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William Barr claims Trump campaign was 'spied' on under Obama – live William Barr claims Trump campaign was 'spied' on under Obama – live
(32 minutes later)
Senator Chuck Grassley said he has received no assurances that Donald Trump won’t fire US Citizenship and Immigration Services director Francis Cissna, according to CNN. Grassley has been pushing Trump not to oust him, amid a larger purge of Homeland Security leaders. “They’re taking it under consideration. I don’t know whether I’ll be satisfied or not when it’s all done,” Grassley said.
And now Grassley says he has NOT gotten assurances from the White House that Cissna will remain in his position."They’re taking it under consideration. I don’t know whether I’ll be satisfied or not when it’s all done.".... https://t.co/UBvHcKC2QU
Three Republican senators introduced a bill Wednesday that would slash legal immigration.
Senators Tom Cotton, David Perdue, and Josh Hawley are sponsoring the bill, the Hill reports.
It would reduce the total number of immigrants allowed into the US and end preferences for family members other than spouses and minor children. It would instead prioritize would-be immigrants with higher job skills.
Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley is writing a book about her time in the Trump administration, CNN reports.
Haley “will talk candidly about her tenure as UN Ambassador and the consequential actions, decisions, confrontations, and behind-the-scenes negotiations that shaped national and world events,” according to her publisher.
House minority leader Kevin McCarthy is meeting today with ex-Rep. Michael Grimm, who is once again attempting a comeback after serving prison time on tax charges, according to the Hill.
.@GOPLeader McCarthy just told me he has a meeting now with Michael Grimm, who’s eyeing a comeback to Congress after serving time https://t.co/Pqjaa4sVvy
Grimm is eyeing a run for his old Staten Island seat, which was won last year by Democrat Max Rose after Grimm ran and lost in the primary. McCarthy’s PAC has already donated to Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican assemblywoman who has launched a campaign for the seat.
The House passed legislation Wednesday to reinstate net neutrality rules, the Hill reports.
Federal Communications Commission in 2017 reversed the Obama-era rules, which prohibit internet providers from slowing down or blocking certain websites.
The bill passed by a 232-190 vote, according to the Hill, but is unlikely to get through the Senate.
Twitter removed a campaign video posted by President Trump after Warner Bros. Pictures complained about the use of the score from its 2012 movie ‘‘The Dark Knight Rises.’’ From AP:Twitter removed a campaign video posted by President Trump after Warner Bros. Pictures complained about the use of the score from its 2012 movie ‘‘The Dark Knight Rises.’’ From AP:
Trump on Tuesday tweeted the video, which featured images of Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton juxtaposed with images from Trump’s two years in office. The text, set against the movie’s score, read: ‘‘First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they call you a racist. Donald J. Trump. Your vote. Proved them all wrong.’’Trump on Tuesday tweeted the video, which featured images of Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton juxtaposed with images from Trump’s two years in office. The text, set against the movie’s score, read: ‘‘First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they call you a racist. Donald J. Trump. Your vote. Proved them all wrong.’’
Warner Bros. said use of the score from the Batman movie starring Christian Bale was ‘‘unauthorized.’’Warner Bros. said use of the score from the Batman movie starring Christian Bale was ‘‘unauthorized.’’
Twitter replaced the video with this message: ‘‘This media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner.’’Twitter replaced the video with this message: ‘‘This media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner.’’
Willam Barr clarifies his prior comments about spying on the Trump campaign: “I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred. I am saying that I am concerned about it and looking into it. That’s all.”Willam Barr clarifies his prior comments about spying on the Trump campaign: “I am not saying that improper surveillance occurred. I am saying that I am concerned about it and looking into it. That’s all.”
Attorney General William Barr declined to say what basis he has for believing there was spying on Donald Trump’s campaign.Attorney General William Barr declined to say what basis he has for believing there was spying on Donald Trump’s campaign.
