| | | | Michael Flynn's guilty plea is a massive problem for Donald Trump | | | Former national security adviser Michael Flynn's decision to plead guilty to a single count of lying to the FBI over conversations he had with the Russian ambassador during the 2016 election is an absolutely massive moment in the ongoing special counsel probe being led by Robert Mueller -- and has potentially huge ramifications for President Donald Trump.
Flynn was, from the start of Trump's campaign, a member of the inner circle -- a loyal defender and trusted confidante of Trump. When Trump won, Flynn was given carte blanche in terms of what role he wanted to play in the White House.
The following things are facts: - Mueller was appointed as special counsel by Trump Justice Department deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
- Flynn was an extremely close and influential adviser to Trump as a candidate and as President.
- Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
There's no "fake news" media in either of those three sentences. Or Democrats. Or hoaxes. Or witch hunts. The Flynn charge is unmistakable proof that this whole thing is inside Trump's White House. And Flynn's guilty plea is unmistakable proof that it's not going to be leaving the White House any time soon. And that is -- no matter how many tweets he sends -- absolutely awful news for Donald Trump.
Read my full take here and check out the charges and plea agreement for Flynn here. The details on this story, including that sources tell CNN Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner was the unidentified senior official who directed Flynn to talk to the Russians about a UN Security Council vote, have been coming fast and furious today. Get the latest.
--Chris | | | A while back, CNN's Marshall Cohen and Tal Yellin put together an amazing interactive guide to the many paths from Trump to Russia. It was updated today. Below is a graphic illustrating everything you need to know about Flynn's ties to Russia. | | | Normally we do quote of the day but this (sub)tweet -- accompanied by an Instagram -- from former FBI director James Comey was worthy of a screengrab. The biblical quote followed news of Flynn pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations with Russia's ambassador. | | As if there weren't enough news breaking today...
Senators are voting on a tax bill tonight, apparently. Republicans have the votes -- at least 51 members have said they'll support passing the bill -- even though no one has seen the final text of the bill itself. We'll be watching, even if it goes C-SPAN after dark. | | | Ok I know yesterday we picked an Ed Sheeran song also ... but he just dropped this "Perfect Duet" with Beyoncé (yes really!) and it's amazing. | | | Photo courtesy: Saba Hamedy/CNN | | Saba went to check out a new a pop-up exhibit called Protest Matters! An Interactive People's Museum. Located in a small room in the back of The Potter's House, the exhibit is filled with relics from protests of the past, mainly from 2017. In one corner, one protester had contributed a pink pussy hat, sported during the Women's March in January. In another, another protester had submitted their cardboard cutout poster of President Trump, with the text "CLIMATE DENIER" from the Climate Change march.
"We wanted to do something that was more interactive and offered different avenues for reflection," Siobhán McGuirk, a Georgetown adjunct professor in anthropology who headed the installation, told Saba.
"I think this year has been particularly challenging for a lot of people," McGuirk said. "For a lot of people, it's been business as usual. Like people who are experiencing racial persecution at hands of police, or people who have been subject to detention and deportation, or women who have experienced sexual assault in the workplace in any industry ... these things are not so new. But at the same time, I think it feels very much like this is a heightened time where change is happening and awareness is being raised."
Inside the exhibit, visitors are encouraged to share why protest matters to them, either by sitting in front of a video camera to share their thoughts or by writing on a poster board on one of the walls. Those who aren't in DC can submit their protest memorabilia using an online portal for a virtual museum. McGuirk said there will soon be a 360-degree video of the exhibit available online for those who can't attend. An open mic is also being held tonight. | | From CNN's Eric Bradner: - Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont never really stopped campaigning. He's leaving Washington again Friday for a swing through Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania for a series of rallies against the Republican tax plan. The road trip will bring together MoveOn, which teamed with Sanders for pro-Obamacare events earlier this year, and the political organization spawned from Sanders' 2016 campaign, Our Revolution.
- Retiring from his seat representing Illinois in the House, Rep. Luis Gutiérrez is "at least entertaining the idea of running for president," a source familiar with the Illinois Democrat's thinking tells me.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told supporters at a breakfast at Manhattan's Harvard Club last week that he'd met with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz — and, in Schultz's case, talked about 2020, Page Six reports.
| | | Flashback Friday to when Michael Flynn said at the Republican National Convention: "If I did a tenth, a tenth of what she (Hillary Clinton) did, I would be in jail." Happy weekend! Tell everyone you know to subscribe to The Point. | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba. | | | | | | |
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