Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Good to know: “Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report to Attorney General William Barr about the conclusions of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election is over 300 pages long, a Justice Department official said on Thursday.”
* Economy: “The U.S. economy slowed more than initially thought in the fourth quarter, keeping growth in 2018 below the Trump administration’s 3 percent annual target, and corporate profits failed to rise for the first time in more than two years.”
* I wonder what they chatted about: “President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, reportedly met in private with the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday, NBC News and other outlets reported.”
* The legal dispute over the merits will continue: “The Supreme Court declined Thursday to take up an appeal challenging a federal ban on bump stocks that went into effect Tuesday.”
* Four GOP House members broke ranks on this one: “In a rebuke to President Donald Trump, the House on Thursday voted against his administration’s move to restrict transgender men and women from military service. The nonbinding resolution passed 238-185, with every Democrat supporting it and almost every Republican voting against it.”
* The For the People Act: “Responding to action in the House, Senate Democrats unveiled their own version of a sweeping election and ethics reform bill Wednesday — one that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed never to bring to a vote.” * The Climate Action Now Act: “After a raucous day of Senate Republicans trolling Democrats on a Green New Deal vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday morning stepped up with a clear message: Climate change is a pillar of House Democrats’ legislative agenda in the new Congress.” * Raise your hand if you believe this is an example of Trump just blurting out a thought on Twitter, and federal law enforcement will not actually examine it: “President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday morning that the FBI and Department of Justice would review the decision by Illinois prosecutors to drop all charges the actor Jussie Smollett faced for allegedly fabricating a hate crime against himself.” 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
