The Morning Briefing: The Red Scare Heats Up and Much, Much More

Good Tuesday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

The president meets with members of Congress

Reactions to Trump’s meeting with Putin

Yesterday, the president met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two leaders held a joint press conference following their meeting. Trump was widely panned by people on both sides for treating Putin gently and questioning American intelligence agencies’ assessments that the Russians tried to meddle in the 2016 elections. Negative reactions were swift and in some cases, over the top.

Anderson Cooper said the president’s performance at the press conference was disgraceful. Senator John McCain agreed. Senator Chuck Schumer wonders if the RUSSIANS don’t have some kind of dirt on Trump. A former aide for the U.S. ambassador to RUSSIA, Jon Huntsman, called on Trump to “resign if you have any honor.” Of course, there were always going to be people who ripped Trump over the meeting no matter what happened.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) chimed in, saying, “The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally” and asserted, “No question that Russia interfered in our election.”

Dan Coats, director of National Intelligence, also countered Trump: “The role of the Intelligence Community is to provide the best information and fact-based assessments possible for the President and policymakers,” Coats said in a statement. “We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security.”

Former Obama CIA chief, probable anti-Trump coup co-conspirator, and partisan freak John Brennan claimed Trump’s performance was treasonous.

Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of “high crimes & misdemeanors.” It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???

— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) July 16, 2018

Hillary Clinton put in her two cents and even Newt Gingrich weighed in: “President Trump must clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and Putin,” Gingrich tweeted. “It is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected—-immediately.”

One of the more over-the-top reactions — and that’s saying something — was Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), who asked where “military folks” were. I’m not sure what this means, but Cohen clarified he was not calling for a coup. Of course.

All around not a great performance by Trump. I recognize he is in a tough situation because the resistance isn’t really concerned with RUSSIAN interference per se, they are only interested in RUSSIAN interference as a way to delegitimize Trump’s victory. Obama was fine to look the other way as long as conventional wisdom dictated that Hillary was going to win the election.

But there is a difference between RUSSIAN meddling and Trump working with the RUSSIANS to steal the election from Hillary and Trump should try and make that distinction himself, even if the #mediaresistence doesn’t.

The president responded to the outcry following the press conference:

As I said today and many times before, “I have GREAT confidence in MY intelligence people.” However, I also recognize that in order to build a brighter future, we cannot exclusively focus on the past – as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, we must get along! #HELSINKI2018

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2018

WAT? Expert: Mueller Will Likely Get Secret Intel on Trump/Putin Meeting

Rand Paul to travel to Russia after downplaying election meddling

Rand Paul sides with Trump on Russia, says critics ‘motivated’ by dislike of president

Former Trump Admin Spox Reveals The Real Reason Why He Didn’t Go On CNN

Chris Wallace interviews Putin

Chris Wallace Asked Putin Why So Many Of His Political Opponents Wind Up Dead

Putin denies having dirt on Trump, calls meddling charge ‘utterly ridiculous’ in Fox News interview

RUSSIAN lady arrested

Yesterday, a woman was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of the RUSSIAN government when she snuggled up to various center-right organizations, allegedly on behalf of the RUSSIAN government. Her lawyer denies the charges.

“Maria Butina is not an agent of the Russian Federation,” her attorney Robert Driscoll said in a statement Monday afternoon. “She is a Russian national in the United States on a student visa who recently graduated from American University in Washington, D.C.”

Driscoll said she “has been cooperating with various government entities for months regarding public allegations related to her contacts with various American and Russian individuals,” testified for eight hours before the Senate Intelligence Committee months ago and provided “thousands of documents.”

It’s not entirely clear what exactly went down or if the groups she was trying to work over knew she was acting on behalf of the RUSSIAN government. The FBI said Maria Butina’s intent was to “exploit personal connections with U.S. persons having influence in American politics in an effort to advance the interests of the Russian Federation.” Butina is also connected to Aleksandr Torshin, who is under investigation for laundering money for the NRA.

This story is developing so stay tuned for updates.

Historical picture of the day:

Judge John T. Raulston of Winchester, Tenn., holds the decision in the Tennessee versus John Scopes case at the Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tenn., July 17, 1925. Scopes, a high school biology teacher, is on trial for violating the Butler Act, a Tennessee law that forbids the teaching of the theory of evolution in public schools because it contradicts the Bible. Scopes was convicted and fined $100. The state Supreme Court later overturned the decision. The Butler Act remained in the books until 1967. (AP Photo)

Other morsels:

Republicans say they have new leads after interview with former FBI lawyer Lisa Page

Freedom Caucus lawmakers call on DOJ to probe Rosenstein allegations

Wife of George Papadopoulos to testify before House Intel Committee

Protests in Chicago continue after officials release video of police shooting

El Chapo’s trial delayed two months as defense reviews evidence

Anthony Bourdain: Bill Clinton was ‘entitled, rapey, gropey, grabby, disgusting’

GOP Illinois governor extends waiting periods for all gun purchases

All the notable people and politicians Sacha Baron Cohen has ‘duped’ for his new TV series, ‘Who Is America?’

Sacha Baron Cohen Tries And Fails To Dupe Matt Gaetz On His Crazy New Show

Washington Post Column Says USA Is Reenacting The Holocaust — Minus The Genocide

Civil Liberty Groups Call On University Of Kansas To Restore Defaced American Flag