General
Democrats Call For Investigation Into Pro-Trump Former Owner Of Massage Parlors
Miles Parks, NPR News
High-ranking Democrats on Capitol Hill are calling for a counterintelligence investigation into a woman who has peddled access to President Trump and who founded the massage parlor where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is accused of soliciting sex. Li “Cindy” Yang has been the subject of a number of reports in recent weeks, notably in The New York Times and the Miami Herald, which have detailed how she created a business that advertised “entry to events, including White House visits, ‘VIP activities at Mar-a-Lago’ and Warren Buffett’s annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway shareholders,” according to The Times.
Seoul aims to end nuclear deadlock between North Korea, Washington
Park Chan-Kyong, South China Morning Post and Politico
As talks between Washington and Pyongyang on denuclearization appear to have stalled after last month’s summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended without agreement, South Korea is looking for ways to end the impasse. A statement issued by Seoul’s presidential Blue House on Monday said the time was now right for the two Koreas to hold further talks — building upon President Moon Jae-in’s policy of rapprochement which saw him meet Kim three times last year.
George W. Bush: ‘May we never forget that immigration is a blessing and a strength’
Felicia Sonmez, The Washington Post
Former president George W. Bush, making a rare public appearance on Monday, greeted new U.S. citizens and described immigration as “a blessing and a strength,” a message that sharply contrasts with President Trump’s rhetoric on the issue. Bush made the remarks at a naturalization ceremony at the Bush Institute in Dallas.
GAO Urges Federal Government to Reveal Key Information on Political Appointees
Derek Kracvitz, ProPublica
The Government Accountability Office, the congressional watchdog agency, is urging the federal government to make information about thousands of political appointees — including their names, titles and federal salary disclosures about their assets, debts and past salaries — publicly available. The GAO’s report, which was released Friday, noted that ProPublica’s Trump Town is the only place people can access much of this information.
Another prosecutor leaving Mueller’s team
Darren Samuelsohn, Politico
A top Robert Mueller prosecutor who handled Michael Flynn’s guilty plea has left the special counsel’s office amid growing signs that the Russia investigation is nearing its end. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zainab Ahmad “has concluded her detail” under Mueller “but will continue to represent the office on specific pending matters that were assigned to her during her detail,” said Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsel.
‘It’s Probably Over for Us’: Record Floods Bring New Toll When Farmers Can Least Afford It
Mitch Smith et al., The New York Times
Ice chunks the size of small cars ripped through barns and farmhouses. Baby calves were swept into freezing floodwaters, washing up dead along the banks of swollen rivers. Farm fields were now lakes.
White House & Administration
A Mar-a-Lago Weekend and an Act of God: Trump’s History With Deutsche Bank
David Enrich, The New York Times
As President Trump delivered his inaugural address in 2017, a slight woman with feathered gray hair sat listening, bundled in a hooded white parka in a fenced-off V.I.P. section. Her name was Rosemary T. Vrablic.
Pentagon sends Congress list of military construction projects that could be delayed to free up money for wall
Paul Sonne and Erica Werner, The Washington Post
Acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan identified all of the projects that could possibly be affected by President Trump’s decision to use emergency authorities to take up to $3.6 billion in military construction funds for his border wall. Shanahan had promised to deliver the list to lawmakers by the end of the day last Thursday during a tense hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Trump won’t get sustained ‘boom’ without an infrastructure bill and more tax cuts, new White House report shows
Heather Long, The Wall Street Journal
President Trump has promised an economic boom that will last for years to come, but he’s unlikely to get one without the help of Congress to pass major new legislation, according to estimates by Trump’s own economic team. To achieve about 3 percent growth for the next decade, Trump would need a big infrastructure bill, more tax cuts, additional deregulation, and policies that transition more people off government aid and into full-time jobs, according to the 2019 Economic Report of the President, released Tuesday by Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers.
Trump Administration Plans Flood Insurance Overhaul
Lalita Clozel, The Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration said Monday it plans to overhaul government-subsidized flood insurance, in a sweeping proposal that could raise rates on more expensive properties and those in higher-risk areas. The new system would affect policies for most homeowners who own property in flood-prone areas, where such coverage is required because few private companies offer flood insurance.
U.S. Pressures Iraq Over Embrace of Militias Linked to Iran
Edward Wong and Eric Schmitt, The New York Times
The United States’ attempts to isolate Iran, including by punishing Iraqi militias and politicians who are supported by Iranian officials, has deepened tensions not only between Washington and Baghdad but also within the Trump administration. American military and intelligence officials said the increasing pressure on Iraq risks infuriating its Parliament, including politicians linked to Iran, which could limit the movements of the 5,200 United States troops based in Iraq.
Exclusive: As Venezuela crisis deepens, U.S. sharpens focus on Colombia rebel threat
Phil Stewart, Reuters
As the United States makes its biggest diplomatic push in Latin America in years to try to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the U.S. military is zeroing in on a byproduct of the crisis: a strengthening of Colombian rebels on both sides of Venezuela’s border. U.S. Admiral Craig Faller, the head of the U.S. military’s Southern Command that oversees U.S. forces in Latin America, told Reuters the United States had sharpened its focus on the rebels and increased its sharing of intelligence with Colombian officials.
White House proposes caps on student loan borrowing
Collin Binkley, The Associated Press
The Trump administration on Monday proposed new limits on federal student loans taken out by parents and graduate students as part of a broader proposal to curb the cost of college. White House officials included the plan in a list of suggested changes to the Higher Education Act, a sweeping federal law that governs student lending.
