Republican Sen. Ron Johnson accuses Trump administration of corruption

Key Points:

• Former Maryland GOP governor Larry Hogan blamed President Donald Trump for the GOP’s significant midterm losses, calling it a “complete and total rebuke” of Trump and his policies, and criticized the White House for ignoring political independents and shrinking its voter base.
• Senator Ron Johnson accused the Trump administration of corruption, citing allegations from former Trump adviser Calley Means about government officials catering to special interests, and emphasized the need for Republicans to embrace limited government principles to regain voter trust.
• A federal judge plans to appoint Jessie K. Liu as a special master to investigate potential ethical violations by Justice and Interior Department lawyers related to the Trump administration’s handling of East Potomac Golf Links, focusing on possible misleading information and undisclosed plans.
• Senator Chris Van Hollen called for a discussion within the Democratic caucus about Senate leadership, stating that no leader, including Chuck Schumer, should receive an automatic mandate without clear commitments, amid calls for new direction following recent elections.
• Houston Mayor John Whitmire issued an executive order limiting police cooperation with ICE to suspects involved in jailable offenses, aiming to reduce fear in immigrant communities; this policy shift follows Democratic election victories in Texas and contrasts with former Governor Greg Abbott’s tougher stance on immigration enforcement.