Today’s edition of quick hits:
* An important ruling: “The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday said the Trump administration cannot deny pregnant undocumented minors in federal custody access to abortion.”
* It’s only a case of someone repeatedly and flagrantly breaking an ethics law: “President Trump said Friday that he will not fire White House counselor Kellyanne Conway for repeated violations of the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in political activity in the course of their work.”
* Climate crisis: “Ice is melting in unprecedented ways as summer approaches in the Arctic. In recent days, observations have revealed a record-challenging melt event over the Greenland ice sheet, while the extent of ice over the Arctic Ocean has never been this low in mid-June during the age of weather satellites.”
* What a fiasco: “Federal tax payments by big businesses are falling much faster than anticipated in the wake of Republicans’ tax cuts, providing ammunition to Democrats who are calling for corporate tax increases.”
* A million here, a million there: “Ivanka Trump made $4 million from her investment in her father’s Washington hotel last year, according to a disclosure released by the White House on Friday. She also made at least $1 million from her line of branded apparel, jewelry and other merchandise, down from at least $5 million in the previous year.”
* A step in the right direction: “A small group of House Judiciary Committee members traveled to the Justice Department Thursday afternoon to begin reviewing former special counsel Robert Mueller’s underlying evidence, according to multiple Democratic sources.”
* There’s just no good reason for this: “Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has chosen to relocate two of USDA’s research agencies to the Kansas City area, the final step in a process to reshape the department’s research wing that has drawn objections from several congressional Democrats.”
* It’s a shame this is necessary: “Federal Election Commission Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub released a statement Thursday making clear that candidates for public office may not receive help from a foreign government, in what appeared to be a warning to President Trump, who said he would consider taking information about an opponent from another country.” * USCIS: “John Zadrozny, an ally to White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, is expected to head to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, according to four people familiar with the plan.” * More often than not, when Trump mentions his interactions with people he claims were crying, he’s lying. * This may not be a front-page issue, but it’s important: “The House voted Thursday to block the Trump administration’s move to end human fetal tissue research by government scientists, a direct challenge to the White House that will be tested in the Republican-led Senate.” 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
