WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he expects special counsel Robert Mueller to have "a profound impact" when he testifies before Congress on July 17, even though Mueller has said he won't provide any new information. Mueller's unusual back-to-back testimony in front of the House Judiciary...
Israel Lobby to Take Frosh Congressional Dems to Israel. Some Refuse to Trip
At least 23 out of 59 freshmen Democrats in the House will be traveling on an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel in August. But 14 won’t be attending the Israel lobby funded trip, 2 are ‘checking their schedules,’ and the rest have not divulged their plans. See list below: As is...
Valley’s ‘Climate Kids’ to Push Congress on Saving Earth
The world is still waiting to see if a climate case brought by 21 young plaintiffs in 2015 (Juliana vs United States ) will be allowed to continue to trial. Meanwhile, I will have the honor of traveling to Washington, D.C. this week, with three of the Central Valley’s student climate advocates. As...
Rediscovering America: A Quiz on Women’s Suffrage
One hundred years ago, on June 4, 1919, the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in support of a 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which would give women the right to vote. The resolution was sent to the states and eventually was ratified in August 1920. The quiz below, from...
Self-Impeach? Talk Shifts Toward Trump’s Defiance of Congress
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has introduced a new concept into the debate over President Donald Trump’s actions: “self-impeaching." As Trump all but goads Democrats into impeachment proceedings , viewing the showdown as potentially valuable for his 2020 re-election campaign, Democrats are trying to show restraint. Their investigations are...
Dual Briefings on Capitol Hill Focus on Trump’s Iran Policy
WASHINGTON — As questions mount over President Donald Trump's tough talk on Iran, top national security officials headed to Capitol Hill Tuesday to brief Congress. But skeptical Democrats sought out a second opinion, holding their own briefing with former Obama administration officials. The competing closed-door sessions Tuesday, unusual and potentially...
Parents Can’t Delete What Kids Tell Their Amazon Echo Dot
Amazon faced skepticism from some privacy advocates and members of Congress last year when it introduced its first kid-oriented voice assistant, along with brightly colored models of its Echo Dot speaker designed for children. Now those advocates say the kids' version of Amazon's Alexa won't forget what children tell it, even...
Kushner Oversees Immigration Proposals With Eye on Congress
WASHINGTON — Hastily written executive orders. Declarations by tweet. President Donald Trump's White House hasn't been known for its careful crafting of policy. But Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, has spent months drawing up a long-awaited immigration overhaul plan that the White House began to roll out...
Refusal to Hand Over Trump’s Tax Returns Sets up Legal Fight
WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has made it official: The administration won't be turning President Donald Trump's tax returns over to the Democratic-controlled House. Mnuchin told Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., in a Monday letter that the panel's request "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose" as Supreme Court precedent...
Cohen’s Prison Reality: A Bunk Bed in Barrack-Style Hall
NEW YORK — "The Situation" and the Fyre Festival fraudster are already there. President Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, is up next. It's not reality TV. It's a federal prison 70 miles from New York City where white-collar and D-list scoundrels can do time while playing bocce...