Tuesday, February 10 | By Cate Martel |
|
|
It's Tuesday. This is a big day in the DMV. The cold spell is breaking! It's already above freezing today! 🥳 *cue collective exhale* | More Epstein file names unredacted amid pressure GOP senator reads full files, changes tune Johnson, Thune meet to discuss DHS funding Trump's immigration chiefs testify EPA to repeal landmark climate change finding
|
More names have been unredacted: |
The Justice Department (DOJ) unredacted more names in the files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation after pressure from two key lawmakers. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) reviewed the full Epstein files without redactions and say they spotted at least six names of people who were likely being protected by their names being redacted. Massie's criticism: "Massie specifically referenced three documents on the social platform X that featured heavy redactions: an unclassified list of 20 individuals that initially only displayed the names of Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell; email correspondence in 2009 between Epstein and a man Massie said appears to be a sultan; and an FBI memo of possible co-conspirators of Epstein compiled days after he died by suicide." In response, the DOJ announced it unredacted the names of 16 additional people on the 20-person list and unredacted more information in another document, with a top official saying the administration is committed to transparency. Read more on the latest actions. 💬 Follow today's live blog |
➤ NEW — COMMERCE CHIEF ADMITS TO VISITING EPSTEIN'S ISLAND: |
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted to senators on Tuesday that he visited Epstein's island in 2012, despite previously saying he vowed not to be in the same room as Epstein after meeting him in 2005. Lutnick said his wife and children were with him and said he didn't witness any of the sex crimes that are alleged to have taken place on the island. Lutnick's words: "My wife was with me as were my four children and nannies. I had another couple — they were there as well with their children. And we had lunch on the island. That is true, for an hour, and we left with all of my children, with my nannies, and my wife, all together. We were all together," Lutnick testified to senators. "I don't recall why we did it," he said. |
➤ ONE GOP SENATOR NOW SEES WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT: |
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) says she now understands "what the big deal is" after reviewing the full, unredacted Epstein files. Lummis's words: "I've not been one of the members who has glommed on to this as an issue," Lummis told journalist Pablo Manríquez. "I've sort of intentionally deferred to others to find out about it. But 9-year-old victims … Wow." "Well, initially, my reaction to all this was, 'I don't care. I don't know what the big deal is.' But now I see what the big deal is, and it was worth investigating," she added. "And the members of Congress that have been pushing this were not wrong. So that's really my only reaction." |
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) just unveiled a new bill alongside Epstein survivors, which would end the statute of limitations on federal sex-trafficking crimes. 💻 Watch Schumer's announcement The law is named for Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's most prominent accusers, who died by suicide last April at the age of 41. |
➤ NEW REPORTING — WHAT A PALM BEACH POLICE CHIEF SAYS TRUMP TOLD HIM: |
The Miami Herald's Julie K. Brown reports that in 2006, President Trump called then-Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter and told him that "everyone" knew about Epstein's activities. "'Thank goodness you're stopping him, everyone has known he's been doing this,' Trump told Reiter, according to a 2019 FBI interview with Reiter contained in the Justice Department's Epstein case files," Brown reported. The former police chief said Trump also told him that Ghislaine Maxwell was "evil and to focus on her." An FBI official has denied Trump called Reiter. "We are not aware of any corroborating evidence that the President contacted law enforcement 20 years ago," the official told the Miami Herald. |
Soo, about that DHS funding …: |
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expires on Friday, and Republicans and Democrats are still very far from an agreement to extend its funding. Happening today: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is set to meet with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to discuss DHS funding, per The Hill's Emily Brooks. Where things stand: Trump's Republican allies in the Senate are ready to go to war with Democrats over their proposed immigration enforcement reforms. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is expected to be heavily involved. What to expect: Both Republicans and Democrats are bracing for a shutdown later this week. Read Alexander Bolton's reporting: 'Senate GOP set to go to battle over Trump's ICE, CBP policies' |
Let's hear from the immigration chiefs: |
The heads of the agencies enforcing Trump's mass deportation policy are testifying on Capitol Hill today. Here are the highlights: 🔷 Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell (Calif.) asked acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons to apologize to the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. citizens who were killed by federal immigration officers in Minnesota. "No sir," Lyons replied. 🔷 Republican Rep. Mike McCaul (Texas) says he believes Greg Bovino, the former commander at large of the Border Patrol, escalated the situation in Minnesota. |
➤ A CONCESSION IN A HOUSE RACE IN NEW JERSEY:
|
"New Jersey progressive candidate Analilia Mejia looked set to clinch the Democratic nomination in the race for Gov. Mikie Sherrill's (D) old House seat Tuesday after former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), her closest rival, conceded," reports The Hill's Brandon Conradis and Julie Mueller. |
"Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary testified this morning on rising housing costs. 💻 Watch |
|
|
Trump's EPA says JK about a major climate change finding: |
The Trump administration is set to repeal a 2009 landmark legal finding that determined climate change poses a risk to the public. The Wall Street Journal reported this on Monday night. Read: 'Trump to Repeal Landmark Climate Finding in Huge Regulatory Rollback' What this means: "The final rule, set to be made public later this week, removes the regulatory requirements to measure, report, certify and comply with federal greenhouse-gas emission standards for motor vehicles, and repeals associated compliance programs, credit provisions and reporting obligations for industries, according to administration officials." What this *doesn't* mean: "It wouldn't apply to rules governing emissions from power plants and other stationary sources such as oil-and-gas facilities, the officials said. But repealing the finding could open up the door to rolling back regulations that affect those facilities." |
The next round of the Canadian trade war, ding, ding: |
Trump threatened to block the opening of a bridge that connects the U.S. and Canada, demanding that Canada negotiates with the U.S. in trade talks "IMMEDIATELY." "I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve," the president posted, referring to the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which would connect Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. |
|
|
The House and Senate are in. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EST) |
12:30 p.m. Senators meet for weekly caucus meetings. 📆 Today's agenda 1 p.m. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt briefs reporters. 💻 Livestream 1:30 p.m. First and last House votes for the day. 📆 Today's agenda 4:30 p.m. Trump participates in "signing time." 5:30 p.m. Trump participates in a policy meeting. 7 p.m. Trump attends a private dinner in the White House. |
|
|
🍫 Celebrate: Today is National Cream Cheese Brownie Day. ⛷️ Good for this guy!: A German ski jumper has a big fear of heights. He even had to pull out of a World Cup race last year because of it, according to The Athletic. Well, he just won gold at the Winter Olympics. |
📺 Miss the previous issue of this newsletter? Catch up with a 1-minute video. |
|
|
400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 |
© 1998 - 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment