| | | | 5 numbers that prove the Mueller probe isn't a 'big fat hoax' |  | | | On Monday, after a report in The New York Times that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation in 2017 to ascertain whether President Donald Trump was working for Russia and against the United States, he stood in front of reporters and denied it. "I never worked for Russia," Trump said, adding: "And you know that answer better than anybody. Not only did I never work for Russia, I think it's a disgrace that you even asked that question because it's a whole big fat hoax."
Which, in and of itself, is insane. A President of the United States forced to deny, on the record, that he was a Russian agent? I mean, b-a-n-a-n-a-s.
But that craziness aside, it's worth noting what Trump's quote gets flat wrong. I take no issue with his denial of working on behalf of Russia. What I do have a problem with is his description of the ongoing special counsel probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election as a "whole big fat hoax."
That is demonstrably false. And, I'll prove it -- in just five numbers: 192, 36, 7, 4 and 1.
* 192 is the number of overall criminal counts brought by Mueller's team to date
* 36 is the number of people and entities charged in the Mueller probe
* 7 is the number of people who have pleaded guilty in the investigation
* 4 is the number of people who have been sentenced to jail for their wrongdoing unearthed by Mueller
* 1 is the person (Paul Manafort) who was convicted of crimes sniffed out by Mueller's team
And reminder: The Mueller probe isn't over yet. And no one -- up to and including Trump -- knows what Mueller knows and, more importantly, what he can prove.
The Point: Every time the President -- or one of his White House allies -- labels what Mueller is doing as a hoax, remember these numbers. It probably won't shut them up -- but it should.
-- Chris | | "My pox is on all the houses down there."
-- Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, criticizing both parties in Washington for their impasse over the government shutdown. | | | MEET YOUR MEMBER: DUSTY JOHNSON | | Just a few weeks into the job, South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson is one of the members of Congress turning down his congressional paycheck during the shutdown.
Johnson, a Republican, has taken the reins of South Dakota's lone House seat from Kristi Noem, who jumped from Congress to the governor's office in November. The 42-year-old Pierre, South Dakota, native has previously worked as chief of staff for a governor and served as a member of the Rushmore State's public utilities commission.
Now he's working on building the relationships and expertise to navigate the nation's capital -- and maybe turning his staffers into Black Eyed Peas fans.
Lauren Dezenski: In four words, describe your first few weeks in office.
Dusty Johnson: Good people, difficult environment.
LD: What's your top priority in your first term?
DJ: My top priority is building the relationships and expertise necessary to make progress on deregulation, infrastructure and fiscal responsibility.
LD: What's your expectation on what happens with the current partial government shutdown?
DJ: Any reasonable expectation would have held that this thing would have ended weeks ago. That said, we need to reopen our government. That will only happen if there is an effort on both sides to find common ground.
LD: What was your biggest lesson from your campaign?
DJ: There is still a lot more that unites us than divides us, even if that isn't what generates headlines.
LD: Do you have a favorite pump-up song? What is it?
DJ: "Let's Get It Started" by The Black Eyed Peas was my anthem on the campaign trail. The 2004 hit didn't resonate with my younger campaign staffer at first, but by the end of the campaign he was a fan.
LD: Tell me about your favorite food from your district.
DJ: Kuchen is a German cake made with sweet dough and custard. It is incredible, and is the official state dessert of South Dakota.
It's a new week chock-full of more member Q&A's. Is there someone we should talk to from your district? Email lauren.dezenski@cnn.com with your suggestions -- and a BIG thanks to all of you who have already reached out! | | | Chris REALLY likes the new Death Cab for Cutie album. Favorite track? "When We Drive." | | Kirsten Gillibrand: The New York senator's announcement of a presidential race could happen as soon as tomorrow night (she's also scheduled to appear on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" tomorrow night). We also know she met with supporters this weekend telling them she's going to run -- and has been scooping up staffers left and right.
Tulsi Gabbard: The Hawaiian congresswoman made her run official on Friday night. She's also gotten flak for her previous work with an anti-gay group (which she has subsequently apologized for).
Julian Castro: Is officially running. The former San Antonio mayor made the announcement on Saturday -- and has since traveled to Puerto Rico where he criticized Trump's disaster response.
Kamala Harris: She's fresh off her book tour (and still hasn't officially said she's running) and is headed to South Carolina next week to rally with her sorority sisters.
Bill de Blasio: The mayor of New York isn't saying no to a run: "I never rule things out because you never know what life brings, but I'm focused on the work I'm doing now and getting this message out," de Blasio told Jake Tapper on Sunday. | |
THE SHUTDOWN BLAME GAME 🤔 | | Who's to blame for the current partial government shutdown? More people say President Donald Trump than congressional Democrats, a new CNN poll shows. - 55% say Trump is to blame
- 32% blame Democrats in Congress
If this partisan split looks familiar, that's because it is.
The 2013 government shutdown -- brought on by the bitter impasse over then-President Obama's health care law -- saw nearly the same divide, but in the opposite direction, with more respondents blaming Republicans in Congress than the Democrat in the White House at the time: - 52% blamed Republicans in Congress
- 34% blamed Obama
Read more: Our own Brenna Williams threw it back to the first-ever government shutdown (in 1976!) earlier today. Check it out! | |
GET WELL SOON, REP. HASTINGS | | Florida Rep. Alcee Hastings plans to stay in Congress while he's being treated for pancreatic cancer, he announced today.
"I have been convinced that this is a battle worth fighting, and my life is defined by battles worth fighting," Hastings said in a statement. "Should it become clear that this cancer which has invaded my body cannot be defeated, I will tell you so."
The 82-year-old Democrat is now the longest-serving member of Florida's congressional delegation. | | | | | | |
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