Top Trump Advisors Are Now Felons
The worst hour of Donald Trump's presidency just happened. CNN: "Two massive clouds that have been hanging over Donald Trump's presidency for months broke open almost simultaneously on Tuesday afternoon -- and poured rain all over the President. Between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time, two narratives -- both disastrously bad for Trump -- emerged: Paul Manafort, the man who spent five critical months leading Trump's campaign in 2016, was found guilty of eight financial crimes. On the 10 other charges brought against Manafort, the jury couldn't reach a unanimous conclusion and the presiding judge declared a mistrial on those counts. Longtime Trump personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen agreed to a plea deal with the Southern District of New York in which he admitted guilt on eight charges and acknowledged that he had discussed or made hush payments to two women alleging affairs with Trump in order to keep damaging information from becoming public, at the direction of and in coordination with a candidate for federal office. That candidate, although Cohen didn't name him, is obviously Donald Trump."
EPA Admits Easing Coal Restrictions Kills People
Trump’s EPA says more Americans will die under its power-plant rollback. Bloomberg: "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says its proposal to relax greenhouse gas limits on power plants will cause as many as 1,630 additional premature deaths annually by 2030 from heart and lung disease -- an estimate independent experts say may be low. The projection is contained in a 289-page technical document accompanying the agency’s proposal to replace the Obama-era Clean Power Plan that was released Tuesday. The new rule would give states more leeway to set limits on greenhouse gas emissions from their power sectors -- even though, by the agency’s own admission, that will result in higher levels of particulate matter and ozone being emitted by coal plants than would have occurred under President Barack Obama’s plan. That pollution is linked with respiratory infections, asthma and impaired lung function. 'The Trump EPA once again proves that it cares more about extending the lives of old coal plants rather than saving the lives of the American people,' Conrad Schneider, advocacy director of the Clean Air Task Force, said by email. 'The result will actually be more pollution and unnecessary loss of life.'"
Trump's Billionaire Candidate Loses In Wyoming
Trump-backed billionaire loses in WY’s GOP governor race. Politico: Wyoming state Treasurer Mark Gordon won the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, defeating Trump-backed businessman and political donor Foster Friess. President Donald Trump waded into the race late, tweeting in support of Friess early on Election Day. Friess’ defeat capped a day of political misfortune for Trump, who was implicated in a conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws by former attorney Michael Cohen and saw former campaign chairman Paul Manafort convicted of fraud before Gordon snapped the president’s recent streak of picking winners in Republican governor’s primaries around the country. Gordon had 32 percent of the Republican primary vote to Friess’ 26 percent when the Associated Press called the primary with 91 percent of precincts reporting. Current Republican Gov. Matt Mead is term-limited. Gordon will face Democratic state Rep. Mary Throne in the general election. Gordon was the early frontrunner in the race to succeed Mead, but Friess’ personal wealth and national political connections made him a contender in the crowded primary. Former Sen. Rick Santorum — who benefitted from a Friess-funded super PAC in the 2012 presidential race — backed the megadonor, as did Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and several prominent national conservative groups."
Tariffs Kill Jobs In Trump Country
‘We’re the ones it’s going to hurt’: Trump tariffs fuel angst in Trump country. Politico: "Corey Southard steers red-hot molten steel slabs all day. And he’s worried about his job. The 48-year-old assistant roller at NLMK Pennsylvania says President Donald Trump’s steel tariffs have driven up costs for his company and left everyone at his western Pennsylvania plant — deep in the heart of Trump country — on edge. 'Trump’s supposed to be making America great again, right? Why isn’t he creating more jobs here instead of taking jobs away?' Southward said. Southward spoke from his spot in the 'pulpit,' a control room high above a conveyor belt that presses 10-inch-thick steel slabs into thin, rolled coils for resale. 'We just want it to go away, man, so we can continue with our jobs. That’s all that’s talked about around here anymore.'" Stories like that of NLMK are playing out across the country from Iowa soybean farmers slammed by retaliatory Chinese tariffs to Michigan auto industry workers worried about the metal tariffs and the impact of proposed levies on imported cars and parts."
U.S. Wants To Tax Half Of China's Exports
U.S. moves toward new tariffs despite fresh trade talks. WSJ: "“The Trump administration is moving closer this week to levying tariffs on nearly half of Chinese imports despite broad opposition from U.S. business and the start of a fresh round of talks between the U.S. and China to settle the trade dispute,” the Wall Street Journal reports. 'The twin administration initiatives—pursuing tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods while relaunching talks to scrap tariffs—underscore a split within the U.S. administration, with negotiators in the U.S. Treasury Department offering a carrot, while the office of the U.S. trade representative threatens with a stick, both with the approval of President Trump.'"
