Fashion Notes: Melania Trump Gets Western in Denim Shirt Dress, Leather-Tipped Manolo Blahniks

First Lady Melania Trump strutted out of Washington, D.C., on Monday as she traveled to West Virginia for the day, donning her most western-inspired look.

Melania Trump jetted off to West Virginia in all the essentials necessary for the West: Denim, leather, suede, and giant sunglasses.

The Slovenian-born former fashion model buttoned her Lafayette 148 New York denim midi shirt dress all the way up and cinched her small waist with a thin brown leather belt. The dress currently retails for about $700.

Mrs. Trump paired the dress with some of her favorite Manolo Blahnik pointed stilettos, the rich brown suede pumps that feature a leather-tipped toe. Loyal Fashion Notes readers will recall that Mrs. Trump has worn these heels on three separate occasions now, most famously debuting the pumps in Ghana last year with a Safari-esque ensemble.

To shade herself from the sun, Mrs. Trump threw on a pair of giant tortoiseshell sunglasses — a departure from her usual Saint Laurent sunglasses that she owns in brown and black.

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John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder

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Orbán backs Weber as lead candidate in European election

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban | Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Orbán backs Weber as lead candidate in European election

Hungarian PM falls into line with other national center-right leaders.

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By

Updated

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán backs Manfred Weber to be the European People’s Party lead candidate in next year’s European Parliament election, a Hungarian minister said Thursday.

Minister Antal Rogán told Hungarian state news agency MTI that Orbán will “definitely” support Weber, leader of the center-right grouping in the Parliament, over former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb.

The announcement comes a day after EPP officials said Weber has secured the support of all the pan-European party’s heads of government except Orbán.

Weber, a leading member of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union, has generally been supportive of Orbán over the past years but last month voted to trigger a disciplinary proceedings against Hungary over rule-of-law concerns.

Weber has nevertheless also repeatedly expressed interest in continuing dialogue with the Hungarian leader, who has been criticized for what observers terms an increasingly authoritarian approach at home. Stubb has taken a tougher line over Orbán, bluntly rejecting his vision of an “illiberal democracy.”

Two demands that Weber has publicly made of the Hungarian government, to safeguard the future of the Central European University in Budapest and to stop its crackdown on civil society, have not been met.

Authors:
Lili Bayer 

Trump thanks Pentagon official said to be pressured to resign

President TrumpDonald John TrumpFed saw risks to US economy fading before coronavirus spread quickened Pro-Trump super PAC hits Biden with new Spanish-language ad in Nevada Britain announces immigration policy barring unskilled migrants MORE on Wednesday thanked a top Pentagon official for his service, confirming that the undersecretary of Defense for policy was on his way out of the administration.

“I would like to thank John Rood for his service to our Country, and wish him well in his future endeavors!” Trump tweeted.

The president quote tweeted a Bloomberg News reporter who said Rood faced pressure to resign from some officials who lacked confidence in his ability to carry out Trump’s agenda.

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Trump did not comment on the reason for Rood’s departure.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley was asked about Rood on Wednesday morning and referred comment to the Pentagon, which did not respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

CNN first reported that Rood was expected to leave the administration after losing support from other national security leaders.

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Rood, who assumed his position in 2018, serves as a principal adviser to Defense Secretary Mark EsperMark EsperTrump thanks Pentagon official said to be pressured to resign Top Pentagon official leaving Trump administration Overnight Defense: Dem senator met with Iranian foreign minister | Meeting draws criticism from right | Lawmakers push back at Pentagon funding for wall MORE and coordinates national security policy within the Pentagon as part of his role. He also oversees areas that deal with the country’s partnerships with foreign allies.

Rood played a role in initially certifying to Congress that Ukraine had taken actions to make institutional reforms within its government in order to receive $250 million in security assistance from the U.S.

“The United States remains committed to assisting with the implementation of these reforms to bolster Ukraine’s ability to defend its territorial integrity in support of a secure and democratic Ukraine,” Rood wrote, according to a letter previously obtained by The Hill.

The House impeached Trump in December after he withheld security assistance for Ukraine and urged the Ukrainian president to investigate his political rivals. He was later acquitted in the GOP-controlled Senate.

