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Manafort faces New York prosecution that could bypass any Trump pardon – live Mueller report will not be filed to justice department next week– live
(32 minutes later)
The chairs of six House committees wrote to Attorney General Bill Barr Friday saying that they expect special counsel Robert Mueller’s report to be made public.
“The public is entitled to know what the Special Counsel has found. We write to you to express, in the strongest possible terms, our expectation that the Department of Justice will release to the public the report Special Counsel Mueller submits to you—without delay and to the maximum extent permitted by law,” they wrote.
The letter was signed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah Cummings, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, Committee on Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal and Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel.
Donald Trump said that alleged misconduct by his labor secretary Alex Acosta when he was a federal prosecutor happened “a long time ago.”
A judge ruled that Acosta, when he was US attorney in Miami, broke the law in a sex trafficking case against billionaire Jeffrey Epstein by failing to inform his alleged underage sex victims of a 2007 plea agreement.
“I really don’t know too much about it. I know he’s done a great job as labor secretary,” Trump told reporters in the White House.
“That seems like a long time ago,” he said, adding that Acosta was doing a “fantastic” job.
Donald Trump said he looks forward to seeing special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, which we’ve just heard will not be coming next week.
“There was no collusion, there was no obstruction, there was no anything, so that’s the nice part,” Trump told reporters at the White House Friday afternoon, adding that he won the 2016 election because, “I was a better candidate than she was, and it had nothing to do with Russia.”
“I look forward to seeing the report. If it’s an honest report, it will say that. If it’s not an honest report, it won’t,” he said.
Senator Cory Booker will be making a stop in Nevada in his presidential campaign this weekend.
Nevada! In just 2 days I will make my first trip to your state since I announced my run for president. Looking forward to seeing you all and my favorite longtime Nevada resident...my mom! Please join us. #HomeMeansNevada https://t.co/Rnbey9Te6n
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia investigation will not be issued next week, a senior Justice Department official tells NBC News and the Washington Post.
There had been speculation the report would come out next week.
“Reports that the Attorney General will receive the report from the Special Counsel by the end of next week are incorrect. They will not receive the report by the end of next week,” a senior Justice Department official tells @JuliaEAinsley
senior DoJ official: Mueller's report will not be delivered next week.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican considering a primary bid against Donald Trump, asks the Trump campaign, “What are you so afraid of?”
Hogan told the Washington Post the Republican National Committee has taken “unprecedented” steps to block a possible challenge, referring to an RNC resolution declaring undivided support for Trump.
“If he has unanimous support and everybody is on board, why shut down the normal process?” he said. “It’s almost like a hostage situation.”
Senator Bernie Sanders is backing a strike by teachers in Oakland.Senator Bernie Sanders is backing a strike by teachers in Oakland.
I stand with @OaklandEA teachers who are fighting for smaller class sizes, fairer pay, more student support, and fundamentally defending public education. Oakland must not shut down 24 of the city’s 87 public schools.I stand with @OaklandEA teachers who are fighting for smaller class sizes, fairer pay, more student support, and fundamentally defending public education. Oakland must not shut down 24 of the city’s 87 public schools.
Donald Trump says he’s “surprised” by charges of soliciting prostitution against Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a friend of his. He stressed Kraft has denied the allegations, according to a pool report.Donald Trump says he’s “surprised” by charges of soliciting prostitution against Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a friend of his. He stressed Kraft has denied the allegations, according to a pool report.
President Trump on Bob Kraft charges, per pooler @HallieJackson: "Surprised to see it. He has denied it."President Trump on Bob Kraft charges, per pooler @HallieJackson: "Surprised to see it. He has denied it."
Donald Trump said today he would definitely veto a congressional resolution to block his declaration of an emergency at the southern border, according to a pool report.Donald Trump said today he would definitely veto a congressional resolution to block his declaration of an emergency at the southern border, according to a pool report.
According to pooler @HallieJackson, President Trump said he would 100 percent veto any effort to block his national emergency. House Democrats introduced a resolution to do so today.According to pooler @HallieJackson, President Trump said he would 100 percent veto any effort to block his national emergency. House Democrats introduced a resolution to do so today.
