Thursday, January 10, 2019

NEW: Exclusive: President Trump briefed on a plan that would use Army Corps of Engineers and a portion of $13.9B of Army Corps funding to build 315 miles of barrier along US-Mexico border, according to 3 US officials familiar with the briefing.


House passes 2nd bill to reopen govt. Leader McConnell, let the Senate vote. And Mr. Trump, end your shutdown, free your hostages, sign these bipartisan Appropriations bills, & let’s continue the SEPARATE negotiations on the border. We all support border security.


Mike Pence Continues to Misleadingly Suggest Thousands of Terrorists Come Across Southern Border


Tim Kaine plans to object to the Senate adjourning for the week amidst the government shutdown, Senate sources tell The Hill. Kaine has told McConnell he'll object to any motion to adjourn.


Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin asked for a vote to end the #TrumpShutdown. Senate GOP leader Sen. Mitch McConnell said that the Senate has more important things to do than open the federal government.


PayPal drops sanctioned Russian propaganda site


Opinion: Donald Trump is the world’s worst negotiator


I’m pretty sure Trump is describing a weekend at Jeffery Epstein’s house.


.@realDonaldTrump and GOP leaders are holding the government hostage until they get their way. And what’s being sacrificed? YOUR health. Yes, Republicans would rather enable this tantrum than let food safety inspections resume.


The GOP must send a message that there's no place for this kind of rhetoric outside the 3-hour primetime block on Fox News


Pelosi: “I think the meeting was a setup so he could walk out."


Trump, to Border Patrol: "They have done a fantastic job. Never so many apprehensions, ever, in our history." Reality: border apprehensions are at their lowest level since the early 1970s


Why would the Senate leave town this weekend before voting to reopen the government?! Countless federal workers aren't being paid. People are worrying about how to pay bills. Congress could act now to fix it if Mitch McConnell would just take up a bill. Let's stay here and do it!


Texans to Trump: Forget about the wall


Today, the FBI Agents Association sent a petition to the White House and Congressional Leaders signed by representatives of all FBI Agent Association field offices across the country warning of the effect of the continued government shutdown on Agents and their work


Sen GRAHAM says efforts to find a compromise path to reopen the government aren’t working: “I see no path forward...”


The mystery donor to Pruitt's legal defense fund is America's "richest self-made woman," donor to Koch causes, an ex-Trump adviser, and invested in companies that span the steel, aluminum, recycling, real estate sectors.


Oreo-maker Mondelez suffered a massive cyber attack and its insurance company is refusing to pay out because the (Russian) hack was "a hostile or warlike action" by a sovereign country.


I’m on the floor right now with all my Democratic colleagues trying to force votes on reopening the government. Let’s just vote on the bill that every Senate Republican already supported. McConnell is speaking right now, objecting to taking ANY votes to end the shutdown.


New: Michael Cohen, the president’s former lawyer and fixer, will testify before the House Oversight Committee, the first major move by House Democrats to haul in a member of Trump’s team connected to the special counsel’s investigation.


Just wait til the intercepts Australia made of @ivankatrump and Jared get revealed. There’s a reason @realDonaldTrump subjected Nick Warner, the senior Australian spy who traveled to the US on a diplomatic passport, to a cavity search at the airport#FVEY

God bless our Aussie friends.

I just joined @SenatorCardin & my colleagues on the Senate floor to ask for unanimous consent to vote to re-open the government immediately. Unfortunately Mitch McConnell objected. This unnecessary #TrumpShutdown is hurting our country. When will enough be enough???


NEW: Treasury Sec. Mnuchin agrees to deliver a classified briefing to US House lawmakers on Thurs. on his decision to lift sanctions on companies linked to Russian oligarch and Putin ally Oleg Deripaska,, according to two top Democratic aides.


Mitch McConnell spent eight years trying to stop a smart and decent man from accomplishing good things for the American people simply because he was black, and is now allowing an unfit monster to tear the country apart simply because he is white.


Pompeo’s theme of a “reinvigorated” America in the Middle East is all the more laughable since we don’t even have Ambassadors in most of the countries he’s visiting on this swing


BOMBSHELL: Donald Trump Jr is tied to El Chapo's Mexican drug cartel. These photos @Funder found prove it. Same Latvian banker Don Jr’s in photos with was also behind a massive Russian money laundering scheme as well. Because, of course he was


The Daily Caller is a white supremacist blog.


Not even a government shutdown can slow the administration's push to lease off swaths of the pristine Alaska wilderness to fossil fuel interests.


House Democrats are using their new oversight authority to investigate the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development's management of the shutdown, as questions mount about HUD's failure to renew low-income housing contracts across the country.


People over-dependent on social media display poor decision making in much the same way as drug addicts, research suggests


I just asked the President about Manafort: KARL: Did you know Paul Manafort was sharing polling data from your campaign with the Russians? TRUMP: No. I didn’t know anything about that.


