Senate Intel concludes Russia favored Trump campaign in 2016, contradicting House findings Presented by Amazon

Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., right, and Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., left, talks after a confirmation hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee for CIA nominee Gina Haspel, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 9, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

BREAKING -- WASHINGTON POST: “Russia favored Trump in 2016 election, Senate Intelligence Committee says, breaking with House GOP”: “The Senate Intelligence Committee says the U.S. intelligence community was correct in assessing that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections with the aim of helping Donald Trump, contradicting findings House Republicans reached last month.

“‘Our staff concluded that the [intelligence community’s] conclusions were accurate and on point,’ the panel’s vice chairman, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), said Wednesday in a joint statement with Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), its chairman. ‘The Russian effort was extensive, sophisticated, and ordered by President Putin himself for the purpose of helping Donald Trump and hurting Hillary Clinton,’ Warner continued.

“But that last determination -- that Russia intended to help Trump -- sets up a clash within the GOP over which record of events is most accurate, a dispute that could complicate the party’s messaging surrounding the Russia investigations as it heads into the 2018 election season. While the House Republicans’ report also concurred with the bulk of the intelligence community’s findings about Russian meddling, it accused officials of not following their own best practices in determining that Moscow hoped Trump would win.” http://bit.ly/2Ktu5n7

WHAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT … “Trump Jr.’s team wanted stories straight on Russian lawyer meeting,” by Elana Schor, Kyle Cheney and Eli Okun: “Attorneys for Donald Trump Jr. sought to coordinate public statements for attendees of a June 2016 meeting between a Kremlin-connected lawyer and top Trump campaign aides after news broke of the controversial sit-down, according to transcripts released Wednesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“The 2016 meeting at Trump Tower -- attended by Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and indicted former campaign chairman Paul Manafort -- was billed as an opportunity for Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya to share damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

“But after the meeting became public last year, Trump Jr. claimed that only Russian adoption policy was discussed. And even before reporting revealed the meeting, the new transcripts show that his lawyer had begun reaching out to multiple participants to get their accounts straight regarding the day in question. ...

The passages revealing the work Trump Jr.’s attorney did to get attendees on the same page are part of more than 2,500 pages of transcripts and exhibits released Wednesday by the judiciary panel that stem from interviews with six attendees of the June 2016 meeting.” Plus more highlights https://politi.co/2GoAyNY … The release from the Senate Judiciary Committee http://bit.ly/2Gq4IQG

Good Wednesday afternoon. FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH … Speaker Paul Ryan thinks it’s laurel. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy thinks it’s yanny. In case you missed it … http://bit.ly/2rOmM1T

ABOUT THAT NORTH KOREA MEETING -- “Trump brushes off North Korea's threat to cancel summit,” by Louis Nelson and Cristiano Lima: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will still insist on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, appearing to brush off threats from North Korea to call off a historic summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un if the U.S. demands ‘unilateral nuclear abandonment.’

“Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he's not backing off that stance. And when asked if Kim's threat to skip their announced meeting was a bluff, Trump said his administration had not been notified of anything by its North Korean counterpart.” https://politi.co/2KvwCxo

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TWO MORE House Republicans -- Michigan Rep. Dave Trott and New York Rep. John Katko -- have signed the discharge petition to force a broad immigration floor debate. Five more Republicans would seal the deal (if all Democrats join in).

EXCLUSIVE … NRCC IS CHEERING … The NRCC is smiling this morning, after Kara Eastman topped former Rep. Brad Ashford (D-Neb.) in the Democratic primary in Nebraska’s second district. Eastman was seen as the more progressive of the two candidates. INTERNAL GOP POLLING has Republican Don Bacon up 10 -- 50% to 40% -- over Eastman. In a potential matchup with Ashford, Bacon was only up two points -- 48% to 46%. The generic ballot in that district has Democrats up one point, 42% to 41%, with 16% undecided.

