You’ve survived another week of Trump. Congrats! Only 205 weeks left!
Here’s all the shit we couldn’t cover today:
- On Friday, Georgia Congressman Tom Price officially joined Trump’s goon squad as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. Price very much wants to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and replace it with something that will likely offer tax benefits to the rich and leave millions of low-income Americans in the dust. Democrats want to launch an ethics investigation against him for profiting from health care stock while passing health care legislation. Also, he is a total nightmare for women and believes that personhood begins at conception. Great! [The New York Times]
- Some Democrats are calling for the ouster of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn after U.S. officials revealed that Flynn discussed sanctions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak before Donald Trump was sworn into office. Flynn, who previously denied that such discussions took place, is now delicately walking that back. According to his spokesman, Flynn “indicated that while he had no recollection of discussing sanctions, he couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.” Here’s a reminder that Russia interfered with the U.S elections, and any tip-off to sanctions is potentially illegal. [Washington Post]
- Another day, another group of angry voters shouting down the GOP at a town hall. This time, constituents yell “Shame!” at Rep. Jody Hice in Georgia. [The Atlanta-Journal Constitution]
- Trump tells China’s President Xi Jinping that he will honor the One China Policy, a decades-long agreement wherein the US maintains formal ties with China and an unofficial relationship with Taiwan. [The New York Times]
- Without any notice or public announcement, Trump signed an executive order that changed the order of succession of the Attorney General. The order reversed an executive order signed by former President Obama in the final weeks of his term. [USA Today]
- Your least favorite sore winner is still talking about a rigged election, this time with a bunch of state senators. [Politico]
- Harry Tanoesoedibjo, an Indonesian billionaire and Trump business partner, bragged to Indonesian magazine Tempo about how easily he can access the president of the United States. “I communicate with his children over our businesses. I can meet with his kids anytime. I just need to pick up the phone. My WhatsApp messages are also responded,” he said. And yet, Congress refuses to investigate Trump’s conflict of interests. [Mother Jones]
- As Trump’s discriminatory immigration ban stalls in the courts, the “loofa-faced shit-gibbon” said he won’t back down. “We’ll win that battle. The unfortunate part is it takes time. We’ll win that battle. But we also have a lot of other options, including just filing a brand new order,” he told reporters. [BBC]
- The mass deportations of undocumented immigrants have begun. [Slate]
