Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant announced Wednesday that he would appoint Cindy Hyde-Smith as the replacement to retiring senator Thad Cochran, reports WashPost. Hyde-Smith currently serves as Mississippi's Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce and will be the state's first female senator.
Although the White House issued nondisclosure agreements to senior staff members last year, they known by those in the West Wing to be unenforceable, per the NYT. The Times report states that White House counsel Don McGahn had the documents written up to pacify President Trump, who believed the documents would stave off leaks from his administration.
Why they didn't matter: Beyond the fact that the documents didn't have any penalties — early drafts, as reported this weekend by WaPo, contained a $10 million fine — ethics and legal experts told the Times that they would vastly overstep free speech protections under the First Amendment. Ian Bassin, associate White House counsel under President Obama, reached a similar conclusion, tweeting that "beyond classified material and federal ethics standards on confidential info, WH staff work for the public."
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday that only about 20 of 150 state and local election officials have security clearances to obtain election security intel as they try to shore up vulnerabilities in light of Russia’s efforts to meddle in U.S. elections. Nielsen said DHS is sponsoring up to three election officials per state to obtain the necessary clearance.
Why it matters: As former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told the committee Wednesday, "Given that our electoral college and our current politics, national elections are decided in a few precincts, in a few key swing states. The outcome therefore may dance on the head of a pin."The U.S. is in an election year, and several high-ranking intel leaders have told lawmakers that Russia is already showing signs it is meddling in this year's elections.
Rep. Dan Lipinski, a conservative-leaning Democrat, fended off a tough challenge by liberal newcomer Marie Newman in the Democratic primary for Illinois’ 3rd House district. His razor-thin 51%-49% win virtually assures that he will retain his seat in his traditionally Democratic district.
Why it matters: The race is indicative of the battle brewing between Democratic moderates and progressives during the primary season for 2018's midterm elections. It's the most serious challenge that Lipinski has faced in his seven terms in Congress.
One of the most startling leaks — and stunning revelations — of this whole administration has left President Trump and his senior staff furious and rattled. The Washington Post reports in its lead story: "Trump did not follow specific warnings from his national security advisers [yesterday] when he congratulated ... Putin on his reelection — including a section in his briefing materials in all-capital letters stating 'DO NOT CONGRATULATE.'"
Why it matters: The speed and sensitivity of the leak prompted immediate finger-pointing within the administration, as aides reeled from a leak that could only have come from a small group of people, each of whom is trusted with sensitive national secrets.
The Trump administration has threatened to cut back on employment-based immigration and end the DACA program. Meanwhile, the U.S.'s neighbors to the north and south are dueling to attract Silicon Valley's foreign talent who feel unwelcome under Trump.
Why it matters: Everyone wants a piece of Silicon Valley. With tech companies under increasing political and legal pressure to help their employees who could be targeted by changing immigration policies, Mexico and Canada's proximity to some U.S. tech hubs could pay off.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Tuesday that, likely through September 10, it is suspending a program that allows U.S. employers to pay an extra fee to have their H-1B visa petitions processed within 15 days. The suspension applies to U.S. employers seeking new H-1B visas, including for workers with a master’s degree or higher.
Why it matters: USCIS says it is choosing to suspend premium processing to speed up overall processing. While this move forces some U.S. companies to wait longer to get needed foreign talent and adds some uncertainty to their planning, this year's suspension only applies to new cases that are not exempt from the the H-1B cap. Last year, USCIS suspended premium processing for all H-1B petitions.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has been in hot water in recent weeks over reports that he ordered a $31,000 dining set for his office using taxpayer dollars. His latest explanation, on Tuesday: "I left it to my wife."
The bigger picture: Carson joins other cabinet officials who have been scrutinized for seemingly lavish spending. From a cost standpoint, his case is far from the most eye-popping — but it includes some particularly interesting twists and turns.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a lawyer for Stormy Daniels purchased the rights to a video on Monday of her taking a polygraph test in 2011 about her alleged affair with President Donald Trump.
Why it matters: The polygrapher, Ronald Slay, told the Journal that her response "about having unprotected sex with Mr. Trump in July 2006 to be truthful," and her statement that she was promised a spot on The Apprentice was inconclusive. Slay said there "were no observable indications of intent to deceive." Per the Journal, the test was taken "as part of an agreement to sell her story to Life & Style magazine for $15,000." But the story was never published and she did not get paid.
Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to be freed from a 2016 legal agreement that required her to stay silent about an affair she claims she had with President Trump in 2006, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters, per Axios' Jonathan Swan: We have no earthly idea how many other women are out there who have similar hush money agreements with Trump's lawyers or associates acting on his behalf. But the floodgates appear to be opening with Stormy Daniels and now this Playboy model coming out. They're setting the template for others to follow — a nightmare scenario for even this teflon president.
Sen. John McCain condemned President Trump on Tuesday for his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying U.S. presidents shouldn't congratulate "dictators on winning sham elections."
“An American president does not lead the Free World by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections. And by doing so with Vladimir Putin, President Trump insulted every Russian citizen who was denied the right to vote in a free and fair election to determine their country's future, including the countless Russian patriots who have risked so much to protest and resist Putin's regime."
The Senate Intel Committee released a set of recommendations Tuesday that concludes states should "rapidly replace outdated and vulnerable voting systems" and that "any machine purchased going forward should have a voter-verified paper trail and no WiFi capability."
Why it matters: States have already begun voting in primaries this year, but not all states have a paper trail of votes, and without them, election officials cannot guarantee election results reflect the way people cast their ballots. (There are five states that lack a paper trail of votes, and nine that sometimes lack them.) And with intel leaders assuring lawmakers that Russia is continuing to meddle in U.S. elections, this lack of verifiability can sow doubt in swing state results or particularly close elections.
President Trump's legal team wanted to add Theodore Olson, who served as solicitor general in the George W. Bush administration, as Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues his investigation, the Washington Post reports. But Olson has declined the offer, according to another partner at his firm, Gibson Dunn. We've reached out to Olson to confirm.
The House, which was originally expected to unveil the omnibus spending bill Monday night, is expected to vote on the omnibus this Thursday, Politico reports. Congress is working against the clock as government funding will expire on Friday.
The White House is hosting a roundtable on sanctuary cities Tuesday afternoon with the President, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen of the Department of Homeland Security, Republican lawmakers and others, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Conservatives tried to use this week’s massive government spending bill to cut federal funds from sanctuary cities, but they failed, according to sources involved in the process. But Trump officials want to use Tuesday’s event to highlight the issue and put pressure on cities that don't comply with federal immigration law enforcement.