Virginia House Republicans have announced plans to hold a public hearing where the lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, and the two women who have recently accused him of sexual assault can testify, the Associated Press reports:Virginia House Republicans have announced plans to hold a public hearing where the lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, and the two women who have recently accused him of sexual assault can testify, the Associated Press reports:
Republican Del. Rob Bell said Friday that the House Courts of Justice Committee will invite Vanessa Tyson, Meredith Watson and Fairfax at an unnamed future hearing date.Republican Del. Rob Bell said Friday that the House Courts of Justice Committee will invite Vanessa Tyson, Meredith Watson and Fairfax at an unnamed future hearing date.
“This will give all parties a chance to be heard,” Bell said in brief remarks on the House floor.“This will give all parties a chance to be heard,” Bell said in brief remarks on the House floor.
He added that Republicans believe they have a duty to investigate the allegations made against the lieutenant governor, who is first in line to replace the governor in the event of a vacancy.He added that Republicans believe they have a duty to investigate the allegations made against the lieutenant governor, who is first in line to replace the governor in the event of a vacancy.
Democratic House members have said they don’t believe the General Assembly is the best place to investigate the allegations at this time and said they don’t want to impede possible criminal investigations.Democratic House members have said they don’t believe the General Assembly is the best place to investigate the allegations at this time and said they don’t want to impede possible criminal investigations.
More stories of mistreatment by staffers of Senator Amy Klobuchar are featured in a new story from the New York Times.More stories of mistreatment by staffers of Senator Amy Klobuchar are featured in a new story from the New York Times.
In one incident, a staffer forgot to bring a fork with a salad he brought her on a flight. She berated him, then used a comb from her purse to eat the salad, and ordered him to clean it.In one incident, a staffer forgot to bring a fork with a salad he brought her on a flight. She berated him, then used a comb from her purse to eat the salad, and ordered him to clean it.
Klobuchar wrote in one email seen by the Times, “In 20 years in politics I have never seen worse prep.” Another said, “This is the worst press staff I ever had.” In another email, she told an aide, “How can you treat me like this time and time again?”Klobuchar wrote in one email seen by the Times, “In 20 years in politics I have never seen worse prep.” Another said, “This is the worst press staff I ever had.” In another email, she told an aide, “How can you treat me like this time and time again?”
Her office also had an unusually punitive parental leave policy. Aides who took paid leave were required to remain employed for the office for three times as long as they had been on leave. If they did not, the policy called for them to pay back the money they were paid while on leave. Klobuchar’s office told the Times they never actually required any staffer to repay the money.Her office also had an unusually punitive parental leave policy. Aides who took paid leave were required to remain employed for the office for three times as long as they had been on leave. If they did not, the policy called for them to pay back the money they were paid while on leave. Klobuchar’s office told the Times they never actually required any staffer to repay the money.
“Many of these former aides say she was not just demanding but often dehumanizing — not merely a tough boss in a capital full of them” https://t.co/b39sd5hoE1“Many of these former aides say she was not just demanding but often dehumanizing — not merely a tough boss in a capital full of them” https://t.co/b39sd5hoE1
In a new court filing, special counsel Robert Mueller formally denied Roger Stone’s claims that the special counsel tipped off CNN about his coming arrest.
A CNN crew was outside Stone’s home to capture his arrest, but have said they were staking out the location and got lucky.
Special Counsel refutes Roger Stone accusation that CNN was given advance notice of his arrest and a draft of the indictment. pic.twitter.com/pMnuajckMM
Vice-president Mike Pence promised the nation’s governors that Congress will pass an infrastructure bill next year.
“I’ll make you a promise. And we’ll ask for your help. That in this Congress we’re going to pass historic infrastructure legislation,” Pence said Friday at a governors’ event at his residence, the Washington Post reports.
Democrats have said they support an infrastructure package, but that it must include measures to combat climate change.
