From the Russia probe to the national emergency, it’s been a busy week in American politics. Here are some of the biggest stories you might have missed (and some links if you’d like to read further).
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The special counsel is wrapping things up.
On Tuesday, The Times published an examination of President Trump’s actions that found the president had actively tried to undermine multiple investigations surrounding his administration. His efforts have exposed him to accusations of obstruction of justice as Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, wraps up his probe.
In the coming weeks, Mr. Mueller is expected to deliver his final account of a nearly two-year investigation into Russia’s election interference to William Barr, the new attorney general. Mr. Barr will then have to decide how much of the report to make public.
The rules governing the special counsel give Mr. Barr considerable flexibility in deciding how much information from the report he provides to Congress and the public. Democratic lawmakers want to ensure that every detail is shared.
Additional Reading
• Takeaways From The Times’s Investigation Into Trump’s War on the Inquiries Around Him
• Graham Vows to Investigate Whether ‘Bureaucratic Coup’ Tried to Oust Trump
• I.R.S. Employee Charged With Leaking Records of Trump Lawyer Michael Cohen
• Manafort Is Expected to Face Charges in New York, Even if Trump Pardons Him
Will the national emergency hit a wall?
Mr. Trump mounted one of the most severe executive-branch challenges to congressional authority in decades last week with his declaration of a national emergency at the border. The move left Senate Republicans sharply divided, and it remains to be seen whether they will act collectively to try to stop it.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi began her push to overturn the emergency declaration on Friday, scheduling a House vote for Tuesday — a remarkably short timeline — on legislation that would end it.
But Mr. Trump’s plan to build his border wall involves more than his invocation of emergency powers to redirect military construction funds. He plans to tap into $2.5 billion in other Pentagon funds, too.
Additional Reading
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