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.
Mueller contacted drug company about Cohen payment in November
From The Hill
The Swiss drug company Novartis on Wednesday revealed that special counsel Robert Mueller contacted the company last year about payments it made to Michael Cohen, President Trump‘s longtime personal attorney.
“Novartis cooperated fully with the special counsel’s office and provided all the information requested,” the company said in a statement.
Novartis said it hired Cohen in February 2017 as part of a one-year contract for consulting services. The company said it paid Cohen $100,000 per month, for a total of $1.2 million.
A Bad Night For Crazy
From Politico
You can’t blame Don Blankenship for believing an ad campaign christening the Senate majority leader as “Cocaine Mitch” and attacking him for “creating jobs for Chinapeople” would catapult him toward the West Virginia Republican Senate nomination. You can understand why Dennis Kucinich might think growling like a poodle and stiffly quoting “Uptown Funk” on Fox News would create a viral video moment and push him over the finish line to win the Ohio Democratic gubernatorial primary.
After all, stranger things have happened, and in very recent memory.
Mormons severing all ties with Boy Scouts, ending long bond
From AP
The Mormon church said Tuesday it will sever all ties with the Boy Scouts of America at the end of next year and place its remaining 425,000 boys into a gospel-focused youth program it is developing. The move ends a nearly century-old relationship that was based on their shared values.
The announcement by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Boy Scouts didn’t come as a complete surprise after the religion last year removed 185,000 boys between the ages of 14 and 18, signaling that an end to the long-time alliance was near.
KKK leader found guilty of firing gun during Charlottesville rally
From The Hill
A Maryland man who claims to be a Ku Klux Klan imperial wizard was found guilty of illegally firing a weapon during last year’s white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va.
Richard Preston Jr. entered a plea of no contest to the charge of firing a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school property, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
Prosecutors laid out the case they had planned to present, and Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Richard Moore immediately found Preston guilty.
Hackers broke partway into Alaska’s election system in 2016. Officials say no damage was done.
From Anchorage Daily News
A hacker gained unauthorized access in 2016 to the server that hosts Alaska’s public elections website, according to documents released by Gov. Bill Walker’s administration.
The documents, obtained by the Anchorage Daily News through a public records request, outline an incident that drew the attention of federal law enforcement but had not been publicly revealed by Alaska election officials.
Trump faith adviser’s husband sees her job as ‘taking care of’ Trump’s soul
From The Hill
Musician Jonathan Cain said his wife, President Trump’s longtime spiritual adviser, Paula White, is “taking care” of the president’s soul despite getting “yanked around by the swamp.”
In an interview with the Tennessean published Monday, Cain, who co-wrote Journey’s popular song, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” credited his wife with bringing the president back to faith and said that his wife is tending to Trump’s spiritual well-being.
How House Republicans could force a vote on DACA
From Axios
Reps. Carlos Curbelo, Will Hurd, Jeff Denham and David Valadao filed a petition on Wednesday that could force a vote to make DACA law, permanently protecting from deportation undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
Manchin becomes first Democrat to back Haspel
From The Hill
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said on Wednesday that he will vote for CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to lead the spy agency.
Manchin is the first Democrat to come out in support of Haspel, bolstering her chances of being confirmed despite engrained opposition from progressive senators and allied outside groups.