On The Money: GAO to investigate Trump aid for farmers | Bloomberg calls for bolstering Dodd-Frank | Where the 2020 Democrats stand on taxes

Happy Tuesday and welcome back to On The Money, where we’re a little bit jealous of our friends covering the South Carolina primary. I’m Sylvan Lane, and here’s your nightly guide to everything affecting your bills, bank account and bottom line.

See something I missed? Let me know at slane@thehill.com or tweet me @SylvanLane. And if you like your newsletter, you can subscribe to it here: http://bit.ly/1NxxW2N.

Write us with tips, suggestions and news: slane@thehill.com, njagoda@thehill.com and nelis@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @SylvanLane, @NJagoda and @NivElis.

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THE BIG DEAL–GAO launches investigation into Trump aid for farmers: The Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress’s nonpartisan audit agency, is opening an investigation into a program providing aid to farmers hit by President TrumpDonald John TrumpCensus Bureau spends millions on ad campaign to mitigate fears on excluded citizenship question Bloomberg campaign: Primary is two-way race with Sanders Democratic senator meets with Iranian foreign minister MORE‘s trade wars.

“It’s clear that the Trump Administration’s trade assistance payments pick winners and losers rather than help the farmers who have been hit the hardest by this president’s trade policies,” said Sen. Debbie StabenowDeborah (Debbie) Ann StabenowGAO launches investigation into Trump aid for farmers Democrats worried about Trump’s growing strength GAO to review Trump administration’s billion farm bailout MORE (Mich.), the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, who requested the investigation last month.

“This investigation will shed more light on what has been happening, and bring accountability and fairness to a program that has spent billions of taxpayer dollars,” she added.

The Hill’s Niv Elis tells us more about the investigation here.

 

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The details:

  • The Agriculture Department (USDA) pledged $12 billion in aid in 2018 and an additional $14.5 billion in 2019.
  • One study found that between disaster aid, trade aid, insurance indemnities and the trade assistance, almost 40 percent of farm income was coming from some sort of aid.
  • Stabenow raised concerns that the aid distribution was being decided by political considerations, with larger payouts going to Trump-voting red states in the South. She also had questions over whether USDA’s methods for dispersing aid were preventing waste, fraud and abuse.
  • USDA has also taken heat for trade-related aid payments to the subsidiary of a Brazilian corporation under criminal investigation.

 

LEADING THE DAY

Bloomberg calls for bolstering Obama-era financial rules, reversing past criticism: Former New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael Rubens BloombergBloomberg campaign: Primary is two-way race with Sanders Warren: Bloomberg making debate will show how other candidates handle ‘an egomaniac billionaire’ HuffPost reporter: Sanders could win plurality of delegates but lose nomination MORE, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, proposed on Tuesday a vast expansion of financial regulations amid intense criticism over his past skepticism of Wall Street rules.

The plan would reverse the Trump administration’s loosening of post-financial crisis regulations created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law and drastically expand the power of federal financial watchdogs.

  • Bloomberg, who has amassed a $64 billion fortune through his eponymous financial analysis and media company, has taken heat for his past criticism of Dodd-Frank and for blaming the 2007 housing collapse on laws intended to stop racial discrimination in lending.
  • But his proposal includes several policies long supported by fierce Wall Street critics, including a financial transaction tax, the renewal of U.S. Post Office banking services and tougher restrictions on risky financial trades.

I break down the proposal here.

 

What’s in Bloomberg’s plan: 

  • The centerpiece of Bloomberg’s proposal is unwinding the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back Dodd-Frank, including stress test revisions, the rewritten Volcker Rule, and capital requirements.
  • Bloomberg is proposing to work with Congress to implement a 0.1 percent tax on transactions for stocks, bonds and derivatives. He is calling for the tax to be phased in over time, starting at 0.02 percent, to limit any unintended consequences, according to a document from his campaign
  • Bloomberg’s plan also calls for strengthening the Community Reinvestment Act and boosting fair lending laws, recanting his past claim that the elimination of redlining caused the 2007 housing collapse.
  • Bloomberg also pledged to restore the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s initial rules to curb short-term, high-interest “payday” loans, potentially discriminatory auto loan premiums and forced arbitration between consumers and financial institutions. 
  • There’s a ton of other interesting or notable proposals in his plan, like the merger of Fannie and Freddie, requiring publicly traded companies to disclose climate-related risks, and bringing back the Labor Department’s “fiduciary” rule. If you read this newsletter, you’ll probably find something else that matters to you in here.

