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PBC News & Comment: Conman Trump Slams Leaks, Media While Ducking Questions About Russia Contacts

In rambling press conference, Trump asserts White House is running like “fine-tuned machine”, hammers media, leakers and fake news….–Trump laid out his alt-reality in animated, bizarre exchanges with reporters, who caught him lying about election results and dodging questions about contacts with Russians; he says “chaos and turmoil” are at appeals court

–Dems demand transcripts of leaked Flynn phone call intercepts

–in our new in-depth interview, journalist Robert Parry notes the lack of evidence for all the claims about Russia and interference, and says it’s no joke

Guardian reports that Trump’s “well-tuned” machine at White House is ignoring State Dept and its new boss, Rex Tillerson

–Trump may name his billionaire buddy Stephen Feinberg to lead review of intelligence agencies

–seeking confirmation as ambassador to Israel, Trump’s bankruptcy lawyer David Friedman apologizes for smearing liberal Jews

–top aide to Ben Carson, one of few blacks in administration, is fired and frog-marched out of HUD after discovery of his criticism of Trump

–nationwide, thousands of immigrants took the day off to highlight their importance to the economy, inspired by 2004 documentary, A Day Without a Mexican…watch the trailer here

–in El Paso, an undocumented woman who had just obtained a domestic violence restraining order was arrested by ICE, perhaps tipped by her abuser

–corporate prison operators are sued for illegally recording and sharing attorney phone calls with prosecutors

–in South Carolina, 74% of Boeing workers rejected Machinists union

–IS claims responsibility for suicide attack in Pakistan, killing 70 people, and car bomb attack in Baghdad, killing at least 52

–Bill Maher gives nasty response to Jeremy Scahill’s decision not to appear on this week’s show, which will include Milo Yiannopoulos

–NYC listener Kathleen Lowy asks about US troops at Trump Tower…does it violate Posse Comitatus? Wikipedia info is here