Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Keep a close eye on this one: “Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have sought bank records about entities associated with the family company of Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, according to four people briefed on the matter.”
* Support for Mueller: “More than 40 former U.S. attorneys and Republican and conservative officials are pushing back against efforts to discredit the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. In a pair of letters, the groups say Robert Mueller and his team must be allowed to continue their work, unimpeded.”
* The Senate paid “nearly $1.45 million in taxpayer-funded discrimination settlements over the last two decades, according to data released on Thursday obtained by several news outlets.”
* Attorney General Jeff Sessions “is rescinding an Obama-era Justice Department letter that asked local courts across the country to be wary of slapping poor defendants with fines and fees to fill their jurisdictions’ coffers, part of a broad rollback of guidance that Sessions believes overreached.”
* Will he finish his term? “The House Ethics Committee expanded its investigation into Rep. Blake Farenthold to probe whether he might have lied or omitted facts while testifying before the panel and used House resources to benefit his congressional campaigns.”
* Birth control: “A second federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration rule that makes it easier for employers to deny contraceptive coverage on moral or religious grounds — a requirement under Obamacare.”
* Another legal setback for the White House: “A federal appeals court on Thursday rejected the Trump administration’s request to stay a ruling against President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender military service — meaning that openly trans people may be allowed to enlist in the military starting on January 1.” * I’m starting to think this guy doesn’t like journalists: “Trump left the White House on Friday without holding an end-of-the-year press conference. While it’s by no means a requirement to do so, most presidents in modern times have chosen to hold a formal news conference in December to tout accomplishments and share season’s greetings before Christmas. This is the first time in 15 years that a president has opted not to.” * Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says he’s “warming up to” the president’s tweets. It’s Trump’s party now. 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
