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Caroline Cox, Helen Marie Berg  //  4/10/18  //  Daily Update

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The Trump Organization asks the President of Panama to intervene on their behalf in a legal fight over ownership of the Trump International Hotel in Panama City. Russian markets are declining as foreign and domestic investors have sold stocks in the face of American sanctions. Former CIA directors send letter to Congress endorsing CIA director nominee Gina Haspel as her confirmation hearing begins. President Trump acknowledges that farmers will be harmed by new Chinese tariffs and calls them “great patriots.” Upon receiving a referral from Robert Mueller, the FBI raided the office of President Trump’s longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen and seized communications between Cohen and the President.

 

IMMIGRATION

While immigration courts do have overloaded dockets, the push from Attorney General Sessions for immigration judges to clear 700 cases a year will undermine due process, argues the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board.

 

CIVIL RIGHTS

The federal judiciary’s response to #MeToo shows that “until everyone seizes on their own ability to do something when they can, not much is going to change,” writes Leah Litman at Take Care.

 

DEMOCRACY

Facebook is beginning research into how social media can be used to influence elections and manipulate democracy (WSJ).

• The New York Times previews Facebook CEO’s upcoming testimony in congressional hearings.  
• Read Zuckerberg’s full prepared testimony for the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

It is unclear whether President Trump actually believes in voter fraud, but his frequent assertions about voter fraud show that he refuses to be informed (WaPo).

 

JUSTICE & SAFETY

Russian markets are declining as foreign and domestic investors have sold stocks in the face of American sanctions (WSJ).

According to President Trump, his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected to occur in May or June (Politico).

• The New York Times reports that North Korea is offering assurances that the talks will include discussion of denuclearization.

President Trump’s recent mixed messages on the Syrian conflict illustrates his hypocrisy and lack of compassion, writes Ishaan Tharoor at The Washington Post.

President Trump’s lack of grief over civilian casualties is especially troubling in the era of drone strikes, explains Quinta Jurecic at Lawfare.  

President Trump is making a decision about whether to order a military response to the recent chemical attacks in Syria (NYT).

 

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The Trump Organization asks the President of Panama to intervene on their behalf in a legal fight over ownership of the Trump International Hotel in Panama City (WaPo).

 

REGULATION

The Department of Education has issued an order to restore an organization that accredits for-profit colleges as a federally-recognized accrediting agency after its recognition was revoked in 2016 (Consumer Finance Monitor).

President Trump acknowledges that farmers will be harmed by new Chinese tariffs and calls them “great patriots” (WSJ).

The Congressional Budget Office’s new report reveals that the country’s deficit and national debt will soar over the next ten years (NYT).

President Trump’s burgeoning trade war with China puts European countries in a tough spot (NYT).

 

RULE OF LAW

Pruitt’s ethical indiscretions have consequences for the planet, points out Justin Gillis at The New York Times.

• The EPA’s top ethics official sends letter to the agency questioning Pruitt’s actions (NYT).
• President Trump brushes away the allegations of his EPA Administrator and praises him instead (WaPo).

 

Although the ethics spotlight has been on EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke deserves scrutiny as well (Legal Planet).

 

CHECKS & BALANCES

DOJ taps the U.S. Attorney in Chicago to oversee the production of documents that Congress requested about the DOJ’s most high-profile investigations (NYT).  

Former CIA directors send letter to Congress endorsing CIA director nominee Gina Haspel as her confirmation hearing begins (Politico).

 

REMOVAL OF OFFICE

Upon receiving a referral from Robert Mueller, the FBI raided the office of President Trump’s longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen and seized communications between Cohen and the President (NYT, WSJ).

• Cohen may be under federal investigation for fraud and campaign finance violations (WaPo).
• Because the seized documents were attorney-client communications, a special warrant was required (WaPo).

Mueller may be allowed to release an interim report or impeachment referral for President Trump but doing so would be legally controversial, explains Jack Goldsmith at Lawfare.

Stormy Daniels’s lawsuit against President Trump might outlast his Presidency, suggests Harry Litman at The New York Times.

 

RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE

A Trump administration official has reported that Russia did not carry out attacks against an Arizona county’s voting system during the 2016 election (The Hill).

According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the company shut down accounts allegedly operated by Russian intelligence in summer 2016 (The Hill).

Russia has the power attack state voting systems and could do so to disenfranchise voters during the 2018 midterm elections, imagines Clare Malone at FiveThirtyEight. 

Tags:

Immigration Rule of Law Conflicts Checks & Balances Regulation Democracy Civil Rights Justice & Safety Removal from Office Russian Interference

 

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