Daily Update | May 17, 2018
Caroline Cox, Helen Marie Berg // 5/17/18 //
New evidence reveals that President Trump did reimburse Michael Cohen for the payment made to Stormy Daniels during the election. President Trump called some undocumented immigrants “animals” at a roundtable on California’s sanctuary state policy. Google is offering American political groups free cyber protection in the wake of Russian attempts to interfere with democratic elections. The White House is conducting searches for staffers’ unauthorized cell phones in an effort to reduce leaks to the press. In hearings, lawmakers raise national security concerns in response to President Trump’s Twitter pledge to aid Chinese company, ZTE. According to recently filed financial disclosures, President Trump has earned $59 million over the past three years operating a skating rink and other attractions in New York City.
TRUMP: INVESTIGATIONS & LITIGATION
Senate Judiciary Committee releases transcripts of witnesses interviewed about Donald Trump, Jr.’s June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower (NPR, NYTimes).
- Review the transcripts here.
- The New York Times breaks down the key take-aways from the documents.
- The documents reveal that President Trump attempted to meet with Putin in 2013 (WaPo).
New evidence reveals that President Trump did reimburse Michael Cohen for the payment made to Stormy Daniels during the election (WSJ; WaPo).
- Politico reports that the acting director of the Office of Government Ethics criticized President Trump’s nondisclosure of the payment.
- The Washington Post points out that the disclosure should have appeared on last year’s statements.
Federal prosecutors will have to do more than just promise a lighter sentence to flip Michael Cohen, explains Harry Litman at Lawfare.
Michael Cohen solicited a payment of at least $1 million from the government of Qatar in exchange for access to the Trump administration—an offer that the Qatari government declined (WaPo).
IMMIGRATION
President Trump called some undocumented immigrants “animals” at a roundtable on California’s sanctuary state policy (WaPo).
- The Los Angeles Times reports that President Trump also suggested during the meeting that Oakland’s mayor should be investigated.
Oral arguments in the Ninth Circuit’s review of President Trump’s decision to end the DACA program suggested that the court may not be sympathetic to the government’s position (The Hill).
Despite the Trump Administration’s rhetoric about illegal immigration, it is unlikely to reach Obama-era levels of deportations, writes Alex Nowrasteh at Cato at Liberty.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that it has already doubled the number of ongoing worksite enforcement investigations this fiscal year as compared to the last full fiscal year (ImmigrationProfBlog).
CIVIL RIGHTS
President Trump’s former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned in a public address that lies are threatening American democracy (NYT).
A coalition of civil rights groups have urged the Senate Judiciary Panel to reject President Trump’s nominee for a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (The Hill).
The failure of several of President Trump’s judicial nominees to say that Brown v. Board of Education was rightly decided signals the continued power of American racism, writes Eric J. Segall at ACSblog.
DEMOCRACY
Google is offering American political groups free cyber protection in the wake of Russian attempts to interfere with democratic elections (The Hill).
The White House is conducting searches for staffers’ unauthorized cell phones in an effort to reduce leaks to the press (The Hill).
JUSTICE & SAFETY
In light of threats from North Korea to pull out of the June summit with the United States, the White House has maintained that it is hopeful that the meeting will happen as planned (NYT).
- Just Security provides an analysis of the human rights issues that could be at play in the talks.
- The Washington Post reports on concerns among President Trump’s critics that the President will not focus on the substance of the talks.
The Trump Administration’s updated Conventional Arms Transfer Policy strives to sell more American arms but will likely cost U.S. taxpayers more money, explain A. Trevor Thrall and Caroline Dorminey at Cato at Liberty.
A top official in the European Union took to Twitter to criticize President Trump’s decisions on the Iran nuclear deal and other policies (NYT).
President Trump met with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, but did not press the leader on human rights issues in his country (NYT).
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
A group that donated $1 million to President Trump’s inauguration committee spent about the same amount to boost Justice Gorsuch’s nomination and block Merrick Garland’s (Election Law Blog).
In hearings, lawmakers raise national security concerns in response to President Trump’s Twitter pledge to aid Chinese company, ZTE, which is currently being sanctions by the Department for Commerce (The Hill).
- President Trump’s aides contradict the President’s clarification that his comments were part of a larger trade deal with China (NYT).
According to recently filed financial disclosures, President Trump has earned $59 million over the past three years operating a skating rink and other attractions in New York City (WaPo).
REGULATION
The Senate votes to reverse the FCC’s repeal of the net neutrality rules, but the resolution is not expected to pass in the House (Ars Technica).
- The LA Times points out that the vote is a smart but purely political move.
- The Wall Street Journal criticizes Democratic senators for the vote.
The FDA plans to publicly shame drug companies that block the development of cheaper generics by publishing the names of the companies online (Ars Technica).
Outside advisors to the EPA criticize Pruitt’s proposal to require studies used by the EPA to fully disclose their data and methodology claiming that the move will prevent the EPA from being aggressive in enforcement actions (The Hill).
RULE OF LAW
The DOJ appeals a federal judge’s decision to release grand jury records related to the independent counsel’s probe to President Clinton’s relationship with Monica Lewinsky (Politico).
Senate lawmakers accuse EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt of lying and misusing government funds during his testimony in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee (NYT).
CHECKS & BALANCES
The Senate Intelligence Committee voted in favor of President Trump’s nominee for CIA Director, Gina Haspel, paving the way for a full Senate confirmation (The Guardian, NPR).
- The Wall Street Journal suggests that some CIA business should not be discussed during confirmation hearings.
FEDERALISM
President Trump holds White House meeting with California leaders who have criticized their state’s opposition to the Administration’s immigration policies (LA Times).
President Trump suggests that the DOJ investigate the mayor of Oakland, California for informing residents of ICE raid, a move the President characterized as an “obstruction of justice” (WaPo).
RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE
Senate Intelligence Committee concludes that Russia interfered with the 2016 election to help President Trump win (The Hill, Politico).
- The Washington Post explains that this conclusion by the Republican Senators is a blow to the President.
The FBI’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election began 100 days before election day and was known only to the few agents involved (NYT).
- The New York Times provides a primer on the Russia investigation so far.
Despite calls by supporters to “wrap it up,” Mueller’s investigation is far from over, notes Harry Litman at the LA Times.
Tags:
Immigration Rule of Law Conflicts Checks & Balances Federalism Regulation Democracy Civil Rights Justice & Safety Russian Interference