This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2019/feb/04/donald-trump-latest-news-us-politics-live-updates-state-of-the-union

The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 15 Version 16
Trump nominates former oil lobbyist to oversee interior department – live Trump nominates former oil lobbyist to oversee interior department – live
(35 minutes later)
A federal judge has rescheduled Paul Manafort’s sentencing for attempted witness tampering and conspiring against the United States, Reuters is reporting.
President Trump’s former campaign chairman will be sentenced on March 13 instead of March 5, according to a court document filed on Monday.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson, the federal judge presiding over Manafort’s criminal case in Washington, did not provide a reason for the delay.
A Russian-born lobbyist who was present at the now-infamous Trump Tower meeting “received a series of suspicious payments totaling half a million dollars before and after the encounter,” BuzzFeed is reporting.A Russian-born lobbyist who was present at the now-infamous Trump Tower meeting “received a series of suspicious payments totaling half a million dollars before and after the encounter,” BuzzFeed is reporting.
Documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News show that Rinat Akhmetshin, a Soviet military officer turned Washington lobbyist, deposited large, round-number amounts of cash in the months preceding and following the meeting, where a Russian lawyer offered senior Trump campaign officials dirt on Hillary Clinton.Documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News show that Rinat Akhmetshin, a Soviet military officer turned Washington lobbyist, deposited large, round-number amounts of cash in the months preceding and following the meeting, where a Russian lawyer offered senior Trump campaign officials dirt on Hillary Clinton.
The lobbyist also received a large payment that bank investigators deemed suspicious from Denis Katsyv, whose company Prevezon Holdings was accused by the US Justice Department of laundering the proceeds of a $230 million Russian tax fraud.The lobbyist also received a large payment that bank investigators deemed suspicious from Denis Katsyv, whose company Prevezon Holdings was accused by the US Justice Department of laundering the proceeds of a $230 million Russian tax fraud.
The Trump Tower meeting and those who attended it have become a focus of special counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry into whether the president’s campaign colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. As part of that inquiry, banks were asked to pull financial information on the meeting attendees, and investigators at Wells Fargo handed over documents on Akhmetshin to the US Treasury in 2017. Those records were passed to Mueller’s team, but Peter Carr, a spokesperson for the special counsel, declined to say whether the transactions are under investigation. Congressional investigators also requested the financial information from the Treasury Department.The Trump Tower meeting and those who attended it have become a focus of special counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry into whether the president’s campaign colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. As part of that inquiry, banks were asked to pull financial information on the meeting attendees, and investigators at Wells Fargo handed over documents on Akhmetshin to the US Treasury in 2017. Those records were passed to Mueller’s team, but Peter Carr, a spokesperson for the special counsel, declined to say whether the transactions are under investigation. Congressional investigators also requested the financial information from the Treasury Department.
Just last month, Natalya Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer with whom Akhmetshin attended the meeting, was accused by US authorities of secretly coordinating with the Russian government while defending Katsyv in a money laundering case in New York.Just last month, Natalya Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer with whom Akhmetshin attended the meeting, was accused by US authorities of secretly coordinating with the Russian government while defending Katsyv in a money laundering case in New York.
Stacey Abrams may be delivering the Democratic response to Tuesday’s State of the Union, but Bernie Sanders is taking to social media to deliver his own response as well.Stacey Abrams may be delivering the Democratic response to Tuesday’s State of the Union, but Bernie Sanders is taking to social media to deliver his own response as well.
Stacey Abrams is a great choice to deliver the Democratic response. I'm very much looking forward to her speech.For the third year in a row, following the Democratic rebuttal I'll be on Facebook Live, Twitter and YouTube to respond to Trump. https://t.co/4xOCjkNwtFStacey Abrams is a great choice to deliver the Democratic response. I'm very much looking forward to her speech.For the third year in a row, following the Democratic rebuttal I'll be on Facebook Live, Twitter and YouTube to respond to Trump. https://t.co/4xOCjkNwtF
The Vermont senator is an independent, but ran against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination during the 2016 presidential campaign.The Vermont senator is an independent, but ran against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Hello again, Vivian Ho on the west coast, taking over for Lauren Gambino. Let’s see what else Monday has in store for us, shall we?Hello again, Vivian Ho on the west coast, taking over for Lauren Gambino. Let’s see what else Monday has in store for us, shall we?
