Trump claims memo 'totally vindicates' him in Russian Federation probe

Key Democratic and Republican lawmakers said on Sunday the Republican memo will not affect the government's Russian Federation probe and rejected Trump's assertion he was vindicated by the document. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is not going to run the flag up the pole again this year, and any effort to finish off Obamacare will have to wait until there are more Republicans in the Senate, according to Politico.

What's more, Trump reached out to Democrats and sought their support for a compromise measure to extend President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.

"We're getting very little help from the Democrats, but I hope after I leave this room, we're going to get a call from these people saying, 'Let's go, ' " he said.

"We would like to see a vote on that soon", he said, adding that House Speaker Paul Ryan has committed to a floor vote.

Saturday's Democratic rebuttal contended that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court activities discussed in the Nunes memo predated Rod Rosenstein's tenure as deputy attorney general and therefore can't be used as a basis to remove him, as some Republican lawmakers and conservative critics have urged.

"March 5th is rapidly approaching and the Democrats are doing nothing about DACA". I think they want to obstruct.

The Gang of Six offer included almost $3 billion for Trump's wall and border technology, ended the diversity lottery but used those visas with a higher bar for underrepresented countries and recipients of temporary protected status, and addressed "chain migration", or family migration, by blocking parents of DACA recipients who came here illegally from ever being citizens. For instance, he could put the White House's bill up for a vote and demonstrate quite easily that it doesn't have the votes to pass, while also allowing Democrats to vote on other amendments to shape a final product.

He also wants new restrictions that the conservative-leaning Cato Institute estimates could cut legal immigration by one-half million people annually.

The next spending deadline looms on Thursday, with Democrats defiant in their demands and Republicans remaining divided.

Trump's tone during the speech alternated between off-the-cuff riffing about how great of a year it had been ― complete with shoutouts to random lawmakers ― to a prepared speech that made the case for a tougher line on immigration negotiations.

"If Democrats don't figure out a way to negotiate, then the DACA program will end and that's not an outcome I think anybody would like", said Sen.

"Devin Nunes, over the past several months, all the way back to the spring of previous year, I think, has engaged in these tactics, purely to defend, make excuses and try to protect Mr. Trump", Brennan said. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said last week it held Dreamers "hostage to a hateful anti-immigrant scheme".

He also suggested House Intelligence Committee head Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., "worked with the White House" on the memo.

It might focus on a one-year extension of protection for DACA recipients in exchange for a year's worth of money for the wall and border security, about $2 billion or $3 billion. He said he was confident his bill would come up for a vote but would not share details on when or whether it had enough votes.

"I do not see eye to eye with President (Donald) Trump and Republicans in Congress on many issues", she said at the beginning of her three-minute talk.

Ken Khachigian, who served as chief speechwriter to President Ronald Reagan, gave Trump high marks.

Trump reiterated on Thursday at the retreat that all four components of his framework must be included in a deal, a stance viewed as unworkable by many lawmakers in both parties.

Trey Gowdy, the Republican chairman of the powerful House Oversight committee, disagreed with Trump and said the memo has no impact on the Russian Federation probe.

The document centred on evidence, including a dossier partly funded by Democrats, presented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department to a judge to extend surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

He said he'll be a "facilitator" with Dick Durbin of IL, the chamber's No. 2 Democrat.

With President Donald Trump there is an additional factor: Will he say or tweet something so outrageous that he kills the good buzz?

Gregory Korte reported from Washington.