THIS WEEK IN POLITICAL NEWS -- 2/25/17

Late and Sickly Edition

Forgive the lateness of TWIPN this week: I have been confined to my bed with a mysterious illness. But my devotion to you, dear readers, compels me to lift my head from the haze of sickness and attempt to make sense of this week’s Endless Horribles. Join me!  (Also, as I type, the DNC is voting on its new chair. My opinion is that any of the three leading candidates (Ellison, Perez, Mayor Pete) would be great, and that the primary goal is to avoid constant internal warfare among Dems -- even though that’s some Dems’ favorite activity. Here’s hoping we can emerge from this unscathed -- maybe even stronger and ready to, you know, win some elections!)

THE RUSSIA STUFF IS NOT GOING AWAY, PART 613: Hey remember how America’s intelligence agencies together concluded that Russia interfered in our election in 2016 in an attempt to help Donald Trump win? I ask because the Republicans have steadfastly avoided investigating what seems to me, you know, to be sort of a little bit of maybe a HUGE EFFING DEAL. Well, this week new developments may be slowly forcing Congress to actually, like, do its job. First, CNN reported this week that the White House pressured the FBI to publicly knock down press stories about Trump associates’ contacts with Russia -- and the FBI refused. “The direct communications between the White House and the FBI were unusual because of decade-old restrictions on such contacts. Such a request from the White House is a violation of procedures that limit communications with the FBI on pending investigations.” The next day, the White House admitted that Priebus had in fact discussed the investigation with the FBI deputy director and had asked the FBI to knock down the reports, but insisted the FBI had initiated the contact to tell Preibus that the reports of “constant” contact between Trump associates and Russian officials were “BS.” It’s not entirely clear how this is exonerating, given that it still shows the White House Chief of Staff pressuring the FBI to make public statements about an ongoing investigation. And it also casts serious suspicion on the independence of the FBI (something we had good reason to doubt already), as the FBI apparently allowed Priebus to say publicly that the Sunday shows that “top-level people” told him the reports were “fake news.” Just days after this story broke, the Washington Post reported that the White House also sought to enlist the GOP leadership of congressional intelligence committees and other key GOP congressmen to publicly bat down the reports -- even though they, too, are supposedly investigating the Trump/Russia relationship. “The White House on Friday acknowledged those interactions with the FBI but did not disclose that it then turned to other officials who agreed to do what the FBI would not — participate in White House-arranged calls with news organizations, including The Washington Post.” This reporting predictably resulted in a cascade of presidentially-tweeted-and-then-shouted insults directed at the press and the FBI, but also, less predictably, led Darrell Issa (R-Asshole) to declare the need for a special prosecutor to investigate the Russia issue. (Recall that the first article of impeachment against Nixon was for attempting to interfere in the FBI investigation of Watergate.)

U.S. REVS UP FOR MASS DEPORTATIONS: On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security issued two memos about implementing Trump’s EO about increasing border security. “The new policies call for speedier deportations and the hiring of 10,000 ICE agents, and direct them to treat any offense, no matter how small, as grounds for deportation.” The first memo mandates detention of all unauthorized immigrants apprehended at the borders or elsewhere (ie, an end to “catch and release”), which will require a massive increase in the hiring of immigration judges and building of detention facilities. (Hence DOJ’s revoking the Obama rule that phased out private prisons.) Right now, there’s a backlog of over 500,000 immigration cases pending, with an average of 570 days for an immigration case to reach completion. That means we are looking at imprisoning people for a year plus before they even get to court. Because of that, the memo states that the Administration will seek to dramatically expand the categories of aliens subject to expedited removal (ie, without a hearing). The second memo states that no classes of aliens will be exempted from immigration enforcement, and it expands those identified as priorities for deportation from the Obama-era rule of targeting those convicted of serious crimes to now include those convicted of any criminal offense, those charged with any criminal offense, or who have committed acts constituting a criminal offense (but apparently haven’t been convicted), among other groups. The memo also creates an office of Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, premised on the falsehood that “criminal aliens routinely victimize Americans and other legal residents.” The memos also suggest that parents who have their children smuggled into the US to join them will be subject to criminal prosecution.

Also note that DHS says that CBP “has identified funding to begin immediate construction” of the wall, even (apparently) without congressional approval. So much for DHS Secretary Jim Kelly being the “sane” one. On Friday, Trump praised the start of deportations (stories of which have revealed heartbreaking, cruel, absurd, and disgusting decisions), calling it “a military operation.” This comes one day (literally) after Secretary Kelly scolded the media for suggesting that there would be mass deportations: “And again listen to this -- no, repeat no, use of military force in immigration operations -- none. . . . So again I repeat no use of military forces in immigration. At least half of you [to the press] try to get that right, because it continually comes up in the reporting.” Check out this truly chilling article about ICE officers and border patrol agents -- law enforcement officials -- feeling “unshackled” and unrestrained in the wake of these orders: “Two officials in Washington said that the shift — and the new enthusiasm that has come with it — seems to have encouraged pro-Trump political comments and banter that struck the officials as brazen or gung-ho, like remarks about their jobs becoming ‘fun.’”

