Tillerson Fired, GOPer Says House Russia Probe Went 'Off The Rails,' And How NRA Changed Trump's Mind On Gun Control

March 13th, 2018 Top Stories --------------------------------------------------------------- [Rex Tillerson Out As Secretary Of State, CIA Director Pompeo Will Replace Him]( The Gist: Rex Tillerson will leave his role as secretary of state, President Donald Trump announced in a tweet Tuesday morning. [GOP Rep.: House Intel Probe Ended Because Panel Went ‘Off The Rails’ (VIDEO)]( The Gist: Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL) on Monday night indicated that it was time for the House Intelligence Committee to conclude its Russia investigation because the panel has merely become a forum for partisan bickering. [WaPo: Roger Stone Told Associate About Contact With Julian Assange In 2016]( The Gist: In the spring of 2016, political operative and associate to then-candidate Donald Trump Roger Stone reportedly told an associate that he had learned that WikiLeaks had obtained emails that would make top Democrats like John Podesta sweat. From The Reporter's Notebook --------------------------------------------------------------- Republicans are feeling gloomy about a special election in a deep-red House district in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, [TPM's Cameron Joseph reports]( - and not just because they may lose, but because $10 million worth of outside group efforts hammering on the GOP tax plan and other key parts of their 2018 message haven't moved the needle. If it doesn't work in a district Trump won by 20, where will it work? “With all the millions the’ve spent, they’re not anywhere near where they thought they’d be. They’re just dumping in more money because they don’t know what else to do,” United Steelworkers Political Director Tim Waters, whose union backs Democratic candidate Conor Lamb, told TPM. Agree Or Disagree? --------------------------------------------------------------- Josh Marshall: "In many ways, having sex with a porn star is on-brand for Donald Trump. He spent decades playing up a reputation as a billionaire playboy. These stories seem to have stirred discord in Trump’s marriage. They’re hard to square with his current role as the darling of conservative evangelicals. But they play to the tough guy, dominant and hyper-masculine image he likes to portray. He’s boasted for years about his purported sexual prowess and the Access Hollywood tape and the subsequent string of accusations of various kinds of sexual misconduct confirmed his role as a sexual predator. But Daniels apparently says something different. I’m told that in her 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper Daniels suggests that Trump, how to say this, likes it when women aren’t nice to him, treat him in perhaps denigrating ways. [I think that would be very much off brand for Trump](. It also puts in sharper relief why he and his lawyer seem to be fighting so hard to keep Daniels’ story under wraps." Say What?! --------------------------------------------------------------- "I wanted [Kobach] to look good." - A woman named Jo French [explaining]( why she was testifying to help Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach defend his proof-of-citizenship law in court. BUZZING: Today in the Hive --------------------------------------------------------------- From a TPM Prime member: "There's seems to something most of us are overlooking: that this notary was based in Texas, as was Clifford. Am I the only one that is assuming this is a notary Clifford found to authenticate her signature when she signed the contract that was FedEx'ed to her by Cohen? This seems less likely to be some collosal F'up by Cohen and more an indication that Clifford didn't know a good notary." Related: [Report: Texas Investigating Notary Who Stamped Approval On Stormy Daniels NDA]( Have something to add? Become a [Prime]( member and join the discussion [here](. What We're Reading --------------------------------------------------------------- How Evangelicals Became An Anxious Minority Seeking Political Protection From The Least Traditionally Religious President In Living Memory ([The Atlantic]( Here’s What The NRA Did To Change Trump’s Mind On Gun Control ([Vice News]( [unsubscribe from this list]( | [update subscription preferences]( | [view email in browser](