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.
UK regulator orders Cambridge Analytica to release data on US voter
From The Guardian
Cambridge Analytica has been ordered to hand over all the data and personal information it has on an American voter, including details of where it got the data and what it did with it, or face a criminal prosecution.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) served the enforcement notice to the company on Friday in a landmark legal decision that opens the way for up to 240 million other American voters to request their data back from the firm under British data protection laws.
Mueller team questions Trump friend Tom Barrack
From AP
Investigators working for special counsel Robert Mueller have interviewed one of President Donald Trump’s closest friends and confidants, California real estate investor Tom Barrack, The Associated Press has learned.
Barrack was interviewed as part of the federal investigation of possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.
Ryan reverses, will keep House chaplain in place
From Politico
Speaker Paul Ryan Thursday reversed his decision to force House Chaplain Patrick Conroy to step down after the Jesuit priest sent a letter withdrawing his resignation and as bipartisan outrage continued to mount.
“I have accepted Father Conroy’s letter and decided that he will remain in his position as Chaplain of the House,” Ryan said in a statement. “It is my job as speaker to do what is best for this body, and I know that this body is not well served by a protracted fight over such an important post.”
Trump has been in touch with Bannon recently after falling out: report
From The Hill
President Trump has recently been in touch with his former White House strategist Stephen Bannon after a falling out earlier this year, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Bannon, who was ousted from Trump’s White House last summer, had a falling out with the president earlier this year over comments attributed to him in author Michael Wolff’s controversial book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.”
Mueller seeks delay in case alleging Russians interfered in U.S. presidential election
From Politico
Prosecutors from special counsel Robert Mueller’s office are seeking to delay the first court hearing in a criminal case charging three Russian companies and 13 Russian citizens with using social media and other means to foment strife among Americans in advance of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
A Saturday Bonus Note from the “This Is Why Atheists Think Christians are Hypocrites” Category
Franklin Graham: Trump’s Affair with Stormy Daniels is “Nobody’s Business”
From Patheos
Want more evidence of white evangelical Christian hypocrisy?
Evangelist Franklin Graham, who questioned President Obama‘s Christianity and said his agenda was “against Christ and against His teachings,” takes a completely different approach when it comes to Donald Trump.
Graham said in an interview with the Associated Press that the whole Stormy Daniels scandal was “nobody’s business.” Sure, Trump’s lawyer may have paid hush money to the adult film actress to cover up how he was cheating on his third wife shortly after the birth of his fifth child… but relax, everyone. God put him in office for reasons.
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