Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Things get just a little worse for Trump’s VA nominee: “A 2012 watchdog report ordered up by Veterans Affairs nominee Dr. Ronny Jackson found that both he and a rival physician exhibited ‘unprofessional behaviors’ as they engaged in a power struggle over the White House medical unit.”
* This probably won’t help, either: “President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended Dr. Ronny Jackson, his embattled pick to be the next Veterans Affairs secretary, but added, ‘If I were him … I wouldn’t do it.’”
* The latest out of Toronto: “The man suspected of deliberately driving a van into a bustling intersection in downtown Toronto, allegedly running down panicked pedestrians in his path, appeared in court Tuesday and was hit with 10 counts of first-degree murder.”
* Remember, Trump vetoed Pence’s first choice: “Vice President Mike Pence has chosen retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, a top official with the National Security Council, to serve as his national security adviser.”
* New questions at the CDC: “Dr. Robert Redfield Jr., 66, had a long career as a top HIV researcher, but he had no experience working in public health or managing a public health agency. The U.S. government is paying him $375,000 a year to run the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
* Interesting choice: “Fired FBI Director James Comey has retained former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald as one of his personal attorneys, bringing in a heavy-hitting former prosecutor, close friend and longtime colleague to help him navigate his dramatic role as a potential witness in the investigation of President Trump’s campaign and potential obstruction of justice.”
* It’s almost as if Trump tried to solve a problem that didn’t exist: “Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein told Congress Tuesday he was not aware of any negative effects from transgender personnel serving, joining all three other service chiefs in a rare public split with President Donald Trump over the issue.” * This is a deeply strange story: “It landed with a thud on newsstands at Walmart and rural supermarkets last month: Ninety-seven fawning pages saluting Saudi Arabia, whose ambitious crown prince was soon to arrive in the U.S. on a PR blitz to transform his country’s image. As questions swirled about the glossy magazine’s origins, the Saudis said they were just as perplexed as everyone else, declaring on Twitter: ‘If you find out, we’d love to know.’” * New findings from the Tax Policy Center: “The wealthiest Americans will benefit the most from President Donald Trump’s tax deduction for owners of ‘pass-through’ businesses, according to a congressional report released Monday.” 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
