General
Mexico’s Crackdown at Its Southern Border, Prompted by Trump, Scares Migrants From Crossing Maya Averbuch and Kirk Semple, The New York Times
The Aguilar family had been preparing since February to migrate north. They borrowed $2,600, made a down payment to a smuggler and set off from their home in northern Guatemala last week.
New Michael Flynn attorney seeks access to classified information as Flynn awaits sentencing Spencer S. Hsu, The Washington Post
Michael Flynn’s new lawyer told a federal judge Monday that she might not be ready to discuss a sentencing date for President Trump’s former national security adviser for 90 days, and that the defense team wants time to obtain security clearances to access classified information. Flynn awaits sentencing for lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts in Robert S. Mueller III’s probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, and his appearance in federal court in Washington was the first since an abortive sentencing hearing in December.
Supreme Court to hear insurers’ bid for $12 billion in Obamacare money Nate Raymond, Reuters
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether insurers can seek $12 billion from the federal government under a program set up by the Obamacare law aimed at encouraging them to offer medical coverage to previously uninsured Americans. The justices will hear an appeal by a group of insurers of a lower court’s ruling that Congress had suspended the government’s obligation to make such payments.
Judge releases court details that show speed, scope of Mueller investigation following CNN request Katelyn Polantz, CNN
At the request of CNN, a federal judge in Washington on Monday released about 230 pages of data from the court showing new details about the scope and speed of Robert Mueller’s investigation. The pages largely show limited new details about Mueller’s work, such as the redacted case names and dates for his 499 search warrants and 200 communications data requests.
“Trump slump” hits big media Sara Fischer and Neal Rothschild, Axios
Top news executives tell Axios that a real “Trump slump” is hitting digital, cable and more. Why it matters: The shock factor around President Trump’s unplanned announcements, staff departures, taunting tweets and erratic behavior is wearing off, and media companies are scrambling to find their next big moneymaker.
White House & Administration
Trump vehemently denies E. Jean Carroll allegation, says ‘she’s not my type’ Jordain Fabian and Saagar Enjeti, The Hill
President Trump said Monday that writer E. Jean Carroll was “totally lying” when she recently accused him of raping her during an encounter in a New York department store in the mid-1990s. In an exclusive interview with The Hill, the president vehemently denied the allegations just hours after Carroll detailed the alleged incident during a cable news interview.
Jean Carroll is accusing Trump of rape, but is anybody listening? Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times
Author E. Jean Carroll’s allegation that she was raped by President Trump 23 years ago is having trouble making its way to the top of the news food chain. In a forthcoming memoir by Carroll, she describes an encounter with Trump in 1996 — when he was still a high-profile New York real estate mogul — at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan.
Trump Muses Privately About Ending Postwar Japan Defense Pact Jennifer Jacobs, Bloomberg
President Donald Trump has recently mused to confidants about withdrawing from a longstanding defense treaty with Japan, according to three people familiar with the matter, in his latest complaint about what he sees as unfair U.S. security pacts. Trump regards the accord as too one-sided because it promises U.S. aid if Japan is ever attacked, but doesn’t oblige Japan’s military to come to America’s defense, the people said.
Trump tiring of Mulvaney Nancy Cook, Politico
President Donald Trump’s honeymoon period with Mick Mulvaney is coming to an end. In recent weeks, Trump has been snapping at his acting chief of staff with some frequency, and expressing greater frustration with him than usual, according to four current and former senior administration officials.
Somehow, Rick Perry (?!) Is Trump’s Most Stable Cabinet Member Sam Brodey and Sam Stein, The Daily Beast
President Donald Trump’s cabinet is under siege—mired in scandal and under fire for controversial policy moves or dicey ethical missteps. Several department chiefs are facing the prospect of investigations or withering congressional testimony.
Blurred lines: Trump’s UN choice and her coal magnate spouse Ellen Knickmeyer, The Associated Press
The email went out from senior Environmental Protection Agency officials to Kelly Craft, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, responding to questions she had about a funding matter. But the acknowledgment email the EPA got back a few hours later wasn’t from the ambassador.
Judge: Census question might have discriminatory motive David McFadden, The Associated Press
New evidence paints a “disturbing picture” that racial discrimination may be the motive behind the Trump administration’s push to ask everyone in the country about citizenship status, a federal judge wrote in a Monday filing. Last week, U.S. District Judge George Hazel of Maryland ruled there’s enough evidence to warrant reopening a case focused on whether a proposed 2020 census question violates minorities’ rights.
