Former intelligence officials have expressed alarm over the White House’s decision to allow a Russian photographer into the Oval Office for President Trump’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday. The photographer, who was working for one of Russia’s state-owned news agencies, was allowed into the meeting even as his American counterparts were…
The White House on Tuesday denied the House Oversight Committee’s request for documents relating to former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired in February for lying to the vice president. Additionally, the committee’s leaders said Flynn “inappropriately” accepted money from foreign governments. In a letter to the committee’s chairman, Jason Chaffetz, White House…
On Monday, prosecutors in South Korea announced that they have indicted former President Park Geun-hye on corruption and abuse of power charges that could send her to jail for life. Park, 65, was impeached in December, formally removed from office March 10, and arrested March 30 amid a national scandal that has also swept up…
President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is reported to have omitted dozens of contacts with foreign officials and leaders in recent months on his top-secret security-clearance application form. In order to get clearance, Kushner, according to The New York Times, was required to note all such encounters with foreign governments over the past seven years, but…
Senate Democrats successfully filibustered the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to serve on the Supreme Court, garnering the 41 votes to vote against cloture, or the ending of debate on the nomination. The vote ended with 55 votes in favor of ending debate, and 45 against. The move almost certainly means Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell…
President Trump said in a Wednesday interview with The New York Times that he believes former national security adviser Susan Rice committed a crime in allegedly seeking to unmask the identities of Trump associates mentioned in intercepted communications. “I think it’s going to be the biggest story,” the president told the Times, though he declined…
Donald Trump is reportedly now able to pocket as much money as he wants from any of his businesses while serving as president—and is not required to disclose it. According to ProPublica, documents outlining the trust in which Trump placed his businesses in January have been changed to make that possible. Trump’s trust can “distribute…
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Mike Flynn, the former national security adviser for President Donald Trump, has informed the FBI and the House and Senate intelligence committees that he is willing to be interviewed in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Flynn was privvy to information about foreign policy deliberations and was…
During escalating tensions for House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) to recuse himself from investigations of Trump team contacts with Russian officials on Tuesday morning, Nunes reportedly canceled all upcoming full committee meetings. Multiple outlets reported the move, based on sources, the morning of a public hearing set for Tuesday, which Nunes had previously…
South Korean prosecutors announced Monday that they were seeking the arrest of Park Geun-hye, the former president who was ousted over a corruption scandal. Park and her longtime friend and confidante, Choi Soon-sil, have been accused of colluding to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations created to support Park’s policies. Both deny any…
A defiant Alexei Navalny was sentenced Monday to 15 days in jail for resisting arrest and fined 20,000 rubles (about $350) for organizing Russia’s nationwide anti-government protests over the weekend. With a selfie posted to Twitter from a Moscow court, the Russian opposition leader sent a tweet reading, “The time will come when we will…
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Friday accused House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) of running a “dead-of-night excursion” for documents on alleged NSA surveillance of Trump associates, keeping the rest of his committee members “in the dark.” Schiff, the ranking member of the intelligence committee, held a press conference an hour after Nunes, and…
Ivanka Trump will begin working from a White House office, despite previously stating that she would not take a formal role in her father’s administration, Politico reports. Trump’s new West Wing office will be located on the second floor, next to that of senior adviser Dina Powell. Trump’s new unofficial position will come with a…
FBI Director James Comey confirmed investigation into potential collusion between Russia & Trump camp #ComeyHearing James Comey, the Director of the FBI, has confirmed that the agency is investigating any possible links between people associated with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia. Mr Comey, appearing before the House intelligence committee, took the usual step of…
Democrats in Congress have long argued that the ongoing intelligence committee investigations into Russia’s interference in the presidential election and the Trump campaign’s ties to the Kremlin are unlikely to get to the bottom of the issue. Now a group of “Never Trump” Republicans are planning to pressure GOP leaders to establish a bipartisan select…
President Donald Trump will allegedly donate his presidential salary to an undetermined charity at the end of the year, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters during a Monday press briefing. In November, Trump promised to forgo the $400,000 salary, telling 60 Minutes that “I’m not going to the take the salary.” However, federal…
South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Friday permanently removed President Park Geun-hye from office, upholding a vote by lawmakers to impeach her over a corruption scandal. The unanimous ruling came after months of protests and capped a stunning fall for the country’s first woman president. Two people died and about 30 were injured in clashes between…
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign after The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday evening that he spoke with the Russian ambassador during Donald Trump’s campaign. In a statement released late Wednesday, Pelosi said Sessions is “not fit to serve as the top law-enforcement officer…
In a tweet Thursday morning, House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) called for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to “recuse himself” from investigations of the Trump administration’s ties to Russia. Chaffetz also urged Sessions to “clarify his testimony” in light of recent reports that Sessions twice spoke to Sergey Kislyak, Russian ambassador to the United…
U.S. intelligence officials have withheld some sensitive intelligence from President Trump because of concerns about the information being leaked or compromised, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. This purported move underscores distrust between the intelligence community and the new administration as a result of reports that Trump’s campaign team had contacts with…
President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday that he was naming his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as a senior White House adviser. Kushner, the 35-year-old husband of Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, served as a close adviser during the campaign, and has provided input on hiring decisions during the transition. Ivanka Trump will not immediately take on a formal…
The 115th Congress begins Tuesday with Republicans, set to control the House, Senate, and presidency for the first time since 2006, planning to start dismantling many Obama-era financial and environmental regulations, and undo parts of Obama’s signature healthcare reform law. President Obama is meeting with fellow Democrats on Wednesday to discuss how to prevent ObamaCare…
On Monday night the House Republicans voted 119-74 to eviscerate Congress’ outside ethics watchdog and put it under the control of the very same lawmakers it’s meant to be keeping in check. Under a proposal by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), the Office of Congressional Ethics, set up in 2008 to investigate allegations of misconduct against…
Eleven million documents leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca reveal how it has helped its high-power clients move money offshore and dodge taxes. The documents show connections to 72 current or former heads of state, including some dictators who are accused of looting their own countries. The company alleges that it has operated…
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been detained as part of a huge fraud inquiry into the state oil company Petrobras. The former president’s house was raided by federal police agents and he was brought in for questioning. Lula, who left office in 2011, has denied allegations of corruption. The long-running inquiry,…
According to a records analysis by New Jersey Watchdog, $300,000 of his $360,000 from the expense budget, went toward consumption of food, groceries and booze. That includes $82,594 being shelled out over the course of 58 visits to the concessions operator at MetLife Stadium during the 2010 and 2011 football seasons. Besides the $82,594 on…
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Thursday announced a series of measures to stem the infiltration of organized crime into municipalities and city halls around the country following the wave of protests over the disappearance of 43 teaching students two months ago in the southern state of Guerrero. In a national address, Peña Nieto revealed…
Rachel Maddow: Press Perpetuating Bob McDonnell Legal Defense Rachel Maddow discusses the corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, and how the media has taken part in perpetuating their legal strategy.
Ex-New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has been found guilty on 20 of 21 corruption charges, including taking bribes while in office. Prosecutors in the federal corruption case alleged Nagin took bribes worth more than $500,000 through various criminal acts, starting before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and continuing through the storm’s recovery, according to nola
