Monday, Dec. 4
á President
Donald Trump endorsed Senate candidate Roy Moore in Alabama, prompting the
Republican National Committee and a pro-Trump super PAC to also support Moore,
boosting a candidate who had been largely cut off by his party due to allegations
of sexual improprieties.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/with-trumps-support-moore-could-gain-influence-in-washington/2017/12/04/02da209c-d917-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.1729d8ce33dd&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
á The Supreme Court
allowed TrumpÕs third travel ban to be fully enforced as legal challenges in
lower courts continue.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-allows-full-enforcement-of-trump-travel-ban-while-legal-challenges-continue/2017/12/04/486549c0-d5fc-11e7-a986-d0a9770d9a3e_story.html?utm_term=.51be8d6df882&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
á Trump scaled
back two national monuments in Utah — Bears Ears by 85 percent and Grand
Staircase-Escalante by 46 percent — the largest reduction of public-lands
protection in U.S. history.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-scales-back-two-huge-national-monuments-in-utah-drawing-praise-and-protests/2017/12/04/758c85c6-d908-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.e8fadc1023f9&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
Tuesday, Dec. 5
á The State
Department warned American embassies worldwide to heighten security ahead of a
possible announcement Wednesday by Trump that the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as
the capital of Israel. http://politi.co/2jNWPvi
á The Atlantic
reported that after publication last October of the Access Hollywood tape in
which Trump made joking references to sexual predation, Vice President Mike
Pence made it clear to Republican Party officials that he was ready to take
TrumpÕs place as the partyÕs nominee. http://theatln.tc/2nvmwWw
á The AP reported
that under Trump, Border Patrol arrests plunged to a 45-year low while arrests
by deportation officers soared. http://bit.ly/2inpze9
á The U.S. Supreme
Court heard arguments in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a case about
whether a Colorado baker discriminated against a gay couple because he declined
to bake a cake for their wedding. http://bit.ly/2BLJcFh
á Rep. John Conyers
Jr. (D-Mich.) said he will retire immediately after multiple sexual harassment
allegations spanning two decades emerged. He endorsed his son to replace him.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/conyers-wont-seek-reelection-following-harassment-allegations-report-says/2017/12/05/17057ea0-d9bb-11e7-a841-2066faf731ef_story.html?utm_term=.02a261926055&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
á Interior
Secretary Ryan Zinke recommended shrinking a total of four national monuments
and changing the way six other land and marine sites are managed, a sweeping
overhaul of how protected areas are maintained in the United States. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/zinke-backs-shrinking-more-national-monuments-shifting-management-of-10-others/2017/12/05/e116344e-d9e5-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.d279615a5af5&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1
Wednesday, Dec. 6
á NBC News
reported that Donald Trump Jr. asked a Russian lawyer at the June 2016 Trump
Tower meeting whether she had evidence of illegal donations to the Clinton
Foundation. The lawyer gave this information to the Senate Judiciary Committee
in answers to written questions. http://nbcnews.to/2krExnm
á A majority of
Senate Democrats called on Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to resign as he faces
multiple allegations of sexual harassment. https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/as-accusations-continue-to-mount-senate-democrats-tell-franken-to-resign/2017/12/06/fd23fcda-dabb-11e7-b859-fb0995360725_story.html?utm_term=.528f2d9ece31&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
á Congressional
Democrats announced in a letter that they have evidence, from a confidential
whistleblower, that within minutes of TrumpÕs inauguration, then-national
security adviser Michael Flynn told former business partners that a plan to
build nuclear reactors across the Middle East was Ôgood to go.Õ http://politi.co/2BQNX0j
á ProPublica
reported that at the same time Jared Kushner is attempting to negotiate a peace
deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the Kushner Companies
Charitable Foundation is funding a controversial West Bank settlement.
https://www.propublica.org/article/jared-kushner-kushner-companies-donating-west-bank-settlement?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailynewsletter
Thursday, Dec. 7
á Congress passed
a short-term spending deal Thursday to avert a partial government shutdown,
paving the way for a budget fight later this month. Trump is
expected to sign it the bill, averting a government shutdown set to take effect
at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/congress-set-to-delay-shutdown-setting-up-bigger-spending-fight-later/2017/12/07/6b6712fa-db51-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.7de1c5b9ba41&wpisrc=al_news__alert-economy--alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
á Sen. Al Franken
said he would resign from the U.S. Senate, following allegations of sexual
harassment and loss of support by fellow Senate Democrats. http://strib.mn/2BJ9MxU
á Speaking in
front of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a meeting of foreign
ministers in Vienna, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. will
maintain sanctions against Russia until it returns full control of Crimea to
Ukraine. http://cnn.it/2ADy90F
á Arizona
Republican Rep. Trent Franks said he will resign his seat after House officials
learned he had asked two female employees act as surrogates and bear his child.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rep-trent-franks-of-arizona-is-expected-to-resign/2017/12/07/479d156a-db9f-11e7-b859-fb0995360725_story.html?utm_term=.c38c5b31b826&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
Friday, Dec. 8
á The House Ethics
Committee began an investigation into Rep. Blake Farenthold over allegations
that he sexually harassed a former aide and then retaliated against her when
she complained about it. . http://politi.co/2Be5SRw
á The Washington
Post reported that six women have accused Judge Alex Kozinski, 67, of the 9th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, of a range of inappropriate sexual conduct or comments.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/prominent-appeals-court-judge-alex-kozinski-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/2017/12/08/1763e2b8-d913-11e7-a841-2066faf731ef_story.html?utm_term=.e10049fcce16&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1
á The U.S. Supreme
Court announced it will add a second case this term, this time involving
Maryland Democrats, to determine whether partisan gerrymandering is
unconstitutional. The court already has heard a challenge to a Wisconsin
legislative redistricting drawn by the stateÕs Republican leaders.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/2017/12/08/4fde65f4-dc66-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.42bdfc7c6bb5&wpisrc=al_politics__alert-politics--alert-local-politics&wpmk=1
á Trump used a
rally in Florida to forcefully endorse Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican
running for the Senate. Trump had earlier endorsed MooreÕs primary opponent,
Luther Strange, until Moore beat Strange to go on to the general election
against Democrat Doug Jones. http://politi.co/2kO21DK
Saturday, Dec. 9
á After facing
backlash and boycotts, President Trump addressed an invitation-only gathering
at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
in Jackson instead of attending the public opening ceremony, as he had
originally been scheduled to do.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/12/09/amid-backlash-trump-set-to-attend-private-gathering-as-civil-rights-museum-opens-in-mississippi/?undefined=&utm_term=.5f63e2c7f9a0&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1
Sunday, Dec. 10
á Violence broke
out near the U.S. Embassy in Beirut over TrumpÕs announcement Wednesday
recognizing Jerusalem as IsraelÕs capital. http://reut.rs/2kPR708
á Democrat Doug
Jones barnstormed in Alabama with headliners Corey Booker and Deval Patrick in
a bid to turn out black voters he needs to win. Republican Roy Moore, facing
accusations of sexual predation, hasnÕt held a public event since Tuesday. http://politi.co/2AUsKEk