Government in Action

Monday, Sept. 3

á      Politico reported that both documented and undocumented immigrants are dropping out of the WIC program, a federal nutrition program for pregnant women and children, after news reports that the White House may deny legal status to immigrants whoÕve used public benefits. Agencies in at least 18 states say theyÕve seen drops of up to 20 percent in enrollment. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/03/immigrants-nutrition-food-trump-crackdown-806292?nname=playbook&nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nrid=00000158-890d-dfd4-ad7b-c96fadf30001&nlid=630318

Tuesday, Sept. 4

á      The Senate began its oversight of Bret KavanaughÕs nomination to the Supreme Court with protests not only by Democrats, who complained that over 50,000 pages of records relevant to Kavanaugh had only been released the night before, but also to protests by spectators in the hearing room. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/us/politics/kavanaugh-confirmation-hearing-updates.html?action=click&emc=edit_ne_20180904&module=Top+Stories&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=75999791emc%3Dedit_ne_20180904&pgtype=Homepage&te=1

á      The Washington Post reported on advance excerpts from veteran journalist Bob WoodwardÕs new book, which paints a picture of President Donald Trump as petulant and juvenile, ranting at his staff, obsessed with the Mueller probe, and unable to grasp the basic issues confronting his presidency. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bob-woodwards-new-book-reveals-a-nervous-breakdown-of-trumps-presidency/2018/09/04/b27a389e-ac60-11e8-a8d7-0f63ab8b1370_story.html?utm_term=.792d6ec9f69c

Wednesday, Sept. 5

á      The New York Times published an anonymous op-ed by a Òsenior government officialÓ titled, ÒI Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.Ó The writer depicts a White House in chaos and a group within the administration actively working to thwart some of TrumpÕs worst decisions. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/opinion/trump-white-house-anonymous-resistance.html

á      Oral arguments began in a Texas courtroom in a suit by 20 Republican attorneys general who asked the judge to put the Affordable Care Act on hold while the suit, which claims the whole program is unconstitutional, is being litigated. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/texas-lawsuit-threatens-affordable-care-act-n906376

á      In an interview with the Daily Caller, Trump suggested that the act of protesting should be illegal. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-suggests-protesting-should-be-illegal/2018/09/04/11cfd9be-b0a0-11e8-aed9-001309990777_story.html?utm_term=.9c5d54ea3721&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

Thursday, Sept. 6

á      The Trump administration took the first official step toward replacing the Flores agreement, a court settlement that limits the governmentÕs ability to hold minors in immigration jails, with new regulations that change key portions of the agreement. U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who oversees the Flores agreement, has already rejected government requests to extend the amount of time migrant children can be held in immigration jails beyond the 20-day limit. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-to-circumvent-court-limits-on-detention-of-child-migrants/2018/09/06/181d376c-b1bd-11e8-a810-4d6b627c3d5d_story.html?utm_term=.56e46171b9e4

á      The Guardian reported that a government photographer edited official pictures of TrumpÕs inauguration to make the crowd appear bigger following a personal intervention from the president, according to newly released documents. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/06/donald-trump-inauguration-crowd-size-photos-edited?CMP=share_btn_tw

Friday, Sept. 7

á      Special counsel Robert Mueller told TrumpÕs legal team he would accept written answers to questions about whether his campaign coordinated with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mueller-tells-trumps-legal-team-that-he-will-accept-written-answers-on-campaign-questions/2018/09/04/63673368-b090-11e8-aed9-001309990777_story.html?utm_term=.b8902910dc71&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1

á      The Labor Department reported the U.S. economy added 201,000 jobs in August, somewhat above expectations, and the unemployment rate held steady at 3.9 percent, an 18-year low. http://thehill.com/policy/finance/405510-august-jobs-report?userid=280231

á      Former Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos was sentenced to two weeks in federal prison for lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians during the 2016 presidential election. Papadopoulos is the first Trump campaign official to be sentenced to jail in the ongoing probe by special prosecutor Robert Mueller. http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/405636-papadopoulos-sentenced-in-mueller-probe?userid=280231

Saturday, Sept. 8

á      The Washington Post reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel and House Speaker Paul Ryan tried to talk President Trump out of shutting down the government at the end of this month over his demands for funding for a border wall. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/ryan-mcconnell-try-to-coax-trump-away-from-shutdown--using-props/2018/09/07/a13e2f8c-b2b8-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html?utm_term=.172b72a78c10&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1

á      Mick Mulvaney, the federal budget director, and Ronna McDaniel, the Republican National Committee chair, told party officials and donors at a closed-door event in New York City that the party is battling serious vulnerabilities in the midterm elections. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/08/us/politics/republicans-midterms-ted-cruz.html

Sunday, Sept. 9

á      Vice President Mike Pence told Fox News there may be grounds to investigate an op-ed in the New York Times, written by an anonymous senior government official.  ÒÉthis individual may have responsibilities in the area of national security,Ó Pence said. ÒAnd if theyÕve now published an anonymous editorial that says that they are misrepresenting themselves—that they are essentiallyÉtrying to frustrate and subvert the agenda the president was elected to advance.Ó http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/405748-pence-suggests-there-is-legal-basis-for-investigating-identity-of-nyt?rnd=1536499643