Here’s the recap for this week. I try to stick just to the facts, but this week… well, it deserves a little commentary.

Congress has used the Congressional Review Act EIGHT times in the past week to role back some of Obama’s most recent policies. As I read through these, it strikes me that while some of these repeals are based on furthering Republican ideals, much more of it is fueled by a desire to erase the Obama presidency, regardless of whether it’s good for America or Americans. Furthering the Republican agenda is expected, but simply trying to erase our first black president is a reckless way to govern.

1. Missed from last week: The DOJ announces they won’t challenge bills that block transgender students from using restrooms according to the gender they identify with. In other words, no transgender protection.
2. In one NPR segment, Steven Miller claims that there was excessive voter fraud in New Hampshire and that voters were bussed up from Massachusetts to vote illegally. The head of the Trump campaign in New Hampshire agrees. But the head of the Republican Party in New Hampshire completely refutes everything that they said. This is the kind of bullshit that is tearing trust apart irreparably.
3. Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hold a joint press conference where Trump defends his travel ban and ICE raids and then brags about his “very, very large” electoral college win. Trudeau reiterates Canada’s policy of openness.
4. The Senate confirms Steve Mnuchin as Secretary of Treasury.
5. The Senate unanimously confirms David Shulkin as Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
6. The Senate confirms Mick Mulvaney as Budget Director.
7. The senate confirms Scott Pruitt, who denies climate change and has sued the EPA, to head the EPA.
8. Amid controversies over previous employees, spousal abuse accusations, and his previous business record, Andrew Puzder withdraws from the Secretary of Labor nomination. Trump later nominates Alexander Acosta, who on the surface seems to be a better candidate for this.
9. The White House removes 6 staffers who failed FBI tests. 10 advisory commission members resigned to protest the ACA repeal, the wall with Mexico, and punishing sanctuary cities. Both NSC Director Deare and Carson advisor Singleton were fired: in their cases, for disloyal criticism rather than treason. Total departures last week: 19.
10. Mike Flynn resigns after leaks from the intelligence community confirm his conversations with Russia and their content, which included lifting sanctions.
11. Intelligence leaks also claim that Trump’s aides had repeated contact with senior Russian officials during the 2016 campaign, and that Trump knew about Flynn for weeks.
12. Trump views the Russia problem as an issue with illegal leaks from the White House instead of viewing the actual contact with Russia as the problem. He also blames it on Hillary in a tweet.
13. Intelligence leaks indicate they are withholding the most sensitive information from the White House because they are convinced that the administration is compromised due to its ties with Russia and don’t want any confidential information getting out to Putin.
14. Newly confirmed Attorney General Jeff Sessions refuses to recuse himself from investigations into the administration’s relationship with Russia even though he is pressured to do so due to his campaigning for Trump in 2016.
15. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, moves to investigate the Russia leaks from the White House rather than investigating any Trump ties to Russia. He also moves to look into the guy who set up the private email server for Clinton.
16. The version of 5 executive orders posted on whitehouse.gov do not match the officially registered versions.
17. Russia deploys a cruise missile, violating an arms control treaty. Also, a Russian warship is seen off the east coast, though this is considered normal.
18. Canadians are worried about Trump’s border policies, so much so that some Canadian schools have suspended any field trips to the US.
19. The number of refugees crossing from the US to Canada increases.
20. The House Ways and Means Committee could force the Treasure Department to release Trump’s taxes, but they vote straight down party lines not to. Democrats made the request; all Republican members voted no.
21. The North Carolina Supreme Court blocks rules passed by the Republican-dominated assembly from taking effect as their legality is under consideration in the lower courts. If you remember, just before the Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, took office, the legislature passed a number of bills to strip his power and give it to them instead, including his power over the election board.
22. In his press conference with Netanyahu, Trump indicates he is open to a 1- or 2-state solution, taking us in a new direction and contradicting Nikki Haley’s statement to the UN confirming our commitment to a 2-state solution.
23. In the same press conference, Trump gives an unintelligible answer to a question about the rise anti-semitism, beginning with his big electoral win. Too long to print here, but worth the read: http://time.com/46724…/donald-trump-anti-semitism-netanyahu/
24. Trump holds a 77-minute press conference, which keeps the media busy all day. There is too way much to fact check in this one, so I might do another post on it.
