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| Melania Trump calls for top White House aide to be fired in surprise intervention – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The reason that First Lady Melania Trump wants top national security aide Mira Ricardel fired apparently doesn’t have anything to do with policy. Instead, it is about a dispute over plane seating when the First Lady visited Africa last month. | |
| Reuters has fleshed out some of the details as well: | |
| One of the sources said that their dealings over the trip “didn’t go well.” The other source said that Melania Trump felt that Ricardel tried to short-change the first lady in terms of U.S. government resources allocated to support her Africa tour. | |
| Needless to say, while First Ladies have clashed with White House staffers---most famously Nancy Reagan had a poisonous relationship with White House chief of staff Donald Regan---there is no precedent for the wife of the President to call on her husband to fire a staffer. | |
| In the ever normal world of Florida politics, Senator Bill Nelson has called for Governor Rick Scott to remove himself entirely from the recount process. Scott currently has a narrow lead over Nelson in the state’s contested Senate race. | |
| Standing next to Schumer, Bill Nelson says Rick Scott has been “using his power of governor to undermine the voting process” — and calls on Scott “to remove himself from the recount process.” | |
| Melania Trump has called for Mira Ricardel, a top aide to John Bolton to be fired. This is a rare public intervention by the first lady into the functioning of the administration. | |
| In a statement to ABC News, Stephanie Grisham, a spokesperson for Trump, said: “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House.” | |
| Ricardel has long been at odds with the defense secretary, James Mattis. The veteran of the George W Bush administration had previously served in Trump’s commerce department before being appointed deputy national security Adviser by Bolton when he succeeded HR McMaster. | |
| Just asked the First Lady’s office about deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel : “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,” Stephanie Grisham The First Lady’s communication director to @ABC | |
| Donald Trump announced at a White House Diwali ceremony today that he has nominated Neomi Rao to replace Brett Kavanaugh on the DC circuit court of appeals. | |
| Rao, a former clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas, currently runs the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which helps to draft federal regulations. | |
| Mark Sanford, who lost the primary for his House seat in South Carolina for being insufficiently loyal to Donald Trump, has written an op-ed in the New York Times about the experience and what the GOP should learn from the midterms. | Mark Sanford, who lost the primary for his House seat in South Carolina for being insufficiently loyal to Donald Trump, has written an op-ed in the New York Times about the experience and what the GOP should learn from the midterms. |
| His primary opponent, Katie Arrington, went on to lose the general election to Democrat Joe Cunningham in what was considered a relatively safe Republican district. | His primary opponent, Katie Arrington, went on to lose the general election to Democrat Joe Cunningham in what was considered a relatively safe Republican district. |
| Sanford argues: | Sanford argues: |
| Republicans got a wake-up call last week. But will we wake up? | Republicans got a wake-up call last week. But will we wake up? |
| My party would be wise to take a step back from President Trump’s approach to politics. We should renew our commitment to tenets like environmental conservation and financial responsibility. We should run from the president’s zero-sum approach to politics. | My party would be wise to take a step back from President Trump’s approach to politics. We should renew our commitment to tenets like environmental conservation and financial responsibility. We should run from the president’s zero-sum approach to politics. |
| One freshman member of Congress doesn’t seem to be showing up in Washington. | One freshman member of Congress doesn’t seem to be showing up in Washington. |
| Brenda Jones, who won the special election to succeed John Conyers in Michigan’s 13th congressional district, has yet to appear in Washington and will not be sworn in today. | Brenda Jones, who won the special election to succeed John Conyers in Michigan’s 13th congressional district, has yet to appear in Washington and will not be sworn in today. |
| The problem is that while Jones won the special election, she didn’t win the regular one. Instead, Rashida Tlaib won. The Muslim-American woman took advantage of a far more splintered field while only four African American candidates ran in the special, there were six in the general in the majority black district which led to the split decision. If she gets sworn in for a six-week-term in Congress, Jones would have to resign her position on Detroit’s city council. The special election had been long delayed. The result is that that congressional district may go over a year without any representation in Congress. | The problem is that while Jones won the special election, she didn’t win the regular one. Instead, Rashida Tlaib won. The Muslim-American woman took advantage of a far more splintered field while only four African American candidates ran in the special, there were six in the general in the majority black district which led to the split decision. If she gets sworn in for a six-week-term in Congress, Jones would have to resign her position on Detroit’s city council. The special election had been long delayed. The result is that that congressional district may go over a year without any representation in Congress. |
