Daily Update | May 30, 2018
Roshaan Wasim // 5/30/18 //
Michael Avenatti, Stephanie Clifford’s attorney, has frustrated efforts by federal prosecutors to obtain information about a deal involving President Trump and Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former attorney. President Trump says the investigation regarding the 2016 elections is “meddling” with the 2018 midterm elections. The Trump Administration lost track of 1,475 immigrant children last year who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border on their own. Top nuclear weapons negotiator from North Korea arrived in Beijing amid reports that he will travel to the U.S. to finalize a summit meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un. The DOJ granted antitrust approval to Bayer AG’s planned acquisition of Monsanto after requiring the company to sell off about $9 billion in assets to preserve competition.
TRUMP: INVESTIGATIONS AND LITIGATION
Michael Avenatti, Stephanie Clifford’s attorney, has frustrated efforts by federal prosecutors to obtain information about a deal involving President Trump and Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former attorney (WSJ).
President Trump says the investigation regarding the 2016 elections is “meddling” with the 2018 midterm elections (Politico, WaPo).
- The Washington Post analyzes how far back the Russia investigation goes.
- Politico reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller may be in the final stages of his investigation.
Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s attorney, said the president would not sit for an interview with Robert Mueller unless all documents relating to an FBI informant can be reviewed (WaPo).
IMMIGRATION
The Trump Administration lost track of 1,475 immigrant children last year who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border on their own (NYT, WaPo).
President Trump criticized online activists who shared photos of children at immigration detention facilities as a means of condemning his administration’s immigration policies (Politico).
The government’s claim that it conducted “extensive” analysis before issuing the travel ban may not be true, writes David Bier at Cato Institute.
CIVIL RIGHTS
The U.S. envoy for international religious freedom, Sam Brownback, criticized Saudi Arabia and described the violence directed against Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingya minority as ethnic cleansing (WSJ).
DEMOCRACY
Alabama filed a lawsuit against the Census Bureau to stop “illegal aliens” from being counted as persons for the purpose of the census (Election Law Blog).
President Trump just called into question the legitimacy of November’s midterm elections, writes Amber Phillips at The Washington Post.
A Breitbart staffer recruited Democratic activist Bruce Carter to get African Americans to support President Trump or abstain from voting, write Lauren Etter and Michael Riley at Bloomberg.
JUSTICE AND SAFETY
President Trump’s fluid approach to national and economic security risks alienating U.S. allies, according to several Republican lawmakers, business executives, and former U.S. officials (WaPo).
The U.S. identified 3 ISIS militants accused of planning and directing a deadly ambush in Niger last October (NYT).
Top nuclear weapons negotiator from North Korea arrived in Beijing amid reports that he will travel to the U.S. to finalize a summit meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un (NYT).
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with a top North Korean official this week in the U.S. (WSJ).
The White House halted new sanctions against North Korea in an effort to revive a proposed summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un (WSJ).
Top federal government adviser warns that North Korean nuclear disarmament could take 15 years (NYT).
Former CIA officer accused of selling secrets to China admits he met with Chinese spies but claims he was trying to help the U.S. (WaPo).
REGULATION
A federal magistrate judge has blocked the DOE from paring back a loan relief program for defrauded students of Corinthian College (LA Times).
Republican FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly asks Amazon and eBay to boost crackdown on pirate TV boxes, writes Jon Brodkin at ARS Technica
The Internet Association, a trade group representing the biggest web-based technology companies, asked the FEC to allow for flexibility in how they disclose funding sources for political ads (The Hill).
RULE OF LAW
New York Republicans nominate Keith Wofford for state attorney general (WSJ).
The DOJ granted antitrust approval to Bayer AG’s planned acquisition of Monsanto after requiring the company to sell off about $9 billion in assets to preserve competition (WSJ, WaPo).
CHECKS AND BALANCES
A proposal by Senator James Lankford to limit debate time for judicial nominees would help resolve the large number of vacancies for the federal judiciary, writes Sarah Field at The Hill.
Tags:
Immigration Rule of Law Checks & Balances Regulation Democracy Civil Rights Justice & Safety