Daily Update | August 14, 2018
Roshaan Wasim // 8/14/18 //
The District of Columbia rejects Russian company’s bid to dismiss charges brought by Robert Mueller. Omarosa Manigault Newman, former aide to President Trump, releases a recording of her firing made in the White House Situation Room. President Trump appears to admit that White House aids sign nondisclosure agreements. FBI Agent Peter Strzok, who criticized President Trump in texts, is fired. Rudy Giuliani says President Trump’s lawyers are prepared to counter Robert Mueller. The prosecution called its final witness in Paul Manafort’s trial. A rally by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, is greatly outnumbered by counter-protesters.
TRUMP: INVESTIGATIONS AND LITIGATION
The District of Columbia rejects Russian company’s bid to dismiss charges brought by Robert Mueller (The Hill, WSJ).
- The court’s order can be found here.
Rudy Giuliani says President Trump’s lawyers are prepared to counter Robert Mueller (WSJ).
An old OLC opinion looks at whether the President can be subpoenaed (Lawfare).
IMMIGRATION
President Trump’s plan for immigrants on welfare could hurt one million New Yorkers (NYT).
The Trump Administration is slowing down legal, not just illegal, immigration, writes Gerald F. Seib at the Wall Street Journal.
White House senior advisor Stephen Miller’s uncle criticizes Miller’s stance on immigration in an op-ed written for Politico (WaPo).
- The op-ed can be read here.
CIVIL RIGHTS
A rally by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, is greatly outnumbered by counter-protesters (NYT).
- One year after Charlottesville, the Republican Party has lost all ability to condemn racism, writes Juan Williams at the LA Times.
President Trump poses with a supporter wearing sexist and other offensive patches (WaPo).
DEMOCRACY
Voting rights advocates may no longer have an ally in the government, writes Michael Wines at the New York Times.
Representative Keith Ellison denies abuse allegations about ex-girlfriend (NYT).
President Trump appears to admit that White House aids sign nondisclosure agreements (NYT).
President Trump blames Ohio Governor John Kasich for close special election race (WaPo).
Critics of the Trump Administration’s response to last year’s hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico are launching a campaign to mobilize displaced Puerto Rican voters ahead of midterm elections (Election Law Blog).
JUSTICE AND SAFETY
Omarosa Manigault Newman, former aide to President Trump, releases a recording of her firing made in the White House Situation Room (NYT, WaPo).
- President Trump responds by calling Newman “vicious” (WSJ).
- An ex-CIA analyst criticized Newman for secretly making the recording (The Hill).
- The White House is seeking to prevent Newman from releasing more tapes (The Hill).
- Newman claims “false imprisonment” during her firing and accuses President Trump of lying (WaPo).
FBI Agent Peter Strzok, who criticized President Trump in texts, is fired (NYT).
President Trump signs $716 billion defense bill but snubs Senator John McCain, whom the legislation is named after (WaPo).
The Pentagon is rethinking its multibillion-dollar relationship with U.S. defense contractors to boost supply chain security (WaPo).
The U.S. is set to return church bells taken from the Philippines during a battle in 1901 (NYT).
REGULATION
President Trump’s national security claim for tariffs sets off a crisis at the WTO (NYT).
There are large hidden costs of Medicare’s prescription drug program, writes Austin Frakt at the New York Times.
RULE OF LAW
The prosecution called its final witness and rested its case in Paul Manafort’s trial (WaPo).
- An ex-federal prosecutor says he has never seen more “greed, lies, and manipulation” than in Manafort’s trial (The Hill).
CHECKS AND BALANCES
Senate hearings can and should explore Brett Kavanaugh’s views on past Supreme Court cases, writes Vikram David Amar at Justia.
Brett Kavanaugh has previously argued that presidents should be shielded from all criminal probes, including questioning (LA Times).
FEDERALISM
States fight President Trump on non-ObamaCare health plans (The Hill).
Tags:
Immigration Rule of Law Checks & Balances Federalism Regulation Democracy Civil Rights Justice & Safety