General
Giuliani Faces U.S. Probe on Campaign Finance, Lobbying Breaches
Chris Strohm and Jordan Fabian, Bloomberg
Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, is being investigated by federal prosecutors for possible campaign finance violations and a failure to register as a foreign agent as part of an active investigation into his financial dealings, according to three U.S. officials. The probe of Giuliani, which one official said could also include possible charges on violating laws against bribing foreign officials or conspiracy, presents a serious threat to Trump’s presidency from a man that former national security adviser John Bolton has called a “hand grenade.”
Giuliani Ally Pete Sessions Was Eyed for Top Slot in Ukraine
Betsy Swan and Adam Rawnsley, The Daily Beast
At the same time that Rudy Giuliani and his now-indicted pals were pushing for President Donald Trump to remove Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch from her post in Ukraine, Trump administration officials were eyeing potential contenders to take over her job. One of the people in the mix, according to three sources familiar with the discussions, was Pete Sessions, a former congressman who called for Yovanovitch’s firing.
RNC to hold winter meetings at Trump resort that was considered for G-7 summit
David A. Fahrenthold and Michael Scherer, The Washington Post
The Republican National Committee will hold its winter meetings at President Trump’s Doral golf course in Florida next year — awarding another of the party’s most lucrative events to the president’s private business, a party spokesman said Thursday. The multiday event will be held in January at the Trump National Doral near the Miami airport, the spokesman said.
Trump’s Washington hotel has fallen behind competitors, with rooms running nearly half empty, marketing materials show
Jonathan O’Connell and David A. Fahrenthold, The Washington Post
President Trump’s Washington hotel has fallen well behind competing properties despite continuing to charge among the highest rates in the city, according to financial information provided to potential bidders as his company tries to sell the hotel’s lease. The hotel has become a center of Republican politics and a frequent stopping point for members of Trump’s cabinet and inner circle.
As Border Apprehensions Decline For 5th Consecutive Month, Migrants Change Too
Richard Gonzales, NPR News
The number of people apprehended by U.S. authorities, either attempting to cross the southwest border illegally or presenting themselves at a port of entry, declined for the fifth consecutive month, according to new figures released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Just over 45,000 people were apprehended in October, down from a spike of 144,000 in May — an almost 70 percent decline.
White House & Administration
Trump wants Supreme Court to block subpoena for his taxes
Mark Sherman, The Associated Press
President Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to block a subpoena for his tax returns, in a test of the president’s ability to defy investigations. The filing Thursday sets the stage for a high court showdown over the tax returns Trump has refused to release, unlike every other modern president.
Trump admin preparing to take over private land in Texas for border wall
Courtney Kube and Julia Ainsley, NBC News
The Trump administration is preparing court filings to begin taking over private land to build its long-promised border wall as early as this week — without confirming how much it will pay landowners first, according to two officials familiar with the process. Jared Kushner is hosting a meeting with military and administration officials at the White House this Friday, where they are expected to discuss the U.S. government taking over private land to build more sections of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, said two officials.
Trump talks Russia probe audit with attorney general and White House counsel in Oval Office meeting
Jim Acosta and Kaitlan Collins, CNN
President Donald Trump met with Attorney General William Barr and White House counsel Pat Cipollone in an Oval Office meeting Thursday afternoon in which the so-called Horowitz report came up in conversation, two sources told CNN. The animated discussions were captured by TV crews outside the Oval Office on the South Lawn of the White House awaiting the President’s departure for Louisiana.
White House and Pentagon prepare for Trump to issue pardons in war-crimes cases, officials say
Dan Lamothe and Josh Dawsey, The Washington Post
President Trump is expected to intervene in three military justice cases involving service members charged with war crimes any day, issuing pardons or otherwise clearing them of wrongdoing and preventing the U.S. military from bringing the same charges again, three U.S. officials said Thursday. White House and Pentagon officials have been working out the details for days, said the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Trump hikes price tag for US forces in Korea almost 500% as Seoul questions alliance
Nicole Gaouette, CNN
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper landed in South Korea on Thursday to navigate renewed threats from an “enraged” North Korea and newly heightened strain in the alliance with Seoul that congressional aides, lawmakers and Korea experts say has been caused by President Donald Trump. Trump is demanding that South Korea pay roughly 500% more in 2020 to cover the cost of keeping US troops on the peninsula, a congressional aide and an administration official confirmed to CNN.
