News from the note…
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.
Primary News
Kansascity.com — Secretary of State Kris Kobach and incumbent Governor Jeff Coyler are virtually tied after Tuesday Kansas primary to decide who will be the Republican nominee for Governor come November. Kansascity.com reports that less than 200 hundred separate the two, and Governor Jeff Coyler, has a right to request a recount, if the total remains close after, “counties tabulate provisional ballots and mail-in ballots postmarked by the deadline,” if Coyler requests the recount, Kobach has said he will not recuse himself from overseeing that recount. According to Kobach who was speaking at an event in Topeka, the secretary of state’s office is only a coordinating entity, the counties do all the counting, “The secretary of state’s office merely serves as a coordinating entity overseeing it all but not actually counting the votes.”
There is no law requiring him to recuse himself, however, Mark Johnson an attorney located in Kansas told Kansascity.com that the secretary of state will set how much the recount will cost and therefore should recuse himself, “Secretary Kobach should not decide that. That is a conflict in my opinion. To that extent, the secretary is directly involved in the recount process… He could set the bond so high that no one could afford that.”
Trending on Twitter
The Daily Beast — According to a new report from The Daily Beast, former apprentice star, former Trump administration staffer, Omarosa Manigault-Newman, “secretly recorded conversations with the president—conversations she has since leveraged while shopping her forthcoming “tell-all” book, bluntly titled UNHINGED.”
If true it will not be the first time the President was recorded without his knowledge, his one-time personal attorney and self-proclaimed “fixer,” Michael Cohen, through his lawyer Lanny Davis in July released a recorded conversation between he and then-candidate Trump as was reported @ The News Blender.
To Sir, With Love?
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) announced via tweet that he delivered a letter from President Trump to Vladimir Putin’s administration in Russia.
I was honored to deliver a letter from President Trump to President Vladimir Putin’s administration. The letter emphasized the importance of further engagement in various areas including countering terrorism, enhancing legislative dialogue and resuming cultural exchanges.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) August 8, 2018
CNN — According to a White House official the letter from President Trump was an introduction letter and touched on areas that Paul wanted to talk to Putin about or Putin officials, not area topics that President Trump wanted to discuss with Putin, “At Senator Paul’s request, President Trump provided a letter of introduction. In the letter, the President mentioned topics of interest that Senator Paul wanted to discuss with President Putin,” Hogan Gidley a White House spokesperson said in a statement, via the linked CNN article.
Stories We Are Watching
Sen. Bill Nelson says that Russian operatives have "penetrated" some of Florida's election systems ahead of the midterms.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 8, 2018
"They have already penetrated certain counties in the state and they now have free rein to move about."https://t.co/uKotvIZm8i
Rep. Collins pleads not guilty to insider trading charges https://t.co/stcYkJTcCR @brynnCNN reports @TheLeadCNN
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 8, 2018
Trump lawyers reject interview terms sought by special counsel in Russia probe https://t.co/yn1Cgko1Mm
— Robert Costa (@costareports) August 8, 2018