Senate
Joe Manchin won’t support LGBTQ protection bill
Burgess Everett, Politico
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said on Monday that he will not support the Equality Act without changes to the legislation intended to enshrine federal protections for the LGBTQ community, leaving him as the only holdout among Senate Democrats and drawing fire from his home state Democrats. The West Virginia senator, perhaps the most conservative Democrat in Congress, said that he believes the bill should allow more local control after talking to officials in his state.
Blunt disinvited to GOP event in backlash over vote to block Trump’s emergency powers
Bryan Lowry and Lindsay Wise, The Kansas City Star
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt has been disinvited from a local GOP gathering in Christian County, Missouri, next month amid a backlash over his vote to block President Donald Trump’s use of emergency powers to build a border wall. The senior GOP senator from Missouri was one of 12 Republicans who joined Democrats in voting against Trump’s national emergency declaration, a move that has sparked anger within the president’s base.
House
House to take up gender pay gap, Violence Against Women Act
Cristina Marcos, The Hill
The House will consider legislation in the coming weeks to address the gender pay gap, reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and reinstate net neutrality rules, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced Monday. All three measures are among Democrats’ top legislative priorities in the first 100 days of their majority.
Nunes sues Twitter, some users, seeks over $250M alleging anti-conservative ‘shadow bans,’ smears
Gregg Re and Catherine Herridge, Fox News
California GOP Rep. Devin Nunes filed a major lawsuit seeking $250 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages against Twitter and a handful of its users on Monday, accusing the social media site of “shadow-banning conservatives” to secretly hide their posts, systematically censoring opposing viewpoints, and totally “ignoring” lawful complaints of repeated abusive behavior.In a complaint filed in Virginia state court on Monday, obtained by Fox News, Nunes claimed Twitter wanted to derail his work on the House Intelligence Committee, which he chaired until 2019, as he looked into alleged and apparent surveillance abuses by the government.
The meeting was supposed to ease tensions between Muslim and Jewish Democrats. It ended with tears.
Rachael Bade and Mike DeBonis, The Washington Post
It was supposed to be a chance for Muslim and Jewish House Democrats to ease tensions and find common ground. It ended with one lawmaker in tears.
2020
Joe Biden readies major endorsements and message of strength ahead of likely 2020 run
Arlette Saenz and Jeff Zeleny, CNN
Joe Biden didn’t clear the field, so he’s poised to join it. The former vice president’s anticipated entry into the 2020 race is the last major factor looming over the opening chapter of the Democratic primary.
Beto O’Rourke says Donald Trump’s comments on Lordstown union president are “absolutely shameful”
Seth A. Richardson, Cleveland.com
Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke said Monday in an exclusive interview with cleveland.com that Republican President Donald Trump’s attack of a union leader in Lordstown was “absolutely shameful.” O’Rourke, a 46-year-old former congressman from Texas, is the latest Democrat to throw his name into the 2020 race.
Five takeaways from Elizabeth Warren’s CNN town hall
Gregory Krieg, CNN
Sen. Elizabeth Warren has a plan — for just about everything. The policy-fluent Massachusetts Democrat zipped through her thick suite of legislative and regulatory proposals for a CNN town hall audience in Jackson, Mississippi, on Monday, taking questions from voters and, in a declaration that won her a prolonged ovation, saying for the first time that she would support replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote.
Amy Klobuchar Runs On A Record Of Accomplishments — Including With Republicans
Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News
Minnesotans like Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar. She was reelected in the purple state in 2018 by 24 points, and in January Morning Consult polling found her to be one of the most popular senators in the country.
States
Supreme Court divided over Virginia redistricting case and question of racial discrimination
Robert Barnes, The Washington Post
The Supreme Court appeared splintered Monday about a Republican-drawn plan for legislative districts in Virginia that a lower court said discriminated against black voters. Several justices wondered whether the case was properly before the Supreme Court.
Advocacy
Lobbying Case Against Democrat With Ties to Manafort Reaches Key Stage
Kenneth P. Vogel and Katie Benner, The New York Times
A long-running federal investigation into a former White House counsel in the Obama administration is reaching a critical stage, presenting the Justice Department with a decision about whether to charge a prominent Democrat as part of a more aggressive crackdown on illegal foreign lobbying. The case involving the lawyer, Gregory B. Craig, was transferred in January from federal prosecutors in New York to those in Washington.
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Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives
I pushed to repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ The transgender ban defies our values.
Mike Mullen, The Washington Post
The Defense Department announced plans last week to reinstate a ban on service by openly transgender Americans that, until now, has been blocked by multiple court rulings. This decision hurts our national security, deprives our ranks of much-needed talent and flies in the face of the values our military institution represents.
Beto’s Apology Tour
The Editorial Board, The Wall Street Journal
Beto O’Rourke’s presidential campaign is off to a gangbusters financial start, raising $6 million in just 24 hours, more than even Bernie Sanders. As for Mr. O’Rourke’s reputation as a strong leader—on that presidential characteristic he needs work.
Research Reports and Polling
Wisconsin 2020: Bernie Sanders Leads Democratic Field; Trump Competitive in General Election
Emerson Polling
The first Emerson College Wisconsin Poll of the Democratic primary finds Bernie Sanders holding a strong lead with 39% of the vote, followed by Joe Biden at 24%. In third place, Elizabeth Warren, the only other candidate in double digits, is at 14%.
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