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House launches inquiry into potential interference by attorney general in Roger Stone case – live Federal court blocks Trump's Remain in Mexico border policy – live
(31 minutes later)
House asks to interview prosecutors who quit case after Trump intervened while Pompeo appears before House committee on foreign affairs Panel ruled in 2-1 vote to hold Trump policy that forced nearly 60,000 people to be sent back since it took effect
Responding to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s ruling, upholding the preliminary injunction halting the Trump administration’s so-called “Remain in Mexico” policy, under which the U government forcibly returns asylum-seekers to Mexico indefinitely while they ask for asylum in the US, Amnesty International USA’s advocacy director for the Americas, Charanya Krishnaswami, said:
“This policy was never designed to work; it was designed solely to deter people from exercising their right to seek asylum.
“Now that the Ninth Circuit has halted this unconscionable policy, the tens of thousands of asylum-seekers already subjected to it must immediately be given the chance to make their asylum claims from within the United States - a chance they should have all along.
“Rather than appealing this decision, the U.S. government should instead seek to reverse the harm this policy has wrought upon people seeking safety and restore its commitment to the right to seek asylum at the US border.”
Reaction is coming in to the news that a federal appeals court has immediately blocked the Trump administration’s policy that forces asylum seeking migrants crossing the US-Mexico border to return to Mexico and remain there indefinitely while their asylum applications are processed in the United States, which can drag on indefinitely.
The American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, and Southern Poverty Law Center are challenging the policy and presented arguments in October 2019 to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
The groups won a preliminary injunction in April, and in May the Ninth Circuit temporarily allowed the policy to take effect as the government appealed the injunction.
ACLU attorney Judy Rabinovitz, who argued the appeal, said this afternoon:
“The court forcefully rejected the Trump administration’s assertion that it could strand asylum seekers in Mexico and subject them to grave danger. It’s time for the administration to follow the law and stop putting asylum seekers in harm’s way.”
The case, Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf, was brought on behalf of 11 individual asylum seekers who were forced to return to Mexico to wait, and organizational plaintiffs Innovation Law Lab, the Central American Resource Center of Northern California, Centro Legal de la Raza, the University of San Francisco School of Law Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic, Al Otro Lado, and the Tahirih Justice Center.
Major development in the story of the one of the many cruel strands of the Trump administration’s US-Mexico border policy.
A panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled today in a 2-1 vote to put on hold the policy that furthered Donald Trump’s asylum crackdown, the AP adds.
The “Remain in Mexico” policy - known officially as “Migrant Protection Protocols” - took effect in January 2019 in San Diego and has spread along the border. Nearly 60,000 people have been sent back since the policy began.
The question before the judges was whether to let the policy take effect during legal challenges.
Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney has said concerns in the US over the coronavirus outbreak is A. a Democratic party hoax and B. is all about the media stoking fear as a plot to take down Donald Trump.Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney has said concerns in the US over the coronavirus outbreak is A. a Democratic party hoax and B. is all about the media stoking fear as a plot to take down Donald Trump.
Just a note that our main coverage of the coronavirus outbreak is on the website and in our dedicated live blog. But this latest news dev should be mentioned here, too.Just a note that our main coverage of the coronavirus outbreak is on the website and in our dedicated live blog. But this latest news dev should be mentioned here, too.
And this:And this:
Mulvaney was talking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Republican love-in at the National Harbor near Washington, from where my colleague David Smith sent a report published earlier today.Mulvaney was talking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Republican love-in at the National Harbor near Washington, from where my colleague David Smith sent a report published earlier today.
Bill “let me do my job” BarrBill “let me do my job” Barr
Attorney general William Barr has made efforts in recent days to beat back critics’ concerns that he was doing the president’s political bidding, by urging Donald Trump to stop tweeting about criminal cases - after Trump intervened in the Roger Stone case ahead of sentencing - because his comments were undercutting his ability to do his job.Attorney general William Barr has made efforts in recent days to beat back critics’ concerns that he was doing the president’s political bidding, by urging Donald Trump to stop tweeting about criminal cases - after Trump intervened in the Roger Stone case ahead of sentencing - because his comments were undercutting his ability to do his job.
Trump had intervened in the form of a tweet calling prosecutors’ sentencing recommendation “a horrible and very unfair situation”. Barr then caused the recommendation to be changed, prompting a call for the attorney general’s resignation from more than 2,600 former justice department officials, my colleague Tom McCarthy wrote last week.Trump had intervened in the form of a tweet calling prosecutors’ sentencing recommendation “a horrible and very unfair situation”. Barr then caused the recommendation to be changed, prompting a call for the attorney general’s resignation from more than 2,600 former justice department officials, my colleague Tom McCarthy wrote last week.
