Government shuts down as lawmakers still searching for a deal - CNN Politics

Government shuts down as lawmakers still searching for a deal

By Lauren Fox, Phil Mattingly, Ted Barrett, Daniella Diaz and Deirdre Walsh, CNN

Updated 0736 GMT (1536 HKT) January 20, 2018

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Schumer: We can do this with or without Trump

The US Capitol is seen in Washington, DC, on January 3, 2018 before the opening of the second session of the 115th Congress.

CNN poll: GOP would take blame for shutdown

mark meadows tsr

Lawmaker: Not enough votes to avert shutdown

sen markey erin burnett split

Burnett to Dem senator: Is this not hypocrisy?

Pelosi slams Republicans for 'dilly-dallying'

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Trump: Government 'very well could' shut down

jim jordan 1.17.2018

GOP rep.: Dems' fault if government shuts down

MCCONNELL:WANT IMMIGRATION BILL TRUMP SUPPORTS -

McConnell: Unclear what Trump wants in deal

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Government shuts down after Senate vote fails

The U.S. Capitol is pictured on July 27, 2017 in Washington, DC.

What a government shutdown means for you

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 11: U.S. President Donald Trump leads a prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, on January 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. State and local leaders joined Trump to discuss programs intended to help prisoners re-enter the workforce among other policy initiatives. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Then and now: Trump on government shutdowns

McConnell to Dems: What did you accomplish?

Sen. Schumer's message to the President

Graham: We can't let this continue to fester

How past government shutdowns played out

Bernie Sanders 1-19-17 AC

Sanders: McConnell does not have 60 votes

schumer negotiate with president sot _00005806.jpg

Schumer: We can do this with or without Trump

The US Capitol is seen in Washington, DC, on January 3, 2018 before the opening of the second session of the 115th Congress.

The US Congress hits the ground running as its 2018 session kicks off, with President Donald Trump facing a two-week deadline to forge a compromise between Republicans and Democrats on immigration reform and the budget.

CNN poll: GOP would take blame for shutdown

mark meadows tsr

Lawmaker: Not enough votes to avert shutdown

sen markey erin burnett split

Burnett to Dem senator: Is this not hypocrisy?

Pelosi slams Republicans for 'dilly-dallying'

Trump government shut down sot_00000000.jpg

Trump: Government 'very well could' shut down

jim jordan 1.17.2018

GOP rep.: Dems' fault if government shuts down

MCCONNELL:WANT IMMIGRATION BILL TRUMP SUPPORTS -

McConnell: Unclear what Trump wants in deal

Government shuts down after Senate vote fails

The U.S. Capitol is pictured on July 27, 2017 in Washington, DC.

What a government shutdown means for you

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 11: U.S. President Donald Trump leads a prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, on January 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. State and local leaders joined Trump to discuss programs intended to help prisoners re-enter the workforce among other policy initiatives. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Then and now: Trump on government shutdowns

McConnell to Dems: What did you accomplish?

Sen. Schumer's message to the President

Graham: We can't let this continue to fester

A view of Capitol Hill January 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

How past government shutdowns played out

Bernie Sanders 1-19-17 AC

Sanders: McConnell does not have 60 votes

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

With moments until the government shuts down, lawmakers were still negotiating

At issue is for how long the government should be funded

(CNN)The federal government shut down at midnight Friday as senators continued to scramble to reach a deal to fund the government.

This is the first modern government shutdown with Congress and the White House controlled by the same party, and it comes on the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump's inauguration.

Trump's White House however immediately blamed Democrats for the shutdown.

"Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country's ability to serve all Americans," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement moments before midnight. "We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators."

Trump and his representatives had been labeling the event the "Schumer shutdown" after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, but the New York Democrat was quick to call it "the Trump shutdown."

"It's almost as if you were rooting for a shutdown," Schumer said from the Senate floor. "And now we will have one. And the blame should crash entirely on President Trump's shoulders. This will be called the Trump shutdown. This will be called the Trump shutdown because there is no one, no one, who deserves the blame for the position we find ourselves in than President Trump."

