First Draft on Politics: A ‘Quiet Resistance’

President Trump sought to assert command of his administration amid reports of a “quiet resistance” among some of his own advisers. View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Thursday, September 6, 2018 [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, said he wouldn’t answer “hypothetical questions” about whether Mr. Trump could pardon himself or his associates.] Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, said he wouldn’t answer “hypothetical questions” about whether Mr. Trump could pardon himself or his associates. Image by Erin Schaff for The New York Times Good Thursday morning, Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today: - President Trump lashed out over reports of a “quiet resistance” [among his own advisers]( including an anonymous senior official whose [New York Times Op-Ed]( described an attempt to “frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations.” - At his Supreme Court confirmation hearing, Judge Brett Kavanaugh dodged direct questions about whether the Constitution empowers Mr. Trump to thwart the collusion and obstruction investigations that are [swirling around his administration](. - Democrats hope that a case challenging the Affordable Care Act – including its protections for people with pre-existing conditions – [will help them politically]( in the Kavanaugh confirmation battle and the midterm elections. - Republicans accused Twitter of [bias against conservatives]( at a congressional hearing, drawing rebukes from Democrats. [Theatrics on the sidelines]( included a set-to between Marco Rubio and Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist. [See what’s coming up next on the primary calendar »]( — The First Draft Team Goodbye, ‘First Draft.’ Hello, ‘On Politics.’ You may soon notice some differences in this newsletter — a new name, a new look and a new writer. Don’t worry: We will still send an email each morning just like this one, highlighting the day’s biggest stories. But starting Monday, a brand-new newsletter — “On Politics With Lisa Lerer” — will arrive in your inbox each evening. What can you expect from “On Politics”? A spotlight on the people reshaping our politics. A conversation with voters across the country. And a guiding hand through the endless news cycle, telling you what you really need to know from those who know it best. ADVERTISEMENT WASHINGTON | SEPTEMBER 13 [Senator Elizabeth Warren & Andrew Ross Sorkin]( Andrew Ross Sorkin, a New York Times columnist and the editor of DealBook, moderates a conversation with Senator Elizabeth Warren on the 2008 financial collapse, which rocked the markets, unraveled the housing market and upended the lives of millions of Americans a decade ago. [• Get tickets here »]( [Trump Could ‘Flip’ the Supreme Court. His Impact on the Lower Courts Is Less Clear.]( By JASMINE C. LEE President Trump is racking up federal judicial appointments, and not just to the Supreme Court, where his second nominee, Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, is entering his third day of confirmation hearings this week. So far, he has filled 60 seats on the federal district courts, the court of appeals and the Supreme Court. Mr. Trump came into office with more than 100 judicial vacancies, and [relaxed Senate rules on confirmations]( have allowed him to fill them quickly. Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, has said confirming Mr. Trump’s nominees is his “[top priority]( Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation would most likely [shift the nation’s highest court to]( the right]( the pinnacle of [conservative efforts to reshape the federal bench](. But on the lower courts, Mr. Trump’s impact has been more muted. [Read more »](  [Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, and Jack Dorsey, the chief executive of Twitter on Wednesday.]( [Twitter’s Dorsey Avoids Taking Sides in Partisan House Hearing]( By CECILIA KANG, SHEERA FRENKEL, KATE CONGER, MATTHEW ROSENBERG AND NICHOLAS FANDOS Mr. Dorsey testified before the House on the moderation of online content. Earlier in the day, he appeared at a Senate hearing with Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook. [Since pleading guilty last month to federal charges, Michael D. Cohen has remained isolated and politically toxic.]( [Michael Cohen Prayed With Al Sharpton at Breakfast. But Other Democrats Stay Away.]( By MAGGIE HABERMAN Mr. Cohen, President Trump’s ex-lawyer, has remained isolated since his guilty plea. Some Democrats dismiss him as a Trump lackey, refusing to embrace him. [Former President Barack Obama will begin his midterm campaign events in California and Ohio.]