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| Trump on US-North Korea relations: 'We are doing just fine!' – live | Trump on US-North Korea relations: 'We are doing just fine!' – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Special counsel Robert Mueller has urged a federal judge to reject Michael Flynn’s attempts to “minimize the seriousness” of his crimes ahead of his sentencing. | |
| In a sentencing memo earlier this week, Flynn’s lawyers claimed that FBI agents had misled the former national security adviser by not telling him how severe the penalty is for lying to the FBI. The lawyers said Flynn should be spared prison time as a result. | |
| But on Friday Mueller told the judge that Flynn had “made his decision” to lie to investigators two weeks before his interview with the FBI, dismissing any suggestion Flynn had been exploited or tricked. | |
| “The Court should reject the defendant’s attempt to minimize the seriousness of those false statements to the FBI,” Mueller said. | |
| Flynn is due to be sentenced on Tuesday at 11am. Mueller’s team had recommended Flynn be given a sentence at “the low end” of the zero to six months guidance range. | |
| Mueller’s full filing to the court is here. | |
| Scott Walker has committed an “assault on democracy” by signing bills designed to limit the power of the incoming Democratic governor of Wisconsin, the Democratic Governors Association has said. | |
| From the DGA’s communications director Jared Leopold: | |
| By signing this shameful and undemocratic legislation, Governor Scott Walker is cementing his legacy of extreme partisanship and divisiveness. This power grab is an assault on democracy – and it will not stand up to legal scrutiny. This is nothing short of an attempt to overrule the will of the voters of Wisconsin. | |
| In a democracy, you don’t get to change the rules just because you lost. Governor Walker has refused to come to terms with the simple fact that Wisconsin voted for change in November. We urge governors across the country to stand with us in condemning this affront to democracy and gubernatorial responsibility. | |
| DGA Statement on @ScottWalker Signing Power Grab Legislation #WIGov #WIPoliticshttps://t.co/CT96Eo1dRS | |
| Trump has been a change from Obama even at the culinary level. | Trump has been a change from Obama even at the culinary level. |
| The New York Times reports on how Trump has not involved himself in DC’s restaurant scene in a jarring contrast to his predecessor. | The New York Times reports on how Trump has not involved himself in DC’s restaurant scene in a jarring contrast to his predecessor. |
| "The only restaurant the Trumps are known to have frequented is the steakhouse at the Trump Hotel. Trump, a proud non-foodie, prefers fast food and overflowing bowls of ice cream to charred brussels sprouts or shakshuka from restaurants with wait-lists." https://t.co/HZTDa2X9TR | "The only restaurant the Trumps are known to have frequented is the steakhouse at the Trump Hotel. Trump, a proud non-foodie, prefers fast food and overflowing bowls of ice cream to charred brussels sprouts or shakshuka from restaurants with wait-lists." https://t.co/HZTDa2X9TR |
| With the question of whether outgoing Congresswoman Martha McSally will be appointed to the Senate once held by John McCain after losing her own Senate this year, McCain’s family is chiming in. | With the question of whether outgoing Congresswoman Martha McSally will be appointed to the Senate once held by John McCain after losing her own Senate this year, McCain’s family is chiming in. |
| His son-in-law, Ben Domenech tweeted some pointed criticism of McSally that was then retweeted by his wife, Meghan McCain. | His son-in-law, Ben Domenech tweeted some pointed criticism of McSally that was then retweeted by his wife, Meghan McCain. |
| 👀 pic.twitter.com/Ex0rr3l2D0 | 👀 pic.twitter.com/Ex0rr3l2D0 |
| Utah Republican Orrin Hatch walked about statements he made about Donald Trump earlier this week where he dismissed criminal allegations against the President. | Utah Republican Orrin Hatch walked about statements he made about Donald Trump earlier this week where he dismissed criminal allegations against the President. |
| “I regret speaking imprudently. I don’t believe the President broke the law, but one of the core principles of our country is that no one is above the law. That means anyone who does break the law should face appropriate consequences. | “I regret speaking imprudently. I don’t believe the President broke the law, but one of the core principles of our country is that no one is above the law. That means anyone who does break the law should face appropriate consequences. |
| Hatch issues statement regretting comments he made to me earlier this week about Trump and Cohen allegations. Says no one is above the law. Video of his initial comments in our story here https://t.co/QuTov2XW4D https://t.co/ameHMvtIKM | Hatch issues statement regretting comments he made to me earlier this week about Trump and Cohen allegations. Says no one is above the law. Video of his initial comments in our story here https://t.co/QuTov2XW4D https://t.co/ameHMvtIKM |
| Chris Christie, who announced he would not be White House chief of staff earlier today, apparently has a score settling memoir coming out next month. | Chris Christie, who announced he would not be White House chief of staff earlier today, apparently has a score settling memoir coming out next month. |
| Christie's lucrative memoir, which is expected to settle some scores, will come out in January. It's finished. Being chief of staff would have complicated that... | Christie's lucrative memoir, which is expected to settle some scores, will come out in January. It's finished. Being chief of staff would have complicated that... |