Barr’s public plea for Trump to back off was characterized by former US attorney and Trump foil Preet Bharara thusly in a tweet: “I think Bill Barr is shrewd, deliberate, smart, calculating, careful, and full of it,” tweeted the former US attorney Preet Bharara.Barr’s public plea for Trump to back off was characterized by former US attorney and Trump foil Preet Bharara thusly in a tweet: “I think Bill Barr is shrewd, deliberate, smart, calculating, careful, and full of it,” tweeted the former US attorney Preet Bharara.
Amid this scandal, Trump also abruptly withdrew the nomination of Jessie Liu, the former US attorney for the District of Columbia, who oversaw the Roger Stone case, for a new top post at the Treasury Department overseeing economic sanctions, the AP writes today.Amid this scandal, Trump also abruptly withdrew the nomination of Jessie Liu, the former US attorney for the District of Columbia, who oversaw the Roger Stone case, for a new top post at the Treasury Department overseeing economic sanctions, the AP writes today.
Judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler, in his letter to Barr this morning, said he also wants to interview Liu, as well as Tim Shea, the current interim US attorney for the District of Columbia whom Barr appointed to replace Liu.Judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler, in his letter to Barr this morning, said he also wants to interview Liu, as well as Tim Shea, the current interim US attorney for the District of Columbia whom Barr appointed to replace Liu.
Despite Barr’s pleas, Trump has nevertheless continued tweeting and has attacked the judge, jurors and prosecutors involved in the Stone case.At Stone’s sentencing last week, US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said Trump’s tweets were inappropriate and would have no bearing on her decision-making.A Justice Department spokeswoman could not be immediately reached for comment on the committee’s request.Despite Barr’s pleas, Trump has nevertheless continued tweeting and has attacked the judge, jurors and prosecutors involved in the Stone case.At Stone’s sentencing last week, US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said Trump’s tweets were inappropriate and would have no bearing on her decision-making.A Justice Department spokeswoman could not be immediately reached for comment on the committee’s request.
Trump aggrieved over Fox pollTrump aggrieved over Fox poll
Yes indeed. Here’s the tweet (bearing in mind America’s federal disease prevention agency is warning of impending disruption in the US caused by the coronavirus, while Trump is tweeting only about himself this morning):Yes indeed. Here’s the tweet (bearing in mind America’s federal disease prevention agency is warning of impending disruption in the US caused by the coronavirus, while Trump is tweeting only about himself this morning):
And here’s a story on the new Fox News poll from last night. It shows the six leading Democratic candidates, from Amy Klobuchar up to Joe Biden, beating Trump in a match-up in November’s election. Biden and Mike Bloomberg would beat Trump by eight points, according to the poll, Sanders by seven points, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg by three and Klobuchar by one point.And here’s a story on the new Fox News poll from last night. It shows the six leading Democratic candidates, from Amy Klobuchar up to Joe Biden, beating Trump in a match-up in November’s election. Biden and Mike Bloomberg would beat Trump by eight points, according to the poll, Sanders by seven points, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg by three and Klobuchar by one point.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has voiced skepticism that the president can be trusted to steer America through the coronavirus outbreak. As just mentioned, all the main global and US news on the illness is being covered separately, especially in our dedicated coronavirus liveblog, but there is the odd moment of crossover with our general politics live blog and this is one such.Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has voiced skepticism that the president can be trusted to steer America through the coronavirus outbreak. As just mentioned, all the main global and US news on the illness is being covered separately, especially in our dedicated coronavirus liveblog, but there is the odd moment of crossover with our general politics live blog and this is one such.
Biden spoke about the apparent sidelining of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the US’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and a primary figure in the frontline of America’s response to the outbreak and spread of the virus.Biden spoke about the apparent sidelining of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the US’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and a primary figure in the frontline of America’s response to the outbreak and spread of the virus.
And about, as just mentioned, the qualification or otherwise of vice president Mike Pence to helm US action on this.And about, as just mentioned, the qualification or otherwise of vice president Mike Pence to helm US action on this.
“I can understand a vice president coordinating it, I have coordinated a number of things,” said Biden, the former vice president in Barack Obama’s administration.“I can understand a vice president coordinating it, I have coordinated a number of things,” said Biden, the former vice president in Barack Obama’s administration.
He went on in a TV interview: “No-one takes the president’s word for these things...he stands there and says everything is fine - who’s going to believe him?”He went on in a TV interview: “No-one takes the president’s word for these things...he stands there and says everything is fine - who’s going to believe him?”
