| Right now, he's not just alienating people who already don't like him (cough Graham cough), he's alienating one of his most important allies in Nunes. He's the one heading a major congressional investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election that just may delve into alleged Trump ties. All of this drama could explode Monday, when the House Intelligence Committee will hold a rare public hearing with FBI Director James B. Comey. Consider Monday's hearing nothing less than a proxy battle between an increasingly exasperated Congress and their president. Speaking of Obamacare repeal, Republicans' effort could be doomed already. As of Wednesday afternoon, I count 60 GOP lawmakers who have serious concerns about an Obamacare reform bill. Republicans can only spare 21 defections in the House and two in the Senate, soooo 60 is not the number they want to see. It's difficult to see how legislators close the gap between conservatives who think it doesn't go far enough to repeal Obamcare and moderates who are concerned it goes too far in taking away people's health insurance. If this bill does crash and burn, there are three big losers: 1) Trump: Trump hasn't really taken ownership of the bill, but his campaign promises speak for themselves:
2) All the other Republicans who promised to get rid of Obamacare: House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) recently told reporters he thinks this moment is “the closest we will ever get to repealing and replacing Obamacare.”
3) The rest of Republicans' agenda: Pretty much every Republican in Washington wants to repeal Obamacare. If they can't get this done, what will they be able to accomplish? Conspiracy theory alert: Did Trump leak his own tax returns? Not Trump's tax return. (Andrew Harnik/AP) Let's argue about it, just for fun. MAYBE! The snoozer of a 2005 tax return journalist David Cay Johnston released Tuesday night to MSNBC spurred some to wonder if Trump himself leaked it. That kinda makes sense, says The Fix's Callum Borchers: It'd certainly direct away from all the health care and Russia coverage. NOT LIKELY says WaPo's Philip Bump. A New York tax lawyer explained to him there are lots of people who might have copies of this return — like any bank Trump had ever requested a mortgage from. Logic would then dictate “there is a higher likelihood that someone who obtained Trump’s tax return in some way passed it to Johnston than Trump did himself.” Yeah, okay, logic does deflate this otherwise tantalizing conspiracy theory. But the fact we're not entirely putting it past our president to leak one of his tax returns is fascinating enough, no? LOLz. (giphy.com) | 