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| Trump denies trying to restart family separations while blaming Obama for policy – live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said he would not restart child separation at the border and blamed Obama for the policy | |
| “Just so you understand, President Obama separated the children. Those cages that were shown – I think they were very inappropriate – were by President Obama’s administration not by Trump. President Obama had child separation,” said the president said. | |
| “Take a look. The press knows it. You know it. We all know it. I’m the one who stopped it. President Obama had child separation.” | |
| Trump also said the policy was effective. “I’ll tell you something, once you don’t have it that’s why you have many more people coming. They are coming like it’s a picnic, like ‘let’s go to Disney Land.’ President Obama separated children. I was the one who that changed it.” | |
| Meghan McCain, the daughter of the late John McCain, is not happy with Trump’s tweet paying tribute to American prisoners of war. Trump famously said McCain “was not a war hero” because he had been captured during the Vietnam War. | |
| No one believes you care about prisoners of war and “people who get captured”. https://t.co/ZkKEjI01XD | |
| The New York Times has done an interesting study that shows those Democrats active on Twitter bear little resemblence to Democrats who actually vote. | The New York Times has done an interesting study that shows those Democrats active on Twitter bear little resemblence to Democrats who actually vote. |
| The Times reports: | The Times reports: |
| The outspoken group of Democratic-leaning voters on social media is outnumbered, roughly 2 to 1, by the more moderate, more diverse and less educated group of Democrats who typically don’t post political content online, according to data from the Hidden Tribes Project. This latter group has the numbers to decide the Democratic presidential nomination in favor of a relatively moderate establishment favorite, as it has often done in the past. | The outspoken group of Democratic-leaning voters on social media is outnumbered, roughly 2 to 1, by the more moderate, more diverse and less educated group of Democrats who typically don’t post political content online, according to data from the Hidden Tribes Project. This latter group has the numbers to decide the Democratic presidential nomination in favor of a relatively moderate establishment favorite, as it has often done in the past. |
| Even these results might understate the leftward lean of the most politically active, Democratic Twitter users, who often engage with political journalists and can have a powerful effect in shaping the conventional wisdom. In an informal poll of Democrats on one of our Twitter accounts on Monday, about 80 percent said they were liberal, and a similar percentage said they had a college degree. Only 20 percent said political correctness was a problem, and only 2 percent said they were black. | Even these results might understate the leftward lean of the most politically active, Democratic Twitter users, who often engage with political journalists and can have a powerful effect in shaping the conventional wisdom. In an informal poll of Democrats on one of our Twitter accounts on Monday, about 80 percent said they were liberal, and a similar percentage said they had a college degree. Only 20 percent said political correctness was a problem, and only 2 percent said they were black. |
| One potential nominee to be the next DHS Secretary is getting pushback from Republicans in his own state. | One potential nominee to be the next DHS Secretary is getting pushback from Republicans in his own state. |
| Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas said of Kris Kobach, the controversial former Secretary of State in Kansas, that he was unconformable. “Don’t go there. We can’t confirm him” said Roberts. | Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas said of Kris Kobach, the controversial former Secretary of State in Kansas, that he was unconformable. “Don’t go there. We can’t confirm him” said Roberts. |
| "Don't go there. We can't confirm him," warns one of the senators from Kris Kobach's home state https://t.co/j6FHvO6dZl #ksleg | "Don't go there. We can't confirm him," warns one of the senators from Kris Kobach's home state https://t.co/j6FHvO6dZl #ksleg |
| Congress is moving towards passing legislation that would make it illegal for the IRS from creating a system to allow Americans to file their taxes for free. | Congress is moving towards passing legislation that would make it illegal for the IRS from creating a system to allow Americans to file their taxes for free. |
| Pro Publica reports: | Pro Publica reports: |
| Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., passed the Taxpayer First Act, a wide-ranging bill making several administrative changes to the IRS that is sponsored by Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Mike Kelly, R-Pa. | Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., passed the Taxpayer First Act, a wide-ranging bill making several administrative changes to the IRS that is sponsored by Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Mike Kelly, R-Pa. |
