OnPolitics Today: Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, will plead the Fifth in Stormy Daniels case
When it comes to the Stormy Daniels case, President Trump's lawyer plans to plead the Fifth.
Michael Cohen, the president's longtime attorney and "fixer," said he will assert his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination amid a lawsuit from Daniels, the adult film star who wants freedom from a hush agreement in which Cohen paid her $130,000 to not speak of an alleged affair with Trump. Info tied to that payment was seized by federal agents this month, Cohen says, so he'll stay silent.
Also on Wednesday: Allegations surfaced that Trump's Cabinet pick allegedly dished drugs and drove drunk, and France's Macron slammed Trump's nationalism before Congress.
This is OnPolitics Today: Subscribe here.
Trump's VA pick, Ronny Jackson, handed out opioids and wrecked a work car while drunk, colleagues say
Trump wants Ronny Jackson, the White House doctor, to head up the Department of Veterans Affairs. A couple of snags, though: He got the nickname "candy man" for his prolific prescription practices and allegedly "wrecked a government vehicle" while drunk, according to past and current colleagues who spoke with Senate investigators. The Senate delayed Jackson's confirmation hearing Tuesday based on "serious allegations." Trump's response? The same one he's had a lot lately: We'll see what happens.
France's Macron calls on Congress to reject Trump's nationalism
French President Emmanuel Macron didn't call out Trump directly during a Wednesday address to Congress, but he didn't have to. Macron called on the U.S. to join France in fighting extremism, racism and environmental dangers worldwide, rejecting the America-first stances Trump touted during his candidacy. “You can play with fears and angers for a time," Macron said. "But they do not construct anything. Anger only freezes and weakens us.”
Supreme Court signals a win for Trump's travel ban
From our friends at The Short List, Paste BN's newsiest newsletter:
The Supreme Court's oral arguments Wednesday indicated the justices might uphold President Trump's travel ban on five predominantly Muslim countries. "It does not look at all like a Muslim ban," Justice Samuel Alito said, noting the ban applies to about 8% of the world's Muslims. Outnumbered liberal justices suggested Trump's tweets could be used to decipher his motives. Trump has also limited foreigners legally in the U.S. by ending Temporary Protected Status for Nicaraguans, Sudanese, Haitians and Salvadorans. The administration ended a similar program for Liberians. Hondurans may be next.
Elsewhere in politics
- Federal judge gives administration 90 days to justify scrapping DACA
- Kanye West angers fans with pro-Trump tweets
- Trump wants to ban transgender troops, but military leaders aren't sure why
- Mass protests planned if Trump fires Robert Mueller