Today in Trump: March 23, 2017
Today in the Trump Administration
Adam Schiff says there’s “more than circumstantial evidence” of Trump-Russia collusion
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Wednesday that there is now “more than circumstantial evidence” that Trump’s associates colluded with the Russians to interfere in the U.S. election.
In an interview on MSNBC’s “Meet the Press Daily,” host Chuck Todd asked if Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, currently has a circumstantial case.
“Actually, no, Chuck. I can tell you that the case is more than that. And I can’t go into the particulars, but there is more than circumstantial evidence now,” Schiff said.
John McCain says Congress lacks “credibility” to investigate Russia meddling
Sen. John McCain revived his call Wednesday for a select committee or independent commission to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.
This came after Rep. Devin Nunes, R-California, revealed new developments Wednesday in the investigation, and briefed the press, Speaker Paul Ryan and President Trump before briefing his own members on the House Intelligence Committee, including his Democratic counterpart, Rep. Adam Schiff of California.
“What we need, to address this whole issue of what the Russians did, how they did it, the impact, and what we do about it, belongs in the hands of a select committee,” McCain, an Arizona Republican, said on MSNBC’s “For the Record” with Greta Van Susteren.
House health care vote
This evening, President Trump faces his first major legislative test, the vote to replace the existing health law, the Affordable Care Act. The White House has been meeting with House Republicans, but will those meetings with the administration be enough? CBS has been counting the votes opposed -- here’s our list.
Drama building over Republican health care bill
House Republican leaders continue to pull out all the stops in an effort to piece together enough votes from members of their own party to pass the American Health Care Act – the GOP measure designed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare).
A House vote on the bill was scheduled for Thursday night but it appeared uncertain early Thursday whether the vote would take place.
With all House Democrats expected to vote against the Republican legislation (except for one whose wife just died and who didn’t plan on being in Washington), the GOP could only afford to have 22 of its own vote against the bill.
GOP health care bill: Why some Republicans are opposing it
House Republican leaders are putting their health care bill to a vote Thursday evening, but it is at this point not evident that they have the votes they’ll need to pass the bill. They can lose up to 22 members, assuming that no Democrats will support the bill. Here’s the most current count of the “no” votes, according to CBS News.
Both conservative and moderate Republicans oppose the bill, though their reasons for their planned votes against the American Healthcare act vary -- these are some of the problems they’ve cited.
Gorsuch confirmation hearings, day four
Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has withstood two days of testimony -- outside witnesses will be testifiyging today.
Cabinet
Senate Banking Committee holds confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton to be chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. 9:30 a.m.
Senate Agriculture Committee holds the confirmation hearing for Sonny Perdue to be Agriculture Secretary. 10:00am.
Recent Trump Administration News:
Gorsuch confirmation hearings, day three
Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has testified at his confirmation hearings for one long day -- Now comes round two, and then the witnesses -- four panels of outside witnesses brought in by Republicans and Democrats will testify about Gorsuch, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
GOP health-care bill: Will it pass? The whip count
Republicans need 216 votes to win passage in the House. They can lose no more than 21. If they lose 22, there would likely be a 215 to 215 tie, which means the bill would fail.
Here’s CBS News’ list of the House Republicans who at this moment say they cannot support the bill in its current form. It’s a list that’s subject to change, with a lot of arms to be twisted and horses to be traded in the next couple of days. We will be updating the regularly, if and when members decide on how they’re voting or change their minds.
Trump communications may have ended up in “incidental collection,” says intel chair
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes revealed Wednesday that it’s possible that President Trump’s personal communications might have been picked up by the intelligence community through “incidental collection.”
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, the California Republican said that he learned of “significant developments” that he’s now “alarmed” by since his panel heard testimony Monday from FBI Director James Comey and National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers.
President Trump will travel to Brussels for May NATO meeting
The White House has announced what is expected to be President Donald Trump’s first foreign trip.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer says the president will travel to Brussels, Belgium, on May 25 for a meeting with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization heads of state.
Trump will deliver commencement address at Liberty University
President Trump will deliver the keynote address at Liberty University’s commencement ceremony.
Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. provided the details of the May 13 graduation ceremony in a statement Wednesday.
Falwell was a close ally to Trump during his campaign and told The Associated Press in January that he’d been asked to lead a presidential task force on higher education reform.