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By Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Carrie Dann
WASHINGTON – On Sunday, Trump's Justice Department concluded that there was insufficient evidence that President Trump had obstructed justice.
On Monday, the same department said that the Affordable Care Act, as a whole, Obamacare, was unconstitutional – returning the political conversation back to health care.
In a case filed with the Fifth Circuit, three justice lawyers said they supported a lower court decision claiming that the entire law was now unconstitutional because its individual mandate had was reduced to a $ 0 tax penalty, writes the Washington Post.
The controversial reasoning is that since the Supreme Court upheld the ACA's mandate as an exercise of Congress's power to pass taxes, a zero tax penalty means that the entire law is invalid.
Political implications: "If the Justice Department's position prevails, health care for millions of people would potentially be cut off and the US health care system would be disrupted – the removal of free preventative services for people in need. Older Americans benefiting from Medicare Medicaid in most states, "adds Post.
"A court victory would fulfill Republicans' promises to defeat a national achievement prized by the previous administration without leaving a substitute in place."
Democrats who hoped the political conversation would change from Mueller to something else in their wheelhouse – like a blanket for those with pre-existing troubles – realized their wish.
A recent Fox News poll found that only 37 percent of registered voters approve Trump's treatment of health care, while 52 percent disagree. This is a score of approval lower than that obtained by the president for his management of the economy (50%), taxes (42%) and immigration (41%).
And while more and more Republicans are standing up for Obamacare's status quo – while Dem presidential candidates are demanding a version of "Medicare for All," Trump and the GOP are in a particularly awkward position with this trial.
The questions Mueller has still not answered
Of course, Mueller has not exactly disappeared from the news.
In February and again last week, we asked 10 questions that we hoped the special advocate Robert Mueller would answer in his report.
This list is reminiscent of what we still do not know: we are still waiting for the release of the full report, instead of the four-page summary by Attorney General William Barr.
- Will anyone else be accused of not telling the truth in Congress (Donald Trump Jr., Erik Prince)? Reply Mueller: Most likely not.
- Was there kompromat? Has President Trump been compromised by his trade relations with Russia (including the Trump tower in Moscow)? No answer.
- Did Paul Manafort really share the 2016 survey data with Konstantin Kilimnik (who has links with Russian intelligence services)? And if so, what did Kilimnik do with it? No answer.
- In the Trump campaign, who asked Roger Stone to inquire about WikiLeaks' upcoming disclosures against the Clinton campaign? No answer.
- Did someone on Trump's orbit help WikiLeaks analyze / organize / manage his email repositories? NO ANSWER.
- Was Trump aware of the June 9, 2016 meeting of Trump Tower with a Kremlin associate? And when did he know? No answer.
- Do Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates register in this survey? No answer.
- What about the NRA? No answer.
- Will the President of the United States be assigned? Reply Mueller: No.
- Why has the President – through all this – concealed, attacked and misdirected as much as he did? In other words, why did he act like someone who has something to hide? No answer.
So, on the 10 questions, Mueller only replied that "two.
Still, it's amazing how Trump and the GOP seem to have won the Mueller report without even reading a complete sentence.
Alex Moe and Rebecca Shabad of NBC reported that six Dem House presidents sent a letter to Attorney General Barr asking him to submit Mueller's full report to Congress by April 2.
Watch Capitol Hill
The House votes today to override Trump's veto on the adopted law that reverses the president's declaration of urgency at the border.
The House is not expected to have the support of two-thirds to override Trump's veto.
Meanwhile, the Senate must decide on the Green New Deal.
"The 53 Republicans are opposed to the Green New Deal. The 47 Democrats (including 2 independent senators) plan to vote "present" as part of a strategy led by minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., "NPR.
Vision 2020: Dems avoid difficult primaries in AZ-SEN
Senator Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., And the Senate Democrats campaign committee can breathe a sigh of relief into AZ-SEN – Mark Kelly is not going to receive a primary from the left.
Representative Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, who was considering running against Kelly for the Dem candidature to Senator named Martha McSally next year, told the Republic of Arizona that he would stay in the House.
"I do not want to get into a bitter primary until the general election, then turn around and try to run, whether it's me or Kelly, against McSally a year in which the Democrats have to win the Senate seat and take the # 39 "state," Gallego told the newspaper.
"It's just not in the best interest of the state or the Democratic Party to go down that road. … If Republicans are excited to see a lively and naughty primary, they will have to look elsewhere because I will not participate in that. "
This is the formula adopted for Arizona Dems in 2018: without primary, Kyrsten Sinema is able to focus on the center of the electorate.
On the 2020 Countryside Trail today
Joe Biden in New York speaks at the Biden Courage Awards … Bill Weld, meanwhile, meets New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu in the Granite State.
As for Biden's activities yesterday, Mike Memoli of NBC reports that he has been an interviewer for Janet Napolitano's next book.
"Biden asked his questions for about an hour, sometimes expressing his own views on the Trump administration's policies on national security and homeland security. He then read the public's questions to Napolitano, none of which directly asked Mueller or 2020, "according to Memoli.
Tweet of the day
Data Download: The number of days is … $ 13,500
$ 13,500.
This is the average salary increase per person that Kamala Harris hopes to offer to teachers as part of a massive $ 315 billion proposal to increase teacher salaries over the next 10 years.
The average increase of $ 13,500 proposed would bring teachers' salaries closer to other employees with a university degree.
The plan would be paid for by changes to the estate tax, according to the Harris campaign.
Learn more about our colleague Benjy Sarlin's plan here.
The lid: Ch-ch-changes
Do not miss yesterday's module on which we attempted to answer this question: the Mueller report was submitted. But will this change the spirit of someone?
ICYMI: News not to be missed
Mike Pence had to convince Dan Coats to quit, our own report Carol E. Lee and Courtney Kube.
The Trump administration is attacking critics and the media following Mueller.
The latest round of discussions around Mueller forces many critics of Trump to wonder: is William Barr impartial?
Barack Obama is asking freshmen House Dems to take a look at the price tags of their most radical progressive plans.
The conservative fundraiser Fred Malek is dead.
Other news that are there …
Trump Agenda: Acting Secretary of Defense approves funds for fencing at the border
The Acting Secretary of Defense has approved $ 1 billion for fencing at the border.
The New York Times offers a profile of Martha McSally following her revelation that she was allegedly raped by a superior while she was on duty.
Dem Agenda: How to expand health coverage
House Democrats are preparing to unveil their own plan for progressive health care plans.
Here is a brief overview of why Michael Avenatti is accused of his threats to Nike.
2020: It's personal
Will Bernie Sanders become personal or not?
Mark Udall will not be running for reelection.
The deadline for first quarter fundraising is imminent. "
Bill Weld says he will decide Trump's challenge in April.
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