media.
á
An open letter from EPA employees opposed
TrumpÕs pick to lead the agency.
Tuesday, Feb.
7
á
Betsy DeVos was
confirmed as Secretary of Education.
á
At a meeting with county sheriffs, a Texas
sheriff complained about a Democratic senator, and Trump offered to destroy the
senatorÕs career.
á
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced
its intent to grant the final easement needed for the Dakota Access pipeline.
á
A deputy assistant to Trump said
administration will continue to use the term Òfake newsÓ until the media
understands attacking the president is wrong.
á
HR899, House
bill introduced to terminate the Department of
Education.
á
HR958, House
bill introduced to eliminate certain programs of the
EPA.
á
HJRes44, House
resolution passed to restrict citizen input on public land use planning such as the recent attempt to sell off 3 million acres of
public land. It rolls back a rule
that gave local citizens a greater voice in the Bureau of Land ManagementÕs
planning process.
Wednesday,
Feb. 8
á Senate
Republicans silenced Senator Elizabeth Warren after she read a letter written
by civil rights icon Coretta Scott King opposing the confirmation of Jeff
Sessions to a federal judgeship in 1986.
á President
Trump denounced court arguments against his immigration ban as ÒdisgracefulÓ
and said, ÒBut courts seem to be so political and it would be so great for our
justice system if they would be able to read a statement and do whatÕs right.Ó
á Jeff
Sessions confirmed for Attorney General.
á TrumpÕs
nominee for the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, called
the president's criticism of the judiciary ÒdishearteningÓ and Òdemoralizing.Ó
á Draft
executive order would allow ISIS suspects to be housed at Guantanamo.
á Trump bashed Nordstrom for dropping IvankaÕs
clothing line.
Thursday,
Feb. 9
á Kellyanne Conway,
TrumpÕs Counselor, tells TV audiences to Ògo buy IvankaÕs
stuff,Ó and gets counseled by legal experts for breaking a key ethics law
banning federal employees from using their public office to endorse products.
á 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals maintains freeze of TrumpÕs
immigration ban. Trump responds to
ruling with ÒSee you in court.Ó
á ItÕs
revealed that National Security Adviser Michael Flynn privately discussed U.S.
sanctions against Russia with that countryÕs ambassador to the U.S. during the
month before Trump took office, a possible violation of the Logan Act, which
prevents U.S. citizens interfering in foreign diplomacy.
á Trump
plans to suspend a 2010 rule that discourages American companies from funding
conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo through
their purchase of minerals.
á Trump
plans to name Charles Cooper as Solicitor General. Cooper, a close friend of
Jeff Sessions, defended CaliforniaÕs Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage.
The U.S. Solicitor General represents the legal position of the U.S. in the
Supreme Court.
á A
resolution is introduced in Congress to eliminate rules that limit overdraft
fees for debit cards — a move that could be to the advantage of predatory
lenders charging unreasonable and abusive overdraft fees.
á HJRes70, House resolution introduced disapproving the rule
submitted by the Department of the Interior on requirements for exploratory
drilling on the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf.
Friday, Feb.
10
á Trump considered a rewrite of his order barring entry into the
country from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
á Congressional Democrats urged the U.S. Congress to obtain
TrumpÕs tax records to examine possible conflicts of interest.
á Tom Price was sworn in as Health and Human Services secretary.
á Mike
Catanzaro, a climate change denier, will become a top White House energy policy
aide.
Catanzaro is a lobbyist for numerous oil and gas companies.
Saturday,
Feb. 11
á Trump
administration dropped federal defense of guidelines protecting access to
bathrooms for transgender students.
á Regarding
Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, US investigators have
corroborated some aspects of communications detailed in a 35-page, previously
unverified, dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent.
Sunday, Feb.
12
á
Domestic advisor
Stephen Miller, who participated in drafting the now-suspended travel ban, argues that the
president has absolute authority to protect the nationÕs borders and warns that
the whole world will soon see that the president's
executive powers Òwill not be questioned.Ó
á Miller, in
support of TrumpÕs claims that voter fraud had influenced New HampshireÕs
election, refuses to provide any evidence but cites unsubstantiated claims that
thousands of illegal voters were transported from Massachusetts to New
Hampshire.