Virginia’s lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax implies embattled governor Ralph Northam may be behind fresh accusations of sexual misconduct.Virginia’s lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax implies embattled governor Ralph Northam may be behind fresh accusations of sexual misconduct.
Speculation is building around what is – and isn’t – in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal plan. Universal healthcare? A federal jobs guarantee? The freshman congresswoman says we’ll find out soon, possibly before the end of the week.Speculation is building around what is – and isn’t – in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal plan. Universal healthcare? A federal jobs guarantee? The freshman congresswoman says we’ll find out soon, possibly before the end of the week.
New polling shows that an independent, third-party presidential bid would hurt Democrats and possibly help re-elect Trump.New polling shows that an independent, third-party presidential bid would hurt Democrats and possibly help re-elect Trump.
Donald trump announced that David Bernhardt, a former oil and gas and water lobbyist, will be nominated to run the interior department.Donald trump announced that David Bernhardt, a former oil and gas and water lobbyist, will be nominated to run the interior department.
Interesting bit of trivia: Rosa Parks, the civil rights activist who famously refused to give up her seat to a white passenger in protest of the racial segregation of the public transit system, was born on this day in 1913.Interesting bit of trivia: Rosa Parks, the civil rights activist who famously refused to give up her seat to a white passenger in protest of the racial segregation of the public transit system, was born on this day in 1913.
Rosa Parks born today 1913: pic.twitter.com/dTmg61pgmZRosa Parks born today 1913: pic.twitter.com/dTmg61pgmZ
Justin Fairfax, the lieutenant governor of Virginia who would succeed Ralph Northam and is now facing his own allegation of sexual misconduct, has suggested that Northam is behind what he has called “a smear”.Justin Fairfax, the lieutenant governor of Virginia who would succeed Ralph Northam and is now facing his own allegation of sexual misconduct, has suggested that Northam is behind what he has called “a smear”.
“Does anybody think it’s any coincidence that on the eve of potentially my being elevated that that’s when this uncorroborated smear comes out?” Fairfax told reporters at the Virginia state capitol when asked whether he believes Northam, a fellow Democrat, was behind the accusation coming to light, according to the New York Times.“Does anybody think it’s any coincidence that on the eve of potentially my being elevated that that’s when this uncorroborated smear comes out?” Fairfax told reporters at the Virginia state capitol when asked whether he believes Northam, a fellow Democrat, was behind the accusation coming to light, according to the New York Times.
He offered no evidence tying the Northam camp to the allegation.He offered no evidence tying the Northam camp to the allegation.
Fairfax has said the encounter was consensual.Fairfax has said the encounter was consensual.
NEW: An extraordinary day turns chaotic as Fairfax suggests Northam is behind "a smear" aimed at blocking his ascent to the governorship and recounts a sexual encounter with a woman he said was "very interested in me." But she says it was assault >https://t.co/X9qPp1fmbVNEW: An extraordinary day turns chaotic as Fairfax suggests Northam is behind "a smear" aimed at blocking his ascent to the governorship and recounts a sexual encounter with a woman he said was "very interested in me." But she says it was assault >https://t.co/X9qPp1fmbV
If you’re Northam weighing your options, this is not good news:If you’re Northam weighing your options, this is not good news:
Easy way to put this, Northam's approval now with Dems is about where Nixon was with the GOP just before he signed in 1974. https://t.co/fUmR7SqgnOEasy way to put this, Northam's approval now with Dems is about where Nixon was with the GOP just before he signed in 1974. https://t.co/fUmR7SqgnO
Politico reports that the pro-impeachment group run by Tom Steyer to pressure the Democratic chairman of the House ways and means committee to subpoena Donald Trump’s tax returns.Politico reports that the pro-impeachment group run by Tom Steyer to pressure the Democratic chairman of the House ways and means committee to subpoena Donald Trump’s tax returns.
“Tom Steyer’s Need to Impeach campaign is spending $109,000 on a two-week ad buy in the relatively small media market of Springfield, Mass., to pressure [congressman Richard] Neal into action, and plans to hire paid staff and launch a door-to-door canvassing effort in the congressman’s district.”“Tom Steyer’s Need to Impeach campaign is spending $109,000 on a two-week ad buy in the relatively small media market of Springfield, Mass., to pressure [congressman Richard] Neal into action, and plans to hire paid staff and launch a door-to-door canvassing effort in the congressman’s district.”