Saudis take 100% control of America's largest oil refinery


"You could give me a trillion dollars and I wouldn't take it." Some Texas landowners vow to reject buyout offers, prepare to fight the federal government in court if it moves to seize their land to build a border wall.


If I were president I'd definitely try to force a constitutional showdown using executive privilege to try to prevent an "inconsequential" report stemming from two and half years of investigation from seeing the light of day...wouldn't you?


In the Orwellian category, Trump just said “I never said this” when asked about his repeated promises Mexico will pay for the wall.


A speech as embarrassing to America in its content as it is to Pompeo in its irrelevance.


The Pentagon has decided to let the Air Force accept its first delivery of Boeing aerial refueling tankers despite unresolved deficiencies


EXCLUSIVE: DHS test of steel prototype for border wall, Trump's preference, showed it could be sawed through. We've obtained a never-before-seen photo.


US will pull forces from Syria, maintain battle vs Islamic State: Pompeo


Ignore Trump. It's time Pelosi started treating Mitch McConnell as the real Republican leader in Washington


Trump Thinks He’s His Own Best Messenger. Where Does That Leave Bill Shine?


Mueller really does know everything. Here's how...


#Russia’s state TV couldn’t be more excited about the government shutdown and the chaos it is causing in the U.S. If Trump declares a state of emergency, he might actually cause one - “Then we will finally defeat America,” sarcastically snickers state TV host Olga Skabeeva.


Day 20: The FDA is no longer doing onsite food inspections. You should probably stop buying lettuce, meats, leafy veggies, etc... as we are now flirting with another outbreak. It’s up to corporations & honor systems to keep our food safe now.


It's official: Fox News’ Shep Smith and Andrew Napolitano agree: The Trump campaign colluded with Russia


Exclusive: top ‘16 Bernie aide Robert Becker forcibly kissed subordinate. Other staffers detail inappropriate behavior throughout the ‘16 campaign. Some prompted a previously undisclosed $30,000 settlement b/t former staffers and campaign.


Storming out of meetings is Trump’s signature move — and he even bailed out of divorce court once


Holding signs saying, “Was your airplane properly repaired and inspected today? The FAA does not know!” at MIA Thurs, inspectors spoke w/ departing airline passengers about what they say is a heightened risk of aviation accidents bc of their absence


When Trump visits McAllen tomorrow, he'll be promoting a $5.7 billion border wall in a community where nearly half of all children live below the poverty line, where 30 percent of kids are food insecure. That's the backdrop for his sales pitch.


Democrats Introduce Bill To Shield Unpaid Federal Workers From Lenders And Landlords They couldn’t go after government workers or contractors who can’t pay rent or loans because of the shutdown


Months after the Trump administration requested to meet with a top DOJ official about a litigation involving Steve Wynn, it revised Obama-era rules governing how companies could distribute employees' tips to make them far friendlier to employers


Dem leaders would be wise to stop fighting on Trump's turf. Don't just brand the President as wrong on the border. That's playing defense. Brand Trump as impeachable...now. Make him play defense.


The Feds Didn’t Pay Their $5 Million Water Bill. Can D.C. Shut Off Water To The White House?


Trump paid campaign manager Kellyanne Conway’s polling company $427K in final weeks of campaign. The firm’s total campaign paycheck: $937K.


Meet Sam Patten. Kliminik's business partner. Cambridge Analytica contractor. All we know is that Manafort handed over "polling data". This was before CA officially involved but it's uncanny how it's the same small group of people.


All you corporations who embrace diversity and inclusion—when you suppport Fox News, this is the trash you’re underwriting.


Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have complained that A.G. nominee William Barr is refusing to meet with them, citing the ongoing government shutdown, WaPo reports. Richard Blumenthal calls the move "entirely unprecedented and unacceptable."


Thanks to the trumpshutdown, the FDA has now been forced to suspend all routine domestic food facility inspections until further notice. Nothing says caring about national security quite like food born illnesses spreading throughout the nation in the name of a racist wall. MAGA.


“Russia Has Never Interfered In Elections” Kremlin claims after accusations of meddling in Israel


TV ratings: Democrats' response to Trump speech outdraws president


Judge rules that Scott overstepped when he suspended Broward’s embattled elections


Durbin on WH meeting: “Mitch McConnell didn’t say a word at the meeting. Not a word, come to think of it, I don’t think McCarthy did either.”


How reality-show diplomacy with North Korea could backfire


White House Intervened in Case of Trumps Casino Pal Steve Wynn


Trump's "imperial presidency is, in many ways, propped up by [right-wing] media partisans who insist that the naked emperor has glorious new clothes."


The shutdown fight is not about the wall. It's about Donald Trump


Mitch McConnell, the one who had a meeting w/ colleagues the evening of Barack Obama’s inauguration telling them the GOP will block everything the Obama admin does, said on Senate floor yesterday: “Dems just don’t want DT to succeed.


URGENT: Please call Mitch McConnell’s offices immediately and demand a vote on the bills to reopen the government:


Former U.S. marine held in Russia on spy charges seeks bail: news agencies


Trump's bid for Sydney casino 30 years ago rejected due to 'mafia connections’


Steve Scalise, Gabby Giffords hug on House floor


The heartwarming story of a country that was able to murder a journalist and not have it effect their bond sales.


Had lively discussion with Jeffrey Toobin and Harvard Law Prof Nancy Gertner on Trump and the GOP packing courts with Federalist Society goons. Also did my Grassley impression which made Nan and Jeff laff & laff! Listen, won’t you?


"Totally bonkers!": Trump slams media in late-night tweets after failed shutdown meeting


Attorney General nominee William Barr tells @PierreTABC he assesses Rod Rosenstein’s performance at DOJ as “excellent.” He later declines to answer whether he feels the need to give any assurances that special counsel Robert Mueller can continue his work.


Build a wall around Philadelphia. And South Jersey is gonna pay for


Trump farm bailout money will go to Brazilian-owned meatpacking firm, USDA says


About 800,000 federal workers are going without pay — and thousands of them are veterans. Of those veterans, nearly 50,000 have a Department of Veterans Affairs disability rating.


GOP Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) breaks ranks saying he doesn't believe we should "negotiate on the backs of almost a million workers who are trying to do the right thing for the country." "If this is a crisis, the people that are dealing with this crisis should get paid."


Reps. Jackie Speier and Jared Huffman picked up trash in national parks in their districts and delivered some of it to the White House to protest the shutdown. "Soon we'll have enough trash to build a wall, perhaps."


Wow: Mazie Hirono spox knocks Tulsi Gabbard for op-ed on "religious bigotry" over Qs for Trump judicial nominee. "It is unfortunate that Congresswoman Gabbard based her misguided opinion on the far-right wing manipulation of these straightforward Qs.”


So border apprehensions have gone down because he’s doing a great job without the wall but he needs the wall because they can’t do a good job without it except that he’s managing it already but also can’t manage it without a wall. Got it.


Xi Jinping backs new talks between Kim Jong Un and President Trump


Quite a shot at the Saudi crown prince in today’s @washingtonpost 100 days since Jamal Khashoggi’s murder:


Klobuchar says she was denied Barr meeting before hearing because of shutdown


Lawrence Summers sees "lot of grounds for concern" on China's economy and warns of “significant risk” of U.S. recession over the next two years


Trump's team had over 100 contacts with Russian-linked officials, report shows


Questions about Trump finances to get new scrutiny from Democrats


Democrats set to grill Mnuchin on easing of some Russia sanctions


Sounds like we need to welcome these immigrants so they’ll share their advanced technology with us


Inside Bill Browder's blood money battle with Putin's Russia


A dark-money group supporting Scott Pruitt's confirmation as EPA administrator raised nearly a half-million dollars from at least one oil company and other donors who did not have to identify themselves


Last night on CNN former GOP Rep. Charlie Dent said GOP is "losing" the shutdown and have a crisis in leadership, comparing the GOP to the Black Knight in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." “People pretend they’re winning when they’re having their arms and legs hacked off.”


RC: “Every member of Congress representing one of the nine districts along the border opposes constructing a wall.” Including R-Rep. Will Hurd. Don’t you think members at the border would be hearing from their constituents about this “crisis” if there was one as Trump claims?


Senators you can remove McConnell and replace him with someone sane.


This is REAL. Filmed in 1958- about a conman who grifts a small town of suckers into building a wall. History not subtle enough for you? GUESS THE GRIFTER'S NAME (And watch until the end)


Exclusive: NBC News source says Mueller probe wrapping by March


ICYMI: Journalist Pelin Ãœnker sentenced to jail in Turkey over Paradise Papers investigation


"If this shutdown does not stop, we are going to have fatalities. We're going to have suicides." Veterans groups sound alarm over government shutdown, warning of disproportionate impact on America's veterans.


House passes bill to reopen the Treasury and the IRS. 8 Republicans voted with all Democrats to pass the bill. But the effort is expected to be dead on arrival in the Senate because President Trump does not support this path to end the shutdown.


The Justice Department is denying meetings with AG nominee William Barr with some Democrats, citing the shutdown


The Washington Post reports that the White House has hired 17 lawyers to help in an effort to prevent "President Trump’s confidential discussions with top advisers from being disclosed to House Democratic investigators" and in Robert Mueller's final report


A beefed-up White House legal team prepares aggressive defense of Trump’s executive privilege as investigations loom large


In the W.H. meeting, Schumer accused Trump of "using people as leverage," a congressional aide told NBC News. "Why won't you open the government and stop hurting people?" "Because then you won't give me what I want," Trump replied, according to the aide.


Whoops


President Trump officially nominates acting chief Andrew Wheeler to EPA administrator


‘We have the umbilical cord’: Harvard Law professor explains Don Jr. and Jared Kushner are caught on collusion


"The agency, which oversees 80 percent of the food supply, has suspended all routine inspections of domestic food-processing facilities..."


BREAKING: NBC News sources: Mueller near end of investigation.