( [Obama to Join Midterm Battle, Starting in California and Ohio]( By ALEXANDER BURNS The former president will return to the campaign trail, with plans to help Democratic candidates in Illinois and Pennsylvania as well. [Jerome Corsi has been subpoenaed by the special counsel.]( [Jerome Corsi, Conspiracy Theorist, Is Subpoenaed in Mueller Investigation]( By MAGGIE HABERMAN Mr. Corsi, a conservative commentator, expects to answer questions about his connections to the former Trump adviser Roger J. Stone Jr. [Ayanna Pressley, a Democratic nominee for Congress in Massachusetts, spoke at a unity event at Senator Elizabeth Warren’s headquarters in Dorchester, Mass., on Wednesday.]( [Ayanna Pressley’s Victory: A Political Earthquake That Reflects a Changed Boston]( By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE AND MATT FLEGENHEIMER Ms. Pressley’s primary win was both a political upset and a jolt to a city perpetually grappling with its own reputation for provincialism, particularly on matters of race. [““The atmosphere continues to be constructive and positive,” Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s foreign minister, said this week.]( [As Nafta Talks Resume, U.S. and Canada Aren’t Budging on Key Priorities]( By ALAN RAPPEPORT There is little agreement on some of the biggest sticking points, including agriculture and an independent dispute resolution system that Canada wants to retain. [Alex Jones Takes His Show to the Capitol, Even Tussling With a Senator]( By NICHOLAS FANDOS House and Senate hearings into the influence of Facebook and Twitter attracted the Infowars provocateur Alex Jones, who nearly got into a scuffle with Marco Rubio. [Stephen K. Bannon in “American Dharma” by Errol Morris, which had its world premiere on Wednesday at the Venice Film Festival.]( [Steve Bannon Documentary Debuts. Controversy Naturally Follows.]( By A.J. GOLDMANN At the Venice Film Festival, Errol Morris defended his documentary “American Dharma” from accusations that it helps to normalize Mr. Bannon’s views. [Senator Tom Carper, Democrat of Delaware, in Washington last month. He faces a primary challenge from a political newcomer running to his left.]( [Delaware’s Heated Senate Race Threatens to Rip Apart Its Centrist Political Fabric]( By JONATHAN MARTIN Tom Carper has a perfect record in Delaware elections, but the insurgency in the Democratic Party has him on the defensive against an outsider challenge. [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, far right, has endorsed Julia Salazar, center, in Ms. Salazar’s primary race for a New York State Senate seat representing Brooklyn.]( [Want to Be the Next Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez? Be Careful What You Wish.]( By JESSE MCKINLEY Scrutiny of Julia Salazar’s history has revealed inconsistencies in her background that threaten to undermine her candidacy for New York State Senate. [A mistrial was declared in the retrial of Nicholas Slatten, a former Blackwater contractor accused in the shooting of dozens of unarmed Iraqis in Baghdad’s Nisour Square in 2007.]( [Case Against Former Blackwater Contractor Ends in Mistrial]( By KATIE BENNER The United States government was dealt a severe setback in its decade-long attempt to prosecute private soldiers for their role in a deadly attack on unarmed Iraqis. [Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh testified on Wednesday for the second day of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.]( [What Kavanaugh’s Hearings Reveal About His Beliefs on Abortion, Guns and Presidential Power]( By ADAM LIPTAK Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh spent a long day answering — and often failing to answer — questions about some of the most pressing issues that could reach the Supreme Court in the years ahead. Here’s a look at three of them. [Federal investigators in North Carolina are seeking a huge number of voting records from state and local election offices.]( [Justice Dept. Demands Millions of North Carolina Voter Records, Confounding Election Officials]( By RICHARD FAUSSET AND MICHAEL WINES Prosecutors issued subpoenas for officials to turn a huge number of records over to immigration authorities by Sept. 25. [Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington last month. His brief stop in Pakistan will be followed by a visit to India.]( [Pompeo Offers Pakistan a Reset, but Skepticism Is Rife]( By MARIA ABI-HABIB AND SALMAN MASOOD The cancellation of $300 million in aid to Pakistan loomed over a meeting between the American secretary of state and the new prime minister, Imran Khan. LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. And consider [subscribing to get unlimited access to nytimes.com and our apps.]( ADVERTISEMENT HOW ARE WE DOING? 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