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| Stephen and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day: |
 | | How I imagine Bannon reacting: "Fan. Tastic." Credit: Getty | |
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| Via The New York Times's Michael S. Schmidt, special counsel Robert Mueller has subpoenaed former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon to testify before a grand jury in the investigation into Russian election interference. When this happened: Last week. Why this is huge: Bannon is the first in Trump's inner circle to be subpoenaed in the investigation. http://nyti.ms/2B5FlkC |
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It's Tuesday -- hope you had a good long weekend! I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook. |
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| To view the 12:30 Report online --> http://bit.ly/2mKt1lt |
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Trump elaborates on immigration: |
| President Trump was just asked about his remarks saying the U.S. should bring in more immigrants from countries such as Norway. He responded, "I want them to come in from everywhere.” http://bit.ly/2EOnocr |
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Well that's a diplomatic answer if I've ever heard one: |
| Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen this morning acknowledged that President Trump used "tough language" in an immigration policy meeting with lawmakers last week. Ya, but: She said she did not hear him describe Haiti and some African nations as "shithole countries." In her words: "The conversation was very impassioned," Nielsen said. "I don't dispute the president using tough language. Others in the room were also using tough language." http://bit.ly/2EOuuhn |
| ON HOW CONFIDENT SHE IS ABOUT NOT HEARING 'SHITHOLE': |
"Klobuchar: Is it possible he said 's-hole' and you just didn't hear it?
Nielsen: 'Anything is possible, yes ma'am.'" http://bit.ly/2EKzenW |
| TOMATO, TOE-MAH-TOE: |
"Klobuchar: Did you hear the word 's-HOUSE'?
Nielsen: 'No I did not...'" http://bit.ly/2mLD0XI |
| BACK STORY: |
| There's now confusion as to whether the president reportedly referred to several countries as "shithole countries" or "shithouse countries." From The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey: "White House official told me tonight there is debate internally on whether Trump said 'shithole' or 'shithouse.' [GOP Sens.] Perdue and Cotton seem to have heard latter, this person said, and are using to deny." http://bit.ly/2mKwtwm |
| HOW THE HEARING WENT OVERALL: |
| Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was grilled over President Trump's comments: http://bit.ly/2mDGg6B |
| FEINSTEIN'S VERBAL SUCKER-PUNCH: |
| During Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) opening remarks at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Feinstein said she's afraid the Trump administration's decisions to end protected status for immigrants from countries that have suffered natural disasters might be "racially motivated." In her words: "In light of the president's comments, I'm forced to question whether the decision to terminate protected status for Haitian nationals was in fact racially motivated. I hope not." http://bit.ly/2EK6zQ7 |
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| YEP, 'S---HOLE' IS STILL IN THE NEWS...: | |
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This morning -- another rousing round of the Washington blame game: |
| Via The Hill's Jordan Fabian, this morning, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pushed back on the notion that President Trump's "shithole countries" comments derailed negotiations on immigration and spending. She blamed Democrats: "I think they're using it as an excuse not to help this president get something accomplished, which I think is a sad day for our country," she told reporters. She accused Democrats of being too "willing to throw away the progress in negotiations" on government funding, defense spending and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. http://bit.ly/2B4aWTH |
| GETTING AN ORIGINAL TRUMP NICKNAME IS A RIGHT OF PASSAGE: |
| President Trump blasted Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) yesterday, claiming he misrepresented his comments after Durbin said Trump called Haiti, El Salvador and African nations "shithole countries." He tweeted: "Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals can't get made when there is no trust!" Why Durbin?: Durbin confirmed The Washington Post report that Trump had referred to "shithole countries." http://bit.ly/2D8xKDU |
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Ok, this is when you should actually be nervous about a government shutdown: |
| Republican leaders are facing their toughest challenge yet in keeping the government open, as lawmakers race to secure more money before current funding runs out at the end of the week. Leadership already had their headaches: Trying to appease frustrated defense hawks, skeptical conservatives and fired-up Democrats. But making things worse: President Trump threw a wrench into immigration negotiations on Capitol Hill. The situation: http://bit.ly/2mDoOz1 |
| NEW -- TIDBIT ABOUT THE DREAMERS IF THE PROGRAM ENDS: |
| U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not prioritize the deportations of undocumented immigrants who received protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said on CBS "This Morning." http://bit.ly/2mEtkxB |
| TRENDING STORY: |
| Via The Washington Post's Derek Hawkins, "A Michigan father, too old for DACA, is deported after three decades in the U.S." From his wife Cindy Garcia: "It's just a nightmare," Garcia said after her husband walked through the airport scanners. "You can't even put it into words how it feels." Full story: http://wapo.st/2B5fyJr |
