Donald Trump’s 12-day Asia trip is coming to an end. In Manila today, he celebrated his “great relationship” with President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines -- a man who stands accused of acting with impunity over a brutal war on drugs that has left thousands of his own citizens dead. This is on the heels of Trump saying he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t meddle in the 2016 presidential elections. “I really believe that, when he tells me that, he means it,” 45 said. He later tried to parse his remarks. “What I said is that I believe [Putin] believes that.” And between all this, the president engaged in Twitter insults with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Now to Alabama GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore, who is accused of pursuing relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30s. Some Republicans have said he should step down, adding the caveat “if he did it.” While Moore has denied specific parts of theWaPo story which features four accusers (btw -- he is threatening to sue the paper),he made this bizarre claim on Sean Hannity’s radio show after saying he dated lots of young ladies when he was in his 30s: “I don’t remember ever dating any girl without the permission of her mother.” The election takes place in Alabama on December 12th. On Capitol Hill, the House is expected to vote on the tax bill this Thursday after clearing the Ways and Means Committee in a party-line vote with no GOP defections.Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee markup of its tax bill starts at 3P today. And tomorrow, AG Jeff Sessions will be questioned publicly by members of the House Judiciary Committee and privately by the House Intel Committee. After the FBI flippedGeorge Papadopoulos, he’ll face tough questions about the Trump campaign's contact with Russia. And finally, over the weekend, Girls Trip actress Tiffany Haddish made history by becoming the first Black female comedian to host the 42-year-old show. We’re kicking off the week with this...
- Dismissed juror in Senator Bob Menéndez’s (D-NJ) corruption trial has something to say.
- Details emerge in the case of Sgt. La David Johnson’s ambush death in Niger.
- Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) takes Equifax’s CEO to task.
- FUSION wants to tell YOUR story! Ready to pitch Henry Louis Gates, Viola Davis, and Meryl Streep? Now is your chance! See below.
- Congressman Al Green (D-TX) promises impeachment hearings before the holidays.
- Meet the new COO of the Opportunity Finance Network.
- Meet The Atlantic’s new class of Fellows for its Racial Equity program.
- Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-TX) to be honored at Harvard.
- Guam Senator weighing a congressional run.
- Hawaii state Senator throws her hat into the ring for Congress.
- Vanity Fair set to make surprising move announcing new Editor.
- NPR has a new host for its Planet Money podcast.
- FCC chairman Ajit Pai pushes for rules changes, including on media ownership.
- CNN could face another racial discrimination lawsuit.
- Prosecutors in the Corrine Brown case want more than just prison time.
- The National Museum of the American Indian wants entries for designs on Veterans Memorial.
- NAACP to change its tax status.
- FEMA offers to airlift Puerto Rican residents to the mainland.
- Hundreds of students descend on the Senate to push for DREAM Act legislation.
- Judge orders Maryland to do something about the lack of investment in the state’s HBCUs.
- Take a look at the influence of Black chefs in the White House.
- Steph Curry talks troops, protests and Veterans Day in “The Noise” below. Check it out in blogs.