Senate
Senate investigation finds multiple federal agencies left sensitive data vulnerable to cyberattacks for past decade Maggie Miller, The Hill
Several federal agencies failed to update system vulnerabilities over the course of the last two administrations and left Americans’ personal information open and vulnerable to theft, a report released Tuesday by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations found. The report, spearheaded by subcommittee Chairman Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.) and put together after a 10-month investigation, reviewed data compiled over the last decade by the Inspector General (IG) on federal information security standards for eight agencies.
Senate set to shelve Iran debate Marianne Levine and Burgess Everett, Politico
Senate Democrats will not be granted a vote on an amendment that would require congressional approval for any military intervention in Iran, according to Sen. John Cornyn. Cornyn’s remarks come amid a push from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to attach the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, a must-pass Pentagon policy bill that the Senate will take up this week.
House
House’s pay raise in doubt as GOP wavers Sarah Ferris and John Bresnahan, Politico
The bipartisan attempt to raise salaries for members of the House of Representatives is in doubt as GOP leaders are finding little support for what would be a difficult political vote, according to Republican sources. House Democratic leaders have been preparing to move ahead with the move this week, but only if they received GOP support.
Himes becomes latest Democrat to back impeachment inquiry against Trump Brandon Conradis, The Hill
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee, on Monday became the latest Democrat to publicly back launching impeachment proceedings against President Trump. “It is time for the House of Representatives to begin an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump,” Himes tweeted.
Oversight panel demands White House official testify on Trump-Putin docs Andrew Desiderio, Politico
The House Oversight and Reform Committee is demanding that the White House’s records chief testify about President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to conceal documents detailing his private conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a letter to acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said the White House has ignored his requests for information about Trump’s compliance with the Presidential Records Act, which mandates that such documents be preserved.
2020
Here are the rules for the first Democratic debate Alex Seitz-Wald, NBC News
Politicians tend to be long-winded, but brevity will be the name of the game on the crowded stage in the first Democratic presidential debate in Miami on Wednesday and Thursday. Candidates will have 60 seconds to answer questions and 30 seconds to respond to follow-ups.
U.S. Sees Russia, China, Iran Trying to Influence 2020 Elections Alyza Sebenius, Bloomberg
A Trump administration official said that Russia, China, and Iran are trying to manipulate U.S. public opinion ahead of the 2020 elections but that none has successfully corrupted physical election infrastructure, which remains a potential target for state and non-state actors. China has primarily used conventional media outlets to advocate for certain policies, including trade, while Russia and Iran have been more active on social media platforms, a senior U.S. intelligence official told reporters on Monday, speaking on the condition of not being identified.
Don Bolduc Enters 2020 Senate Race As First Republican Challenger To Jeanne Shaheen Josh Rogers, New Hampshire Public Radio
Retired Brigadier General Don Bolduc is running for U.S. Senate. Bolduc is the first Republican to challenge incumbent Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in her bid for a third term.
Mike Pompeo’s dilemma: Stick with Trump or bet on his own future Burgess Everett and Eliana Johnson, Politico
Mike Pompeo is the GOP’s best shot at keeping a must-win Senate seat in Republican hands. But he’s also the most stable national security voice in an administration that’s constantly on the verge of cracking up — setting up a high-stakes dilemma for the secretary of State and his party.
Left-Wing Group Announces List Of House Democrats To Unseat Daniel Marans, HuffPost
Roots Action, a left-wing group led largely by supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), drafted a report on 15 House members it considers ripe targets for progressive primary challenges, arming the Democratic Party’s populist wing with a new organizing tool as it seeks to unseat a growing number of incumbents. Roots Action, which is calling its analysis “Bad Blues: Some of the House Democrats Who Deserve to Be ‘Primaried,’” hopes the report can serve as a road map and source of encouragement for individuals or groups considering a primary run.
States
Blue States Roll Out Aggressive Climate Strategies. Red States Keep to the Sidelines. Brad Plumer, The New York Times
At a time when the country is already deeply fractured along partisan lines, individual states are starting to pursue vastly different policies on climate change with the potential to cement an economic and social divide for years to come. A growing number of blue states are adopting sweeping new climate laws — such as New York’s bill, passed this week, to zero out net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 — that aim to reorient their entire economies around clean energy, transforming the way people get their electricity, heat their homes and commute to work.
Missouri’s only abortion clinic allowed to continue providing under judge’s new order Meghan Keneally, ABC News
The lone abortion clinic in Missouri just received permission from a court to continue practicing even though the state’s health department refused to reissue their license. A circuit court judge announced Monday that the preliminary injunction that allowed the Planned Parenthood clinic to keep performing abortions after their license was not initially renewed has now been extended.
Where Are Oregon’s Senate Republicans? Check Idaho Ian Lovett, The Wall Street Journal
Four days after fleeing his home in Oregon, State Senator Cliff Bentz is still figuring out how to be a fugitive. He has changed hotels twice (partly to keep down costs) and bought a burner cellphone (he’s sure the authorities can track his regular phone).
Bill allowing horse racing to be suspended approved by California Legislature John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times
The power of the California Horse Racing Board grew on Monday when the legislature unanimously approved a bill that would grant the regulatory body the authority to suspend or move racing days without a 10-day public notice period. If this bill (SB 469) had passed a few weeks ago, the CHRB would have had the ability to shut down the last two weeks of racing at Santa Anita.
Advocacy
Ex-Trump Aide Jason Miller Leaves High-Powered Firm After Jerry Nadler ‘Fat F*ck’ Tweets Asawin Suebsaeng, The Daily Beast
Jason Miller, a former top campaign aide and close adviser to Donald Trump, has left his job as a managing director at Teneo, a prominent consulting firm, days after launching a profanity-laced tirade directed at a top House Democrat. “I have parted ways with Teneo by mutual consent and look forward to formally announcing my next move in the coming weeks,” Miller said in a statement to The Daily Beast.
Facebook’s Clegg pushes back against efforts to break up tech giants Mark Scott, Politico
A senior Facebook executive on Monday rebuffed growing calls by politicians to break up many of Silicon Valley’s biggest names, claiming that such policies would not solve many of the problems now confronting the digital world. Speaking at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, Nick Clegg, the social networking giant’s chief lobbyist, said that efforts to hobble tech companies — in Brussels, Washington, D.C. and beyond — would prove counterproductive, and that lawmakers should instead focus on creating new global rules to regulate the internet.
Craig worked with Manafort aide that FBI links to Russian intelligence Josh Gerstein, Politico
A man the FBI alleges has ties to Russian intelligence helped a U.S. legal team headed by former Obama White House Counsel Greg Craig as it prepared a review of the prosecution of former Ukrainian President Yulia Tymoshenko, according to an FBI report released Monday. As Craig fights a criminal case claiming he lied to and misled the Justice Department about the work he performed while at law firm Skadden Arps, his attorneys submitted a court filing attaching the 16-page FBI report, which details an interview Craig did with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators in September 2017.
Chinese Drones Made in America: One Company’s Plan to Win Over Trump Cecilia Kang, The New York Times
DJI, the large Chinese drone maker, is facing mounting security concerns within the Trump administration that its flying machines could send sensitive surveillance data back to China. Now, the company is trying to get on American officials’ good side by building a new product in the United States.
A Message from the American College of Emergency Physicians:
Patients to Insurers: Take Responsibility and Pay For Surprise Medical Bills
Patients shouldn’t be punished financially for seeking health care when they need it. Too many patients are receiving surprise bills for costs they thought would be covered by their insurance. As Congress considers a fix to surprise medical bills, legislators should consider Americans’ overwhelming belief that insurance companies should take responsibility and pay for surprise medical bills.
Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives
For the 2020 Democratic field, ‘electability’ doesn’t mean much — for now Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call
Most discussions about “electability” boil down to what path Democrats need to take to win the White House. Do they need a presidential nominee who mobilizes the base (including nonwhites, younger voters and those on the left) or one who attracts white, suburban swing voters and maybe even a 2016 Trump voter or two?
Can Democrats Win Back the Internet in the Age of Trump? Peter Hamby, Vanity Fair
In 2016, as the presidential campaign raged, a New York–based intelligence firm called Main Street One, little known in Democratic politics, quietly began working on behalf of a ballot initiative in Nevada to implement background checks on private gun sales. The measure, known as Question 1, sparked heated debate in Nevada, a state known for its divided politics and libertarian bent.
Research Reports and Polling
Cradles, Pews and the Societal Shifts Coming to Politics Gerald F. Seib, The Wall Street Journal
Sometimes the most important trends—the ones with enormous social and political consequences—are unfolding in plain sight. New data show two of them are under way right now.
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