THE PRUITT FILES … AP: “The Latest: EPA’s Pruitt queried about use of lights, sirens”: “President Donald Trump’s embattled [EPA] head is distancing himself from controversies at his agency by blaming subordinates for ethical missteps.

“Scott Pruitt is testifying before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, and he’s being pressed by the top Democrat about his unusual security demands. New Mexico’s Tom Udall is asking Pruitt whether he directed his security detail to use lights and sirens to speed through Washington traffic, even when there wasn’t an emergency.

“Pruitt isn’t answering directly. He says there are policies in place and he’s confident his staff has followed them. The senator has asked again whether Pruitt gave such an order. Pruitt says, ‘I don’t recall that happening.’ Udall is citing an email written by EPA’s security chief saying Pruitt ‘encourages the use’ of emergency lights.” http://bit.ly/2rLs5zI

FISSURES IN THE HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE … RACHAEL BADE and JOHN BRESNAHAN: “Republicans wrangle over DACA in tense private meeting”: “House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy warned centrist Republicans that their effort to force a vote to protect Dreamers could cost the party its House majority and empower Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

“In a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning, the California Republican told rank-and-file members to ‘put your phones down’ and listen, according to a GOP source in the room. The prospects of Republicans keeping the House are improving, he said, and ‘if the election was today, we win.’

“But McCarthy cautioned that ‘we cannot disrupt ourselves,’ saying in no uncertain terms that a ‘discharge petition’ to force votes on such a charged issue six months out from an election would do just that. Passing a bipartisan immigration bill that the base hates, McCarthy argued, would depress Republican turnout, and possibly cost the party the House.

“GOP ‘intensity levels are still not there, and discharge petitions release the power of the floor that the American people gave us the responsibly to hold,’ McCarthy said, according to the source present. ‘When you release that power, the majority goes to Nancy.’” https://politi.co/2Gnp5y7

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HARASSMENT FILES -- “Michigan State and Nassar victims reach $500M settlement,” by the AP’s David Eggert and Ed White: “Michigan State University on Wednesday announced a $500 million settlement with more than 300 women and girls who said they were assaulted by sports doctor Larry Nassar in the worst sex-abuse case in sports history. …

“Michigan State and lawyers for 332 victims announced the deal after negotiating privately with the help of a mediator. Under the agreement, $425 million would be paid to current claimants and $75 million would be set aside for any future claims. The statement doesn’t indicate how much money each victim would receive. It also doesn’t say how Michigan State will pay the bill.” http://bit.ly/2GrKLt6

TRUMP INC. -- “Trump Indonesia project gets Chinese government partner,” by the AP’s Bernard Condon and Jonathan Lemire: “A Chinese government-owned company has signed on to build a theme park in a vast development in Indonesia that also features a Trump hotel and condos, a deal that stands to benefit President Donald Trump’s company just as top Chinese envoys head to Washington for trade talks.

“In a move that has alarmed Trump critics, an Indonesian company confirmed this week that it hired the subsidiary of the state-owned Metallurgical Corp. of China to build a theme park in its Lido City development outside Jakarta. The property owner three years earlier struck a deal for the development to include a Trump-branded hotel, 400 luxury villas and condos, and an 18-hole championship golf course.

“Even though Trump’s involvement in the project predated his election, ethics experts say it’s still trouble for the president, possibly putting him in violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which bans gifts from foreign governments.” http://bit.ly/2GmF5Ac

WOW … EU VS. USA -- European Council President DONALD TUSK (@eucopresident): “Looking at latest decisions of @realDonaldTrump someone could even think: with friends like that who needs enemies. But frankly, EU should be grateful. Thanks to him we got rid of all illusions. We realise that if you need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of your arm.”

VARIETY’S CYNTHIA LITTLETON: “Lachlan Murdoch, John Nallen Set as Leaders of New Fox After Disney Sale”: “Lachlan Murdoch will serve as chairman and CEO of New Fox, the new company to be formed after 21st Century Fox sells much of its TV and entertainment holdings to Walt Disney Co.