| In one of its provisions, the bill makes it illegal for the IRS to create its own online system of tax filing. Companies like Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, and H&R Block have lobbied for years to block the IRS from creating such a system. If the tax agency created its own program, which would be similar to programs other developed countries have, it would threaten the industry’s profits. | In one of its provisions, the bill makes it illegal for the IRS to create its own online system of tax filing. Companies like Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, and H&R Block have lobbied for years to block the IRS from creating such a system. If the tax agency created its own program, which would be similar to programs other developed countries have, it would threaten the industry’s profits. |
| “This could be a disaster. It could be the final nail in the coffin of the idea of the IRS ever being able to create its own program,” said Mandi Matlock, a tax attorney who does work for the National Consumer Law Center. | “This could be a disaster. It could be the final nail in the coffin of the idea of the IRS ever being able to create its own program,” said Mandi Matlock, a tax attorney who does work for the National Consumer Law Center. |
| The AP also reports that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was noncommittal about the formal request from Congress to review Trump’s tax returns and said simply that he would “follow the law.” | The AP also reports that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was noncommittal about the formal request from Congress to review Trump’s tax returns and said simply that he would “follow the law.” |
| Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday that his department intends to “follow the law” and is reviewing a request by a top House Democrat to provide President Donald Trump’s tax returns to lawmakers. | Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday that his department intends to “follow the law” and is reviewing a request by a top House Democrat to provide President Donald Trump’s tax returns to lawmakers. |
| Mnuchin also revealed that Treasury Department lawyers have talked to the White House counsel’s office about the question of releasing Trump’s returns, telling lawmakers that the consultations occurred before the request arrived last week. Mnuchin said the conversations were “purely informational” and he has not been briefed on their content. | Mnuchin also revealed that Treasury Department lawyers have talked to the White House counsel’s office about the question of releasing Trump’s returns, telling lawmakers that the consultations occurred before the request arrived last week. Mnuchin said the conversations were “purely informational” and he has not been briefed on their content. |
| But Mnuchin told a House panel that he personally has not had any communications with the president or his top staff about the department’s decision on whether to provide Trump’s tax returns under a nearly century-old that says the Treasury Department “shall furnish” them when requested. | But Mnuchin told a House panel that he personally has not had any communications with the president or his top staff about the department’s decision on whether to provide Trump’s tax returns under a nearly century-old that says the Treasury Department “shall furnish” them when requested. |
| “It is our intent to follow the law and that is in the process of being reviewed,” Mnuchin told a House Appropriations subcommittee with responsibility for his budget. | “It is our intent to follow the law and that is in the process of being reviewed,” Mnuchin told a House Appropriations subcommittee with responsibility for his budget. |
| The AP reports Vladimir Putin commented on Barr’s release of a summary letter of the Mueller report today. | The AP reports Vladimir Putin commented on Barr’s release of a summary letter of the Mueller report today. |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation Tuesday, saying “a mountain gave birth to a mouse” and the probe validated the Kremlin’s continuous denials of collusion with President Donald Trump’s campaign. | Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation Tuesday, saying “a mountain gave birth to a mouse” and the probe validated the Kremlin’s continuous denials of collusion with President Donald Trump’s campaign. |
| In his first comments since Mueller presented his investigation report last month, Putin said claims of a campaign conspiracy of Democrats reflected their failure to accept the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. | In his first comments since Mueller presented his investigation report last month, Putin said claims of a campaign conspiracy of Democrats reflected their failure to accept the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. |
| “It was clear for us from the start that it would end like this,” the Russian leader said of the Trump-Russia investigation. “A mountain gave birth to a mouse.” | “It was clear for us from the start that it would end like this,” the Russian leader said of the Trump-Russia investigation. “A mountain gave birth to a mouse.” |
| Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is hoping to use a CNN town hall tonight as a breakout moment. | Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is hoping to use a CNN town hall tonight as a breakout moment. |
| The AP reports: | The AP reports: |
| Over four months, Kirsten Gillibrand has campaigned for the White House across eight states, pushed her rivals to release their tax returns and delivered a major speech outside a Trump-branded property in Manhattan. | Over four months, Kirsten Gillibrand has campaigned for the White House across eight states, pushed her rivals to release their tax returns and delivered a major speech outside a Trump-branded property in Manhattan. |