And he said: “Dr Fauci is not allowed to speak publicly. What is all this about?”And he said: “Dr Fauci is not allowed to speak publicly. What is all this about?”
A quick reminder that while this blog is focusing on general US politics news today the Guardian also has a terrific live blog dedicated to covering the coronavirus outbreak as well as our regular business live blog that’s keeping an eye on related plunges in the markets, as the Dow nosedives again today. And there are separate extrapolations of all the most important angles in articles on our website, too, of course, such as whether vice president Mike Pence is suitably qualified to helm the Trump administration’s response to the outbreak.A quick reminder that while this blog is focusing on general US politics news today the Guardian also has a terrific live blog dedicated to covering the coronavirus outbreak as well as our regular business live blog that’s keeping an eye on related plunges in the markets, as the Dow nosedives again today. And there are separate extrapolations of all the most important angles in articles on our website, too, of course, such as whether vice president Mike Pence is suitably qualified to helm the Trump administration’s response to the outbreak.
And this is worth noting:And this is worth noting:
Allegations of political interference in the DoJ by Donald TrumpAllegations of political interference in the DoJ by Donald Trump
In his letter to attorney general Bill Barr this morning, House judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler expresses the need to interview many Department of Justice officials who have worked on cases involving Trump close associates, such as disgraced national security adviser Michael Flynn (who has yet to be sentenced despite pleading guilty more than two years ago to lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts).In his letter to attorney general Bill Barr this morning, House judiciary committee chairman Jerry Nadler expresses the need to interview many Department of Justice officials who have worked on cases involving Trump close associates, such as disgraced national security adviser Michael Flynn (who has yet to be sentenced despite pleading guilty more than two years ago to lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts).
The judiciary committee also wants to interview officials “who were tapped by Barr to review cases Trump has openly criticized”, according to this Politico piece, which continues:The judiciary committee also wants to interview officials “who were tapped by Barr to review cases Trump has openly criticized”, according to this Politico piece, which continues:
But the most head-turning in the breakneck speed world of Trump scandals is the request to interview the prosecutors in the Roger Stone case.But the most head-turning in the breakneck speed world of Trump scandals is the request to interview the prosecutors in the Roger Stone case.
Mixed poll news for BidenMixed poll news for Biden
It’s a nail-biting, see-sawing kind of day for Joe Biden as he launches into the absolutely crucial five days for his presidential campaign that span the South Carolina primary tomorrow and Super Tuesday voting in more than a dozen states on March 3.It’s a nail-biting, see-sawing kind of day for Joe Biden as he launches into the absolutely crucial five days for his presidential campaign that span the South Carolina primary tomorrow and Super Tuesday voting in more than a dozen states on March 3.
Just hours before he received Senator Tim Kaine’s endorsement, a new ABC-Ipsos poll out this morning asked Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, based on the most recent candidate debates (in Las Vegas and Charleston), who has the best chance of beating Donald Trump in November.Just hours before he received Senator Tim Kaine’s endorsement, a new ABC-Ipsos poll out this morning asked Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, based on the most recent candidate debates (in Las Vegas and Charleston), who has the best chance of beating Donald Trump in November.
A booming 34% said Bernie Sanders, while only 25% said Biden. In more worries for Elizabeth Warren, she was behind Mike Bloomberg, at 11% support in the “electability” poll in contrast to his 15%.A booming 34% said Bernie Sanders, while only 25% said Biden. In more worries for Elizabeth Warren, she was behind Mike Bloomberg, at 11% support in the “electability” poll in contrast to his 15%.
It looks even more bleak for Amy Klobuchar at 3%, behind Pete Buttigieg at 8%.It looks even more bleak for Amy Klobuchar at 3%, behind Pete Buttigieg at 8%.
But a poll in South Carolina yesterday still had Biden narrowly ahead of Sanders in his chances of winning the primary there.But a poll in South Carolina yesterday still had Biden narrowly ahead of Sanders in his chances of winning the primary there.
Virginia Democratic Senator and Hillary Clinton’s choice for the vice presidential place on her 2016 ticket, Tim Kaine, has just endorsed Joe Biden in a welcome boost for Biden the day before the crucial South Carolina primary tomorrow and just four days before Super Tuesday, when Virginia voters go to the polls to choose their candidate for the Democratic nomination to challenge Donald Trump in the November election.Virginia Democratic Senator and Hillary Clinton’s choice for the vice presidential place on her 2016 ticket, Tim Kaine, has just endorsed Joe Biden in a welcome boost for Biden the day before the crucial South Carolina primary tomorrow and just four days before Super Tuesday, when Virginia voters go to the polls to choose their candidate for the Democratic nomination to challenge Donald Trump in the November election.