| OP-ED: |
| Roy Beck argues why despite offering amnesty, a new House DACA bill favors American wage-earners. http://bit.ly/2mI9RNi |
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NEW DATA -- the number of uninsured has grown: |
| According to a new Gallup poll, the number of uninsured Americans increased by over 3 million in 2017, its largest single-year increase since ObamaCare's implementation. Details: Among those who saw the biggest declines in coverage were people between the ages of 18 and 25, as well as black and Hispanic people and individuals with an annual household income of less than $36,000. http://bit.ly/2B5ArEo |
| THE NEW MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS WILL BE A FIGHT: |
| A battle is brewing in the courts over the Trump administration's move to let states impose work requirements for recipients of Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor. On one side: Advocacy groups are gearing up to sue the administration, arguing that it doesn't have the power to allow work requirements and other rules for Medicaid without action from Congress. On the other side: The administration is defending the legality of the shift. Top Medicaid official Seema Verma said the administration has "broad authority" under current law to allow states to make changes through waivers. http://bit.ly/2mLjWJ8 |
| QUICK CATCH-UP: |
| Here are five things to know about the Medicaid work requirements: http://bit.ly/2Dn64hI |
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Trump only likes red and pink Starbursts -- and I respect that more than you'll know: |
| Via The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey and Robert Costa, President Trump and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) were on Air Force One together when McCarthy noticed the president was only eating red and pink Starbursts. "A couple of his aides saw me with those colors and told me, 'Those are the president's favorites.'" What McCarthy did with that intel: "Days later, the No. 2 Republican in the House -- known for his relentless cultivation of political alliances -- bought a plentiful supply of Starbursts and asked a staffer to sort through the pile, placing only those two flavors in a jar. McCarthy made sure his name was on the side of the gift, which was delivered to a grinning Trump, according to a White House official." Well played, McCarthy. Full story: http://wapo.st/2DhBozq |
| MAN OF THE PEOPLE: |
| An online poll shows that most Americans also prefer strawberry and cherry Starbursts. http://bit.ly/2DGJlLz |
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Lolol: |
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Tidbit: |
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| The House is in. The Senate meets later today. President Trump and Vice President Pence are at the White House today. This morning: "Steve Bannon arrives early on Capitol Hill for his meeting with House Intel on Russia probe." When it was scheduled to start: 9:30 a.m. http://bit.ly/2mJRw29 Right before Bannon testified: President Trump tweeted, "Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it!" http://bit.ly/2Dj2x49 This week: Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski will testify before a House panel. http://cnn.it/2DDqh0I Potentially this week: White House communications director Hope Hicks will speak with the House Intelligence Committee on the Russia investigation. It could happen as soon as Friday. http://cnn.it/2mEjGL0 Noon: President Trump meets with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. 4:30 p.m. EST: The Senate meets. 5:30 p.m. EST: The Senate has a procedural vote on the surveillance bill the House passed last week. 6:30 p.m. EST: Votes postponed in the House. Their schedule today: http://bit.ly/2jYhqPv |
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| This morning: Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testified at an oversight hearing. Livestream: http://cs.pn/2DloJuk This morning: Democrat Phil Murphy was sworn in as New Jersey governor. Livestream: http://cs.pn/2DaYLq2 12:15 p.m. EST: President Trump holds a joint press conference with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. Livestream: http://cs.pn/2DC2I8l 1 p.m. EST: President Trump speaks at the White House Empowering Women symposium. Livestream: http://cs.pn/2B5770J 3:30 p.m. EST: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders gives a press briefing. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2rdgAmU Tonight: On "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," Jo Ling Kent has an exclusive interview with three former Facebook and Google executives. 8:45 a.m. EST Thursday: House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) speaks at a CSIS event on military readiness. Details and livestream: http://bit.ly/2mAMZyg |
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| Today is National Fig Newton Day. |
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One of the best weeks of the year in D.C.: |
| Next week is Restaurant Week in the Washington, D.C., area. List of participating restaurants: http://bit.ly/2kj6egC |
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Omg, this poor guy!: |
| Via Bleacher Report, during a Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers game, a fan attempted to shoot from the 3-point line while blindfolded. The crowd pretended he scored and the reaction is great: http://bit.ly/2ENMdVU |
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| And because you read this far, here's a panda in China who loves snow more than we could ever understand: http://bit.ly/2FJhcUC |
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