The Ex-Judge Who Has Trump's Ear, Pompeo No Longer Set To Replace Tillerson, And Robots Chase Away Homeless People

December 15th, 2017 Top Stories --------------------------------------------------------------- [Why Trump Takes Legal Advice From Fox’s Conspiracy-Mongering ‘Judge Jeanine’]( The Gist: Jeanine Pirro’s words carry more currency with Trump than your average Fox host’s. The pair have been friends for some two decades, and the President continues to solicit Pirro’s legal advice. Last month, as the New York Times reported, Pirro sat down in the Oval Office with Trump and senior administration officials to try to goad him into appointing a special counsel to investigate a uranium deal involving Russia, approved while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. “She’s one of those people who calls him ‘Donald,’” former Trump campaign adviser Michael Caputo told TPM. “There are very few. She counsels him upon request. I mean, the President calls her.” [WaPo: Pompeo No Longer Top Choice To Replace Tillerson At State Department]( The Gist: CIA Director Mike Pompeo will likely stay at his post within the security agency instead of taking over the State Department, according to a new report in The Washington Post Friday. [Zinke Says He’s Fired 4 Top Interior Officials For ‘Inappropriate Behavior’]( The Gist: Two Democratic members of Congress on Wednesday asked the Office of Government Ethics to investigate sexual misconduct allegations made against President Donald Trump before he took office. From The Reporter's Notebook --------------------------------------------------------------- [TPM’s Allegra Kirkland reported]( that Senate Minority Leader Schumer went to police a forged document that falsely accused him of sexually harassing a former staffer. Like Project Veritas’ botched effort to discredit the Washington Post, this seems to be the work of conservative activists trying to goad the press into publishing bogus stories. Right-wing provocateurs Mike Cernovich and Chuck Johnson boasted shortly before the news broke of possessing a document that would “end the career of a U.S. Senator.” But sloppiness and bad faith promptly did them in. The former staffer told TPM she had “nothing but the fondest memories” of her time in Schumer’s office, and, [as the Daily Beast reported]( the document copied language verbatim from a real sexual-harassment complaint filed against Rep. John Conyers. Agree Or Disagree? --------------------------------------------------------------- Josh Marshall: "The only conceivable purpose of the DOJ showing reporters all the texts between the two FBI employees was to humiliate the two, damage Mueller’s investigation and put wind in the sails of those pushing this pseudo-controversy. If it were found that the two had done something wrong, the emails might be evidence or context for their wrongdoing and the public interest in seeing the texts would change. But none of that has happened. And there’s little reason to think it ever will. [This is a transparently political move on the part of the Justice Department](. And since all tied to the Mueller probe falls under Rosenstein’s purview, that’s on Rosenstein." Say What?! --------------------------------------------------------------- "I did my part, but, you know, we need to have higher birth rates in this country, meaning, baby boomers are retiring and we have fewer people following them in the work force." - House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Thursday [telling]( America to have more babies to save the economy. BUZZING: Today in the Hive --------------------------------------------------------------- From a TPM Prime member: "The media applauded Collins when she decided against running for governor and was going to stay and fight instead. Nope. This wasn't about fighting. She's sitting out the gubernatorial race because she knows she'll lose. And she probably won't run for reelection in 2020 either." Related: [Republicans Race (Again) To Avoid A Government Shutdown]( Have something to add? Become a [Prime]( member and join the discussion [here](. What We're Reading --------------------------------------------------------------- Robots Are Being Used To Deter Homeless People From Setting Up Camp In San Francisco ([Business Insider]( Five Times The Internet Was Actually Fun In 2017 ([The New York Times]( [unsubscribe from this list]( | [update subscription preferences]( | [view email in browser](