Politics

For all the talk about Paul Manafort's indictiment, one can't help but feel that there is a distinct undercurrent amid today's newsflow focusing on Hillary Clinton: from the resignation of one of the most powerful Democrats, Tony Podesta, who earlier today parted ways with the lobbying firm he founded after it became ensnared in the Mueller probe (and who is also brother of Clinton campaign chair John Podesta) to the sudden reemergence of the Benghazi attack narrative, one wonders if Trump is not preparing to launch a broadside attack on his former presidential challenger.

As the left and the media ramp up their Manafort-ian mania against Trump, it appears the trail of destruction from special counsel Mueller's probe has spread to Democratic power-lobbyist Tony Podesta.

As we explained in Aug 2016, Paul Manafort - now under indictment on 12 charges - and his deputy Rick gates previously worked with the Podesta Group, run by Tony Podesta, the brother of Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

Having continued Friday's melt-up as soon as US equity markets opened this morning, headlines from Washington that the corporate tax cuts may be enacted "gradually" reaching 20% in 2022.

As Bloomberg reports, House tax writers are discussing a gradual phase-in for the corporate tax-rate cut that President Donald Trump and Republican leaders want -- a schedule that would have the rate reach 20 percent in 2022, according to a member of the chamber’s tax-writing committee and a person familiar with the discussions.

It's only 10:30 am on the East Coast and already today is shaping up to be one of the most consequential days of the Trump presidency.

In addition to the news that former Trump campaign executive Paul Manafort and his longtime deputy, Rick Gates, have been indicted on 12 counts including tax fraud, money laundering, failing to register as a lobbyist for a foreign country, and conspiring against the US, unsealed court documents have revealed that former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty on Oct. 5 to making false statements to the FBI.

Update: As we warned earlier, La Sexta has just reported that (former) Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont will seek asylum in Belgium.

According to eldiario.es, Puigdemont has made the decision to travel to Brussels advised by a legal team that recommends him to remain in that country.