Today’s edition of quick hits.<\/b>
\nToday\u2019s edition of quick hits:
* Amazing progress: \u201cRep. Steve Scalise, R-La., who was critically wounded after a gunman opened fire at a congressional baseball practice in June, has made progress in his recovery and was discharged from a Washington, D. C., hospital on Tuesday.\u201d
* Did Donald Trump ban transgender troops in order to advance a spending bill with money for his border wall? It\u2019s an explanation that would answer some questions.
* Ugh: \u201cPresident Trump lumped the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah among militants and terrorists he praised the government of Lebanon for fighting, saying during Rose Garden remarks Tuesday that the tiny Mideast nation was \u201con the front lines\u201d of a shared battle against extremism. The only problem? Hezbollah is a political partner of the man standing next to Trump, visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri.\u201d
* Disheartening, but not surprising: \u201cRepublican Trey Gowdy acted behind closed doors like a lawyer for President Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, during questioning Tuesday by the House Intelligence Committee, said the top Democrat on the panel. \u2018Mr. Gowdy took the role as a second attorney for Mr. Kushner,\u2019 Adam Schiff of California told reporters.\u201d
* Brian Benczkowski: \u201cPresident Trump\u2019s nominee to lead the Justice Department\u2019s criminal division told senators Tuesday that he once represented a Russian bank that was alleged to have a Trump Organization connection, but he cast that representation as a routine part of his legal work and forcefully asserted that he would be an independent and fair-minded law enforcement official.\u201d
* But what are they prepared to do about it? \u201cRepublican senators have Attorney General Jeff Sessions\u2019 back. The GOP lawmakers are furious over President Donald Trump\u2019s escalating attacks on their former colleague and are letting the attorney general \u2013 and the public \u2013 know that they stand with Sessions in the face of the president\u2019s broadsides.\u201d
* Apparently, he can get worse: \u201cHuman rights groups are calling on Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte to retract his threat this week to bomb indigenous-run schools because he fears they are turning students against the government.\u201d
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.<\/p>\n

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