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| Former congressman confirms he told Assange that Trump would pardon him – live | Former congressman confirms he told Assange that Trump would pardon him – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Dana Rohrabacher offered pardon on Trump’s behalf, lawyers say, in exchange for information proving Russians were not source of leaked Democratic emails | Dana Rohrabacher offered pardon on Trump’s behalf, lawyers say, in exchange for information proving Russians were not source of leaked Democratic emails |
| Reacting to Russia’s alleged election interference in the 2020 campaign, Trump dismissed reports of the Kremlin’s preference for him as a Democratic “misinformation campaign.” | |
| The president had repeatedly cast doubt upon the intelligence community’s conclusion that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 race to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. | |
| During the impeachment inquiry and trial, the president and his allies repeatedly pushed the debunked claim that Ukraine was the one who had meddled in the 2016 race. | |
| It now appears Trump is looking to cast doubt upon the latest news of Russian election interference as well. | |
| Nancy Pelosi said last night that all House members would receive a briefing on election security following reports of Trump’s anger at intelligence officials for briefing lawmakers on Russian interference in the 2020 campaign. | |
| Officials briefed the House intelligence commitee last week on Russia’s alleged attempts to sway the 2020 election in Trump’s favor, but this briefing would be for all members. | |
| Joe Biden is counting on strong performances in Nevada tomorrow and South Carolina next week to reinvigorate his presidential campaign after disappointing results in Iowa and New Hampshire. | |
| Biden has especially pointed to South Carolina, where more than half of primary voters were African American in 2016, as the launchpad for his candidacy. | |
| However, a new poll shows Biden and Bernie Sanders are now essentially tied with black voters, who had tilted strongly in favor of Biden until recently. | |
| The Wall Street Journal reports: | |
| Mike Bloomberg has taken his trolling of Trump beyond Twitter to Phoenix and Las Vegas, where the president is campaigning today. | Mike Bloomberg has taken his trolling of Trump beyond Twitter to Phoenix and Las Vegas, where the president is campaigning today. |
| Bloomberg’s campaign has placed billboards near Trump’s Vegas hotel and along potential motorcade routes as the president heads to his campaign rally later today. | Bloomberg’s campaign has placed billboards near Trump’s Vegas hotel and along potential motorcade routes as the president heads to his campaign rally later today. |
| The billboards include messages like, “Donald Trump lost the popular vote” and “Donald Trump eats burnt steak.” | The billboards include messages like, “Donald Trump lost the popular vote” and “Donald Trump eats burnt steak.” |
| “Americans deserve to know that Donald Trump cheats at golf and went broke running a casino,” a Bloomberg campaign spokesperson said in a statement. | “Americans deserve to know that Donald Trump cheats at golf and went broke running a casino,” a Bloomberg campaign spokesperson said in a statement. |
| Larry Kudlow, Trump’s top economic adviser, said he thought Roger Stone’s sentence should be “vacated,” calling the president’s former associate a “longtime friend.” | Larry Kudlow, Trump’s top economic adviser, said he thought Roger Stone’s sentence should be “vacated,” calling the president’s former associate a “longtime friend.” |
| Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison yesterday for obstructing the congressional Russia investigation, and his allies are now angling for a presidential pardon. | Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison yesterday for obstructing the congressional Russia investigation, and his allies are now angling for a presidential pardon. |
| Speaking in Las Vegas yesterday, Trump said he wanted to see Stone’s case “play out” in the courts, but he did not rule out the possibility of an eventual pardon. | Speaking in Las Vegas yesterday, Trump said he wanted to see Stone’s case “play out” in the courts, but he did not rule out the possibility of an eventual pardon. |
| Former deputy attorney general Sally Yates said Trump’s reported frustration with intelligence officials for briefing lawmakers on Russian election interference is a “screaming red siren.” | Former deputy attorney general Sally Yates said Trump’s reported frustration with intelligence officials for briefing lawmakers on Russian election interference is a “screaming red siren.” |
| Yates was famously dismissed from her role as acting attorney general in 2017, when she instructed the justice department not to defend Trump’s travel ban. | Yates was famously dismissed from her role as acting attorney general in 2017, when she instructed the justice department not to defend Trump’s travel ban. |
| This is Joan Greve in Washington, taking over for Paul Owen. | This is Joan Greve in Washington, taking over for Paul Owen. |
| We are just one day away from the Nevada caucuses, and Democratic leaders in the state are expressing confidence that they will avoid the chaos of the Iowa caucuses. | We are just one day away from the Nevada caucuses, and Democratic leaders in the state are expressing confidence that they will avoid the chaos of the Iowa caucuses. |
