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| Trump to pick William Barr as attorney general as White House awaits Mueller documents – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump has confirmed he will nominate Heather Nauert as the next ambassador to the United Nations. | |
| The president informed reporters of his decision at the White House on Friday, elevating to the role a former Fox News anchor whose political background remains limited to serving as the spokeswoman for the state department. | |
| If confirmed, Nauert will replace outgoing UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who announced her resignation in October. | |
| While Haley was overwhelmingly confirmed to the post in the early days of the Trump administration, Nauert is likely to face a more contentious hearing before the Senate due to her lack of policy-making experience. She has served as the state department spokeswoman since April 2017, and was named this year as the acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs. | |
| Nauert emerged as a favorite for the UN role shortly after Haley’s departure and met with Trump in late October. The president subsequently praised Nauert as “excellent”, telling reporters: “She’s been with us a long time She’s been a supporter for a long time.” | |
| Trump was reportedly seeking someone who would prove to be loyal and felt he could trust Nauert. The White House at times clashed with Haley, stemming in part from her willingness to publicly disagree with the president. | |
| Donald Trump will nominate William Barr as attorney general, the president confirmed on Friday. | |
| “He was my first choice since day one,” Trump told reporters at the White House of Barr, who held the role under the late President George HW Bush. “He’ll be nominated.” | |
| Barr served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993. His potential return to the role comes one month after the firing of Jeff Sessions, whose relationship with the president grew contentious over the Russia investigation. | |
| The search for a replacement was escalated after Trump’s appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general was beset by controversy and declared by some legal experts as unconstitutional. Whitaker, who has not been confirmed by the Senate, drew headlines for his prior criticism of the special counsel investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow. | |
| Barr has also expressed skepticism of the Russia inquiry and encouraged a criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton’s dealings as secretary of state, in what would surely be a sticking point for Democrats if he is nominated. He also defended Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey in an op-ed, and has said special counsel Robert Mueller’s team lacks balance. | |
| The White House is hopeful that Barr’s experience, which also includes a stints at the CIA and in the Reagan administration, will help steer his nomination past the Senate. The question is whether Barr would pass Trump’s loyalty test – which proved to be Sessions’ undoing, after the latter recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation. | |
| In a 1992 speech, Barr made clear an attorney general’s oath was not to the president, but to the country. | |
| “The attorney general’s oath to uphold the constitution raises the question whether his duty lies ultimately with the president who appointed him or more abstractly with the rule of law,” I said in my confirmation hearings, and have said several times since, that the attorney general’s ultimate allegiance must be to the rule of law.” | |
| Hello there! Sabrina Siddiqui here taking over the blog on what is already shaping up to be an eventful Friday! | Hello there! Sabrina Siddiqui here taking over the blog on what is already shaping up to be an eventful Friday! |
| We have rumors of a White House shakeup, key sentencing memos in the Russia investigation and rumblings of a new attorney general in waiting... all of which is to say, there’s never a dull day in Trump’s Washington. Buckle up, we’re in for quite a ride! | We have rumors of a White House shakeup, key sentencing memos in the Russia investigation and rumblings of a new attorney general in waiting... all of which is to say, there’s never a dull day in Trump’s Washington. Buckle up, we’re in for quite a ride! |
| Two White House aides, political director Bill Stepien and office of public liaison director Justin Clark, are leaving the government jobs to work on Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, per AP. | Two White House aides, political director Bill Stepien and office of public liaison director Justin Clark, are leaving the government jobs to work on Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, per AP. |
| Both men worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign. | Both men worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign. |
| House Republicans are preparing to interview former FBI director James Comey in closed door testimony Friday. | House Republicans are preparing to interview former FBI director James Comey in closed door testimony Friday. |
