RSN: Bob Bauer | The Cohen Reimbursements and 'Retainers': Tall Tales and Other Possibilities

19 May 18 It's Live on the HomePage Now: Reader Supported News WE NEED EVERYONE TO PITCH IN NOW - We have received some wonderful contributions this month both large and small. But in total only 247 people have responded. As a result we are well behind where we should be. We must do everything we can to finish now. We need everyone to pitch in now, today. Please. / Marc Ash, Founder Reader Supported News Sure, I'll make a donation!! Bob Bauer | The Cohen Reimbursements and 'Retainers': Tall Tales and Other Possibilities  Bob Bauer, Lawfare Bauer writes: "Through the thick fog of inconsistent and peculiar explanations, it is close to impossible to penetrate to the truth behind the payments by President Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels, now apparently reimbursed by Trump." READ MORE Paige Curry. (photo: ABC 13) The Tragic Awareness of a Santa Fe High School Shooting Survivor Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker Wallace-Wells writes: "Many American high schools resemble one another in their structures and their site plans, and so, when the first images of a school shooting circulate - so often, they are shaky panoramics beamed to us from local television stations' traffic helicopters - they have a way of recalling past shootings: Parkland, Sandy Hook, Umpqua Community College, Columbine." READ MORE Donald Trump and Steve Bannon in the Oval Office. (photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Trump Claimed the FBI May Have "Implanted" Someone Who "Spied" on His Campaign. It's Merely the Latest Bogus Claim. Aaron Blake, The Washington Post Blake writes: "The Trump team's strategy on the special counsel's Russia investigation is to foment chaos, throw things at the wall, and worry about the facts later - or not at all." READ MORE Because of the huge number and backlog, it would be difficult to reopen most of the cases. But Sessions has a plan for that. (photo: Jay Lazarin/iStock) Jeff Sessions Is Now Going After Immigrants Whose Cases Are Essentially Closed Clio Chang, Splinter News Chang writes: "Jeff Sessions, whose appetite for destroying the lives of immigrants will seemingly never be sated, has issued a new directive that could effectively reopen hundreds of thousands of deportation cases." READ MORE 'It's a direct assault on the progressive movement in America, ahead of November.' (photo: Scott  Koch Brothers-Backed Effort to Sabotage Unions Uses Secret "Tool Kit" to Encourage Members to Quit Ed Pilkington, Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Democracy Now! Excerpt: "Internal documents obtained by The Guardian show how a network of right-wing think tanks have launched a nationwide effort to convince members of public sector unions to stop paying dues." READ MORE A paramilitary group in Colombia. (photo: Justice for Colombia) Colombia Cautions Indigenous Groups as Paramilitaries Close In teleSUR Excerpt: "Colombia's Indigenous communities are on high alert after authorities issued an Early Warning alerting the northern district to the imminent arrival of paramilitary groups." READ MORE Jim Bridenstine said he would protect NASA's climate research, which has repeatedly been targeted for cuts by the Trump administration and House Republicans. (photo: BIG THINK) New NASA Chief Says He Will Protect Climate Research Scott Waldman, Scientific American Waldman writes: "NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told agency employees that he will not restrict climate science at the agency and will make investments in additional earth science research." READ MORE Contribute to RSN Become a Fan of RSN on Facebook and Twitter Update My Monthly Donation