Today’s edition of quick hits:
* It’s a safe bet this will be on tonight’s show: “New charges were filed Thursday against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his business partner, ratcheting up the legal pressure on them as they prepare for a trial later this year.”
* This, too: “Former Trump campaign official Rick Gates has fired his lawyer, The Daily Beast has learned.”
* I’ll have more on this tomorrow: “Gov. Eric Greitens was indicted Thursday afternoon by a St. Louis grand jury on felony invasion of privacy.”
* EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt: “On Tuesday, House oversight committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) sent the EPA administrator a letter requesting all documentation related to Pruitt’s work-related flights over the past year, including details about the cost, how many staff and security personnel traveled with him, and any waivers the agency issued that would permit first-class travel.”
* This is quite a strike: “Teachers across West Virginia walked off the job Thursday amid a dispute over pay and benefits, causing more than 275,000 students to miss classes even as educators gathered at the state Capitol in Charleston.”
* Turnout should far exceed that of Trump’s inauguration: “Organizers of a rally against mass shootings planned for next month in Washington are expecting up to 500,000 attendees, according to an event permit application.”
* Donald van der Vaart: “The Trump administration is considering a North Carolina regulator who questions mainstream climate science to be the next White House environmental adviser, just weeks after withdrawing a previous nominee who held similar views.” * I’ll be keeping a close eye on this one: “The Pentagon is exploring options that would give President Donald Trump the ability to move National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster out of his role in the White House and back to the military, according to a new report from CNN.” * In normal times, stuff like this would generate a lot more scrutiny: “The State of Mississippi on Wednesday awarded a tax break worth up to $6 million for a hotel project involving the Trump family business, a public subsidy that could indirectly benefit President Trump.” 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