BRACING FOR A NEW TRAVEL BAN: Over a week ago, the DOJ told the 9th Circuit that it would not appeal the court’s refusal to reinstate Trump’s ban while litigation continues in the lower court, explaining that Trump would be issuing a new order. That new order is still nowhere to be seen -- and maybe it’s because there is internal disagreement about it inside the administration. The Wall Street Journal reports: “An intelligence report by the Department of Homeland Security contradicts the White House’s assertion that immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries pose a particular risk of being terrorists and should be blocked from entering the U.S. . . . ‘The president asked for an intelligence assessment. This is not the intelligence assessment the president asked for,’ a senior administration official said. The official said intelligence is already available on the countries included in Mr. Trump’s ban and just needs to be compiled.” While the idea of the White House simply rejecting all analysis that contradicts its predetermined viewpoint is troubling, this memo will certainly be Exhibit A to all challenges to the next travel ban, whatever form it takes.

IVANKA SEEKS HANDOUT FOR THE RICH: This week Ivanka went to Capitol Hill to stump for her “childcare plan,” which is actually a tax deduction whose benefit would redound almost exclusively to wealthy couples using paid childcare. Under this plan, “there would be no benefit for people living in poverty and people who make so little money that they have no tax burden at all—that’s more than a third of the country.” And the benefit increases as your tax bracket increases. But you know, Trump’s the champion of the working class.

CLASS ACTIONS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK: In ordinary times, this would be a major, major story: Congress is working to dramatically limit class-action lawsuits, with the House Judiciary Committee approving a bill making it nearly impossible to certify classes for class-wide litigation. The bill “could create a situation where even minor differences—for example, the number of miles driven on a Volkswagen, or whether it was purchased from a licensed dealer or a private seller—could make it impossible for the plaintiffs to qualify as a class.” This follows a string of recent Supreme Court decisions that have already greatly reduced the ability of consumers to use class action lawsuits to hold corporations accountable. Just another top priority of Trump’s white working class base, right?

TRAGEDY IN KANSAS: On Wednesday, a white man walked into a bar and shot two Indian men who work as engineers for Garmin, yelling racial slurs and demanding that they “get out of my country.” One man, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was killed; the second man, and another bystander who tried to intervene, were wounded. Trump -- who has a habit of tweeting about everything he sees on TV -- has been silent on this hate crime, in keeping with his pattern of silence about white supremacist violence against minorities. As Jamelle Bouie writes: “Donald Trump has not done much as president, but he has done this: He’s sent a clear signal to the country about who is worthy of empathy and concern—and protection—and who is not; about who deserves your outrage and indignation, and who doesn’t. Trump’s double standard is just another of the many ways he has told the American public that the lives and safety of immigrants and Muslims just don’t matter all that much.”

How Is This Real Life?: “The in-person touch is also important to keeping Trump from running too hot. One Trump associate said it’s important to show Trump deference and offer him praise and respect, as that will lead him to more often listen. And If Trump becomes obsessed with a grudge, aides need to try and change the subject, friends say. Leaving him alone for several hours can prove damaging, because he consumes too much television and gripes to people outside the White House.”

Good News of the Week: “Traffic deaths fell for the third straight year in New York City in 2016, setting the record for lowest number of fatalities on record. Last year, 230 people were killed in traffic incidents, down from 234 in 2015. The year-to-year dip is pretty small, but altogether, the city has notched a 23 percent decrease in traffic-related deaths since the de Blasio administration launched Vision Zero in 2014, with the goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2024.”

Must Read of the Week (1): Alexandra Petri on Trump’s CPAC speech. A taste: “Trump’s speech had all the things that a speech should have, I think, and none of the things a speech should not have. It included: an impression of somebody knocking on a door, a thing a wealthy man once told Trump and praise of Campbell’s soup, Bernie Sanders, and the word ‘NOPE.’”

Must Read of the Week (2): Slate kicks off a dialogue series between Judge Richard Posner and Judge Jed Rakoff, discussing Trump and Gorsuch.

PS. Because we have some new subscribers (especially among my superiors at work -- hi ECBA bosses!), I’m re-upping my Permanent Standing Editor’s Note: Excuse the typos. I do not (and refuse to) proof-read these things; this is a hobby and you’ll take it gladly, transposed letters and all. Also, many of these links go to New York Times and Washington Post articles. If you’re hitting your monthly limit, be an adult and buy a subscription. You need these publications, and they need you.