Daily Update | July 27, 2018
Roshaan Wasim, Britany Riley // 7/27/18 //
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is looking into President Trump’s tweets to determine whether personal attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former FBI Director James Comey offer evidence in the obstruction-of-justice investigation. The Trump Organization’s finance chief has been called to testify before a federal grand jury in the Michael Cohen probe. The government is struggling to meet the court-ordered deadline to reunify families separated as a result of the administration’s zero-tolerance border policy. A lawsuit challenging the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census and claiming the Trump Administration is discriminating against immigrants will go forward. U.S. and Europe outline deal to ease trade feud. The District of Maryland rules that an Emoluments lawsuit against President Trump can proceed. Jeff Sessions and Paul Ryan oppose impeachment of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
TRUMP: INVESTIGATIONS & LITIGATION
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is looking into President Trump’s tweets to determine whether personal attacks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former FBI Director James Comey offer evidence in the obstruction-of-justice investigation (NYT).
The Trump Organization’s finance chief has been called to testify before a federal grand jury in the Michael Cohen probe (WSJ).
President Trump’s claims that his business interests are separable from his Presidency are weakened by the Court’s reasoning in Hawaii v. Trump, argues Leah Litman on Take Care.
IMMIGRATION
The government is struggling to meet the court-ordered deadline to reunify families separated as a result of the administration’s zero-tolerance border policy (NYT).
There is no crisis at the border and the Trump Administration’s family separation policy has caused nothing but “humanitarian crisis and bureaucratic chaos.” The administration’s attempts at remedying the problem will do much of the same, argues Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss) in The Hill.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) altered the agency’s risk-assessment software to no longer recommend release for detained immigrants who have no criminal history and strong ties to the community (Vice).
- Kate Evans & Robert Koulish argue that this is an attempt to manipulate risk assessments to allow for increased civil detention, which will face legal challenges (CrImmigration).
CIVIL RIGHTS
A lawsuit challenging the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census and claiming the Trump Administration is discriminating against immigrants will go forward (NYT, WSJ, The Hill).
DEMOCRACY
President Trump accused Twitter of “illegal” bias against Republicans in search results (WaPo).
JUSTICE & SAFETY
President Trump threatened to impose sanction on Turkey if authorities fail to release an American pastor who U.S. officials believe is detained on false terrorism-related charges (NYT, Politico).
U.S. and Europe outline deal to ease trade feud (NYT).
President Trump tries to ease GOP worries on trade (WSJ).
Bipartisan bill would prevent President Trump from exiting NATO without Senate consent (WaPo).
The House passed the annual defense bill, avoiding big policy clashes with President Trump (WaPo).
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opposes Russian claims on Crimea and Ukraine, but struggles to explain President Trump (LA Times).
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The District of Maryland adopts purpose-based approach in emoluments lawsuit and rules that a lawsuit against President Trump can proceed, writes Andy Grewal at Notice & Comment.
- The NYT examines the effect of this ruling.
- Allowing this emoluments suit to go forward is enabling the Emoluments Clause to function as the anti-corruption tool the framers intended, argue Karl Racine, Brian E. Frosh, and Norman L. Eisen at the New York Times.
REGULATION
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to eliminate rules aimed at abuses for for-profit colleges (NYT, WSJ).
Officials in the Trump Administration resist “Medicare for all” drive (NYT).
The SEC rejects a proposal to package bitcoin into an exchange-traded fund (WSJ).
RULE OF LAW
Jeff Sessions and Paul Ryan oppose impeachment of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein (WSJ, WaPo).
The Justice Department investigates TV station owners over advertising sales (WSJ).
Tags:
Immigration Rule of Law Conflicts Regulation Democracy Civil Rights Justice & Safety