Monday, April 23

á           Senior White House officials lobbied hard on morning television for Democrats and a key Republican to reconsider their positions on Mike PompeoÕs nomination as secretary of state ahead of a committee vote later in the day. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee later voted to endorse Pompeo for the post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-officials-urge-democrats-to-reconsider-support-for-pompeo-ahead-of-monday-committee-vote/2018/04/23/59841c5e-46ef-11e8-8b5a-3b1697adcc2a_story.html?utm_term=.8c02e1e8f25a&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

á           The Senate decided to postpone a confirmation hearing for Ronny JacksonÕs nomination to head the Veterans Affairs Department pending investigation into allegations against him. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-postpones-confirmation-hearing-for-ronny-jackson-to-head-veterans-affairs/2018/04/23/8d2bfd14-471d-11e8-ad53-d5751c8f243f_story.html?utm_term=.9eac73575f2c&wpisrc=al_politics__alert-politics&wpmk=1

Tuesday, April 24

á           Attorney General Jeff Sessions declined to recuse himself from the investigation into former Trump attorney Michael Cohen being conducted by the U.S. AttorneyÕs Office of the Southern District of New York. https://bloom.bg/2HnQj91

á           President Donald Trump rallied in defense of nominee Ronny Jackson for Veterans Affairs Department head after earlier publicly suggesting that Jackson might want to withdraw his nomination because of the allegations against him. Sen. John Tester said the VeteransÕ Affairs Committee had heard from more than 20 current and former military that Jackson had improperly dispensed drugs, drank on the job and created a hostile work environment. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-stands-by-embattled-nominee-to-lead-veterans-affairs/2018/04/24/3013860e-47a6-11e8-9072-f6d4bc32f223_story.html?utm_term=.a66b596af262&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1

á           U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ordered the federal government to continue the DACA program, including accepting new applicants, calling the decision to end the program Òvirtually unexplained.Ó He stayed his ruling for 90 days to allow the administration to provide a more solid reason for ending the program. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/immigration/2018/04/24/cfb41578-4816-11e8-8b5a-3b1697adcc2a_story.html?utm_term=.fe1dddb370da

Wednesday, April 25

á           McClatchy reported that a private investment firm led by Energy Secretary Rick Perry's son has notified the Securities and Exchange Commission that it's seeking investors for a new energy fund, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. http://bit.ly/2HZfK1W

á           The Supreme Court heard arguments on TrumpÕs travel ban without giving a clear read on how it will rule. https://politi.co/2Fh0QRr

á           Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen told the judge in Stormy Daniels civil suit that he will invoke his right against self-incrimination. The suit was filed by Daniels seeking to void a confidentiality agreement she signed shortly before the 2016 election about an affair she says she had with Trump years ago. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cohen-says-he-would-invoke-his-fifth-amendment-right-in-stormy-daniels-case/2018/04/25/c72a5c5a-48d9-11e8-827e-190efaf1f1ee_story.html?utm_term=.58d78dabd0be&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1

Thursday, April 26

á           Ronny Jackson withdrew his name from consideration as the head of the Veterans Affairs Department. https://politi.co/2Fj9qiA

á           Mike Pompeo was confirmed as the new Secretary of State. https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senate-confirms-mike-pompeo-as-trumps-next-secretary-of-state/2018/04/26/e2355ca4-4954-11e8-9072-f6d4bc32f223_story.html?utm_term=.f89717c68fe7

á           EPA head Scott Pruitt testified before congress, addressing concerns about several different allegations of improper spending and conflicts of interest. https://politi.co/2Flh1gC

á           The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would shield special counsel Robert Mueller from any attempted firing by President Donald Trump. The bill was approved 14-7, with four Republicans joining every Democrat in favor. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will not bring the bill to a vote. https://politi.co/2FgqeHf

Friday, April 27

á           The House Intelligence Committee report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, endorsed only by Republican members of the panel, concluded that it found no evidence of a connection between Russia and the Trump campaign. https://politi.co/2KlUBQb

á           Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) resigned in the midst of an ethics probe into a secret settlement with a staffer who accused him of sexual harassment and said he would repay to taxpayers the $39,000 severance payment to the former staffer. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/04/27/gop-rep-patrick-meehan-resigns-from-congress-amid-ethics-probe/?utm_term=.4675f2c21bd6&wpisrc=al_politics__alert-politics&wpmk=1

á           A federal judge in California ordered a three-month delay in the suit brought by Stormy Daniels, citing the likelihood that Michael Cohen, former Trump lawyer, will be indicted. https://nyti.ms/2Kn3E3s

á           The EPAÕs inspector general is opening new reviews into ethics questions surrounding agency head Scott Pruitt in response to a letter from two Democratic lawmakers, RepsÕ Don Beyer of Virginia and Ted Lieu of California.  https://wapo.st/2JC2UpT

Saturday, April 28

á           Members of the Trump administration walked out of the White House CorrespondentsÕ Dinner Saturday night after comedian Michelle Wolf ripped into White House staffers including press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

á           For the second year in a row, Trump vilified the press at a campaign-style rally during the White House CorrespondentsÕ Dinner. https://politi.co/2I2KrWA

Sunday, April 29

á           Former FBI director James Comey said on NBCÕs ÒMeet the PressÓ that the House Intelligence Committee report on Russian interference in the 2016 election strikes him Òas a political documentÓ and did not serve a good investigative purpose.

á           The White House announced that Navy Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson will not return to his role as TrumpÕs personal physician after he withdrew his nomination to head the Veterans Affairs Department. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ronny-jackson-wont-return-to-job-as-trumps-physician/2018/04/29/101d2bfe-4c0e-11e8-84a0-458a1aa9ac0a_story.html?utm_term=.1cf4b67a3742&wpisrc=al_politics__alert-politics&wpmk=1