Zinke Says No Public Land Sales To Fund Public Works, Despite WH Memo.

The Helena (MT) Independent Record (1/26, Chaney) reports that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has “no intentions of selling federal land, contrary to a leaked memo from the White House proposing to use such sales to pay for infrastructure projects.” Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift stated, “The Secretary’s position is unchanged.” Swift noted that “the memo did not appear to be an Interior Department document.”

        The Missoula Current (MT) (1/26, Kidston) reports that Sen. Jon Tester on Friday sent a letter to President Trump and Zinke “seeking clarification over a leaked memo suggesting the two may consider ‘disposing’ federal public lands to help pay for infrastructure costs.” Tester said he would oppose “any plan by the administration to sell or transfer the management of federal public lands to the states.”

Interior Secretary Helps Pick Up Trash During Las Vegas Visit.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal (1/26, Brean) reports that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke “took time out from a two-day visit to the world’s largest firearms industry expo in Las Vegas on Friday to help clean up public land trashed by target shooters just south of the valley.” Zinke “spent a little over an hour with about 50 volunteers and Bureau of Land Management staff members as they picked up debris in a popular shooting area off Las Vegas Boulevard south of Sloan.” According to the article, Zinke “filled a large bag with discarded targets, drove a front-loader, posed for pictures and skirted controversy in a short meeting with reporters.” Zinke “said he walked the floor at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on Thursday and Friday to show the administration’s commitment to shooting sports and to preserving and expanding access to public land for hunting and fishing.”

Trump Taps Former Astronaut To Head US Geological Survey.

The Hill (1/26, Cama) reports President Trump on Friday nominated James Reilly, “a former astronaut and oil exploration geologist” who is currently a technical adviser on space operations at the Air Force’s National Security Space Institute, as director of the US Geological Survey (USGS), pending Senate confirmation.

        Also reporting are Science Magazine (1/26, Voosen) and the Huffington Post (1/26, D'Angelo).

Governors Want Offshore Oil Drilling Exemptions Too.

The Washington Times (1/28, Wolfgang) reports that “by giving Florida a waiver from its massive offshore drilling proposal, the Trump administration has opened a door that virtually every East Coast state, including those led by Republicans, is now trying to rush through.” According to the article, “Republican governors over the past 10 days have increasingly spoken out against Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s plan.” They say they, “like Florida, will face grave harm from drilling, though it remains to be seen whether they have the clout to sway the administration.”

        Alaska Officials Want Some State Areas Out Of Drilling Plan. The AP (1/27, Joling) reports Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) sent a letter on Friday with Rep. Don Young (R-AK) asking Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to exclude “most Alaska waters from the state’s Panhandle to the Bering Strait...from the proposed five-year drilling plan.” According to the letter, the Alaska delegation said, “We believe the strongest near-term offshore program in Alaska is one that focuses on the Chukchi, Beaufort and Cook Inlet.” The letter comes after the Bering Sea Elders Group expressed concern that the expanded drilling activities could impact marine life. A representative for Murkowski suggested that “the delegation was not responding to drilling critics in requesting that most Alaska drilling areas be kept out of the proposed lease plan,” but rather, “Murkowski...expected some areas to be dropped.” The Washington Examiner (1/26, Sciliano) reported the politicians from Alaska “told Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Friday to back off from approving offshore drilling plans for several of the state’s area inlets and waterways.” Zinke had proposed opening 14 areas in Alaska to offshore drilling, but the Alaska delegation hopes to limit the offshore program to only three areas. E&E Publishing (1/26, Hobson) reports Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I) wants “the Trump administration to vastly expand its outreach to Alaska Native groups in the 14 state regions targeted for leasing.” Walker said in a recent letter to Zinke, that Alaskan officials “feel strongly the meetings should occur in each of the areas where lease sales have been proposed.”

        Additional coverage was provided by The Hill (1/26, Cama), the Alaska Dispatch News (1/26, DeMarban), Alaska Public Radio Network (1/26, Ruskin), and KTOO-FM Juneau (AK) Juneau, AK (1/27, Ruskin).

        Oil Potential Off U.S. Coasts: Knowns And Unknowns. In an article on the potential for expanded offshore drilling in the US, Bloomberg BNA (1/26, Kovski) reports “geologists...see a lot of potential for oil and gas discoveries beneath some U.S. federal waters, notably including the eastern Gulf of Mexico near Florida, a broad area off Southern California, and in the Arctic.” At the same time, the East Coast offers “a much more uncertain but intriguing potential” while other parts of the Outer Continental Shelf draw “only skeptical remarks or idle curiosity.” With respect to the Pacific coast, only small volumes “of hydrocarbons have been found onshore in the Pacific Northwest, and the offshore is virtually a blank slate. The onshore geology there does not bode well for finding oil in the offshore.”

Exclusive: Trump Slams Elephant Hunting For Trophies, Skeptical Fees Go For Conservation.

In an exclusive, the Huffington Post (1/27) reports President Trump “in an interview with Piers Morgan set to air Sunday night...used the word ‘terrible’ to describe the initial decision last year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to overturn an Obama era ban on the import of elephant trophies” from Zimbabwe and Zambia. The HuffPost adds Trump confirms that the ban will remain in effect and “says he does not believe the substantial fees that hunters pay to hunt elephants and other species actually go toward conservation efforts, as is often claimed, and instead are pocketed by government officials in other countries.”

        Additional coverage was provided by The Hill (1/27, Manchester) and Newsweek (1/28, Gill).

Trump Administration Cancels Detailed Review Of Obama-Era Mining Ban Near Minnesota Wilderness.

The Washington Post (1/26, Grandoni, Eilperin) says the Trump Administration “will curtail a detailed review of how cordoning off 230,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service land in Minnesota from mining development will affect a neighboring wilderness area,” according to documents obtained by the Post. The study, begun “in the final days” of the Obama Administration, will be converted “into a less-stringent environmental assessment.” The Post says this decision “could have major policy implications.”

        Additional coverage was provided by the AP (1/26), the Washington Post (1/26, Grandoni), and the Northfield (MN) News (1/27, Kraker).

Recently Freed Rancher Cliven Bundy Sues Nevada, Clark County.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal (1/26, Ferrara) reports that Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, “recently cleared of federal charges and freed from jail after nearly two years, has turned his sights on state and county government.” In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Bundy “claimed that former President Barack Obama’s late 2016 establishment of Gold Butte National Monument, which occurred while the rancher was in federal custody, was ‘as illegal as it is unlawful’ and would preclude him from continuing to function on his land and destroy his livelihood.” Bundy’s lawsuit “seeks a declaration that public lands in the state are owned by the residents.”

        Additional coverage was provided by Fox News (1/28).

Trump Infrastructure Plan Would Loosen Environmental Standards: Report.

The Hill (1/26, Cama) reported that a draft infrastructure plan from the White House shows plans to “scale back environmental requirements” in an effort to expedite infrastructure permitting and construction. The plan would “greatly restrict the ability of federal agencies to consider alternatives to projects, reduce the roles of certain agencies in the process and completely eliminate some environmental oversight processes.”

        The Washington Post (1/26, A1, Eilperin, Laris) reported the proposal would eliminate the EPA’s ability to evaluate another agency’s Environmental Impact Statement and seeks to “eliminate duplicative oversight” by removing the EPA’s power to veto a project due to concerns about Clean Water Act violations. In addition, the plan would give the Interior secretary “the right to approve rights of way for natural gas pipelines to cross national park lands.” Trump administration officials said they are “willing to alter elements of the legislative package to win enough votes to pass it in Senate,” but “made it clear they are seeking to make the most sweeping changes in decades to how the federal government approves and oversees infrastructure projects.”

Proposed Border Wall Faces Opposition From Native Nations.

The CBS Weekend News (1/27, story 9, 3:00, Ninan) reported, “Even if President Trump gets the $25 billion he wants to build a southern border wall, the project will face many obstacles, including opposition from native nations.” For example, correspondent Mireya Villareal explained, “The Tohono O’odham Nation covers 2.7 million acres of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. Part of their sovereign land and their people are in Mexico. Many members believe they were born to protect this land and have vowed to fight the federal government on building President Trump’s ‘big, beautiful wall.’” Because “criminal smugglers have funneled onto sacred land,” Tohono O’odham leaders have said “they are willing to work with the federal government” for homeland security reasons, and have “suggested a virtual fence. But many tribe members are skeptical of the federal government and worry they could lose their heritage if the President gets his way.”

Pence To Headline Trump Hotel Dinner To Raise Money For GOP Candidates.

Politico (1/28, Isenstadt) reported that Vice President Pence, seeking to bolster the GOP “ahead of what is shaping up to be a difficult midterm election season, will headline a high-dollar fundraising dinner Monday that is expected to net about $500,000 for his leadership PAC, according to an administration official. The Great America Committee event, to be held at the Trump hotel in Washington, is expected to draw a number of congressional Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, the official said.” Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is also among those slated to attend.

Federal Audit Finds Crow Tribe’s Court Mismanages Funds.

The AP (1/26) reports that “a recent federal audit of the Crow Tribe’s court system alleges mismanagement of federal funds, nepotism and the creation of a hostile work environment for a recently elected associate judge.” The Bureau of Indian Affairs “told the tribe that its federal funding is in ‘high-risk status’ and it will have to provide documentation before its expenses are reimbursed.” BIA Regional Director Darryl LaCounte submitted the report to Crow Chief Judge Leroy Not Afraid earlier this month.

‘Crimes That Thrive In Secrecy’: Group Calls For More Action On Fatal Domestic Violence.

The Billings (MT) Gazette (1/27, Tollefson) reports that lawmakers on Montana’s Law and Justice Interim Committee will “discuss the findings on intimate partner homicide at their meeting Monday in Helena.” The report “calls for a better understanding of domestic violence killings in Indian Country, noting disproportionately high rates of victimization for Montana’s Native Americans.” The article notes that “one key finding was that in Native cases, women are far more likely to be the killer.”

1 In Custody In Shooting Near Pine Ridge.

The AP (1/26) reports that “one person is in custody for a shooting that left two people critically wounded near Pine Ridge.” According to authorities, “all three are from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.” The incident being investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the FBI.

BLM, Agua Caliente Tribe Reach Deal On Palm Springs Land Exchange.

