The new Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham, met with U.S. Attorney General nominee William Barr earlier today.  After the meeting Graham answers media questions about their conversation as well as Graham’s reaction to Trump’s prime-time address Tuesday and the news of Rod Rosenstein’s expected departure.

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Senator Graham outlined that AG Nominee William Barr and Robert Mueller are close personal friends for decades. “They’ve been personal friends for over 20 years,” Graham said, noting they worked together previously at the Department of Justice. “His opinion of Mr. Mueller is very, very high in terms of ethics and character and professionalism.”
Graham said Barr’s and Mueller’s wives attend Bible study together and Mueller has attended the weddings of two of Barr’s daughters. “I didn’t know that they were that close personally,” Graham said.
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Vice President Mike Pence, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise and Senate Majority Whip John Thune describe the events at a White House meeting with President Trump, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Dick Durbin….  Things did not go well:

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It would appear congress is at loggerheads over border security, with democrats unwilling to provide any funding that might secure the southern border.  Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have stated the border is secure; there are no illegal border crossings actually taking place; and there is no crisis.  As such, the partial government shutdown continues.
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Reports from inside the DOJ to allied resistance media announce that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will leave the DOJ once special counsel Robert Mueller (the team, not the person) submits their investigative report on Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Generally speaking, media reporting can be taken with a grain of proverbial salt; however, with these events it’s likely allied resistance media have embeds within the special counsel and DOJ coordinating leaks on their behalf.  Additionally, this latest report aligns almost identically with the CTH prediction for legislative action.  In short, it just makes sense.

WASHINGTON — Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who had been overseeing the special counsel investigation, plans to step down after Robert Mueller submits his report, according to administration officials familiar with his thinking.

A source close to Rosenstein said he intends to stay on until Mueller submits a report to the Justice Department on the Russian meddling investigation. The source said that would mean Rosenstein would remain until early March.

Several legal sources have said they expect the Mueller team to submit its report by mid-to-late February, although they said that timeline could change based on unforeseen investigative developments. (read more)

This report aligns with the predictable sequencing of events we previously outlined from reviewing Democrat plans and Pelosi’s legislative rules requests and schedules.
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Surrounded by key Decepticon leadership, Barrasso, Graham, Thune and McConnell, together with Vice-President Mike Pence –  President Donald Trump tells reporters at the U.S. Capitol that Senate Republicans are “unified” as he seeks border security funding before ending the government shutdown.

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Vice-President Mike Pence is the President of the U.S. Senate. Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) is President Pro Tempore. Senator Mitch McConnell (KY) is Senate Majority Leader. Senator John Thune (SD) is Senate Majority Whip. Senator John Barrasso (WY) is Chairman of the Republican Conference.
Note: Watch Barrasso’s eyes.
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President Donald Trump signs the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 1862) which tightens criteria for whether countries are meeting standards for eliminating trafficking.
After discussing the issues surrounding the horrific human trafficking network, President Trump connected the human trafficking crisis to urgent need for border security.  The President also answered questions from the media about ongoing issues within government.

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President Trump has signed four bills in recent weeks that demonstrate the bipartisan commitment to end human trafficking.
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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Rule #1:  try not to look creepy as hell…
Rule #2:  try not to appear evil in disposition…

Whoopsie…
Let the memes begin:
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Comprehensive border security, and funding for a barrier therein, is the central topic in President Trump’s first Oval Office address.  President Trump will speak directly to the American people at the close of Day 18 of a partial government shutdown.  The anticipated start time is 9:00pm EST.   WH Livestream Link
UPDATE: Video Added

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[Transcript] Oval Office – 9:01 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans: Tonight, I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border.
Every day, Customs and Border Patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them, and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country.
America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation. But all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled, illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hit are African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
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Following a meeting between Vice-President Mike Pence, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and acting WH chief-of-staff Mick Mulvaney, the House leadership team (Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise and Liz Cheney) deliver remarks to the capitol press:

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White House – We are no longer in a status quo situation at the Southern Border but in a crisis situation. Status quo funding is not enough.

• In fiscal year (FY) 2018, 17,000 adults at the border with existing criminal records were arrested by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and border agents.
• In FY2017 and FY2018, ICE officers arrested approximately 235,000 aliens on various criminal charges or convictions within the interior of the United States—including roughly 100,000 for assault, 30,000 for sex crimes, and 4,000 for homicides.
• We are now averaging 60,000 illegal and inadmissible aliens a month on our Southern Border.

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