| Detroiters could go 13 mos without a House rep b/c (a) GOP gov set special election nearly a yr hence and (b) diff candidates won special & general, and the one who won the special doesn't want to quit her existing job for a congressional cup of coffee. https://t.co/xw9Czwf6Bl | Detroiters could go 13 mos without a House rep b/c (a) GOP gov set special election nearly a yr hence and (b) diff candidates won special & general, and the one who won the special doesn't want to quit her existing job for a congressional cup of coffee. https://t.co/xw9Czwf6Bl |
| Sixteen-year-olds may vote in the 2020 presidential election. | Sixteen-year-olds may vote in the 2020 presidential election. |
| Under legislation that looks likely to pass the Washington DC city council, the franchise would be extended to 16- and 17-year-olds. Although minors are allowed to vote some municipal elections, this bill would be the first to allow them to vote in federal elections. Under the 26th amendment, no one over the age of 18 can be denied the ability to vote because of their age, there is no lower limit. | Under legislation that looks likely to pass the Washington DC city council, the franchise would be extended to 16- and 17-year-olds. Although minors are allowed to vote some municipal elections, this bill would be the first to allow them to vote in federal elections. Under the 26th amendment, no one over the age of 18 can be denied the ability to vote because of their age, there is no lower limit. |
| If passed, the legislation is unlikely to change the results of DC’s three electoral votes. Hillary Clinton won the District in 2016 by a margin of 91%-4%. | If passed, the legislation is unlikely to change the results of DC’s three electoral votes. Hillary Clinton won the District in 2016 by a margin of 91%-4%. |
| The federal investigation of Bernie Sanders’s wife Jane and her stewardship of a failed Vermont college has apparently ended. This clears one potential obstacle for Sanders mounting a presidential bid in 2020. | The federal investigation of Bernie Sanders’s wife Jane and her stewardship of a failed Vermont college has apparently ended. This clears one potential obstacle for Sanders mounting a presidential bid in 2020. |
| New into @CNN: top Bernie Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver tells me that the US Attorney in Vermont has recently notified Jane Sanders, who is married to @SenSanders , that they have closed their investigation into the Burlington College land deal. | New into @CNN: top Bernie Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver tells me that the US Attorney in Vermont has recently notified Jane Sanders, who is married to @SenSanders , that they have closed their investigation into the Burlington College land deal. |
| Prosecutors for Robert Mueller have asked about Nigel Farage in the Russia investigation. | Prosecutors for Robert Mueller have asked about Nigel Farage in the Russia investigation. |
| Jon Swaine and Stephanie Kirchgaessner report for the Guardian that Jerome Corsi, a Roger Stone associate who expects to be indicted, says he has been asked about Farage in the course of the investigation. | Jon Swaine and Stephanie Kirchgaessner report for the Guardian that Jerome Corsi, a Roger Stone associate who expects to be indicted, says he has been asked about Farage in the course of the investigation. |
| The announcement yesterday that West Virginia state senator Richard Ojeda would mount a quixotic presidential campaign is an indication of another trend among Democrats – that many of their biggest stars in the 2018 election were losing candidates. | The announcement yesterday that West Virginia state senator Richard Ojeda would mount a quixotic presidential campaign is an indication of another trend among Democrats – that many of their biggest stars in the 2018 election were losing candidates. |
| Hanna Trudo at National Journal notes the interesting path forward for candidates who gained national attention but failed to receive enough votes at the ballot box. | Hanna Trudo at National Journal notes the interesting path forward for candidates who gained national attention but failed to receive enough votes at the ballot box. |
| Democrats are vowing to scrutinize Trump’s appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general once they formally take the majority in January. However, Republicans are far less concerned about Whitaker and comments that he made about the Mueller investigation prior to joining the justice department last year. | Democrats are vowing to scrutinize Trump’s appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general once they formally take the majority in January. However, Republicans are far less concerned about Whitaker and comments that he made about the Mueller investigation prior to joining the justice department last year. |