”There is a basis for my concern, but I’m not going to discuss my basis,” Barr adds. https://t.co/ZxYLWYBj6j”There is a basis for my concern, but I’m not going to discuss my basis,” Barr adds. https://t.co/ZxYLWYBj6j
Invoking past surveillance of civil rights groups, he said it was worth looking into even if it didn’t rise to the level of a criminal investigation.Invoking past surveillance of civil rights groups, he said it was worth looking into even if it didn’t rise to the level of a criminal investigation.
"I am concerned about it," Barr says of spying on the Trump campaign in 2016. "There might be abuses that don't rise to the level of a crime."He declined to explain the basis for his concern about spying in 2016."I am concerned about it," Barr says of spying on the Trump campaign in 2016. "There might be abuses that don't rise to the level of a crime."He declined to explain the basis for his concern about spying in 2016.
Vice President Mike Pence has asked the United Nations to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, per AFP.Vice President Mike Pence has asked the United Nations to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, per AFP.
#BREAKING US Vice President Pence asks UN to recognize Guaido as Venezuela's leader pic.twitter.com/SLm2sIsCCp#BREAKING US Vice President Pence asks UN to recognize Guaido as Venezuela's leader pic.twitter.com/SLm2sIsCCp
The United States has recognized Guaido, the head of the opposition, as the rightful president rather than Nicolas Maduro.The United States has recognized Guaido, the head of the opposition, as the rightful president rather than Nicolas Maduro.
Donald Trump said his adviser Stephen Miller - an immigration hardliner who appears to be gaining influence amid a purge of Department of Homeland Security leaders - is a “wonderful person” and “brilliant man.”Donald Trump said his adviser Stephen Miller - an immigration hardliner who appears to be gaining influence amid a purge of Department of Homeland Security leaders - is a “wonderful person” and “brilliant man.”
But he insisted he is in charge of his own immigration policy. “Frankly there’s only one person that’s running it. You know who that is? It’s me,” he told reporters outside the White House.But he insisted he is in charge of his own immigration policy. “Frankly there’s only one person that’s running it. You know who that is? It’s me,” he told reporters outside the White House.
Here’s a transcript of Attorney General William Barr’s comments on alleged FBI “spying” on Donald Trump’s campaign, via Lawfare.Here’s a transcript of Attorney General William Barr’s comments on alleged FBI “spying” on Donald Trump’s campaign, via Lawfare.
hasty transcript of Barr comments on "spying" and failure of FBI leadership pic.twitter.com/hFvd3ABNvJhasty transcript of Barr comments on "spying" and failure of FBI leadership pic.twitter.com/hFvd3ABNvJ
Bernie Sanders on Wednesday re-introduced his Medicare for all healthcare plan, the Vermont senator’s signature domestic policy proposal that has moved from a fringe, leftwing idea to a progressive litmus test.
The new bill has support from Sanders’ fellow rivals for the 2020 Democratic nomination, including Senators Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren. They had all previously endorsed an earlier version of the bill.
Medicare for all has reshaped the debate over healthcare among Demcorats, pushing the center of gravity on the issue far to the left of what was under consideration when Congress passed the Affordable Care Act. Republicans have accused the Democrats of trying to bring socialism to the US. Sanders envisions a complete transformation of the US healthcare system. Under Medicare for all, the US would transition to a single payer system run entirely by the federal government.
The bill is largely the same as the one he introduced in 2017. The transition would take place over a four year period, with the age of eligibility for Medicare dropping by 10 years until it reaches age 35 in year three. This differs from a House version of this bill, introduced earlier this year that calls for a two-year transition period.
The plan would cover all medically necessary care including vision and dental. There is, however, one notable change: the newer vision of the bill expands coverage to include home-and community based long-term care services. Private insurers could stay in business only to provide for care that is not covered by Medicare for all, such as elective surgery.
While Sanders likes to proudly point to polling that shows public support for universal healthcare has spiked since his 2016 run, the major barrier for would-be supporters is the price tag.
In an accompanying fact sheet, Sanders says the plan “does not represent any new spending at all. Instead, it represents a rebalance of how our current dollars are spent.” The fact sheet includes several proposals to offset the costs, including several ideas based on raising taxes on the wealthy individuals.
