Each day provides us a brand new news cycle, and it’s hard to keep up. Here’s a short list of the news and notes to keep you informed.
Mulvaney gives up on CFPB
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is no longer protecting finances, it seems. Under Mick Mulvaney, the agency has taken literally no actions. The Associated Press elaborates:
That’s likely no fluke: Mick Mulvaney, appointed acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in late November, promised to shrink the bureau’s mandate and take a much softer approach to enforcement, and records reviewed by The Associated Press indicate he has kept his word.
A review of a CFPB database obtained by the AP through a Freedom of Information request shows that the bureau issued an average of two to four enforcement actions a month under former Director Richard Cordray, President Obama’s appointee. But the database shows zero enforcement actions have been taken since Nov. 21, 2017, three days before Cordray resigned.
What's the president mad about today?
The Michael Cohen raid, of course!
Chris Christie warns Trump: Don't fire Robert Mueller
Via ABC News: "I think the president is really angry about this and expressed it yesterday. . . You can't fire the special prosecutor. You just can't."
Trump cancels South America trip
In a surprise move, the White House announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump wouldn't be going on his scheduled trip to Lima, Peru, for the Summit of the Americas. Instead, Trump would "remain in the United States to oversee the American response to Syria and to monitor developments around the world," according to Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
The White House announced that Vice President Mike Pence would be going in his place.
But, according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman, the president wasn't especially keen on going to South America — something he has yet to do.
Another White House departure
The revolving door to the West Wing keeps going. Another aide to President Donald Trump, Tom Bossert, announced his departure.
“The president is grateful for Tom’s commitment to the safety and security of our great country," the White House said in a statement. "Tom led the White House’s efforts to protect the homeland from terrorist threats, strengthen our cyber defenses, and respond to an unprecedented series of natural disasters. President Trump thanks him for his patriotic service and wishes him well.”
But since this is the Trump White House, it's safer to see this as another power play, rather than a desire to go on to different things.
And what this means? According to insiders, it means more chaos is in store.
There's one big humorous takeaway from the FBI raid on Trump
Thanks to the FBI's raid on President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, history is going to be written with an adult film star playing center stage. And to late night comedians, that's a rich irony.
Trevor Noah hit on that point Monday night, quipping that in the future, teachers will have to explain: "You see, children, when a man pays a woman very much. . ."
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