Good morning, Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
Trump Calls Mueller “Disgraced and Discredited” and His Investigators “Thugs”
President Donald Trump tweeted his latest criticism of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is overseeing the Russia investigation, calling him “disgraced and discredited.”
“Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency,” Trump tweeted.
Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency. Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018
“Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble,” Trump wrote. “They are enjoying ruining people’s lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side – the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Mueller’s Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!”
….looking for trouble. They are enjoying ruining people’s lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side – the lies, the firings, the deleted Emails and soooo much more! Mueller’s Angry Dems are looking to impact the election. They are a National Disgrace!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018
“Where’s the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!” the president wrote in another tweet, adding to the rising count of times that he has called the Russia investigation a “witch hunt.”
Where’s the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018
Over the weekend, Trump posted a series of tweets regarding the report that White House counsel, Don McGahn, had been cooperating with special counsel.
The New York Times reported that McGahn “detailed accounts about the episodes at the heart of the inquiry into whether President Trump obstructed justice.”
According to ABC News, sources with knowledge of McGahn’s meetings with special counsel said that McGahn had met with the special counsel’s team at least three times.
Trump, who has repeatedly denied any collusion between his presidential campaign and Russia, wrote on Twitter that he “allowed White House Counsel Don McGahn, and all other requested members of the White House Staff, to fully cooperate with the Special Counsel.”
First Lady Melania Trump Speaks At Anti-Cyberbullying Summit
First Lady Melania Trump addressed a panel of youth activists, social media executives, law enforcement officials and educators on Monday on preventing cyberbullying.
“In today’s global society, social media is an inevitable part of our children’s daily lives. It can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly,” Mrs. Trump said in her opening remarks.
First Lady Melania Trump: Social media “can be used in many positive ways, but can also be destructive and harmful when used incorrectly.” pic.twitter.com/d6tzFxE9AK
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 20, 2018
“That is why Be Best chooses to focus on the importance of teaching our next generation how to conduct themselves safely and in a positive manner in an online setting,” she added, referring to her initiative on children’s wellness and promoting positive behavior on social media among youth.
The First Lady also encouraged that children who use social media be a part of the dialogue on solutions to end cyberbullying, The Huffington Post reports.
“By listening to children’s ideas and concerns, I believe adults will be better able to help them navigate this often-difficult topic,” Mrs. Trump said. “Let’s face it: Most children are more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of social media than some adults.”
“But we still need to do all we can to provide them with information and tools for successful and safe online habits,” Mrs. Trump added.
As the First Lady spent participated in the summit, her husband, President Donald Trump, blasted special counsel Robert Mueller on Twitter, calling the special counsel “disgraced and discredited.”
According to HuffPost, Mrs. Trump’s Be Best initiative has been the source of criticism due to her husband’s Twitter attacks.
“She is well aware of the criticism, but that will not deter her from doing what she feels is right,” the First Lady’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement. “I would hope most people in this country are proud that they have a strong and independent First Lady who only has the best interests of children at heart – I know I am.”
New EPA Plan to Include Fewer Restrictions on Coal
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce on Tuesday its replacement for the Clean Power Plan, a policy supported by former President Barack Obama designed to fight climate change.
According to The Wall Street Journal, who obtained a copy of the plan in advance, the new plan will include fewer restrictions on electricity produced from coal, making it easier for it to compete with renewable sources and natural gas.
via Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images
EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler told the Journal the Clean Power Plan under Obama “was centered around doing away with coal.”
The replacement plan, called the Affordable Clean Energy rule, isn’t expected to have ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse emissions, and is likely to give states more flexibility on determining how to reduce its release of carbon dioxide and other materials that contribute to climate change.
President Donald Trump and his administration have said that during the Obama administration the EPA acted outside of its legal authority and that regulations under the plan would have made it too restrictive for companies that produce energy from coal.
However, the regulations under the Clean Power Plan were never enforced because the Supreme Court held off on the rules after legal challenges. The Trump administration’s new plan will likely face legal challenges as well.
Environmental advocates have criticized the Trump administration for rolling back policies aimed at combating climate change.
Lynsday Moseley Alexander, director of the healthy air campaign for the American Lung Association, told ABC News, “We’ve already lost time in the fight against climate change from when the Clean Power Plan was adopted, so we need any replacement for the Clean Power Plan to do more, not less, and achieve the maximum health benefits possible by reducing carbon emissions.”
Members of the public will be allowed to comment on the plan over the next two months.
What to look out for…
Cards Against Humanity is currently hiring new card writers for $40 an hour, so get your passive-aggressiveness ready. Â