| Comey had fought the subpoena, saying he wanted the questioning to be public. But he ultimately agreed to appear, after a deal was reached that he would be free to speak publicly about his testimony and a transcript will be released after the session. | Comey had fought the subpoena, saying he wanted the questioning to be public. But he ultimately agreed to appear, after a deal was reached that he would be free to speak publicly about his testimony and a transcript will be released after the session. |
| Republicans, who will lose control of the House in January, are wrapping up a years-long probe into the actions of the Justice Department and the FBI during the 2016 presidential election. | Republicans, who will lose control of the House in January, are wrapping up a years-long probe into the actions of the Justice Department and the FBI during the 2016 presidential election. |
| Donald Trump’s legal team plans to produce a rebuttal to special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, the president said Friday. They’ve already written 87 pages before Mueller reveals what he has. | Donald Trump’s legal team plans to produce a rebuttal to special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, the president said Friday. They’ve already written 87 pages before Mueller reveals what he has. |
| It has been incorrectly reported that Rudy Giuliani and others will not be doing a counter to the Mueller Report. That is Fake News. Already 87 pages done, but obviously cannot complete until we see the final Witch Hunt Report. | It has been incorrectly reported that Rudy Giuliani and others will not be doing a counter to the Mueller Report. That is Fake News. Already 87 pages done, but obviously cannot complete until we see the final Witch Hunt Report. |
| Trump appears to be responding to reports that the White House does not have a plan for how to respond to the Mueller report. | Trump appears to be responding to reports that the White House does not have a plan for how to respond to the Mueller report. |
| One of the Democratic party’s top fundraisers will back Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke if he runs for president. | One of the Democratic party’s top fundraisers will back Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke if he runs for president. |
| Financier Louis Susman told CNN he would raise money for a bid by O’Rourke, who gained a national profile with an unsuccessful Senate race against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. | Financier Louis Susman told CNN he would raise money for a bid by O’Rourke, who gained a national profile with an unsuccessful Senate race against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. |
| “It’s time to pass the torch to a new generation,” he said. “I have nothing against the Bidens and Kerrys of the world and all of these senators that are looking at it, but I think the Beto example is what inspired people and what we are going to need.” | “It’s time to pass the torch to a new generation,” he said. “I have nothing against the Bidens and Kerrys of the world and all of these senators that are looking at it, but I think the Beto example is what inspired people and what we are going to need.” |
| Nick Ayers, now the chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, is reportedly the top candidate to become White House chief of staff. The Huffington Post ran a detailed profile of Ayers earlier this year, noting that he has developed a knack for staying on Trump’s good side. | Nick Ayers, now the chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, is reportedly the top candidate to become White House chief of staff. The Huffington Post ran a detailed profile of Ayers earlier this year, noting that he has developed a knack for staying on Trump’s good side. |
| He’s also had some questionable financial dealings, not immediately selling his lucrative consulting business, C5 Creative Solutions, when he came to work at the White House, as previous administrations would have required. He also got a broad ethics waiver allowing him to talk to former clients. In his mid 30s, he has reported a personal net worth between $12 million and just over $54 million. | He’s also had some questionable financial dealings, not immediately selling his lucrative consulting business, C5 Creative Solutions, when he came to work at the White House, as previous administrations would have required. He also got a broad ethics waiver allowing him to talk to former clients. In his mid 30s, he has reported a personal net worth between $12 million and just over $54 million. |
| Ahead of the expected release of new information in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation Friday, Donald Trump launched a new tirade on Twitter against the investigator in the early morning hours. | Ahead of the expected release of new information in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation Friday, Donald Trump launched a new tirade on Twitter against the investigator in the early morning hours. |
| Trump alleged that Mueller and former FBI director James Comey are “Best Friends,” which he called a conflict of interest. In fact, associates say that while the men have a good relationship they are not personal friends and don’t socialize outside of work functions, according to the Washington Post. | Trump alleged that Mueller and former FBI director James Comey are “Best Friends,” which he called a conflict of interest. In fact, associates say that while the men have a good relationship they are not personal friends and don’t socialize outside of work functions, according to the Washington Post. |
| Trump also attacked Andrew Weissman, who led the prosecution of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, saying he “wrongly destroyed people’s lives.” | Trump also attacked Andrew Weissman, who led the prosecution of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, saying he “wrongly destroyed people’s lives.” |
| Court filings are expected to detail Friday what Manafort did to violate a prior plea agreement, which prosecutors say he broke by lying. Also Friday, federal prosecutors in New York are expected to file sentencing recommendations for Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer. | Court filings are expected to detail Friday what Manafort did to violate a prior plea agreement, which prosecutors say he broke by lying. Also Friday, federal prosecutors in New York are expected to file sentencing recommendations for Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer. |
| Robert Mueller and Leakin’ Lyin’ James Comey are Best Friends, just one of many Mueller Conflicts of Interest. And bye the way, wasn’t the woman in charge of prosecuting Jerome Corsi (who I do not know) in charge of “legal” at the corrupt Clinton Foundation? A total Witch Hunt... | Robert Mueller and Leakin’ Lyin’ James Comey are Best Friends, just one of many Mueller Conflicts of Interest. And bye the way, wasn’t the woman in charge of prosecuting Jerome Corsi (who I do not know) in charge of “legal” at the corrupt Clinton Foundation? A total Witch Hunt... |
| ....Will Robert Mueller’s big time conflicts of interest be listed at the top of his Republicans only Report. Will Andrew Weissman’s horrible and vicious prosecutorial past be listed in the Report. He wrongly destroyed people’s lives, took down great companies, only to be........ | ....Will Robert Mueller’s big time conflicts of interest be listed at the top of his Republicans only Report. Will Andrew Weissman’s horrible and vicious prosecutorial past be listed in the Report. He wrongly destroyed people’s lives, took down great companies, only to be........ |
| .....overturned, 9-0, in the United States Supreme Court. Doing same thing to people now. Will all of the substantial & many contributions made by the 17 Angry Democrats to the Campaign of Crooked Hillary be listed in top of Report. Will the people that worked for the Clinton.... | .....overturned, 9-0, in the United States Supreme Court. Doing same thing to people now. Will all of the substantial & many contributions made by the 17 Angry Democrats to the Campaign of Crooked Hillary be listed in top of Report. Will the people that worked for the Clinton.... |
| ....Foundation be listed at the top of the Report? Will the scathing document written about Lyin’ James Comey, by the man in charge of the case, Rod Rosenstein (who also signed the FISA Warrant), be a big part of the Report? Isn’t Rod therefore totally conflicted? Will all of.... | ....Foundation be listed at the top of the Report? Will the scathing document written about Lyin’ James Comey, by the man in charge of the case, Rod Rosenstein (who also signed the FISA Warrant), be a big part of the Report? Isn’t Rod therefore totally conflicted? Will all of.... |
| ...the lying and leaking by the people doing the Report, & also Bruce Ohr (and his lovely wife Molly), Comey, Brennan, Clapper, & all of the many fired people of the FBI, be listed in the Report? Will the corruption within the DNC & Clinton Campaign be exposed?..And so much more! | ...the lying and leaking by the people doing the Report, & also Bruce Ohr (and his lovely wife Molly), Comey, Brennan, Clapper, & all of the many fired people of the FBI, be listed in the Report? Will the corruption within the DNC & Clinton Campaign be exposed?..And so much more! |
| White House chief of staff John Kelly is expected to resign in the coming days, CNN is reporting this morning. | White House chief of staff John Kelly is expected to resign in the coming days, CNN is reporting this morning. |
| Kelly and Donald Trump have stopped speaking to each other in the last fews days, the network reports, adding that the two men have reached a stalemate in their relationship and neither party believes it is sustainable. | Kelly and Donald Trump have stopped speaking to each other in the last fews days, the network reports, adding that the two men have reached a stalemate in their relationship and neither party believes it is sustainable. |
| Trump is actively looking for replacements. According to Axios and CNN, Nick Ayers, the chief of staff to Vice-President Mike Pence, is widely believed by West Wing officials to be the pick. | |
| Back in July, Kelly announced to White House staff that Trump had asked him to stay on as chief of staff until at least 2020, when Trump is up for re-election, and he agreed. | Back in July, Kelly announced to White House staff that Trump had asked him to stay on as chief of staff until at least 2020, when Trump is up for re-election, and he agreed. |