Attorney General William Barr declined to say whether he believes, as Donald Trump does, that the Mueller investigation was illegal or a witch hunt.
“I’m not going to characterize. It is what it is,” he said.
Senator Elizabeth Warren released her 2018 tax return today.
It showed more than $900,000 in family income, the Washington Post reports. She and her husband, Bruce Mann, reported earning $905,742 in total income, including $176,280 from her Senate salary and $324,687 from her books. They paid $230,965 in taxes and donated $50,138 to charity.
Warren had already released ten prior years of her taxes, according to the Post. Other Democratic presidential candidates including Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar and Jay Inslee have already released their taxes.
Robert Mueller did not indicate whether he wanted Attorney General William Barr to make a judgment about Donald Trump’s culpability for obstruction of justice.
Mueller’s report did not make a conclusion on whether Trump was guilty of obstruction of justice, instead laying out evidence on both sides. Barr, in his own summary, said he believes Trump did not commit obstruction.
Senator Patrick Leahy asked Barr whether Mueller told him that he wanted to let Congress decide about obstruction. “He didn’t say that to me, no,” Barr said. Leahy then asked if Mueller said that Barr should decide. “He didn’t say that either. But that’s generally how the Department of Justice works,” he said.
Barr said he would explain his conclusion that Trump was not guilty of obstruction, but not yet. “I don’t feel I can do it until the report is out. I think the report contains a lot of the information that would give meaning and content to the decision,” he said.
Attorney General William Barr is defending the Justice Department’s decision to argue in court that Obamacare should be thrown out in its entirety.
Reversing course, the Justice Department backed a judge’s ruling that the healthcare rule is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court had previously upheld it.
“It is a defensible and reasonable legal position,” Barr said.
Attorney General William Barr elaborated on his statement yesterday that he is putting together a team to review the origins of the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s campaign.
He said he believes there was “spying” on Trump’s campaign, a claim the president has frequently made, and he wants to determine whether that surveillance was justified.
Barr on why he wants to investigate the origins of the Mueller probe: "I think spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, but "the question is whether it was adequately predicated. I'm not saying it wasn't."
Barr says "I think spying did occur" in the Obama administration during the 2016 election. The question is whether it was "predicated." "I have an obligation to make sure government power is not abused."
Attorney General William Barr said he would not redact information from the Mueller report to protect Donald Trump’s reputation.
One of the categories of redactions he plans to make is to protect the privacy and reputational interest of third parties not charged with a crime. But when asked in Senate testimony, he said those parties do not include Trump.
“I’m talking about people in private life, not public office holders,” Barr said.
Donald Trump congratulated Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his likely election victory.
“It may be a little early, but I’m hearing he’s won it,” Trump said Wednesday morning outside the White House, according to footage aired by CNN. “He’s been a great ally, and he’s a friend. I’d like to congratulate him.”
Trump went on to say he believes the Israeli hardliner’s victory makes peace in the Middle East more likely.
“Everybody said you can’t have peace in the Middle East,” he said. “I think we have a chance and I think we have now a better chance with Bibi having won.”
Attorney General William Barr tells the Senate he intends to release a redacted version of the Mueller report itself, as oppose to his own summary of the report.
He plans to make redactions in four categories, the most controversial of which may be protecting the privacy of people who have not been charged with crimes.
On the day of the deadline House Democrats gave the IRS to turn over Donald Trump’s taxes, Trump again refused to release them.
“I would love to give them, but I’m not going to do it while I’m under audit. It’s very simple,” Trump said outside the White House.
The House Ways and Means committee has requested the returns from the IRS under a law that allows them to obtain the taxes of any citizen.
Trump noted he won the election despite breaking with the practice of all nominees in recent history and refusing to release them. “Frankly the people don’t care,” he said.
Every president's taxes are audited automatically under IRS policy and yet every president over the last four decades has released their returns anyway. https://t.co/ypgC3afchx