The Palm Springs (CA) Desert Sun (1/26, Newkirk) reports that “the federal government and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians will swap control of thousands of acres of mountainous land near Palm Springs in a deal officials said will improve land management for both sides.” While there have been “concerns that placing sections of land with public trails into tribal hands would lead to limited trail access,” the Bureau of Land Management said in a news release that the transfer will “increase the amount of accessible trails for public recreation.” The BLM “plans to exchange 2,560 acres of federal land in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument for 1,471 acres of nearby tribal land.” In addition, the federal government will pay the Agua Caliente tribe $50,000. The BLM said that “the tribe is getting land surrounded by private or other tribal land that ‘does not have legal public access.’”

        Also reporting are Law360 (1/26, Rodriguez) and KMIR-TV Palm Springs (CA) Palm Springs, CA (1/26).

Collapsed Mine Shaft Closed In Southwestern Idaho.

The AP (1/27) reports that “federal officials say they’ve closed a mine shaft that recently collapsed in the historic mining town of Silver City in southwestern Idaho and will check it again this spring to make sure it’s stable.” The Bureau of Land Management “in a news release Friday says the sinkhole that was first noticed by a town resident in late November was about 15 feet (4.5 meters) wide and about 25 feet (7.6 meters) deep.” The Idaho Press Tribune (1/26) reports that Carrie Wontorcik, BLM’s abandoned mine lands specialist, said, “With tens of thousands of abandoned mine lands throughout the West, we really want people to understand how dangerous they can be. When it comes to abandoned mines, we tell everybody to stay out, stay alive.”

Large Oil And Gas Project Edges Forward In Converse County.

The Casper (WY) Star-Tribune (1/28, Richards) reports the Bureau of Land Management released the copy of an environmental study “for a 5,000-well oil and gas project” in the Powder River Basin proposed by “Anadarko Resources, Chesapeake Energy, EOG Resources, SM Energy and Devon Energy.” The 1.5 million acre project would take place over approximately 10 years and could “generate more than 8,000 jobs and between $18 billion and $28 billion in revenue.” Interest in the basin “has excited some of the Wyoming-based operators who are gleaning information on how to approach the multilayered Power River Basin from other major players.” Some companies have applied for thousands of drilling permits for the area “stoking expectations by locals of a boom to rival 2014.”

BLM Meeting Relocated For Anticipated Crowds.

The Taos (NM) News (1/26) reports that “the first meeting of the Bureau of Land Management’s citizens council in over a year has been relocated from its original location but is still scheduled for Tuesday (Jan. 30).” The BLM’s Farmington spokesperson Zach Stone explained that the meeting was moved “to accommodate increased interest from the public.”

At JFK Airport, Every Day Is Wild For U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service Inspectors.

The Washington Post (1/25, Sachs) reports that “every day at airports, seaports and other points of entry across the nation, more than 100 wildlife inspectors examine suitcases, backpacks, purses and boxes arriving from overseas.”. Their job is “to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.” The article focuses on the work of the inspectors at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Family Of Rancher Killed In Oregon Standoff Sues FBI, Police.

The AP (1/26, DuBois) reported that the family of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, the “Arizona rancher who was killed by police during the armed occupation of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon, alleged in a U.S. lawsuit..that he was ‘deliberately executed by a preplanned government ambush.’” The AP adds that “the wrongful-death lawsuit filed in Portland on the second anniversary of...Finicum’s death seeks at least $5 million in damages for his widow and each of their 12 children. The United States is listed as a defendant, along with the FBI, Oregon State Police, Gov. Kate Brown and others.” The AP notes that “investigators determined that state troopers were justified in shooting Finicum three times in the back.” However, it was also determined that W.Joseph Astarita, “an FBI agent at the scene, failed to disclose that he fired two rounds that missed Finicum.” Astarita, who “has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of making false statements and obstruction of justice,” is among the defendants listed in the lawsuit.

        The Oregonian (1/26, Bernstein) notes that former Portland SAC Greg Bretzing is also among the defendants. According to The Oregonian, Astarita, “who was a member of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, is accused of telling two different FBI supervisors on the night of Jan. 26, 2016, that he hadn’t fired any gunshots. Later that night, state police detectives interviewed the five FBI agents on the team and none said they had fired their weapons.”

        Reuters (1/27, Whitcomb) says Finicum “acted as a de facto spokesman for the group of some two dozen land rights protesters who seized buildings at the refuge on Jan. 2, 2016, a move sparked by the return to prison of two Oregon ranchers convicted of setting fires that spread to federal property in the area.”

        The Los Angeles Times (1/28, Pearce) quotes Jeannette Finicum, LaVoy’s Finicum’s widow, as saying: “Our government planned a kill stop out on a remote piece of road where there was no cellphone access; they had planned many days in advance; they had called in a special unit team from D.C., a SEAL team; they had snipers in the trees; they clearly, from their actions, had planned to harm and hurt someone that day, if not everyone.” Also reporting are BuzzFeed (1/27, Hernandez), Oregon Public Broadcasting (1/26, Templeton), the Bend (OR) Bulletin (1/27, Dubois), and the Willamette (OR) Week (1/26, Shepherd).

Business And Wildlife Groups Skip The Fight, Work Together To Save A Species.

On its website, WABE-FM Atlanta (1/28, Samuel) highlighted the Georgia Gopher Tortoise Initiative, a partnership between businesses, wildlife officials, and environmental groups to prevent the gopher tortoise from being listed for protection under Endangered Species Act. The article observes that ESA protection “could mean red tape and additional costs” for businesses, but “instead of fighting the potential listing, Georgia businesses” are helping preserve the species. The article highlights Georgia Power’s participation in the initiative and the company’s effort to protect tortoises who live near Plant Hatch. Georgia Power wildlife biologist Jim Ozier said, “We’re glad to have them here,” and the tortoises “do very well right next door.” According to the article, Ozier “says beyond planning around the tortoises to make sure they’re not affected by plant maintenance, Georgia Power is also restoring the gopher tortoises’ native habitat, the longleaf pine forest.” The article was also posted at the NPR (1/28, Samuel) website and at the website of dozens of public broadcasting stations across the country.

Long-Delayed Visitors Center Along Wisconsin’s Great River Road Nearing Completion.

The La Crosse (WI) Tribune (1/28, Hubbuch) reports that “workers are putting the finishing touches on the $3.8 million Great River Interpretive Center at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Genoa fish hatchery, nearly five years after the project broke ground.” According to the article, “major construction wrapped up this winter, and most of the exhibits are in place.” A grand opening is scheduled for June 1 but Hatchery manager Doug Aloisi “hopes to be open by May.”

Historic Gardens Featured And Refuge’s Annual Event.

The AP (1/28) reports that “tours of historic gardens and workshops on providing habitat for butterflies will be among the attractions at a daylong event at the Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge.” The ninth annual Bayou Gardens Open House is scheduled to held Feb. 17 at the refuge’s Bayou Lacombe center in Lacombe.

To RSVP Or Not To RSVP? Parks Face The Question.

E&E Publishing (1/26, Hotakainen) reports that a “controversial” plan to require vehicle reservations that was recently implemented at Muir Woods National Monument is “gaining traction as more parks across the nation search for ways to reduce traffic jams and noise and placate angry neighbors.” In Utah, the idea has generated “plenty of resistance, with critics worried that requiring reservations at some of the state’s premier destinations – including Arches and Zion national parks – would stave off too many visitors and hurt local tourism.” Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has “not endorsed a reservation system, but he said in November that he has planners examining transportation systems and looking for ways to avoid ‘bumper-to-bumper traffic’ in the parks.”

        RMNP Faces Opportunities And Uncertainty In 2018. The Estes Park (CO) Trail-Gazette (1/26, Clemens) reports that in 2017, Rocky Mountain National Park “had over 4.4 million guests visit which is actually down slightly, 1.8 percent, from 2016.” The article notes that the attendance number “last year still represents a 40 percent increase in visitation since 2012.” Superintendent Darla Sidles “said that the Park has enacted short term visitor management, like parking restrictions, and that works for the interim, but looking at long term visitor use is critical to preserving the future of the Park.”

Protesters Demand Answers In Fatal Shooting By Park Police.

The AP (1/27) reports that demonstrators “gathered in front of the Department of Interior demanding answers in the death of a 25-year-old man fatally shot last year by U.S. Park Police officers.” Bijan Ghaisar “died in November after he was shot by Park Police.” Ghaisar’s sister, Negeen, says she wants “an explanation” for each one of the “nine shots.”

        Additional coverage was provided by WTOP-FM Washington (1/27, Murillo).

Families Have Left Cremated Remains At The Vietnam Wall For Decades.

Now Officials Want Them To Stop.. The Washington Post (1/28, Ruane) reports that the National Park Service is now “trying to stop” the practice of remains of veterans being left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial According to the article, “with an aging population of Vietnam veterans, the 50th anniversary of the worst year of fighting and Ken Burns’ powerful Vietnam War documentary, the Park Service said, there has been an increase in remains being left.” Janet Folkerts, a Park Service curator, said, “It’s been happening for years and years. But it’s becoming more and more of an issue . . . It’s something that we have to definitely deal with.”

National Park Service Names Stakely As Fort Sumter National Monument Superintendent.

The Charleston (SC) Moultrie News (1/27) reports that National Park Service Southeast Regional Director Stan Austin announced J. Tracy Stakely will be the next superintendent of Fort Sumter National Monument, Fort Moultrie and Charles Pinckney National Historic Site in South Carolina. Stakely is currently Congaree National Park superintendent and South Carolina state coordinator for the NPS Southeast Region Leadership Council. He “assumes his new role Feb. 5.”

Williamsport Park Ranger Receives The Highest Honor From The National Park Service.

WDVM-TV Washington (1/26, Ta) reports that Hollie Lynch, the education coordinator at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, received the Freeman Tilden award, “the highest honor from the National Park Service.” Lynch was “selected for having an impacting education program.” Lynch said,”I was kind of shocked a little bit. It was really exciting to see some of the other parks that were nominated for the award and all the other programs that they were doing with their program and outreach to visitors.”

2 Plead Guilty In Connection With 2016 Break-in At Protected Spring.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal (1/26, Brean) reports that “two men have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a 2016 break-in at Devils Hole, a protected spring pool in Nye County that is home to a critically endangered fish.” Edgar Reyes and Steven Schwinkendorf “pleaded guilty to destruction of government property for their actions at Devils Hole on April 30, 2016, the National Park Service said Friday.” As part of their plea, the two “agreed to pay $5,622.83 in restitution and face a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of $100,000.”

