Today’s edition of quick hits.<\/b>
\nToday\u2019s edition of quick hits:
* Big news for those following the Thomas Farr nomination: \u201cSen. Tim Scott said Thursday he will oppose the nomination of Thomas Farr to the federal bench, assuring the controversial pick will not be confirmed. The South Carolina Republican was the deciding vote in determining whether Farr, widely accused of efforts to disenfranchise black voters, would be confirmed.\u201d
* Hmm: \u201cSenate committees investigating Russia\u2019s interference in the 2016 election are combing through witness testimony for possible misleading or untruthful statements, according to three people familiar with the effort.\u201d
* I strongly suspect this was scandal related: \u201cPresident Donald Trump on Thursday abruptly canceled a planned Saturday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow\u2019s seizure of Ukrainian assets and personnel.\u201d
* It may just be a coincidence, but Burke was a tax attorney for Donald Trump for 10 years: \u201cFederal agents showed up unannounced at the City Hall office of Finance Committee Chairman Ed Burke, kicked everyone out and papered over the windows Thursday morning. The nature of their visit was not known, but Ald. Burke has dodged dozens of federal investigations over five decades in Chicago politics.\u201d
* VA: \u201cFor weeks, student veterans across the country have raised an alarm about delayed or incorrect GI Bill benefit payments, which the Department of Veterans Affairs has blamed on computer issues. But on Wednesday, the department told congressional staffers that it would not reimburse those veterans who were paid less than they were owed, two committee aides told NBC News.\u201d
* Some unexpected news related to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio): \u201cOne of President Trump\u2019s staunchest defenders on Capitol Hill is bowing out of the race to become the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, anticipating that party leaders would select someone else for the position.\u201d
* Farm bill: \u201cLawmakers have struck a final farm bill deal that scraps a plan \u2013 backed by House Republicans and President Trump \u2013 that would have added new work requirements on food stamp beneficiaries, according to a key GOP senator.\u201d
* This was an interesting raid: \u201cGerman authorities raided Deutsche Bank offices Thursday as part of an investigation into whether the firm helped clients launder money through tax havens. One of the employees suspected of involvement works in the division responsible for fighting financial crime, according to people familiar with the matter.\u201d
* An apology was the least they could do: \u201cThe head of a U. S. government agency has apologized to George Soros and his Open Society Foundations for the airing of a program that espoused conspiracy theories about Soros and called him a \u2018multimillionaire Jew.\u2019\u201d
* Kansas: \u201cA man accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl unsuccessfully argued that he should not be charged with taking advantage of a child because she was actually 16 under a Kansas law that says life begins at fertilization.\u201d
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.<\/p>\n