“John Nallen, currently CFO of 21st Century Fox, will serve as chief operating officer of New Fox. Rupert Murdoch will be co-chairman of New Fox.

“‘We have worked through the winter ‘standing up’ a reimagined independent Fox. The strengths of the new company, a leader in News, Sports and Entertainment, present truly unique opportunities,’ said Lachlan Murdoch. ‘I am also personally very pleased that John has agreed to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer, and together we look forward to making further announcements as to the management and structure of this new Fox as we get closer to closing our proposed transaction with Disney.’ …

“The New Fox will revolve squarely around TV assets including the Fox Broadcasting Co. network and its TV station group, and the Fox News and Fox Sports operations. The rest of its major Hollywood assets are in line to be sold to Disney in a $52.4 billion all-stock deal. However, Comcast has let it be known that it is strongly considering mounting a rival bid for the 21st Century Fox assets. That would undoubtedly delay, if not derail, the Disney sale process and the formation of New Fox.” http://bit.ly/2rMZCZv

SPOTTED: Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron this morning in line at a DMV inspection station in a silver Audi … Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) at the ACLI Capital Challenge this morning with Desiree Linden, the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years just behind him. “(She started last and is wearing gray on the right side of the picture.) Team name (because GA09 is the poultry capital of the world) = Don’t Give a Cluck,” per a tipster. Pic http://bit.ly/2IoPAVz

LOOKS LIKE SMOOTH SAILING … “Senate panel votes in favor of Haspel’s nomination for CIA director,” by Burgess Everett: “The Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday voted 10 to 5 in favor of the nomination of Gina Haspel to be CIA director, committee leaders said. Haspel could be confirmed as soon as this week if senators agree to hold a speedy vote. Haspel has already garnered enough Democratic support to be confirmed on the Senate floor despite opposition from GOP Sen. Rand Paul.

“Just two Democrats on the committee, ranking member Mark Warner of Virginia and vulnerable incumbent Joe Manchin of West Virginia, supported Haspel in the panel vote. All Republicans supported her.” https://politi.co/2Gmme8L

SPY GAMES -- “Exclusive: CIA ‘Leaker’ Josh Schulte Posted Agency Code Online -- And CIA Never Noticed,” by The Daily Beast’s Kevin Poulsen: “Joshua Adam Schulte, the former CIA worker suspected of passing the agency’s hacking secrets to Wikileaks, previously posted the source code for an internal CIA tool to his account on the public code-sharing site GitHub, the Daily Beast has learned. That potential red flag was apparently missed by the spy agency just months after Edward Snowden walked out of the NSA with a thumb drive of secrets in 2013. A spokesman for the CIA declined comment.” https://thebea.st/2Goslt4

-- “Revealed: Ecuador spent millions on spy operation for Julian Assange,” by the Guardian’s Dan Collyns, Stephanie Kirchgaessner and Luke Harding: “Ecuador bankrolled a multimillion-dollar spy operation to protect and support Julian Assange in its central London embassy, employing an international security company and undercover agents to monitor his visitors, embassy staff and even the British police, according to documents seen by the Guardian.

“Over more than five years, Ecuador put at least $5m (£3.7m) into a secret intelligence budget that protected the WikiLeaks founder while he had visits from Nigel Farage, members of European nationalist groups and individuals linked to the Kremlin. … Worried that British authorities could use force to enter the embassy and seize Assange, Ecuadorian officials came up with plans to help him escape. They included smuggling Assange out in a diplomatic vehicle or appointing him as Ecuador’s United Nations representative so he could have diplomatic immunity in order to attend UN meetings.” http://bit.ly/2IrmlSd

