Monday, April 1

á           Tricia Newbold, a White House Personnel Security Office staffer, alleged that senior Trump administration officials, as many as 25 times, overruled security concerns about security clearances and granted clearances that had initially been denied.

á           Sen. Ted Cruz (R.-Texas) filed suit against the Federal Elections Commission challenging a $250K cap on the amount of money a candidate can raise after an election to repay personal funds the candidate loaned to his or her campaign.

á           An emergency aid bill was defeated in the Senate over the issue of relief money to Puerto Rico, which President Donald Trump wants to decrease but Democrats want to increase.

á           The chairs of six House committees sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr that he should testify Òas soon as possible — not in a monthÓ to explain his rationale to reveal his take on main conclusions of the Mueller investigation without making the report available.

Tuesday, April 2

á           A group of former U.S. intelligence and military officials filed suit against the Trump administration over rules that require them to submit book manuscripts and other writings for review long after leaving government service, arguing the system amounts to unconstitutional censorship.

á           The House Oversight and Reform Committee voted to subpoena Carl Kline, former boss of White House whistleblower Tricia Newbold, who alleged Monday that Kline overruled her clearance denials and ten retaliated against her when she objected.

á           Trump abandoned plans to press for a vote on a bill to replace the Affordable Care Act ahead of next yearÕs elections following a conversation with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican said.

á           Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross declined a second invitation to testify on TrumpÕs budget. Ross had been scheduled to appear Wednesday before the House Appropriations subcommittee.

Wednesday, April 3

á           The House Judiciary Committee voted to authorize Chair Jerrold Nadler (d.-N.Y.) to issue a subpoena for MuellerÕs full report and all the underlying evidence Mueller collected.

á           The Justice Department issued a report saying that AlabamaÕs prisons are violating the Constitution by failing to protect inmates from violence and sexual abuse and by housing them in unsafe and overcrowded facilities, and adding that it may sue the state if officials donÕt make improvements soon.

á           Both the New York Times and the Washington Post reported that investigators on the special counselÕs team have complained among themselves about BarrÕs summary of MuellerÕs report, saying, for one thing, that the evidence of obstruction was alarming and significant.

Thursday, April 4

á           The House approved a measure to cut off U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in YemenÕs civil war, in a harsh, bipartisan rebuke of TrumpÕs foreign policy. The Senate had already passed the resolution in March, but Trump is expected to veto it.

á           Trump announced he will nominate U.S. Treasurer Jovita Carranza to head the Small Business Administration, replacing Linda McMahon, who announced her resignation from SBA last month.

á           Trump said he will nominate former GOP presidential candidate Herman Can to one of two vacancies on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

á           Trump told reporters that if Mexico does not make progress on slowing the flow of drugs and migrants into the U.S. within the next year, he will impose tariffs on cars and, ultimately, close the border, backing off on a threat to close the border last week.

á           The top federal ethics watchdog said that Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinÕs sale of his stake in a film production business to his wife did not comply with federal ethics rules, and it would not certify his 2018 financial disclosure report as a result.

Friday, April 5

á           Trump told reporters that ÒweÕre going in a tougher directionÓ to explain Thursday nightÕs withdrawal of  the nomination of Ron Vitiello, a long-time border official, to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

á           The Labor Department said the unemployment rate remained at 3.8 percent in March.

á           Just weeks after insisting that American airstrikes in Somalia had killed no civilians, the U.S. Africa Command said that new information reveals that a woman and a child died last April when a U.S. strike targeted al-Shabab militants.

á           The House sued members of President Donald Trump's administration — including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and the departments they oversee — over his emergency declaration to force funding for a border wall.

á           TrumpÕs attorney William Consovoy argued in a statement that requests by the House for his tax returns are Ònot consistent with governing law, do not advance any proper legislative purpose, and threaten to interfere with the ordinary conduct of audits.Ó

Saturday, April 6

á           No news to report.

Sunday, April 7

á           Trump announced via Twitter that Kirstjen Nielsen resigned as secretary of homeland security after a meeting between the two at the White House.

á           House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.) said of the Mueller report on CNNÕs ÒState of the UnionÓ that ÒthereÕs ample evidence of collusion in plain sight. But that is not the same thing as proof of a criminal conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt, and that I would defer to Bob Mueller's judgment. And I do. But I think what weÕre talking about here is the difference between conduct that rises to the level of criminality and conduct that is deeply unethical, unpatriotic and corrupt that may not be criminal.Ó