What's happening in the political world:
Trump blasts Flake, Corker in tweets
-- President Trump suggested that the reason Republican Sens. Jeff Flake and Bob Corker are not seeking re-election is due to them being unpopular rather than their harsh criticism of him.
On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted:
The reason Flake and Corker dropped out of the Senate race is very simple, they had zero chance of being elected. Now act so hurt & wounded!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2017
Flake, from Arizona, announced Tuesday that he would not seek re-election. In a speech on the Senate floor, he criticized Trump as he laid out his plans.
Flake now joins Sen. Bob Corker, who himself said he would not run for re-election in Tennessee, as two high-profile Republicans who have drawn the ire of the president.
Trump, who was on Capitol Hill Tuesday for a lunch with GOP senators about tax reform, also tweeted:
The meeting with Republican Senators yesterday, outside of Flake and Corker, was a love fest with standing ovations and great ideas for USA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2017
Jeff Flake, with an 18% approval rating in Arizona, said "a lot of my colleagues have spoken out." Really, they just gave me a standing O!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2017
Clinton campaign, DNC helped fund dossier research
-- Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee helped fund research that led to the now-infamous dossier of allegations about President Donald Trump and Russia, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
The source said the law firm Perkins Coie, as part of its representation of the Clinton campaign and the DNC, retained the intelligence firm Fusion GPS and entered "into an engagement for research services that began in April 2016 and concluded before the election in early November."
Trump tweeted about the matter on Wednesday morning:
"Clinton campaign & DNC paid for research that led to the anti-Trump Fake News Dossier. The victim here is the President." @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2017
Senate kills rule that made it easier to sue banks
-- Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote Tuesday night to repeal a rule that made it easier for Americans to sue their banks and credit card companies.
Senators passed the measure by a vote of 51-50, handing Wall Street its first major win since President Trump took office in January.
Two Republican senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Kennedy of Louisiana, sided with Democrats in opposition to the resolution.
Wiping out the rule would affect tens of millions of Americans who often don't know they are covered by an arbitration clause when they sign up for a credit card, checking account or prepaid card.
Secret Service: Michigan man threatened to 'blow Trump's brains out'
-- A Michigan man is facing federal charges for threatening to kill President Trump.
James Anthony Jackson has been charged with making a threat against the President of the United States in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
A criminal complaint says the Jackson called both the United States Secret Service Detroit Field Office and Chicago Field Office several times on both October 12 and October 13.
During one of the calls to the Chicago office, investigators say Jackson said, "Better watch Donald Trump a**, ya b****, ya'll think someone playing with yo dumba****. I am going to blow white brains out the f*** out his mother f***ing head, now b****, f*** you white mother f***er, ya'll started this s***, f*** with my God damn phone b****."
Officials say that Jackson was spoofing his phone number during these calls, making it appear as if he was calling from other Secret Service officers.
Another call came into the Detroit Field Office on October 18, during which Jackson is alleged to have said, "why ya'll messing with my wires" and "I'm going to blow Trump's brains out."
CNN and WXYZ contributed to this report