With a new election called in a disputed House race in North Carolina, Democrat Dan McReady confirmed he is in.
“I am running in the special election to represent the people of the ninth district,” he told supporters at a brewery in Waxhaw Friday, according to the Associated Press.
The state ordered a new election Thursday after investigating absentee ballot fraud by an operative working for Republican Mark Harris, who had led the race by a small margin.
The Trump administration issued a rule Friday banning groups that give referrals for abortions from receiving federal family planning funding.
The rule would cut groups like Planned Parenthood off from the $286m family planning program known as Title X, the Washington Post reports.
The rules bar providers from making any abortion referrals or performing abortions at the same facilities where they provide Title X services like birth control, mammograms and cancer screenings, according to Politico.
It’s expected to be challenged in court.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said: “These new rules are dangerous and unnecessary, and will prevent millions of Americans from obtaining the care they need and deserve. New York will not stand by as this Administration puts New Yorkers’ health at risk for politics, and we will take legal action.”
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said Friday that Donald Trump’s trade policies have “devastated” her state, Politico reports.
“South Dakota has been devastated by the trade wars that are going on,” she said.
Trump has imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, prompting China to put retaliatory tariffs on US agricultural products like soybeans and wheat.
Noem said the woes of the agricultural industry have hit “every main street business, everybody that has another entity out there that relies on a successful ag industry.”
With New York prosecutors preparing charges against Paul Manafort, they’ll face the question of whether the case violates constitutional protections against double jeopardy.
There’s a bill pending in the state legislature that would explicitly allow state prosecution of offenses if the target has been pardoned for those offenses on the federal level.
“It’s imperative that New York clarify its double jeopardy law to ensure the State can pursue and deliver justice in these cases,” Senator Todd Kaminsky, the sponsor of the bill, said Friday.
Senator Lindsey Graham says he expects “a handful” of Republicans in the Senate to vote with Democrats to block Donald Trump’s emergency declaration at the border.
The resolution was introduced Friday in the House, and would terminate the emergency Trump is using to get money to build a border wall without Congressional approval.
Graham, speaking on Fox News, said he was “100% with the president” on the issue.
“Trump sent troops to the border. Obama sent troops to the border. Bush sent troops to the border. What’s the difference of deploying forces to the border to secure is vs. having them build a barrier while they’re there?” the South Carolina Republican said. “I think he has all the power under statute and as commander in chief to send troops to the border to actually erect barriers.”
The last in a row of Manhattan apartment buildings bearing Donald Trump’s name will remove the moniker, the Washington Post reports.
The last building with the name “Trump Place,” at 220 Riverside Boulevard, said Friday it would remove the president’s name.
In a vote among apartment owners, 74.7% voted to remove the name while 25.3% voted to keep it, according to an email obtained by the Post.
There had been six Trump Place buildings, and the rest have already voted to get rid of the name.
Senator and presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar will meet with former president Jimmy Carter and Democrat Stacey Abrams Friday on a campaign stop in Georgia, the Associated Press reports:
Klobuchar spokeswoman Carlie Waibel says the Minnesota Democrat will meet privately with Abrams, who lost a bid for governor last year and delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address earlier this month.
Klobuchar and Carter will speak about her campaign during their meeting, which is also private. Carter’s vice president, Walter Mondale, also represented Minnesota in the Senate and has been one of Klobuchar’s political mentors.
Klobuchar also will attend a roundtable discussion on voting rights with local leaders and activists before a fundraiser Friday night in Atlanta.
Klobuchar also will campaign this weekend in South Carolina and New Hampshire.
A federal appeals court panel appeared skeptical of Donald Trump’s termination of protections for young immigrants at arguments today, CNN reports.
Trump ordered an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allowed young people brought to the US illegally as children to remain in the country and work legally. The move has been caught up in court ever since.
“Your starting premise here is respectively wrong,” Judge Harry Edwards told a Justice Department lawyer, according to CNN.
And Judge Thomas Griffith repeatedly said he was “frustrated” with the government’s argument on the rationale for terminating the Obama-era program.