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| Bernie Sanders to release 10 years of tax returns – as it happened | Bernie Sanders to release 10 years of tax returns – as it happened |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| That’s it for me tonight, folks! Thanks for reading along. Here’s what’s happened Tuesday evening: | |
| Republicans are rejecting Trump’s choices for the Federal Reserve, amid concerns that the president could be trying to make the strictly non-partisan financial institution more political. Both his picks come with problems – Stephen Moore faces tax issues while Herman Cain is faces questions from Republicans. | |
| Trump Fed pick was held in contempt for failing to pay ex-wife over $300,000 | |
| House Democrats are determined to get all the details contained in the Mueller report. The attorney general, William Barr, told Congress today that he’d hand over a redacted version within a week, as committee chairs vowed to obtain the report in full. | |
| Claire Grady, who was legally in succession to temporarily take over the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of Kirstjen Nielsen’s departure, has resigned, paving the way for Trump’s preferred appointee, the Customs and Border Protection director, Kevin McAleenan. | |
| The president met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and reportedly discussed human rights. | The president met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and reportedly discussed human rights. |
| Just In: One day after the US sanctioned 16 Saudis for murdering Jamal Khashoggi — but not MBS, who allegedly gave the go ahead —Trump spoke w MBS today about “Saudi Arabia’s role in ensuring ME stability, maintaining pressure on Iran, and the importance of human rights issues.” pic.twitter.com/1U0MW9mYTT | Just In: One day after the US sanctioned 16 Saudis for murdering Jamal Khashoggi — but not MBS, who allegedly gave the go ahead —Trump spoke w MBS today about “Saudi Arabia’s role in ensuring ME stability, maintaining pressure on Iran, and the importance of human rights issues.” pic.twitter.com/1U0MW9mYTT |
| Yesterday, US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, issued travel bans against those believed to be connected to the violent murder of the dissident Saudi journalist, but included no rebuke against the crown prince who is believed to have ordered the attack. | Yesterday, US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, issued travel bans against those believed to be connected to the violent murder of the dissident Saudi journalist, but included no rebuke against the crown prince who is believed to have ordered the attack. |
| The Trump Administration has faced harsh criticism for not condemning Saudi Arabia and cracking down on the country more strongly, for atrocities committed in Yemen and human rights abuses within its borders. | The Trump Administration has faced harsh criticism for not condemning Saudi Arabia and cracking down on the country more strongly, for atrocities committed in Yemen and human rights abuses within its borders. |
| Khashoggi killing: US issues travel bans against 16 Saudis | Khashoggi killing: US issues travel bans against 16 Saudis |
| Acting Deputy Secretary, Claire Grady — who would have filled the position left vacant by Kirstjen Nielsen — has resigned, clearing the way for Trump’s to pick, Kevin McAleenan to serve. | Acting Deputy Secretary, Claire Grady — who would have filled the position left vacant by Kirstjen Nielsen — has resigned, clearing the way for Trump’s to pick, Kevin McAleenan to serve. |
| Nielsen said acting Deputy Secretary Claire Grady (caught in the crossfire over McAleenan’s appointment) has offered to resign https://t.co/puIud4gQFY | Nielsen said acting Deputy Secretary Claire Grady (caught in the crossfire over McAleenan’s appointment) has offered to resign https://t.co/puIud4gQFY |
| Shortly after Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen shared she had resigned, Trump announced on Twitter he would temporarily fill the position with Customs and Border Patrol Director, McAleenan, ignoring the law of succession that would put Grady in charge. | Shortly after Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen shared she had resigned, Trump announced on Twitter he would temporarily fill the position with Customs and Border Patrol Director, McAleenan, ignoring the law of succession that would put Grady in charge. |
| Earlier today, Politico reported that that might mean Grady would soon be on the chopping block: | Earlier today, Politico reported that that might mean Grady would soon be on the chopping block: |
| The legal hitch could lead Trump to fire Grady, since she appears to be an obstacle to McAleenan being able to assume the top role at the agency”. | The legal hitch could lead Trump to fire Grady, since she appears to be an obstacle to McAleenan being able to assume the top role at the agency”. |
| Kirstjen Nielsen resigns as Trump homeland security secretary | Kirstjen Nielsen resigns as Trump homeland security secretary |
| A large number of high ranking positionsTrump’s Administration are currently governed by empty chairs. With the recent departure of Kirstjen Nielsen, people are starting to share their concern across Twitter. | A large number of high ranking positionsTrump’s Administration are currently governed by empty chairs. With the recent departure of Kirstjen Nielsen, people are starting to share their concern across Twitter. |
