| | | | | A sign indicates the National Archives is closed this week due to the partial government shutdown. Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg for Getty Images | | | Shutdown Shuts Down Trump's party plans: Day 7 of the partial government shutdown continues, and the President will no longer be going to Mar-a-Lago for his annual New Year's Eve party.
Help Wanted: Lawyers: Democrats on Capitol Hill are posting jobs for lawyers as investigations into Trump and his associates are anticipated in 2019.
Lists and Quizzes: What did you like about 2018? And how well did you pay attention to the headlines? | | | What the White House Is Talking About:
President Donald Trump has no public events on his schedule today. And there is no White House official guidance on his schedule anyway because of the shutdown.
What the White House Press Corps Is Talking About:
The final nail in the coffin of the Mar-a-Lago New Year's Eve break. Trump's not going to Florida, which means neither is the press.
Shutdown Shuts Down Trump's Party Plans:
Every year Trump hosts a black-tie party at Mar-a-Lago on New Year's Eve; it's mostly for rich people and supporters as well as members at the private Palm Beach club. It's one of his most social events of the year. Last year, guests dined on lobster ravioli, beef tenderloin and sea bass, with baked Alaska for dessert -- and this year, with tickets at $1,000 per person, the same level of extravagance is anticipated. Alas, Melania Trump will go without her husband, because according to the White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney today, the President is staying in Washington due to the shutdown.
The first lady flew down to Florida on Thursday evening aboard a government plane, because she has to, per security. Her spokeswoman told me she is returning to Mar-a-Lago "to be with her son."
Shutdown Status, Day 7:
This morning the President tweeted he's considering closing the entire southern US border, blaming "Obstructionist Democrats" for not giving him wall funding. So, basically, the shutdown end is not in sight. And considering the halls of Congress are "ghost town-esque," all eyes are now on 2019 for a possible fix.
The Smithsonian tweeted today that all of its museums, and the National Zoo, will have to close to the public on January 2 if the shutdown is not resolved by then.
Here's a bruising snapshot from the US Office of Personnel Management of the reality some federal workers are facing behind the scenes of the shutdown politics. It's not just about Trump and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, etc., it's about people with families and bills to pay and homes and lives. | | Credit: @USOPM/Twitter
Help Wanted: Lawyers:
Capitol Hill is staffing up -- on legal expertise -- in what is likely an effort to add muscle to Trump investigations. Once the Democrats take over the House leadership, there is anticipation there could be multiple ongoing investigations into the President and his associates, on everything from campaign finance to his business dealings to the behavior and spending habits of his Cabinet members. From a CNN story today: The House Judiciary Committee is looking for a few good lawyers. A recent committee job posting reviewed by CNN asked for legislative counsels with a variety of expertise: "criminal law, immigration law, constitutional law, intellectual property law, commercial and administrative law (including antitrust and bankruptcy), or oversight work." The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee needs lawyers, too, posting jobs for "executive branch investigative counsel."
Scott Pruitt, Where Is He Now?:
This is a really incredible story from The Washington Post about what has happened to former Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, who left his post after a series of scandals. Now he's looking for a job and trying to piece together what's left of his career. The graphics in this story are also amazing. | | Credit: washingtonpost.com
The Best Books and Songs of the Year, Per Obama:
Former President Barack Obama has released his annual list of favorite books, movies and songs of the year, a tradition he began when he was in the White House. My favorite books list is this one from The Atlantic, with great mini-reviews (Sophie Gilbert's are my favorite) of books I haven't had a chance to read this year but intend to at some point. Perhaps when I finish working on my own. ...
Did You Pay Attention to Washington This Year?
Also, this is a great and fun quiz on how well you absorbed news of 2018 from the Washingtonian. I got 19/28, 67%! Sort of shameful considering I'm, well, me.
A Lot of People Are Scared of Alien Invasions Apparently:
I'm not judging, but I was sort of alarmed about how many people tweeted about the arrival of aliens when the sky lit up blue (out of the blue) Thursday night in New York. My first thought was, wow, I hope people are OK. I assumed it was an explosion of some sort, which police initially said it was, and considering the sobering history of Manhattan and massive destruction, my instinct was the well-being of humanity, not the possibility that I could be abducted by aliens. Again, not judging, just saying. The memes were good though. | | Credit: @verge/Twitter
Adorable Photo of the Day:
A friend of a CNN producer sent in this sweet photo of former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter from this morning, taking in a sea lion show together at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The Carters have been married for 72 years. | | Credit: Emily Clarke Kearney
Happy New Year!!
I wish you and yours a wonderful New Year! I hope you achieve everything you want in 2019, and that you close 2018 with happiness and accomplishment. | | | | | | |
