The Hill Articles: December 12, 2018

Activists highlight Trump ties to foreign autocrats in hotel light display Ocasio-Cortez on call to run for president: ‘How about … no’ Jose Canseco pitches Trump for chief of staff: ‘Worried about you looking more like a Twinkie everyday’ Save the Children says it fell for $1m cyber scam last year Panel investigating Parkland shooting recommends arming teachers GOP Kentucky governor lashes out at newspaper for partnering with Pulitzer-winning journalism project Boy Scouts considering filing for bankruptcy after sex abuse scandals ‘Queer Eye’ star says TSA is profiling him Dershowitz: Mueller’s report will contain ‘sins’ but no ‘impeachable offense’ GOP-controlled Senate breaks with Trump on Saudi vote North Carolina on cusp of House race reset GOP congresswoman says she opted out of NRCC run because McCarthy had ‘a different plan’ Former Bloomberg News editor slams Bloomberg for a view of press ‘as cynical as Donald Trump’s’ Overnight Energy — Sponsored by the National Biodiesel Board — Oil lease sale in Alaska nets $1.5M | House climate panel likely won’t pass bills | EPA hires new head of Chesapeake office Amazon workers in Staten Island launching campaign to unionize Overnight Defense: Senate moves toward vote on bill ending support for Saudi war | House GOP blocks Yemen war votes for rest of year | Trump throws uncertainty into Pentagon budget | Key Dem to leave transgender troop ban to courts Cohen’s lawyer says Trump may have known he planned to make false testimony Protesters host dance party outside Stephen Miller’s home Australian newspaper complains of censorship after gag order prevents coverage of Catholic sex scandal Vermont man erects giant middle finger aimed at town officials over building permit feud Budowsky: Democracy on trial, under attack Climate change researcher warns ‘so-called superpowers’ against arguing with ‘the laws of physics’ Overnight Health Care — Sponsored by Amgen — ObamaCare signups lag behind last year despite recent surge | Drug company offers cheaper opioid overdose treatment after hiking price 600 percent | CDC calls fentanyl deadliest drug in US Stephen King torches Trump over border wall: ‘Do something good for once’ Is the Senate still the nation’s conscience? Senate moves toward vote on ending support for Saudi-led war Eiffel Tower goes dark in honor of Strasbourg victims Armed Services chairman bought, dropped defense stock Jury clears man who was issued ticket for blasting ‘F— tha police’ at officer conducting traffic stop Pelosi agrees to term limits vote; insurgency collapses Poll: Majority thinks Trump won’t be reelected in 2020 Hillicon Valley — Presented by AT&T — Officials warn of threat from Chinese spying | China blamed for Marriott hack | Trump open to intervening in Huawei case | FCC mulls ending merger ban on ‘Big Four’ networks | California floats tax on texts On The Money: House GOP struggles to get votes for $5B in wall funds | Fallout from Oval Office clash | Dems say shutdown would affect 800K workers | House passes $867 billion farm bill Washington Post editor hits tech companies for pregnancy ads after losing baby California university lets students take exams off-campus after shooting threats Theresa May survives leadership vote but Brexit mayhem remains Fox News wins 2018 ratings race; MSNBC has its best year ever GOP struggles to win votes for Trump’s $5B wall demand Ocasio-Cortez: Conservatives ‘gaslight the nation’ with dishonest actions Senators prepare for possibility of Christmas in Washington during a shutdown Stephen Curry says he was ‘joking’ about moon landings after NASA offers evidence tour Free health care is going to be very expensive House climate change panel won’t likely pass bills Local official pushes to bring 5G to rural areas Video captures Miami Beach cop punching unarmed black man at restaurant Tribune Publishing paid $2.5M to avert lawsuit alleging anti-Semitic comments by chairman: report Dem pollster says many voters don’t think about immigration in terms of policy GOP senator to block unanimous consent on criminal justice reform bill GOP pollster says economic needs should be emphasized over family contacts with immigrants EPA restores common sense to overaggressive water regulations DC judge halts effort to put new tipping measure on ballot READ: Michael Cohen’s full sentencing statement G20 countries must speed up fossil fuel subsidy reforms GOP pollster says side issues are distracting Americans from fixing the US immigration system Democrats signal growing interest in examining ties between NRA, Russia Trump admin reinterprets 2008 agreement to allow deportation of Vietnam War refugees: report FCC mulls ending merger ban on ‘Big Four’ broadcast networks Congressional scorecard finds federal agencies improving on IT Sen. Kennedy: Trump is ‘serious as four heart attacks and a stroke’ on shutdown promise Conservative leader Meadows will not be White House chief of staff Fox’s Napolitano: We learned today that prosecutors have evidence Trump committed a felony UK Prime Minister May survives no-confidence vote Macron’s concessions add fuel to Italy’s debt fire House passes $867 