Nicandro Iannacci  //  3/7/19  //  Daily Update

DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testified before the House Homeland Security Committee regarding border security. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen provided documents to the House Intelligence Committee that he said illustrate changes requested by the President’s lawyers to a knowingly false statement he made to Congress in 2017. A federal judge in California ruled that the inclusion of a citizenship question of the 2020 Census violated the APA and the Enumeration Clause. DOJ announced that it will increase its focus on illegal foreign influence operations, including violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Federal regulators are easing up on the use of various bank “stress tests” enacted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Senate Republicans are preparing to pass a rules change to shorten debate on lower court judges.

TRUMP: INVESTIGATIONS & LITIGATION

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen provided documents to the House Intelligence Committee that he said illustrate changes requested by the President’s lawyers to a knowingly false statement he made to Congress in 2017 (NYT).

Could Trump Organization executives be prosecuted for money laundering? Martin Sheil investigates at Just Security.

IMMIGRATION

DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testified before the House Homeland Security Committee regarding border security (NYT, WSJ, BuzzFeed).

• Video of the testimony is here.
• The testimony was full of misstatements and contradictions, writes Brian Tashman for the ACLU.

DEMOCRACY

A federal judge in California ruled that the inclusion of a citizenship question of the 2020 Census violated the APA and the Enumeration Clause (WaPo, NPR, The Hill). 

• The decision is here.

JUSTICE & SAFETY

DOJ announced that it will increase its focus on illegal foreign influence operations, including violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (NYT).

President Trump revoked an Obama-era rule requiring the government to disclose its estimates of civilian bystanders killed in airstrikes outside war zones (NYT).

• The revocation order is here.

In its response to investigation requests from the House Oversight Committee, the White House is demonstrating a misunderstanding of the oversight power, writes Andy Wright at Just Security.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

According to a newly obtained tax return, the pro-Trump dark money group 45Committee drew nearly half of its funding from one donor (CREW).

• The tax return is here.

President Trump is advertising his personal businesses by claiming they help diplomatic relationships (CREW).

REGULATION

Federal regulators are easing up on the use of various bank “stress tests” enacted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis (WSJ).

CHECKS AND BALANCES

Senate Republicans are preparing to pass a rules change to shorten debate on lower court judges (Politico).

If the White House cites executive privilege in resisting congressional investigations, it’s not clear how the dispute will resolve, writes Kate Shaw in The New York Times.

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