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Former Michael Flynn Business Associates Indicted in Turkey Lobbying Case

December 18, 2018

by Mark Mazzetti | The New York Times

Two former business associates of Michael T. Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser, have been indicted as part of a federal investigation into Turkey’s secret 2016 lobbying campaign to pressure the United States to expel a rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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Trump, GOP don't have a plan to avert a government shutdown--at least not yet

December 18, 2018

by Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Carrie Dann | NBC News

With part of the government expected to shut down after Friday if Congress doesn’t pass a spending bill to fund it, Republican senators on Monday admitted the GOP doesn’t have a plan – other than the $5 billion President Trump wants for his border wall.

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Comey slams Trump, 'shameful' House Republicans after 2nd Capitol Hill meeting

December 18, 2018

by Manu Raju, Jeremy Herb | CNN

Former FBI Director James Comey slammed Republicans on Monday for not speaking out against President Donald Trump's attacks on the FBI and strongly defended the agency's conduct, following his second round of questioning at a closed-door congressional interview.

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Ryan Zinke, Face of Trump Environmental Rollbacks, Is Leaving Interior Department

December 17, 2018

by Coral Davenport, Julie Turkewitz | The New York Times

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, a key figure in President Trump’s sweeping plan to reshape the nation’s environmental framework, resigned under pressure on Saturday as he faces numerous ethics investigations into his business dealings, travel and policy decisions.

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James Comey returns to Capitol Hill for second part of House probe interview

December 17, 2018

by Karoun Demirjian | The Washington Post

Former FBI director James B. Comey returns to Capitol Hill on Monday to finish his testimony before two House panels conducting a politically divisive investigation into how federal law enforcement officials handled probes of the Trump campaign’s Russia ties and Hillary Clinton’s emails.

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Analysis: Obamacare ruling puts health care on high-stakes footing

December 17, 2018

by Kimberly Atkins | The Boston Herald

A federal court ruling striking down Obamacare threw an explosive political issue in the laps of Republicans and Democrats in Washington just weeks before divided government is set to take hold.

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Trump's Interior Chief to Step Down as Pressure Mounts From Ethics Inquiries

December 15, 2018

by Jennifer Jacobs, Jennifer A Dlouhy | Bloomberg

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has notified the White House that he intends to step down amid federal investigations into his travel, political activity and potential conflicts of interest, according to three people familiar with the matter.

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Trump names Mick Mulvaney acting chief of staff

December 15, 2018

by Kelly O'Donnell | NBC News

President Trump on Friday named Mick Mulvaney, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, acting White House chief of staff. He takes over for John Kelly, who is due to leave at the end of 2018.

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Domestic problems leave leaders in Britain, France and Germany on weaker ground with Trump

December 15, 2018

by Anne Gearan | The Washington Post

British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have all tried, and often failed, to curb what they see as President Trump’s worst instincts toward nationalism and isolationism — viewing themselves as a bulwark against a U.S. president who doesn’t share their belief in international cooperation.