Sixty votes were needed to advance the bill to keep the government open for four weeks. Republicans only control 51 seats, so GOP leaders needed Democratic votes to cross that threshold. It failed 50-49.

Key issue is setting a date

One of the key issues Friday has been just how long to extend funding. The House passed a measure Thursday night to continue funding the government through February 16, and that measure is the one that failed in the Senate early Saturday morning. Democrats have pushed for a shorter-term continuing resolution of a couple days. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who said he would not vote for the House proposal, pushed a plan to keep the government open until February 8.

After the vote, McConnell said he will offer a new continuing resolution to fund the government through February 8. McConnell said he wanted to introduce it during this early morning session, but he wasn't able to for procedural reasons and it wasn't clear if that measure would have enough Democrats it to advance.

"I'll be offering an amendment to change the date to February the eighth," McConnell said around 12:30 a.m. ET. "Unfortunately we'll not be able to get that vote tonight ... And that's the date the senator from South Carolina, the senior senator from South Carolina that I've been talking about, Democratic leader and I have been talking about, which begins to move a little bit close to our friends on the other side said they wanted to be. but a reasonable period of time."

Two GOP sources say that Graham's three-week compromise idea wasn't by accident -- it is the off-ramp on the table, if Democrats are willing to take it.

"It's a live option," one of the sources said -- one Democrats have been told is an acceptable change for Republicans. The big question, the sources said, is whether it goes nearly far enough for Democrats who've listed a litany if reasons for their opposition.

Two sources say Democrats have pitched a new continuing resolution that would expire on January 29, the day before Trump's State of the Union address. Republicans are not willing to consider that, one source said.

Trump showed his support for the House plan of a four week extension just hours before that vote was scheduled.

"Excellent preliminary meeting in Oval with @SenSchumer - working on solutions for Security and our great Military together with @SenateMajLdr McConnell and @SpeakerRyan. Making progress - four week extension would be best!" Trump tweeted Friday evening.

RELATED: Shutdown looms larger in Senate after House vote

White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney told CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" that as efforts continue to reach an agreement, "we're in a weekend so we have a little more flexibility here."

House Democrats prepare for shutdown

Rep. John Yarmuth, a Kentucky Democrat, told reporters that the House Democratic leadership team concluded at their meeting Friday night there would be a government shutdown and the group expected it to last through early next week.

"I think it is almost 100% likely that the government will shut down for some period of time -- now my guess is it won't go past the first of the week -- in which the disruption won't be particularly severe," said Yarmuth, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

Pelosi gave a very brief overview to the leadership team of what Schumer told her about his meeting with the President. According to Yarmuth, Schumer laid out what his priorities are and the President said he wanted the Senate to pass the House bill. Asked why the meeting lasted so long, he quipped, "Well, Trump repeats himself, that's what I understand."

Yarmuth expected the House, which was scheduled to be out of session next week, would likely come back just for a day to approve some type of stopgap bill.

"There are all sorts of things being discussed apparently, from one day to three days, to five days, to three weeks to four weeks. Four weeks being the president's position." He said Democrats would be fine with backing some type of short term continuing resolution.

Some Democratic aides for progressive members have been worried that Schumer would cut a deal and give away leverage on some of their priorities, but Yarmuth insisted that the House and Senate Democrats are "in 100% agreement on this and totally working hand in hand."

House members had been scheduled to be on recess next week, but many said they weren't going home until they knew there was resolution.

"I'm not going home if the government shuts down," said Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson.

Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican from Georgia, told CNN that he was also prepared to stay, although he added "Mitch McConnell needs to stand and fight."

Details of the Schumer meeting

Earlier Friday, Trump called Schumer and invited the New York Democrat personally, a person familiar with the plans told CNN.

Trump's chief of staff John Kelly was the only White House official present at the meeting, a person familiar told CNN.