 

THE HILL EVENT

Thursday, February 20th: Building the Dream: Charlotte 

The Hill will be in Charlotte, N.C. on Thursday, February 20th. Our editors will sit down with Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Rep. Alma AdamsAlma Shealey AdamsThe Hill’s Morning Report – Sanders on the rise as Nevada debate looms The Hill’s Morning Report — AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in On The Money: Republicans expect Trump to pull controversial Fed nominee | Inside Judy Shelton’s confirmation hearing | Trump extends emergency declaration at border MORE (D-N.C.), state Sen. Paul Newton (R) and others to discuss financial hurdles to homeownership. Join us live in Charlotte or join the livestream.

 

GOOD TO KNOW

  • The Hill’s Naomi Jagoda breaks down where the 2020 Democrats stand on taxes.
  • President Trump on Monday accused former President Obama of “trying to take credit” for the strong economy after Obama commemorated the anniversary of the 2009 stimulus bill.
  • Budget watchers are growing increasingly frustrated about the politicization of tackling cost-saving measures in entitlement programs, particularly Medicare.

 

ODDS AND ENDS

  • Apple will miss its revenue projections for the second quarter of the fiscal year, blaming the coronavirus outbreak for the lower-than-expected profits.
  • Democratic donor George Soros said Tuesday that Facebook CEO Mark ZuckerbergMark Elliot ZuckerbergSoros: Zuckerberg, Sandberg should be removed from control of Facebook The Hill’s Morning Report – Sanders on the rise as Nevada debate looms Facebook white paper calls for ‘new type of regulator’ for the good of its business MORE and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg should be removed from control of the social media company.
  • Roughly two in three Americans use internet payment applications, according to a poll conducted by Financial Innovation Now, an alliance of major technology companies.

Fed saw risks to US economy fading before coronavirus spread quickened

Federal Reserve officials saw risks to the U.S. economy fading before the coronavirus outbreak caused severe economic disruption in China, according to minutes from their January meeting released Wednesday.

Members of the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC), which sets Fed interest rates, expressed confidence in the country’s ability to stretch a record run of economic growth and job gains well into 2020 at their last meeting, held Jan. 28 to 29. The Fed kept interest rates unchanged after the meeting, which followed a raft of strong economic data to close out 2019.

Fed officials said a reduction in trade-related uncertainty after the passage of President TrumpDonald John TrumpFed saw risks to US economy fading before coronavirus spread quickened Pro-Trump super PAC hits Biden with new Spanish-language ad in Nevada Britain announces immigration policy barring unskilled migrants MORE’s revised North American trade deal and signing of a preliminary pact with China helped settle concerns that stifled business investment throughout 2019. Officials also expected consumer spending, a key driver of economic growth, to “remain on a firm footing, supported by strong labor market conditions, rising incomes, and healthy household balance sheets.”

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Even so, FOMC members agreed that the “threat of the coronavirus, in addition to its human toll, had emerged as a new risk to the global growth outlook,” which Fed Chairman Jerome Powell echoed in his press conference following the meeting.

“There is likely to be some disruption to activity in China and possibly globally based on the spread of the virus today and the travel restrictions and business closures that have already been imposed,” Powell told reporters at the time.

In the three weeks since Powell’s remarks, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose from 6,000 to more than 75,000 and the death toll rose from 132 to at least 2,014. Major U.S. airlines have also suspended service to China and businesses around the world are expected to suffer from store closures, idled factories, quarantines and other efforts to contain the virus.

The size of China’s economy, the scale of the coronavirus’s disruption, and concerns about the accuracy of Chinese government reports have prompted concerns of potential blowback for the U.S. economy. But the coronavirus was far from the only potential threat on the Fed’s radar in January.

Several Fed officials cited concerns that fading trade tensions between the U.S. and China could reemerge, or that a simmering conflict with the European Union could negate the soothing benefit of Trump’s trade deals. Others expressed fears that excessive levels of corporate debt and record-breaking equity prices could “amplify an adverse shock to the economy.”

Democratic senators urge Trump administration to request emergency funding for coronavirus response

Senate Democrats are urging the Trump administration to request emergency funding from Congress to respond to the coronavirus. 

In a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick MulvaneyJohn (Mick) Michael MulvaneyTrump declares war on hardworking Americans with new budget request Scaramucci thanks John Kelly for speaking up against Trump Trump lashes out over Kelly criticism: ‘He misses the action’ MORE, 25 Senate Democrats said they have heard concerns from state and local public health departments that are facing additional costs from responding to the outbreak. 

While there are only 15 confirmed cases in the U.S., hundreds of Americans have been quarantined after being evacuated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak. More than 74,000 cases have been confirmed in China, while 924 cases have been confirmed in 25 other countries. 

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“Based on the global escalation of cases and the increasing demands on federal, state and local public health agencies, we are concerned that HHS has not requested additional resources,” wrote the group of senators, which includes Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerBarr to testify before House Judiciary panel Graham won’t call Barr to testify over Roger Stone sentencing recommendation Roger Stone witness alleges Trump targeted prosecutors in ‘vile smear job’ MORE (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Patty MurrayPatricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayDemocrats demand Trump administration withdraw religious provider rule How to downsize the federal education role — without attracting attention Senate Dems blast Barr for ‘clear violation’ of duty in Stone case, urge him to resign MORE (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Health Committee. 

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State and local health departments have been tasked with helping carry out federal quarantine orders, as well as isolating confirmed cases and assisting with the screening of travelers. But it’s not clear if those departments will be reimbursed for their work, the senators said.

“We strongly urge the Administration to transmit an emergency supplemental request that ensures it can and will fully reimburse states for the costs they are incurring as part of this response — including costs associated with the enactment of travel screening and quarantine policies laid out by the Federal government,” the senators said. 

The administration has not requested any supplemental funding and has relied on the $105 million set aside for HHS to respond to infectious disease outbreaks. 

HHS notified Congress recently that it might transfer up to $136 million from other programs to respond to the coronavirus, but has not provided any more information. 

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But the senators wrote in the letter that the administration has provided few details about current or future spending and should request more funding to ensure the “strongest possible response.” 

Azar has said talks of emergency funding requests are premature. 

“It’s premature to be talking about any additional needs for money at this point. There are still so many unknowns about the situation,” Azar told reporters earlier this month. “We won’t let resources be any kind of barrier to response activities here but let’s not put the cart before the horse.”

Azar has also said that state and local governments already have “significant funding” from the federal government to respond to outbreaks.

Democratic senator meets with Iranian foreign minister

Democratic Sen. Chris MurphyChristopher (Chris) Scott MurphyDemocratic senator meets with Iranian foreign minister Lawmakers wary as US on cusp of initial deal with Taliban Democratic senators ask FDA to ban device used to shock disabled students MORE (D-Conn.) met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on the sidelines of this weekend’s Munich Security Conference, the senator confirmed Tuesday.

In a post on Medium, Murphy said he wanted to discuss Iranian-backed forces in Iraq, the war in Yemen and U.S. prisoners being held in Iran.

“I have no delusions about Iran — they are our adversary, responsible for the killing of thousands of Americans and unacceptable levels of support for terrorist organizations throughout the Middle East,” Murphy wrote. “But I think it’s dangerous to not talk to your enemies. Discussions and negotiations are a way to ease tensions and reduce the chances for crisis.”

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The meeting was first reported by conservative outlet The Federalist and quickly criticized by right-wing circles.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, President TrumpDonald John TrumpCensus Bureau spends millions on ad campaign to mitigate fears on excluded citizenship question Bloomberg campaign: Primary is two-way race with Sanders Democratic senator meets with Iranian foreign minister MORE questioned whether Murphy violated the Logan Act, which bans private U.S. citizens from conducting unauthorized diplomacy with foreign governments.

Legal scholars generally agree the Logan Act does not apply to members of Congress, and there is lengthy precedent of lawmakers meeting with foreign government officials.

“Sen. Murphy met with the Iranians; is that a fact? I just saw that on the way over. Is there anything that I should know? Because that sounds like, to me, a violation of the Logan Act,” Trump said.