Bald Eagle Count At Lake Mead Is Highest In 5 Years.

The AP (1/28) reports that National Park Service officials “recently counted 137 bald eagles and five golden eagles at Lake Mead — the highest number in the area east of Las Vegas in five years and above the 10-year average.” The team was “one of eight groups surveying bald eagles across Lake Mohave and Lake Mead as part of a national survey.” According to officials, “because the eagles don’t necessarily migrate in the same place from year to year, the nationwide survey helps to understand migratory patterns and monitor the routes of the once-endangered species.”

Additional Coverage: Yellowstone Bison Release Launches Criminal Investigation.

Additional coverage that officials are investigating the release of bison from Yellowstone National Park was provided by NPR (1/27, Hegyi).

Scouting The Eagles.

The International Falls (MN) Daily Journal (1/27, Tenenbaum) reports that “reproduction among bald eagles” in Voyageurs National Park was “aided when their nests were protected from human disturbance, according to a study published Jan. 9 in the “Journal of Applied Ecology.”” The study, “by researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison, the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, focused on a nest-protection program that w”as based on the logical assumption that endangered birds would reproduce and prosper if people are kept away from their nests. The researchers “concluded that protection increased the number of breeding pairs at Voyageurs by 37 percent; other factors accounted for the rest of the increase.”

2018 Nevada Water Summit To Cover Carson River Watershed.

The Nevada Appeal (1/27, Knowles) reports that “Carson River stakeholders are meeting this week to talk about issues affecting the watershed.” The 2018 Water Summit will “take a look at state water law, climate impacts, early runoff, and snow-level rise with speakers from the U.S. Geological Service, Nevada Department of Environmental Protection and Desert Research Institute as well as Jason King, state engineer.”

Interior’s Regulatory Relief Is Paying Dividends For Colorado.

In an op-ed for the Grand Junction (CO) Daily Sentinel (1/28, Bernhardt), Interior Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt touts the “regulatory relief” efforts of the Trump Administration. Bernhardt attributes the outperformance of Colorado’s economy to such policies that have benefited the mining, oil, and gas industries.

Frank Miele: Editor’s 2 Cents, Huffington Post Smears Ryan Zinke With Fake Charge.

In his column for the Daily Inter Lake (MT) (1/27, Miele), Frank Miele writes that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has been “a favorite target of the left-wing media for their fake scandal-mongering” because Zinke has been one of President Trump’s “most effective surrogates — throwing out harmful regulations, rolling back politically motivated programs, cutting staff and moving programs out of D.C.” In particular, Miele takes issue with a recent story by the Huffington Post that “Zinke held onto undisclosed shares” in Proof Research, “a Whitefish-based company that specializes in production of lightweight rifles using carbon fiber technology.” Miele writes that the story is not really about corruption, but that Zinke is “supporting a local business that provides local jobs.”

Dismissal Of Charges In Bundy Case A Huge Win; Judge Cites ‘Outrageous’ Misconduct.

In an op-ed for KPVI-TV Idaho Falls, ID (1/27, Labrador), Rep. Raul Labrador welcomes the dismissal of “charges against rancher Cliven Bundy, his two sons and a fourth man” as “a blow for justice.” Labrador raises concerns with the prosecution’s conduct in the case, which he says he has shared with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Labrador, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, also vows that Congress will “hold the BLM accountable.”

Additional Reading.

• Virtually All Americans Oppose Any Infrastructure Plan That Sacrifices The Environment. The Hill (1/26, Clark).
• Guest Opinion: Keep Bison Out Of Montana Cattle Country. Billings (MT) Gazette (1/27, Poertner).
• Monkeywrenching Shows Need For Better Bison Management. Helena (MT) Independent Record (1/26, Hadley).
• Editorial: Keep Drilling Off N.C. Coast. Burlington (NC) Times-News (1/26).
• Lines In The Sand On Offshore Oil. Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel (1/27, Haifley).
• Methane Rule Would Benefit New Mexico. Albuquerque (NM) Journal (1/29, Powell).
• My Take: More Funding Needed For National Parks. The Holland (MI) Sentinel (1/26, Sutherland).
• Congressman Bishop Fails To Protect Public Health And Environment. Lansing (MI) State Journal (1/28, Wozniak).

Trump Expected To Tout Economy, Urge Bipartisan Cooperation In State Of The Union.

As President Trump prepares to deliver his first State of the Union address on Tuesday, media coverage predicts that he will tout economic gains during his first year in office and call for bipartisan cooperation with Democrats. The AP (1/28, Thomas) reports that in an effort to “move past the shadow of the Russia investigation,” Trump will use the address to “cite economic progress under his watch while pushing for bipartisanship with Democrats on issues such as rebuilding roads and bridges.” White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short told Fox News Sunday (1/28), “The President is going to talk about how America’s back. ... The President is also going to make an appeal to Democrats...to say we need to rebuild our country. And to make an appeal that to do infrastructure, we need to do it in a bipartisan way.”

        The Washington Times (1/28, Sherfinski) reports that Short said, “He’ll also talk about America’s strength – the fact that we are continuing to wipe out ISIS, but that we have growing threats such as North Korea.” Arguing that Democrats are holding military funding “hostage” to their agenda, Short said that Trump will call for rebuilding the military to keep the nation strong.

        USA Today (1/28, Jackson) says Trump and his aides are projecting confidence about the address. In a tweet Sunday that “looked like a preview of his speech,” Trump wrote, “Our economy is better than it has been in many decades. ... Businesses are coming back to America like never before ... Unemployment is nearing record lows. We are on the right track!” While USA Today adds that the President “is not expected to address the Russia probe during his State of the Union,” the Washington Examiner (1/28, Westwood) says the “heightened attention to [special counsel Robert] Mueller’s investigation could...cast a shadow over the run-up” to the speech. However, the address “could provide Trump with an opportunity to turn the page on a week of controversy and refocus the conversation on his policy agenda.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28, Radnofsky, Nicholas) says the White House, in previewing the address, has stressed that it will be “very forward looking” and will strike a tone of bipartisanship.

        Politico (1/28, Kim, Bade) reports that while Trump intends “to put the weight of the bully pulpit behind his immigration proposal on Tuesday night and attempt to rally lawmakers around his plan,” some senators have urged him “to help them move toward a deal by striking a compassionate tone during his speech.” Sen. Joe Manchin said, “I truly, sincerely think that he has compassion and empathy, and he wants to make sure children that only know this country as their home gets security. ... I think for people to be able to see his compassion he has for these children would be good.” Similarly, Sen. Jeff Flake said, “If he made statements like we’ve heard at some other points, like ‘with heart’ and ‘bill of love,’ that kind of thing is helpful.”

        Jeff Zeleny said on CNN Inside Politics (1/28), “When he is giving that speech, it is going to be teleprompter Trump. He’s going to be giving the speech that is in front of him. He’s not going to be reacting at least we don’t think in real time on what’s on Fox and Friends. A senior official deeply involved with this speech says four words, strong economy, safe America. That is what the President is going to focus on again and again in this speech. ... I think the expectations, you know, it’s a low bar. It actually should be a higher bar. He can give a good speech in a big setting like that. He has done it again and again and again but it’s what happens after the speech that’s probably more important.”

        Poll: Voters Want Trump To Discuss Healthcare, Economy. Politico (1/28, Shepard) reports that a Politico/Morning Consult poll found that voters want the President to discuss healthcare and the economy during his address. The “largest percentages of voters say it’s ‘very important’ for Trump to discuss improving the health care system (59 percent) and improving the economy and creating jobs (58 percent).” The poll “also found voters want to hear about fighting terrorism – 54 percent say it’s very important for the president to discuss the issue in his speech.” Politico adds that “only 27 percent say it’s very important for Trump to discuss global poverty” and “30 percent, think it’s very important to hear from Trump on combatting climate change – a phenomenon he’s often mocked and dismissed.” In addition, “four-in-10 voters think it’s very important for Trump to talk about reducing illegal immigration.” Newsweek (1/28, Silverstein) also reports on the poll.

        Trump Won’t Do Post-State Of The Union Events Outside DC. CNN (1/28, Schatz) reports on its website that unlike other recent presidents, Trump “won’t do events beyond the Beltway to promote his SOTU agenda.” CNN’s Jeff Zeleny said, “Most recent presidents at least have gone out into America to sell their message locally. It’s a great way to get good media attention. I’m told the president says no – he wants to stay here in Washington – and it’s frustrating to some West Wing advisers.” Meeks To Boycott State Of The Union. The New York Post (1/28, Schultz) reports that Rep. Gregory Meeks told MSNBC’s Politics Nation Sunday that he will boycott the State of the Union. Meeks said, “I cannot give this man, who does not respect me, the respect to be in that audience. ... I will not be there. ... At every opportunity, he’s disrespected me and individuals who look like me. ... I cannot respect him.” Meeks joins other members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Reps. Maxine Waters, Frederica Wilson, and John Lewis, who are skipping the address. Other Democrats who will not attend include Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Jan Schakowsky, and Pramila Jayapal.

        Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said on MSNBC’s Politics Nation (1/28), “When we have an Administration that has consistently shown ongoing disrespect or nonresponse, we have to respond ourselves. I will make a decision about how I will handle this State of the Union because the State of the Union is a time for a president to speak to all of America. That has not occurred over the last year.”

        Anti-Gun Violence Pastor To Attend State Of The Union At Kildee’s Invitation. MLive (MI) (1/28) reports that Flint, Michigan Pastor Jeffery Hawkins, who has “taken on the task of helping families cope with the loss of their loved ones to gun violence is set to attend Tuesday’s State of the Union address” at the invitation of Rep. Dan Kildee. Hawkins and his wife “have held events and formed groups that allow families to share their stories and brought stakeholders in the community together to try and figure out how to combat gun violence in the city.”

        Kennedy To Deliver Democratic Response To State Of The Union. Author John A. Farrell writes in a piece for Politico Magazine (1/28) that Rep. Joe Kennedy III will deliver the Democratic response to Trump’s State of The Union, a speech that has, in recent years, “earned the reputation among political doyens as ill-starred opportunity.” While Kennedy “is regarded both in Massachusetts and on Capitol Hill as an earnest and talented young man,” he has not yet commanded a national platform with as much at stake as the one he will be offered on Tuesday night.” While he cannot “rightly abandon his outspoken support for the Dreamers and other vulnerable immigrants, for women fighting sexual harassment, or for minorities insisting that their lives matter,” he also “cannot “forget the interests of white working-class families, many of whom deserted the Democrats in 2016, caught in the squeeze of globalization, their communities torn by opioid addiction.”

