Tipsheet: Congress reeling from sexual harassment deluge

View in your browser     Congress reeling from sexual harassment deluge By Scott Wong and Mike Lillis      Congressional leaders are struggling to get ahead of the wave of sexual harassment allegations that are engulfing their institution. With no clear roadmap for how to deal with such topics, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other leaders are responding to the allegations on a case-by-case basis — and on the fly. Read the full story here     Listen to the HillCast AM View: Ex-Obama adviser on the 'lie' behind Trump tax cuts, and today's latest news By Alexis Simendinger Gene Sperling, a former national economic adviser to Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, pushed back on the GOP tax plan in an interview with host Alexis Simendinger for The Hill’s Power Politics podcast. Listen to The Hill's podcast here     Trump rallies for Moore ahead of Alabama election By Jesse Byrnes President Trump rallied on behalf of Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore in neighboring Florida on Friday night in an effort to boost the Republican in the final days of the campaign. Read the full story here     Trump knocks CNN: 'You should have been apologizing for the last two years' By Jesse Byrnes President Trump blasted CNN during a campaign rally Friday night, seizing on news of the network issuing a correction for one of its reports related to the Russia probe earlier in the day. Read the full story here     Dina Powell leaving Trump White House By Jordan Fabian and Max Greenwood Deputy national security adviser Dina Powell will step down from her position early next year, the White House said Friday. Powell, who took on the role in March, is among several aides expected to leave the administration following President Trump's first year in office.  Read the full story here     Ex-staffer says Franks offered her $5M to carry his child By Brandon Carter A former aide for Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said Franks offered her $5 million to act as a surrogate for his child, according to a new report a day after Franks announced his resignation. Read the full story here     $220K in taxpayer funds used to settle harassment case involving Fla. Dem: report By Julia Manchester The Treasury Department doled out $220,000 in taxpayer dollars in 2014 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit involving Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), according to a new report. Read the full story here     Flake rebuts Trump: US doesn't have a 'sick' or 'rigged' system By Jesse Byrnes Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) chided President Trump in a tweet Friday night after the president asserted that the U.S. has a "rigged system." Read the full story here     Trump admin scraps Obama-era proposal requiring airlines to disclose bag fees By Melanie Zanona The Trump administration has scrapped an Obama-era proposal requiring airlines and ticket agencies to disclose baggage fees as soon as passengers start the process of buying a ticket. Read the full story here     Rep. Steve King: 'Diversity is not our strength' By Jacqueline Thomsen Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said that diversity is no America's strength in a pair of tweets Friday. Read the full story here     Tax conference announces open meeting next week By Naomi Jagoda The House–Senate conference committee on tax legislation will hold an open meeting on Wednesday afternoon, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) announced Friday. Read the full story here     In Masterpiece Cakeshop case, the Supreme Court will decide what tolerance requires By James Gottry OPINION | If the Supreme Court protects Jack Phillips’s freedoms of expression and conscience, it can demonstrate that “decent and honorable people” may differ on the meaning of marriage, and all of us remain free to peacefully live out our values on that important issue. Read the full story here     Trump is right on Jerusalem By former Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) OPINION | There are few decisions by President Trump which I support. His divisive, damaging policies add layers of well-deserved skepticism, even when we may agree. But I believe that his recognition of Jerusalem is correct. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: Trump’s allies urge harder line as Mueller probe heats up By Peter Nicholas,  Aruna Viswanatha and Erica Orden   The Russia investigation that Donald Trump’s legal team predicted would clear the president by year’s end looks to stretch into 2018, prompting his supporters to ratchet up complaints that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s operation is politically motivated. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Inside the day that set in motion Michael Flynn’s guilty plea By Michael Kranish   On the day that set in motion former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s guilty plea and cooperation with the special counsel, President-elect Donald Trump was ensconced at his Mar-a-Lago resort, contending with the latest news from the Obama White House. Read the full story here     NBC News: Trump’s visit to Mississippi Civil Rights Museum underscores national tension By Phil McCausland   The opening of the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum promised to be a celebratory event long in the making. Civil rights icon John Lewis, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, Rep. Bennie Thompson and Myrlie Evers-Williams — widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers — were slated to attend and commemorate a milestone for a state that has long been haunted by its difficult racial history. Read the full story here     Reuters: Trump lifts refugee ban, but admissions still plummet, data shows By Yeganeh Torbati In late October, President Donald Trump lifted a temporary ban on most refugee admissions, a move that should have cleared the way for more people fleeing persecution and violence to come to the United States. Read the full story here     USA Today: Sexual harassment becomes a political issue with pitfalls for both parties in 2018 By Heidi M. Przybyla   WASHINGTON – A Capitol Hill firestorm over sexual harassment that felled three U.S. lawmakers in one week allows Democrats to draw a loud contrast with Republicans on a cultural flash point rocking the nation – even if it’s hard to measure how much the party will ultimately gain politically. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for The Hill Tipsheet       Forward this Tipsheet           Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.