ON THE PRESIDENT’S MIND -- @realDonaldTrump at 9:09 a.m.: “The Washington Post and CNN have typically written false stories about our trade negotiations with China. Nothing has happened with ZTE except as it pertains to the larger trade deal. Our country has been losing hundreds of billions of dollars a year with China…” … 9:09 a.m.: “...We have not seen China’s demands yet, which should be few in that previous U.S. Administrations have done so poorly in negotiating. China has seen our demands. There has been no folding as the media would love people to believe, the meetings…”

… at 9:09 a.m.: “...haven’t even started yet! The U.S. has very little to give, because it has given so much over the years. China has much to give!” He also sent out two tweets earlier in the morning congratulating Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), who both won their respective Senate primaries yesterday.

-- @joshrogin: “Commerce Secretary Ross, yesterday: ‘Before landing in China, we sent them an extremely detailed list of our needs. And they responded with a similarly detailed -- but as you can imagine, quite different -- list of their proposals. The gap remains wide.’ cc: @realDonaldTrump”.

WEDNESDAY LISTEN -- ANNA spoke with POLINA VEKSLER and ALEX WALDMAN, co-founders of the plus-sized clothing line Universal Standard in the latest “Women Rule” podcast. Listen and subscribe https://bit.ly/2Ik8roM

AFTERNOON READ -- “A DC Think Tank Uses Fake Twitter Accounts And A Shady Expert To Reach The NSA, FBI, And White House: ICIT bills itself as ‘America's Cybersecurity Think Tank.’ But BuzzFeed News found it’s running fake Twitter accounts and its top expert has questionable credentials,” by BuzzFeed News’ Craig Silverman https://bzfd.it/2GlTZXv

MEDIAWATCH -- Emily Goodin joined The Daily Mail as their U.S. political reporter. She was previously a reporter at ABC.

SPOTTED: Andy Card waiting for a flight this morning at Manchester, New Hampshire airport

OUT AND ABOUT -- SPOTTED last night at the Four Seasons at the annual gala of the Friends of the American University of Afghanistan, which honored former Defense Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, David Bradley, and Dr. Phyllis R. Magrab: Samantha Vinograd, Morgan Ortagus, Afghan Ambassador Hamdullah Mohib, Azerbaijan Ambassador Elin Suleymanov, Zal Khalilzad, Franco Nuschese, Raj Shah, Josh Rogin, David Trulio, Hagar Chemali, Kevin Cirilli, Janet Donovan, Suzanne Kianpour, Michael Crowley, Michael Greenwald, Kerry Healey

-- SPOTTED last night at a reception at the Capitol Hill Club for the group Winning For Women: Kristen Soltis Anderson, Lisa Spies, Mike Shields, GOP Reps. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Mia Love (Utah), Martha Roby (Ala.), Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), Patrick McHenry (N.C.), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), Barbara Comstock (Va.) and Karen Handel (Ga.), Ben Carson Jr., Annie Dickerson, Samantha Dravis, Jay Kramer, Andrea Bozek

TRANSITIONS -- Caren Street has been named Rep. Karen Bass’ (D-Calif.) chief of staff. She was previously the policy director for the Congressional Black Caucus and is a Harry Reid alum.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD – Jennifer Werner, communications director for Democrats of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Andrew Werner, director of digital business development at Government Executive Media Group, welcomed Avery Dylan Werner. Pics http://bit.ly/2rKEqn8 … http://bit.ly/2Kr54cs

-- Joe Tvrdy, legislative director for Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), and Whitney Tvrdy, manager of business development for international programs at Orbital ATK, on Monday night welcomed their second child, David Joseph Tvrdy. Pics http://bit.ly/2Inh5Ts … http://bit.ly/2GpCWDU

-- Jessica Paska, senior outreach associate at the Mercatus Center and a Morgan Griffith alum, and Steven Paska welcomed second child Luke Steven Paska on Monday night at 10:19 pm. Pics http://bit.ly/2rJQmX2 ... http://bit.ly/2InqWIW

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