| ProPublica reports that the Trump Inaugural Committee spent money at the Trump hotel in Washington. This raises serious legal questions. | ProPublica reports that the Trump Inaugural Committee spent money at the Trump hotel in Washington. This raises serious legal questions. |
| During the planning, Ivanka Trump, the president-elect’s eldest daughter and a senior executive with the Trump Organization, was involved in negotiating the price the hotel charged the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee for venue rentals. A top inaugural planner emailed Ivanka and others at the company to “express my concern” that the hotel was overcharging for its event spaces, worrying of what would happen “when this is audited.” | During the planning, Ivanka Trump, the president-elect’s eldest daughter and a senior executive with the Trump Organization, was involved in negotiating the price the hotel charged the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee for venue rentals. A top inaugural planner emailed Ivanka and others at the company to “express my concern” that the hotel was overcharging for its event spaces, worrying of what would happen “when this is audited.” |
| If the Trump hotel charged more than the going rate for the venues, it could violate tax law. The inaugural committee’s payments to the Trump Organization and Ivanka Trump’s role have not been previously reported or disclosed in public filings. | If the Trump hotel charged more than the going rate for the venues, it could violate tax law. The inaugural committee’s payments to the Trump Organization and Ivanka Trump’s role have not been previously reported or disclosed in public filings. |
| Andrew Stiles at the Washington Free Beacon has some quirky ideas for the next chief of staff. | Andrew Stiles at the Washington Free Beacon has some quirky ideas for the next chief of staff. |
| Stiles was one of the writers to envision a Trump inauguration in 2015. | Stiles was one of the writers to envision a Trump inauguration in 2015. |
| In ex-chief of staff news, Reince Priebus is joining the Navy. | In ex-chief of staff news, Reince Priebus is joining the Navy. |
| Priebus, with lobbying from Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, appears to be on course to become a naval reserve officer. | Priebus, with lobbying from Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, appears to be on course to become a naval reserve officer. |
| Priebus’s press secretary Sean Spicer, has long been a naval reserve officer. | Priebus’s press secretary Sean Spicer, has long been a naval reserve officer. |
| Losing Senate candidate and potential 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke doesn’t know if he’s progressive. | Losing Senate candidate and potential 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke doesn’t know if he’s progressive. |
| Asked if he’s a progressive, @BetoORourke says, ‘I don’t know.’ He’s not big on labels, he says pic.twitter.com/gDczpTZ2Bb | Asked if he’s a progressive, @BetoORourke says, ‘I don’t know.’ He’s not big on labels, he says pic.twitter.com/gDczpTZ2Bb |
| Congressional Republicans will be short one vote in any funding fight. | Congressional Republicans will be short one vote in any funding fight. |
| Walter Jones, an iconoclastic Republican from North Carolina, will not be returning to Washington for the rest of the year for health reasons. | Walter Jones, an iconoclastic Republican from North Carolina, will not be returning to Washington for the rest of the year for health reasons. |
| Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., won't be coming back to the Capitol for the rest of the year due to illness, according to a statement in the Congressional Record.That's one more House Republican vote that leaders won't have.https://t.co/xHBqpeFSKh | Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., won't be coming back to the Capitol for the rest of the year due to illness, according to a statement in the Congressional Record.That's one more House Republican vote that leaders won't have.https://t.co/xHBqpeFSKh |
| President Donald Trump has just tweeted about U.S. relations with North Korea where he says “we are in no hurry” to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and deal with Kim Jong Un’s rogue regime. | President Donald Trump has just tweeted about U.S. relations with North Korea where he says “we are in no hurry” to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and deal with Kim Jong Un’s rogue regime. |
| ....Kim Jong Un sees it better than anyone and will fully take advantage of it for his people. We are doing just fine! | ....Kim Jong Un sees it better than anyone and will fully take advantage of it for his people. We are doing just fine! |
| NBC News just reported that North Korea continues to flout international sanctions. | NBC News just reported that North Korea continues to flout international sanctions. |
| Outgoing Wisconsin governor Scott Walker just announced he will sign all of the legislation passed by the Republican state legislature to limit the power of the incoming governor and attorney general as well as to limit early voting in the state. | Outgoing Wisconsin governor Scott Walker just announced he will sign all of the legislation passed by the Republican state legislature to limit the power of the incoming governor and attorney general as well as to limit early voting in the state. |
| Democrats have decried the move as a power grab and have threatened litigation. | Democrats have decried the move as a power grab and have threatened litigation. |
| And here it is...Walker: “I’ll be signing each of these three bills in their entirety.” | And here it is...Walker: “I’ll be signing each of these three bills in their entirety.” |
| Fresh out of jail, George Papadopoulos has told the Daily Telegraph that he is considering a congressional run in Orange County, California. The longtime Republican bastion was swept by Democrats in the 2018 midterms. | Fresh out of jail, George Papadopoulos has told the Daily Telegraph that he is considering a congressional run in Orange County, California. The longtime Republican bastion was swept by Democrats in the 2018 midterms. |