McConnell was not at the meeting, a source said, adding that he and Trump have been in touch during the day by telephone. Neither was Ryan, who was addressing the "March for Life" rally around the same time. McConnell and Ryan were aware that the White House was going to invite Schumer to the White House, one Republican source said.

"We had a long and detailed meeting," Schumer told reporters in brief remarks he made upon returning the Capitol, but he did not include any specifics from their discussion. "We made good progress and will continue."

Schumer then met with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin in his office.

"I think the leader made a statement that progress had been made but much more needs to be done," Pelosi told CNN upon leaving Schumer's office.

"It's in the hands of the leader," Durbin told CNN.

White House aides made clear to GOP staff this morning there was no daylight between the President and Hill Republicans this morning, especially on immigration, according to two sources.

Still, some congressional leaders eyed the Schumer meeting warily.

When asked by CNN if he was worried about Trump meeting with only Schumer, Sen. John Cornyn responded, "The thought did cross my mind."

This story has been updated and will continue to update with additional developments.

CNN's Jim Acosta, Dana Bash, Kevin Liptak, Tal Kopan, Ashley Killough, Kristin Wilson, Manu Raju, Betsy Klein and Gloria Borger contributed to this report.

Newly released Clinton emails include classified messages, show knowledge of security problems: watchdog - Fox News

19/1/2018

Newly released Clinton emails include classified messages, show knowledge of security problems: watchdog

Brooke Singman By Brooke Singman | Fox News

Report: Clinton email investigation reopening

Todd Piro reports from New York City.

A conservative watchdog group on Friday released 78 pages of new Hillary Clinton emails –three of which contained classified information and others that revealed the former secretary of state knew about potential security issues with her private email server.

The State Department turned over the new emails to Judicial Watch as part of the group’s Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, which is on an accelerated schedule of production ordered by U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg.

Boasberg ordered the State Department to complete processing of the remaining 72,000 pages recovered by the FBI in its investigation into Clinton’s private email server by Sept. 28, 2018.

Judicial Watch said the new emails appear to be among those that Clinton had attempted to delete or had otherwise failed to disclose.

“The fact that Hillary Clinton and her agents tried to destroy or hide emails shows how she flagrantly and knowingly violated the laws that protect classified information and government records,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement. “And these new emails refute Hillary Clinton’s repeated claims of having little or no knowledge about her email system. She clearly was fully in charge of setting up her outlaw email system and overseeing its use.”

The new emails reveal Clinton’s apparent knowledge of “system vulnerabilities” with her non-state.gov email address.

One email on June 6, 2011 from Clinton aide Justin Cooper, who asked State Department IT aide Bryan Pagliano to set up Clinton’s private email server, warned about “overseas” security issues with her emails and BlackBerry devices.

“All of your older messages will remain on the server. There is a way for me to move everything onto the new device, but the security whizzes have convinced me that this is a horrible thing to do because you also transfer any viruses, spyware and junk overseas providers hide on there,” Cooper wrote in the email. “We also have some new security features and policies [sic] that I would like to add to any new berry you have –the most noticeable difference will require a more complex password. It is a constant fight to keep up with the security measures and unfortunately we keep seeing reminders of why we need to.”

Throughout the FBI investigation, and congressional probes into the private email server, Clinton claimed she wasn’t involved in issues involving the “email system.”

But new emails show exchanges between Clinton and top aides, like Pagliano and Cooper, who helped to set up the servers, discussing backups of emails and the setting up of Clinton’s ipad.

Cooper reportedly had no security clearance.

US shutdown begins as Senate fails to pass new budget - BBC News

20/1/2018

US shutdown begins as Senate fails to pass new budget

Government workers on what happens during a shutdown

The US government has begun shutting down many of its services after the Senate failed to agree on a new budget.

A bill to fund the federal government until 16 February did not receive the required 60 votes amid a bitter dispute over immigration and border security.

It is the first shutdown ever to happen while the same party, the Republicans, controls Congress and the White House.

The impasse will affect hundreds of thousands of federal workers, and the recriminations have already begun.