Trump Lawyer Bolsters Defense of Ukrainian Billionaire
Greg Farrell, Bloomberg
President Donald Trump’s longtime lawyer has several new clients in a money-laundering lawsuit, all co-defendants of the Ukrainian billionaire who launched the career of that country’s recently elected president, Vlodymyr Zelinskiy. Marc Kasowitz, a New York lawyer who has frequently worked for Trump over the years and helped him coordinate his response to the U.S. special counsel’s Russia investigation, recently signed on to defend U.S.-based business partners of Igor Kolomoisky, according to a court filing in Delaware.
Trump Says Former Bolton Deputy Has ‘No Business’ in Court
Edvard Pettersson, Bloomberg
President Donald Trump said his former deputy national security advisor has “no business” asking a federal judge whether he must comply with a congressional subpoena to testify at the impeachment hearings. Trump asked the judge to throw out Charles Kupperman’s lawsuit seeking direction from the court.
Senate
Republicans eye rebellion against Trump with Turkey sanctions
Burgess Everett and Marianne Levine, Politico
At one point during his extraordinary joint press conference with President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan turned his attention to the U.S. Senate. The chamber, he contended, would stop the “vicious cycle” started by the House, which had passed biting sanctions on his country.
U.S. Senate Sets Up Expedited Vote on Hong Kong Democracy Bill
Daniel Flatley, Bloomberg
The U.S. Senate is preparing for quick passage of legislation to show support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong by placing the city’s special trading status with the U.S. under annual review. The Senate is set to bring the bill to the floor under an expedited process that would allow for quick passage unless there is an objection, according to Republican Senator Marco Rubio, the lead sponsor.
McConnell nukes House Ex-Im Bank bill in rebuke to Waters
Zachary Warmbrodt, Politico
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is refusing to take up House legislation that would extend the operations of the beleaguered Export-Import Bank for the next decade and is instead inclined to keep the agency running as part of an upcoming government funding bill, he told POLITICO. The agency, which guarantees loans for U.S. goods sold abroad, is set to see its charter expire after Nov. 21 if Congress doesn’t act.
Senate confirms controversial Trump judicial nominee
Marianne Levine, Politico
The Senate on Thursday confirmed President Donald Trump’s judicial nominee to the powerful Second Circuit Court of Appeals despite bipartisan frustration over his refusal to answer questions during his confirmation hearing. In a 51-41 vote, the Senate confirmed Steven Menashi, with moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine joining Democrats in voting against him.
Trump shows GOP senators summary of his first call with Ukraine president
Marianne Levine et al., Politico
President Donald Trump hosted a group of Republican senators Thursday afternoon for lunch and showed them an account of his first call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The Republican senators who attended the lunch included Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Ted Cruz of Texas, Steve Daines of Montana, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Enzi of Wyoming and Jerry Moran of Kansas.
House
Ousted ambassador to testify in Trump impeachment probe
Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick, The Associated Press
The House will hear from a singular witness Friday in the Trump impeachment hearings: Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who was targeted by the president’s allies in a “smear” campaign now central to the inquiry. The career diplomat, who served both Republican and Democratic presidents, is expected to relay her striking story of being suddenly recalled by Donald Trump and told to “watch my back” in a swiftly developing series of events that sounded alarms about the White House’s shadow foreign policy.
Pelosi Points to Possible Bribery Charge Against Trump
Nicholas Fandos and Michael S. Schimdt, The New York Times
Speaker Nancy Pelosi sharpened the focus of Democrats’ impeachment case against President Trump on Thursday, accusing the president of committing bribery when he withheld vital military assistance from Ukraine at the same time he was seeking its commitment to publicly investigate his political rivals. The speaker’s explicit allegation of bribery, a misdeed identified in the Constitution as an impeachable offense, was significant.
Top Democrats privately concede major shift in public opinion on impeachment is unlikely
Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb, CNN
House Democrats are publicly holding out hope that historic impeachment hearings will persuade a vast majority of the American public that President Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors — but privately many acknowledge that it’s unlikely to happen. In a private meeting this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her top lieutenants were skeptical about the prospects of a dramatic shift in opinion even as public impeachment hearings began this week, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Two N.C. Republicans could lose their districts under new GOP-drawn congressional map
Amy Gardner and Ted Mellnik, The Washington Post
North Carolina Democrats could gain two congressional seats under a redistricting proposal promoted by Republican legislative leaders Thursday — but some of them say it is not enough. The new map is one of nearly two dozen proposals offered in recent days by state lawmakers, who began redrawing the lines of the state’s 13 congressional districts after a state court ruled earlier this month that the GOP illegally gerrymandered the lines for partisan gain.
2020
‘They need to be pushed’: Sessions lashes Republicans for failing Trump on immigration
David M. Drucker, The Washington Examiner
Jeff Sessions says he is running for his old Senate seat to push Congress to act on border security and to stop resisting President Trump’s immigration agenda. The Alabama Republican is seeking to win a competitive primary and go on to face Democratic Sen. Doug Jones.
