Monday, May 8

á       President Donald TrumpÕs statement calling for a Òtotal and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United StatesÓ was deleted from his campaign website.

Tuesday, May 9

á       Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, saying Comey had treated Hillary Clinton unfairly, damaging the credibility of the Justice Department and FBI.

á       Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke suspended 38 resource advisory councils that advise the BLM on science and the management of public lands.

á       The Kushner Companies apologized for using Jared KushnerÕs name in a sales presentation to lure Chinese investors with the promise of an Ôinvestor visaÕ if they invested $500,000 in New Jersey real estate ventures.

á       The ACLU reported that more than 30 anti-protest bills in 20 states have been introduced since the election in November — an unprecedented effort to put a cap on dissent and free speech.

á       TrumpÕs advisers postponed a meeting on whether the U.S. should withdraw from the Paris climate agreement because of so much opposition to withdrawal.

á       Trump-appointed FCC chair, Ajit Pai reinstated the ÒUHF discount,Ó an outdated loophole that allowed media conglomerates to exceed the nationÕs 39 percent cap on ownership of media outlets. This allowed Sinclair Broadcast Group, the conservative media behemoth that owns more local news stations than any other company in the country, to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion.

á       Trump appointed longtime renewable energy antagonist Daniel Simmons to lead the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

á       Trump announced plans to nominate Clean Power Plan opponents to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Wednesday, May 10

á       Following FBI director ComeyÕs firing, Republicans rejected DemocratsÕ call for a special prosecutor to investigate Trump-Russia ties.

á       Sen. John McCain said, Òif Trump was trying to thwart the Russia investigation [by firing Comey], it wonÕt work.Ó

á       Before Comey was fired, he reportedly asked the Justice Department for a significant increase in resources for the bureauÕs investigation into RussiaÕs influence in the election.

á       The Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenaed Michael Flynn in the Russia investigation.

Thursday, May 11

á       According to news sources, TrumpÕs anger and impatience with Comey had boiled over into fury when Comey refused to divulge his planned Senate panel testimony, and denied assurances of loyalty to Trump.

á       FBI agents were concerned that the way Trump fired Comey fundamentally compromised the bureauÕs political neutrality.

á       Trump signed an order to create a commission to review his controversial allegations of widespread voter fraud.

á       The Daily Beast reported that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein threatened to resign after the White House portrayed him as the driving force behind FBI director ComeyÕs dismissal.

á       The FBI refused to disclose documents about TrumpÕs contentious election year call on Russia to hack Hillary ClintonÕs emails.

á       Census Bureau director John H. Thompson resigned amid a budget crunch, raising fears that, with bad census data, people will not receive their fair share of electoral college votes.

á       Senate bill S1114 was introduced to nullify the recent executive order that discriminates against LGBTQ individuals, women, religious minorities, and others under the pretext of religious freedom.

á       The DOE and White House continued to operate without any advisory groups of experts on science, research, energy, technology and innovation.

á       Former Director Of National Intelligence James Clapper said that he never exonerated Trump of collusion, as Trump claimed.

Friday, May 12

á       Trump continued to attack ComeyÕs 10-year career by humiliating him in demeaning tweets and media interviews.

á       Trump threatened in a tweet that Comey should hope Òthere are no tapes of conversations.Ó

á       EcoWatch reported that the Interior Department has plans for seismic surveys in the Atlantic Ocean following TrumpÕs order to expand offshore drilling.

á       Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Justice Department, in a reversal of Obama administration policy, would enforce a mandatory minimum sentence for all drug offenses.

á       The EPA reached a legal settlement with a Canadian company to build the massive ÒPebbleÓ gold, copper and molybdenum mine in AlaskaÕs Bristol Bay watershed threatening one of the last, untouched salmon spawning grounds in the world.

á       Trump selected Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a major architect of voter suppression measures, as the vice chair of TrumpÕs new Voting Integrity Commission.

á       In a blow to the oil and gas industry, the Senate blocked a repeal of the so-called methane rule aimed at curbing natural gas and oil field waste on public land.

á       Interior Department deputy nominee David Bernhardt was scrutinized for conflicts of interest and allegations that he helped doctor scientific documents.

á       Secretary of Defense James Mattis and national security adviser HR McMaster asked to secure long-term military roles in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Saturday, May 13

á       The TreasuryÕs Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, specializing in combating money-laundering, will provide information for the SenateÕs probe of Trump-Russia ties.

á       The Washington Post reported that Trump has a long history of secretly recording phone calls.

Sunday, May 14

á       Legislators in both parties said Trump will need to turn over his tapes of conversations with Comey to Congress.