Today’s edition of quick hits:
* While announcing new sanctions on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company: “President Donald Trump is leaving open the possibility of a U.S. military intervention to protect opposition leader Juan Guaidó, members of the nation’s assembly and American diplomatic personnel, national security adviser John Bolton said Monday.”
* And speaking of sanctions: “The Trump administration on Sunday lifted sanctions against the business empire of Oleg V. Deripaska, one of Russia’s most influential oligarchs.”
* Donald Trump’s State of the Union address has been rescheduled for Feb. 5, which is a week from tomorrow.
* Berlin’s good move: “Germany will spend tens of billions of dollars to end its use of coal power within two decades, if a plan agreed to early Saturday by representatives of the power industry, environmental movement, miners and local interest groups becomes official policy.”
* Don’t forget the contractors: “Relied upon for decades to depress growth in the government’s hiring of civil servants, federal contractors have become an auxiliary force that often does much of the same work as rank-and-file government staff, but with secondhand job security. Unlike the 800,000 career federal employees who have been promised full back pay in coming days, government contractors — who are thought to number in the millions — have no legal claim to the five weeks of lost wages.”
* Hypocrisy: “Trump’s golf course employed undocumented workers — and then fired them amid showdown over border wall.”
* VAWA: “The Violence Against Women Act was extended through Feb. 15 as part of the continuing resolution Friday that reopened the government. The landmark 1994 law expired in late December after multiple short-term extensions, a blow to lawmakers and activists who have sought a long-term reauthorization. The government shutdown had also caused a delay in payments to VAWA-funded programs.”
* This isn’t going to work: “With President Trump’s border wall tied up by his fight with congressional Democrats, and public opinion about the wall mixed, Kris Kobach wants to take matters into his own hands. Fresh from his defeat in the race for Kansas governor, Mr. Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state, is involved in an audacious new project — a privately-funded wall along the Mexican border.” * A fascinating image: “How Every Member Got to Congress.” * Sad news out of North Carolina: “Congressman Walter Jones is in hospice, his wife Joe Anne Jones confirmed Saturday at their home in Farmville. The family declined to give any other details about his condition.” 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
