Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Bijan Kian: “A former business associate of Michael Flynn has become a subject of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation for his role in the failure of Flynn’s former lobbying firm to disclose its work on behalf of foreign governments, three sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News.”
* Didn’t our most recent president spend the day before Thanksgiving feeding the hungry? “President Donald Trump on Wednesday escalated his feud with the father of one of the three UCLA basketball players who was detained in China on suspicion of shoplifting, calling him a ‘fool.’”
* On a related note, the White House insisted to reporters this morning that the president had a “full schedule” today. An hour later, Trump was golfing.
* The Hague: “With applause inside and outside the courtroom at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Gen. Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb commander, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.”
* This is quite a story: “No medical drama is complete without a bold-yet-sensitive heartthrob doctor in a leading role. The incredible tale of a North Korean soldier’s escape across the demilitarized zone last week is no exception.”
* The scope of the societal scourge: “Two state legislators in Minnesota are stepping down in response to harassment allegations amid a national wave of politicians, journalists and entertainers being accused of sexual misconduct.” * In case you missed this on last night’s show: “Robert Mueller’s investigators are asking questions about Jared Kushner’s interactions with foreign leaders during the presidential transition, including his involvement in a dispute at the United Nations in December, in a sign of the expansive nature of the special counsel’s probe of Russia’s alleged meddling in the election, according to people familiar with the matter.” * When national parks sell Trump-branded wine, produced at the Trump family’s winery, that seems like a problem. 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
