Monday,
July 31
á Putin
ordered 755 U.S. diplomats out of Russia in retaliation for a U.S. bill that imposes
sanctions on Russia. http://tinyurl.com/y6vubx98
á Anthony
Scaramucci was removed as White House Communications Director, reportedly at
the insistence of new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. http://tinyurl.com/ya6t2b7u
á According
to a Washington Post opinion piece by E. J. Dionne, the U.S. has almost
crossed a line from democracy to autocracy as witnessed by TrumpÕs lawless
threats, CongressÕ reckless approach to healthcare, and a Trump appointed commission
aimed at voter suppression. http://tinyurl.com/y86pkafb
á USA Today reported that the political empire
affiliated with billionaire Charles Koch has spent $2 million to date to
advance TrumpÕs tax-cut agenda. http://tinyurl.com/y8vuvqr6
á The
Washington Post reported that Trump dictated his son Donald JrÕs statement that
said ÒDonald Jr. met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign.Ó https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-dictated-sons-misleading-statement-on-meeting-with-russian-lawyer/2017/07/31/04c94f96-73ae-11e7-8f39-eeb7d3a2d304_story.html?utm_term=.bd61068a5b47.
Tuesday,
Aug. 1
á A
federal court ruled that a coalition of 16 state attorneys general, all of whom
want to preserve Obamacare subsidies, may intervene in the appeal of a lawsuit
over the fate of cost-sharing subsidies.
The ruling could make it more difficult for Trump to carry out threats
to cut off the payments. http://tinyurl.com/y7b5lsym
á At one of the nationÕs largest
cybersecurity conferences, attendees were invited to get hands-on experience
hacking a slew of electronic voting machines demonstrating how easy the process
can be. http://tinyurl.com/yber9w2x
á A lawsuit was filed by a former Washington, D.C.,
homicide detective claiming the White House or Trump was involved in a
discredited Fox News story about the killing of a Democratic National Committee
staffer last July. http://tinyurl.com/y6tvuqgl
á A
federal appeals court retained protection for gray wolves in the western Great
Lakes region saying the government made errors by dropping them from the
endangered species list. http://tinyurl.com/yblawfrb
á Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
ordered his department to define a new mission statement. The new one has
eliminated any mention of promoting democracy. http://tinyurl.com/y8lgr3wk
Wednesday,
Aug. 2
á Attorney General Jeff Sessions
appointed General Mark S. Inch as the director of the Federal Bureau of
Prisons. Inch served as head of Army Corrections. http://tinyurl.com/y8t4yc63
á According to the Washington Post, the
relationship between President Trump and Senate Republicans has deteriorated so
sharply that some are openly defying his directives. http://tinyurl.com/y7tumq76
á Trump
signed a bill that imposes new sanctions on Russia, a bill he called Òseriously
flawed,Ó because it limits his ability to negotiate sanctions without
congressional approval. http://tinyurl.com/ycbruxc3
á Trump
endorsed a new bill in the Senate aimed at slashing legal immigration levels
over the next decade. http://tinyurl.com/ycnqdv8e
á The White House reportedly is considering
replacing the 8,500-strong US military contingent in Afghanistan with private
contractors. http://tinyurl.com/yata6xau
á The
Senate confirmed Christopher Wray as the next director of the FBI. http://tinyurl.com/y9lb8j8j
á The
New York Times reported that Trump directed the Justice Department to explore
if it can sue colleges over affirmative action policies that discriminate
against white applicants. http://tinyurl.com/ya7k5dlj
á GOP Senators
Tom Cotton and David Perdue introduced legislation aimed at limiting legal
immigration to high-skilled workers who speak English. http://tinyurl.com/yc53fcrl
á Elizabeth
Southerland, a 30-year EPA senior official with a Ph.D. in environmental
science, left the EPA saying that her agency is being steered in a disastrously
wrong direction by EPA chief Scott Pruitt. She warned that Pruitt plans to
repeal 30 rules aimed at industry deregulation of toxic substances, abandoning
the polluter pays principal and instead pursuing policies that threaten human
health. http://tinyurl.com/ybo6f8uy
Thursday,
Aug. 3
á The Daily
Beast reported that documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act
reveal that the Department of Homeland Security ordered agents not to
answer questions from members of Congress and lawyers at airports during the
travel ban. http://tinyurl.com/yc43ds6t
á Secretary
of State Rex Tillerson threatened regime change in Venezuela saying Òeither
Maduro decides he doesnÕt have a future and wants to leave of his own accord or
we can return the government processes back to their constitution.Ó http://tinyurl.com/ybjbvbcw
á The Washington Post released a transcript of
TrumpÕs conversation with President Enrique of Mexico in which Trump, talking
about EnriqueÕs refusal to pay for the Ôwall,Õ said, ÒBut you cannot say that
to the press. The press is going to go with that and
I cannot live with that.Ó http://tinyurl.com/yddsnpm3
á Trump
blamed Congress for the countryÕs deteriorating relationship with Russia,
tweeting that itÕs Òat an all-time & very dangerous low.Ó http://tinyurl.com/ycrlsm98
á The
New York Times reported that a four-year, $1 billion CIA program to arm and