| NEW: George Papadopoulos, the Trump adviser jailed over Russia meddling probe, wants to run for Congress in 2020.He tells me he is looking at seats in Orange County (Nixon’s birthplace) and is already taking to donors.Full interview: https://t.co/bUmOuO6uyE pic.twitter.com/6roXm6RccU | NEW: George Papadopoulos, the Trump adviser jailed over Russia meddling probe, wants to run for Congress in 2020.He tells me he is looking at seats in Orange County (Nixon’s birthplace) and is already taking to donors.Full interview: https://t.co/bUmOuO6uyE pic.twitter.com/6roXm6RccU |
| Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is sitting on $164,000 after raising millions of dollars for doomed presidential campaign recounts. However, she’s not using any of it to pay the $53,000 in outstanding fines levied against her campaign by the Federal Election Commission. | Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is sitting on $164,000 after raising millions of dollars for doomed presidential campaign recounts. However, she’s not using any of it to pay the $53,000 in outstanding fines levied against her campaign by the Federal Election Commission. |
| Dave Levinthal at the Center for Public Integrity reports: | Dave Levinthal at the Center for Public Integrity reports: |
| The oldest Stein fine is from February 2015, the most recent from November, according to FEC records. Two are five-figure penalties: a $14,587 fine from November 2017 and an $11,162 fine from October 2018, both past the FEC’s 40-day payment deadline. (Stein’s 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns have paid off nine separate fines totaling about $30,000.) | The oldest Stein fine is from February 2015, the most recent from November, according to FEC records. Two are five-figure penalties: a $14,587 fine from November 2017 and an $11,162 fine from October 2018, both past the FEC’s 40-day payment deadline. (Stein’s 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns have paid off nine separate fines totaling about $30,000.) |
| Asked about their scofflaw status, the Stein campaign basically said it’s racking up fines faster than it can manage to deal with them. | Asked about their scofflaw status, the Stein campaign basically said it’s racking up fines faster than it can manage to deal with them. |
| “The campaign typically considers these kinds of items collectively, which can cause delay while awaiting the documentation from more recent penalties,” Stein spokesman David Schwab said. “Given our limited staff and operations under these kinds of activity, it can further delay the process while staff is tasked with other responsibilities.” | “The campaign typically considers these kinds of items collectively, which can cause delay while awaiting the documentation from more recent penalties,” Stein spokesman David Schwab said. “Given our limited staff and operations under these kinds of activity, it can further delay the process while staff is tasked with other responsibilities.” |
| The Weekly Standard is requiring employees to sign a strict nondisclosure agreement to receive any severance. | The Weekly Standard is requiring employees to sign a strict nondisclosure agreement to receive any severance. |
| The NDAs presented to @weeklystandard staffers forbid "false, disparaging, derogatory, critical, insulting, offensive, deprecating or belittling comment in public or in private" for two years, per copy of agreement sent to me. (Caps my own.) | The NDAs presented to @weeklystandard staffers forbid "false, disparaging, derogatory, critical, insulting, offensive, deprecating or belittling comment in public or in private" for two years, per copy of agreement sent to me. (Caps my own.) |
| Chris Christie has bowed out from the chief of staff hunt. In a statement he has asked to be withdrawn from consideration. | Chris Christie has bowed out from the chief of staff hunt. In a statement he has asked to be withdrawn from consideration. |
| Christie declines the chief of staff role. His statement: pic.twitter.com/DiZb5r01z0 | Christie declines the chief of staff role. His statement: pic.twitter.com/DiZb5r01z0 |
| A top lawyer at the Department of Interior made sexist remarks on the Internet several years ago. | A top lawyer at the Department of Interior made sexist remarks on the Internet several years ago. |
| The Hill reports that James Voyles wrote like that the NFL should not allow “power tripping woman with a case of PMS” to be a referee in the league. He apologized when contacted for comment about the remarks. | The Hill reports that James Voyles wrote like that the NFL should not allow “power tripping woman with a case of PMS” to be a referee in the league. He apologized when contacted for comment about the remarks. |
| Scooplet: Top lawyer at Interior once said women shouldn’t be NFL referees because they PMShttps://t.co/JnmSAtZn8l | Scooplet: Top lawyer at Interior once said women shouldn’t be NFL referees because they PMShttps://t.co/JnmSAtZn8l |
| In an interview with MSNBC, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar just said that she is “considering” a presidential bid. | In an interview with MSNBC, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar just said that she is “considering” a presidential bid. |
| Sen. Amy Klobuchar on @msnbc: "I'm considering this," running for president in 2020. Adds: "Whoever we put up has to have an understanding of those voices those that weren't heard in 2016, in the Midwest." | Sen. Amy Klobuchar on @msnbc: "I'm considering this," running for president in 2020. Adds: "Whoever we put up has to have an understanding of those voices those that weren't heard in 2016, in the Midwest." |