25. Trump launches his 2020 election campaign and holds a rally in Melbourne, Fla. During this rally, he cites reasons to support his travel ban and mentions the incident that happened “last night” in Sweden, leaving a bunch of confused Swedes scrambling to figure out what happened that they missed (hint: nothing happened).
26. Tuesday is a bad day for the White House. The Office of Government Ethics recommends an investigation and disciplinary action for Kellyanne Conway’s plug of Ivanka’s clothing line. Then Jason Chaffetz sends a letter to Trump requesting information about the security protocols used at the public dinner table at Mar-a-Lago in the aftermath of the Korean missile test. Finally, Mitch McConnell says it’s “highly likely” they will deepen the probe into Russian interference in the election in the wake of Flynn’s resignation.
27. A draft memo surfaces indicating that the administration is considering the use of a deportation force. The document calls for “the unprecedented militarization of immigration enforcement”, dispatching 100,000 National Guard troops across several states, according to the AP. An updated memo removes this, but still includes expanding the definition of immigrants to be deported.
28. ICE cancels a scheduled meeting with the Hispanic Caucus and some house Democrats, and reschedules it with Republican leaders, excluding the caucus. Finally Joaquin Castro is allowed into the meeting.
29. Thursday is a day without immigrants. Across the nation, immigrants did not show up for work and some immigrant-owned businesses closed in an effort to show how much they contribute. On Saturday, there are marches across the nation in support of immigrants and protesting the recent ICE raids.
30. An undocumented woman in Texas is detained by ICE while in court trying to get a protective order against her boyfriend, who she alleges is abusing her. This type of action on the part of ICE prevents undocumented immigrants from reporting crime, allowing criminals to go free.
31. A legislator in Mexico is drafting a bill ruling that they will start buying their corn from South America instead of the Midwest. Also, some blame the slide in cattle futures on the antagonistic relationship with Mexico and the fall of the TPP, which would have provided access to the Japanese market.
32. Trump apparently fabricates a meeting with Rep. Elijah Cummings, and then claims a Cummings cancelled. Cummings claims to know nothing of this meeting.
33. The EPA creates a mirror site of how the site appeared the day before Trump took office in an effort to save all the information. Also, Republicans argue that the endangered species act tramples on states’ rights and begin to make moves to gut it.
34. Trump signs the repeal of transparency rules for oil companies. This was a rule that prevented bribery in international dealings, among other things.
35. House Republicans introduce an outline of their Obamacare replacement. Details are still sketchy.
36. Trump signs a repeal of an Obama era regulation to keep waterways clean. The old regulation protected waterways from coal mining waste.
37. The Senate approves H.J. Resolution 40, which overturns a rule limiting gun ownership by certain severely mentally disabled persons.
38. The House approves H.J. Resolution 69, which overturns a federal rule crafted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The repeal means hunters can once again kill dens of wolf pups and hibernating bears, spot grizzlies from the air and shoot them after landing, and use steel-jaw traps for grizzly and black bears on wildlife refuges.
39. The House approves H.J. Resolution 43, which would effectively defund Planned Parenthood.
40. The House approves H. Res.116, overturning an Obama-era policy that allows states to set up retirement savings arrangements for employers whose employer does not provide a 401K.
41. The House approves H.J. Resolution 42, lifting limits on drug testing unemployment applicants. Note that in the history of testing such applicants, the cost far outweighs the benefits.
42. Democratic senate and house members introduced a bill that “would cement in law that Presidents must disclose all of their financial interests with countries that are involved in trade actions with the United States.” Meaning Trump would have to disclose any financial interests he has that would be affected by any actions he takes on trade issues.
43. China grants Trump a trademark he’s been trying to get for a decade.
44. At the Munich security conference, several U.S. representatives, including John McCain, John Mattis, Mike Pence, and John Kelly, spend time reassuring allies that the U.S. will continue to support them and NATO, despite what Trump has been saying. In the middle of this, Trump’s press conference exacerbates anxieties among our allies.
45. Thousands rally in Times Square to say “I am a Muslim too” in protest of the executive order (travel ban) that is now on hold.
46. Outdoor Retailer, the largest outdoor recreation convention, has been held in Utah for 20 years. They removed Utah from future bids in protest of Utah’s handling of public lands issues. (Utah legislators are working to return all federal lands to the states as a way of overturning Obama designations of public land.)
47. Trump spends a third weekend at Mar-a-Lago.