First Draft on Politics: Secret Drone Strikes

The C.I.A. is broadening its drone operations, moving aircraft to northeastern Niger. View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Monday, September 10, 2018 [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [Dirkou is an oasis town of a few thousand people in the Niger desert, 300 miles south of the Libyan border.]( Dirkou is an oasis town of a few thousand people in the Niger desert, 300 miles south of the Libyan border. Joe Penney for The New York Times Good Monday morning, Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today: - The C.I.A. is poised to conduct secret drone strikes against Qaeda and Islamic State insurgents from a newly expanded air base deep in the Sahara, [making aggressive use of powers]( that were scaled back during the Obama administration and restored by President Trump. - The Trump administration [held secret meetings]( with rebellious military officers from Venezuela over the last year to discuss their plans to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro, according to American officials and a former Venezuelan military commander who participated in the talks. Venezuela [accused]( the United States of plotting against Mr. Maduro. - A pair of top Republicans [acknowledged in a private meeting]( that the party was battling serious vulnerabilities in the midterm elections, including what one described as widespread “hate” for Mr. Trump, and raised the prospect that Senator Ted Cruz of Texas could lose his bid for re-election because he is not seen as “likable” enough. [See what’s coming up next on the primary calendar »]( - Barack Obama [came to the front lines]( of the Democratic battle to take back Congress in several public appearances, describing the coming election as a pivotal moment for a divided nation. “If we don’t step up, things are going to get worse,” Mr. Obama said at a rally in California. - Barely a day passes without Mr. Trump boasting about the growing economy, claiming that it is “booming like never before.” But Mr. Obama finds the chest-thumping more than a little grating, given that the “booming” started on his watch, and [has started to fire back](. — The First Draft Team GOODBYE, ‘FIRST DRAFT’ We told you last week that changes were coming to this newsletter. That starts tonight. This evening, we will debut On Politics With Lisa Lerer. Lisa, a veteran political reporter, will help guide you through the busy news cycle, highlighting the people, issues and ideas that shape our world. If you subscribed to First Draft, you will get On Politics delivered to your inbox tonight. And tomorrow morning, you’ll get the debut On Politics morning edition — it’s the same First Draft morning newsletter you read every morning, with a new name and an updated look. 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, on the 10-year anniversary marking the crisis. [• Get tickets here »]( Washington Memo [Brett Kavanaugh’s Expert Evasions, Learned From Past Masters]( By ADAM LIPTAK [Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh repeatedly deflected senators' questions, instead offering canned paeans to the rule of law.]( Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh repeatedly deflected senators' questions, instead offering canned paeans to the rule of law. Erin Schaff for The New York Times All Supreme Court confirmation hearings are, in a way, empty exercises, but most have a redeeming feature or two. For a few moments, at least, the nominee can come into focus. Recall the folksiness of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, the sly wit of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Elena Kagan, or the inspiring up-from-the-projects life story of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Last week’s confirmation hearings for Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, lacked those clarifying glimpses. Judge Kavanaugh’s demeanor was bland and unruffled, and he navigated two marathon days of questioning without revealing anything not already on his long résumé, one reflecting a slashing partisan background and a deeply conservative judicial record. Judge Kavanaugh must have studied earlier confirmation hearings carefully, as he had absorbed all of their key lessons: Say nothing, say it at great length, and then say it again. [Read more »](  [The Rev. Kim James is urging congregants at her church in Ogden, Utah, to support a ballot measure that would expand Medicaid.]( [Medicaid Expansion Finds Grass-Roots Support in Conservative Utah]( By ROBERT PEAR Utah is one of three conservative states where advocates are trying to outflank Republican lawmakers and get ballot measures approved on Nov. 6. [Senator Joe Manchin talked to supporters in Racine, W.Va., earlier this month. Mr. Manchin, a Democrat, is leading in the Senate race in this deeply conservative state.]( [Manchin Counts on Health Care to Stave Off Republican Tide in West Virginia]( By TRIP GABRIEL In a heavily pro-Trump state, Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, has built a lead in polls based in part on his support for the Affordable Care Act. [Ayanna Pressley celebrated her victory in the Democratic primary over Rep. Michael Capuano in Dorchester, Mass., on Tuesday.]( [Democrats Embrace Liberal Insurgents, Demanding New Face for Party]( By ALEXANDER BURNS Progressive women and racial minorities have toppled Democratic incumbents and eroded party machines in key states, with implications for the next Congress and the 2020 presidential race. [Various calibers of ammunition sold at M&J Gun Trade in Sacramento, Calif.]( [California Tries New Tack on Gun Violence: Bullet Control]( By IAN URBINA The state already has some of the strictest gun control legislation. Now it’s pushing to limit the unfettered sale of ammunition. [Tyler Linfesty became known as Plaid Shirt Guy after he was captured on camera looking visibly skeptical during parts of President Trump’s speech in Billings, Mont., on Thursday.]( [How ‘Plaid Shirt Guy’ Got Prime Seating at a Trump Rally]( By SARAH MERVOSH Images of Tyler Linfesty behind President Trump at a rally looking incredulous during his speech gained widespread attention. But how did he end up in such a prominent seat? [Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in August to breaking campaign finance laws, saying President Trump had directed him to arrange payments to stop two women from speaking publicly about affairs they said they had with Mr. Trump.]( [Affairs, Pheasant Feathers and White House Stays: A List of Money-in-Politics Scandals]( By MIHIR ZAVERI Experts say most campaign finance law violations are clerical. Here’s a look at some recent, high-profile political scandals that have had a campaign finance twist. [Maria Butina was charged this summer with conspiracy and illegally acting as an agent of the Russian government.]( [Prosecutors Admit They Wrongly Accused Russian of Offering Sex for Republican Access]( By SHARON LAFRANIERE But they said that the mistake did not mean that the woman, Maria Butina, should be released from pretrial custody in her espionage case. [Jean Manes, ambassador to El Salvador, is one of three diplomats in Latin America who have been recalled to Washington.]( [U.S. Recalls Top Diplomats From Latin America as Worries Rise Over China’s Influence]( By EDWARD WONG The State Department said the diplomats were returning to Washington to discuss moves by three Latin American nations to recognize China. [Stephanie Clifford, better known as Stormy Daniels, with her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, this year in New York.]( [Michael Cohen Offers to Rip Up Deal for Stormy Daniels’s Silence on Trump]( By ALAN FEUER The motives behind the abrupt move remain unclear, but one effect could be to spare President Trump from being deposed in a lawsuit related to the case. [Representative Marsha Blackburn waves to the crowd during a rally with President Donald Trump in Nashville in May. Ms. Blackburn is running for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Bob Corker.]( [Abortion Opposition Once Defined Marsha Blackburn. But Not in Senate Race.]( By ELIZABETH DIAS The Tennessee Republican is emphasizing a Trump agenda and relegating abortion to the background of her campaign to win the seat being vacated by Bob Corker. LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. 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