        Kennedy Invites Transgender Soldier To State Of The Union. The Hill (1/28, Thomsen) reports that Staff Sergeant Patricia King, a transgender US solider, will be Kennedy’s guest at the State of the Union. Kennedy invited King “in protest of Trump’s attempt to ban transgender people from the military.”

GOP Lawmakers Split On Whether Mueller Needs Protecting From Being Fired By Trump.

The Washington Post (1/28, Sullivan) reports that GOP congressional members on Sunday split “over protecting special counsel Robert S. Mueller III,” as Sens. Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham expressed support for “plans to make it more difficult for President Trump to have him fired,” while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said such a move was not needed. Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Graham “highlighted his proposal to check Trump’s power over Mueller.” Collins, appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” “said it wouldn’t hurt to pass legislation along those lines.” However, McCarthy – appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said, “I don’t think there’s a need for legislation right now to protect Mueller,” adding that “Trump and his team ‘have fully cooperated’ with the investigation.”

        The AP (1/28, Yen) reports that Graham, “co-sponsor of legislation that would protect Mueller from being fired without a legal basis, said he would be ‘glad to pass it tomorrow.’” though the South Carolina Republican “insisted that Mueller’s job appeared to be in no immediate danger, pointing to the political costs if Trump did remove him. ‘It’s pretty clear to me that everybody in the White House knows it would be the end of President Trump’s presidency if he fired Mr. Mueller,’ he said.” For her part, Collins “said it would certainly ‘not hurt’ for Congress to approve added protections for Mueller.”

        Reuters (1/28, Abutaled, Bohan) reports that Collins and Graham “expressed dismay at reports” Trump “had told the top White House lawyer to order US Justice Department officials to fire Mueller,” though both senators “said they saw no sign that Trump is currently trying to fire” the special counsel. Said Collins, “I think what happened here is the president had a bad idea. He talked with his counsel, who explained to an angry and frustrated president why it was a bad idea.” The Los Angeles Times (1/28, King) reports that Collins “said she had faith in Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, to whom the special counsel reports and who would have to sign off on any attempt to dismiss him.”

        Collins said on CNN’s State Of The Union (1/28, Tapper) that the only person with authority to fire Mueller would be the deputy attorney general, who she said had told her he would never cave to White House pressure. She said that she believed was that the “president had a bad idea” and “he talked with his counsel who explained to an angry and frustrated president why it was a bad idea.” She said that any suggestion of firing the deputy attorney general would be a mistake. She said the best move for Trump would be to never talk about the issue in public. Collins also said that a bipartisan bill to protect the special counsel “wouldn’t hurt.” Collins said on CBS’ Face The Nation (1/28, Cordes) that she was open to legislation to protect the special counsel and reiterate that the president does not have the authority to fire Mueller.

        Graham said on ABC’s This Week (1/28, Raddatz) that Mueller is “doing a good job.” He added that when Mueller found a couple of biased FBI agents, he fired them. He said that the FBI’s bias against Trump and for Clinton needs to be investigated, but that he did not think the concerns applied to Mueller. He said that if the president did try to fire Mueller, that could be damaging to his presidency. Graham also said that he had not seen any evidence of collusion. Graham said that “we are not going to convict” Trump “based on a news story.” Graham said he would like to pass legislation protecting all special counsels. He also opined on the need for a special counsel to investigate the Clinton email issue as well.

        The Washington Examiner (1/28, Lim) quoted Graham as saying, “I’m sure that there’ll be an investigation around whether or not President Trump did try to fire Mr. Mueller. We know that he didn’t fire Mr. Mueller. We know that if he tried to, it would be the end of his presidency. So at the end of the day, let Mr. Mueller do his job.” Of reports that Trump pushed to have Mueller fired, Graham added, “I believe it’s something that Mueller should look at.”

        McCarthy said on NBC’s Meet the Press (1/28, Todd) that “the President and the staff has fully cooperated” with the special counsel’s team and that he had faith in Mueller. McCarthy said he hadn’t heard anything about the firing issue. McCarthy said, in regards to the legislation to protect Mueller, that the real issue is about funding. He said there is no reason to have legislation to protect special counsel at this point. McCarthy said that while he doesn’t believe there is a conspiracy against Trump, he has questions for the investigation.

        USA Today (1/28, Groppe) reports that while McCarthy “dismissed the need for Congress to protect” the special counsel, in the wake of “reports last week that Trump ordered Mueller fired and White House counsel Don McGahn refused, there is growing support among some Senate Republicans for stepping in to protect” the special counsel. USA Today cites the comments of Collins and Graham. USA Today adds that White House Legislative Director Marc Short on Sunday said “he’s ‘not aware the president ever intimated that he wanted to fire Robert Mueller.’ ‘We have continued to comply fully’ with the investigation, Short told Fox News Sunday. ‘Robert Mueller is still special counsel.’”

        Appearing on Fox News Sunday (1/28, Wallace), Short said, “I’m not aware of the president ever intimating he wanted to fire him,” and “keep in mind a couple things: Robert Mueller is still the special counsel, taxpayers have spent millions and millions of dollars on investigations who have not proven any collusion thus far with Russia,” and “the White House continues to cooperate in every manner providing any document the special has asked for.” Short also appeared on CBS’ Face The Nation (1/28, Cordes), where he reiterated that he had not personally heard the president suggest Mueller’s firing.

        Politico (1/28, Temple-West) reported that during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Rep. Trey Gowdy said he backs Mueller’s probe “100 percent.” Said Gowdy, “I told my Republican colleagues, ‘Leave him the hell alone,’ and that’s still my advice.” Gowdy said on Fox News Sunday (1/28, Wallace) that he still trusted Mueller “100%.” Gowdy said he did not know how “dangerous” the investigation may be for the president. He added that so far, there has been no evidence and that there is a political and legal aspect to the situation. Under the headline “GOP Lawmakers Warn Trump Not To Fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller,” the Wall Street Journal (1/28, Peterson, Gordon) highlights Graham’s “it would be the end of President Trump’s presidency if he fired Mr. Mueller,” remark, as well as comments made by Collins and Gowdy.

        Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), appearing on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures (1/28, Bartiromo), said that Trump “and the White House have been unbelievably cooperative in this [investigation], turning over thousands and thousands of pages of documents, making many...people in the White House available as witnesses. And this is the leader of this country, who has to get about other business on behalf the country and he needs to have this resolved and he said so many times.”

        Under the headline “Republicans Show Little Urgency On Legislation To Protect Mueller,” the New York Times (1/28, Stolberg, Fandos) reports on the comments of Collins, Graham, and McCarthy, then adds that Democrats contend “the threat [of Trump firing Mueller] is real and pressing.” For example, speaking with the Times, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said of legislation to protect Mueller, “If there is a will to move forward, there is a way to do it. The question is: Will our Republican colleagues muster the political fortitude to do it?”

        The Hill (1/28, Shelbourne) reported that during a Sunday appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Sen. Joe Manchin, “who is up for reelection this year in a state Trump won by more than 40 points, said it’s ‘premature’ for Democrats to place provisions safeguarding Mueller in the upcoming budget negotiations. ‘I think it’s premature for us to go down that road, too. There’s a process they have to go through,’ Manchin” said.

        John King said on CNN Inside Politics (1/28), “Let’s assume say Hillary Clinton had won the election and she had a special counsel and she was thinking about firing the special counsel. I don’t think Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan would be silent. So, the silence of the Republican leadership to me is striking here. In part, we’re in a an election year. They don’t want discord in the base, and in part because the Republican echo chamber listening says, ‘So what?’”

        Mollie Hemingway of The Federalist said on Fox News MediaBuzz (1/28), “We have anonymous sources saying that Donald Trump thought about firing someone or wanted to fire someone who he is legally allowed to fire, but he didn’t fire. This is a story that was reported in June, in September, in December. So why is this big breaking news that we are reporting it yet again?”

        USAToday Urges Congress To Pass Legislation Protecting Mueller. In an editorial, USA Today (1/28, Board) says, “Reports that the president sought to fire Mueller last June reinforce the need for Congress to move swiftly to protect Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.” USA Today says, “At this point, does anyone really believe that if Mueller’s investigators close in on Trump and his family, the president wouldn’t out of desperation ‘fight back’ and fire the special counsel, no matter the echoes of Nixon’s ‘Saturday Night Massacre’?” USA Today adds that “the time to protect Mueller is right now – before, not after, another Saturday Night Massacre.”

        Leonhardt: Trump “Has Obstructed Justice,” Impeachment Should Be Considered. In his New York Times (1/28) column, David Leonhardt asks, “Is serious consideration of impeachment [of Trump] fair? I think the answer is yes. The evidence is now quite strong that...Trump committed obstruction of justice.” Leonhardt goes on to offer what he says is a “list” of 10 items that indicate Trump “intentionally tried to subvert a federal investigation.” For example, Leonhardt says, “1. During a dinner at the White House on Jan. 27, 2017, Trump asked for a pledge of ‘loyalty’ from James Comey, then the FBI director, who was overseeing the investigation of the Trump campaign.” And, “7. In June, Trump ...ordered the firing of Mueller, before the White House counsel resisted.” Leonhardt asserts that Trump “has obstructed justice.”

Media Analyses: Trump’s Speech Declaring US “Open For Business” Mostly Well Received At World Economic Forum.

President Trump completed his two-day visit to Davos, Switzerland on Friday with a speech hailing his “America First” policies at the World Economic Forum. Media coverage, which included almost three minutes on the network newscasts, was more heavy in print and online. Reporting leaned positive, highlighting the generally warm response to Trump’s speech, with the exception of his remarks about immigration and the media.

        The New York Times (1/26, A1, Baker) reports on its front page that “in an encounter that might have surprised even him two years ago, Mr. Trump reassured the world’s political and financial leaders that his ‘America First’ agenda was not a rejection of international cooperation,” as the President’s persona as a “combative nationalist gave way to the let’s-make-a-deal businessman.” Trump told the packed audience attending his speech, “I believe in America. ... As president of the United States, I will always put America first, just like the leaders of other countries should put their country first also. But America first does not mean America alone. When the United States grows, so does the world.” In a front-page article, the Wall Street Journal (1/26, A1, Ballhaus, Nicholas) reports he added, “I am here today to represent the interests of the American people, and to affirm America’s friendship and partnership in building a better world.”

