Monday, Feb. 6

á       Ten former top security officials, including Madeleine Albright and Michael Hayden, wrote to the U.S. Appeals Court that the Muslim ban Òwas ill-conceived, poorly implemented, and ill-explained.Ó

á       The White House, in reaction to an assertion by President Trump that the Òvery dishonest pressÓ ignores terrorist incidents, released a list of 78 terrorist attacks, many of which were extensively covered by the media.

á       An open letter from EPA employees opposed TrumpÕs pick to lead the agency.

Tuesday, Feb. 7

á       Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education.

á       At a meeting with county sheriffs, a Texas sheriff complained about a Democratic senator, and Trump offered to destroy the senatorÕs career.

á       The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced its intent to grant the final easement needed for the Dakota Access pipeline.

á       A deputy assistant to Trump said administration will continue to use the term Òfake newsÓ until the media understands attacking the president is wrong.

á       HR899, House bill introduced to terminate the Department of Education.

á       HR958, House bill introduced to eliminate certain programs of the EPA.

á       HJRes44, House resolution passed to restrict citizen input on public land use planning such as the recent attempt to sell off 3 million acres of public land.  It rolls back a rule that gave local citizens a greater voice in the Bureau of Land ManagementÕs planning process.

Wednesday, Feb. 8

á       Senate Republicans silenced Senator Elizabeth Warren after she read a letter written by civil rights icon Coretta Scott King opposing the confirmation of Jeff Sessions to a federal judgeship in 1986.

á       President Trump denounced court arguments against his immigration ban as ÒdisgracefulÓ and said, ÒBut courts seem to be so political and it would be so great for our justice system if they would be able to read a statement and do whatÕs right.Ó

á       Jeff Sessions confirmed for Attorney General.

á       TrumpÕs nominee for the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, called the president's criticism of the judiciary ÒdishearteningÓ and Òdemoralizing.Ó

á       Draft executive order would allow ISIS suspects to be housed at Guantanamo.

á       Trump bashed Nordstrom for dropping IvankaÕs clothing line.

Thursday, Feb. 9

á       Kellyanne Conway, TrumpÕs Counselor, tells TV audiences to Ògo buy IvankaÕs stuff,Ó and gets counseled by legal experts for breaking a key ethics law banning federal employees from using their public office to endorse products.

á       9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals maintains freeze of TrumpÕs immigration ban.  Trump responds to ruling with ÒSee you in court.Ó

á       ItÕs revealed that National Security Adviser Michael Flynn privately discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with that countryÕs ambassador to the U.S. during the month before Trump took office, a possible violation of the Logan Act, which prevents U.S. citizens interfering in foreign diplomacy.

á       Trump plans to suspend a 2010 rule that discourages American companies from funding conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo through their purchase of minerals.

á       Trump plans to name Charles Cooper as Solicitor General. Cooper, a close friend of Jeff Sessions, defended CaliforniaÕs Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage. The U.S. Solicitor General represents the legal position of the U.S. in the Supreme Court.

á       A resolution is introduced in Congress to eliminate rules that limit overdraft fees for debit cards — a move that could be to the advantage of predatory lenders charging unreasonable and abusive overdraft fees.

á       HJRes70, House resolution introduced disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior on requirements for exploratory drilling on the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf.

Friday, Feb. 10

á       Trump considered a rewrite of his order barring entry into the country from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

á       Congressional Democrats urged the U.S. Congress to obtain TrumpÕs tax records to examine possible conflicts of interest.

á       Tom Price was sworn in as Health and Human Services secretary.

á       Mike Catanzaro, a climate change denier, will become a top White House energy policy aide.  Catanzaro is a lobbyist for numerous oil and gas companies.

Saturday, Feb. 11

á       Trump administration dropped federal defense of guidelines protecting access to bathrooms for transgender students.

á       Regarding Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, US investigators have corroborated some aspects of communications detailed in a 35-page, previously unverified, dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent.

Sunday, Feb. 12

á       Domestic advisor Stephen Miller, who participated in drafting the now-suspended travel ban, argues that the president has absolute authority to protect the nationÕs borders and warns that the whole world will soon see that the president's executive powers Òwill not be questioned.Ó

á       Miller, in support of TrumpÕs claims that voter fraud had influenced New HampshireÕs election, refuses to provide any evidence but cites unsubstantiated claims that thousands of illegal voters were transported from Massachusetts to New Hampshire.