On Politics A.M.: A Bleak Portrait of the F.B.I.

The Justice Department inspector general said the agency had badly misused its surveillance powers.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 12, 2019

Good Thursday morning. Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today.

The Justice Department’s inspector general, Michael E. Horowitz, debunked President Trump’s accusations that the F.B.I. had conspired to overthrow his presidency, but also said his report was no exoneration of the bureau, adding that serious errors he found in court filings were due to “gross incompetence and negligence.”

Mr. Horowitz’s study amounted to the most searching look ever at the government’s secretive system for carrying out national-security surveillance on American soil. And what the report showed was not pretty.

An order signed by Mr. Trump essentially declares Judaism to be a race or national origin, not just a religion, for purposes of civil rights enforcement. The new definition is already playing out at the Education Department, whose civil rights chief is hunting for anti-Semitism on campuses.

The House Judiciary Committee opened a two-day markup session to debate two articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump before they are sent to the full House for a vote. Here’s what happened.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced plans for new sanctions on Iran’s largest shipping company and a major airline for what he said were their roles in transporting material for the country’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

In June, Mr. Trump promised that millions of undocumented immigrants already in the United States would be deported. That hasn’t happened: Deportations and arrests actually dropped by 10 percent in the year that ended in September.

Joe Biden released an immigration plan Wednesday that acknowledged “pain” caused by deportations during his time as vice president. He says he would roll back Mr. Trump’s policies, but unlike some Democrats he does not endorse the decriminalization of unauthorized border crossing.

Weeks ago, Senator Cory Booker said that not qualifying for the December presidential debate would force “difficult decisions” about his underdog candidacy. That was then.

Research indicates that Generation Z is the first in which women are more likely than their male peers to be engaged in politics. Some are already planning to run for office one day, and they can’t even vote yet.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers agreed to give troops a pay raise — and the president his Space Force.

Today’s On Politics briefing was compiled by Isabella Grullón Paz in New York.

Were you forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Is there anything you think we’re missing? Anything you want to see more of? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at onpolitics@nytimes.com.

Continue reading the main story

ADVERTISEMENT

Continue reading the main story

Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for On Politics With Lisa Lerer from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The Times |Get The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your Email|Privacy Policy|Contact Us The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018