California made it state policy that no cars can be sold in California that do not comply to the Obama-era emissions standards, setting up a court fight with the Trump administration, which froze the Obama standards last week.
The last special election of the season was in Ohio. A district that Trump won by 11 points is too close to call over a day after polls closed. Republican strategist are worrying about how to use Trump on the campaign trail.
Nate Cohn analyzed some new Pew data on Trump voters showing that Trump’s support has softened among men with college degree and women with and without a degree. Neutral to disapprove for women without a college degree increased from 8% to 24% since the election. For women with a college degree, it was 16% to 26%.
In a wild story by the New York Times, we learn that the recent NATO Summit communique was ”the most substantive’ agreement that the alliance had put out in years” but Trump’s top advisors–Bolton, Pompeo, and Mattis–pushed NATO to approve it before Trump arrived at the summit so that he would not scuttle it out of pique.
Devos rescinded Obama era rules that shut down many for-profit colleges for running up student debt without them being able to fine gainful employment with their degrees.
Propublica reported that three wealthy Mar-A-Lago members have been steering the leadership of the VA, including getting the previous secretary selected and then fired, and pushing privatization policies.
North Korea told the US that they will not release a list of nuclear programs or test sites until the Korean War is officially ended.
Child-Separation Policy
- 559 children are still separated from their parents
- 386 parents have been deported
- 299 of those have been contacted
- the government has no information at all about 29 parents
In Russia News
On Sunday Trump tweeted from his summer vacation in Bedminster attacking a Washington Post story suggesting Trump is worried Don Jr. may be in legal jeopardy. In the tweets he admitted for the first time that the Trump Tower meeting was to get opposition information on Hillary from the Russians.
Bob Baur on Lawfare argues that this tweet increases Trump’s legal jeopardy with Mueller, in part because by waging his defense publicly, it weakens the argument that he should not have to submit to an interview.
On Wednesday Trump’s lawyers notified Mueller that trump will not sit for an interview to answer questions about obstruction of justice. They told reporters that they did make a counter offer, but it is not known what that is.
Buzzfeed reported on the man who was trying to obtain Clinton’s emails who committed suicide, Peter W. Smith. They have learned that “After scouring nine accounts that Smith controlled, Northern Trust turned over documents showing 88 suspicious cash withdrawals totaling about $140,000 between January 2016 and April 2017, including a $3,000 withdrawal six days after the election.”
One Roger Stone associate has been interviewed by the Mueller grand jury, while another refused and was held in contempt.
Trump’s Job Approval: 41.9%