Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Is this supposed to make Americans feel safer? “An Ecuadorian father of two was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he made a pizza delivery to a U.S. Army base in New York City, sparking outrage and anguish from his family and local officials this week.”
* It just never ends: “Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt asked members of his 24/7 security detail to run errands for him on occasion, including picking up his dry cleaning and taking him in search of a favorite moisturizing lotion, according to two individuals familiar with those trips who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly.”
* ZTE: “The United States announced a deal on Thursday to lift tough American sanctions on the Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE, a company that has been at the center of a dispute between China and the United States. The Commerce Department said that ZTE had agreed to pay a $1 billion fine and allow the United States to more closely inspect the company by effectively having a handpicked compliance team embedded inside.”
* Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) this morning “signed a new state budget that expands Medicaid to as many as 400,000 low-income adults.”
* So unnecessary: “Rudy Giuliani, an attorney for President Donald Trump, slammed Stormy Daniels on Wednesday as someone he doesn’t respect because of her career as an adult film star.”
* The swamp: “Bob Murray, CEO of Ohio-based Murray Energy, sent the Trump administration drafts of executive orders for withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, according to documents obtained by E&E News. All the president had to do was sign them.”
* As if he weren’t in enough trouble: “EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt loves eating at the White House mess, an exclusive U.S. Navy-run restaurant open only to White House officials, Cabinet members and other dignitaries. But apparently he liked it too much, and the White House asked him to please eat elsewhere sometimes.” * 21st-century America: “An East Tennessee hardware store owner decided to express his beliefs following the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing same-sex marriage by putting up a sign that reads, ‘No Gays Allowed.’” * Please keep reading MaddowBlog: “If you feel like there is too much news and you can’t keep up, you are not alone. A sizable portion of Americans are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of news there is … according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted from Feb. 22 to March 4, 2018.” 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