North Korean news agency calls Biden a ‘rabid dog’ after campaign ad implies Kim Jong Un’s a ‘tyrant’
Molly Nagle, ABC News
After a campaign ad for Former Vice President Joe Biden implied Kim Jong Un was a “tyrant,” North Korean state media responded on Thursday by blasting the 2020 Democratic candidate. The commentary called Biden a “rabid dog” and advocated that rabid dogs “can hurt lots of people” and “must be beaten to death with a stick.”
Progressive Uygur seeks Hill seat, blurs picture for Democrats
Jeremy B. White, Politico
Progressive journalist Cenk Uygur is seeking the California House seat vacated by former Rep. Katie Hill, raising the prospects of an intra-Democrat clash as the party seeks to preserve its 2018 California gains. As founder and host of the Young Turks news program, Uygur has built a reputation and following as a prominent liberal media figure — and he burnished his bona fides immediately by rolling out an endorsement from Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a rising progressive star who said “Congress needs bold progressives” like Uygur.
States
Trump, Again, Links His National Clout to Outcome in State-Level Race
Jonathan Martin, The New York Times
President Trump urged Louisiana voters on Thursday to “send a message to the corrupt Democrats in Washington” by electing to governor the Republican nominee, Eddie Rispone, directly linking the impeachment inquiry to a state election that will test his clout in the Deep South. Addressing supporters at his second rally in two weeks in heavily Republican north Louisiana, and his first since Democrats began public impeachment hearings, Mr. Trump dutifully read from his prepared text in an effort to rouse conservatives ahead of Saturday’s election.
States’ massive Google antitrust probe will expand into search and Android businesses
Lauren Hirsch and Lauren Feiner, CNBC
The 50 attorneys general investigating Google are preparing to expand their antitrust probe beyond the company’s advertising business to dive more deeply into its search and Android businesses, people familiar with the matter tell CNBC. The development comes as politicians on both sides of the aisle, including President Donald Trump, increasingly tee off on Silicon Valley.
Advocacy
Apple hires pro-Trump lobbyist as it tries to avoid tariffs on iPhone parts and other products
Brian Schwartz, CNBC
Apple has hired one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Washington, D.C., to lobby on its behalf as it looks to avoid getting hit with another round of tariffs. Apple, the computer and phone making juggernaut, has tapped longtime Trump ally Jeffrey Miller to lobby on its behalf, a lobbying registration form shows.
Behind Closed Doors in Washington, Here’s What Colleges Fight For
Kevin Carey, The New York Times
Anyone familiar with the back rooms of Washington politics knows about the industry associations. Staffed by lobbyists, these groups usually pursue different versions of the same agenda: ensuring their clients’ access to the public treasury while shielding them from public regulation.
The Tropical Conclave Where Politicians and Lobbyists Go to Make Deals
J. David Goodman, The New York Times
It was 11 p.m. on the Friday after Election Day, and two likely candidates to be New York City’s next mayor — Corey Johnson, the Council speaker, and Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president — were deep in conversation under purple-lit palms outside a beachfront hotel. Inside, the New York attorney general, Letitia James, danced atop a platform in a roped-off club at an exclusive party hosted by a New York City public employee union.
Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives
Senate Republicans’ Trump Dilemma
Phil Heimlich, Morning Consult
It’s looking more likely every day like the House of Representatives is going to impeach President Donald Trump, forcing a trial in the Senate. To some senators, the question will look like a painful one, pitting integrity and character against practical, political risks.
It’s the Wise Men vs. the wise guys in Trump’s America
Jon Meacham et al., The Washington Post
Geography, Napoleon is reputed to have remarked, is destiny, and this axiom came to our minds this week as we watched two very different but neighboring universes collide before the House Intelligence Committee. The ramrod-straight William B. Taylor Jr. and the bow-tied George Kent, two diplomats from the largely WASP ethos of the post-World War II foreign policy establishment, one headquartered at places such as the Council on Foreign Relations’ imposing Harold Pratt House at 68th Street and Park Avenue, found themselves bearing noble witness amid an impeachment imbroglio that may be best understood by an appreciation of the wilder mores of midtown Manhattan.
Research Reports and Polling
AP-NORC/USAFacts poll: Americans struggle to ID true facts
Nicholas Riccardi and Hannah Fingerhut, The Associated Press
In a sharply divided country, here’s something many Americans agree on: It’s hard to know what’s a true and honest fact. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts finds that regardless of political belief, many Americans say they have a hard time figuring out if information is true.
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