| | | | Trump: 'We're doing very well on health care' | | From CNN's MJ Lee, Deirdre Walsh and Lauren Fox: President Donald Trump touted progress as top House Republicans may be nearing a significant breakthrough on efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, one month after a Republican health care bill was pulled from the House floor.
The leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, and the head of the moderate Tuesday Group, New Jersey Rep. Tom MacArthur, are working toward a deal that could bring 18 to 20 new "Yes" votes from the conference's conservative wing, according to a source familiar with the talks. But it's not clear there would be enough votes in the broader GOP House conference to pass the bill. The White House and GOP leadership have been involved in the talks and are aware of the latest progress, the source added.
Trump weighs in: During a news conference Thursday, Trump said, "We're doing very well on health care," that the legislative effort is "evolving" and that "there was never a give-up." "I want to get both. Are you shocked?" he asked in reference to health care and passing a continuing resolution to fund the government next week. | | "I really am amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order that stops the President of the United States from what appears to be clearly his statutory and constitutional power." -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions, not appearing to be a fan of Hawaii in an interview on "The Mark Levin Show." | | | | Here are the responses from Hawaii's two senators -- both Democrats -- to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' remarks: | | US prepares charges to seek WikiLeaks' Assange's arrest | | From Evan Perez, Pamela Brown, Shimon Prokupecz and myself: US authorities have prepared charges to seek the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, US officials familiar with the matter tell CNN.
The Justice Department investigation of Assange and WikiLeaks dates to at least 2010, when the site first gained wide attention for posting thousands of files stolen by the former US Army intelligence analyst now known as Chelsea Manning.
Prosecutors have struggled with whether the First Amendment precludes the prosecution of Assange, but now believe they have found a way to move forward.
During President Barack Obama's administration, Attorney General Eric Holder and officials at the Justice Department determined it would be difficult to bring charges against Assange because WikiLeaks wasn't alone in publishing documents stolen by Manning. Several newspapers, including The New York Times, did as well. The investigation continued, but any possible charges were put on hold, according to US officials involved in the process then.
The US view of WikiLeaks and Assange began to change after investigators found what they believe was proof that WikiLeaks played an active role in helping Edward Snowden, a former NSA analyst, disclose a massive cache of classified documents. | | | Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, visited President Donald Trump in the White House -- and while she was there, posed in front of Hillary Clinton's official portrait with guests Kid Rock and Ted Nugent. She posted this picture on her Facebook page. | | 3 things you might have missed today | | Judge Curiel is back: A highly unusual and racially charged episode from the 2016 campaign suddenly resurfaced this week when a federal judge whom President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized -- Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in Indiana but whose Mexican heritage Trump attacked in a way many saw as racially insensitive -- was assigned to hear the case of a man who claims he was improperly deported. More from CNN's Tal Kopan and Laura Jarrett.
Chaffetz: No scandal: From Politico's Jake Sherman: "Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz -- who shocked the political establishment when he announced his retirement earlier this week -- said that he has already started looking for post-congressional employment, and hopes to serve on boards of directors and link up with a television network. ... 'I might depart early,' he said in the interview. 'It's not tomorrow, it's not next week. If it is, it's going to be in the months to come.' Asked if he is resigning because of a yet-to-be revealed scandal, Chaffetz said, 'Absolutely, positively not.'"
Obama calls Macron: Former President Barack Obama privately telephoned French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron on Thursday -- a conversation that Macron promptly made public by uploading the call, on speakerphone, to Twitter. More from CNN's Kevin Liptak and Theodore Schleifer. | | | The FBI is cracking down on leaks by restricting contact between its employees and journalists. ... President Donald Trump on Thursday said he does not believe the United States should continue to play a role in stabilizing Libya. ... Capitol Police arrested several people at a D.C. marijuana giveaway a short walk from the Capitol building, highlighting the divide between national and local drug laws. | | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Check out Five Things for Your New Day, CNN's morning newsletter. Give us five minutes, and we'll brief you on all the news and buzz people will be talking about. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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