Today’s edition of quick hits:
* This might actually work: “Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that the House will file a lawsuit to challenge President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration on the southern border, dramatically escalating a clash over wall funding.”
* This, of course, is a fight worth watching, too: “House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal is prepared to issue a subpoena for President Donald Trump’s tax returns if the administration refuses to turn them over, an aide said Thursday.”
* The final vote on this was 247-175: “The House on Thursday voted to end American involvement in the Yemen war, rebuffing the Trump administration’s support for the military campaign led by Saudi Arabia.”
* Look for more on this on tonight’s show: “The House Intelligence Committee has asked one of the top contractors to President Trump’s inaugural to provide it with documents about the event, a person familiar with the situation said on Wednesday, opening up a new line of inquiry into the planning and financing of the ceremonies.”
* Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax (D) yesterday “ratcheted up his fight against allegations that he sexually assaulted two women, releasing the results of polygraph tests and calling for law enforcement investigations into the accusations.”
* Nightmarish conditions: “Alabama’s men’s prisons routinely violate inmates’ constitutional rights by failing to protect them from violence and sexual abuse, the Justice Department said Wednesday, threatening to sue the state after a sweeping investigation that revealed brutal conditions in the state’s overcrowded and understaffed facilities.” * No good can come of this: “Instead of posting content aimed at lifting Americans up or even just highlighting events involving public officials, the Trump administration is now using the official White House Twitter account to sensationalize immigrant crime.” * The other AOC: “Two high ranking Architect of the Capitol employees charged with leading all operations of the House and Senate office buildings have been placed on administrative leave, an AOC spokesperson confirmed Thursday.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