| Speaking of the Iowa caucuses, the recanvass of results is still ongoing, as Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders are neck-and-neck in the state delegate equivalent column. | Speaking of the Iowa caucuses, the recanvass of results is still ongoing, as Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders are neck-and-neck in the state delegate equivalent column. |
| The Des Moines Register reports: | The Des Moines Register reports: |
| As a reminder, the AP, the outlet of record for elections, has so far refused to declare a winner in the Feb. 3 caucuses because of inconsistencies in the results and the race’s razor-thin margin. | As a reminder, the AP, the outlet of record for elections, has so far refused to declare a winner in the Feb. 3 caucuses because of inconsistencies in the results and the race’s razor-thin margin. |
| Former congressman Dana Rohrabacher has confirmed that he told Julian Assange that Donald Trump would give him a pardon if he gave him information proving that Russians had not been the source of the leaked Democratic emails that are thought to have been part of Moscow’s campaign to swing the 2016 for Trump. | Former congressman Dana Rohrabacher has confirmed that he told Julian Assange that Donald Trump would give him a pardon if he gave him information proving that Russians had not been the source of the leaked Democratic emails that are thought to have been part of Moscow’s campaign to swing the 2016 for Trump. |
| The WikiLeaks chief’s lawyers said in court in London on Wednesday that Rohrabacher had offered the pardon on Trump’s behalf. The White House denied that claimed Trump “barely knows” the former Republican politician. (Trump invited him to a White House meeting in 2017.) | The WikiLeaks chief’s lawyers said in court in London on Wednesday that Rohrabacher had offered the pardon on Trump’s behalf. The White House denied that claimed Trump “barely knows” the former Republican politician. (Trump invited him to a White House meeting in 2017.) |
| Rohrabacher – known as one of the most pro-Russian politicians in Washington – told Yahoo News: | Rohrabacher – known as one of the most pro-Russian politicians in Washington – told Yahoo News: |
| He said he did not discuss the issue directly with Trump, and said he only wanted “truthful” information from Assange. | He said he did not discuss the issue directly with Trump, and said he only wanted “truthful” information from Assange. |
| He apparently believes a conspiracy theory that Seth Rich, a murdered former Democratic staffer, was the true source of the leak. | He apparently believes a conspiracy theory that Seth Rich, a murdered former Democratic staffer, was the true source of the leak. |
| The pardon claim was made before the opening next week of Assange’s legal battle to block attempts to extradite him to the US, where he faces charges for publishing hacked documents. | The pardon claim was made before the opening next week of Assange’s legal battle to block attempts to extradite him to the US, where he faces charges for publishing hacked documents. |
| The Kremlin has responded to the reports that US intelligence officials briefed members of Congress that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election to boost Donald Trump – as the intelligence community believes it did in 2016. | The Kremlin has responded to the reports that US intelligence officials briefed members of Congress that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election to boost Donald Trump – as the intelligence community believes it did in 2016. |
| Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: | Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: |
| The Kremlin denies meddling in the 2016 election too. | The Kremlin denies meddling in the 2016 election too. |
| It’s been another wild week in American politics, with a Democratic debate shaking up the field again and Donald Trump tangling with the justice system in multiple dramatic ways. But who’s up and who’s down as Nevada gets ready to vote in the primary race on Saturday? | It’s been another wild week in American politics, with a Democratic debate shaking up the field again and Donald Trump tangling with the justice system in multiple dramatic ways. But who’s up and who’s down as Nevada gets ready to vote in the primary race on Saturday? |
| 5/5: Elizabeth Warren | 5/5: Elizabeth Warren |
| It feels like each of the main Democratic candidates is being given their chance to shine, and this week it was Elizabeth Warren’s. Shedding her usual professorial demeanor, the leftwing Massachusetts senator tore into billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg as he struggled to shake off numerous scandals this week. “I’d like to talk about who we’re running against: a billionaire who calls women ‘fat broads’ and ‘horse-faced lesbians’,” Warren said at the beginning of Wednesday night’s debate in Las Vegas. “And no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump, I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.” Warren saw her best day of fundraising yet following the debate, and will be hoping to see the same kind of boost rival Amy Klobuchar got at the ballot box following her strong debate performance in New Hampshire. The Massachusetts liberal is neck and neck with Pete Buttigieg for third place in Nevada on Saturday – if she can overtake Joe Biden and reach second she may give her campaign the jolt of energy she has been waiting for. | It feels like each of the main Democratic candidates is being given their chance to