Abigail DeHart  //  8/9/18  //  Daily Update

A lawsuit was filed against the DOJ for refusing to comply with a request for documents which would provide information on a letter it sent to state election officials, asking for detailed information on voter list maintenance practices. The Trump Administration will impose new sanctions on Russia for the British nerve agent attacks, accusing Russia of violating international law. Three civilian men, operating from President Trump’s resort in Mar-a-Lago, are secretly shaping the Trump administration’s Veteran Affairs policies. The Bureau of Land Management published a notice in the Federal Register that it will start the process of opening up land in California to fracking. The White House is crafting on an executive order to give President Trump the authority to sanction foreigners who interfere in U.S. elections.

IMMIGRATION

President Trump’s immigration policy adviser, Stephen Miller, is pushing to expedite a rule that could penalize documented immigrants whose families receive public benefits by making it more difficult to get citizenship (NYTimes; CNN; ImmigrationProf Blog).

The latest data on border arrests suggests the Trump administration’s push to split migrant families had little deterrent effect (WaPo).

Congress held a hearing on the Trump Administration’s “zero tolerance” policy, which was a necessary first step, but “not nearly enough,” writes Katherine Hawkins at Just Security.

DEMOCRACY 

A lawsuit was filed against the DOJ for refusing to comply with a request for documents which would provide information on a letter it sent to state election officials, asking for detailed information on voter list maintenance practices (Brennan Center for Justice).

The FCC’s Inspector General says the agency “misrepresented facts” when it claimed that its comment filing system was subjected to a cyberattack during the height of last year’s net neutrality debate (WaPo; The Verge).

• The Inspector General’s report can be found here.
• A more in depth look at the statements is available here.

JUSTICE & SAFETY

The Trump Administration will impose new sanctions on Russia for the British nerve agent attacks, accusing Russia of violating international law (WaPo; CNN; LATimes).

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross released a statement directing the NOAA to "facilitate" water use to respond to California's wildfires (LATimes).

• Secretary Ross’s statement can be found here.
• Dave Owen offers initial analysis of the Secretary’s statement.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Three civilian men, operating from President Trump’s resort in Mar-a-Lago, are secretly shaping the Trump administration’s Veteran Affairs policies, according to a report from ProPublica.

REGULATION

CMS should withdraw their proposed rule which would devalue cancer care for seniors, contends Jeffrey Vacirca at The Hill. 

The Treasury Department and IRS released guidance the new tax law which will allow certain businesses to significantly reduce their tax bills (The Hill).

• The proposed regulation is available here.

The Bureau of Land Management published a notice in the Federal Register that it will start the process of opening up land in California to fracking (The Hill).

• The notice is here. 

Trump Administration's recently proposed rollbacks of environmental regulations are legally vulnerable and pose serious threats to the environment, writes Joel A. Mintz at The Hill.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke misled the public today in an op-ed, blaming “radical environmentalists” for the prevalence of forest fires, argues Sean Hecht at Legal Planet.

• Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s op-ed can be found here.

The EPA has been unable to offer scientific evidence for statements made by its former Administrator Scott Pruitt when he said that carbon dioxide was not known to be a major contributor to climate change (Ars Technica).

RULE OF LAW

The White House is crafting on an executive order to give President Trump the authority to sanction foreigners who interfere in U.S. elections (WaPo; The Hill).

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