Cabbage News Network Week #-1

[kmusser]

Stickied until the inauguration: Status of cabinet picks and other appointments: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/politics/donald-trump-administration.html, new since last week include VA secretary and naming Kushner, Trumps son-in-law, as senior advisor. Hearings are happening this week, though GOP is caving to pressure to delay some some of them (source). So far most of Trump's nominees have sought to distance themselves from Trump.

From last week

• BBC summary of Trump vs intelligence agencies spat and that was before this weeks explosions.

Tuesday 1/10

• Anti-vaxxer put in charge of "vaccine safety" (I could not make this shit up if I tried) (source).
  
• Intelligence agencies investigating reports that Russia has blackmail material on Trump (WP, NYT) - Full text of the allegations - note these are unconfirmed, it could very well be fictional, but that's some impeachment level material if true. 4chan users are claiming credit for making up the "golden showers" story (source). Allegations are of course denied by both Trump and Russia.
  
• GOP plan to repeal Obamacare immediately not going so well, Ryan changes plan and now says repeal will be paired with replacement (source)
  
• Summary of Jeff Session's Attorney General hearings (nothing too surprising here).

Wednesday 1/11

• As expected, Trump isn't divesting squat, so conflicts of interest galore (source)
  
• Fact checking Trump's "news conference". No actual facts were in any danger of being uttered. BBC called the event absurd.
  

Thursday 1/12

• GOP moves to de-fund the U.N. (source).
  
• Despite link from Tuesday, Senate goes ahead and takes next step in Obamacare repeal without a replacement, passing budget resolution (source). (Only Rand Paul breaks ranks, thank you Rand).
  
• Tillerman lies in hearings about never lobbying for Russia. (source).
  
• NSA relaxes rules for data sharing (source). (note this will get flipped if Congress does their reverse all regulations from the last 60 days trick).
  
• U.S. intelligence officials tell Israeli's to be careful what they share with us as it might get leaked to Russia and Iran (source).
  
• Paul Ryan waffling on immigration (source)

Maps of the week:

• Time lapse of California's drought:
  
  
• LA Times continues the series to now in non-animated map series.
  
• NY Times has the rest of the country and some more historical background.