| | | | Trump tweets he's under investigation -- his lawyer disagrees | | Jay Sekulow, a member of Trump's private legal team, said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that President Donald Trump's Friday tweet was constrained by Twitter, and the President was simply responding to a Washington Post report that said special counsel Robert Mueller was looking into obstruction of justice by the President.
"There's a limitation on Twitter, as we all know," Sekulow said. "The President's response was as it related to the Washington Post report. He cannot in a Twitter statement include all of that in there. ... That's it. Simple explanation."
President Donald Trump on Friday tweeted: "I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt" (111 characters total out of a 140 character limit).
Sekulow said he believes Trump is not under investigation. But if Mueller is investigating Trump for obstruction of justice, CNN's Marshall Cohen has a timeline of things he could look at.
All of this will likely hang over the week as the Russia investigations continue. Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson is scheduled to testify before the House intelligence committee on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Republicans attempt to move forward on conservative agenda points. GOP members in the Senate are still deliberating in private on health care, and House Speaker Paul Ryan is due to give a speech on tax reform this Tuesday, per CNN's Deirdre Walsh.
But the X-factor is again Trump, who continues to churn the waters around the Russia probes. Worth bearing in mind: Sekulow also did an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" in which he said Trump would provide answers about any potential tapes of his conversations with fired FBI Director James Comey soon, possibly next week.
| | "What I never saw on the military side was the level of toxic kind of politics that are associated with what I do now." -- Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to CNN's Tal Kopan | | | | Paul Brandus tweets this weekend is the anniversary of the break-in at the DNC's Watergate offices. | | Dems plot as Senate GOP continues to deliberate on health care in the background | | As Senate Republicans continue to massage their version of the House health care bill, Democrats are thinking of doing something to move the needle, CNN's Manu Raju and Ted Barrett report:
"Senate Democrats are weighing whether to bring the chamber's business to a halt next week in an effort to voice their objections to the GOP health care push, according to sources familiar with the effort. ...
"The Democratic leadership and rank-and-file members are planning to prevent the chamber from conducting routine business, including allowing committees to meet for extended hearings when the Senate is in session. And they will demand an open process to consider health care when the Senate reconvenes Monday."
So far, no announcement has been made. When asked about it on CNN's "State of the Union," Sen. Bernie Sanders said Democrats should do "everything possible" to stop the GOP health care plan.
Sen. Marco Rubio on the same program defended his fellow Senate Republicans, but said the bill should be open to debate and changes before a vote. | | | House Majority Whip Steve Scalise's official Twitter account posts a message for Father's Day. The hospital treating him after the shooting last week said Saturday his condition was upgraded to "serious" from "critical," CNN's Jennifer Hansler writes. | | 6 things you might have missed | | Missing sailors found dead: The bodies of seven sailors from the USS Fitzgerald were found after the warship's collision with a merchant ship, report CNN's Brad Lendon, Barbara Starr and Steve Almasy.
Seven US troops wounded in Afghan attack: The NATO-led Resolute Support Mission said the US service members were wounded Saturday in an insider attack at Camp Shaheen. Read more from CNN's Jay Croft.
Nunes says there was "never" collusion: House intelligence committee chairman Devin Nunes said there was "never any collusion between Donald Trump and the Russians." In April, he said he would step down from leading the House investigation. Read more from Politico's David Siders.
Controversial sheriff not joining admin after all: A Department of Homeland Security spokesman told CNN that Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is no longer under consideration for a position at DHS. Read more from CNN's Jennifer Hansler and Tammy Kupperman. An adviser to Clarke told The Washington Post's Abby Phillip that Clarke on Friday formally rescinded his acceptance of an offer from DHS.
Flynn has walked a controversial road: Former national security adviser Michael Flynn has now been fired by two consecutive presidents and is at the center of a legal storm. Read The New York Times' Nicholas Confessore, Matthew Rosenberg and Danny Hakim profile of the retired general.
Georgia House race nears a close: The race between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel ends on Tuesday, and the high early vote count indicates a big turnout. Read more from CNN's Eric Bradner. | | | Russia probe causes tension among top Justice Department officials. ... Cuba says the United States is in no "condition to lecture us" on human rights. ... Politicians mark Father's Day. ... Iraqi Christians in Michigan fear deportation. ... Nevada GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoes a Medicaid-for-all plan. | | Thanks for reading the CNN Politics Nightcap. Your bartender is Eli Watkins. The tip jar: nightcap@cnn.com. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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