Today's essential guide to the daily shock and awe in national politics. Read in moderation. Curated by @matt_kiser Site updated:
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Day 537: The Latest.
Updated 7/10/2018 5:46 AM PDT
Trump nominated federal appeals court judge Brett Kavanaugh to succeed Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh served under Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel who investigated Bill Clinton. Kavanaugh also worked on the 2000 Florida recount litigation that ended in a Supreme Court decision that handed George W. Bush the presidency. "What matters is not a judge's personal views," Trump said, "but whether they can set aside those views to do what the law and the Constitution require. I am pleased to say I have found, without doubt, such a person." Trump called Kavanaugh a judge with "impeccable credentials," and said he is "considered a judge's judge." (New York Times / NBC News)
A federal judge rejected Trump's request to alter a decades-old legal settlement that prohibits long-term detention of children who entered the U.S. illegally with their parents. Judge Dolly M. Gee of Los Angeles called the legal reasoning behind Trump's attempt to get out from under the so-called Flores consent decree of 1997 "tortured," and said it was "a cynical attempt" to shift immigration policy. "Defendants seek to light a match to the Flores Agreement and ask this Court to upend the parties’ agreement by judicial fiat," Judge Gee said. "It is apparent that Defendants’ Application is a cynical attempt…to shift responsibility to the Judiciary for over 20 years of Congressional inaction and ill-considered Executive action that have led to the current stalemate." (Politico / New York Times)
Rudy Giuliani has continued to work on behalf of foreign clients both personally and through his law firm while serving as Trump's personal attorney. Giuliani said in recent interviews that he is working with clients in Brazil and Colombia, among other countries, in addition to giving paid speeches for an Iranian dissident group. Giuliani has never registered with the Justice Department on behalf of his overseas clients, saying that it's not necessary because he does not directly lobby the U.S. government and he doesn't charge Trump for his services. (Washington Post)
During their trip to Moscow last week, an all-Republican delegation of U.S. lawmakers met with at least two Russian individuals who are currently sanctioned by the United States. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama spoke with Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who has been sanctioned since 2014 for Russia’s “illegitimate and unlawful” activities in Ukraine. The group also heard from Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Konstantin Kosachev, who complained about the latest round of U.S. sanctions against Russian individuals. Kosachev was sanctioned in April over Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 election and other “malign activity.” (BuzzFeed News)
1/ Alabama voters head to the polls today. Republican candidate Roy Moore, supported by Trump, has been accused of pursuing teenage girls while in his mid-30s, with one woman accusing him of sexual assault when she was 14. If Democrat Doug Jones wins, Republicans would have their majority trimmed to 51-49 in the Senate. Polls close today at 8pm ET. (NBC News)
UPDATE:
Democrat Doug Jones won Alabama's special U.S. Senate election, beating Republican Roy Moore and narrowing the GOP advantage in the Senate to 51-49. (Associated Press / New York Times / Washington Post)
5 things to watch for in the Alabama Senate election. Doug Jones' chances hinge on African-American turnout and college-educated crossover voters, while Roy Moore is banking on an animated conservative base. (Politico)
No one knows what will happen in Alabama. Today's special election is forcing pollsters to confront just about every major challenge in survey research. (New York Times)
2/ Roy Moore's wife argued that her husband is not a bigot because "one of our attorneys is a Jew." At a Monday night campaign rally, Kayla Moore said: "Fake news would tell you that we don't care for Jews. And I tell you all this because I've seen it and I just want to set the record straight while they're here. One of our attorneys is a Jew." Her comments came a week after Roy Moore attacked George Soros, the Jewish liberal mega-donor, saying Soros "is going to the same place that people who don't recognize God and morality and accept his salvation are going." (CNN)
Roy Moore’s wife Kayla: “Fake news will tell you that we don’t care for Jews. One of our attorneys is a Jew!” #ALsen
3/ The Alabama Supreme Court blocked a circuit judge's order to preserve voting records from today's special election. On Monday, a circuit judge ordered election officials to set voting machines to save all digital ballot images in order to preserve voting records in the event of a recount. Today, the state's Supreme Court stayed the order, meaning Alabama is allowed to destroy digital voting records. (The Hill / AL.com)
4/ 56 female Democratic lawmakers asked the House Oversight Committee to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Trump, who has denied the accusations. "At least 17 women have publicly accused the President of sexual misconduct," the lawmakers wrote in a letter. In response, Trump tweeted that these are "false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don't know and/or have never met. FAKE NEWS!" (NBC News / Reuters)
Despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the Democrats have been unable to show any collusion with Russia - so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don’t know and/or have never met. FAKE NEWS!