The White House accused Democrats of "[putting] politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country's ability to serve all Americans".

But the leading Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, said President Trump had turned down two bipartisan compromise deals and "did not press his party in Congress".

The last government shutdown was in 2013, and lasted for 16 days.

What is a government shutdown?

As of 00:01 Saturday (05:01 GMT), many federal agencies are no longer open for business - although essential services will continue to run.

Most staff in the departments of housing, environment, education and commerce will stay at home. Half of workers in the treasury, health, defence and transportation departments will also not be going to work on Monday.

National parks and monuments could face closure, which provoked an angry public reaction during the 2013 shutdown.

Visa and passport processing could also be delayed.

But essential services that protect "life or human property" will continue, including national security, postal services, air traffic control, inpatient medical services, emergency outpatient medicine, disaster assistance, prisons, taxation and electricity generation.

Why the US government has shut down

This could be a protracted, ugly fight

Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington

The game of chicken ended with a head-on crash.

Republicans are anxious to label this the "Schumer shutdown" and, essentially, they're right. Chuck Schumer and his fellow Democrats (with the help of a few Republicans) blocked a bill that would have kept the government open - at least temporarily.

Determining responsibility and apportioning blame, however, are two decidedly different endeavours.

Democrats will argue that they had a deal with the president on their bipartisan compromise that included immigration reform - only to have him back away during that fateful obscenity-laden Oval Office meeting last week. Republicans will frame this as liberals putting undocumented immigrant protections over military readiness and health insurance for poor kids.

The blame game began at midnight, and the winner has yet to be decided. Generally, the loser in these types of showdowns is the party entering the fight with the lowest popularity - bad news for Mr Trump and the Republicans.

The good news, for both sides, is that their political bases will be thrilled they are playing hardball. Midterm election years, like 2018, tend to encourage this kind of rally-the-base manoeuvres.

Now that the line has been crossed, this could become a protracted, ugly fight.

Why can the two sides not agree?

The main bone of contention has been Democrats' demands for more than 700,000 undocumented immigrants who entered the US as children to be protected from deportation.

These "Dreamers", as they are known, were granted temporary legal status under a programme established by former President Barack Obama.

In September, Mr Trump announced he was ending the programme and allowing Congress until March to come up with a replacement.

The missing - consequences of Trump's immigration crackdown

The Republican president and congressional conservatives have been using the issue as a bargaining chip in an attempt to wring concessions from Democrats.

Mr Trump wants funding for tough new border controls, including his proposed US-Mexico wall.

Republicans added a sweetener to the bill in the form of a six-year extension to a health insurance programme for children in lower-income families.

But Democrats want this programme extended permanently.

"America is the only country I've known" says this Dreamer

The legislative negotiations went up in flames last week after Mr Trump allegedly complained the US was letting in immigrants from certain "shithole countries".

What happens now?

Despite blaming each other, both the Republican and Democratic leaders said they would continue to talk over the weekend.

Mick Mulvaney, the head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), said there was a "really good chance" it could be resolved before government offices open again on Monday.

But the White House took a tough line after the midnight deadline passed, tweeting that it would "not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands".

However, with mid-term elections looming in November, neither party wishes to be held accountable for closing the government.

The shutdown began on the first anniversary of President Trump's inauguration. He has delayed a trip to his Florida resort where he is due to host a party - with attendees paying as much as $250,000 (£180,000; €204,500) - to mark the event.

What happened during the 2013 shutdown?

Many federal employees were forced to take a leave of absence - officially known as being furloughed - during the 16 days of shutdown.

At its peak, some 850,000 employees were off work each day. It cost the government $2bn in lost productivity and led to "significant negative effects on the economy", the OMB said at the time.

Donald Trump, interviewed by Fox and Friends at the time, laid the blame for the shutdown with the then president, Barack Obama.

"The problems start from the top and have to get solved from the top," he said. "The president is the leader, and he's got to get everybody in a room and he's got to lead."