shine, and this week it was Elizabeth Warren’s. Shedding her usual professorial demeanor, the leftwing Massachusetts senator tore into billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg as he struggled to shake off numerous scandals this week. “I’d like to talk about who we’re running against: a billionaire who calls women ‘fat broads’ and ‘horse-faced lesbians’,” Warren said at the beginning of Wednesday night’s debate in Las Vegas. “And no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump, I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.” Warren saw her best day of fundraising yet following the debate, and will be hoping to see the same kind of boost rival Amy Klobuchar got at the ballot box following her strong debate performance in New Hampshire. The Massachusetts liberal is neck and neck with Pete Buttigieg for third place in Nevada on Saturday – if she can overtake Joe Biden and reach second she may give her campaign the jolt of energy she has been waiting for. |
| 4/5: Bernie Sanders | 4/5: Bernie Sanders |
| The leftwing Vermont senator is now firmly in pole position, with a 14-point lead going into Nevada and an 11-point lead over the rest of the Democratic field nationally. Will the Democratic establishment now unite behind a centrist who could block Sanders’ progress? If so, they need to get their act together fast. If Sanders wins, will Democratic elites fall in behind a man who has never joined their party and whom many see as a cuckoo in the nest? Maybe they’ll be forced to – polling shows Democratic voters aren’t worried about Sanders in the way the party’s bigwigs seem to be. Could this unapologetic socialist beat Donald Trump? That’s the great unknown. But as Sanders is fond of pointing out, he consistently polls ahead of the president nationally and in some swing states. Sanders outrider Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested this week he could end up compromising on his sweeping healthcare proposals – perhaps baby steps towards an eventual rapprochement between Sanders and the party hierarchy. | The leftwing Vermont senator is now firmly in pole position, with a 14-point lead going into Nevada and an 11-point lead over the rest of the Democratic field nationally. Will the Democratic establishment now unite behind a centrist who could block Sanders’ progress? If so, they need to get their act together fast. If Sanders wins, will Democratic elites fall in behind a man who has never joined their party and whom many see as a cuckoo in the nest? Maybe they’ll be forced to – polling shows Democratic voters aren’t worried about Sanders in the way the party’s bigwigs seem to be. Could this unapologetic socialist beat Donald Trump? That’s the great unknown. But as Sanders is fond of pointing out, he consistently polls ahead of the president nationally and in some swing states. Sanders outrider Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested this week he could end up compromising on his sweeping healthcare proposals – perhaps baby steps towards an eventual rapprochement between Sanders and the party hierarchy. |
| 3/5: Roger Stone | 3/5: Roger Stone |
| Well, he didn’t get nine years in jail… but Trump’s longtime friend and aide will not have been delighted with his 40-month sentence for lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Stone remains free while he appeals against the sentence, and Trump – who was criticised by his own attorney general for interfering with the case – said on Thursday he wanted to see that process “played out” before getting involved formally. “I would love to see Roger exonerated,” the president said, leaving open the possibility of a pardon if his friend is not. Trump showed again this week how willing he is to use that power, issuing several pardons and commutations to people found guilty of public corruption – and perhaps paving the way for an eventual more controversial one for Stone. | Well, he didn’t get nine years in jail… but Trump’s longtime friend and aide will not have been delighted with his 40-month sentence for lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Stone remains free while he appeals against the sentence, and Trump – who was criticised by his own attorney general for interfering with the case – said on Thursday he wanted to see that process “played out” before getting involved formally. “I would love to see Roger exonerated,” the president said, leaving open the possibility of a pardon if his friend is not. Trump showed again this week how willing he is to use that power, issuing several pardons and commutations to people found guilty of public corruption – and perhaps paving the way for an eventual more controversial one for Stone. |
| 2/5: Michael Bloomberg | 2/5: Michael Bloomberg |