billion farm bill, sending it to Trump Smart farming will help cutdown on food waste, says computer scientist Dem senator: Trump ‘seems more rattled than usual’ ‘Sesame Street’ muppet to struggle with homelessness in effort to raise awareness Computer science expert says smart farming will increase access to food Congress strikes deal on bill for sexual harassment cases involving lawmakers Taylor Swift used facial recognition software to check crowds for known stalkers Boundless: Smart Farming Congress must not be fooled by the effort to block citizenship question Biden to discuss 2020 bid with family over holidays: report Dem pollster says Trump’s immigration rhetoric could energize Latino voters Trump Jr. says his dad is a ‘re-gifter’ Nefarious nations will take the lead on AI if the US doesn’t Alaska oil and gas lease sale nets $1.5 million Cohen’s former lawyer: Anyone linked to Trump campaign ‘has a lot to worry about’ GOP pollster says Trump has better chance of reelection if Dems focus on policy Judge rejects Fla. deputy’s argument that he had ‘no legal duty’ to intervene in Parkland shooting Trump’s approval rating holds at 48 percent, new poll 11-year-old’s parents say he’s bullied because his name is Trump Shutdown would affect 800K federal workers, Senate Dems say Tim Ryan backs term limits deal with Pelosi Hatch warns Senate ‘in crisis’ in farewell speech Ellen DeGeneres may end talk show when contract expires in 2020 Just as schools were becoming safer, Trump ‘safety’ commission likely to halt progress Incoming committee chairman ‘hopeful’ House will pass infrastructure bill early next year US diplomats showed inner ear damage after mysterious ‘health attacks’ in Cuba House narrowly advances farm bill amid fight over Yemen war vote Russia plans to pull bombers from Venezuela on Friday, White House says Haley: I used Trump’s ‘unpredictable’ behavior to my advantage at UN Ocasio-Cortez fires back at Conway: She has ‘engaged in a War on Facts since Inauguration Day’ Dem megadonor Steyer posts job listing for high-level campaign staffers on LinkedIn Meet Maduro, Venezuela’s copycat dictator Bipartisan supply chain bill likely punted to next Congress, McCaskill says Ross: I don’t know who started ‘rumor’ about travel warning for China Cohen once teased Hillary Clinton about going to prison. Now he’s been sentenced to 36 months Vox’s Yglesias: ‘Ridiculous’ it’s unconstitutional for Ocasio-Cortez to run for president National Enquirer publisher agrees to cooperate with prosecutors House GOP blocks lawmakers from forcing Yemen war votes for rest of year Kamala Harris on mortality rates of black mothers: ‘We can solve’ this GOP floats short-term CR with $5B for border wall To save America, we must rebalance our economic system Brookings Institution explains Brexit to Chrissy Teigen using John Legend songs Host of the UK ‘Apprentice’ calls Trump a ‘tosser’ on live TV Congressional preservation initiative turns 30 EPA names Pennsylvania official to lead Chesapeake Bay cleanup Incoming GOP congressman says vaccines may cause autism, contradicting CDC Rising Panel: December 12, 2018 152 LGBT elected officials sign list of priorities for incoming Congress Trump shifts explanation of payments to porn stars amid legal disclosures Superpedestrian CEO discusses rise of ‘e-scooter’ movement Avenatti: Michael Cohen sought ‘to degrade the office of the presidency’ and deserves his sentence Year Ahead in Technology: 5G Death, taxes and this recession predictor? Not quite. What America’s Thinking: December 12, 2018 Job satisfaction down at nearly 60 percent of federal agencies Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) discusses prospects of infrastructure plan in new Congress McCaskill says she’ll never run for elected office again Senate votes to overturn IRS guidance limiting donor disclosure ‘Yellow Vest’ protests in France haven’t stopped, despite Macron concessions Shutdown ‘more than possible,’ says top Senate appropriator How much will Trump’s threat to own a shutdown affect the GOP? Top security officials issue stark warning of Chinese espionage efforts Planned Parenthood provides health care for millions of women in the US — we can’t defund them Dem lawmaker pledges hearings after CIA briefing on Khashoggi The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Cohen gets three years in prison | Fallout from Oval Office clash | House GOP eyes vote on $5B for wall French journalist concerned Paris protests could embolden far-right in France Jimmy Kimmel mocks Trump spat with Dems as new reality show: ‘The Real White House Wives of DC’ Dem senator on Trump-Russia: No evidence yet ‘in terms of criminal collusion’ The nuclear crisis makes clear: Time to reimagine arms control ObamaCare sign-ups surge in final weeks but lag last year’s numbers Consumer bureau morale plummeted under Mulvaney: report FCC votes to allow service providers to block texts in effort to fight spam Watch live: Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen gets three year sentence Cohen at sentencing says Trump was right to call him weak: ‘It was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds’ Former aide sentenced for