| A quick update on our national security leadership: Defense Secretary: Vacant.DHS Secretary: Vacant.UN Ambassador: Vacant.FEMA Director: Vacant.Secret Service Director: Vacant.ICE Director: Vacant.DHS Deputy: Vacant. President: Present, but unaccounted for. | A quick update on our national security leadership: Defense Secretary: Vacant.DHS Secretary: Vacant.UN Ambassador: Vacant.FEMA Director: Vacant.Secret Service Director: Vacant.ICE Director: Vacant.DHS Deputy: Vacant. President: Present, but unaccounted for. |
| “This is an Emergency,” actress Debra Messing tweeted today. “We need people to step forward and save our country”. | “This is an Emergency,” actress Debra Messing tweeted today. “We need people to step forward and save our country”. |
| But it doesn’t seem to be bothering the President, who, the New York Times pointed out today, said he prefers “acting” titles. | But it doesn’t seem to be bothering the President, who, the New York Times pointed out today, said he prefers “acting” titles. |
| ‘I like acting. It gives me more flexibility. Do you understand that?’ Mr. Trump told reporters in January before departing to Camp David. ‘I like acting. So we have a few that are acting. We have a great, great cabinet’. | ‘I like acting. It gives me more flexibility. Do you understand that?’ Mr. Trump told reporters in January before departing to Camp David. ‘I like acting. So we have a few that are acting. We have a great, great cabinet’. |
| These temporarily-filled positions are one way Trump can appoint whoever he wants without worry that they won’t be confirmed by the Senate. | These temporarily-filled positions are one way Trump can appoint whoever he wants without worry that they won’t be confirmed by the Senate. |
| The acting Cabinet: Right now, @realDonaldTrump has an:--acting DHS secretary--acting Defense secretary --acting Interior secretary (Bernhardt nominated) --acting WH chief of staff (also an acting UN ambassador, although that position has been downgraded from Cab level) | The acting Cabinet: Right now, @realDonaldTrump has an:--acting DHS secretary--acting Defense secretary --acting Interior secretary (Bernhardt nominated) --acting WH chief of staff (also an acting UN ambassador, although that position has been downgraded from Cab level) |
| During a testimony today, Attorney General William Barr told the Appropriations committee that he would not hand over the full Mueller report, but promised he would release a redacted version within the week. Disappointed Democrats, however, are determined to get more. | During a testimony today, Attorney General William Barr told the Appropriations committee that he would not hand over the full Mueller report, but promised he would release a redacted version within the week. Disappointed Democrats, however, are determined to get more. |
| Schiff, who calls Barr’s testimony a “betrayal” of his confirmation promises of transparency, says he’s demanding the Mueller probe’s counterintel info to “find out whether the president or people in his campaign had been compromised in any way by a foreign power” https://t.co/it7mXL9E1T | Schiff, who calls Barr’s testimony a “betrayal” of his confirmation promises of transparency, says he’s demanding the Mueller probe’s counterintel info to “find out whether the president or people in his campaign had been compromised in any way by a foreign power” https://t.co/it7mXL9E1T |
| Jerry Nadler, who chairs the house Judiciary Committee said today he would subpoena the Justice Department for the full report, and House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff said he’s already made a formal request, according to CNN: | Jerry Nadler, who chairs the house Judiciary Committee said today he would subpoena the Justice Department for the full report, and House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff said he’s already made a formal request, according to CNN: |
| The multi-pronged approach is the clearest sign yet that Barr’s release of a redacted report will not stop the brewing showdown between House Democrats and the Trump administration over the 22-month special counsel investigation. The fight is almost assuredly going to wind up in court as Democrats seek to pry material from the Mueller investigation out of the Justice Department beyond what Barr says he will provide. | The multi-pronged approach is the clearest sign yet that Barr’s release of a redacted report will not stop the brewing showdown between House Democrats and the Trump administration over the 22-month special counsel investigation. The fight is almost assuredly going to wind up in court as Democrats seek to pry material from the Mueller investigation out of the Justice Department beyond what Barr says he will provide. |
| Barr laid down his marker at a Tuesday budget hearing, his first appearance before Congress since Mueller’s investigation wrapped last month. Barr said he was working to make as much information public as possible and that he would work with Nadler if he sought additional material.” | Barr laid down his marker at a Tuesday budget hearing, his first appearance before Congress since Mueller’s investigation wrapped last month. Barr said he was working to make as much information public as possible and that he would work with Nadler if he sought additional material.” |
| Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — the middlemen between health insurers and pharmacies — were brought before the Senate Finance Committee today, as Congress continues seeking solutions for soaring drug prices. | Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — the middlemen between health insurers and pharmacies — were brought before the Senate Finance Committee today, as Congress continues seeking solutions for soaring drug prices. |
| In the third hearing this year, executives from CVS Health, UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Rx, AND Cigna testified, representing 76% of the market with over a billion prescriptions a year processed collectively, according to the AP. | In the third hearing this year, executives from CVS Health, UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Rx, AND Cigna testified, representing 76% of the market with over a billion prescriptions a year processed collectively, according to the AP. |
| The executives emphasized that their role helps keep drug prices down, a point lawmakers took issue with. | The executives emphasized that their role helps keep drug prices down, a point lawmakers took issue with. |
| “Whether pharmacy benefit managers bring any real value to taxpayers is a mystery,” Senator Ron Wyden said during the hearing, accusing the companies of “gouging” their customers and working in “greater secrecy than HBO is guarding the ending of ‘Game of Thrones.” | “Whether pharmacy benefit managers bring any real value to taxpayers is a mystery,” Senator Ron Wyden said during the hearing, accusing the companies of “gouging” their customers and working in “greater secrecy than HBO is guarding the ending of ‘Game of Thrones.” |
| Senator Debbie Stabenow meanwhile, called them “pretty bad negotiators”. | Senator Debbie Stabenow meanwhile, called them “pretty bad negotiators”. |
| The executives allege that their work adds value and they hope to do more to decrease prices. | The executives allege that their work adds value and they hope to do more to decrease prices. |
| Per AP: | Per AP: |
| PBMs say they only offer rebates on around 8% of the prescriptions they process, and they pass along most of those discounts to payers like insurers or large employers. They said they want to offer more of those rebates directly to patients when they buy the drugs, an upfront approach to the discounts favored by President Donald Trump’s administration. | PBMs say they only offer rebates on around 8% of the prescriptions they process, and they pass along most of those discounts to payers like insurers or large employers. They said they want to offer more of those rebates directly to patients when they buy the drugs, an upfront approach to the discounts favored by President Donald Trump’s administration. |
| PBM executives also said they can’t make the details of their negotiations with drugmakers public because that would hurt their leverage for getting future discounts”. | PBM executives also said they can’t make the details of their negotiations with drugmakers public because that would hurt their leverage for getting future discounts”. |
| Pharmacy benefit managers—the behind-the-scenes companies that the Senate Finance Committee is grilling about drug prices this week—are huge, mysterious, and extremely complicated. We're lucky @olgakhazan can make sense of them in such a moving, human way https://t.co/YFB3jzSBlL | Pharmacy benefit managers—the behind-the-scenes companies that the Senate Finance Committee is grilling about drug prices this week—are huge, mysterious, and extremely complicated. We're lucky @olgakhazan can make sense of them in such a moving, human way https://t.co/YFB3jzSBlL |
| Gabrielle Canon here, taking over for Sabrina Siddiqui. | Gabrielle Canon here, taking over for Sabrina Siddiqui. |
| Things are not looking good for Trump’s Federal Reserve pick, Herman Cain. The 2012 GOP presidential candidate and former pizza executive has yet to be officially nominated, but politicians from his own party are already pushing back. | Things are not looking good for Trump’s Federal Reserve pick, Herman Cain. The 2012 GOP presidential candidate and former pizza executive has yet to be officially nominated, but politicians from his own party are already pushing back. |
| Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Herman Cain's expected nomination to Federal Reserve Board: "I'm going to do my due diligence but I'm not so favorably inclined right now.""I have some concerns about some of the things that relate to Mr. Cain," she added. | Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Herman Cain's expected nomination to Federal Reserve Board: "I'm going to do my due diligence but I'm not so favorably inclined right now.""I have some concerns about some of the things that relate to Mr. Cain," she added. |