Videos and photos shows Trump with some of the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct after he said his accusers are "women who I don’t know and/or have never met." (The Hill)
5/ Trump implied that Kirsten Gillibrand would do anything for money in a sexually suggestive tweet in which he called her a "lightweight" and accused her of "begging" for campaign contributions. Gillibrand called Trump's tweet a "sexist smear" meant to silence her and those who have accused him of sexual misconduct, while Elizabeth Warren accused Trump of trying to "slut-shame" the senator. Yesterday, Gillibrand called on Trump to resign. (Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News)
Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office “begging” for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!
You cannot silence me or the millions of women who have gotten off the sidelines to speak out about the unfitness and shame you have brought to the Oval Office. https://t.co/UbQZqubXZv
A sixth senator called on Trump to resign amid renewed attention to past allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Mazie Hirono called Trump a "misogynist," an "admitted sexual predator," and a "liar" with a "narcissistic need for attention." She said "nobody's safe" from him and the only thing that will stop him is his resignation. (Politico)
Here’s Sen. Hirono calling for POTUS to resign amid resurfaced sexual harassment claims: pic.twitter.com/tFJ0nrNyht
The list of women who have accused Trump of touching them inappropriately touching or kissing them without their permission. (Washington Post)
6/ Trump was "infuriated" by Nikki Haley's comment that the women who have accused him of sexual harassment "should be heard." Trump has grown increasingly angry that the accusations against him have resurfaced, telling people close to him that the allegations are false. (Associated Press)
7/ Rex Tillerson told diplomats that Russia "interfered in democratic processes here," something Trump continues to call "fake news" intended to delegitimize his presidency. The comment came in a closed-door meeting with US diplomats where Tillerson also praised Trump for trying to focus on "productive engagement" with Russia. (The Daily Beast)
poll/ 61% of voters think the Senate should expel Roy Moore if he wins the special election in Alabama, including 77% of Democrats, 59% of independents, and 45% of Republicans. (Politico)
poll/ 58% of Americans believe the level of government corruption has risen in the past 12 months. 44% now believe that most or all of the officials in the White House are corrupt – up from 36% last year. (Newsweek)
poll/ 57% of Americans disapprove of Trump's job performance, compared to 37% who approve. (Quinnipiac)
Notables.
Sean Spicer is writing a book to "set the record straight" about what he says happened during the 2016 election, transition and his time serving in the administration. (CNN)
Trump's lawyers want a second special counsel appointed, because they believe the Justice Department and the FBI are to blame for the "witch hunt" – not Robert Mueller and his investigation. (Axios)
Trump's legal team is trying to protect him from Robert Mueller's "killers" in the Russia probe, while facing criticism that they are outmatched. (Washington Post)
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman asked Trump to rethink two of his judicial nominees. Chuck Grassley advised the White House to "reconsider" the nomination of Jeff Mateer and said they "should not proceed" on the nomination of Brett Talley. (CNN)
The Trump administration will let Assad stay until Syria's next Presidential election in 2021, reversing the US stance that Assad must step down as part of a peace process. (The New Yorker)
The House and Senate could reconcile their tax bills this week. An announcement could come as soon as today or Wednesday. The conference committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday at 2pm. (Washington Post)