| | | | Scott Pruitt's nightmare week | | It's rare in Donald Trump's Washington for anyone to outshine the President. And usually when you do, it spells bad news for your job security.
Enter Scott Pruitt.
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency was, as of this writing, clinging to his job amid a week of horrific headlines not seen since the last Trump Cabinet official -- David Shulkin at Veterans Affairs -- was fired.
Pruitt's inability to stay out of the headlines led to a series of tepid quotes from Trump and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders about his future job prospects. Trump met with the controversy-ridden agency head on Friday, a senior White House official confirmed to CNN.
As of this writing, Pruitt still has a job. But walk through the major headlines of the week (below) and you'll see why White House observers wouldn't be surprised if he didn't survive the weekend.
The Point: Bad headlines are usually a recipe for disaster for anyone not named Trump in the Trump administration. Pruitt has somehow escaped the ax, for now.
-- Chris
Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | "Scaramucci lasted 11 days. I gotta beat that. He's a pal of mine but I've got to beat that."
-Larry Kudlow, in a brown-bag session with reporters in the Roosevelt Room (per CNBC's Eamon Javers) | | | It wouldn't be Friday without some breaking news.
CNN's Daniella Diaz reported on Friday afternoon: "Rep. Blake Farenthold announced he's resigning from the House of Representatives effective Friday, a few months after news broke he used taxpayer money to pay a settlement to a former aide who accused the Texas Republican of sexual harassment and other improper conduct.
"After his announcement, the National Republican Congressional Committee, which works to elect GOP candidates to the House, requested he pay back the money that was used for the settlement...Within minutes of his announcement, Farenthold appeared to have deleted his official Twitter account."
Read more here. | | | Cardi B has a song with J Balvin and Bad Bunny on her new album called "I Like It." (!!!) (Note from Chris: I am old.) | | CNN's Donna Borak reported Friday: "The Trump administration is unleashing additional sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs with ties to President Vladimir Putin along with 12 companies they own or control. The measures announced by the Treasury Department on Friday were also aimed at 17 senior Russian government officials and the state-owned Russian weapons trading company, Rosoboronexport, which has long-standing ties to Syria and its subsidiary, Russian Financial Corporation Bank. The punitive actions are the latest escalating step by the US to punish Putin's inner circle for interfering in the 2016 election and other ongoing aggressions across the globe in Crimea, Ukraine and Syria."
Read more here. | | Former US Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii died at age 93 on Friday, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser first reported.
From CNN's Ashley Killough and Ted Barrett's story: "The first Hawaiian of native descent to represent the Senate, Akaka was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 1976. He was appointed to a vacant Senate seat in 1990 and won a special election to remain in that seat. He went on to win re-election three more times until he retired after the 2012 elections."
Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii took to Twitter to mourn Akaka's death. Akaka had a "pure heart, a determined warrior for native Hawaiians, and a true public servant," he wrote. Fellow Hawaiian and US Sen. Mazie Hirono also tweeted about Akaka, calling him "an example for us all."
Read more in CNN's story here. | | DEMS CALL FOR INVESTIGATIONS INTO ZINKE | | Scott Pruitt isn't the only one getting criticized by lawmakers. CNN's Clare Foran and Sara Ganim reported Friday: "The top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee is calling for an investigation into whether Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke violated a federal law known as the Hatch Act as well as a separate inquiry into scientific integrity policy at the National Park Service, according to documents obtained by CNN. In a letter dated April 5, 2018, to the US Office of the Special Counsel, Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona, asks for an investigation into whether Zinke broke the act when he traveled to Florida to hold a press event with Florida GOP Gov. Rick Scott to announce he would exempt Florida from the new plans to expand offshore drilling off the US coast. Scott has been tapped as a possible Republican Senate candidate, and critics suggested the move was politically motivated."
Read more here. | | Click on CNN Politics' Instagram story every Monday through Friday afternoon for more #content from Chris and Brenna Williams. Can you guess today's topic based on these emojis?
✈️ 🌩️ 🤦🏽♂️ 😓 | | MEANWHILE IN ... ILLINOIS | | Brenna Williams is going to start sending some politics news from beyond the Beltway -- so you get more than just your daily dose of DC politics. Today, she writes:
Meanwhile, in Illinois ... the village of Deerfield has passed a ban on assault weapons. Residents who don't forfeit or secure their weapons -- which the village has taken it on itself to define -- will face whopping $200 to $1,000 per day fines. Gun rights advocates, as you can imagine, are not pleased. CNN's AJ Willingham has the full report here. | | | Brenna writes: "Today was H.R. McMaster's last day at the White House, and they sent him off with a huge round of applause. I'm personally a fan of ghosting, but everyone has their own style, I suppose." Anyway, have a good weekend -- and if you can, spend a minute of it asking people 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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