        According to the Washington Post (1/26, Gearan, Long), the President “wrap[ed] his ‘America first’ message of sovereignty in a salesman’s offer to other nations and businesses.” He declared, “There has never been a better time to hire, to build, to invest and to grow in the United States.” Trump added, “America is open for business, and we are competitive once again.” The AP (1/26, Lucey) similarly says that “with a chamber of commerce-style pitch, the businessman-turned-president used the forum to sell the U.S. as a prime place to conduct business, noting the recent passage of a sweeping tax overhaul.” The Washington Times (1/26, Boyer) emphasizes that “the surging U.S. economy has been the talk of the conference, with employers expanding and hiring in the wake of last month’s cut in the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.”

        However, Reuters (1/26, Barkin) reports that despite delivering a “mostly upbeat speech,” Trump also “swiftly turned to a theme of demanding tougher enforcement of trade rules, accusing unidentified countries of unfair practices, including stealing intellectual property and providing state aid to industry.” The President vowed, “We will enforce our trade laws and restore integrity to the trading system. Only by insisting on fair and reciprocal trade can we create a system that works not just for the United States but for all nations.” Fox News’ Special Report’s (1/26, 6:28 p.m. EDT, Wallace) Rich Edson said the President confirmed his pledge “to dramatically change what he’s called a rigged international trade system.”

        Breitbart (1/26, Spiering) reports Trump additionally urged attendees “to reinvest in their people.” The President asserted, “Each of you has the power to change hearts, transform lives, and shape your countries’ destinies. ... With this power comes an obligation, however, a duty of loyalty to the people, workers, customers who have made you who you are.” Trump added, “When people are forgotten, the world becomes fractured. Only by hearing and responding to the voices of the forgotten can we create a bright future that is truly shared by all.”

        Meanwhile, CNN’s Situation Room’s (1/26, 6:08 p.m. EDT, Blitzer) Jim Acosta stated that the President “came to Davos to take credit for the booming American economy, calling on companies across the world to move to the US,” but his “welcoming tone came with a vow to start controlling the number of immigrants entering the US, based on new criteria.” Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 6:05 p.m. EDT, Wallace) chief congressional correspondent Mike Emanuel said that Trump made “the case for his immigration blueprint,” which Breitbart (1/26, Spiering) says rewards “financial stability and ability to strengthen the economy.” Breitbart adds that the President “has spent months emphasizing the importance of ending the ‘chain migration’ of extended family members while appearing open to amnesty for illegal immigrants brought to the country as children.”

        Nonetheless, the New York Times (1/26, A1, Goodman, Bradsher) says in a front-page article that although Trump was not “a changed man” from his trip to Davos, “a rough consensus emerged over Mr. Trump’s two-day visit that his administration had shown itself to be more pragmatic than advertised” and “many” attendees “were inclined to view the president’s most extreme positions as just aggressive bargaining postures.” USA Today (1/26, Hjelmgaard) acknowledges that while the “reaction to Trump’s speech was mixed” at the retreat, “several surveys published this week found that corporate leaders largely approve of his administration’s recent corporate tax cuts and regulatory overhaul.”

        The AP (1/26, Lucey) similarly says “relations between...Trump and the assembled global elites seemed to thaw,” as does the Washington Post (1/26, Tharoor), which reports that the audience was “friendly and receptive” as Trump “framed his presidency as that of a deregulating, tax-cutting business titan. Many in the gathering of high-flying executives and financiers lapped it up.”

        AFP (1/26, Beatty, Joshi) reports the President “kept to an orthodox political script and measured tone in his speech, during which he praised his well-heeled audience of 1,500 people as comprising some of the world’s most ‘remarkable citizens.’” Bloomberg News (1/26, Wayne) describes the speech as “a jarring transition from Trump’s first day at the mountain gathering in Davos, Switzerland, where he dominated the event with his trademark bravado, spontaneity and camera-grabbing disruption. It was a measured, respectful and thoroughly scripted pitch to an unfamiliar audience of global elites. But it was a pitch all the same.”

        The Los Angeles Times (1/26, Bierman) reports that “contrary to predictions that Trump might use his keynote address...to bash multilateral trade deals and international alliances, as he did during his campaign, he appeared to soften the edges of his ‘America First’ policy in his speech to the elites who gather in this glitzy Alpine resort each winter to champion free trade and global cooperation.”

        Reporting in Davos, NBC Nightly News (1/26, story 3, 1:35, Holt) chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson said Trump made “no major missteps” and remained on “message and on script.” Commerce Secretary Ross said Trump “came here to clarify misconceptions,” including the belief that the US was “running away from the world stage.” James Delingpole, the executive editor of Breitbart’s London division, declares (1/26, Delingpole) the speech showed “great statesmanship.” Delingpole continued that “like his similarly brilliant Warsaw speech last year, Trump’s speech in Davos...establishes him as – by some margin – the most significant and inspirational and ideologically robust leader of the free world since the era of Ronald Reagan.”

        On Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 6:37 p.m. EDT, Wallace), Byron York of the Washington Examiner said that he thought Trump “did a good job” and delivered “a good speech. He did what he wanted to do, which is promote American business, promote his own economic record,” and in “a memorable phrase,” said “America First does not mean America alone.” York noted “an IMF official at Davos came out and said as far as China is concerned, Trump is making a point that needs to be heard.” Charles Lane of the Washington Post said that Trump did not provide “a lot of specifics” on his trade policy, but “sent a certain signal” by discussing “focused” punitive tariffs.

        Trump Apologizes For Retweeting Videos From “Horrible, Racist People.” Reporting from Davos, Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 6:02 p.m. EDT, Wallace) chief White House correspondent John Roberts said Trump delivered a “rare apology of sorts” after British Prime Minister Theresa May “scolded” him “for retweeting unverified videos posted by a UK ultra-national group.” Trump said that “he had no idea the videos weren’t genuine or who the group was.” Said Trump to ITV, “If you are telling me they’re horrible people, horrible, racist people, I would certainly apologize if you’d like me to do that.”

        According to the Washington Post (1/26, Booth, Schemm), Trump “said repeatedly Friday that he knew ‘nothing’ about the group’s politics,” and said the tweets just “showed his concern about the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.” AFP (1/26) reports this is the first time Trump has apologized for retweeting the three videos, which “sparked outrage in Britain” when they were posted in November “by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First who was in 2016 convicted of religiously aggravated harassment of a Muslim woman.”

        Trump Has “Tremendous” Meeting With Rwandan President. Margaret Brennan of the CBS Evening News (1/26, story 5, 1:20, Glor) said Trump’s visit to Davos presented “an opportunity to clean up” his “diplomatic blunders.” The AP (1/26, Lucey) reports the President “sought to mend relations” with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Friday over “his controversial comments about African nations, praising the U.S. partnership with Rwanda along the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum.” According to the AP, Trump “described having ‘tremendous discussions’ with Kagame, who is beginning a one-year term as head of the African Union, a 55-member continental body that criticized the U.S. president’s remarks.” Trump subsequently tweeted, “It was an honor to meet with Republic of Rwanda President Paul Kagame this morning in Davos, Switzerland. Many great discussions! #WEF18.”

        However, the Los Angeles Times (1/26, Bierman) reports Trump “ignored questions from reporters about [his alleged] reference to nations on the continent,” which AFP (1/26, Pigman, Pigman, Beatty) reports recently prompted Ambassador Haley to “express...regret about the controversy in a meeting with African envoys, the head of the UN’s African Group said, after the envoys released a joint statement demanding an apology from Trump for his ‘outrageous, racist and xenophobic remarks.’”

        Trump Asserts US Would Consider Joining TPP If Given “A Substantially Better Deal.” The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Schlesinger) reports Trump in his speech at the World Economic Forum said his Administration “would consider negotiating” with the 11 members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership “either individually or perhaps as a group, if it is in the interests of all,” an announcement that came hours after CNBC’s Squawk Box (1/26, 2:40, Kernen) aired an interview in which he said he would demand “a substantially better deal,” according to the Washington Times (1/26, Persons). He added, “We had a horrible deal. The deal was a horrible deal.” However, the Times reports that a senior Administration official told reporters that the President has not been rethinking his decision to pull the US out of the TPP.

        Trump: Strength Of The Dollar Should “Be Based On The Strength Of The Country.” The Washington Times (1/26, Persons) reports the President in an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box (1/26, 4:50, Kernen) that aired Friday “said he’s not worried about the strength of the dollar and said no one should be talking about currency since it easily fluctuates.” Trump asserted, “Number one, I don’t like talking about it because, frankly, nobody should be talking about it. It should be what it is. It should also be based on the strength of the country.” The President added, “We are doing so well. Our country is becoming so economically strong again – and strong in other ways too, by the way – that the dollar is going to get stronger and stronger. And ultimately, I want to see a strong dollar. Right now, it floats. But it’s your great reserve currency. There can never be anything even close to it. There is nothing close to it. There never will be.”

        Meanwhile, Reuters (1/26, Johnson, Chiacu) reports Treasury Secretary Mnuchin in a separate CNBC interview “said on Friday he was not trying to talk down the dollar and his comments earlier this week were taken out of context.” Mnuchin stated, “I made the comment two days ago in a press gaggle in the morning. What I said was actually very even-handed and consistent with what I said before.” Mnuchin added, “I was not trying to move the dollar.”

        Trump: US Hopes For Dialogue With Russia. Reuters (1/26, Pinchuk) cites Russia’s TASS news agency in reporting Trump on Friday said his Administration “hope[s] for” dialogue with Moscow.

        European Executives Courted Trump At Davos Dinner. Reuters (1/26, Steitz) reports “European corporate bosses outdid each other in bragging about their U.S. businesses to...Trump at a dinner late on Thursday, who responded by saying he likes German elevators and takes an aspirin a day.” According to Reuters, the “leaders of Europe’s top industrial, oil, healthcare and tech groups all rushed to briefly describe their activities in the United States in hope of a favorable response.”