train Syrian rebels was ended by Trump. It was one of the costliest covert
action programs in U.S. history and where some weapons ended up in the hands of
ISIS and al Qaeda rebels. http://tinyurl.com/yc2botd4
á According
to The Hill, six republican states are quietly working with Trump to cut
Medicaid by creating new minimum rules to qualify for aid. http://tinyurl.com/yac8ygzu
á CBS
reported that two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are moving to
protect special counsel MuellerÕs job with legislation to ensure the integrity
of his investigations. http://tinyurl.com/ycpv75d2
á The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that this summerÕs
Gulf of Mexico dead zone, surrounding the effluent of the Mississippi River, is
the largest ever recorded. http://tinyurl.com/y9asq3yz
á Moyers
& Company reported that the HouseÕs appropriations bill includes
riders that would further pare back campaign finance rules, rules previously
decimated through Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United. http://tinyurl.com/ybjyds9e
á Robert
Powelson, who accused natural gas pipeline opponents of waging a ÒjihadÓ
against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, was confirmed as one of this
agencyÕs commissioners. http://tinyurl.com/y7qbl6ae
á The
Senate enacted procedures to keep it from formally adjourning this month to
prevent Trump from making any recess appointments. http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/345261-senate-blocks-trump-from-making-recess-appointments-over-break
á According
to Truthout, Dr. Jerome Adams, who was confirmed as the new Surgeon General, has
a record of views that oppose those of Trump. http://tinyurl.com/y9gf26pm
Friday,
Aug. 4
á The
Washington Post reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller began using a
grand jury several weeks ago as part of his Russia investigation – making
it more politically difficult for Trump to fire him. http://tinyurl.com/ybua7wne
á According
to Bloomberg News, the Department of Education had cut off student aid to
Charlotte School of Law because it had violated federal law and misled
students. Then the school hired Betsy DeVosÕs confirmation aide and lobbyist.
Now DeVos is considering reinstating student aid. http://tinyurl.com/y9d6lpd8
á According
to The Washington Post and two tax lawyers, Trump may have committed tax fraud
when he sold two condos to his son. http://tinyurl.com/yaq9mh74
á The
Secret Service vacated its command post inside Trump Tower in Manhattan over a
dispute between the government and TrumpÕs company over the terms of a lease
for the space. The post was relocated to a trailer on the sidewalk, more than
50 floors below, a distance that some security experts worry could hamper the
agency that protects the presidentÕs home and family. http://tinyurl.com/y8exdrq7
á According to The Nation, TrumpÕs base of
support is collapsing because, in failing to lead on major issues including
healthcare, foreign policy, and the disarray of his White House, heÕs losing
the faith of the American people. http://tinyurl.com/y8d7wwx3
á Attorney General Sessions announced a major
crackdown on leaks including creating a new counterintelligence unit in
the FBI to manage the work. http://tinyurl.com/y7aflfo3
á It
was widely reported that in May, federal prosecutors subpoenaed documents from Jared
KushnerÕs family company, TrumpÕs son-in-law and senior adviser, over its use
of the EB-5 federal visa program to allegedly ÒsellÓ green cards to Chinese
investors. http://tinyurl.com/y83gsc2q
á Vanity Fair
reported that Trump is making a radical transformation of the nationÕs courts
by filling vacancies. He has nominated 18 people for district judgeship
vacancies, 14 for circuit courts and the Court of Federal Claims, and 23 for US
attorney slots. http://tinyurl.com/y9cfuw4p
á According to ProPublica, the federal
government appears to have significantly underestimated the amount of lead,
arsenic and other dangerous pollutants that are sent into the air from
uncontrolled burning of hazardous munitions. http://tinyurl.com/ydbmqg25
á The House
Budget CommitteeÕs 2018 budget resolution has deep cuts in student aid for low
and moderate-income students going to college, according to the Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities. http://tinyurl.com/yat8bwu7
á Attorney
General Sessions said he wouldnÕt consider four cities interested in the
recently announced Public Safety Partnership program until they agree to step
up assistance to ICE agents carrying out deportations. http://tinyurl.com/ya55udgg
Saturday,
Aug. 5
á TrumpÕs
military decisions, including delegating authority from the White House to
commanders in the field, have dramatically accelerated gains against ISIS
militants. http://tinyurl.com/yc738jom
á According
to The Washington Post, the Pentagon announced that a contingent of US
ground troops is now involved in Yemen to oust al-Qaeda fighters and that it
might commit more troops. http://tinyurl.com/ycghvjdj
á The
Trump administration ÒofficiallyÓ told the U.N. that the U.S. intends to pull
out of the 2015 Paris climate pact. http://tinyurl.com/yccn2h5o
Sunday,
Aug. 6
á Deputy Atorney
General Rosenstein said special counsel Mueller can investigate any crimes he
uncovers in scope of his probe after Trump claims it would be
inappropriate for Mueller to dig into his family finances. http://tinyurl.com/yajdqpt5