The billionaire-funded group dedicated to impeaching Trump launched a television ad targeting Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) as part of an effort to get the House Ways and Means chairman to subpoena the president’s tax returnshttps://t.co/DLFFK0EzhFThe billionaire-funded group dedicated to impeaching Trump launched a television ad targeting Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) as part of an effort to get the House Ways and Means chairman to subpoena the president’s tax returnshttps://t.co/DLFFK0EzhF
Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat from Maryland, who is working with freshman congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to unveil Green New Deal legislation, announced that his guest for the State of the Union will be Varshini Prakash, the executive director and co-founder of the Sunrise Movement.Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat from Maryland, who is working with freshman congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to unveil Green New Deal legislation, announced that his guest for the State of the Union will be Varshini Prakash, the executive director and co-founder of the Sunrise Movement.
The group rose to prominence after staging a protest in the soon-to-be elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s congressional office. Ocasio-Cortez joined the demonstration and called on Congress to back the Green New Deal concept and revive a special committee on climate change.The group rose to prominence after staging a protest in the soon-to-be elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s congressional office. Ocasio-Cortez joined the demonstration and called on Congress to back the Green New Deal concept and revive a special committee on climate change.
Varshini Prakash, Executive Director and co-founder of @sunrisemvmt, is a powerful voice of her generation and a fearless leader on climate change.I’m thrilled @VarshPrakash will join me as my guest to the State of the Union. #SOTUhttps://t.co/Xt040AUjEZVarshini Prakash, Executive Director and co-founder of @sunrisemvmt, is a powerful voice of her generation and a fearless leader on climate change.I’m thrilled @VarshPrakash will join me as my guest to the State of the Union. #SOTUhttps://t.co/Xt040AUjEZ
The choice is AOC-approved.The choice is AOC-approved.
Thank you Sen. Markey for inviting @VarshPrakash, co-founder of @sunrisemvmt, whose advocacy helped bring fresh urgency to the Green New Deal, as your State of the Union guest! 🌎 https://t.co/rK3sYt4waKThank you Sen. Markey for inviting @VarshPrakash, co-founder of @sunrisemvmt, whose advocacy helped bring fresh urgency to the Green New Deal, as your State of the Union guest! 🌎 https://t.co/rK3sYt4waK
Read more about the deal from our environmental reporter, Emily Holden.Read more about the deal from our environmental reporter, Emily Holden.
Climate change 2020: can the Democrats make it an election issue?Climate change 2020: can the Democrats make it an election issue?
David Bernhardt, a former oil and gas and water lobbyist, will be nominated to run the interior department, Donald Trump tweeted.
I am pleased to announce that David Bernhardt, Acting Secretary of the Interior, will be nominated as Secretary of the Interior. David has done a fantastic job from the day he arrived, and we look forward to having his nomination officially confirmed!
Bernhardt was deputy secretary and has been running the department since Ryan Zinke stepped down at the end of the year Bernhardt has led plans to weaken endangered species protections.
He is expected to continue the Trump administration’s priorities to advance oil and gas drilling and mining on or near public land.
Time magazine reports that Donald Trump didn’t know that Nepal and Bhutan were independent countries. The reporting comes in a story about how Trump has repeatedly ignored or tried to contradict intelligence briefings.
In another briefing on South Asia, Trump’s advisors brought a map of the region from Afghanistan to Bangladesh, according to intelligence officers with knowledge of the meeting and congressional officials who were briefed on it. Trump, they said, pointed at the map and said he knew that Nepal was part of India, only to be told that it is an independent nation. When said he was familiar with Bhutan and knew it, too, was part of India, his briefers told him that Bhutan was an independent kingdom. Last August, Politico reported on president’s mispronunciation of the names of the two countries during the same briefing.
Unsurprisingly, Ralph Northam’s approval rating has collapsed since he admitted to wearing blackface at a Michael Jackson dance party while still denying he was in the picture on his yearbook page featuring a man in blackface and another in a KKK hood.
In a new poll by Morning Consult, the Virginia governor’s approval rating has cratered. He’s gone from 48% approval to 29% approval while his disapproval rating has soared and gone from 26% to 48%.
🚨NEW VIRGINIA POLLING🚨@GovernorVA's net approval dropped 41 points among Virginia voters in two days following the emergence of the blackface controversy:–38 points among Dems–47 points among independents #VALeg #VAGovMore: https://t.co/N9GlP6KbNl pic.twitter.com/CtRrGRWm9o
New polling shows that a majority of Americans still oppose new wall construction on the southern border with Mexico.