helping ex-congressman in fraud scheme Cohen sentenced to three years in prison Dems eyeing ban on sleeping in offices Reba McEntire: Talking politics ‘not my job’ Former judges call for ICE to stop arresting immigrants at courthouses Contest offers ‘Broadway play and chardonnay’ with Clinton Top Armed Services Dem: Transgender troops ban will likely be left to courts CBS News names Major Garrett its chief Washington correspondent Nate Silver: Ocasio-Cortez’s race and gender drive ‘certain Republicans crazy’ Castro brothers to sit down with Colbert day after announcement of 2020 exploratory committee The mystery of survival — HW Bush, George Washington and living life to the fullest Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic gets DC red carpet premiere Brzezinski apologizes after backlash over homophobic remark about Pompeo Senate Intel leaders ask judge not to jail former aide amid leak investigation Kansas state Republican switches party affiliation to Democrat Julián Castro launches exploratory committee for possible 2020 White House bid Opening day of new Congress: Not always total joy Dem rep says term limits should be considered for House leadership California considers text messaging tax to fund cell service for low-income residents Schumer calls on McConnell to walk Trump back Judge recalled after sentencing Brock Turner asks supporters to help pay $135,000 debt The creepy truth about where your information goes in a big data breach Some migrant caravan members demanding reparations to turn around: report North Carolina GOP operative accused of once possessing over 800 absentee ballots Lindsey Graham: Trump needs to ‘dig in’ on wall funding Dems demand Pompeo brief Congress on whether he discussed Assange with Ecuadorian official Trump attorney general pick a prolific donor to GOP candidates, groups: report McConnell urges opposition to bill ending US support for Saudi war New York Magazine staff seeks to unionize The challenge of securing America after the Marriott hack Activists canvas Queens to oppose Amazon move Immigrant advocates release anti-shutdown ad campaign Drug company to offer cheaper opioid overdose treatment after hiking price 600 percent Trump signs order aimed at revitalizing economically distressed communities Trump slated for interview this week on Fox’s ‘Outnumbered Overtime’ State of Michigan hires medical executive facing trial for Flint water crimes to new position Sarah Sanders hopes people remember her as being ‘transparent and honest’ Tim Kaine: Trump was ‘fact-checked to his face’ by Pelosi, Schumer Pompeo: Mexico’s new administration ‘has been great’ in helping with border security Stacey Abrams: ‘Yes, I’m going to run again’ CBS reaches settlement with three Charlie Rose sexual harassment accusers Mania at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue CDC: Fentanyl is deadliest drug in America Congress missed chance to address data security during Google hearing, says Dem strategist Growing use of e-scooters reflects increasing demand for micro-mobility, says tech CEO Dem strategist: ‘Every elected male should be concerned about a female challenger in 2020’ Scaramucci: Trump will ‘be mad at me,’ but he has ‘soft spot’ for Michael Cohen Pompeo says Khashoggi killing still being investigated Sen. Kennedy: ‘I think we’re going to have a shutdown’ House GOP may try vote on $5B for Trump border wall Swalwell rips Trump: ‘He is a lying president and a lying president is a weak president’ Supreme Court not for life? Beware perils to its independence Christine Blasey Ford presents Inspiration of the Year award to first gymnast to come forward in Nassar case Incoming New York AG: ‘We will use every area of the law to investigate President Trump’ Sarah Sanders says Trump treats female and male reporters equally Swalwell: I ‘do see a path’ to 2020 Democratic nomination Lame-duck Congress should pass First Step Act Haley: Russia making it ‘impossible’ to have relationship with US Gov. Haslam needs to do the right thing and grant Cyntoia Brown clemency Santorum not interested in White House chief of staff role Trump ties deadly French attack to border security funding House Democrats poised to set a dangerous precedent with president’s tax returns Haley: ‘We need to have a serious, hard talk with the Saudis’ Verifying social media accounts: Even the Founding Fathers would approve Rising: December 12, 2018 Christian Bale on meeting with Trump: ‘He thought I was Bruce Wayne’ China’s educational offensive in African markets Amid Brexit troubles, UK’s May faces no-confidence vote Tennessee governor considering clemency for sex trafficking victim Cyntoia Brown Proxy advisory firms are a silent threat to Main Street investors The Hill’s Morning Report — Takeaways from the battle royal in the Oval Office Biden takes his time on presidential decision Cohen saga reaches dramatic climax in federal court Senate poised to buck Trump on Saudi Arabia House Dems talking more about impeaching Trump Americans stuck in place even as economy booms The Year Ahead: Trump throws uncertainty into Pentagon budget Security firm warns of new global campaign targeting critical infrastructure