| Q: Do you have any concerns about the comments that Whitaker has made about the Mueller probe?GRASSLEY: “As long as he made them as a private citizen, no.” | Q: Do you have any concerns about the comments that Whitaker has made about the Mueller probe?GRASSLEY: “As long as he made them as a private citizen, no.” |
| A Trump administration official has been indicted in Alabama for violating state ethics laws. | A Trump administration official has been indicted in Alabama for violating state ethics laws. |
| Trey Glenn, the south-east regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has been indicted for incidents dating to before his tenure in the administration when he worked to block EPA efforts to clean up a Birmingham neighborhood. | Trey Glenn, the south-east regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has been indicted for incidents dating to before his tenure in the administration when he worked to block EPA efforts to clean up a Birmingham neighborhood. |
| As rumors surrounding the future of John Kelly as chief of staff swirl, one possible contender for the job is ruling himself out. OMB head Mick Mulvaney is now telling people that he is not interested in the position. | As rumors surrounding the future of John Kelly as chief of staff swirl, one possible contender for the job is ruling himself out. OMB head Mick Mulvaney is now telling people that he is not interested in the position. |
| And this position from Mulvaney is widely seen as a surrender/acknowledgment that Ayers likely has the job. Ayers has the support of the Trump family. https://t.co/Afv4EALcDk | And this position from Mulvaney is widely seen as a surrender/acknowledgment that Ayers likely has the job. Ayers has the support of the Trump family. https://t.co/Afv4EALcDk |
| Mick Mulvaney is no longer interested in chief of staff, per person close to him. Had previously talked to POTUS about it over a dinner. | Mick Mulvaney is no longer interested in chief of staff, per person close to him. Had previously talked to POTUS about it over a dinner. |
| The lame duck session of Congress will begin today with three new members of the House of Representatives. All three won both special elections last week. | The lame duck session of Congress will begin today with three new members of the House of Representatives. All three won both special elections last week. |
| Representative-elect Kevin Hern, (R-OK), Oklahoma’s first congressional district | Representative-elect Kevin Hern, (R-OK), Oklahoma’s first congressional district |
| Representative-elect Joe Morelle (D-NY), New York’s 25th congressional district | Representative-elect Joe Morelle (D-NY), New York’s 25th congressional district |
| Representative-elect Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Pennsylvania’s seventh congressional district | Representative-elect Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Pennsylvania’s seventh congressional district |
| Gwinnett county, Georgia will begin counting provisional ballots this afternoon. There are 2,400 to 2,500 outstanding ballots in the suburban Atlanta county including 1,500 in Georgia’s seventh congressional district a race that has yet to be called. | Gwinnett county, Georgia will begin counting provisional ballots this afternoon. There are 2,400 to 2,500 outstanding ballots in the suburban Atlanta county including 1,500 in Georgia’s seventh congressional district a race that has yet to be called. |
| Incumbent Rob Woodall currently leads Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux by 900 votes in the race. | Incumbent Rob Woodall currently leads Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux by 900 votes in the race. |
| One of the biggest upsets on election night was the victory of Democrat Max Rose in New York’s 11th congressional district comprising Staten Island and part of Brooklyn. | One of the biggest upsets on election night was the victory of Democrat Max Rose in New York’s 11th congressional district comprising Staten Island and part of Brooklyn. |
| Ginia Bellafante for the New York Times captures some of the political and cultural reasons behind his win. | Ginia Bellafante for the New York Times captures some of the political and cultural reasons behind his win. |
| Mira Ricardel, a top aide to John Bolton, is reported on the way out according to the Wall Street Journal. | Mira Ricardel, a top aide to John Bolton, is reported on the way out according to the Wall Street Journal. |
| Ricardel joins the homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, as well as potentially chief of staff John Kelly on the chopping block. | Ricardel joins the homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, as well as potentially chief of staff John Kelly on the chopping block. |
| The president has now weighed in on the recount process in Florida. | The president has now weighed in on the recount process in Florida. |
| When will Bill Nelson concede in Florida? The characters running Broward and Palm Beach voting will not be able to “find” enough votes, too much spotlight on them now! | When will Bill Nelson concede in Florida? The characters running Broward and Palm Beach voting will not be able to “find” enough votes, too much spotlight on them now! |