| Political junkies were openly slavering at the prospect of the former New York mayor joining the Democratic field on the debate stage for the first time this week – something only possible because the party changed its rules on qualification. Yet it came after the unearthing of controversy after controversy about Bloomberg – from his alleged sexist and misogynistic remarks as a boss, to anti-trans, anti-black and anti-Latino remarks and continued ill feeling about the discriminatory impact of his policing policy. His fellow Democrats hit him again and again during the debate, with Warren leading the charge. In response he was stiff, high-handed and somewhat testy. “None of them accuse me of doing anything other than maybe they didn’t like a joke I told,” he said about staff who had signed non-disclosure agreements – which sounded perhaps less exculpatory than he imagined. Sanders even managed to point out that Bloomberg, like him, had had heart problems. “We both have two stents!” the socialist senator exclaimed memorably. | Political junkies were openly slavering at the prospect of the former New York mayor joining the Democratic field on the debate stage for the first time this week – something only possible because the party changed its rules on qualification. Yet it came after the unearthing of controversy after controversy about Bloomberg – from his alleged sexist and misogynistic remarks as a boss, to anti-trans, anti-black and anti-Latino remarks and continued ill feeling about the discriminatory impact of his policing policy. His fellow Democrats hit him again and again during the debate, with Warren leading the charge. In response he was stiff, high-handed and somewhat testy. “None of them accuse me of doing anything other than maybe they didn’t like a joke I told,” he said about staff who had signed non-disclosure agreements – which sounded perhaps less exculpatory than he imagined. Sanders even managed to point out that Bloomberg, like him, had had heart problems. “We both have two stents!” the socialist senator exclaimed memorably. |
| 1/5: Stephen Miller and his wife | 1/5: Stephen Miller and his wife |
| The level of partisanship in the US being what it is, the New York Times including the wedding of Trump’s controversial immigration adviser to Mike Pence’s press secretary in its soft-focus high-society nuptials column was never going to pass without comment. The two “both work in the Trump White House”, the article noted benignly, although a link to a piece about “The White Nationalist Websites Cited by Stephen Miller” did sort of give the game away. As liberal Twitter expressed its outrage, comedian Samantha Bee set up a registry sending gifts to immigration charities in the couple’s honour – which was then contributed to by Miller’s uncle, a frequent critic of his nephew. Miller has been the driving force behind Trump administration policies such as the Muslim ban and family separation at the border, and is thought to be the speechwriter behind some of Trump’s most alarming nativist addresses. | The level of partisanship in the US being what it is, the New York Times including the wedding of Trump’s controversial immigration adviser to Mike Pence’s press secretary in its soft-focus high-society nuptials column was never going to pass without comment. The two “both work in the Trump White House”, the article noted benignly, although a link to a piece about “The White Nationalist Websites Cited by Stephen Miller” did sort of give the game away. As liberal Twitter expressed its outrage, comedian Samantha Bee set up a registry sending gifts to immigration charities in the couple’s honour – which was then contributed to by Miller’s uncle, a frequent critic of his nephew. Miller has been the driving force behind Trump administration policies such as the Muslim ban and family separation at the border, and is thought to be the speechwriter behind some of Trump’s most alarming nativist addresses. |
| 0/5: A man who has a life-size emotional support cut-out of Trump | 0/5: A man who has a life-size emotional support cut-out of Trump |
| The US transportation department has proposed a crackdown on some of the more outlandish emotional-support animals people have been taking with them on planes, including peacocks, ducks, pigs and iguanas. But no one said anything about life-size cut-outs of Donald Trump, until Nelson Gibson of Florida took his with him to a doctor’s appointment. “They told me it was too much and it wasn’t a rally,” he lamented to TV station WPBF, after having happily got away with bringing a picture of Trump and a small cut-out of himself with the president to previous appointments. The life-size cardboard likeness, it seemed, crossed the line. “What I would really like to happen is for them not to infringe upon my father’s freedom of expression and speech and allow him to bring in the life-size cardboard cutout that takes up less service area than a garbage can,” the man’s son said. Either Trump is shorter than he looks, or that’s a big garbage can. | The US transportation department has proposed a crackdown on some of the more outlandish emotional-support animals people have been taking with them on planes, including peacocks, ducks, pigs and iguanas. But no one said anything about life-size cut-outs of Donald Trump, until Nelson Gibson of Florida took his with him to a doctor’s appointment. “They told me it was too much and it wasn’t a rally,” he lamented to TV station WPBF, after having happily got away with bringing a picture of Trump and a small cut-out of himself with the president to previous appointments. The life-size cardboard likeness, it seemed, crossed the line. “What I would really like to happen is for them not to infringe upon my father’s freedom of expression and speech and allow him to bring in the life-size cardboard cutout that takes up less service area than a garbage can,” the man’s son said. Either Trump is shorter than he looks, or that’s a big garbage can. |
| The United States and the Taliban will sign an agreement on 29 February at the end of a week long period of violence reduction in Afghanistan, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and the Taliban said on Friday. | The United States and the Taliban will sign an agreement on 29 February at the end of a week long period of violence reduction in Afghanistan, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and the Taliban said on Friday. |
