WH Set Up Meeting With Porter And Reporters, Why Omarosa Was Fired, And CNN Preps For Dozens Of Layoffs

February 13th, 2018 Top Stories --------------------------------------------------------------- [Report: WH Set Up Off Record Briefing With Porter After Ex-Wife’s Photo Posted]( The Gist: Shortly after the Daily Mail published a photo of Rob Porter’s wife with a black eye, the White House arranged an off-the-record briefing with Porter and four reporters, Politico reported Tuesday morning. [Porter’s Ex-Wife Criticizes Conway For Suggesting Hicks Couldn’t Face Abuse]( The Gist: Colbie Holderness, the first wife of former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, spoke out in a Monday night Washington Post op-ed to criticize White House counselor Kellyanne Conway’s suggestion that Hope Hicks was too “strong” to become a victim of domestic abuse. [Report: Omarosa Manigault Fired Over Use Of White House Car Service]( The Gist: Omarosa Manigault left the White House in December, and while it was reported that Manigault’s departure from the White House grounds was dramatic, the exact reasons for her departure were unclear at the time. From The Reporter's Notebook --------------------------------------------------------------- One problem with the frenzied news cycle around a uniquely unfit President has been that the longer stories of his administration have been obscured by the seemingly hourly scandals. One of those is the problem of Trump's weakness on American sanctions and his apparent adoration for Russian authoritarian leader Vladimir Putin, [TPM's Sam Thielman reports](. TPM talked to Amy Knight, a Russianist, academic and author of six books about contemporary Russia. Knight pointed out that Putin has used kompromat on his enemies before: "In 1998, there was a prosecutor-general while Yeltsin was still president and Putin was head of the FSB before he became prime minister and subsequently president. This guy, Yury Skuratov, caused trouble because he found out about the corruption that was part of Yeltsin and his family, so they decided they needed to do something about it. Skuratov was filmed—he had a weakness for prostitutes—he was shown the video and told that he should resign, and he said no. So they showed the video on TV and he quickly resigned." Agree Or Disagree? --------------------------------------------------------------- Josh Marshall: "This President surrounds himself with men who abuse women. Abuse and predation may know no party. But abusers seek out and run together. Trump’s politics are rooted in grievance, both gendered and racial. [Trump is consistent if nothing else](. He is an embodiment of his politics. It’s no surprise that this isn’t theoretical or merely expressed in political terms but is interpersonal and personally violent as well. Abusers know the President is one of them. They seek him out and he protects them in turn. Few men in the President’s coterie have multiple wives who’ve been willing to take the step of describing their former husband’s violence on the record. But it’s remarkable the number of Trump’s top advisors who have a history of abuse, whether it’s accusations of harassment or sexual assault or chronic physical violence against former spouses or girlfriends." Say What?! --------------------------------------------------------------- "The office of sheriff is a critical part of the Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement." - Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Monday [praising]( the “Anglo-American heritage of law enforcement” in a speech to the National Sheriffs’ Association. BUZZING: Today in the Hive --------------------------------------------------------------- From a TPM Prime member: "Wow, just wow! Nunes can't come up with enough fake news from Fox Propaganda Channel or WND so he literally has to PAY to make up his own fake news. Welcome to the modern Republican party." Related: [‘News’ Site Run By Nunes Campaign Goes Offline After Report Exposes It]( Have something to add? Become a [Prime]( member and join the discussion [here](. What We're Reading --------------------------------------------------------------- California Launches Aetna Probe After Stunning Admission ([CNN]( CNN, Despite Trump Bump, Prepares For Dozens Of Layoffs ([Vanity Fair]( [unsubscribe from this list]( | [update subscription preferences]( | [view email in browser](