May 26, 2017

Kushner offers to cooperate

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

After Jared Kushner was named Thursday as the "current White House official" under scrutiny about Russia, a statement from his lawyer suggested he has not been contacted by investigators.

The lawyer, Jamie Gorelick, said: "Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings. He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry."

Between the lines: The "if" suggests that hasn't happened.
What's new? The WashPost says in the lead story of Friday's paper: "Kushner, who held meetings in December with the Russian ambassador and a banker from Moscow, is being investigated because of the extent and nature of his interactions with the Russians."
Also per The Post: "[I]nvestigators are also looking broadly into possible financial crimes ... [P]eople familiar with the matter ... did not specify who or what was being examined."
But, but, but ... Per NBC: "[O]fficials said Kushner is in a different category from former Trump aides Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn, who are formally considered subjects of the investigation."
Why it matters: Kushner has his hands in everything. So even the best-case scenario is a distraction at the very top of the White House.

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Twitter launches warnings on election misinformation and delays

Photo: courtesy of Twitter

Twitter will start pinning notices to the top of all U.S. Twitter users’ timelines warning that results in next week’s election may be delayed and that they may encounter misinformation on mail-in voting.

Why it matters: Delayed election results are expected across many states that are handling unprecedented amounts of absentee and mailed ballots, which President Trump has baselessly called "very dangerous" and "corrupt."

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NASA confirms water exists on sunny parts of the Moon

Photo: NASA/JPL/USGS

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Axios

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Pence no longer expected at Amy Coney Barrett's final confirmation vote

Photo: Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence no longer plans to attend the Senate's final confirmation vote for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a Pence aide confirmed to CNN and Politico on Monday. On Sunday, Senate Democrats claimed that his presence after possible exposure to the coronavirus would be a "violation of common decency."

Driving the news: Five of Pence's aides were recently diagnosed with COVID-19, including his chief of staff, who is currently quarantining. Pence has continued his campaign travel despite his possible exposure, which goes against CDC guidelines.