Daily Update | February 14, 2018
Rachel Chung // 2/14/18 //
A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction temporarily maintaining DACA protections for those who applied before the Administration announced its repeal. Testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray contradicted the White House’s statement that the investigation into staff secretary Rob Porter’s security clearance was ongoing at the time of his resignation. The Administration’s budget proposal shrinks the Department of Energy budget by more than $1 billion, including eliminating a popular program that provides grant funding to early-stage energy research.
IMMIGRATION
A federal judge issued a nationwide injunction temporarily maintaining DACA protections for those who applied before the Administration announced its repeal (NYT).
Leading up to DACA negotiations in the Senate, President Trump pressured Democrats to reach a deal (NYT).
- Still, the debate had a slow start (NYT).
CIVIL RIGHTS
President Trump’s budget proposal would close a DOJ office that aims to help communities address racial tensions (The Hill).
JUSTICE & SAFETY
Testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray contradicted the White House’s statement that the investigation into staff secretary Rob Porter’s security clearance was ongoing at the time of his resignation (WaPo, NYT).
- Wray maintained that the FBI followed established protocol (WSJ).
- Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the security clearance system is “broken” (Time).
- Coats’s remarks brought renewed attention to the issue of temporary clearance (NYT), suggesting that Jared Kushner should not have access to classified information (WaPo).
- Wray’s testimony intensified internal White House turmoil (WaPo).
The Trump Administration told South Korea it would consider holding preliminary talks with North Korea (NYT).
- Intelligence Chief Coats said “decision time” for handling North Korea is near (Reuters).
The Department of Defense requested $69 million to replace Camp 7, the section of Guantanamo Bay that holds accused 9/11 orchestrator Khalid Sheik Mohammed and 14 other CIA captives (Miami Herald).
RULE OF LAW
While it’s okay for Presidents to disagree with court decisions, President Trump’s comments on the Pennsylvania gerrymandering case reflect a dangerous tendency toward defiance (Project on Government Oversight).
REGULATION
The Administration’s budget proposal shrinks the Department of Energy budget by more than $1 billion, including eliminating a popular program that provides grant funding to early-stage energy research (ArsTechnica).
House Democrats are pushing the Federal Communications Commission to clarify how it reviewed the 24 million public comments it received during its rulemaking to repeal net neutrality (The Hill).
Three environmental groups are suing the Administration for allowing oil companies to dump drilling and fracking waste into the Gulf of Mexico (The Hill).
In the Administration’s budget proposal, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos seeks to increase spending on school vouchers to more than $1 billion (WaPo).
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE
President Trump should not accept an in-person interview with Special Prosecutor Bob Mueller, and Mueller should not insist (Politico).
Russia is continuing its efforts to meddle in American elections and is targeting the 2018 midterms, according to top U.S. intelligence officials (WaPo, NYT).
- Intelligence Chief Coats stated that Russia saw its past efforts as successful (The Hill).
- FBI Director Christopher Wray says President Trump has not directed him to stop Russian meddling efforts (The Hill).
House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes is erratic but is not guilty of obstructing justice, argues Jed Shugerman at Shugerblog.
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Tags:
Immigration Rule of Law Conflicts Regulation Civil Rights Justice & Safety Russian Interference