| As Reuters reports: | As Reuters reports: |
| Good morning. | Good morning. |
| It was an eventful evening yesterday in US politics. Here’s what you might have missed: | It was an eventful evening yesterday in US politics. Here’s what you might have missed: |
| US intelligence officials are reported to have warned members of Congress last week that Russia was trying to interfere in the 2020 election campaign in favour of Donald Trump, in a briefing that led to the abrupt removal of the acting director of national intelligence. | US intelligence officials are reported to have warned members of Congress last week that Russia was trying to interfere in the 2020 election campaign in favour of Donald Trump, in a briefing that led to the abrupt removal of the acting director of national intelligence. |
| Roger Stone, a longtime ally of Trump’s and a self-described political dirty trickster, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for his attempts to sabotage a congressional investigation that posed a political threat to the president. After his sentencing, a representative for Stone urged Trump to “right this horrible wrong” and pardon him – before the president suggested he might do so. | Roger Stone, a longtime ally of Trump’s and a self-described political dirty trickster, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for his attempts to sabotage a congressional investigation that posed a political threat to the president. After his sentencing, a representative for Stone urged Trump to “right this horrible wrong” and pardon him – before the president suggested he might do so. |
| A heavily edited video of Mike Bloomberg’s performance at Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Nevada has prompted fresh questions about disinformation policies on social media platforms. | A heavily edited video of Mike Bloomberg’s performance at Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Nevada has prompted fresh questions about disinformation policies on social media platforms. |
| Elizabeth Warren’s strong debate performance has re-energized her campaign and fired up supporters in Nevada before the state’s Democratic caucuses. | Elizabeth Warren’s strong debate performance has re-energized her campaign and fired up supporters in Nevada before the state’s Democratic caucuses. |
| Trump has taken a typically bizarre jab at the Oscars for awarding this year’s best picture honor to Parasite, because the film is South Korean. “The winner is a movie from South Korea, what the hell was that all about?” Trump asked at a rally. “We got enough problems with South Korea with trade and on top of it, they give them the best movie of the year.” | Trump has taken a typically bizarre jab at the Oscars for awarding this year’s best picture honor to Parasite, because the film is South Korean. “The winner is a movie from South Korea, what the hell was that all about?” Trump asked at a rally. “We got enough problems with South Korea with trade and on top of it, they give them the best movie of the year.” |
| Today, Trump and vice-president Mike Pence will hold a rally in Las Vegas, an event obviously meant to wind up the Democrats as they get ready for the next vote in their primary season in Nevada tomorrow. | Today, Trump and vice-president Mike Pence will hold a rally in Las Vegas, an event obviously meant to wind up the Democrats as they get ready for the next vote in their primary season in Nevada tomorrow. |
| Leading Democratic candidates Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden, and Amy Klobuchar are all campaigning there today. Mike Bloomberg is not on the ballot – he is joining the race on 3 March for Super Tuesday. | Leading Democratic candidates Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden, and Amy Klobuchar are all campaigning there today. Mike Bloomberg is not on the ballot – he is joining the race on 3 March for Super Tuesday. |
| Sanders – the socialist Vermont senator who is now the frontrunner in the Democratic race – seems to have increased his lead in Nevada. Latest polling averages show him with an impressive 14-point lead over his ailing centrist rival Biden. The former VP’s fellow moderate Buttigieg and Warren – like Sanders, a leftwing senator – are neck and neck close behind Biden, with businessman Tom Steyer and centrist Klobuchar fighting for fifth place. | Sanders – the socialist Vermont senator who is now the frontrunner in the Democratic race – seems to have increased his lead in Nevada. Latest polling averages show him with an impressive 14-point lead over his ailing centrist rival Biden. The former VP’s fellow moderate Buttigieg and Warren – like Sanders, a leftwing senator – are neck and neck close behind Biden, with businessman Tom Steyer and centrist Klobuchar fighting for fifth place. |
| Sanders has also strengthened his lead in national Demcoratic polling, and is now 11 points clear of Biden in the popular-vote horse-race. Bloomberg is now in third place, and very close behind Biden. Warren, Buttigieg and Klobuchar slot in after that. | Sanders has also strengthened his lead in national Demcoratic polling, and is now 11 points clear of Biden in the popular-vote horse-race. Bloomberg is now in third place, and very close behind Biden. Warren, Buttigieg and Klobuchar slot in after that. |
| We’ll cover all this and more throughout the day right here. | We’ll cover all this and more throughout the day right here. |