New data from Gallup says that 60% of Americans oppose expanding wall construction while 40% support it. This is only a minor change from from polling done last year, which showed 57% of Americans opposed this and 41% supported it. Since then, a month-long government shutdown has been held over wall funding.
GALLUP: Americans oppose new border wall construction by a margin of 60-40%, largely unchanged from 57-41% in June 2018.https://t.co/iJjcK89V0y pic.twitter.com/KbvomDQY9R
A new poll of Iowa caucusgoers from Emerson College shows Joe Biden with a healthy lead if he chooses to run.
The former vice president would take 29% of caucusgoers, followed by California Senator Kamala Harris at 18%, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at 15% and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren at 11%.
The poll comes just less than a year before the Iowa Caucuses are held on 3 February 2020.
New polling from Politico and Morning Consult shows that a potential third party presidential bid by billionaire Howard Schultz would hurt Democrats far more than Republicans.
The Starbucks mogul has come under heavy criticism from Democrats as he as explored a potential bid in the past week as a centrist advocating fiscally conservative and socially liberal policies. Schultz though has emphasized his opposition to progressives inside the Democratic party.
While only 26% of voters who approve of Trump’s job performance as president said they were very or somewhat likely to consider a third-party candidate, a larger percentage of Trump disapprovers, 41%, said they would consider voting for an independent. By party, nearly a third of Democrats, 31%, say they would consider a third-party candidate, compared with 25% of Republicans who indicated they would consider voting for someone other than the two major-party nominees.
But the data don’t suggest Schultz, the billionaire ex-CEO of Starbucks, could do more than play spoiler in the 2020 presidential race. While 35% of all voters in the poll said they would consider a third-party candidate, only 12% said they’d be very likely to look outside the two major parties. And survey data and experts alike dispute Schultz’s rationale for his possible campaign: that a critical mass of unrepresented voters in the political center could be marshaled into an electoral majority by a moderate voice.
New Jersey just officially approved an increase in the state minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024.
Democratic governor Phil Murphy signed the bill just now in a major progressive goal for the deep blue state. Past efforts to raise the minimum wage were blocked under former Republican governor Chris Christie.
It’s official: New Jersey @GovMurphy just signed a law that will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024.
Donald Trump’s re-election campaign is taking steps to clamp down on a potential primary challenge.
Although Trump is a likely shoo-in to win re-nomination, a bruising primary battle could leave him vulnerable in a general election. The last two incumbent presidents to lose re-election, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush both faced strong primary challenges.
As the Associated Press reports:
Bill Stepien, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, calls it all a “process of ensuring that the national convention is a television commercial for the president for an audience of 300 million and not an internal fight.”
One early success for Trump’s campaign was in Massachusetts, where Trump backer and former state Rep. Jim Lyons last month defeated the candidate backed by Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, a Trump critic, to serve as the state party chairman.
“We have a constant focus on tracking everything regarding this process,” Stepien said. “Who’s running, what their level of support for the president is and what their vote counts are.”
The campaign’s work extends beyond state party leadership races, which are taking place in many key states in the coming weeks. Trump’s team plans to organize at county and state caucuses and conventions over the next 18 months to elevate pro-Trump leaders and potential delegates. Ahead of the convention, it aims to have complete control of the convention agenda, rules and platform – and to identify any potential trouble-makers well in advance.
Politico reports that one key feature of Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tomorrow will be a pledge to end the Aids epidemic in the United States.
Under Trump’s 10-year strategy, health officials would target the US communities with the most HIV infections and work to reduce transmissions by 2030. The strategy has been championed by top health officials, including HHS secretary Alex Azar and CDC director Robert Redfield.
While Trump’s plans for the address remain fluid – and one official cautioned that the speech is not finalized – HHS has pressed the White House to ensure the HIV strategy is highlighted on Tuesday night, said two individuals. The agency is also planning a broader rollout this week.
An HHS spokesperson referred questions to the White House. A White House spokesperson declined to comment.
The goal would be ultimately end all new transmissions of HIV by 2030.
Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of homeland security, will make her first appearance testifying before Congress since Democrats took over in March.
Nielsen is likely to face tough questioning about a number of controversial Trump administration policies including family separation and the efficacy of a wall on the United States’s southern border.
DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen will testify before the House Homeland Security Committee on March 6th, per spox