Monday, May 11

á           Nearly 2000 former Justice Department officials signed onto a letter calling for Attorney General William Barr to resign over what they describe as his improper intervention in the criminal case of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, when the Justice Department moved to drop charges against Flynn last week.

á           Democracy Forward, a left-leaning anti-corruption advocacy group, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties asking the agency to open an investigation into its press office for allegedly providing or confirming to reporters details about the citizenship and immigration status of people accused of crimes in the U.S. and lobbying right-wing media outlets to report on the crimes.

á           At a Rose Garden press conference, President Donald Trump declared the U.S. has Òmet the moment and É prevailedÓ in reference to COVID-19, and later walked out after two reporters pressed him on his response to the virus.

á           A memo instructed most White House officials to wear masks or face coverings in the West Wing, as well as avoid Òunnecessary visitsÓ there The request does not apply to staff members seated at their desks if they are Òappropriately socially distanced,Ó and Trump is not expected to wear a mask in the White House, according to reporting in the Washington Post.

Tuesday, May 12

á           The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on three cases concerning disclosure of TrumpÕs tax returns by live conference call. The technology was a first for the court.

á           The U.S. Senate held its first mostly remote hearing, with health officials appearing remotely and Sen. Lamar Alexander chairing from his home in Tennessee. Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the witnesses, said reopening states too soon could lead to Òreally seriousÓ consequences and opined that it is unlikely to think there will be either an effective treatment for COVID-19 or a vaccine in time for the fall university term.

á           An Associated Press analysis showed that thousands of people are becoming infected with the novel coronoavirus in industries that have re-opened at TrumpÕs urging. Recent figures show a surge of infections in meatpacking and poultry-processing plants, which Trump ordered back to work, and thereÕs been a spike of new cases among construction workers in Austin, Texas, where that sector recently returned to work.

á           U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan put the Justice DepartmentÕs motion to drop charges against TrumpÕs former national security advisor Michael Flynn on hold.

Wednesday, May 13

á           Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell said this is the worst economic downturn since World War II and Congress must continue to spend money to fend off even worse outcomes.

á           The Daily Beast reported that the White House has pressed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to work with states to change how they count coronavirus deaths in a way that would reduce the total number being reported. Officials who spoke to the Daily Beast said they are pushing back on the requests.

á           Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer released details of a remote work plan for Congress. The proposal, known as proxy voting, would allow lawmakers to cast votes for colleagues who arenÕt in the Capitol in person.

á           The Labor Department said its producer price index, which measures inflation before it reaches the consumer, fell by the largest level on record since 2009 as the disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic rattled the U.S. and the global economy. The report came one day after the U.S. said consumer prices declined 0.8% in April, the biggest month-to-month fall since the 2008 financial crisis.

á           U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, the judge overseeing the sentencing of Michael Flynn, appointed retired New York federal judge John Gleeson to oppose the Justice DepartmentÕs motion to dismiss FlynnÕs guilty plea and to examine whether Flynn committed perjury by pleading guilty to a crime of which he now claims to be innocent

Thursday, May 14

á           Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Sen. Richard Burr is temporarily stepping down as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee during an ongoing investigation of his stock trades and the coronavirus pandemic.

á           The Pentagon fired Jennifer Santos, its industrial policy chief and point person for the Defense Production Act who is overseeing efforts to increase production of masks and other equipment to fight coronavirus. No reason was announced for the firing.

á           The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a lawsuit accusing President Donald Trump of violating the Constitution by accepting foreign government money through his luxury Washington hotel can proceed to fact-gathering about TrumpÕs profits.

á           Rick Bright, the former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority who was removed for raising concerns about the governmentÕs coronavirus response and its promotion of unproven drugs to treat the virus, told Congress that Òlives were lostÓ because of ÒinactionÓ at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Friday, May 15

á           The Census Bureau reported that retail spending fell a record 16.4% in April with clothing stores the hardest hit at a nearly 80% fall off in sales, followed by electronics, furniture, sporting goods, restaurants, bars and gas stations.

á           The House of Representatives passed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill which faces opposition in the Senate and which Trump has vowed to veto.

á           The Lancet, one of the worldÕs oldest and best-known medical journals, in an editorial slammed TrumpÕs Òinconsistent and incoherent national responseÓ to the coronavirus pandemic and accused the administration of relegating the CDC to a ÒnominalÓ role in the effort.

á           In a late-night action, Trump removed State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, who had opened an investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. 

Saturday, May 16

á           Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) launched an investigation into the ouster of Steve Linick the night before and told the Trump administration to preserve all records pertaining to the action.

á           Rep. Justin Amash, a former Republican who left the party over his disagreements with Trump, said he will not run for president as a third-party candidate.

Sunday, May 17

á           No news to report.