| “There are concerns that are being voiced to the administrations about qualifications,” Senator John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota told Politico. “They’re probably going to hear from a number of our members about concerns that they have. Whether or not that gets them to make a course change or not, I don’t know.” | “There are concerns that are being voiced to the administrations about qualifications,” Senator John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota told Politico. “They’re probably going to hear from a number of our members about concerns that they have. Whether or not that gets them to make a course change or not, I don’t know.” |
| Trump’s other potential nominee, Stephen Moore, is also facing backlash after The Guardian exposed issues with his taxes and finances. | Trump’s other potential nominee, Stephen Moore, is also facing backlash after The Guardian exposed issues with his taxes and finances. |
| Trump Fed pick was held in contempt for failing to pay ex-wife over $300,000 | Trump Fed pick was held in contempt for failing to pay ex-wife over $300,000 |
| While Republicans have been quick to support Trump’s picks for other positions, Fed nominees are expected not to be partisan, and there are concerns that the president is trying to make the financial body more political. | While Republicans have been quick to support Trump’s picks for other positions, Fed nominees are expected not to be partisan, and there are concerns that the president is trying to make the financial body more political. |
| Per Politico: | Per Politico: |
| ‘Do you seriously want a guy on the Fed that has a whole organization, the only purpose of it is to encourage Republicans to do whatever the president says he’d like you to do?’ said one Republican senator distressed about the nomination. The senator said confirming Cain would be ‘hard’ but his nomination alone ‘might confirm Stephen Moore’. | ‘Do you seriously want a guy on the Fed that has a whole organization, the only purpose of it is to encourage Republicans to do whatever the president says he’d like you to do?’ said one Republican senator distressed about the nomination. The senator said confirming Cain would be ‘hard’ but his nomination alone ‘might confirm Stephen Moore’. |
| Cain’s group recently said Republicans that opposed the president’s emergency declaration were ‘traitors’ in a fundraising request”. | Cain’s group recently said Republicans that opposed the president’s emergency declaration were ‘traitors’ in a fundraising request”. |
| Ok folks, I’m handing over the blog to the great Gabrielle Canon on the West Coast. She’ll take you through the rest of the day. Until next time...! | Ok folks, I’m handing over the blog to the great Gabrielle Canon on the West Coast. She’ll take you through the rest of the day. Until next time...! |
| Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said the Trump administration’s ‘chaos’ on immigration is a problem of the president’s own making. | Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said the Trump administration’s ‘chaos’ on immigration is a problem of the president’s own making. |
| Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said Trump “cannot keep changing personnel, changing strategy, tweeting your way through a problem as serious” as immigration. | Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said Trump “cannot keep changing personnel, changing strategy, tweeting your way through a problem as serious” as immigration. |
| “Chaos stems from one source and one source only,” the Democratic leader said. | “Chaos stems from one source and one source only,” the Democratic leader said. |
| “I hope that the president or some of the people around him will realize that his administration is far from a fine-tuned machine. It’s a slow-motion disaster that the American people see in action every day.” | “I hope that the president or some of the people around him will realize that his administration is far from a fine-tuned machine. It’s a slow-motion disaster that the American people see in action every day.” |
| House Democratic leaders have canceled a planned vote on a budget proposal after amid internal opposition from moderates and progressives alike. | House Democratic leaders have canceled a planned vote on a budget proposal after amid internal opposition from moderates and progressives alike. |
| According to Politico, progressives believe the budget measure provides a disproportionate amount of funding to the Pentagon, as opposed to domestic programs; moderates, meanwhile, think the legislation is too costly. | According to Politico, progressives believe the budget measure provides a disproportionate amount of funding to the Pentagon, as opposed to domestic programs; moderates, meanwhile, think the legislation is too costly. |
| The debate over the bill, which will set budget caps for the next year, is a test of the Democratic Party’s priorities as they mark 100 days in control he House majority. | The debate over the bill, which will set budget caps for the next year, is a test of the Democratic Party’s priorities as they mark 100 days in control he House majority. |
| The party is poised to huddle behind closed doors this week at an annual retreat just outside of Washington. | The party is poised to huddle behind closed doors this week at an annual retreat just outside of Washington. |
| Looks like they’ve got their work cut out for them! | Looks like they’ve got their work cut out for them! |