Day 54: Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Morning

Judge Napolitano tells FOX & Friends that three intelligence sources have told FOX News that President Obama used GSHQ (British intelligence) to perform surveillance (@foxandfriends) (Conservative Treehouse)

Julian Assange sends series of tweets this morning claiming Hillary Clinton and other establishment intelligence groups are pushing for a “Pence takeover” of the White House

• “Clinton stated privately this month that she is quietly pushing for a Pence takeover. She stated that Pence is predictable hence defeatable.” (@JulianAssange)
• “Two IC officials close to Pence stated privately this month that they are planning on a Pence takeover. Did not state if Pence agrees.” (@JulianAssange)
•  “It should be noted that both the officials close to Pence and Hillary Clinton spoke of moving towards an ‘impeachment’ not other action.” (@JulianAssange)

VP Pence responds to Assange’s tweets of a “takeover,” calls it “absurd and frankly offensive” (CNN archive)

Budgetary impact of EO “Comprehensive Plan for Reorganizing Executive Departments and Agencies” (White House)

Obama administration spent $36.2 million on legal costs defending their refusal to hand over federal documents under FOIA in 2016.  (CBS News)

• second consecutive year that Obama administration set a record for claiming it could not find requested recoreds
• set additional record for denial of access to files

“JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!” (@realDonaldTrump)

President Trump meets with Saudi deputy crown prince (Reuters)

Afternoon

President Trump tweets article by Bloomberg showing great optimism among U.S. CEOs, promises even better results (@realDonaldTrump) (Bloomberg)

Press Secretary Spicer holds Press Briefing (White House YouTube) (White House)

• White House rejects CBO estimates of people losing coverage, instead argues that people will have greater choice while others will forgo coverage
• John Gizzi manages to fall asleep, later wakes up to ask a question

Department of State Press Briefing (State.gov)

Secretary of State Tillerson says the UN Human Rights council must reform or the U.S. will leave (The Hill)

Rep Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) introduces legislation “opposing fake news and alternative facts” BIll can be read on Espaillat’s House webpage (PDF)

Number of sanctuary cities nears 500 (Washington Times)

Evening

Swearing in of CMS Admin Seema Verma (White House YouTube) (White House)

Rachel Maddow says she will reveal Trump’s tax returns tonight at 9:00 PM (@maddow)

• UPDATE: Trump releases his own taxes ahead of TV report (AP)
  • Trump paid $38 million in taxes on $150 million in income in 2005
  • 25% tax, more than Bernie (13.5%) and Obama (19%)
• White House statement (Mediaite)