WTF Just Happened Today

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

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1/ The House Judiciary Committee is preparing to investigate Trump's alleged involvement in the 2016 hush-money payments to Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels. The committee plans to hold hearings and call witnesses involved in the scheme as soon as October, but say there is already enough evidence to name Trump as a co-conspirator. Michael Cohen previously pleaded guilty to two campaign finance crimes related to the hush-money payments. The renewed inquiry will serve as another aspect of the House's consideration of whether or not to draft articles of impeachment against Trump. (Washington Post)

2/ Trump "suggested" that Pence stay at his Irish golf club and hotel during a taxpayer-funded trip, despite the meetings taking place more than 150 miles away. Pence is traveling with his wife, sister, and mother, and was originally scheduled to end his trip at Trump's golf club in Doonbeg. Pence will now fly back and forth from Doonbeg to Dublin for his meetings – more than an hour flight each way. Both Pence and an aide defended the arrangement, claiming that the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel was "the one facility" in Ireland that could accommodate the delegation traveling with Pence. Since 2017, Pence's political group has spent about $224,000 at Trump properties. (NBC News / Daily Beast / Associated Press / New York Times / CNN /Washington Post)

3/ A company that Trump's campaign manager owns received more than $900,000 in business from a pro-Trump super PAC. Brad Parscale created Red State Data and Digital to act as a "firewall company" that allowed it to continue working with the America First super PAC during the midterm elections without violating election rules that prohibit coordination between a campaign and a super PAC. Red State was founded on March 2, 2018 – days after it was announced that Parscale would become Trump's 2020 campaign manager. (CNN / ABC News)

4/ A group of Trump's allies is trying to raise at least $2 million to investigate reporters and editors Trump doesn't like. In a fundraising pitch, the group claims it will provide damaging information about reporters and editors to "friendly media outlets," such as Breitbart, as well as traditional media when possible. GOP consultant Arthur Schwartz will be involved with the fundraising effort, along with several others associated with the "loose network" of operatives identified by the New York Times last week. The prospectus for the project says it is "targeting the people producing the news." (Axios)

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