Roshaan Wasim  //  1/14/19  //  Daily Update

Following James Comey’s firing as FBI Director, the FBI opened an inquiry into whether President Trump was secretly working on behalf of Russia. President Trump has concealed details of his face-to-face encounters with President Putin from senior officials in the administration. President Trump defends his position on border security and the government shutdown in a video posted on Twitter. The U.S. military announces the start of withdrawal from Syria. Federal employee unions sue the government over the shutdown. Congress approves back pay for furloughed federal employees. Attorney General nominee William Barr faces questions from senators ahead of this week’s confirmation hearings.

TRUMP: INVESTIGATIONS AND LITIGATION 

Following James Comey’s firing as FBI Director, the FBI opened an inquiry into whether President Trump was secretly working on behalf of Russia (NYT).

• President Trump responds to the FBI investigation on Twitter (NYT).
• The FBI’s investigation into the President was unavoidable, writes David Kris at Lawfare.
• Why the FBI might have thought President Trump was working for Russia, writes Aaron Blake at The Washington Post.
• On what grounds can the FBI investigate the President as a counterintelligence threat? Jack Goldsmith examines this question at Lawfare.

President Trump has concealed details of his face-to-face encounters with President Putin from senior officials in the administration (WaPo).

• House Democrats promise probe of President Trump’s meetings with President Putin (WSJ).

President Trump confronts the prospect of a “nonstop political war” for survival, writes Peter Baker at The New York Times.

IMMIGRATION

President Trump defends his position on border security and the government shutdown in a video posted on Twitter (ImmigrationProf Blog).

• President Trump’s stance on the border wall upends Washington’s usual border bargaining, writes Michael D. Shear at The New York Times.

President Trump casts doubt on whether he would declare a national emergency to build a border wall (WaPo).

• Legal obstacles await if President Trump declares a national emergency for a border wall, writes Lydia Wheeler at The Hill.
• Senator Graham urges President Trump to reopen the government, but to declare a national emergency if border deal remains elusive (WaPo).

The Trump Administration removes all migrant teens from a tent camp in Tornillo, Texas (WaPo).

• The CEO of the contractor that ran the tent camp says the Trump Administration pressured him to detain more migrant youth (Vice News).

President Trump tweets about crimes by immigrants, writes Linda Qiu at The New York Times.

President Trump’s immigration policy has foreign tech talent looking to Canada (WaPo).

DEMOCRACY

Documents show the NRA and Republican candidates coordinated ads in key Senate races (Mother Jones Blog).

JUSTICE AND SAFETY

The U.S. military announces the start of withdrawal from Syria (WaPo). 

A thief breaks into two State Department buildings, stealing cell phones and electronic equipment (WaPo).

President Trump’s National Security Council asked the Pentagon to provide the White House with military options to strike Iran last year (WSJ).

The Navy is planning to expand its role in the Arctic as climate change opens up more ocean waterways (WSJ).

REGULATION

The NLRB continues to issue decisions that run counter to legal principles expressed by the Circuit Courts (OnLabor Blog).

Federal employee unions sue the government over the shutdown (The Hill).

Congress approves back pay for furloughed federal employees (WaPo).

The Trump Administration plans effort to let states remodel Medicaid (WSJ).

The Department of Veterans Affairs seeks to redirect billions of dollars into private care (NYT).

RULE OF LAW 

Attorney General nominee William Barr faces questions from senators ahead of this week’s confirmation hearings (WSJ).

FEDERALISM 

Democratic governors are experimenting with new ways to expand healthcare that run counter to the Trump Administration’s ideas (The Hill).

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