        In an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box (1/26, 2:35, Kernen) that aired Friday, the President said, “When I decided to come to Davos I didn’t think in terms of elitists or globalists. I think I thought in terms of lots of people that want to invest lots of money, and they’re all coming back to the United States, they’re coming back to America. And I thought of it much more in those terms. After I said that I was going there were massive stories about the elite, and the globalists, and the planes flying in, and everything else. It’s not about that. It’s about coming to America, investing your money, creating jobs, companies coming in. We’re setting records every week, every day we’re setting records.” In addition, Bloomberg News (1/26, Pettypiece) highlights that as the first sitting US president to attend the World Economic Forum in 18 years, Trump “made his government’s presence felt with a large delegation of Cabinet secretaries and top White House aides.”

        Trump Booed For Condemning “Vicious” And “Fake” Media. The Washington Times (1/26, Boyer) reports Trump during a discussion at the WEF with the event’s founder Klaus Schwab “said one of the reasons for his success in private enterprise was his ability to be ‘treated really well by the press,’” whereas when he became a politician, “I realized how nasty, how mean, how vicious and how fake the press can be.”

        According to the Los Angeles Times (1/26, Bennett), the President’s remark “sparked a smattering of boos and hisses from the crowd, which included world leaders, heads of global companies, intellectuals and foreign media.” The Hill (1/26, Manchester) “Briefing Room” blog reports Schwab was also booed after he said Trump’s leadership “is open to misconceptions and biased interpretations. ... Therefore it is so essential for us in the room to listen directly to you.”

        Media Analyses: Trump’s Davos Speech Overshadowed By Russia Probe, China’s Growth. The lead story for Fox News’ Special Report (1/26, 6:01 p.m. EDT, Wallace), for example, said as Trump returns from his “two-day sales trip to Europe,” he faces “new questions” about the alleged attempt to fire Mueller. Correspondent Chris Wallace reported briefly that while in Davos, Trump asserted that the “US is open for business, and as America grows, so does everyone else.” Leading ABC World News Tonight (1/26, lead story, 3:25, Muir), chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl similarly reported, “Appearing before a gathering in Davos, Switzerland of some of the world’s most richest and most powerful, the President took credit for an American comeback,” but that “message was overshadowed” by the allegation.

        Kristen Welker said in the lead story for NBC Nightly News (1/26, story 2, 2:40, Holt) that while in Davos, Trump was “lashing out” at the “reports he ordered the firing of special counsel Robert Mueller last June.” The White House is “on defense,” but Trump will return from “Davos tonight where he’ll have to confront these new developments.” A Bloomberg News (1/26, Hunter) analysis similarly declares the probe “loom[ed] over Trump’s Davos show” and “risk[ed] distracting from the president’s speech” at the World Economic Forum as well as his first State of the Union address.

        Meanwhile, a Washington Post (1/26, Tharoor) analysis says “Trump’s star turn in Davos was prefigured by Chinese President Xi Jinping,” who “took center stage” at the World Economic Forum last year with “a defense of globalization and the liberal world order that was hardly typical of Chinese leaders.” According to the Post, “Xi, perhaps unwittingly, threw down a gauntlet that Trump and numerous other leaders have picked up. Virtually every world leader who spoke this week in Davos, beginning with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, weighed in on the ‘populism vs. globalism’ debate shadowing the Trump era. And all, in various ways, articulated a defense of globalization and policies that recognize and foster international ties.”

        Fact Checks Examine Exaggerations In Trump’s Davos Comments. According to a New York Times (1/26, Qiu) “Fact Check,” Trump’s remarks at the World Economic Forum “mixed facts, falsehoods and claims that could use context,” which the Wall Street Journal (1/26, Eisen) says includes his comment in a CNBC’s Squawk Box (1/26, 4:25, Kernen) interview that the US stock market would have fallen dramatically if Hillary Clinton had been elected.

        The AP (1/26, Rugaber) reports that “while discounting some of Trump’s more grandiose claims, many economists agree that he has generally made the United States more welcoming for businesses.” The AP adds that executives attending the WEF “were generally bullish about Trump’s agenda and the business climate he is helping build in the United States.”

        Lighthizer Does Not Signal Resolution To WTO Crisis. Reuters (1/26, Miles) reports USTR Lighthizer” gave no clue at a meeting with 28 other envoys on Friday about what price the United States might set for dropping a veto that is threatening to cripple the World Trade Organization.” According to Reuters, the Administration “is blocking the appointment of judges to the WTO’s Appellate Body, hobbling what is effectively the supreme court of global trade,” and “many trade ministers and ambassadors attending a closed-door meeting on Friday in the Swiss resort of Davos expressed ‘particular concern’ about the situation, Swiss State Secretary Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch said in her published concluding remarks.” An attendee told Reuters, “Virtually everyone mentioned it (the U.S. veto). The only one who didn’t mention it was Lighthizer.”

        Nielsen Does Not Mention American Workers During Immigration Panel At WEF. Breitbart (1/26, Binder) reports Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen in a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum “touted a merit-based legal immigration system and the importance of legal immigrants assimilating to American culture,” but she “ignored the crushing impact of immigration on American workers, opting, instead, to say that immigration had two sides to please: foreign nationals and the business community.”

        WEF Hosts Panels About Sexual Harassment For The First Time. “In its own way, the #MeToo moment has come to Davos,” Bloomberg News (1/26, Simmons, Green, Campbell) reports, with at least two panels that “tackled sexual harassment head on, the first time it’s been a topic of official discussion at the World Economic Forum.” According to Bloomberg, “The forum’s seven co-chairs this year were women, and while the attendees are still overwhelmingly male, among the younger set, half are female.”

        Dow Rises 224 Points After Trump Speech On Friday, Extends Gain So Far In 2018 To 7.7 Percent. USA Today (1/26, Shell) reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average “jumped more than 220 points on Friday to cap off another week with a fresh record high in the stock market.” USA Today says the Dow “continued its surge to kick off 2018, rallying nearly 545 points this week to extend its year-to-date gain to 7.7%. The Dow, which has posted 11 record highs this year in just 18 trading days, closed at 26,616.71.” USA Today adds the Standard & Poor’s 500 index and Nasdaq composite also made “fresh record highs Friday.” According to USA Today, the gains followed Trump’s speech at the WEF that “promoted America’s recent successes, including a record high stock market, the highest consumer confidence in nearly two decades and low unemployment.”

Trump Denies NYTimes Claim That He Tried To Fire Mueller Last Year.

The Wall Street Journal (1/26, Bender, Ballhaus, Nicholas) reports President Trump at the World Economic Forum on Friday asserted a front-page New York Times article that claims he had considered firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller last June was “fake news,” but “a person familiar with the matter told” Reuters (1/26, Freifeld) that Trump “sought to have Mueller removed over what the president perceived as conflicts of interest,” and said that White House Counsel Donald McGahn “did not issue an ultimatum directly to the president but told then White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and then chief strategist Steve Bannon he wanted to quit because he was ‘fed up with the president.’”

        On the CBS Evening News (1/26, story 3, 1:25, Glor), chief White House correspondent Major Garrett said that since Trump decided against firing Mueller, “more than 20 White House staff members, and nearly that many from the Trump campaign, have submitted to voluntary interviews with Mueller and his team, and more than 20,000 pages of documents have been turned over – clear evidence that the President has followed the persistent advice from his legal team which can be summarized as follows: Leave Mueller alone.” In a follow-up CBS Evening News (1/26, story 4, 1:10, Glor) segment, justice reporter Paula Reid acknowledged the Times article “certainly adds an awkward dynamic to any possible interview between...Mueller’s team and Mr. Trump. But, if this does come up, the President or his lawyers, they’ll have two key arguments.” She added they will argue Trump “had valid reasons for thinking that Mueller had, possibly, conflicts of interest. And they’re also going to point out that he didn’t actually follow through once he talked to his attorneys.”

        However, ABC World News Tonight’s (1/26, story 2, 0:45, Muir) chief legal analyst Dan Abrams suggested, “If it’s determined that the purpose of it was to end the investigation, that could be a piece in a possible obstruction of justice case. Because remember, the intent is what matters there, but it’s also important to remember how much of a bigger deal it would have been to fire Robert Mueller than to fire James Comey.”

        A Washington Post (1/26, Blake) analysis declares the reporting “follows the pattern of so many other attempts by Trump to manipulate law enforcement and those overseeing the Russia probe” while Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor who is currently a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP, writes in Politico Magazine (1/26, Mariotti) that it raises the likelihood “that Mueller will conclude that Trump obstructed justice.” In a more than 3,400-word article, Politico Magazine (1/26, Gee) also interviewed a dozen legal experts about “whether they think Mueller now has enough evidence to pursue obstruction of justice charges against the president, or if a different outcome is more likely.”

        The New York Times (1/26) editorializes that “for a man who insists he has done nothing wrong, President Trump sure acts as if he has something big to hide.” The Times recaps the “long string of firings and lies that establish an undeniable pattern” of an attempt to derail the Russia probe. In a New York Times (1/26, Painter, Eisen) op-ed, Richard Painter, the chief White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush Administration and the vice-chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and Norman Eisen, the White House Special Counsel for Ethics and Government Reform under former President Obama and CREW board chair, similarly discuss how the President’s behavior “strongly suggests that...Trump has been wrongfully trying to block the investigation.” They add the “latest revelations make us even more worried” the President “will in fact fire Robert Mueller, particularly as the investigation closes in on White House officials and perhaps members of the Trump family.” They conclude that “when that shoe drops, or is about to, Mr. Mueller’s job will again be at risk. It is critically important that Congress act now to pass legislation protecting the special counsel from being fired before his investigation and the ensuing prosecutions are concluded.”

        Republicans Downplay Reporting, As Democrats Vow To Defend Mueller’s Probe. In a front-page article, the Washington Post (1/26, A1, Demirjian) reports “Republican leaders show no new urgency to address the matter, saying that the president’s threats are isolated and in the past,” as does Politico (1/26, Schor, Cheney), which says GOP lawmakers on Friday “kept mostly silent about the prospect of another attempted Mueller firing – and about the future of two bipartisan bills designed to prevent it.” Politico reports “Republican senators met Thursday’s reports with a collective shrug,” with the exception of Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley, according to the Washington Times (1/26, Boylan). In an appearance on CNN on Friday, Grassley “urged the White House to let...Mueller’s investigation into Russian election-meddling ‘work its course.’”

