West Wing Reads: Schiff Got Early Account of Accusations as Whistle-Blower’s Concerns Grew

Schiff Got Early Account of Accusations as Whistle-Blower’s Concerns Grew The New York Times reports that Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff, head of the House Intelligence Committee, knew about the “whistle-blower” complaint against President Trump before it was ever filed. “The early account by the future whistle-blower shows how determined he was to make known his allegations,” Julian E. Barnes, Michael S. Schmidt, and Matthew Rosenberg write. Schiff’s team steered the whistleblower to file a complaint even though “the original accusation was vague.” Click here to read more. Washington Examiner: “Adam Schiff needs to go.”

“The impeachment process is barely underway and already some constitutional norms are being trampled without a note of media notice or political concern. To wit, can a whistleblower inside the intelligence bureaucracy override a President’s right to executive privilege merely with an accusation?” The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes. “Now any bureaucrat who hears about a conversation can file a complaint that overrides a President’s ability to speak with foreign leaders with the expectation of privacy. We are in dangerous constitutional waters.”

Today, First Lady Melania Trump travels to Wyoming to promote national parks and spread the child well-being message that's a key component of her “Be Best” initiative, Local News 8 reports. “The White House says Thursday's visit will be about encouraging fourth-graders to get a pass from the National Park Service so they can spend more time outdoors.”

“U.S. President Donald Trump will unveil an executive order on Thursday aimed at strengthening the Medicare health program for seniors, seeking to improve its fiscal position and offer more affordable plan options,” Jeff Mason reports for Reuters.

“Google is committing to a White House initiative designed to get private companies to expand job training for American workers,” Darlene Superville writes for The Associated Press. “CEO Sundar Pichai was making the announcement Thursday during an appearance with White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump at El Centro community college in downtown Dallas.”

“Should Congress pass bipartisan legislation that creates over 176,000 new jobs in America, or should Congress drag a duly-elected president into impeachment proceedings on the basis of false rumors?” Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) writes in Fox Business. “For most Americans, that’s a no-brainer. Congress should focus on making Americans’ lives better, not partisan showboating that threatens to tear our country apart.”