Virginia is a key swing state and it will be interesting to see if and where Kaine hits the campaign trail for Biden this weekend.Virginia is a key swing state and it will be interesting to see if and where Kaine hits the campaign trail for Biden this weekend.
It is unclear whether the department of justice will cooperate with any part of the new House committee probe that was just revealed.It is unclear whether the department of justice will cooperate with any part of the new House committee probe that was just revealed.
Donald Trump has previously vowed to block “all” of the subpoenas from Democrats and refused to cooperate with their impeachment inquiry last year.Donald Trump has previously vowed to block “all” of the subpoenas from Democrats and refused to cooperate with their impeachment inquiry last year.
Still, despite his declarations, many administration officials came forward during the impeachment probe once they were faced with subpoenas, the AP further reports.Still, despite his declarations, many administration officials came forward during the impeachment probe once they were faced with subpoenas, the AP further reports.
Barr has already agreed to testify before the committee on March 31. It will be the first time he has appeared before the panel since he became attorney general a year ago, and the meeting is sure to be contentious.Barr has already agreed to testify before the committee on March 31. It will be the first time he has appeared before the panel since he became attorney general a year ago, and the meeting is sure to be contentious.
Since Barr was sworn in, House Democrats have questioned whether he was too close to Trump, criticized his handling of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 report resulting from the Trump-Russia investigation, and then impeached Trump for his pressure on Ukraine to investigate Democrats, principally his election rival Joe Biden.Since Barr was sworn in, House Democrats have questioned whether he was too close to Trump, criticized his handling of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 report resulting from the Trump-Russia investigation, and then impeached Trump for his pressure on Ukraine to investigate Democrats, principally his election rival Joe Biden.
The Senate acquitted Trump earlier this month after the historic impeachment trial.In the letter this morning, Nadler asked for a broad swath of documents related to the committee’s concerns, including communications between Trump and the Justice Department. The committee is unlikely to get any of those documents, as a president’s personal conversations are generally considered privileged by the courts.Just after the Senate voted to acquit Trump, Barr faced blowback over his decision to overrule the prosecutors in the Stone case. Trump congratulated Barr shortly afterward.Stone was convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election. He was sentenced last week to more than three years in prison.The Senate acquitted Trump earlier this month after the historic impeachment trial.In the letter this morning, Nadler asked for a broad swath of documents related to the committee’s concerns, including communications between Trump and the Justice Department. The committee is unlikely to get any of those documents, as a president’s personal conversations are generally considered privileged by the courts.Just after the Senate voted to acquit Trump, Barr faced blowback over his decision to overrule the prosecutors in the Stone case. Trump congratulated Barr shortly afterward.Stone was convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election. He was sentenced last week to more than three years in prison.
When Stone was convicted last November, the Guardian detailed how he had been accused of having connections to Wikileaks and being involved in the leaking of US Democratic party emails stolen by the Russians during the 2016 election.When Stone was convicted last November, the Guardian detailed how he had been accused of having connections to Wikileaks and being involved in the leaking of US Democratic party emails stolen by the Russians during the 2016 election.
The House Judiciary Committee is launching a wide-ranging probe of attorney general William Barr and the US Justice Department, demanding briefings, documents and interviews with 15 officials - including the prosecutors who quit the Roger Stone case - as it tries to determine whether there has been improper political interference in federal law enforcement.
Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic congressman of New York, this morning sent Barr a letter listing a series of matters that the committee finds “deeply troubling,” the AP reports.
This includes Barr’s involvement in the case of Donald Trump’s longtime confidant Roger Stone, in which the president also intervened prior to Stone’s sentencing last week.
Stone was convicted in November of lying to Congress and other charges. Barr overruled prosecutors who had recommended that Stone be sentenced to seven to nine years in prison, leading the four top prosecutors on the case to step down from it.
Nadler also is questioning Barr about his involvement in other cases related to friends and associates of Trump and about internal investigations into department employees who investigated Trump after the 2016 election.
“Although you serve at the President’s pleasure, you are also charged with the impartial administration of our laws,” Nadler wrote to Barr.
“In turn, the House Judiciary Committee is charged with holding you to that responsibility.”
The committee is asking for briefings on the issues listed and interviews with 15 Justice Department officials involved in those matters, including the four prosecutors who resigned from the Stone case.
Breaking news: The House is asking the Department of Justice to present as witnesses the four career prosecutors who quit the legal case of Roger Stone after Donald Trump intervened to defend his convicted friend before his sentencing.
