Nancy Pelosi suggested that the State of the Union address be delayed until after the government shutdown is resolved. Has the annual address, with all its pomp and pageantry, become an overwrought symbol of the imperial modern presidency?
Then, we discuss a pair of back-to-back bombshell news stories. First, the NY Times reports that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation into President Trump after he fired James Comey. But, did the FBI step over the line? Second, the Washington Post revealed that President Trump concealed records of his one-on-one conversations with Vladimir Putin. Why this might not be as bad as it first appears.
Reading Material
– Charles C.W. Cooke: The State of the Union Is Inappropriate
– Jack Goldsmith: On What Grounds Can the FBI Investigate the President as a Counterintelligence Threat?