Asked about reporting on the meeting before Murphy’s post, Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoDemocratic senator meets with Iranian foreign minister The Hill’s Morning Report – Sanders on the rise as Nevada debate looms Congress looks to strengthen hand in State Department following impeachment MORE highlighted U.S. sanctions against Zarif, as well as Iran’s recent shooting down of a Ukrainian commercial airliner.

“If they met, I don’t know what they said. I hope they were reinforcing America’s foreign policy, not their own,” Pompeo said during a news conference in Ethiopia.

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In his post, Murphy stressed that he does not conduct diplomacy on behalf of the U.S. government, but added that Congress is a co-equal branch of government that sets foreign policy.

“I cannot conduct diplomacy on behalf of the whole of the U.S. government, and I don’t pretend to be in a position to do so. But if Trump isn’t going to talk to Iran, then someone should,” he wrote.

The meeting comes after a military confrontation between the United States and Iran nearly escalated into war in January. A drone strike ordered by Trump killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and Iran retaliated with a missile strike on an Iraqi military base that gave more than 100 U.S. service members brain injuries.

Murphy said he wanted to meet with Zarif to “gauge whether he thinks the reprisals for the Soleimani assassination are over.”

“I want to make sure it is 100 percent clear to him that if any groups in Iraq that are affiliated with Iran attack the United States’ forces in Iraq, this will be perceived as an unacceptable escalation,” Murphy added.

The pair also discussed the civil war in Yemen, where Iran supports the Houthi rebels, Murphy said.

“I tell him that I know it is not a coincidence that the recent uptick in attacks from Iranian-aligned Houthis in Yemen started right after the Soleimani killing,” he wrote.

Murphy also said he raised the issue of a 2 percent tax the Houthis had planned to impose on humanitarian assistance, a plan the Houthis said Friday they dropped.

Finally, Murphy said he raised the issue of U.S. prisoners in Iran; he said he and Zarif spent “a few minutes discussing how the situation could be resolved.”

GOP leader in Illinois statehouse slams Trump for commuting Blagojevich's sentence

Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin tore into President TrumpDonald John TrumpCensus Bureau spends millions on ad campaign to mitigate fears on excluded citizenship question Bloomberg campaign: Primary is two-way race with Sanders Democratic senator meets with Iranian foreign minister MORE on Tuesday for granting clemency to the state’s disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), saying Trump isn’t “concerned about the state of Illinois for next November.”

“We have a massive federal investigation into corruption in the state of Illinois and this action distracts and dilutes what I think is the proper role of the Department of Justice — to root out corruption,” Durkin said. “I don’t agree.”

Trump on Tuesday commuted Blagojevich’s sentence after the former governor had served roughly half of a 14-year sentence on federal corruption charges.

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Blagojevich was convicted on a wide array of corruption charges, including attempted extortion of a children’s hospital for campaign contributions and trying to sell former President Obama’s Senate seat after the 44th president was elected to the White House in 2008. Blagojevich began serving his prison sentence in 2012.

While speaking to reporters in the state capitol in Springfield, Durkin described Blagojevich’s actions as “rogue on steroids.”

“He didn’t care about the state of Illinois, he cared about his own ambition,” Durkin said. “He abused the office, and the legislature did the appropriate thing, the federal courts did the right thing. Not only at the district court level but through the appellate court and also the U.S. Supreme Court, which said his sentence was appropriate.”

Durkin, the ranking GOP member of the Illinois House impeachment committee during Blagojevich’s 2009 removal from office, questioned why the ex-governor should be getting “special treatment” when there are people sitting in jail with lengthy sentences for drug offenses.

“It’s just the celebrity of Rod Blagojevich, which he’s getting this type of relief,” Durkin said. “And I think it’s wrong and it sends a bad message to people in this country that, you know what, you don’t exactly have to pay your debt to society.”

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The GOP leader added that Trump needs to explain his reasoning to the people of Illinois who “saw a governor destroy the integrity of this office but also did some terrible things to the finances of this state.”

Trump spoke about commuting the sentence of the former “The Celebrity Apprentice” contestant before departing Washington on Tuesday. 

“He’ll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail,” Trump told reporters. “That was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion, and in the opinion of many others.”

Trump had been mulling the idea of commuting Blagojevich’s sentence for some time, saying in August that the former governor had been treated “unbelievably unfairly.” 