Stone was sentenced to a lengthy prison term last week in federal court in Washington, DC.
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and progressive firebrand congresswoman Ilhan Omar just had a spirited exchange at the foreign affairs committee hearing that is still underway on Iran and Iraq. You can watch the livestream here.
Pompeo argued that the assassination by the US of Iran’s military top dog, Qassem Suleimani, in Iraq at the beginning of January has made things “far safer” for the American people.
But committee member Omar asked how that could be when, in prior Iranian-backed, storming protests at the US embassy in Baghdad, “the people who were at the US embassy said they were not warned” and yet in the fall-out from the killing of Suleimani, US diplomats, such as Iran specialist Brian Hook, have needed a special “counter assault team” when at public eventsw.
Omar cited special protection measures taken when Hook, special representative for Iran and senior policy adviser to Pompeo, attended an event in Los Angeles where he defended the US strike on Suleimani.
Uncle Sam’s nightmare?
Here’s what the conservative-leaning Economist magazine thinks of the prospect of a Donald Trump vs Bernie Sanders match-up in the 2020 election.
It’s more really terrible timing for Joe Biden. On the eve of the South Carolina primary, where strong support from black voters is crucial to his floundering campaign, he’s just been obliged to clarify a story that’s been dogging him and admit that he was NOT once arrested in South Africa while trying to visit that greatest civil rights icon, Nelson Mandela, in prison.
His campaign had been struggling to deal with reports for days that this “arrest” he has boasted of never happened and a recent, incomplete, explanation was that Biden was forcibly separated from a group of African campaigners, in a process of being coerced to go through segregated doors in apartheid South Africa during a congressional human rights trip in the 1970s.
Appearing on CNN this morning, Biden was finally obliged to tell the truth of it, after yet another series of unforced errors in his campaign that has been nosediving since a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses in early February.
Biden, however, is still just ahead of Bernie Sanders is South Carolina polling.
He also told CNN that Democrats “cannot shoot and miss” in their efforts to oust Donald Trump from the White House in November.
Hello, everyone, the US politics live blog helm now switches from London to (today) New York and we’ll take you through the rest of another action packed day before handing over to our colleagues in Oakland, California for the evening.
Just a reminder that although we may touch here and there on the US political angle of the coronavirus outbreak in this blog, all the main US and global news on this vital story is being covered in our separate, dedicated live blog, here, and in other US-related coronavirus articles.
Although, here’s the next New Yorker cover:
The session has now returned to the discussion of Qassem Suleimani, and the US strike to kill him.
Pompeo said that “He was in the region actively plotting to kill Americans” and that “It was my judgement that this reduced risks to America to take this strike.”
He said it would reduce risks short, medium and long-term.
Texan Republican Michael McCaul spoke to back the strikes. He said “Americans in the region are certainly safer because of this decision. I was in some of these discussions and the president was very clear ‘I do not want to go with war with Iran’. They crossed a red line when they attacked our embassy.”
There have been some sharp words of criticism for Pompeo’s unwillingness to appear at this session - with it being pointed out that it has taken him two months to appear. Brad Sherman asked if it would take two months from now before he would appear to answer questions about coronavirus. Pompeo has only agreed to appear for two hours, and this has been contrasted with the eleven hour session that Hillary Clinton endured when the same committee, with Pompeo as part of it, interrogated her about Benghazi.
Although the theme of the House Foreign Affairs Committee session this morning was due to be Iran and Iraq, discussion has immediately and inevitably pivoted to discussing the coronavirus outbreak.
Rhode Island Democrat David Cicilline attacked the administration, saying that after three years the American people weren’t sure they could trust the government to handle the crisis
Pompeo has criticised Iran for not sharing information about the outbreak in the country, and confirmed that the US had offered to help Iran. He was also a little testy about the change of topic.
California Democrat Ami Bera has suggested that US policy of isolating Iran has hampered Iranian efforts to combat the virus outbreak.
Secretary of state Mike Pompeo has just begun his appearance before the House committee on foreign affairs. The title of the session is “Evaluating the Trump Administration’s Policies on Iran, Iraq and the Use of Force”. Pompeo has already deposited an opening witness statement, which you can read here.
The session is being live-streamed here.
Amy Klobuchar has just tweeted to highlight a negative comparison from Connecticut senator Chris Murphy between the way that president Barack Obama set about preparing for potential medical emergencies, and the de-funding of those plans that has been done by the Trump administration. “Leadership is thinking ahead and thinking farther than the next tweet” she says.
Klobuchar is due to campaign today in Virginia and Tennessee.