| What the New York senator hasn’t done: Break out of a crowded early field of Democratic candidates. | What the New York senator hasn’t done: Break out of a crowded early field of Democratic candidates. |
| Gillibrand hopes her fortunes will change on Tuesday, when she participates in a town hall televised on CNN. She hopes the platform will give her a fresh opportunity to introduce herself to the voters and donors she’ll need to ensure her campaign stays on track, according to a person familiar with the campaign who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss strategy. | Gillibrand hopes her fortunes will change on Tuesday, when she participates in a town hall televised on CNN. She hopes the platform will give her a fresh opportunity to introduce herself to the voters and donors she’ll need to ensure her campaign stays on track, according to a person familiar with the campaign who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss strategy. |
| The AP reports about another hearing on Capitol Hill today: | The AP reports about another hearing on Capitol Hill today: |
| A Congressional committee hearing on white nationalism has begun with statements criticizing the spread of hate crimes in the U.S. and social media’s role in the spread. | A Congressional committee hearing on white nationalism has begun with statements criticizing the spread of hate crimes in the U.S. and social media’s role in the spread. |
| The House Judiciary committee is hearing from Facebook and Google executives, as well as human rights leaders, about the spread of hate crimes and white nationalism in the U.S. | The House Judiciary committee is hearing from Facebook and Google executives, as well as human rights leaders, about the spread of hate crimes and white nationalism in the U.S. |
| The hearing room and the hallway outside were thronged with young people, some wearing T-shirts with names of people said to have been victims of hate crimes. | The hearing room and the hallway outside were thronged with young people, some wearing T-shirts with names of people said to have been victims of hate crimes. |
| Mohammad Abu-Salha, whose two daughters and son-in-law were shot and killed in a hate crime in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 2015, tells lawmakers that the government must stand up against bigotry and social media companies must stop “providing platforms and safe haven” for hate groups. | Mohammad Abu-Salha, whose two daughters and son-in-law were shot and killed in a hate crime in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 2015, tells lawmakers that the government must stand up against bigotry and social media companies must stop “providing platforms and safe haven” for hate groups. |
| Barr has also said he won’t go to a judge to try to allow grand jury material to be unredacted in the Mueller Report. The attorney general has the right to make a request but indicated that he would not do so. | Barr has also said he won’t go to a judge to try to allow grand jury material to be unredacted in the Mueller Report. The attorney general has the right to make a request but indicated that he would not do so. |
| Barr says he doesn’t not know why members of Mueller’s team might be frustrated with him as reported in several outlets. | Barr says he doesn’t not know why members of Mueller’s team might be frustrated with him as reported in several outlets. |
| No I don’t. I suspect that they wanted more put out but in my view, I was not interested in putting out summaries.” | No I don’t. I suspect that they wanted more put out but in my view, I was not interested in putting out summaries.” |
| Barr declines to get into more detail about whether the Mueller report cleared Trump, as the president insists and relies on his letter. | Barr declines to get into more detail about whether the Mueller report cleared Trump, as the president insists and relies on his letter. |
| Rep. GRAVES tries to get Barr to agree that his four-page memo concluded "No collusion, no obstruction."BARR doesn't bite: "Well, the letter speaks for itself." | Rep. GRAVES tries to get Barr to agree that his four-page memo concluded "No collusion, no obstruction."BARR doesn't bite: "Well, the letter speaks for itself." |
| Dan McCready, the Democrat running in the re-run election in North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District, raised an eye-popping $1.6 million in the last quarter. | Dan McCready, the Democrat running in the re-run election in North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District, raised an eye-popping $1.6 million in the last quarter. |
| Democrat @McCreadyForNC raised $1.6 MILLION in Q1 in his bid for #NC09 | Democrat @McCreadyForNC raised $1.6 MILLION in Q1 in his bid for #NC09 |
| McCready, who was the Democratic nominee in the 2018 election which was thrown out due to voter fraud, will face a crowded Republican field. Mark Harris, the Republican candidate in 2018 whose campaign was mired by allegations of absentee ballot fraud, opted not to run again. | McCready, who was the Democratic nominee in the 2018 election which was thrown out due to voter fraud, will face a crowded Republican field. Mark Harris, the Republican candidate in 2018 whose campaign was mired by allegations of absentee ballot fraud, opted not to run again. |