Christina Ford  //  8/17/17  //  Daily Update

Reaction continues to the President's remarks on the Charlottesville attack. The Administration commits to making controversial Obamacare cost-sharing reduction payments through the end of this month. And Democrats claim that the President's FCC chair is giving special assistance to Sinclair Broadcast Group, a right-leaning newscaster and station owner.

CIVIL RIGHTS 

Fallout from the President's remarks on Charlottesville continued on Wednesday, with President Trump disbanding multiple advisory councils after CEOs continued to defect (NYT). 

• Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush released a joint statement on Charlottesville, which you can read here. 
• Members of the Joint Chiefs also spoke out against the events in Charlottesville (The Hill). 
• The Washington Post reports that Attorney General Sessions is considering pursuing the Charlottesville attack as a hate crime. 

IMMIGRATION

DHS announced it will end an Obama-era program which brought young Central American refugees to the U.S. on a temporary basis (NYT). 

Speaking in Miami, Attorney General Sessions slammed Chicago over its sanctuary city policies (WaPo). 

DEMOCRACY

Former Trump campaign aides are starting a group which will target “fraudulent” voters (NYT). 

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The Trump Organization may have walked back President Trump’s pledge for “no new deals” during his administration (CREW). 

REGULATION

President Trump committed to make Obamacare payments to insurers for the month of August (The Hill). 

NAFTA negotiations began on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. (WSJ). 

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is moving ahead with school choice programs (The Hill). 

Democratic lawmakers are accusing the FCC of giving special help to a right-wing broadcasting group (Ars Technica). 

CHECKS & BALANCES

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has a middle-ground option to seek presentment from a grand jury, write Ryan Goodman and Alex Whiting at Just Security. 

RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE

A Ukrainian hacker is cooperating with the FBI after a malware program he wrote was used in the Russian hacking operation of the DNC (NYT).