Democrats Refuse To Condemn Anti-Semitic Congresswoman – Democratic leaders punted this week on condemning the comments made by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on a podcast in which she portrayed Palestinians as being the true victims of the holocaust, which killed over six million Jews. Tlaib said that she finds it “calming” to think about how her ancestors, who were Palestinians, gave up their homes and lives, sometimes by force, so that Jews could be given a safe haven. President Trump denounced her comments and called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to condemn the remarks. Pelosi has yet to take any action.
Barr Appoints Attorney To Investigate Mueller Probe Origins – Attorney General Bill Barr has appointed a US Attorney to investigate the circumstances leading up to Special Counsel Robert Mueller being appointed. John Durham, the US Attorney in Connecticut, was picked by AG Barr to look into allegations that the Obama administration orchestrated the investigation into President Trump’s ties to Russia. Durham’s investigation will work with US intelligence to gain a clearer understanding into the specific surrounding the Mueller probe.
Trump Touts Immigration Overhaul – In a Rose Garden appearance, President Trump announced that he would be overhauling the US immigration system by changing the process in which green cards are issued to a merit-based system. Trump said that he would like officials to begin prioritizing giving green cards to highly skilled prospective immigrants, which would raise the skill level of the US workforce and make immigrants a lesser burden on the economy.
Tensions Simmer With Iran – Following last week’s deployment of a carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf in a move aimed at deterring the Iranian regime, President Trump said he is interested in a diplomatic resolution to ongoing tensions. US officials have said that certain unspecified actions being taken by Iran were posing serious threats to US servicemen in the region. Trump said that a report claiming that the US was preparing a plan to send 120,000 troops to the region was “fake news”. Iranian Supreme Leader Khameini said that Iran is not interested in a war with the United States.
Bullock, de Blasio Jump In – Montana Governor Steve Bullock and New York City mayor Bill de Blasio both jumped into the circus that is the race for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. Bullock had an embarrassing moment just minutes after his announcement when he struggled to name a single accomplishment he achieved while governor. Bill de Blasio is seen by many as a joke candidate, as he is a politician who is widely detested as being lazy and stupid by people on both sides of the political aisle. Bullock and de Blasio’s candidacies bring the number of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination to a staggering 23.
Trump Jr. To Testify – A deal has been struck between the Senate Intelligence Committee and Donald Trump Jr. to testify before the committee in regards to their ongoing probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. According to the terms of the deal, DJT Jr. will sit for a closed-door hearing for up to four hours. Trump Jr. was subpoenaed by the committee for information regarding Trump campaign knowledge and possible collusion with Russians in the runup to the 2016 election.