INTERVIEW — JOE DIGENOVA – legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia

TOPICS:

• LOIS LERNER:
  • GOP outraged after Trump’s DOJ refuses to charge Lois Lerner in IRS scandal  (Washington Examiner) — The Department of Justice told members of Congress Friday that it wouldn’t reconsider the question of whether to prosecute former IRS official Lois Lerner for her role in the tax agency’s targeting of conservative groups, eliciting criticism from House Republicans. After being asked by Republicans in April to take a “fresh look” at the case against Lerner, the Trump administration responded Friday that it had reviewed the case and decided against it. “[T]he Department determined that reopening the criminal investigation would not be appropriate based on the available evidence,” Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd wrote in a letter to Kevin Brady, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.  Brady called that a “terrible decision” that suggested political appointees are not held accountable under the law. “I have the utmost respect for Attorney General [Jeff] Sessions, but I’m troubled by his Department’s lack of action to fully respond to our request and deliver accountability,” the Texas lawmaker said in a statement.
  • Judicial Watch Statement on Justice Department’s Decision Not to Charge Lois Lerner in IRS Scandal.  Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton made the following statement regarding the  Department of Justice’s decision not to bring charges against Lois Lerner, former director of the Exempt Organizations Unit of the IRS, whose own emails place her at the heart of the politicization of the IRS for the targeting of conservative groups: ” I have zero confidence that the Justice Department did an adequate review of the IRS scandal. In fact, we’re still fighting the Justice Department and the IRS for records about this very scandal. Today’s decision comes as no surprise considering that the FBI collaborated with the IRS and is unlikely to investigate or prosecute itself. President Trump should order a complete review of the whole issue. Meanwhile, we await accountability for IRS Commissioner Koskinen, who still serves and should be drummed out of office.”
• DACA
  • Bannon Worries Trump’s DACA Decision Will Cost Republicans The House And Will Cost A Civil War
  • DACA lawsuit dropped, Texas AG says. (Fox Business) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday said he is withdrawing his lawsuit against President Trump over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. “We are dropping that lawsuit. The president did a good job today, Jeff Sessions, we’re pleased with the result and we are going to move on, we’re going to withdraw this lawsuit, they did the right thing,” he told FOX Business’ David Asman on ‘After the Bell.’ President Trump ordered to end the Obama-era executive action, which allowed children brought to the U.S. illegally to stay, but left it up to Congress to rule on the action.
  • Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on DACA this Wednesday.
• RUSSIA
  • Mueller gives White House names of 6 aides he expects to question in Russia probe. (Washington Post) — Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has alerted the White House that his team will probably seek to interview six top current and former advisers to President Trump who were witnesses to several episodes relevant to the investigation of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the request. Mueller’s interest in the aides, including trusted adviser Hope Hicks, former press secretary Sean Spicer and former chief of staff Reince Priebus, reflects how the probe that has dogged Trump’s presidency is starting to penetrate a closer circle of aides around the president.
  • (Politico) – Notes from former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort on a meeting he attended last year with a Russian lobbyist and Donald Trump Jr. are not seen as damaging to the Trump family or campaign officials, according to government officials and others who have looked at the notes.
  • Kamala Harris: Trump may be called to testify about Russia Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said it was possible that President Trump could be called to testify before senators concerning the ongoing Russia investigation. “Is the testimony or potential hearing with the president Donald Trump off the table for this investigation?” asked MSNBC host Ari Melber on Thursday. “No,” Harris, who serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, responded. “So it’s possible that the Senate could seek his testimony?” Melber pressed. “I think it’s possible. Yes,” Harris replied. Harris has been rumored to be looking at a 2020 presidential bid. Before being elected to the Senate, she served as California attorney general. “Under what conditions?” Melber asked in a follow-up question. “We’ll see where the facts lead us,” Harris said.
• EQUIFAX
  • NY TIMES: Seriously, Equifax? This Is a Breach No One Should Get Away With
  • Can you join a class action suit if you use Equifax’s free identity theft protection?