        However, Bloomberg News (1/26, House) acknowledges “many” Republicans lawmakers are “worried” as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and “some” of other GOP colleagues have attempted “to undermine the investigations into...Trump [by] aiming their fire at a constituency the GOP has traditionally championed: law enforcement.” In an interview, Rep. Charlie Dent said, “I don’t think it’s in our party’s interest to be at war with the FBI, or the DOJ, for that matter.” Rep. Tom Marino added, “If you’re going to be critical, you got to make sure your not painting with a broad stroke and blaming everybody.” According to a Washington Post (1/26, Phillips) analysis, “the confrontation with the president that Republicans were trying to avoid has just landed on their doorstep.”

        Meanwhile, the New York Times (1/26, Shear, Sullivan) reports Senate Democrats on Friday promised “to ensure that continuing budget negotiations included legislation to protect” Mueller from being fired by Trump. Senate Minority Leader Schumer said, “The most important thing Congress can do right now is to ensure that Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation continues uninterrupted and unimpeded.” Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN (1/26, Tatum), “The President keeps saying, ‘There’s no there, there.’ Well, if there’s no there, there, let these investigations, including our bipartisan Senate intelligence investigation, finish our job.”

        The Washington Times (1/26, Persons) reports Sen. Cory Booker in an appearance on CBS News “said Friday that even a report of firing special counsel Robert Mueller creates problems for President Trump and the country as a whole.” Booker asserted, “It’s a big deal because that effort or that thought about doing it would really plunge our country into a constitutional crisis.” The Hill (1/26, Delk) “Briefing Room” blog reports that Sen. Dianne Feinstein in a statement said Congress “won’t stand for” Trump firing Mueller, Business Insider (1/26, Weiss) reports Sen. Richard Blumenthal called on Congress to pass legislation to “prevent, or at least make it more difficult, for Trump to unilaterally fire Mueller,” and USA Today (1/26, King, Jackson, Today) reports Sen. Chris Coons said in a statement, “It is more important than ever for Congress to act to protect the independence of the Department of Justice, including the Special Counsel investigation.”

        A Washington Post (1/26) editorial credits McGahn “for preventing a constitutional crisis” and calls upon Senate Majority Leader McConnell to “finally take action” on “two bipartisan bills before [Congress] that would insulate the special counsel from the president’s pique.” The Post concludes that the excuses from McConnell and other Congressional leaders “have evaporated. It is time for them to choose: party or country?”

        A New York Times (1/26, Board) editorial denounces House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes for his efforts “to divert attention from the expanding Russia investigation by tossing out sinister-sounding allegations of wrongdoing by federal law enforcement officials.” According to the Times, “even if Mr. Nunes’s memo never sees the light of day, it has done its job – spawning a new wave of conspiracy theories as well as suspiciously timed calls to #ReleasetheMemo amplified across social media, many coming from what a German Marshall Fund tracking project found to be part of Russian-linked influence networks.” The Times adds that “putting aside the irony of members of the law-and-order party delusionally attacking America’s law enforcement community, Mr. Nunes and his ilk are causing real and possibly lasting damage for nothing more than a short-term political win.”

        NYTimes A1 Recounts McGahn’s Efforts To Keep Trump On Message About Mueller Probe. In a front-page article, the New York Times (1/26, Savage) profiles White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II, who “has been thrust squarely into the public eye by the disclosure that in June he threatened to resign in order to stop President Trump from firing Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel leading the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and into whether Mr. Trump committed obstruction of justice. And it is increasingly clear that Mr. McGahn has been at the center of nearly everything Mr. Mueller’s obstruction investigation is scrutinizing.” In addition, according to the Times, “McGahn’s threat to resign is an example of how he has tried to both help and constrain an idiosyncratic client who hates to be managed and defies the norms of the presidency. Not everyone believes he has been successful.”

        Sekulow Uses Daily Radio Show To Defend Trump Against Russia Probe. The Los Angeles Times (1/26, Megerian) reports on how President Trump’s personal lawyer Jay Sekulow “uses his daily, hour-long talk show to rail against the Justice Department and the investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference with the 2016 presidential race and possible obstruction of justice in the Oval Office.” According to the Times, Sekulow is walking “a delicate balancing act. He’s on the air accusing the Justice Department of dark conspiracies and partisan bias even as he helps negotiate the most high-stakes interview of Trump’s life – a potential sit-down with prosecutors for the special counsel.” The Times adds that a President in “potential legal jeopardy” usually “relies on lawyers who carefully craft every public statement. But, like Trump, who has broken the mold on what’s presidential behavior and what isn’t, Sekulow follows a different path.”

        Special Counsel’s Team Interviewed Facebook Staff As Part Of Russia Probe. Wired (1/26, Lapowsky) reports Special Counsel Robert Mueller “and his office have interviewed at least one member of Facebook’s team that was associated with President Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, according to a person familiar with the matter.”

        Dutch Intelligence Aided US Against Russian Hackers In 2014. The Washington Post (1/26, Noack) cites local Dutch media in reporting the country’s “domestic intelligence service AIVD had access to the infamous Russian hacking group Cozy Bear for at least a year starting in mid-2014,” and subsequently “alerted the United States to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election after Netherlands-based officials watched the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and other operations by the Russians, including a 2014 State Department hack.” However, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin “rejected the Dutch reports on Friday, denouncing them as untrustworthy.”

Commerce Department: US GDP Increased By 2.6 Percent In Q4 2017.

“The American economy finished off last year on a firm footing, and is poised for more vigorous growth in the months to come,” the New York Times (1/26, Cohen) reports, according to the Commerce Department’s preliminary estimates released Friday that showed the US gross domestic product “increased at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the final quarter of 2017.” The Times adds that “although that performance amounts to less than the heady 4 percent annual growth that President Trump has promised, it is further evidence – along with a sinking jobless rate and surging consumer confidence – of the economy’s resilience.” In a front-page article, the Wall Street Journal (1/26, A1, Mitchell) reports the GDP increased by 2.5 percent as a whole, which was the largest gain in three years. The Journal adds that the Federal Reserve is also predicting 2.5 percent growth in 2018.

        However, the Washington Post (1/26, A1, Stein) in a front-page article reports US economic growth “slowed unexpectedly at the end of last year, providing a sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s enthusiastic talk about the economy and putting fresh pressure on the Republican tax bill to deliver in a way few independent analysts say it can.” ABC World News Tonight (1/26, story 7, 0:20, Muir) in a brief report said “analysts had expected about 3 percent.” According to Reuters (1/26, Mutikani), the Commerce Department said GDP was “restrained by a widening trade deficit and only modest inventory accumulation.”

        Analysts Suggest State Of The Union May Have Limited Benefit To Stock Market. Reuters (1/26, Carew) reports analysts believe “anybody hoping for a replay of the stock market advance that followed...Trump’s first address to Congress may be disappointed” and “shares could suffer if Trump does not tread carefully on hot-button issues.” Reuters adds that “investors could be rattled by tough talk from Trump on issues including U.S. immigration policy, which has already divided lawmakers in a Republican-controlled Congress and led to a three-day government shutdown.”

        WSJournal: Trump Administration Policies Are Promoting Economic Growth. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (1/26) celebrates 2017’s rapid pace of economic growth, and suggests that the economy may continue to expand far beyond what Obama-era officials expected thank to the rapid corporate response to the GOP tax law’s passage. According to the Journal, the legislation was also praised by CEOs in Davos this week, with J.P Morgan’s Jamie Dimon predicting that the US economy may grow 4 percent this year. The Journal concludes this success proves the Obama Administration’s slow growth was the result of bad policy decisions.

Trump’s Infrastructure Plan “Silent” On Highway Trust Fund’s Revenue Problems, Official Says.

An Administration official told the AP (1/26, Lowy, Miller) that President Trump’s infrastructure proposal “is silent on the looming problem” of Highway Trust Fund insolvency. According to the AP, the Highway Trust Fund spends “$15 billion a year more” than it “takes in through gasoline and diesel taxes,” with total “authorized fund spending for the current federal budget year that ends on Sept. 30” being “about $56 billion.” Organizations from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the US Chamber of Commerce, the American Trucking Associations, and the American Road & Transportation Builders Association favor increasing taxes in some way to fill the funding gap, with ATA President and CEO Chris Spear saying that the tax cuts passed last year give Congress some space to increase taxes elsewhere.

        Details Of Trump Infrastructure Proposal Raise Concerns. Politico (1/28, Gardner) reports the infrastructure plan President Trump is “poised to pitch in Tuesday’s State of the Union is already drawing comparisons to the The [sic] Hunger Games.” While during the campaign he promised a $1 trillion, 10-year blueprint to rebuild America, instead the government would offer just $200 billion, which the Administration says would lure as much as $1.8 trillion of state, local. and private money. However, “Democratic lawmakers and mayors fear the plan would set up a vicious, zero-sum scramble for a relatively meager amount of federal cash,” forcing cities and states to contribute more money, reduce regulation, and create “a surge of privately financed toll roads.” Meanwhile, Republicans are concerned that “relying too heavily on partnerships” will disadvantage sparsely populated rural communities. Meanwhile, “the details that have emerged are unnerving some key infrastructure supporters in Congress, who say it’s unrealistic to propose such a mammoth program without money to pay for it.”

        Short Defends Infrastructure Plan. Marc Short, White House Director of Legislative Affairs, appeared on Fox News Sunday (1/28, Wallace) and was briefly asked about the president’s infrastructure plan. Short said that there is “growing some consensus that it needs to be one of the central parts of the President’s campaign and we think there is bipartisan support for it.” He added that private investment was important because the deficit is so high. He also noted that the “Administration has no plans to gut the Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act” and that “what you’ve seen really over the last year’s by rolling back the burdensome regulations with the previous Administration had put in place, the economy has taken off.”

        Marc Short also appeared on CBS’ Face The Nation (1/28, Cordes) and was queried briefly as to the upcoming State of the Union address. Short said that the President planned to “outline the $1.7 trillion infrastructure plan, but if you look at the fine print, it’s only about $200 billion in federal funds.” He added that the “President is making an enormous impact on our economy.”

New York Times.

“The White House Puts The Bible Before The Hippocratic Oath.” The New York Times (1/28) editorializes that the Administration’s introduction of a “Conscience and Religious Freedom Division” at the Department of Health and Human Service, intending “to enforce laws protecting health care providers’ right to opt out of certain procedures...because of religious objections,” is an elaborate way of telling its conservative base, “We haven’t been able to ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, but we still care.” The Times opines that this move amounts to proposing “provider-centered care” that gives religious objections priority over a patient’s needs. The Times asserts that “freedom of religion is essential — and so is access to health care.”

