The president has revealed that there are no secret tapes of his conversation withJames Comey (but didn’t we always know this?). Trump tweeted out this “revelation” and also spoke about it this morning on Fox News. Which brings us to the issue of this administration and the WH press corps where the divide between information and propaganda is becoming thinner as infrequent daily press briefings morph into frustratingly vague off-camera exchanges. But let’s be sure to not lose sight of the larger issue. Indisputably, Russia interfered with U.S. elections. Breaking this morning, the WaPo takes a look at what happened on Barack Obama’s watch, the steps that 44 took to address it, and where things stood when the torch was passed. Agree or disagree with either administration’s action or inaction -- it’s worth a read. Further highlighting the stark differences between these two administrations is the battle over healthcare. The Senate AHCA bill appears to be DOA. The GOP appears to be at least four votes shy of passing the legislation that had a rocky rollout. Yesterday President Obama weighed in on Facebook saying, “The Senate bill, unveiled today, is not a health care bill. It’s a massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America ... Simply put, if there’s a chance you might get sick, get old, or start a family – this bill will do you harm. And small tweaks over the course of the next couple weeks, under the guise of making these bills easier to stomach, cannot change the fundamental meanness at the core of this legislation.” Here's what's up for the weekend:
- WaPo does extensive analysis on Russia hacking and what happened onPresident Barack Obama’s watch and the actions he took. Worth the read.Check it out here.
- AG Jeff Sessions blows off the CHC.
- Tri-Caucus talks Trumpcare and its affect on communities of color. See Barack Obama's response to the Senate bill here.
- CBC Chair Cedric Richmond (D-LA) put on for his city.
- Barack Obama hits the campaign trail again -- but first: Indonesia.
- Members form bipartisan caucus to focus on diversity in film.
- Preet Bharara's memo to DOJ reads like a book -- looks like it will be one.
- Healthcare dominates the headlines with very few people of color on TV to lend their voice. What gives?
- Uh-oh! El Chapo is pissed at Netflix and Univisión.
- Wall Street Journal reporters warn against lack of diversity.
- NALEO jumps in the SB4 fight in Texas.
- Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA)cross party lines to introduce small business legislation.
- CNN moves three Latino correspondents.
- Buzzfeed's Darren Sands digs deep into Black Lives Matter.
- New jobs below and on our website.
- There's a Ramadan lunch with Congressmen Keith Ellison (D-MN) and André Carson (D-IN)? Details below in FOMO.