| | | | Mueller opened the floodgates on Cohen and Manafort |  | | In what has been a slow drip of information on Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the spigot opened up today with insight on four key players:
1) Michael Cohen: Mueller's investigators today asked the court to impose a "substantial term of imprisonment" for Cohen's various finance-related crimes -- and that Cohen "was motivated ... by personal greed, and repeatedly used his power and influence for deceptive ends."
Why it matters: While prosecutors don't mince words about Cohen -- and stop short of calling him a cooperative witness -- they do say he has been helpful in the investigation, providing "relevant and useful information" on contacts with "persons connected to the White House." Cohen is set to be sentenced next Wednesday.
2) Paul Manafort: Manafort lied about five major issues during his cooperation with Mueller's investigation, Mueller's filing said, including his cooperation with administration officials and interaction with a Russian associate.
Why it matters: We found out last week that Mueller's team accused Manafort of lying, and now we know what they think Manafort was lying about. What Manafort knows has been crucial -- he has long been considered the key to several questions central to Mueller's investigation into Russia and the 2016 campaign. This could now lead to more criminal charges.
Meanwhile, Rudy Giuliani said early Friday that Mueller accused Manafort of lying about Trump.
3) James Comey: The former FBI chief faced sharp questions in a closed-door, day-long meeting as Republicans sought answers on Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Comey declined to answer many of them, according to members from both parties.
Why it matters: Comey fought to have this hearing made public: Expect to see a transcript of the interview released in the next 24 hours.
4) John Kelly: Mueller's investigators interviewed the chief of staff about possible obstruction of justice (Kelly is reportedly leaving the administration in coming days).
Why it matters: Kelly is important because he's another senior administration official talking to investigators -- and also joined the Trump team after the campaign wrapped up. It could mean Muller's investigation expands beyond the campaign and transition, since most of the other interviews have been with campaign or transition team members.
The Trump report?: Mueller's report isn't out yet, but President Donald Trump is already beginning to discredit it. Regardless of what Mueller finds, Trump promised his own report, via tweet Friday morning. "We will be doing a major Counter Report to the Mueller Report. This should never again be allowed to happen to a future President of the United States!"
Trump also filled some key vacancies in his administration, naming William Barr as his next attorney general and Heather Nauert, currently at the State Department, as the next UN ambassador -- replacing Nikki Haley.
The would-be 2020 field also came into more focus this week, with Deval Patrick and Michael Avenatti making it official that they won't run. Meanwhile, Democrats like Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Kamala Harris and more seem to be edging closer to running. And Elizabeth Warren's candidacy got a bit more complicated, since it's clear some Democrats still aren't happy with how she handled questions around her Native American heritage.
The Point: Drip, drip, drip. With these new court filings, Mueller's investigation just opened up in a big way -- and this thing isn't over yet.
-- Lauren
And now, a recap of the week in 21 headlines:
Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | | More than 100 pages of documents were filed today related to the Mueller investigation. Go straight to the source and read exactly what was submitted: | | "So often, the President would say here's what I want to do and here's how I want to do it and I would have to say to him, 'Mr. President I understand what you want to do but you can't do it that way. It violates the law.'"
-- Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson giving rare public comments in Houston. Trump fired Tillerson nine months ago. Tillerson has previously been critical of the President -- even once reportedly calling Trump a "moron." Chris has more on how Tillerson exposed Trump's greatest weakness. | | | John Kelly is on his way OUT of the Trump administration, reports CNN's Kaitlan Collins.
But Heather Nauert is IN as the new UN ambassador.
And William Barr is also IN as the next attorney general. | | | The Justin Bieber Christmas album deserves far more credit than it gets, so Lauren's here to right that wrong: Never forget Bieber's iconic rendition of "Drummer Boy" feat. BUSTA RHYMES. | | THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME OVERLAP THERE! | | A new NPR/PBS/Marist poll outlines the top priorities for the coming congressional session for each party:
Republicans:
35% immigration
17% economy and jobs
11% health care
10% foreign policy and terrorism
Democrats:
24% health care
16% economy and jobs
15% climate change
15% guns | |  | Ruth Bader Ginsburg may have cracked three ribs a month ago -- and happens to also be 85 years old -- but she's still sharp as a tack.
Joan Biskupic, CNN legal analyst & Supreme Court biographer, has more from Thursday's Supreme Court deliberations: "Supreme Court arguments Thursday on a case involving double jeopardy immediately turned heated, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was among the most relentless in questioning a lawyer at the lectern.
"When another justice interrupted before the lawyer had finished answering one of Ginsburg's points, she did not give up.
"'May I ask you to just step back so you can complete your answer to my question?' she said emphatically. "Ginsburg's message, explicit then, and implicit in other instances over the past month: I'm still here." | | George H.W. Bush's Secret Service security detail concluded this morning in a sweet way, per spokesman Jim McGrath:
"Timberwolf's Detail concluded at 0600 ... with no incidents to report at the George Bush Presidential Library - College Station, Texas. God speed Former President George H.W. Bush - you will be missed by all of us." | | | | | | |
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