Today’s edition of quick hits.
* At HHS: “The Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday it plans to cut 10,000 full-time jobs across several agencies, as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to restructure many parts of the federal government. The cuts, part of the White House’s ‘reduction in force’ plan, were expected to effectively shutter or downsize multiple departments at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies, potentially jeopardizing public health efforts.”
* Tariff news: “President Donald Trump and the White House announced a series of sweeping tariffs on foreign-made cars and auto parts Wednesday, a prelude to the April 2 ‘Liberation Day’ duties that are expected to hit a wide variety of goods made by many of the largest U.S. trading partners.”
* In related news: “President Donald Trump issued an overnight threat to place ‘far larger’ tariffs on the European Union and Canada than planned if they work together to retaliate in response to his tariffs.”
* A closely watched dispute: “A New York county clerk on Thursday blocked Texas from filing a legal action against a New York doctor for prescribing and sending abortion pills to a Texas woman. The unprecedented move catapults the interstate abortion wars to a new level, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle between states that ban abortion and states that support abortion rights.”
* A welcome reversal: “The Social Security Administration on Wednesday abruptly backed off planned cuts to phone services for disabled and some elderly Americans applying for benefits amid an uproar from advocates.”
* The law appears to be on their side: “Two Democratic former members of the Federal Trade Commission sued President Trump on Thursday over his decision to fire them from the agency, accusing him of an illegal overreach of executive power.” * The extraordinary thing is that such a task force is necessary: “A task force of federal judges will consider how to respond to ‘current risks’ for the judiciary, following a spate of threats against judges who have ruled against the Trump administration.” * An ongoing case of interest: “When a would-be assassin’s bullet struck Donald Trump’s ear, Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci — dodging bullets himself — captured the iconic image of a bloodied Trump, rising to his feet and pumping his fist. But for the past six weeks, Vucci has been barred from covering many other historic moments in the Trump White House, thanks to the president’s decision to punish the AP for its refusal to embrace his renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America.’ Vucci told his story in federal court Thursday as the AP urged a judge to restore its position in the White House press pool.” See you tomorrow.
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."
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