Mueller Probe Charges Stem From WH's Early Days, Page Says Russia 'May Have Come Up,' And Kelly Praises Robert E. Lee

October 31st, 2017 Top Stories --------------------------------------------------------------- [First Charges In Mueller’s Russia Probe Stem From Trump Admin’s Earliest Days]( The Gist: During the Trump administration’s very first week in office, the seeds were planted for the initial charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe. Thanks to an indictment unsealed Monday morning, we now know former campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos lied about the extent of his Russian contacts in an interview with FBI agents on Jan. 27, exactly one week after the inauguration. [Carter Page: Russia ‘May Have Come Up’ In Email Exchanges With Papadopoulos]( The Gist: Carter Page, a foreign policy campaign adviser for President Donald Trump, admitted on MSNBC Monday evening that he was “probably” on a few email exchanges that “may have” been about Russia with another campaign adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia earlier this month. [John Kelly Will ‘Never’ Apologize For Comments About Rep. Wilson (VIDEO)]( The Gist: White House Chief of Staff John Kelly said Monday night that he has no plans to apologize to Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) after accusing her of boasting about securing funding for an FBI building. From The Reporter's Notebook --------------------------------------------------------------- White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday tried to insist that the indictment of former Trump campaign officials Paul Manafort and Rick Gates has “nothing to do with” the President’s 2016 campaign. This tune was familiar, if unconvincing. [As TPM’s Allegra Kirkland notes]( the Trump White House has also tried to distance itself from other officials and aides who have come under investigation including George Papadopolous, Carter Page, and even former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Agree Or Disagree? --------------------------------------------------------------- Josh Marshall: "This may be projecting too much. But in revealing the Manafort news early, giving time for the White House to respond as you’d expect (nothing to do with us or Russia or the campaign) and then following up by revealing this Papadopoulos indictment [certainly has the feel]( of sucker punching the White House." Say What?! --------------------------------------------------------------- "The lack of an ability to compromise led to the Civil War." - White House Chief of Staff John Kelly [talking about the Civil War]( while being interviewed by Fox's Laura Ingraham on Monday, during which he praised Robert E. Lee as an "honorable man." BUZZING: Today in the Hive --------------------------------------------------------------- From a TPM Prime member: "Manafort might have been beaming a smile on the way into court but his life as a player with a wealthy lifestyle is over. Also for better or sometimes for worse, once the JD gets people in their cross hairs, their financial lives are left in tatters. Also for better of for worse for many people their financial lives are their lives. Without the status of money and possessions they are personally bereft, destroyed." Related: [Inside The Court Room After The Manafort Indictment Dropped]( Have something to add? Become a [Prime]( member and join the discussion [here](. What We're Reading --------------------------------------------------------------- I Looked For A State That’s Taken The Opioid Epidemic Seriously. I Found Vermont ([Vox]( The Search For Paul Manafort’s Antique Rug Store ([HuffPost]( [unsubscribe from this list]( | [update subscription preferences]( | [view email in browser](