| | | | An absolutely terrible day for President Trump | | Campaign chairman indicted.
Liaison between campaign and Republican National Committee indicted.
Foreign policy adviser revealed to have pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about Russia contacts -- and now a cooperating witness with the special counsel.
Those three things happening in a year would be a lot for an administration. Those three things happening in a day -- today -- amount to something close to a cataclysm for the Trump administration.
While the Manafort indictment gets the headlines, it's the guilty plea of George Papadopoulos -- and his connections to a Russia-linked source known as "The Professor" -- that you should pay attention to.
Here's why:
1. "The Professor" only expressed interest in Papadopoulos after it became clear that he would play a role in the Trump campaign as a foreign policy adviser.
2. Papadopoulos lied to investigators about the timing of his interactions with "The Professor." Those lies were aimed at suggesting the interactions came before Papadopoulos was an adviser to the Trump campaign. But in fact, those interactions were because Papadopoulos worked for Trump, not in spite of them.
3. Papadopoulos' interactions with "The Professor" were driven by the promise of "dirt" on Clinton in the from of "thousands of emails" regarding Clinton.
4. Papadopoulos seems to have been cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation since July.
That we found out about the Manafort/Gates news on the same day we found out about the Papadopoulos news -- despite him pleading guilty October 5 -- is not an accident.
This is Bob Mueller making clear that he's got at least some of the goods here -- if not on collusion in the highest ranks of the Trump campaign -- and that this investigation is moving quickly. It feels more like the start of something big than the end of something small.
And that's very bad news for a President and an administration who have spent a whole lot of time this year insisting there is absolutely nothing to see here.
-- Chris | | The news of indictments for Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, as well as ex-Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos' guilty plea, had everyone talking (or avoiding talking) about what this means for the Trump administration. Here's a roundup of reactions from prominent people across the Beltway. - How did Trump respond? "Without a lot of reaction," per White House press secretary Sarah Sanders
- "Today's announcement has nothing to do with the President."- (also) Sarah Sanders
- "There is not a formal investigation of the President of the United States."-Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow to CNN's Wolf Blitzer
- "I have nothing to add to the indictments because I haven't even read the indictments." --Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, speaking at a manufacturing event at Royal Basket Trucks in Darien, Wisconsin
- "It doesn't change anything with our investigation. Two individuals that we've gotten documents from. We have, we had interest in them, but clearly the criminal charges put them in the Special Counsel's purview."
--Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr - "It's news. So I guess there is not much to say." --Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley re: Papadopoulos's guilty plea
- "We continue to see evidence that Russians were reaching out to Trump officials in a variety of ways, offering discrediting information on Hillary Clinton that included their emails." --Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee told CNN
| | | Photo courtesy: Screenshot/Gallup | | CNN's Ryan Struyk writes:
How low can he go? President Trump's approval rating has dipped to 33% in the most recent Gallup daily tracking poll, his lowest measure yet in that poll. A broad 62% of Americans disapprove of his job performance so far -- also a new high in the poll. This survey includes some interviews done after news broke of indictments, but before all of today's news. New weekly numbers showed Trump's approval at or matching lows among Republicans (78%), Midwest (35%), non-college (37%), church weekly (42%) and blacks (6%).
By the way, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed the new Gallup Poll during the press briefing Monday. She argued "some of the same polls that also said this president will never be president."
Read more in Ryan's story here. | | | The "Stranger Things" opening music -- bluegrass style! (Hat tip: The one and only Leigh Munsil.) | | Paul Manafort and Rick Gates were both ordered to home confinement Monday and ordered to surrender their passports after pleading not guilty to charges stemming from Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
More from CNN's Katelyn Polantz and Liz Stark, who sent us this dispatch from the D.C. court proceeding:
In two 20-minute appearances before Judge Deborah Robinson, Manafort and Gates -- in a blue suit sans tie -- looked blankly at the judge and lawyers throughout. Manafort wore a blue suit, brighter blue tie and a large metal watch, and frowned occasionally from the defense table. Gates whispered with his lawyer during the proceeding. They said nothing to the judge other than "I do" and "yes," when asked if they understood their charges and what's next for them, and stated their full names.
When the judge asked Manafort lawyer Kevin Downing for Manafort's plea, Downing said, "There is no plea. The plea is not guilty." "To all of the charges?" the judge asked. "To all of the charges," Downing said.
After about 25 minutes before the judge, the court took a recess and the two men were led out. They returned about a half-hour later, and the judge led Manafort and Gates through their terms for bond and what would happen next. That lasted about 20 minutes.
Mueller was not present, nor did it appear that either defendant's families were there. The courtroom was at capacity, otherwise, with members of the press and a few regular citizens -- including a family with two young boys -- filling most seats. | | CNN's Betsy Klein writes:
She's back. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's wife, Louise Linton, has posted very sparingly since she made headlines in August for her jet-setting, designer-laden Instagram and resulting back-and-forth with a critic.
On October 21, she posted from a "Pets for Vets" White House roundtable (she is an adviser to the Humane Society). Yesterday, Linton posted a photo of herself and a little girl during a visit to the Shalva Children's Center in Jerusalem, a center for children with disabilities. And just today, the actress and producer posted a photo with a group of women at the Zahra Breast Cancer Association HQ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mnuchin is in the Middle East on a trip focused on combating terrorist financing, according to the Department of Treasury. He attended meetings in Saudi Arabia, Israel and United Arab Emirates. He is attending meetings in Qatar on Monday. I've reached out to Treasury for comment on Linton's participation in the trip. | | | Saba is a stressed-out Dodgers fan, but she -- like many -- appreciated this moment between former Presidents George Bush and George H.W. Bush during game five. Happy Hallow's eve! Don't forget to tell people you know to subscribe. | | 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. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment