Kyle Skinner  //  9/26/19  //  Daily Update

The Trump administration released a rough transcript the President’s conversation with the president of Ukraine. The Senate has voted for a second time to overrule the national emergency Trump announced to allow building the border wall, but failed to get enough votes to defeat a veto. A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration has violated the law by delaying visas for Afghans and Iraqis who worked as translators for the military. A judge in New York has issued a one-day stay of a subpoena of Trump’s financial documents.

IMPEACHMENT

Democrats seem to be attempting to limit impeachment discussions to the Ukraine phone call, in which Trump urged Ukraine to “do us a favor” and investigate Biden (Politico, NYT, WaPo).

The Trump administration released a rough transcript the President’s conversation with the president of Ukraine (available at Lawfare). 

• The OLC argues that because the whistleblower complaint does not involve an “urgent concern” that there is no statutory requirement that the complaint be communicated to Congress (available at Lawfare). 
• It is unclear to what extent the Acting Director of National Security fought the administration to testify before Congress (WaPo). 
• Adam Schiff has demanded further explanation from Bill Barr (Lawfare). 
• Legal counsel for the whistleblower has indicated that they are willing to directly testify before Congress (Lawfare). 
• Ilya Somin argues that if Trump threatened to withhold funding to Ukraine, that he was undermining Congress’ power of the purse (Volokh Conspiracy).
• Barbara McQuade writes that the conversation may also constitute honest services fraud (Just Security).
• Stephen Griffin writes that, as in past impeachment discussions, those defending the President will attempt to conflate the language of impeachment and criminal law (Balkanization).
• Alan Rozenshtein argues that impeachment language should not be “over legalized” (Lawfare). 

IMMIGRATION

The Senate has voted for a second time to overrule the national emergency Trump announced to allow building the border wall, but failed to get enough votes to defeat a veto (NYT). 

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration has violated the law by delaying visas for Afghans and Iraqis who worked as translators for the military (Immigration Prof Blog).

DEMOCRACY

Black voters are suing over a Jim Crow-Era election law (NPR). 

CIVIL RIGHTS

Citizenship applications are backed up, “prolonging the wait for civil and voting rights” (Conversation). 

INVESTIGATIONS

A judge in New York has issued a one-day stay of a subpoena of Trump’s financial documents (The Hill). 

A judge has overturned the guilty verdict against one of Michael Flynn’s business partners (NYT, The Hill, Lawfare).