        “The Gathering Threat To Abortion Rights.” The New York Times (1/28) editorializes that Senate Republicans’ support for “the so-called Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” has provided liberals with “another good reason to flock to the polls in November.” The Times criticizes the legislation as “part of a long-term legislative effort by the anti-abortion movement to gut Roe v. Wade and severely curtail abortion access nationwide,” and labels President Trump’s recent support for anti-abortion politics as something that “seems to be a matter of maintaining evangelical support.” The Times concludes that supporters of abortion rights should protest this legislation during the coming elections in November, as the chances of the 20 week abortion ban like the one proposed in the bill “considerably diminish if the Democrats take back either house of Congress after the 2018 midterm elections.”

Washington Post.

“Unshackled By The Trump Administration, Deportation Agents Discount Decency.” The Washington Post (1/28) says in an editorial that ICE, having been “unshackled by the Trump administration, has intensified its efforts to such a degree that cruelty now seems no impediment to its enforcement decisions, and common sense appears to play a diminishing role.” The Post argues that the agency appears to have “embraced the idea that it is just to sunder established families and separate immigrant parents from their US-born children – even in cases involving garden-variety technical violations of immigration rules.” The Post cites several examples and questions whether “discretion and humanity been dropped from the attributes that Americans can expect of their law enforcement agencies.”

        “The Dark Underside Of Saudi Arabia The Crown Prince Is Loath To Change.” A Washington Post (1/28) editorial acknowledges that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “rightly sees the need to satisfy a restless younger generation by cracking down on endemic corruption, diversifying the economy away from oil and easing the tight grip of the religious police,” but stresses that the crown prince has been simultaneously “overseeing the same intolerant and brutal approach to free expression and human rights that was a trademark of his predecessors.” The Post cautions those “intrigued by the crown prince’s ambitions” to “take note of the stubborn persistence of old thinking when it comes to liberty and rights,” as the kingdom’s “twinkling promises for overseas investors at Davos cannot mask the fact that Saudi Arabia is still what it was five years ago – a dungeon for those who dare speak out.”

        “Mayor Bowser’s Perplexing Reversal On Government Ethics.” The Washington Post (1/28) editorializes that DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s absence “from a push to reduce the influence of money in DC politics” is disappointing. Bowser has objected to “public financing of local campaigns” and “vowed not to include money for it in her proposed budget,” although “that is not an impediment to its implementation, because council members say they will be able to add the needed funds.” The Post concludes that it is time for Bowser to open her eyes to the need for efforts to push money away from DC politics and for her to deliver “the kind of leadership she showed when she steered ethics reform through the council” as Ward 4’s representative prior to becoming mayor.

Wall Street Journal.

“Fusion’s Russia Dirty Work.” In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (1/28, Board) says that recent testimony before Congress by Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson shows that both he and his firm sought – to the benefit of Russia – to undermine Bill Browder, a human-rights activist and opponent of the Kremlin who hired Russian attorney Sergei Magnitsky to probe a 2007 Russian raid on Browder’s investment firm. The Journal says that Magnitsky’s investigation brought to light financial fraud carried out by corrupt officials and organized crime. In response, Russia arrested Magnitsky, holding him for more than a year, torturing him, and he died while in captivity. The Journal says Simpson’s company pushed Russian propaganda on the subject when Fusion was hired in 2014 to help a Russian company called Prevezon that was the focus of a federal civil money-laundering case linked to the fraud Magnitsky exposed.

        “The Next Money Fund Bailout.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28) editorializes that a bill written by Congressional Republicans that would allow certain money-market mutual funds to report a net-asset value of $1, even if the relevant securities are not worth $1, would dismantle one of the few worthwhile reforms that came out of the 2008 financial crisis. The Journal opines that money-market funds shouldn’t be considered risk-free investments with taxpayer guarantees attached. It also asserts that a floating NAV will allow investors to understand market risks, which will reduce the chances of another bank bailout being necessary in the future.

        “Marquette And The First Amendment.” The Wall Street Journal (1/28) editorializes that Marquette professor John McAdams cannot be fired for criticizing a graduate instructor’s refusal to entertain the traditional same-sex marriage views of an undergraduate student in her class. The Journal opines that this would constitute a violation of McAdams’ First Amendment rights, which would violate his contract with the university. The Journal notes that the Wisconsin Supreme Court has granted McAdams’ request to take up his suit against the university.

Headlines From Today’s Front Pages.

Wall Street Journal:
Global Stocks Roar Into 2018, Making Some Investors Even More Nervous
Intel Told Chinese Firms Of Chip Flaws Before US Government
Wynn Fallout Ripples As Republicans Seek Distance
Do School Vouchers Work? Milwaukee’s Experiment Suggests An Answer

New York Times:
Oil Boom Gives The US A New Edge In Energy And Diplomacy
Chuck Close Is Out At The National Gallery Of Art. Is Picasso Next?
Indian Slavery Once Thrived In New Mexico. Latinos Are Finding Family Ties To It.
Olympic Dreams Of A United Korea? Many In South Say, “No, Thanks”
Ingvar Kamprad, Founder Of Ikea And Creator Of A Global Empire, Dies At 91
Bruno Mars And Kendrick Lamar Win Big At The Grammys

Washington Post:
Fitness App’s Map Reveals Location Of US Troops
States Look To Expand Medicaid
Evangelical Passion For Israel May Be Peaking
#MeToo Has A “Chilling Effect” In The Workplace
Leaving A Dilemma At The Wall
Kochs Learn To Live With, And Even Laud, Trump

Financial Times:
UK Demands To Vet Legislation Threaten Brexit Transition Talks
Ikea Founder Ingvar Kamprad Dies Aged 91
Money For Nothing? Finns Tot Up Value Of Basic Income Experiment
Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Released After Arrest

Washington Times:
Trump Offers ‘Wonderful Deal’ For Dreamers In Part To Expose Democrats’ Political Games
Eight Years After Obama’s Unusual State Of The Union Attack, Citizens United Endures
Coast Guard Rape Conviction Overturned After Court’s Scathing Attack On Women-Packed Jury
TV Host Mike Rowe Laments Loss Of Gun Appreciation, Vocational Education
Music To Their Ears: Classics Act Fixes Recording Artists’ ‘Pre-72’ Royalty Problem
Maduro Pulls A Fast One With Disorganized Opposition By Expediting Venezuela’s Election

Story Lineup From Last Night’s Network News:
ABC: Trump-Interview; Trump-FBI Memo; Steve Wynn-Sexual Scandal; Flu Epidemic; Flu Epidemic-Expert Opinion; Pittsburgh-Car Wash Shooting; Florida-Elementary School Arrest; Russia-Anti-Putin Protest; Kabul-Ambulance Bombing; Severe Weather; Tax Return Scam; Waste Plant Fire; Sen. Rubio-Staff Firing; Actor-Sexual Allegation; Orca Sighting; First Responder Graduation.
CBS: Preempted by the Grammy Awards.
NBC: Preempted by NHL coverage.

Story Lineup From This Morning’s Radio News Broadcasts:
ABC: Trump-State Of Union; Pittsburgh-Car Wash Shooting; Grammy Awards; Airport Stowaway Woman.
CBS: Grammy Awards; Russia Probe-WH; Congress-Immigration Policy; ATM Robbery; Australian Open Winner.
FOX: Trump-State Of Union; Pittsburgh-Car Wash Shooting; Grammy Awards.
NPR: Trump-State Of Union; NAFTA Renegotiation; Poland-Holocaust; EU-Brexit; Grammy Awards.

Today’s Events In Washington.

White House:
PRESIDENT TRUMP — Participates in the swearing-in ceremony for the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Alex Azar; has lunch with the United Nations Security Council.
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE — No public schedule announced.
US Senate: 2:00 PM Senate due to hold procedural vote on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act – Senate convenes and resumes consideration of the motion to proceed to ‘S.2311, Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act’, with agenda due to include a vote on the motion * If the motion fails, the chamber then votes on a motion to invoke on the nomination of David Ryan Stras to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit Location: U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC http://www.senate.gov/
US House: 2:00 PM House returns from recess – House of Representatives returns after District Work Period, meeting for legislative business at 2:00 PM EST Location: U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC http://www.house.gov/

        5:00 PM House Rules Committee hearing – Hearing on Senate Amendments to ‘H.R. 695’ – the legislative vehicle for the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 Location: U.S. Capitol, H-313, Washington, DC http://www.rules.house.gov/ https://twitter.com/RulesReps

Other: 8:00 AM State of the Net 2018 conference – Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee State of the Net 2018 conference, with speakers including Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Republican Reps. Greg Walden and Bob Goodlatte, Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Assistant Secretary of Commerce David Redl, incoming Federal Election Commission Vice Chair Ellen Weintraub, Zello CEO Bill Moore, and futurist Amy Webb Location: Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC www.stateofthenet.org https://twitter.com/SOTN #SOTN2018

        10:00 AM Brookings discussion on what to expect from President Trump’s first State of the Union address – ‘What to expect from Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address’ Brookings Institution panel discussion, on which post-tax-bill priorities the president is likely to highlight and an emphasis on how well they will align with the priorities of his political base and with those of Congress. Panelists include Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative Director and Metropolitan Policy Program Economic Studies and Governance Studies Senior Fellow Camille Busette, Governance Studies Fellow Molly Reynolds, Center for Effective Public Management Deputy Director John Hudak, and Brown Center on Education Policy Governance Studies Fellow Jon Valant Location: The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC http://www.brookings.edu https://twitter.com/BrookingsInst #SOTU

        10:00 AM Qatari defense minister speaks at Heritage Foundation – ‘US-Qatari Military-to-Military Relations’ Heritage Foundation discussion with Qatari Defense Affairs Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah, focusing on US-Qatar military relations and its impact on long-term security in the region Location: Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC www.heritage.org https://twitter.com/Heritage

        2:30 PM The Washington Post host State of the Union preview – The Washington Post preview President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address (tomorrow) and the coming legislative year with Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, Independent Sen. Angus King, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile, former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, and former Special Assistant to President Trump, Marc Lotter Location: The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington, DC https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-live/?utm_term=.291195fb672e https://twitter.com/washingtonpost

Late Night Political Humor.

No late-night talk show aired on Sunday night.