| | | | | President Trump listens as FEMA Administrator Brock Long speaks about Hurricane Florence in the Oval Office Tuesday. Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images | | | Robert Mueller Has a Higher Approval Than Trump: And it's getting higher
Sessions Reportedly Considering Big Tech Investigation: AG looking into whether there's a federal case against social media and tech companies
Tiffany's Not the Only Trump at Fashion Week: Lara Trump joins Fox News host in front row at show | | | What Washington is Talking About:
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said there are no plans to adjourn early this week because of Hurricane Florence. The House faces a September 30 deadline to pass a spending bill or face a shutdown.
What America is Talking About:
The National Hurricane Center's latest forecast predicts Florence will head farther south than originally thought and make landfall Friday or Saturday, and Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone today at its keynote event.
Poll of the Day:
More Americans approve of how Robert Mueller is handling the Russia investigation than President Trump, and the gap between the two men is growing. A CNN poll released today -- the first since Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen became convicted felons -- found Americans approved of Mueller over Trump 50% to 30%. | | Credit: CNN
Despite Death Toll, Trump Praises Puerto Rico Response:
The death toll from Hurricane Maria was estimated this month to be nearly 3,000 people, but Trump praised his administration's response to the disaster Tuesday, calling it "an incredible, unsung success" and "one of the best jobs that's ever been done with respect to what this is all about."
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz told CNN, "In a humanitarian crisis, you should not be grading yourself," and said Trump "continues to refuse to acknowledge his responsibility, and the problem is that if he didn't acknowledge it in Puerto Rico, God bless the people of South Carolina and the people of North Carolina."
$9.8 Million in FEMA Funds Went to ICE, Documents Show:
Oregon Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley released documents Tuesday showing $9.8 million in funds for FEMA were redirected to ICE. Merkley accused the Trump administration of diverting the money from the agency just as this year's hurricane season begins. The money represents less than 1% of FEMA's budget and was earmarked for things like travel, training, public engagement, and IT security support.
House Candidate Uses Campaign Sign to Ward Off Attacker:
Rudy Peters, a Republican US House candidate in California, had a switchblade pulled on him while at a booth at a festival in Castro Valley Sunday, and defended himself using a campaign sign, authorities told the Sacramento Bee. The alleged would-be attacker argued with Peters about politics before he took out the switchblade. Peters' Democratic opponent, Rep. Eric Swalwell, tweeted yesterday that he was glad Peters was OK and said, "it's NEVER okay to use violence to settle political disagreements (or any disagreement)." | | Sessions Reportedly Considering Social Media Antitrust Investigation:
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is considering whether there is a federal consumer-protection or antitrust case to be made against Big Tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter, according to Bloomberg. He'll meet September 25 with state AGs who have been examining the firms' practices.
Gawker's Coming Back:
Bustle Digital Group plans to relaunch the site next year. "We won't recreate Gawker exactly as it was, but we will build upon Gawker's legacy and triumphs — and learn from its missteps," Bustle CEO Bryan Goldberg said in staff memo obtained by Variety.
Tiffany's Not the Only Trump at Fashion Week:
Lara Trump was sitting front row at yesterday's Chiara Boni La Petite Robe show, siting next to Fox News' Jeanine Pirro. | | Credit: John Lamparski/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows
New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon was also at a show yesterday, for Christian Siriano, who wore a "Vote For Cynthia" tee and had a model wear one on the runway. | | Credit: @csiriano/Instagram story
U2 Turned Edel Rodriguez's Art Into Postcards:
The political graphics artist Edel Rodriguez made for U2's Experience + Innocence Tour are now on sale for $15 for a random pack of 12 designs. The images cover issues from voting to gun violence. | | Credit: U2
Street Art Sighting:
Anti-Trump New York vanity plate stickers from the activist rock group Resistance Company were stuck on barriers in Lafayette Park across from the White House yesterday afternoon. | | Credit: Hunter Schwarz
If you spot political street art, tweet me @hunterschwarz, tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz, or email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com with your sighting so I can feature it in COVER/LINE.
Kate Bennett is off. | | | | | | |
