Trump’s initial 100 days with ABC’s RICK KLEIN and SHUSHANNAH WALSHE
Day No. 39
The huge story: Of all the bubbling questions and potential scandals of the early Trump administration, the one particular that now seems likely to hold is about Trump campaign contacts with Russians. There are enough concerns surrounding these communications to merit a severe investigation, several in Washington believe. There are also inquiries about whether or not such an investigation can be done independently inside the Justice Department contemplating White Property attempts to influence reporting on the matter. Now, with GOP Rep. Darrell Issa’s endorsement of appointing a special prosecutor, there’s sufficient political momentum to hold these concerns swirling for a fantastic lengthy whilst. Issa’s opinion is huge, since it opens the door for the question to be posed to any other Republican. “This is the most effective time to show leadership,” Issa told Politico. Of course, he has a political motivation to show that leadership. But he is not probably to be alone in that realm.
The sleeper story: Budget outlines are particularly useless affairs, more so than the actual presidential budgets that promptly get torn apart by Congress – which may or could not in fact pass a budget into law. But the White Home appears poised to offer you an opening bid with stark priorities that include things like a enormous improve to defense spending, no important adjustments to Social Safety or Medicare and deep cuts virtually everywhere else, according to The New York Occasions. This is critically important stuff for this next phase of the Trump presidency, where congressional purchase-in will no longer be optional. Beginning with Tuesday’s speech ahead of Congress, the president desires to place legislative meat on his rhetorical bones. That’s when senators and Home members get to look at if they want to be on board this train that’s leaving the station.
The shiny story: Diversity produced its Oscars comeback, and politics did, as well – from host Jimmy Kimmel to Meryl Streep, suitable by means of Viola Davis and a pointed boycott by an Iranian winner. Somehow, the president resisted the urge to tweet, even when the mother of all screw-ups gave him an opening for high snark. Hollywood has created its collective views identified. But it’s not like Hollywood was subtle about those views in the course of the election. Tinseltown’s fancy awards season was not and never ever was going to be about representing the persons who put their hopes and expectations into a vote for Trump – millions of whom go to films without having being influenced by stars’ politics. For a evening, America place a distinct face forward to the world. But that isn’t an efficient gauge of movement or moderation in the country. Trump will surely find a way to weigh in – in a feud that will be as meaningless as that among Kimmel and Matt Damon.
TLDR: Now that Rep. Darrell Issa has backed the need to have for a special prosecutor to investigate Russian meddling into the election and possible contacts among the Trump campaign and Russian officials, it opens the door for other Republicans to also get in touch with for an independent investigation. The question is, “Will they?”
Photo of the day: There was a lot of politics and no shortage of presidential jokes throughout Hollywood’s largest evening, but this photo isn’t about that, even though it surely is the photo of the day. Here’s the moment when Warren Beatty shows the envelope with the actual appropriate winner for finest picture final evening. Of course that winner was “Moonlight,” not “La La Land” as initially announced. (Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Notables
–White Home spokesperson on contact for special prosecutor in Russia probe: A White Home spokesperson pushed back on calls for a special prosecutor to investigate Russia’s alleged interference in the presidential election, suggesting such speak is premature, according to ABC’s NICKI ROSSOLL. “I never assume we’re there yet,” stated Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House’s deputy principal press secretary, said on “This Week” Sunday. “Typically, you go via a congressional oversight evaluation. We’re performing that. Let’s not go to the extremely finish of the intense. Let’s let this play out the way it need to. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-residence-spokesperson-get in touch with-particular-prosecutor-russia-probe/story?id=45736118
–GOP congressman says specific prosecutor needed to investigate Russia election meddling: California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa mentioned a particular prosecutor is necessary to investigate Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Bill Maher asked Issa throughout an interview on his show “Real Time” about reports that members of President Trump’s campaign had speak to with Russian officials. Maher presented the GOP representative with a hypothetical scenario — if Russians had hacked the campaign of Mitt Romney in 2012 and if there had also been contacts among the Obama administration and the Russians. “You’re going to let that slide?” Maher asked Issa. “No,” Issa stated. When Maher then pushed Issa on the want for an independent investigation, Issa agreed that a unique prosecutor is required, notes ABC’s JORDYN PHELPS. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gop-congressman-unique-prosecutor-necessary-investigate-russia-election/story?id=45733670
–Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez elected DNC chair: Former Secretary of Labor Tom Perez was elected Saturday the new chair of the Democratic National Committee, grabbing the reins of the the celebration and emerging as a key figure in channeling Democrats’ opposition to President Donald Trump’s agenda, ABC’s RYAN STRUYK and MARYALICE PARKS report. More than 400 celebration insiders gathered in Atlanta to cast their ballots just after 4 months of debate. Perez, who fell 1 ballot shy of victory in the initially round of voting, straight away appointed Ellison deputy chair of the DNC just after it was announced that he had clinched it on the second round of voting. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/best-democrats-poised-pick out-celebration-chair/story?id=45728911 What you need to know about new DNC chair Tom Perez. Here’s almost everything you need to know: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dnc-chair-tom-perez/story?id=45734565
–Progressives worry Democrats’ choice of Perez means the celebration hasn’t discovered its lesson: When the announcement came that party officials had elected Tom Perez chair of the DNC more than Keith Ellison, chants and protests broke out in the back of the space. “Party of the people today, not huge cash! Celebration of the people today, not major money!” a modest, but loud group yelled, standing with their fists in the air. For the duration of an interview with ABC News, Perez said he and Ellison had “identical values.” “We have been mates for a extended time. We are united … We want to make certain every person has a fair shake,” he said on “This Week.” But is that adequate? And how a lot of people at home do these nevertheless-reeling, angry and chanting protesters represent? ABC’s MARYALICE PARKS has additional. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/progressives-fear-democrats-selection-perez-signifies-celebration-learned/story?id=45749165
Speed Study
President Trump, initially lady host ball at White House. Though Hollywood rolled out the red carpet for the Oscars last night, the president and initial lady hosted a night of glamour of their personal. But instead of film stars, the guests at the White Home have been the nation’s governors. It is an annual tradition for the president to invite the nation’s governors to the White House for a dinner, notes ABC’s JORDYN PHELPS. Final night’s Governor’s Ball was a very first for President Trump and first lady Melania Trump in acting as host and hostess of the White Property for a gala-style event. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-trump-lady-host-governors-dinner-white-house/story?id=45753442
GOP congressman says no room for compromise in repealing Obamacare. The founder of the conservative Residence Freedom Caucus stated the Republican Celebration cannot compromise on its guarantee to totally repeal and replace the Reasonably priced Care Act recognized as Obamacare, ABC’s NICKI ROSSOLL writes. “We didn’t inform the American persons we’re going to repeal it — except we’re going to retain the Medicaid expansion,” Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan said on “This Week” Sunday. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gop-congressman-room-compromise-repealing-obamacare/story?id=45736187
Democrats’ new chair on electoral blunders. The new chair of the Democratic National Committee acknowledged the celebration produced blunders in its previous election technique and has perform ahead to win additional seats at all levels of government. “We did not invest adequate in our state party infrastructure,” newly-elected DNC Chair Tom Perez told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on “This Week” Sunday. “We didn’t invest enough in grassroots organizing. We ignored rural swaths of America.” ABC’s HAYLEY WALKER has additional. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrats-chair-electoral-errors-rural-swaths-america/story?id=45738510
Pelosi: President Trump ‘has nothing at all to show’ for 1st month in workplace except ‘fear.’ Residence Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi stated that President Trump will have no positive achievements to point to when he provides his first address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, notes ABC’s ALI DUKAKIS. “He has nothing at all to show for it but fear in every way,” Pelosi stated Sunday on “This Week.” “To persons who are sick — fear, to folks who are immigrants — fear, to people today who are concerned about the greed on Wall Street — taking us back to exactly where we had been.” http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pelosi-president-trump-show-1st-month-workplace-worry/story?id=45735916
In case you missed it
Trump says he won’t attend White Residence Correspondents Dinner. President Trump will not attend this year’s White Residence Correspondents’ Dinner, he announced on Twitter Saturday. “Please wish every person properly and have a good evening!” the commander-in-chief added, according to ABC’s ERIN DOOLEY and JORDYN PHELPS. The WHCA responded that the group “takes note” that Trump will not attend the dinner, scheduled for April 29, and stated the dinner “has been and will continue to be a celebration of the Initial Amendment and the critical function played by an independent news media in a healthful republic.” http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-attend-white-property-correspondents-dinner/story?id=45738228
Who’s tweeting? ? @rickklein: much more surprising – Oscars screw-up, or Trump’s Tweet silence despite it?
@jimrutenberg: For press and Trump, it really is War of The Roses, @MaureenDowd weighs in on our crazy presidential media saga https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/25/opinion/sunday/trump-vs-press-crazy-stupid-adore.html?smid=tw-share
@anniekarni: Sean Spicer does phone checks on employees to crack down on leaks: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/sean-spicer-targets-personal-staff-in-leak-crackdown-235413
@abbydphillip: A lot more from @axios on the WH & Sean Spicer’s efforts to push back on Russia reports by means of lawmakers and Intel officials https://www.axios.com/exclusive-spicer-arranged-sat-in-on-cia-gop-intelligence-push-back-2288082248.html
@jpaceDC: New target date for Trump’s revamped refugee and immigration EO looks to be Wednesday, immediately after the address to Congress
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