“You have drug dealers that get not even 30 days, and they’ve killed 25 people,” Trump said at the time. “They put him in jail for 18 years, and he has many years left. And I think it’s very unfair.”

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Assange lawyer: Trump offered pardon in exchange for saying Russia didn't hack DNC

An attorney for WikiLeaks founder Julian AssangeJulian Paul AssangeAssange lawyer: Trump offered pardon in exchange for saying Russia didn’t hack DNC The Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde urges Trump to join effort to free Assange DOJ asks judge to sentence Roger Stone to 7-9 years in prison MORE alleged in court Wednesday that President TrumpDonald John TrumpFed saw risks to US economy fading before coronavirus spread quickened Pro-Trump super PAC hits Biden with new Spanish-language ad in Nevada Britain announces immigration policy barring unskilled migrants MORE offered a pardon to Julian Assange if he would deny any Russian involvement in the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hack in 2016.

Edward Fitzgerald, Assange’s lawyer, said in a London court that Trump’s message had been passed on to Assange by former Rep. Dana RohrabacherDana Tyrone RohrabacherAssange lawyer: Trump offered pardon in exchange for saying Russia didn’t hack DNC The most expensive congressional races of the last decade George Papadopoulos launches campaign to run for Katie Hill’s congressional seat MORE (R-Calif.).

Fitzgerald said a statement made by Jennifer Robinson, another lawyer for Assange, shows “Mr. Rohrabacher going to see Mr Assange and saying, on instructions from the president, he was offering a pardon or some other way out, if Mr Assange … said Russia had nothing to do with the DNC leaks.”

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White House press secretary Stephanie GrishamStephanie GrishamAssange lawyer: Trump offered pardon in exchange for saying Russia didn’t hack DNC Barr: Trump’s tweets make it ‘impossible for me to do my job’ Hope Hicks to return to White House MORE on Wednesday denied the account.

“The President barely knows Dana Rohrabacher other than he’s an ex-congressman. He’s never spoken to him on this subject or almost any subject. It is is a complete fabrication and a total lie. This is probably another never ending hoax and total lie from the DNC,” Grisham said in a statement.

The DNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Rohrabacher could not immediately be reached for comment.

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser, who is presiding over Assange’s case, said the allegation would be admissible for a hearing next week regarding Assange’s legal battle to block attempts at extraditing him to the U.S, according to The Guardian.

Assange has been in prison since September after serving a 50-week jail sentence for violating his bail requirements during his time in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, The Guardian reported.

If tried in the U.S., Assange could face up to 18 charges, including conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.

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Trump's trade adviser spars with CNN anchor over who's responsible for the economic boom

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro during an appearance on CNN Tuesday said that the economy was “horrible” under the Obama administration, prompting pushback from the network’s anchor Poppy Harlow.

Harlow highlighted Department of Labor statistics showing Obama averaging 227,000 jobs created per month during his last 35 months in office versus Trump’s average of 191,000 jobs per month during his first 35 months in office.

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“Don’t both presidents deserve credit for good economies?” Harlow asked Navarro.

“If you lived through the Obama years … [people] remember what it is was like,” Navarro said. “What President Obama did was double the debt from 10 trillion to 20 trillion dollars … swell the balance sheet of the Fed, and tried to use Keynesian tools to pump up an economy.”

Navarro said Trump’s solution is solving structural problems, such as offshoring jobs, high regulation and high taxes.

“He fixed those structural problems that have set off the economic boom we’re in right now … back in the Obama-Biden years, it was horrible,” he said.

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“Peter, I’m sorry, I can’t,” Harlow replied, going on to reference statistics from BOL showing that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 4 percent to reach its highest peak of 5.5 percent in 2014 under the Obama administration.

“We have not seen growth above 4 percent on a quarterly basis under President Trump,” Harlow said.

Navarro argued that Trump’s economic plan was hindered by the Democratic-controlled House during the creation of the last budget deal, leading to unintended expenditures for the administration.

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“The economy is doing great; we’ve got a great economic plan to do it [and] if we get back the House of Representatives we’ll have a lot better fiscal situation than we do now,” Navarro said. “The bond market doesn’t seem to be worried about the prospect of a large fiscal deficit, which I think is supportive of President Trump’s economic policies … that our country will grow faster because of the Trump policies.”