Today’s edition of quick hits:
* At the border: “Almost 300 migrant children have been removed from a border-patrol facility in Texas after media reports of lawyers describing ‘appalling’ and potentially dangerous conditions, Department of Homeland Security officials told NBC News.”
* These appear to be the sanctions Trump falsely announced several days ago: “President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order putting in place what he called ‘hard-hitting’ new sanctions on Iran.”
* Questions in need of answers: “House Democrats on the Oversight Committee demanded an explanation from the Trump administration Monday on why it hadn’t answered questions raised by the panel about a private meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2017.”
* Another question in need of an answer: “The Treasury Department’s internal watchdog has agreed to look into why designs of a new $20 bill featuring Harriet Tubman will not be unveiled next year.”
* More news out of Iran: “United States Cyber Command on Thursday conducted online attacks against an Iranian intelligence group that American officials believe helped plan the attacks against oil tankers in recent weeks, according to people briefed on the operation.”
* Pen pals: “President Donald Trump sent North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a letter, a government-controlled news agency reported Sunday. Kim ‘said with satisfaction that the letter is of excellent content,’ the Korean Central News Agency reported.
* This probably won’t work: “Without much fanfare, the White House released the economic portion of its long-delayed Mideast peace plan Saturday, promising tens of billions of dollars for the Palestinian economy.” * It’s amazing this constitutes progress: “Trump’s judicial nominees are finally saying Brown v. Board of Education was right after at least one Republican senator complained.” * From time to time, it’s worth remembering that this guy was Trump’s first choice for White House communications director: “Jason Miller, a former top campaign aide and close adviser to Donald Trump, has left his job as a managing director at Teneo, a prominent consulting firm, days after launching a profanity-laced tirade directed at a top House Democrat.” 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
