News from the note…
A round up of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.
Consider this an OPEN THREAD, folks. Chat about any of the stories listed, share links to stories that caught your eye today, and generally have a good time discussing whatever you want.
Pentagon moving forward on plans for Trump military parade: report
From The Hill
The Pentagon is moving forward on President Trump’s orders to hold a military parade, recommending a route along Pennsylvania Ave. and setting a new date after months of inactivity, NBC News reportedThursday.
The parade, moved up a day from Nov. 11 to Nov. 10, would begin at the Capitol, pass the White House and end at the National Mall, officials told NBC.
A Joint Chiefs of Staff team is now drafting a planning order for U.S. Northern Command, which organize the details using the U.S. Military District of Washington.
The Army command is in charge of major occurrences including state funerals for former presidents and inaugurations, and will be the lead in carrying out the event.
The parade is still in the beginning planning stages but no budget is set as there is reportedly little desire for the event outside the White House.
Scott Pruitt Personally Involved in ‘Ratf*cking’ Ex-Aides Who He Feels Betrayed Him
From The Daily Beast
On May 18, a top aide to Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitttestified to a congressional committee that she had been tasked with procuring her boss a used mattress from the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. Just days after news of that testimony broke, the aide, Pruitt’s now former director of scheduling Millan Hupp, submitted her resignation.
But even though Hupp was gone from the agency, Pruitt wasn’t done with her.
According to three sources familiar with the conversations, Pruitt was livid over Hupp’s testimony, which he felt had been particularly humiliating. And he personally reached out to allies in the conservative movement, including some at the influential legal group the Federalist Society, to insist that she had lied about, or at least misunderstood, the request for a used Trump mattress. He also stressed that Hupp could not be trusted—the implication being that she should not be hired at their institutions.
Supreme Court refuses to hear fight over North Carolina county prayer
From The Hill
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear an appeal from county officials in North Carolina who argue they should be allowed to give a prayer at the start of public meetings.
The Rowan Country Board of Commissioners had asked the court to reverse the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, which found the board’s prayer ritual violated the Constitution’s ban on government establishing one religion.
Melania Trump arrives in Arizona for her second trip to immigration facilities
From CNN
First lady Melania Trump landed in Tucson, Arizona, Thursday, about two hours north of the US-Mexico border, where she is expected to have a briefing roundtable with local officials and a few local ranchers.
East Wing communications director Stephanie Grisham said the first lady’s goal is to “learn and educate herself” about issues at the border, first hand, from those on the front lines and thank them for the sometimes dangerous work they do.
After roundtable she will get a tour of the intake center, a short-term holding facility, where families are being separated. The first lady will also have a private briefing at an intelligence operation center at the facility.
Flake: I won’t oppose Trump’s Supreme Court pick over tariffs
From The Hill
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said he won’t withhold support for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee as a bargaining chip to secure action on tariffs.
“There are lots of folks out there who assume because I’ve not been in line with lots of the president’s policies, and certainly haven’t condoned his behavior, that I should oppose everything, every one of the president’s nominees or whatever. I’ve never taken that position,” Flake told The Arizona Republic in an interview published Thursday.
The senator’s remarks arrive a week after he was said to be considering whether to block votes on Trump’s appellate court nominations in efforts to secure action on tariffs and travel restrictions to Cuba.
“My goal here is not to block judges,” the retiring Republican lawmaker said. “My goal is to get a vote on tariffs, and I have all the leverage I need with circuit court nominees.”
6 children in 6 days, thousands left: Inside the family reunifications
From CNN
The Trump administration has more than 2,000 children it separated from their parents in its custody. In a six-day span, that number only went down by six children.
It’s still unknown, though, whether those children were reunited with parents, other family or otherwise transferred out of Health and Human Services custody, and the government has not answered questions about the circumstances of their release.
Mueller reveals closer Manafort ties to Russian oligarch
From Politico
Federal court documents unsealed Wednesday reveal that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort had much closer ties to a Russian oligarch linked to Vladimir Putin than had been previously disclosed.
A company jointly owned by Manafort and his wife received a $10 million loan in 2010 from the oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, according to the documents, which also alleged that the Russian billionaire provided financial backing for Manafort’s consulting work in Ukraine as far back as 2005.
That information came from a source whose name was redacted in the documents, suggesting that one of Manafort’s former associates has cooperated with special counsel Robert Mueller’s wide-ranging investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.
Kelly expected to leave White House this summer: WSJ
From The Hill
White House chief of staff John Kelly is expected to leave his post as soon as this summer, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the situation.
The news outlet reported that Kelly could vacate his role as early as this week, or after the president returns from his trip to Europe next month. In addition, President Trump has spoken in recent weeks with advisers about potential replacements.
The White House declined to comment to The Wall Street Journal.
