Caroline Cox  //  12/20/17  //  Daily Update

The fight over the CFPB directorship continues with the Department of Justice filing its opposition to Leandra English’s motion for a preliminary injunction declaring that she has the legal right to the position. The House of Representatives has passed the Republican tax plan, but will need to vote again to deal with some procedural quirks. The Trump Administration has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn a temporary restraining order that is preventing officials from stopping an immigrant in federal custody from getting an abortion. Democratic Attorneys General have requested that Congress vote on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program before the recess.

IMMIGRATION

The Trump Administration has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn a temporary restraining order that is preventing officials from stopping an immigrant in federal custody from getting an abortion (The Hill).

Democratic Attorneys General have requested that Congress vote on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program before the recess (The Hill).

• Politico reports that a deal on DACA could occur in January.

DEMOCRACY 

Human Rights Campaign is projecting words that the Trump Administration has banned the Center for Disease Control from using in its work onto the facade of Trump Tower (HRC).

JUSTICE & SAFETY

The Trump Administration announced that North Korea was responsible for the WannaCry cyberattack that affected computers throughout the world in May 2017 (WaPo).

• The Hill explains how this will increase tensions with North Korea.

The Trump Administration’s National Security Strategy displays troubling nativism and a continued focus on the war on terrorism, writes A. Trevor Thrall at Cato at Liberty.

The Department of Justice continues to provide funding for body camera programs with bad policies (Just Security).

The fight over the CFPB directorship continues with the Department of Justice filing its opposition to Leandra English’s motion for a preliminary injunction declaring that she has the legal right to the position (Consumer Finance Monitor).

• Read the DOJ’s opposition filing here.
• Read Leandra English’s motion here.

REGULATION

The FEC Commissioner released a statement about a current lawsuit that seeks to enjoin the FEC from revealing the identities of individuals who helped hide the source of a $1.7 million political contribution (Election Law Blog).

The House of Representatives has passed the Republican tax plan, but will need to vote again to deal with some procedural quirks (NYT).

• Cato at Liberty explains why House Speaker Paul Ryan is largely responsible for the bill.
• The New York Times explores the plan’s path to success in the House and Senate.
• The Wall Street Journal reports that the bill remains unpopular with the public.

A proposed net neutrality law would still allow for paid fast lanes and would limit the FCC’s control over internet providers (Ars Technica).

Congress has yet to provide further funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program despite lobbying from parents (NYT).

The EPA will delay bans on specific uses of toxic chemicals found in consumer products (NYT).

RULE OF LAW

President Trump denied the claim of a report that Justice Gorsuch’s criticisms before his confirmation led the President to consider withdrawing the nomination (The Hill).

CHECKS & BALANCES

Two House Republicans are requesting testimony from FBI officials about how the agency is handling investigations into Hillary Clinton’s email usage and the Trump campaign’s links to Russia (Politico).

RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE

Allies of the Trump Administration may be trying to spread doubt about the Russia investigation to provide political cover for future presidential pardons (Politico).

Rep. Michael Conway, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, has shrugged off assertions by Democrats that he is rushing the House’s investigation into Russian interference (Politico).

Democratic lawmakers have urged House Speaker Paul Ryan to organize a briefing from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI on possible Russian targeting of voting systems before the 2016 election (The Hill).

Senate investigators have turned their eyes toward 2016 Green Party candidate Jill Stein in the ongoing Russian interference investigation (NYT).