News from the note…

A round up of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.

This is 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.

US plans to sidestep limits on detaining immigrant children

The Trump administration said Thursday it plans to circumvent a longstanding court agreement that governs how children are treated in immigration custody, in part to detain families longer as a way to deter migrants from crossing the Southwestern border illegally.

The Homeland Security Department announced proposed regulations that would terminate the so-called Flores agreement that requires the government to keep children in the least-restricted setting and required their release generally after 20 days in detention.

The 1997 case that spawned the agreement will almost certainly land back in court. U.S. District Court Judge Dolly M. Gee rejected a request by administration lawyers this summer to allow for longer family detention.

AP

Justice Dept. announces charges against North Korean programmer for Sony hack

The Justice Department announced cyber hacking charges against a North Korean national linked to the computer hacking of Sony in 2014 and other significant cyber intrusions in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.

North Korea has been linked to some of the most high-profile cyberattacks in recent years, and its hack on Sony Pictures Entertainment lead the Obama administration to impose economic sanctions against the country’s government agencies and senior officials.

Thursday’s announcement marks the first time US prosecutors have brought criminal charges against an official associated with the Sony breach and other attacks, with the DOJ targeting North Korean computer programmer Park Jin Hyok.

CNN

Ex-CNN Trumpkin Star Scottie Nell Hughes Now Working for RT, the Kremlin’s News Outlet

It appears Scottie Nell Hughes has a new job—at a news outlet frequently criticized as a propaganda outfit for the Russian government.

Just a couple years ago, Hughes was one of the most nationally visible and hardcore Trumpworld luminaries. The conservative author and onetime Tea Party News Network news director frequently appeared on CNN as a prominent pro-Trump contributor. She was praised and oft-watched by Donald J. Trump himself, enjoyed some face time with him during the 2016 race, and campaigned for him as an early supporter in 2015.

The Daily Beast

Tucker Carlson on NYT op-ed: We have ‘a pretty good idea’ who wrote it

Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Wednesday said he has “a pretty good idea who wrote” an anonymous bombshell New York Times op-ed that is highly critical of President Trump.

The editorial penned, by a senior Trump administration official, has dominated media coverage since it was published Wednesday afternoon, overshadowing the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. 

“The New York Times this afternoon wrote a remarkable op-ed piece,” Carlson said on while hosting his show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”

“It was written anonymously. It’s the work of someone who claims to be an official inside the Trump administration, a member of the underground resistance within the West Wing,” he continued. 

“We think we’ve got a pretty good idea who wrote this piece,” Carlson added. “We’ve called the White House for comment on it tonight, but until we can confirm the identity, of course, we’re not going to accuse anyone in public. We’ll keep you posted on that.”

The Hill

Here are the administration officials who deny they wrote The New York Times op-ed

The highest-ranking officials in the Trump administration are publicly denying they or their offices authored the infamous anonymous op-ed in The New York Times, an indication of how deeply the episode has shaken the White House.

Among the officials to speak out are Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Defense Secretary James Mattis. The op-ed is written by a senior Trump administration official who says they are part of an internal “resistance” working to thwart parts of Trump’s agenda and block his worst impulses, and was published amid questions of President Donald Trump’s fitness and his control over his administration.

Trump loves a strongly worded denial, and he is closely watching the string of statements, a top White House official tells CNN, adding that they are being printed out and delivered to the President as they come in.

CNN

Ford recalls two million trucks over seat belt fire risk

Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Thursday it would recall 2 million F-150 pickup trucks in North America because of a seat belt problem that could generate excessive sparks and cause fires.

The second-largest U.S. automaker said it received 17 reports of smoke or fire in the United States and six in Canada but was not aware of any injuries.

During a crash, a device called a pretensioner uses an explosive charge to lock the seat belt in place. The company said the device may generate excessive sparks.

Ford will fix the problem for free and said in a securities filing the recall would cost about $140 million. The company said the cost would be reflected in third-quarter earnings but Ford left unchanged its guidance for full-year 2018 adjusted earnings.

Reuters

#NeverTrump Republicanism Can Still Matter

During the 2016 presidential election, a vocal minority of Republicans resisted the inexorable rise of President Donald Trump without ever being able to support Hillary Clinton. We weren’t Democrats. We were Never-Trump Republicans.

In 2018, many of my fellow Never-Trumpers broke ranks. Some—George Will, Max Boot, Steve Schmidt, to name three—have advocated switching sides, at least for one November. Others made their peace with Trump because they like his judicial nominees or his tax cuts; some in the GOP consulting and lobbying world have bowed to the financial and occupational imperatives of a city that puts conformity before performance.

But at the risk of sounding like Monty Python: Never Trumpism isn’t dead yet. It’s just in hibernation. 

Politico Magazine